Remembering Atareta Poananga

We were both saddened to read of Atareta’s recent death. Here is a letter of thanks from Tanya to Moana Maniapoto, well-known NZ musician, lawyer and powerful social justice advocate, expressing gratitude  for her tribute to the late Atareta Poananga, wahine toa no Ngati Porou, Ngati Rangitane… Kia ora Moana, I want to thank you very much […]

Emerging from Covid-19 Rahui…

We are very glad to be now in Level 2 of the Rahui.  We were in Level 4 (total lockdown) for 5 weeks from 26 March, then in Level 3 for 2 weeks from 28 April to 14 May.  Now, in Level 2, we are able to socialise more freely (in small numbers, and keeping […]

At the Table …?

We are a bit addicted to the “Jacinda and Ashleigh Show” on radio or  TV most days at 1pm.  The Prime Minister and the Director-General of Health present the latest news on Covid-19 with clarity and warmth.  We are grateful that swift action to isolate cases and prevent the spread we have seen in some […]

Covert Covid Creativity…

Tanya…. The first four weeks of our Rāhui (Lockdown) seem to have whizzed by.  I haven’t completed any of the practical chores on my “to-do” list, but have enjoyed the opportunities to create in unexpected ways. My computer crashed, and it took a week to get it to our Earthsong expert Grant, who fixed it […]

Amazing Autumn Artistry..

Before the outbreak of Covid-19, we had the good fortune to engage in a range of stimulating and challenging events around Tamaki Makauraru, Kelmarna Gardens Trust put on a fundraising dinner, in the gardens, in cooperation with Forest and Ozone Cafés – a feast of fruit, vegetables and herbs picked from the gardens, prepared and […]

Solstice Greetings from the Far South!

… from Ōtepoti-Dunedin, where for two weeks  we’re  housesitting for  friends, Fiona and Glenn Erik, former neighbours at Earthsong. It’s wear-merino weather here still, cold even on the sunny days… We’ve slipped easily into our gracious 1920s red brick homesit high on the hills of Ōpoho in North Dunedin, and are enjoying tending to gardens and […]

Ōwairaka

In late November we became involved in political action  on our local maunga in Tāmaki Makaurau – Ōwairaka/Mount Albert.  We had heard on the news that a small group of local residents had gathered half way up  the mountain to stop a tree-felling firm from carrying out the instructions of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority to […]

 Whirinaki Te Pua-A-Tane forest

Tanya’s four-day adventure with Stephanie.. On the last morning of our recent tramp out of the magnificent Whirinaki Podocarp Conservation Park (located between Rotorua and Te Urewera),  Steph’s acute eyes spied a whanau of whio, the rare native blue duck – parents and six ducklings –  preening themselves on a log, far below us in […]