Here be Dragons

The Chinese Lantern Festival is on all week in Victoria Square to celebrate the Chinese new year.

Tomatoes!

Fresh from Tracy's veggie patch.

Lake Coleridge

On the way home we stopped at the head of Lake Coleridge. A storm could be seen brewing in the distance and by the time we reached Christchurch there were lightning strikes every few seconds.

Deer hunting, 4 wheel driving, shooting, hiking, tree climbing and lots of BBQs. I think Nigel got the full Kiwi treatment.

My Turn

After seeing Dougal, James egged me on to climb this tree.

Tree Climbing

Dougal climbs a tree outside the house.

The Great White Hunter

What a night. Tip the dog was sleeping out in the truck but there was a possum scratching around in the tree up above and Tip was keeping everyone awake by howling at it. Trevor and Nigel managed to assemble Dougal's rifle in the dark and then Trevor went outside and dealt to the possum.

This morning Trevor has been regaling everyone with his heroics. The story gets more fantastic with each telling. Last time I heard it was a giant, rabid man eating possum!

Bonfire

To wind down we sat round a fire, drinking whisky.

Sunset

A lovely end to a great day.

Group Photo

James was supposed to be fast asleep when we took this photo but just as I was setting it up, a little hand appeared through the window and out he ran. I guess he just wanted to be in the picture.

Dinner

For dinner we ate a fine meal of venison steaks washed down with plenty of wine.

Mountain Stream

This stream is a few k's up river. There are usually a few trout to be found here.

Craigiburn Range

You can see these mountains from the west coast road on the way to Arthur's Pass. Not many people get to see them from this side though.

Shooting Contest

Nigel and I had a shooting contest, can't remember who won but it was a lot of fun.

Rush Hour

Tracy hoons along the Avoca River.

Timber

We did the traditional hike up to Lake Lillian. James is old enough to do a bit of walking now which is great. At the top we stopped to enjoy the view of the valley.

James played at pushing me over and shouting 'Timber!'

Bambi's Mum Has a Bad Night

Alex was busy last night. He and Dougal went out for a hunt and bagged a deer.

A carcass chopped in two, hanging from a tree is quite a sight to wake up to. I reckon Nigel must have wondered what he had got himself into especially when Dougal started butchering it! Anyway I got a couple of nice steaks to take home.

We also had a great breakfast courtesy of Alex. Eggs from his chooks and sausage and bacon from the pigs he reared. He found the piglets while hunting last year in the Marlborough Sounds so they are about as free range as it is possible to get.

Back at the Farmhouse

We are back at the Avoca Valley for the weekend, staying at the 'Farmhouse' (that is what James calls it). The weather is great and my old friend and colleague Nigel Smith is visiting. I intend to show him a real kiwi time.

Splashing About

After lunch and a paddle we went for a drive long the river valley.

Throwing Stones

James is really into throwing stones at the moment.

Out for a Stroll

Today we went out for a drive to the Waipara river with Stuart, Christine, Garry and Joy.

Now for a Bath

Finished!

Almost Done

All that remains for me to do is to replace the window sashes. Tracy and her dad are going to tile the shower area.

Walls Up

The walls are up and plastered. After a lick of paint this project will be on the home straight.

Plumbing and Insulation Done

Insulating the walls should make this room much warmer in the winter.

The plumbing is done (I got a professional to do that!) so things are progressing nicely.

As you can see from the time of this post, I am doing some late nights to get this finished before xmas.