Sunday, September 12, 2010

Historic Places

Today, I was on duty as a tour guide for one of the prettiest historic homes in New Zealand. It is a Category 1 Historic Place. www.theelms.org.nz
New Zealand was a colonial outpost of Britain in the early 19th Century. By the mid to late 19th Century, shiploads of European, mainly British people, started landing in New Zealand to start a new life. Amongst the earliest arrivals were the missionaries who thought they were given a divine right to ‘Christianise’, the local people and by hook or by crook, they tried to do just that.

the drawing room
There are indicators in the historic texts, that many of the Fundamentalist early Christian missionaries were a pretty dour lot; moralistic and hating the ‘Papists’, combing through bags of second hand clothing to give to the natives and removing anything with a dash of colour in the garment. For all of that, the little Georgian house, ‘The Elms’, near the centre of Tauranga city, has a lovely elegant atmosphere. The missionary families devoted their lives to the community and if you believe places have good or bad vibes, this holds a good lot. It has a richness of spirit, commented on by many visitors. I particularly like the beautiful swan neck kauri wood staircase, the lovely dining room and drawing room.
swan neck staircase no photos please oops!
A couple visited the grounds today, having come up from Christchurch as a respite from the recent earthquake aftershocks. They left smiling.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Rotten eggs

Our daughter had a lovely Canadian girl stay, for the weekend recently. She had not been to Katikati before and had only visited Rotorua, very briefly. Briefly, because her mother when visiting the town, hated the sulphurous smell so much, they cut their visit short. What a pity!

Rotorua, nicknamed Rota Vegas by the locals, has a plethora of attractions. Many, as I have alluded to, in previous posts, are total tourist rip off’s. But that is a mistake, because Rotorua is one hour’s drive from home, I happily take first time visitor’s over the scenic bush clad, back road and leisurely meander through the interesting sightseeing musts.

First impressions count and the street gardens are gorgeous! Thermally heated hot houses in the Government Gardens grow beautiful plants. The Government Gardens are quaint and endearing and have thermal therapeutic baths aside rolling bowling greens, off set with iconic colonial buildings.
Think theme park for real! A fear factor exists, with warning signs extolling the dangers of venturing off the official paths. Kiwi's all grew up with stories of the lady who went down to the garden shed in the dark, never to come back because a boiling hot slump hole bubbled up in her back yard over night. Or, the lady taking her dog for a walk in front of the Rotorua Lake and it went over the yellow and white crusty, geologically challenged termed wording, surface and did not, "Come back Rover". Urban legends belong to this city.

Trout fishing, thermal spas, lovely bush clad walks, Maori tourism experiences, colonial architecture, silly sheep and wild rides.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Spring Babies

Finally, I have completed the twins’ gowns. Our friend’s daughter is due tomorrow with babes of a good size – an instant family, one girl and one boy. Clever!
I have not made this pattern for twenty three years. My fingers are ‘thicker’ and my eyes did not do fine sewing at night. Fine cotton lawn with pure cotton thread and eyelet lace; constitute the ingredients. In the end I scalloped the hem and I have sourced a suitable box to present them.
I know there are Country Institutes and similar groups of ladies that sew and mend the world but I wonder if there should be more? (Bureaucracy prevents us having a ‘place of assembly’ here without paying a hefty resource consent fee to the local council.) Once, people of all ages made scarves and socks for the war effort and I think, given the recession and the terrible impact on victims of Christchurch’s earthquake, there deserves a place for a handmade item, to be given with warm wishes and a kind thought.