Winter is here!
Snow can be seen on Mount Hector from the road away from the gorge but we can feel the cold ” jet stream” in the mornings. It has been damper than usual as no sun to dry the ground. In fact we have had an adventure with the generator not functioning so we had now power with there being nothing coming in via the solar panels. Sure an adventure so candle light meals, using head torches and of course early to bed. It sure needed a check and some replacement parts which took a bit of locating. but the job is done… even though a hickup this past weekend, possibly water in the fuel. Replaced and now it’s running ‘like a dream.’
I went out and purchased new head lamps and more candles and even a flint as I wasn’t wanting to be caught without a backup… may be a bit of an overkill but sure was a new expereince for us. The batteries may be needing changing in the future too so we need to keep maintaining what we have to keep it functioning.
The pest control work keeps me in the bush … a great place to be with tomtits a calling again, an bell bird’s warning as I pass. The walk to the dam last week was a time to clean drains/waterchannels and do the pest control work. I hung a few more weta motels but I can only carry a certain amount of gear in my backpack as I head up the hill.
Walking the slip area is so different with the steps so that I can feel confident going by myself and at night although I stayed out in Otaki last Wednesday night after my first visit to the local Buzz club in many months. Still we wait for the helicopter airlift being organised by DOC… could it be August? I have been ordering the stuff from Farmlands and I am getting to the stage of needing more hen food so that’s becoming a need. Do we carry the bags on our backs.. 20-25 kg with the new framed backpack designed for that purpose made by Tetonka the maker of our packs. So with the news in the paper about years before the road may be open we are believing for God to show up here as he must have a purpose for this place in having people walk through to the forest park
I have been wondering about assisting campers… bikes? trolleys? carts? all could be helpful to bring gear in but just how to work it out is something that I have yet to develop. The water supply is used at the gate, especially on sunnier weekends. It’s good to see the place enjoyed again and so we meet people who also enjoy the area for walking, tramping, running and hunting…. some of course passing quickly on their bikes. Glad to have this opportunity to develop ways of connecting.
How do we spend our days? walking, doing work around the house and garden with pruning, although I wait for the return of the repaired mulcher to do some of the bigger ones; feeding birds, pest control somewhere on the property each week, paper work and planning purchases, new projects including planting up native seedlings, replacing the thorned boysenberry with a thornless one. and so the list goes on with no day the same. Of course keeping up the firewood supplies to the house for heating and cooking…a necessity at this time of year morning and evening.
Enough of a ramble … join us sometime, you would be most welcome to call in.
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