Hay Making

In early December, our friends Raewyn and Bruce asked for some extra pairs of hands to help take in the hay at their uncle's small farm in the Moutere. They have a small herd of cattle which are being raised for beef and have a few paddocks which they grow as hay for the cattle in the winter. A farmer from a neighbouring farm brought along the baler and baled the hay. We had had a spell of really good, hot dry weather so the hay was perfect. The bales where easy to lift and a few other members of the Harvey family came along with an assortments of vehicles and trailers to transport the hay to the hay loft. It did really take me back to my childhood days when we used to help with the haymaking at Cromlix. We all had a great time. It just took a couple of hours (350 bales, all counted!) then we all had a beer and tucked into a scrumptious picnic which Raewyn had prepared in the afternoon. A great way to spend a sunny summer evening - we certainly all slept well that night!

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Findlay's Cycling

At the beginning of November Findlay joined a cycling club in Nelson. He had been enjoying doing circuits around the house (everyday after school!) so when we saw an advert for the club we decided to give it a go. He has had a great time. They meet once a week on a Sunday at the cycle track in Nelson. It is a round cycle track with banked corners which goes around the edge of the rugby pitch! He is really enjoying the racing and so far has done very well. They have speed races, handicapped races, Le Mans start races, time trials as well as teaching the kids the skills of cycle racing. He has done very well and has managed to win one race each week. The photos were taken at the Kart racing circuit not the cycle circuit where they met one week to do some distance racing. Looks like we are going to have to start saving for a new bike for his next birthday!
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Kahurangi Point & Lighthouse

In early December Tom headed away for a few days with his work colleagues from across the Nelson Marlborough Conservancy for a "meeting' at Kahurangi Point. To get to Kahurangi Point is, to say the least a bit of a mission. From Nelson drive around 2 hours to Pakawau, in Golden Bay,(where our friend Claire lives) then 50km down a single lane gravel road until it stops, fording 2 rivers on the way - 4 wheel drive vehicle compulsory. From there walk about 5 km along the beach, cross the Big River (yes that's its name) then a further 40 minutes down the beach to the lighthouse keepers house. Rather than carrying all our gear and food down to the house we took two quad bikes, and to get the quad bikes and ourselves over the Big River we took a raft, and, of course, to get the raft to the river we took a 4 wheel drive ute - parking ut up well above the high water mark. The meeting proved to be more of a pre Chrismas social event and a history lesson about the lighthouse, the keepers and community that lived there in the remote part of the north west coast of the South Island, than a meeting - although we did discuss business for 1/2 a day and do a heap of chores around the lighthouse keepers house.

The weather was superb for such an exposed and isolated site - we were very fortunate. It was a great experience to get to such a remote site, with good food, good company and more than a beer or two to go around.