Virus returns…

Well COVID has returned to NZ 🙁

So far it is has only been found in the North Island. Auckland is now on level 3 lock down and here in the South Island we are at level 2. Level 2 gives us quite a bit of freedom, the kids are still in school and shops are all open, but social distancing and masks in close spaces like public transport are encouraged. Testing has increased significantly, especially in Auckland. The government continues with their strategy of hard and fast, it worked last time, let’s hope it does this time too.

Before this all happened Otago University held its open day. An old friend brought her daughter down to look through, it was so good to catch up and for our families to meet. We trained together 30 years ago, does not feel like that amount of time at all! I sent her home with some fertile Tui Cottage eggs and she has them in an incubator. We are all very excited to see how this goes!!!!!

A couple of weekends ago we heard about a waterfall hike on the outskirts of Dunedin, so went to check it out. It was incredible, easily one of the best hikes we have found here.

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The work on the property continues, we are making good progress, the chooks continuing to appreciate our efforts!

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Lunch time is a communal affair 🙂

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The Tui’s that we named this place after are back and nesting here, we are so happy to see them. This is the pair at the feeder. They are quite territorial and definitely the dominant breed of all the birds we have, the rest all fly off and let them have the feeder when they decide to feed.

For those who don’t know, here are what a Tui looks like close up, gorgeous birds!

Here are the other birds when they are allowed in, these are Tauhou ,(Silver Eye). The other regular feeder is the Korimako ,(Bellbird), they will chase off the Tauhou when they arrive to feed, but the Tui rules them all. The Kereru ,(Wood Pigeon) does not feed at the feeder, but hangs around our native plants next to the feeder teasing Pica. We think they remind her of the crows in Canada who used do that to her a lot 🙂

Luca’s school held their Fun Run this week, it is a fund raiser and encourages the kids to exercise, they spend weeks training, it is quite the distance they run around the school and part of the village. The whole school does it, divided into groups.

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Rich and I did a hike recently that we had wanted to do for a while but needed it to be a clear day to appreciate the views, again a hard climb but very worth it. As Rich says ,everything in Dunedin requires an uphill at some point 🙂 This hike is a 5 minute drive from our property.

I have started planting seeds in the garden and starting the more vulnerable, like capsicums, tomatoes and watermelon off in the house as no green house yet. The ranch slider a perfect place for the sun…

The artichokes are almost ready to harvest! There are 6 heads on this one plant. I put it in as an experiment, and did not expect it to grow. We eat artichoke quite a bit so wanted to give it a go, lovely surprise that it grew right through winter!

So that has been the last few weeks. The country is holding its breath hoping the COVID rates settle and we can get back to normal again, time will tell.

In the meantime we will stay away from the city as much as we can, get out in nature and focus on all the things we do have ….