Winter is Here, or Ramblings of an Island “Batchelor” The last couple of days have been savage. We have a really nasty weather system sweeping across Southern New Zealand. Yesterday was steady rain from a very low cloud base, and gale westerly. This morning after a night of heavy rain and occasional thunder I was startled…
DetailsUlva Island as seen by English Guests at Sails Ashore Don’t tread on the birds Our Captain Birdseye lookalike, Peter, dropped us off on the jetty and went to park the boat. We walked a few steps into the forest and stopped. A hen sized brown bird calmly ambled across the path in front of…
DetailsTours to Ulva Island Staying at Sails Ashore on Stewart Island includes a guided discovery tour of Ulva Island with Peter … your host. The changing seasons and attendant flowers, ferns and birds is the focus of many of my posts. Orchid Season draws to a close Yesterday I found a clump of Autumn (Easter)…
DetailsNorsk Feiring, Norwegian Celebration Weekend. Stewart Island has had a long historic association with whalers. This started with the discovery of the “Solander” Grounds to the west of the Island in the 1830’s and continued for more or less 100 years, culminating with the arrival into Paterson Inlet in 1923 of the Rosshavet Whaling Companies factory…
DetailsSafari Lodge on Tour During the last 12 months we have managed to get out and about touring on our old Harley Davidson Motorcycle with a trip to Auckland and a Rally at Mount Cook. The only down side of running Safari Lodge Invercargill, is the summer months are spent in doors. We frequently host…
DetailsCabbage Tree Flowering There is a long held belief in New Zealand that when the Cabbage Tree flowers heavily then we should expect a long hot dry summer. If so then the extra water tank we installed may have been a very good idea. see post Cabbage Tree Cordyline australis Certainly this year the…
DetailsRelax just 10 minutes from airport, 15 minutes to the central city. Share a glass of our Pinot Noir and wander our 10 acres of vineyard, olive grove and peaceful garden. Find us easily off SH1 at the Clearwater Golf Resort entrance.
Clearview Lodge offers: Peaceful, private, convenient location, easy parking; Luxurious facilities – 3 spacious bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms, private balconies, guest lounge (internet, Wifi). Heated Pool and Spa. Cosy fire in winter; Enviro-Gold -Solar water heating, double glazing, recycling, smoke free; Bellbirds, Quail, Pheasant visit our garden; Our Pinot Noir vineyard also produces Rose’ and Port; Pick apples, berries, grapes, nuts, cherries; enjoy in baking or jams and preserves; and Clearwater, a Championship Golf course, lakes, fishing, restaurant, Groynes conservation reserve, Willowbank wildlife reserve and Kiwi-house, all 10 minutes walk.
DetailsSpring Keri Keri is blooming with beautiful flowers and stunning spring growth. We are enjoying a stunning spring which bodes well for summer. Long, dry and hot. We are this year thoroughly enjoying the fruits of our 7 years of labour in our garden. We planted Sally Holmes Roses when we arrived in this idyllic…
Details