Yesterday I said my last gulping goodbye when Senior Son dropped me off at the airport, with my lightened luggage, to collect my little zip zip rental car. 
Wellington is very easy to drive out of especially from the airport and even in the misty rain and low cloud. My little zip zip car and I paused in Palmerston North for lunch with an old friend before we raced through the hills.. 
up the island and across the Takapau Plains,
then dropped into my home territory; Hawkes Bay. The Bay. There is a singular very specific surge of old joy when you see the land of your birth. 
Then to find my own sister Gabrielle’s gorgeous farm nestled into the hills of home was just bliss to my battered traveller’s good bye heart. Here are Maggie May and Angus. 
Her place is high in the hills of Hawke’s Bay. We will see the actual Bay later today. 
She has stunning views that need no words. 
She is raising her own herd of Devons and Fresians. Dairy cow breeds. From the left is Texas, Holly, Betty Boop, Lady and Brie. As well as two very obedient dogs, she has very obedient calves. Everyone lined up quite nicely for a shot. 
The wee heifer on the right, Mabel, is in training to be the milk cow. A naughty Daisy in the making. 
Along with you, Gabrielle reads The Farmy weblog every day, which made our walk really interesting. To everything she would laugh and say I know, I read about that. I know, she would say. So we spent a lot of time catching up on her life. 
We have not seen each other for many years due to my travel and I said to her over home grown corned beef, salad from the garden and crisp roast potatoes out on her verandah overlooking the valley. I said to her but what if I had turned into a horrible person after all these years. She laughed again, looking so like my Mother my breath caught. 
But I do know you, she said. I read your words every morning. Every morning, first thing.
One thing she did say on our walk around her property was that she was very impressed with the amazing collection of people who make up the Fellowship of the Kitchens Garden Farmy commenters. Your readers are like your friends, she said. Have you met them, she wondered. No, I said. And we both paused to look out over our beloved hills. Amazing isn’t it.
This morning as I write in the sleeping house of my sister, the rising sun is picking out the gentle colours of her roses, pointing out the dryness in the hills, (and it is only December), and warming the air – preparing us for a magnificent Hawkes Bay day.
Good morning. Today you and I are going to visit Ocean beach, then drift netting a little group of friends we are going to drive out to a beach house in Mahia for the night. This is up the East Coast of the North Island, New Zealand and is stunning. We will make the most of this amazing day.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
81 responses to “My Sister has a Farmy”
I’m so glad that you found a happy reunion after the sadness of leavetaking. This looks like a familiar sort of farmy where you are now. Lovely calves.
Simply stunning, C, and once again, your joy absolutely ooozes through the screen. A delight to see, read, and feel.
Can’t wait to see your beach!
(Note to self: Must have the kids find me a mannequin on Craigslist – the deer have found the asparagus!)
The scarecrow in the garden was, well, very scary! Should work well for the birds. Your sister’s farm is rich and lush…perfect. She needs to start a blog so we can all follow her!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
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I am so glad you are having a good time
You must be cherishing every second with your lovely family; and to be able to visit a family farm I can imagine would warm your heart as I’m sure you are missing your clan back home by now. As I become more excited that Christmas is coming soon, you must have very conflicted feelings with your wonderful holiday coming to an end soon.
I had to read all the comments, that was a very devious little trick you played on us with that very life-like scare crow (except the neck of course). I wondered if women had special long necks on that side of the world. 😛
Wow, what a soft breeze for the heart post today; sisters – lovely
Wow Aunty Celi your blog is amazing and so poetic with your wording . you inspire me to work harder on my photos 🙂
Morning niece! brilliant to see you popping in! You have a good eye.. keep working at it! c
Oh yes we just keep laughing our heads right off. C says morning eva
The best of life as it is. Thank you for this lovely post. Being at such a surrounding – nature and creatures – is a recipe for much joy. Enjoy!
Oh, soak it all in. That picture just under the dogs is breathtaking!
Your sister has the same sense of names as you do too. 🙂
What a beautiful setting–and so lush that kitchen garden!
How wonderful to discover that you and your sister speak the same language, after all these years. Sometimes we end up being more like each other as we age. Fancy you both being farmers! I can imagine all the conversations. Her farm is beautiful and the animals certainly know how to pose (did they go to finishing school?). My brother is about to arrive from America, and he will visit the bach, and that will be a great thrill for me too. I keep rejoicing with you all the way on this amazing homecoming trip.
Do pop over to http://www.seasonalinspiration.blogspot.com if you have a moment.
haha…i was thinking that your sister looked like a mannequin! what a beautiful place! it is so wonderful that you are having such a great trip. sometime when you have time, could you tell what it is like to have christmas in summer? i can’t imagine it!
Bee-u-ti-ful!!!!!