[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

[Helen427]

@Robin4 
What an amazing experience for Ade.

That photo has triggered memories of when I was too afraid to venture into a Snake Den attraction in Rhodos, Greece @Nick and others who have ties to Greece.

Hindsight is wonderful I should have overcome my fears at the time as it is an opportunity lost in life.

@Robin4 
Do you know the history behind Cleland Wildlife Park?
Is it land that was gifted or named after Robert Louis Cleland who owned and raced  "Apologue" in the 1907 Melbourne Cup and spent time in Australia?

(See link below)

There were a number of Clelands who traveled to New Zealand and Australia in the 1800's.

They seemed to be pro-active in the community.

Cleland's who lived in Matamata ( now known as as Hobbiton) in New Zealand set up Scouts there.

Often one will discover that those with links to farming either gifted, or ensured land was placed in the protection of The Domains Acts 1800's for our betterment as they knew one day land would be surrounded by housing.

Such sage people they were in that era of life in the world.

Sportsman's Death Robert Louis Cleland,  Turf Success recalled

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19410503.2.27

?items_per_page=50&query=cleland+%2c+australia&snippet=true

[Robin4]

@Helen427 

Helen, Cleland Wildlife park is part of hills farming land adjacent to Adelaide of around 500 acres  which was orginally gifted to the state government by Sir Samuel Davenport in the late 1800's  when roads were being constructed into the Adelaide Hills.

It wasn't until the 1960's the government decided to turn it into a tourist nature park and it was named after Sir John Burton Cleland who was one of the states leading pathologists and medical experts. As well as his medical career he became a renowned naturalist, microbiologist and ornithologist, and for three decades was the commissioner for the Belair National Park. He became keenly interested in wildlife conservation and for those efforts the government named the Cleland Park after him.

The Cleland name has a substantial history in South Australia but, I am not aware that he had anything to do with racehorses though Helen.

Cheers.........Rob

[Helen427]

John Cleland from 1875 owned Dilke that raced in Melbourne,  possibly an ancestor of one of the one's who Cleland Wildlife Reserve is named after.

Calling out to all Cleland's  @Cleland0 who are either Hosts or Guests in Airbnb Community, is this one of your relations?

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CROMARG18751124.2.18

?end_date=31-12-1900&items_per_page=50&phrase=2&query=john+cleland+&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1839

[Robin4]

@Helen427 

Here is the John Cleland after whom the Cleland Wildlife Reserve is named Helen

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cleland-sir-john-burton-5679

Down towards the bottom of this biography you will note where is says "The Cleland Wildlife reserve was named after him"!

Although a keen animal lover, nowhere in his extensive biography is there any mention of him having anything to do with racehorses, although in WA around 1907 he did have a bit to do with camels.

You are talking about another family branch of the Cleland name , Helen.

Cheers..........Rob

[Nick]

wow, people are HUGGING in this photo! 🤯(also, cool lizard)

*pardon my enthusiasm but we haven't been able to see something like this., let alone do it, for almost a year now in our part of the world

[Helen427]

@Nick

That photograph was taken at the Rose Garden Festival in 2019 and yes we are all permitted to HUG!!

I've no idea who those people hugging are but it was a magic moment unfold.

If they ever find this image online I hope they message me as it would be nice for them to have a copy.

Remember, just like our New Zealand Government admitted in the Andrew Borrowdale Judicial Review, what we are been told across the world, are "Guidelines" so go ahead and share some and have much needed 'Hugs', We are humans and all have basic needs and Human Rights.

Sending you a hug across the miles.

[Helen427]

@Melodie-And-John0 
What are the different birds in your delightful image?

[Melodie-And-John0]

Hi @Helen427 , The blue Jays are the bullies, there are a couple Cardinals, Tufted Titmouse, Downey Woodpecker, doves, sparrows and finches.  They can wipe out 2 liters of seed in 2 hours. just crazy.    

[Cathie19]

Sulphur crested cockatoo in the yard. Greedy eaters!
Greedy sulphur crested cockatoo at the open bird feeder during the dry season, as well as a red shouldered parrot.

[Helen427]

Sunflower Loveheart

Good Morning

Bee Happy

Good morning to everyone across the world from New Zealand

@Robin4 @Melodie-And-John0 @Cathie19 @Dale711 

@Dale9@Dale7 @Dale4 @Dale1 @Dale16 @Dale18 
@Stephanie  and Baby @Stephanie5 @Stephanie548 @Stephanie81 @Stephanie333 

@Lizzie @Lizzie47 @Lizzie21 @Lizzie95 

@Nick5 @Nick65 @Nick202 @Nick98 @Nick218 

@Francesca @Francesca1 @Francesca8 @Francesca203 @Francesca159 

@Sergi @Sergi4 @Serg1 @Sergiane-And-Raul0 @Sergiana0 

@Brian @Brian3 @Brian4 @Brian98 @Brian92 @Brian93 

@Cathie19 @Cathie1 @Cathie7 @Cathie44 @Cathie32 @Cathie6 @Kath9 @Kath7

@Kathi2 @Kath21

[Helen427]

Unexpected Guests!!

Slugs and Snails and Puppy dogs tails

How many of you have ever seen a mother Slug with it's baby?

I got up one night to get a glass of water and nearly stood on the father not knowing what it was in the dead of the night. In my wisdom I switched on the light and found these two snuggled in making themselves at home....

Cheeky intruders sneaking somehow through a gap under the door into my home

@Stephanie @Anna @Nick @Dale711 @Helen350 @Sergi @Mum2 @Mumu3 @Muma1 

@Emilia42 @Paul1455 @Paul1255 @Huma0 @Slucajni0 @Mary996 

@Cathie19 @Robin4 @Melodie-And-John0 

@Mumu3@Mumu0 @Baby6 @Baby5 @Baby4 @Baby3 @Baby2 @Baby1 @Baby0 @Snail0

@AleTails0 @Tailah0 @Taili0 @Tai0 @Tai9 @Tai4 @Puppa0 @Patrice-Puppy0

@Tales0 @Tales4 @Tales3

@Tales2 @Tales1 @Talessa0 @Tales12 

[Dale711]

Salut @Helen427 ,

Are you still survived? 🤣🤣🤣
Slither - a black comedy

[Helen427]

Cicada Case - hanging upside downHello, how are you today?

Hello @Dale711 @Mary996 @Stephanie @Anna @Helen350 @Melodie-And-John0 @Nick @Francesca @Sergi @Liv @Katie @Cica0 @Lucica0

@Inna22 @Jessica-and-Henry0 @Huma0 @Paul1255 @Emilia42  @Inse0 @Prayas0 @Prayas1 @Prayer-Line0 @Diamantis0 @Manti0 yes we live to tell another story...

This Praying Mantis was so funny to watch climbing up the side of the fence into the trees.

The Cicada had shredded it's coat and was hanging upside down under the fence rail

[Dale711]

Salut @Helen427 ,

How silly of me, I never see Cigale / CIcadas in my life! 
Cicadas is a delightful little creature. 
I Love it’s.

Jolie petite “ Cigale”

Although, there’re about 2’500 species of Cicadas in my country, which live in the south of France, Provence.

Marseille, the second largest of the city, hot spot for the tourists located of the Gulf of Lion.

In the summer and holidaying, Marseille without the Cicadas is quite simply unthinkable.

Seriously, ten Cicadas or even two or three, and your day at the beach feel more like a rave party than a day of rest.

Cicadas is the world ‘s loudest insects

[Mary996]

Wow. Thank you so much for these amazing pics. I spent time on a horse ranch camping out in the Camargue and escorting guests on horseback. I love the area. Do you have l'accent du sud???