My beautiful daughter and I walked down the hill and into Newtown yesterday morning.
We were looking for a cafe for our morning chat and to buy some groceries for the birthday dinner.
Two things to remember about New Zealand. 1. Always take your warmie because your day may not stay warm for long. 2. Wear your sunscreen, you have 15 minutes before you burn, even if there is a high cloud cover and it does not feel hot. Be careful of your skin in New Zealand . We have one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.
The streets of Newtown were busy with some remarkably friendly people. We both remarked on how often we were smiled to and greeted on this busy little street lined in shops of all kinds. There are a lot of second hand clothing stores in this area which we look forward to exploring. We had a lovely coffee in the back yard of Baobab Cafe. Very lazy. Very summer. Very easy. 
We bought a few things in the little local supermarket and wandered back up the hill to make my lamb dinner. 
Look at these two fantastic birthday presents. 
Real New Zealand gumboots.
And a most wondrous weather vane (plus its postage home) for the barn. Mahia seems to have picked up on that TonTon trick of getting into the back of shots!!.
The news from the farmy. Daisy is wearing her new anti kicking device (which I have not seen a picture of yet) and John has made her a wee gate that helps her stay in place during the milking. She is reported to be more settled, miraculously easy to milk under the new system and I hope will increase her production again now. So I think that crisis has been managed.
Good morning. Once again Wellington has dawned clear and calm, beautiful weather for Wellington. It is early, early morning as usual and the valley is full of the most amazing array of native bird song, I wish I had sound for you sometimes. One bird in particular is high up in the Marcrocarpas calling a low slow desperately sad song. Just three long sustained repeating notes that drift through the valley like the beginnings of a long forgotton lullaby. I am sure they can hear it right down on the beach.
After loading the slow cooker with a Lamb Rendang, my beautiful daughter and I will catch the bus down into Courtney Place, which is close to the port, and has plenty of good shopping. We will take you to see some street art by the sea, and the downtown area. And yes, we will be wearing our sunblock and have our cardies in our bags.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
91 responses to “Taking to the streets of Wellington”
Beautiful dog! I wish I could hear the bird song. Interesting about the weather and skin cancer stats. Love that weather vane! Glad to hear things are going well for Daisy and the milkers.
ooooo lamb redang and street art by the sea, sounds a bit St Leonards like 🙂 Happy days
by the time we got home rendang turned into cold lamb and cheese with pickle!! ha ha ha .. c
How perfect is the weather vane !!!??? LOVEeeeee it !!
Will it be in our daily view…?? Daisy must have picked
up “thevibe” to calm herself ..giggle. Thanks for including
us on your most amazing visit with your family !
Good idea, i should make sure to place it somewhere we can all see it.. c
Happy Birthday! Super weather vane.
I have a picture in my mind of you wearing those boots home on the flight as they´re pretty heavy!
Wouldn’t that be hilarious!! i think we are going to be boring and post them though, running to catch a plane in gumboots would not be elegant! c
My stomach gave a little growl when I read “rendang.” I’m loving our trip to NZ!
excellent, we love it too! c
Ha ha – “take your warmie”, in the middle of summer – that sounds just like England 🙂
yes it does, london was another town that i never went out without my warmie! c
Happy Birthday to my fellow bloggers who shares my day of birth! Your pictures in New Zealand are fantastic and one day I’ll visit there. Enjoy your time and how special to be there with your family!
Happy Birthday to you too Wanda! have a lovely day! c
Celi my traveling friend, from the high up in the tree your bird was singing …”early one morning, just as the sun was rising, I heard a maiden in the valley far below. Singing oh don’t deceive me, Oh never leave me, how could you treat a poor maiden so”. Your gumboots are fabulous. The weather vane magnificent. You are bringing a bit of New Zealand back to your beloved Farmy. V.
morning Virginia, yes! that kiwi perched up on top of the barn will be a wonderful drop of kiwiana in the american prairies!! c
To spend time with a beautiful daughter in your native land sings of pure bliss.
Oh it is, we are quite the pair.. c
I can feel the sense of relaxation seeping into your posts! Love the Xmas prezzies, including those really strong farmer’s gumboots. Will you wear them on the plane to reduce baggage weight? Must be wonderful to be with your family on home ground and to be exchanging lots of friendly smiles with people.
NZers are good with smiles! c
Is the bird a tui? They have a uniquely low (repetitively) song.
maybe, but it did not sound familiar to me, though i am staying right next to the ZOO! c
I would take the dog as a birthday gift, too.
Whew! What a lotta replies already. Terrific birthday presents. and I’m so glad you’ve brought us with you on your trip.
Morning viv! aren’t we a great group of readers! .. c
Hope you have a lovely time exploring the 2nd hand shops. My daughters and I love those to pieces; so much friendlier to recycle and repurpose than to feed the consumer mills…we think. Are you ever tempted to find the world’s ugliest Christmas sweater? We do that every year. Nice haul on the Bday prezzies! Keep ’em coming…lol. 🙂
Ha ha ha illinois is filled with the worlds ugliest christmas sweaters, we don’t dress like that in NZ though.. that kind of fashion has not reached this hemisphere.. i hope! c