Aro in Winter

(it is cold, this is what I wear inside at my "home office", I have a not water bottle under my shirt)

(not too cold for lilies, iris and jasmine!)

(birds eating lard)

(cookies!)

(bad kitty!)

And so it is the middle of winter. The birds are hungry and fight over the lard hanging outside just for them. While sitting on the porch this sunny Sunday, guitar in hand, I counted 6 on the feeder at one time. Even in the coldest of months things are green in NZ, noticeably the birds. All the deciduous trees look downright naked next to the ever flourishing tree ferns.

Drum roll! I am pleased to announce that I plan on living in New Zealand for the next four years- at least that is my intention as of late. Although Aro Valley is the one of the coldest and dampest places in New Zealand I love it here. Don’t know if I can stay another winter in Aro Valley, hopefully my next move will be somewhere near the ocean. There’s plenty of coast around here so I’m not too worried about staking out a spot. I miss walking on the beach, and being with rhythm of the tides. It would be nice to be able to hear the ocean at night, and tui's in the morning.

While presenting at the New Zealand Geographers Conference in Christchurch on the South Island my heart got sick for Wellington. I missed my colorful room, cooking, picking flowers, my computer/typing, eating Julia’s meals, lasagna, moreporks calling to each other at night, observing random invasive species, greenness, Aro, my office mates, and lastly, church.

All of a sudden Wellington, New Zealand is home.

Now it won’t be long until we see each other- someone is bound meet their love and need to get married asap. Oh dear.

Breathe easy, you are all off the hook. Don’t feel bad about not being able to visit, save up for the next three years and make the trek across the planet!

Santa Barbara will always be my final destination. As for now my life is unraveling and settling down in this place I’ve found new life- good good people, a career (in counter fit epidemiology!), growth as an artist, in faith and the general human experience! Cheers!

See you soon!