The Great South......Camping in Gods own!

It is always the simple things in life that are the best I reckon.  As I age and life gets more complex the more I seem to understand this. Take for example pitching your tent in some of the best native bush the east coast of the south island has to offer and right here on our family farm.

Walking distance to game, a hunters paradise of deer, wallaby, pigs, rabbits, hares, opossums and all manner of things to challenge the keen hunter.


Add in close family, an open fire, a bbq, new spuds, some fine New Zealand wine, a hot summers evening and you can have the best time and all at the back door and all there to enjoy. sitting up late by the fire discussing things with my wife looking at the stars, pure magic.

Our wee girl Caetana loves camping and in fact harps on about it endlessly as soon as a trip is mentioned.  Our latest adventure also included damming the small river we were next to which provided fun entertainment. Yesterday I took her out into the bush for an hour just exploring the river, the bush and following animal tracks. Just us two.

Priceless stuff and good times. In an age of Sky tv, cartoon channels and the fact that modern kids seem to feel they have a god given right to be entertained 24/7, it is awesome that the simple stuff can still win out. A trip into the bush and camping certainly included no mention of "being bored" or "can I watch TV". In fact all that stuff has not been mentioned for days!

Throw into the mix the daily summer routine on Mums dry stock farm. Moving cattle breaks, moving sheep and preparation to muster the hill block (if the weather holds) later this week so that lambs can be weaned and the fat ones sent off to the big roast making factory!

The orchard is due to have all the fruit ripen at once which means a small army needs to be on hand to pick the six different types of plums, the apples &  the pears, all of which need either to be eaten (my job) or to find their way mysteriously into jars and jam (not sure how that happens).

I think as you get older and you have kids of your own you become aware of just how lucky we are and just how good our childhood and lifestyle was growing up.

My grandfather was a home movie buff and in the late 1950's started taking 8mm home movies. This is the type that has no sound but is in colour and when he started doing it the films had to be sent to Melbourne to be developed. A couple of nights ago my brother Ed & I yet again subjected our wider family to footage of our mother as a child, as a 21 year old, us as kids playing footy, fighting, family reunions, picnics, trips to Otaio Gorge (see my recent blog on Otaio Gorge) and other priceless (to us) memorys.  This is probably why I enjoy taking family pictures and photos in general. They capture life for future generations.

So as the last week of the summer holiday comes to the end and the prospect of returning to the real world becomes reality for me, it is fair to say it has been an awesome time. Relaxing, lots of babies, kids, food, hunting, farm work and good old fashioned family life. There are the annual resolutions to spend more time at the farm and there is the regret it is over so soon.

Love it though. Does it get better? Take it busy!

Other popular blogs I have written about my Summer holiday;

Burning down the House....New Year 2010

South Island You Rock!....Mt Cook, Southern Lakes, Tekapo

Hurray Up Santa!

Santa...One Wrong Move and You are Toast Son! (Advice for parents and one of my most popular)