The hardest thing about living in New Zealand is saying goodbye to visitors when they leave. My in-laws have been, stayed and now gone. The house is earily quiet. Just MT, I and the bassets at home. As always when family come it passes in a flash even though... It’s a bitter ending for George’s antics. Drastic action had to be taken. Yes, our magnificent rooster has simply gone to far. Chicken keeping visitors marvel at George’s rooster prowess. But they haven’t been on the end of his beak ... We’re enjoying Wellington Day today. This means a day off for MT and the annual basset show. Last year was a daunting experience to be taking Fortnum and Mason to a place with so many other people and bassets but they behaved beautifully despite it being one... It was a day for treats – birthday treats in honour of my mother-in-law. Weather wise is wasn’t great but that didn’t stop our celebrations. So where do you go for birthday treats round here? The wine region of course! Martinborough is the region... Having done battle with thistles for weeks and weeks and weeks it gave me an enormous amount of pleasure to spend an hour in the garden to photograph a few still remaining on the other 4 acres of land. There have been times when I have hated these pesky things but... 