It's the Little Things

There's an addictive element to this mobile lifestyle. The thought of new places to explore, getting back to basics, waking up to a different view, meeting new people ... there are so many positives. 

For me, at the top of the list, is having time to enjoy the simple things. Such as ...

Watching sunrises.

Being at the beach, with my dogs.

Bush walks. 

Birdlife.

Finding wild flowers and having time to study their colours and patterns.

Listening and watching waves. 

Knowing my dogs are happy. 

Watching sunsets.

And something I really, really appreciate, is going to bed knowing I don't have work the next day, and there will be no alarm to wake me. 

What do you enjoy about this lifestyle?

Season of Colours

Hands down, autumn is my favourite season. 

The colours. 

The warm days. 

The golden light. 

Maybe not so much the thought that winter is just around the corner, but everything else about autumn is a winner.

On a recent walk, I wondered how and why deciduous tress change colour but evergreen trees don't? And thanks to google, here's what I found out.

I learnt that red, yellow, gold and orange colours are actually in the leaves all the time. However they can't be seen because of all the chlorophyll in the leaves. Chlorophyll is a green pigment that's in all green plants and is responsible for absorbing light from the sun to provide energy for photosynthesis.

So what is photosynthesis? Well plants use a process called photosynthesis to make food. During photosynthesis plants trap light energy from the sun in their leaves. Plants use this energy from the sun to change water (which they get through air and soil) and carbon dioxide (from the air) into sugar called glucose. Glucose is used by plants for energy to make other substances like cellulose and starch.

Basically, photosynthesis is a function that converts solar energy into chemical energy. The chemical energy is stored for later use. A byproduct of photosynthesis is oxygen, which gets released into the air.

Three factors can limit the speed of photosynthesis ... the intensity of light, the carbon dioxide concentration and temperature.

During autumn because of the changes in the length of daylight and the change in temperature the leaves stop their food making process (photosynthesis). The chlorophyll breaks down and the green colour disappears which makes the yellows, oranges, golds and reds become visible.

Evergreen trees can keep their leaves/needles during winter because their foliage is coated in a waxy substance (cutin) which acts as a barrier and supports the leaves to retain water. Also they have cells which contain an anti-freeze chemical that adds further protection during winter. Water retention in the leaves and the anti-freeze component enable the leaves to carry on photosynthesising to continue providing the tree with energy, even in cold climates.

The reason leaves fall to the ground after their colourful display is because photosynthesising is no longer happening. Without food the stems of the leaves weaken, which causes them to fall.

And that's autumn in a nutshell.

Bad Hair Day?

If you think you're having a bad hair day, then spare a thought for these little fellas who have permanently wayward hair. 

However, crazy hair and all, they are super cute! And those rebellious locks simply add to their charm.

In Richmond, a township just south of Nelson, is a popular country gift shop by the name of Eyebright.  

And it's here, at Eyebright, that a group of guinea pigs reside in a Guinea Pig Village called, Wendelton.

Wendelton has several miniature buildings, such as; Lord Guinea School, The Piggy Bank, Dr Doolittle's Surgery & Wendelton Maternity Unit, The Guinea Guinness Pub, and The Piggy Wiggy Hair & Beauty, plus others.

Maternity Unit

The guinea pigs are very friendly and rush to welcome you, hoping you'll have some food. Mikah, my wee granddaughter, fed them little bits of carrots (that we got from the Eyebright Store), and this gave her an opportunity to give them a little pat. 

This well-known community of guinea pigs hosted a wedding in 2005, when Hansel & Petal exchanged vows with over 150 guests to witness their special occasion, (you can view it by clicking this link ) 

The owner of Eyebright (Peter Owen) wrote a book about them, named 'The Wendelton Book'.

If guinea pigs aren't your cup of tea, Eyebright is still worth a visit. It's one of Nelson's iconic attractions, especially around Christmas, when many people come to admire their Christmas displays.

An added treat, are the gorgeous cottage gardens, they're full of colour with old and new plants mingling together. 

On a side note:

When I was a youngster I had guinea pigs as pets but I really didn't know much about them, other than, they were ALWAYS hungry and squeaked whenever they heard you, to remind you to feed them!

While writing this blog I thought I'd google some facts about them. I'll bullet point a few things I discovered ...

• When guinea pigs run and leap (which they often do when they are happy), it's referred to as popcorning.
• Guinea pigs have four toes on their fore feet and three toes on their hind feet.
• Guinea pigs are very social and only sleep for short periods, they're active for 20 hours in a day.
• Guinea Pigs originate from the Andes in South America.
• Even though male guinea pigs are called boars and females are called sows, they are rodents. Their scientific name is ‘Cavia porcellus’, which is why they are sometimes referred to as ‘cavies’. The word ‘porcellus’ is latin for ‘little pig’. This name may have come about because of the pig-like squeaking noises they make.
• Guinea Pigs don’t get on with rabbits. Rabbits bully guinea pigs, and they have different needs. Rabbits can also carry diseases which can be very harmful to guinea pigs.
• They like to chat to each other. However they do like human affection, but guinea pigs need to be with others guinea pigs and should always be kept in pairs or small groups. 
• Baby guinea pigs are called pups. They with their eyes open, and with fur. Plus they're able to run when only a few hours old. 

Wai-iti Domain - Freedom Camping

Not far south from Nelson (about 30kms) along SH6 is a small settlement named Wai-iti. And just before the Wai-iti Bridge if you turn left, you'll find yourself at a roadside picnic area. It's a decent size spot with several large totara trees and a couple of kahikateas offering plenty of shade.

A little further along is the Wai-iti Domain/Reserve. Although there's oodles of room it might be unsuitable for bigger rigs as the left hand bend is a little tight, and there's a few over hanging branches as you approach.

The Wai-iti Domain/Reserve is a massive area with mature trees bordering the perimeter. It's dog friendly and kids will like the large, flat area to ride their bikes or to kick a ball around. There are toilets and rubbish bins and it's free to stay!

Behind the reserve is a forest walk, which loops back to the start. 

The walk begins by climbing a gentle incline that hugs the side of the hill. After about half an hour (less if your fit, or longer, if like me, you're a bit of a stroller!) you reach the top. 

Being autumn - it was the season for toadstools.

It's an easy walk, the track is wide and covered in pine needles, plus there's birdsong to enjoy. With no 1080 poisoning to worry about, dogs are safe off lead to run around and explore. 

After awhile, Oakly started to look for water. We came across a forestry water supply but seeing the colour of it, I decided being thirsty was a better option than to drink from it!

All up, the walk took about an hour and a half, which included taking a wrong turn. We ended up at a forestry skid site, which wasn't a complete waste of time as it had a fabulous view. 

At the end of the walk we wandered over to the Wai-iti River (Wai-iti = low water). And true to its name, the river was shallow. In the warmer months it's been known to have toxic algae, however after recent floods it was safe for the dogs to cool off and have a well deserved drink.