[Festival] Using Nature to Nurture and de-stress your mind

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

[Festival] Using Nature to Nurture and de-stress your mind

Hosting is like these lambs, a blending of cultures and colours without barriers. Gotland sheep are from Sweden and there felt is used for slippers and shoes.Hosting is like these lambs, a blending of cultures and colours without barriers. Gotland sheep are from Sweden and there felt is used for slippers and shoes.Hello from Helen in New Zealand!

 

I love hosting because it’s great for our mental and physical well being, to share and enjoy nature and heritage.

 

Some of my loveliest guests have said they like the details in my listing and that their families helped them decide who to stay with which I think is sweet.

 

They’ve contributed in their own ways as to how I've evolved in my hosting, as have the fabulous members here in Community Centre. 

 

Spending time amongst nature is one way of maintaining one’s health. I’ve a wee garden with Monarch Butterflies along with been Centrally located to a variety of gardens and areas where rural life is still present.

 

Occasionally my guests get to meet and spend time walking my friend’s dog, Zara the Jack Russell who has had a head rub from Prince Harry! 

 

Zara the Jack Russell Taking time out to tiptoe through the Tulips!  “Shhh, don’t tell Park staff, honest I was only smelling the flowers for my mental wellbeing!”Zara the Jack Russell Taking time out to tiptoe through the Tulips! “Shhh, don’t tell Park staff, honest I was only smelling the flowers for my mental wellbeing!”

I give guests cuttings from my garden & Tulip bulbs that were gifted to the people from Cornwall Park, One Tree Hill, Auckland, New Zealand when there garden staff remove them to replant the garden beds so we can all share the love and beauty of nature to unify as one people in the world.

Tulip and Anemone flowers with the Simmental Cows originally from Switzerland grazing with National Women’s and Greenlane Hospitals in the background at Cornwall Park, One Tree Hill, Auckland.Tulip and Anemone flowers with the Simmental Cows originally from Switzerland grazing with National Women’s and Greenlane Hospitals in the background at Cornwall Park, One Tree Hill, Auckland.

Cornwall Park, One Tree Hill Domain Flower GardenCornwall Park, One Tree Hill Domain Flower Garden

Central To All Home & Location is like a Monarch butterfly… metamorphosing.Central To All Home & Location is like a Monarch butterfly… metamorphosing.

 I gift some of my Swan Plants to share the love with our delightful "Monet the Monarch" caterpillars & butterflies.

Swan Plant flowers and Monarch butterflySwan Plant flowers and Monarch butterfly

Screenshot 2019-08-27 at 14.19.22.png

Monarch butterfly resting it’s body between the Geranium leaves, that I grew from a cutting, immediately after it came out of its chrysalis - Guests like a safe & comfortable resting place too.

Milk Station Chrysalis and Monarch caterpillar with Milk Plant Seed PodMilk Station Chrysalis and Monarch caterpillar with Milk Plant Seed Pod

Monarch butterflies enjoy living in my Swan Plant, Geraniums, Lilies, Sweet Peas and Lavender plants. The Sweet Peas were grown from seeds, their pods produce seeds Hosts can share.

gusano 7.jpgIt can take between a couple of minutes to ten minutes for a caterpillar to form into a Chrysalis. Note the butterfly formation and silk spun to balance itself and protect itself from spiders and other insects.It can take between a couple of minutes to ten minutes for a caterpillar to form into a Chrysalis. Note the butterfly formation and silk spun to balance itself and protect itself from spiders and other insects.

Chrysalis go into a darkened state a couple of days before they transform into a Butterfly.Chrysalis go into a darkened state a couple of days before they transform into a Butterfly.

Male Monarchs have two black markings on their wings / Female butterflies which don’t can lay up to 1000 eggs.Male Monarchs have two black markings on their wings / Female butterflies which don’t can lay up to 1000 eggs.

Honey Bee and Female Monarch butterfly close encounter on Lavender flower in the gardenHoney Bee and Female Monarch butterfly close encounter on Lavender flower in the garden

Bumble Bee on my Mexican DaisyBumble Bee on my Mexican Daisy

Central To All Home & Location is close to Cornwall Park / One Tree Hill Domain, Auckland where Irish settlor, Thomas Henry, created one of the original farms which is to remain in perpetuity as a Domain for the betterment of all New Zealand people.

It’s a friendly place where one can mix with nature, see lambs & sheep, pat the calves, cows & bulls, enjoy flowers from all nations, play archery, cricket, rugby league and relax away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

This lamb was just born and taking its first steps. Isn’t nature amazingly beautiful?This lamb was just born and taking its first steps. Isn’t nature amazingly beautiful?

Lamb rounding up the Ducks and Ducklings to safety in the other paddockLamb rounding up the Ducks and Ducklings to safety in the other paddock

Baby calf meets it’s dad the bull whilst it’s mother the cow restsBaby calf meets it’s dad the bull whilst it’s mother the cow rests

Screenshot 2019-08-27 at 14.38.25.png

Guest Corrin, NYC, USA, who had not seen lambs since she was a child, making new friends on our visit to the Park. We nicknamed these bottle fed lambs Louis, Henry, William, George and Arthur. They are all Rams growing up and still recognise Zara and myself.

 

It’s fun to incorporate Guests in day to day life in one’s location.

Our Guests mental health and well-being is important to, animals and nature can help one relax and ease homesickness.

 

Do you take your Guests to places they may not have experienced before?

Kowhai Tree, New Zealand Native Tree, Cornwall Park where you may see Tui birds,Kowhai Tree, New Zealand Native Tree, Cornwall Park where you may see Tui birds,

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When Guests wake up in a different place they can be like a newborn animal waking up to new surroundings.

 

“Maaa, that was a great sleep, Baa, nice to meet you!”

 

This twin lamb a couple of days old woke up with a yawn whilst its companion kept one eye open on watch.

New Zealand is known for woollen products like carpet and clothing. We used to have more sheep than people.

 

 

Hosting guests who have chosen to stay with me in my home & share an interest in history and stories is a passion I enjoy. 

Forget-me-Not flowers and Periwinkle planted on Mount Hobson Domain are some of the self  regenerating Botanicals gifted to New Zealand people by David Hay and Son, Montepellier Nursery in the 1880’s so future generations would not have to worry about financial expenses in the years ahead.

Flowers of all nations were planted in areas for our betterment, so we would all feel Welcome and at home wherever we are in the world and originated from.

 

Do you have an area in your location like that to share with your Guests?

 

If not, help create one, 2019 is 100 years since the start of the Peace Commemorations after World War 1 ended.

Forget-Me-Nots with Honey Bee and CinerariasForget-Me-Nots with Honey Bee and Cinerarias

Screenshot 2019-08-27 at 14.47.00.png

Periwinkle, one of Her Majesty The Queen’s favourite flowers on a tree that fell over during a storm in the 1930’s, The Depression era, left to decompose naturally where centipedes, millipedes, lichen and other species make their home.

The remains of a Living Fence, a Hedgerow Rose, on the boundary of Mount Hobson, Dilworth Avenue entrance.The remains of a Living Fence, a Hedgerow Rose, on the boundary of Mount Hobson, Dilworth Avenue entrance.

Mount Hobson is named after New Zealand’s first Governor Captain William Hobson. His Grave is in the Symonds Street Cemetery where they are undertaking a restoration project.

 

Dilworth Avenue is named after James Dilworth, who once owned Mt Hobson and gifted land for a school for disadvantaged boys. He is buried in the nearby St Marks Anglican Church grounds where one can reflect on how those early settlers before us lived in much more challenging times.

Botanicals in Exhibition Hall Gardens, Auckland DomainBotanicals in Exhibition Hall Gardens, Auckland Domain

I’m very thankful we have access to fabulous newspaper & photographic archive websites dating back to the early 1800’s where sage one’s before us recorded valuable information.

 

Whilst I’m a host in a more recently built home such archives have helped improve my knowledge as a Host to share with those interested in family, world history, 23andMe and Heritage.

 

Have you considered researching your own home and location for it’s history in similar archives to include in your listing and to share with Guests?

 

Thanks

204 Replies 204
J-Renato0
Level 10
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

@Helen427 

Great post! I love nature as well ! 🙂

Miloud0
Level 10
Rabat, Morocco

Salute, 

 

Thank you very much @Helen427  for the invitation.  

 

Thanks, 

Miloud

 

 

Lan1
Level 10
El Cerrito, CA

@Helen427 I am so impressed how beautiful and serene the place is!!! Would love to visit New Zealand one day...Thank you for sharing Helen!

周蘭
Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

thank you @Lan1 

looking fwd to meeting you to one day

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

For those of you folk living @Stephanie @Lizzie @Mike-And-Helen0 @Yadira22 @Huma0  in Hemel, Hampstead Heath, London, or visiting London during August- September check out the local sheep in your nearby Park and give feedback that you would like to see them more often for mental wellness in your local parks like we do here in Cornwall Park and Totara Park in Auckland.

 

Sheep reintroduced to London's Hampstead Heath

https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2019/08/29/sheep-reintroduced-to-londons-hampstead-heath-after-6...

 

Especially for you @Stephanie  - your current project, would you please get us some snaps of these critters mentioned above and in the article below, if you can find any on your travels  😉 ??

 

Hampstead Heath

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19121130.2.43

 

 

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hey @Helen427  - I'm in Hemel Hempstead not Hampstead! Thanks for the thought though

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Please follow the Community Guidelines 

Oh dear, well @Stephanie  @Quincy @Lizzie @Anna @Anna-W @Anna0  and others based in the UK  all have a very good excuse to go out on an ABB project Tiki tour for a day or three then to Hampstead, don't you???

 

Come on folks who are in any shape or form involved in ABB, feel welcome to share photographs/ stories of the local attractions you have in your location that you visit to "Nurture with Nature" for your health and well being.

 

I understand the need to keep some of those places secret as we all have those little places we like to keep away from the wider public!

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Coffee Grounds from one's local cafes work wonders in the Garden, next time one is passing a place where they are stop and pick up a bag and get out and do some gardening - you will feel great for it.

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Cow and sheep manure also have there place.

 

Did you know the little Blue ladybird burrows into the manure to lay it's larvae?

Without Ladybirds we get diseases that we never used to have.

 

If you have a fireplace with wood to burn in  it, make sure you scatter the cooled down ashes on the garden and around the trees. They and those in the community will like you for it.

I spread my Pellet stove ashes weekly @Helen427 , its good stuff!  Stay well, JR

@Melodie-And-John0  Fire ashes are the best t help rid infestations of disease.

There was and is a reason why it's done, in a controlled manner, it's unfortunate when fires are not controlled.

Ashes always help naturally nourish plants.

Alice595
Level 10
Concord, CA

@Helen427 Beautiful pictures! Good job well done!

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

thank you @Alice595 

It was a pleasure to partake in the inauguaral Festival of Hospitality and I hope to see some of you here in Auckland, New Zealand one day soon.

 

If my home is not suitable, because it's only for 1 guest, I do know and network with other Hosts in the area who would be happy to accommodate more than 1.

 

I had a recent guest make the assumption without reading my listing (I try to do my best to cater for those who may be differently enabled literacy and dyslexia wise) that my home was a dwelling in the middle of farm in Remuera !!

 

Sadly I had to explain it wasn't and my listing clearly explains my home is approximately a 20 minute walk to some of the most delightful Domains, Parks and places where one can 'Nurture with Nature".

 

 

 

 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

WP_20190816_046.jpgWP_20190816_172.jpgWP_20190912_060.jpgWP_20190912_082.jpg

 

I took my friends dog Zara for a wander around nearby Cornwall Park for our health and well being..

Always great to mix with the animals and meet new friends..and kept a watch on making sure no one crossed the style where Zara had read the sign and obeyed the law for a change 😉

 

I wonder what the 2 calves are saying to each other...they both came up and approached Zara and vice versa which was cool!!

 

The following visit they also greeted each other like long lost animal kingdom friends

 

The lamb on it's own popping it's head through the fence is one of Cornwall Park farms orphan lambs, she's very frisky.

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Lovely photos @Helen427. I think Zara looks very well behaved on that stile, look out at the lambs and calves. What a wonderful place to live.


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