Wandering Nelson

 
 
When I'm in need of a weekend escape I travel to Nelson to see my friend Glen at Doone Cottage in the Motueka River valley. Visiting there grounds and restores me; before I met John and adopted Piopio as my homebase, Nelson was my emotional epicenter, and in certain respects remains so. John and I married almost eight years ago to the day at St. James, Glen and Stan's church in nearby Ngatimoti. There's something special about the confluence of mountains, artists and farmers:  landscape, creativity, and artisanal food (and wine) abound. People there tend to live the way John and I will live at Struan Farm, as sustainably as possible. Growing our own food and making things. I always manage to learn a bit more about something that I can take back to our life at Struan Farm.

I spent the weekend before last at Doone Cottage. This time of year the autumn colors are spectacular. It rained heavily for two of the days I was there. Regardless, a little weather didn't inhibit my wanderings.

I hit most of my favorite spots, including two local antique shops in Richmond, the Saturday market in Nelson, the fiber arts cooperative on Trafalgar Street, Cruella's for knitting yarn and a catch up with Ruth and Vicky, Eclectic (the best retro/vintage shop around), The Old Post Office/Moutere Gold in Sarau Village in the Upper Moutere, and Mapua Country Trading at the Mapua Wharf. Unfortunately not enough time to venture over the Takaka Hill to Golden Bay this trip.

 
Driving along the Motueka River, I stumbled upon some rare New Zealand sheep called Arapawa. They are quite unusual, at first I thought they were goats until I pulled off the road to inspect them more closely.  They are horned and have chocolate brown fleece, while the rams have long tails with distinctive white stripes. (Apologies, these are not great pics, and they are quite shy.)

 
Below are some other photographs from the weekend (all images copyright 2011). I was seeing photographs that I wasn't able to execute with my little old digital camera, wish I'd taken the Canon. Oh well, those pictures reside in my mind's eye. 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Along with the requisite knitting yarn, vintage linen, and buttons, I came home with a bag of heirloom German "Gewurzluiken" cooking apples plus with one English heirloom cooking variety called "Five Crown."  I'm going to see if I can grow trees from seed. 

But don't call me "Karen Apple Seed" just yet. John has cautioned me that this is a pretty hit or miss proposition.

 

 

Comments

[Katie Alvord]

Good luck with the apple growing project! I think you will get something, but maybe not fruiting trees -- my understanding is the same as John's, that growing apples from seed is hit or miss. On our land here in Michigan, we have "wild" (feral) apple trees and perhaps 1/3 to 1/2 bear fruit.

Wonderful photos!

[Karen]

Thanks Katie. I know it's unlikely. But apparently "Monty's Surprise" happened exactly that way, so it's not impossible, just improbable! An apple grower in Piopio suggested that I try to get a graft from the tree when I'm next in Nelson.