A week home and still so much of our month in New Zealand seems like a dream, because reality has a harsh way of making time that’s different, slower maybe, seem like such an exotic way to exist. Watching the work on the farm get done became a very favorite way to spend our time, each of us announcing different things we noticed.
For the first few days that we were there, the farmers were building/replacing a new fence in the pasture next to our campsite and it was utterly fascinating. We watched as they hauled their machinery over creeks and pounded in new stakes.
And when the herds got moved, we rushed to our little lookout to make sure we had a full view of the cattle dogs making sure that not a single animal was left behind. When a cow did get left behind, we gave it a new name, Escape Cow, because it lingered near our campsite for almost an entire day, making noises about trying to get to where his buddies had gone. We named so many different animals Triangle Sheep, Mange Sheep, Spare Cow, etc.
Over a creek and down a dusty road there was a beach that we had all to our own. We layered up, because it was a bit cold, and made the trek. Sadly, our capacity to listen to/carry our children wasn’t extended to more than one walking trip to this beach, so it was our only adventure in that way.
But it was extremely gorgeous and very slow living, which was exactly what we’d hoped and dreamed for our trip to be.
