Dear All, I would like to arise awarness among the Airbnb co...
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Dear All, I would like to arise awarness among the Airbnb community about how Airbnb manipulates the system and acts against ...
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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!
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.
I gift some of my Swan Plants to share the love with our delightful "Monet the Monarch" caterpillars & butterflies.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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
@Helen427 @Helen427 Not sure what you want but I love my birds & so these are from oppersite ends of our country . The Molly was off Stewart Island following our boat for scraps of which the gull took umbrage to. The whimbrel is one of the locals from my estuary hopefully now in Siberia with a new family. 🙂 I spend many hours crawling in the mud chasing the Bar Tailed Godwits .
To de stress I often watch the baby Tross on the live webcam 😉 here is the link of the website and you just have to click on the live link. Hope you are ok. . https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/albatrosses/royal-albatross-toroa/roya...
@Helen427 @Ria16 @Quincy @Miloud0
I don’t know how these coincidences happen to me, but the Owl Sanctuary we contacted about our escapee baby owl, mentioned they had in their care an owl with a physiological problem...
With the photos on this thread being formatted the way they are I think it must be some kind of virus too. I reckon the majority of viewers have done this recently.
The owl permanently looks like this...
Even if all the photos are now corrected, I'll bet you can't view this without tilting your head !
haha @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 that Owl is a real poser, I can bet your bottom Pound/ Dollar that it was looking at the person taking the photos face!!
Animals are priceless to watch & photograph like that.
@Helen427 , what a great thread you have built here with beautiful pics and great stories! I am a dirt under the finger and toe nails born and raised gently aged country boy (i cleaned up well). One of my favorite bumpkin phrases is "Smell the fresh country air but don't step in it". You know you've spent enough time around the stuff (shoveling as a lad) when blindfolded you can "Name that Animal" with a blindfold and without a noise being uttered, just a whiff of their droppings from even afar and you know thats _____ Schnitz. Some folks even have preferences, Im not that person and as I age find its all good as long as I don't have to move it or handle it in any way! Stay well Helen, JR
@Melodie-And-John0 thanks for your kind words howeverwhere's your photos from the animals in your wilderness?
Feel free to add to this topic as it's here for everyone to contribute to!!
Orakei Marina where Sailing Vessels berth and Dog the Shag and Oyster Catcher birds live like a local.
Orakei Basin , Auckland, New Zealand outdoor attractions that are near to where I live include views towards sheep grazing, trains passing, people walking their dogs, jogging, walking, men sailing miniature Sailing Vessels.
Thanks @Katie @Dale711 @Rachel367 @Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 @Quincy @Cathie19 @Lizzie and @everyone-else
Here's some Metrosidoris Flowers from along our travels to Takapuna Beach and Devonport around Christmas time.
Note the gorgeous Bumble Bee with it's saddle bags of honey on the Metrosiderios Crimson Christmas Tree Flower.
Do you also have this tree in your country flowering in the Summer Months?
😍
Wish I can travel to Takapuna Beach 🤗