Sydney Opera House: a date with La Traviata

August 13, 2013 in Australia, Oceania, Travelogue

The sun is rising, molten pink, behind the Opera House this morning. I’ve watched a lot of sunrises, but this has to be one of my favourite backdrops. We’ve seen […]

The Brotherhood of Traveling Children: On friendships

June 27, 2013 in blog, Education

We are asked, on occasion, what we “do” about the social needs of our children. Granted, the question has never been asked by anyone who’s actually met our children.  Spend […]

Of Burns, Boys and Bleh

June 5, 2013 in New Zealand, Oceania, Travelogue

It has been a week of mishaps.  It started on the eve of our anniversary, when I scalded my arm.  It was dumb, really. We were parked at an angle […]

Crossing the Cook Strait: Notes from the end of the world

May 31, 2013 in New Zealand, Oceania

I have no fingernails left. They’ve worn off along with the outer layer of the spoon I’ve been sanding. I’m carving it from a little piece of driftwood that I […]

Otago Central Rail Trail: Omakau to Clyde: Day Two

May 8, 2013 in New Zealand, Oceania, Travelogue

Have I mentioned how much I miss my bike shorts and gloves? No? Perhaps because I didn’t remember until this morning, when I positioned my (no longer trail hardened) bottom […]

Otago Central Rail Trail: Oterehua to Omakau

May 7, 2013 in blog, New Zealand, Oceania, Travelogue

The crackle of the wood stove is the only sound. The boys are sprawled out on the carpets, reading. They’ve almost recovered from the beating I gave them at Scrabble. […]

Fishing the Waiau River at Te Anau by Gabriel

April 19, 2013 in New Zealand, Oceania, Travelogue

Friday found us huddled in a camper while cold air nipped at our blankets. Movement caught my eye and I looked at the source. Mom was moving towards the heater […]

Happy Birthday Gabe: In which the man-let turns 15

April 17, 2013 in Inspiration, Travelogue

It seems impossible to me that my fat little black haired baby is turning 15. The day he was born I made a huge plate of yeast donuts before I […]

Windy Wellington & A Happy Easter

March 31, 2013 in New Zealand, Oceania, Travelogue

This time last year we were hunting eggs on the beach on Cape Cod, celebrating with Grammy and Gramps, packing for the big push to Asia… and, oh yes, I […]

Happy St. Patrick’s Day from Waitomo, NZ

March 16, 2013 in New Zealand, Oceania, Travelogue

New Zealand is a fairy world of ferns. The magnificent ferns of Hawaii are a cheap imitation. Every forest tramp feels like hiking through a forgotten world, or the Jurassic […]