It's not all bad

I know that my posts til now have been concentrated on the things that are different and frustrating for me since my move here almost 2 years ago. Sure, it's no fun when you can't find that 'something' that you are hungry for or the 'things' that you can get for a dollar in the states but are nowhere to be found here, but there truly are also many new things that are wonderful and beautiful and scrumptous.

You can click the title of this post to view some of my favorite scenery.

There are rainbows in the sky quite a lot. I just came in from a walk and saw one because it's misting a bit. I quit taking pictures of them because they are so common--but that doesn't mean they don't still take my breath away. And the kids think I'm crazy for being amazed at the cloud formations. I don't recall seeing three distinct and totally different layers of clouds in Kansas skies or Georgia skies for that matter. I am sure that being so close to Mt. Taranaki has an extreme impact on all weather facets and am continually amazed by it all.

I know you can find kiwi fruit and star fruit in the grocery stores, but they are nothing at all like a feijoa. I have no references to describe it to you because it's so unique. It's an oval, like a kiwi fruit, and you can bite the top off and just suck the pulp out [that's how the kids eat kiwis sometimes] and it's sweet and juicy and I hope you get the chance to sample one some day!

And nashi pears... They are shaped like an apple, have peel like a pear with pulp that is a combination of apple/pear and are always so juicy that it runs down your arms if you're not careful!

There are no large predators or snakes here. All mammals were introduced species [yes, probably including 'native' maori], so the biggest danger in walkabouts in the bush are small fantail birds flying close to get the bugs that your presence disturbs!

One of the best parts of the weather is---there's no snow! OK, it did actually snow in Stratford about 12 years ago, but I can live with snow every 12 years!

The wax-eye birds are tiny and very cool looking with the ring around their eyes. And tuis are elusive. They love kowhai [ko-fi] blooms, so I get to watch them out the bedroom window as they suck nectar from the yellow kowhai blooms and listen to them as they mimic other sounds, so we often hear them repeating noises from the ducks.

Possums here [different than US possums] are also night creatures and they sometimes sound like a woman screaming for help. There are some in our area, so I hear them occasionally before drifting off to sleep--probably as they encounter Bubba, our cat.

And, did I mention it doesn't snow here?!