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

[Helen427]

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!”

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.

Cornwall Park, One Tree Hill Domain Flower Garden

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 butterfly

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 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.

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.

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 garden

Bumble 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?

Lamb 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 rests

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,

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 Cinerarias

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.

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 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

[Mary996]

Wow. That chipmunk is so well defined @M199 your daughter has defo inherited your talent xxx

[Dale711]

@Mary996 

Photography is a beautiful art and a photographer , a beautiful artist!

I’m certain @M199 and daughter are beautiful artist too.

Love the picture 👏👏👏

[Helen427]

@M199You have an incredible wonderland.

Do you grow Peanuts in your location in Canada?
They have started to grow them again in Northland in New Zealand.

I wonder if you could send some Chipmunks over for us

@Ria16...

[Helen427]

Marine life swept ashore

Sealife Necklace

Seashells in the Seashore

Seagreen and blue Seaweed on the seashore

Have a great week wherever you are in the world folks

@Marine9 @Marine8 @Marina2 

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@Sandra126  @Stephanie @Nick @Liv @Anna @Anna2 @Sho1 @Shore0 @Short4 @Shorty0 @Kishore15 @Wee4 @Jacques0 @Caiseal0 @Starfish1 @Snowfish0 @Starfish0 @Kingfisher0 

[M199]

@Helen427 

Thank you for the compliment, we are close to paradise as we can get. We have an awesome variety of wildlife both at Base Camp And where we live.  We started keeping track of birds for the annual Cornell Backyard Bird Count.  It blew us away to count different species of birds, 40+, not even including others animals.  We have standard bunnies, chipmunks, red squirrels, flying squirrels, toads, frogs, snakes, bats, dragonflies and of course the very well known blackflies and mosquitoes🙄

I would love to have the chance to visit your world.  My imagination can't fathom what I could find, see and learn.

[Colleen253]

I didn’t forget that you asked me for photos of our wildlife @Helen427. Finally was rewarded with a good glimpse the other day. Spotted on my acreage listing. 

 “April is a promise that May is bound to keep”. ~Hal Borland

[Helen427]

Zara and Monarch bonding

Browsing through some photographs we found this photo of Zara with a very cheeky Monarch Butterfly hitch-hiking on her back.

We have a series of these with Zara ever so well behaved and not once did she try flick the Monarch off her, in fact as she turned around she did so gently but slightly puzzled.

Animals also like to Nurture with Nature

Have a great day/ evening where-ever you are in the world

@Colleen253 @Mary996 @Dale711 @M199 @Stephanie @Catherine-Powell @Lizzie @Nick @Anna @Francesca @Zara6 @Zara4 @Zara3 @Zara9 @Shona---Don0 @Lori208 @Vangie9 @Dave1019 @James2266 @Leslie-and-Paul0 @Inna22 @Irene39 @Hannah775 @Adam1295 @Emiel1 @Jennifer715 @Fran2 @Solveig0 @Tim-and-Holly0 @Nick2034 @Bon661 @Anna2007 @Anna @Serge1 @Cindy523 @Steve973 @Shane4 @Megan687 @Super47 @Clare167 @Courtney172 

[Helen427]

Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand this week.

I've borrowed these from an associate who is on holiday Ski-ing

@Colleen253 @M199 @Dale711 @Mary996 @Mike-And-Helen0 @Catherine-Powell @Stephanie @Lizzie @Snow8 @Snow7 @Snow5 @Emilia42 @Emiel1 @Miloud0 @Wanakee0 @Jessica-and-Henry0 @Carmen1596 

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@Solveig0 @Solveig14 @Solveig13 @Solveig10 @--Ruth-and-Anthony0 @GentleHart0 

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[Max144]

@Helen427 

Thanks for these stunning pictures, i am from Invercargill and Christchurch so know Coronet Peak near Queenstown and Mount Hutt near Christchurch, unfortunately i think my ski-ing days might be over.

[Mary996]

Wow...!!

[Dale711]

Salut @Helen427

Fantastic Mou Waho, Lake Wanaka is magical and unique nature.

What a wonderful place, It's my dream on a boat cruise to explore the island and its wildlife.

Thank you for sharing the beautiful scene.

Coucou! @Mary996 @M199 

[Mary996]

Je suis d'accord avec toi!! 

[Miloud0]

Salute @Helen427 

Thank you so much for sharing with us these so beautiful photos  

Thanks, 

Miloud

[Helen427]

What is it?

Is this a Bird Beak?

A Dolphin?

A set of someone's Abs?

A dog hiding?

A injured partially limbless body?

A Lizard like animal walking in the sand?

How many other sets of eyes and eyebrows and ears can you find on our most recent Beach find?

Note the rear feature faces and legs

What is this? Note the Abs and Ribcage markings and knuckle bones

Hello, Eye can see you, can you see me?

Interesting Creatures at Takapuna Beach, Auckland, Nieuw Zeeland

@Miloud0 @Mary996 @Dale711 @Max144 @Colleen253 @Lizzie @Stephanie @Nick @Quincy @Beach3 @Beach2 @Beach1 @Beach130 @Sea9 @Sea8 @Sea2 @See4 @See2 @Catherine-Powell @Taka3 @Taka1 @Taka8 @Tree1 @Tree0 @Trees1 @Treen0 @Trees5 @Bird3 @Bird1 @42Dolphin0 @Dolphin-Retreat0 @The-Dolphin-House0 @Ocean3 @Ocean1 @Ocean0 @Laura2545 @Emilie45 @Emilie42 @Huma0 @Paul255 @Paul455 

@Fred13 @SaNd7 @Sand6 @New-Zealand0 @Lizard0 @Felizardo0 @Lizard2 @Mutina-Animalia0 @Mill-Creek-Bird--Reptile-and-Animal-P0 @Mike-And-Helen0 @M199 @Kath9 @Sandra126 @Dogui0 @Dogan6 @Shore58 @Shorena11 @North-Shore0 

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[Laurelle3]

@Helen427  amazing how a piece of wood can be altered by the ocean and how peoples imagination play tricks with our minds or escape realism.

We don't get much driftwood on our beaches in Jervis Bay. Just white sand and seaweed when the sea has been rough.