The Oxford A&P Show

Well, this weekend I got to do the best thing ever. Nope, not bikes, jet boating, baby seals, or saving lives. I got to go to the local A&P show. That stands for Agriculture and Pastoral. Like as in sheep. And goats. And tractors. It was awesoooooome.

When we attended Cup Day last spring, that was the kick off to A&P week here in Christchurch. But that was all fancy and had a feeling of old money and young drunks. The Oxford A&P show is so much more my speed. Farm animals, farm equipment, food, beer, and so much more New Zealand "country" than I knew existed.

Upon driving in, we had to bounce my very yuppy feeling VW Golf through 3 pastures before finding a place to park. This was the place to be this Saturday. Just while parking we passed a sheep herding competition and lots of show ponies. Scott shuddered in fear for his next several hours while I plastered my face to the window like a little kid trapped in line at Disneyland waiting to get on Mr Toads Wild (Country) Ride.

Nearly the first exhibit we stumbled upon were the angora goats. They are, quite possibly, the best thing ever.

We chatted with a very helpful farmer who has 20 angora goats, and just the profit from the wool pays for the expenses of having them. And someone comes to shear them and everything. Hello future farm. (Not even kidding.)

Here's a 4 month old kid who has recently been shorn. She won first in her category (basically for cuteness).

There is no way Im not getting some of these in the future. How can you not love that face???

Or this one:

Don't worry. I got the pamphlet on how to raise angora goats. Im sure everything I need to know is in there.

After Scott tore me away we finished with the goats we watched a few cows and alpacas being judged. From what I can tell, anyone can enter their animal, and it is based purely on looks. A bovine popularity contest, if you will. I didn't snap any photos of the winners, but I did take some time to check out the alpaca competition…

I kind of feel like alpacas might be the nerds of the farm world. Like, they're adolescents now but mom still cuts their hair. They seem pretty curious, but not particularly friendly. Apparently they spit when they get irritated.

Look! Baby alpacas!

Besides farm animals, there were tons of booths with people selling crafts and food. We stopped and did some wine tasting (of course) and contemplated purchasing alpaca sweaters. There was also a tent with demonstrations, so we caught one on cooking meat (lamb, chicken, and steak) and another one on bee keeping.

But wait, there's more! A whole indoor exhibit was dedicated to what seemed to be the judging of everything. There was homemade wine, there was a 112kg pumpkin, there were multiple bread and cake categories, and the best single cut dahlia. Like, who grew the best flower. You can get judged for anything, it seems.

Who grew the best chard? And in the background, lots of dahlias.

Who grew the best potato? And the best black potato?

The best squash, corn, bean, lettuce? The options are endless, people.

There was a whole cookie section, which I may take on as my main goal for the coming year.

Before wandering over to see the sheep (!!!) we stopped and watched some really old guys split logs. In the 5 or so hours we were at the show, there was always a group of really old guys splitting really big logs.

The ambulance never came, so I'd say it was a success.

There was also a "fair" like section for the kids. A few games and circus like rides, and one giant inflatable boat, which appeared to be sinking into the ground and said TITANIC on it. Is it just me, or is having your child slide down the sinking ship that killed all those people just a little bit not PC? (Not that I care in the slightest, but I thought to myself, only in New Zealand.)

We got Scott a coffee so he could regain his will to live, and go look at all the sheep. Man, there are a lot of different kinds of sheep. We meandered over there just in time to catch the end of the sheep shearing competition. These were the best of the best. One guy sheared 6 sheep in just over 10 minutes. It was really quite impressive. Albeit, not the most dignified thing to ever happen to the sheep.

Each new sheep got lifted by the front legs and slid out on her back like an upside-down turtle. The shearer kept her head and a limb or two between his legs at all times to keep her supine and just kind of spun the sheep around (the floor was slick). Like I said, impressive and undignified.

At the end of the day as we wandered through the last of the sheep exhibition, we came across pet sheep.

Like, the other best thing ever. Of course I pet every single one, and found my favorite. A young, mangy little girl with part of her ear missing and lots of dirt in her wool. I don't think she won any awards.

Things I didn't manage to take pictures of include: dirt bike jumping, horse racing (because, who cares?), the chicken and rooster judging- also 2 ducks!, sheep herding, greyhound racing, and the bagpipers - random, I know. I was in hog heaven- no puns there because there were no pigs. Where were the pigs???

Anyways, I pretty much can't wait to drag Scott to this next year. Here he is, resigned to his fate with a beautiful old tractor:

Ride Through the Country

It's not (totally) that I've been slacking. Exactly. I'm at the end of a 6-day work week and on day two of being tummy bug free. I don't really know what hit me last weekend, but it was nauseating. Literally.

Anywho, last weekend was the Queen's Birthday, which sounds quite fun and fancy. It is, of course, a New Zealand public holiday, celebrated on the first Monday in June. Why wouldn't you give the whole country a day off in honor of a monarch that doesn't even live here? Hooray! I observed it like I have almost every holiday here- by working and getting my day in lieu. Vacation, here we come!

So there's not too much interesting news from down here, between the working and laying on the couch. But we are off to Wellington tomorrow for my birthday weekend (all birthdays, in my opinion, should be honored a multi-day celebration including - but not limited to - chocolate, wine and shopping). So more on that later!

Below: a few photos from a recent road ride around Tai Tapu.

Purty darn pleasant...

Mainly posted this so Scott would know there is a cafe out there with lovely pastries that he has not yet sampled...

No autographs!

Sheep face

One does not get far on her road bike when one must take photos of every sheep and duck one sees.
By the way- A black sheep????!

Tell me you wouldn't want to live here. So peaceful!!!

Kodak Moments: Snow in Christchurch!

I've never lived in a city where it snows. Granted, I've been to the snow a bazillion times, ridden bikes and sleds and snowboards on the snow. I've hiked in the snow, driven in the snow, cursed the snow, and sworn I'd never live in the snow. But I've never sat in my own living room and had the satisfaction of watching the snow fall lazily down while I'm tucked in my cozy house with a mug of hot chocolate.

And I probably never will, because a) the snow we experienced was a torrential wind ridden snow storm mixed with hail, b) if you do live in New Zealand, you do not have a cozy house, and c) I would never choose hot chocolate over wine.

Anyways, I intended to go on a hike in the snow this morning, but I got distracted by finishing my book. More on the book later. So it was an afternoon hike, and it appeared that 90% of the snow had melted. Regardless, I threw on my shoes, grabbed my camera, and drove to the top of the hill we live on.

Looking West towards the Southern Alps

Attempted close up of the Alps...

 Remember how I said that I "threw on some shoes". Yeah... I actually underestimated the snow on the walking track. I threw on my Toms, albeit the ones with the wool lining, but 100% non-waterproof nonetheless. Fantastic reasoning on my part.

My hike was more of an amble, and it was a short, tedious, freezing cold amble. Of course I deserved every moment of discomfort because I have a pair of waterproof boots sitting by the door at home. 

Not deep at all...

"...I did not sign up for this..."

"...who sheered me right before it SNOWED??"

Anzac Day

It is the end of April (which if I were constantly converting into northern hemisphere monthly equivalents, would be the end of October. But I'm definitely not doing that anymore...). We are well in to fall, and frankly I have been bracing myself strongly for winter. Because every Canterburian insists on telling us how insanely awful it's going to be. But how can it really be THAT bad? I mean, it barely even snows, and sure the wind comes from Antartica (really), but it's got all kinds of miles to warm up between there and here. Right?

Anyway I'm getting off track. So it's the end of April, it's fall, and I keep meaning to take pictures of the amazing foliage. I mistakenly thought that most fauna was evergreen in New Zealand, and that we wouldn't experience the normal color cascades of fall. Man, was I wrong. And I've planned, for at least a week now, on documenting how beautifully wrong I was. But I can never, ever, ever seem to remember my camera. Except when I go on a bike ride. Which is what I did yesterday. And it was beautiful. Not a fall color to be seen. Ocean everywhere.

Yesterday was Anzac Day. I know all of you Americans just thought to yourselves, "Anza-wha?" So did I, until Google helped me out last week. Anyways, Anzac Day is a(nother) New Zealand public holiday. On this day we remember the Australians and New Zealanders "who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations" and "the contribution and suffering of all those who have served." (Source: directly plagiarized from Wikipedia). I suppose it's akin to Memorial Day. Everyone wears a red poppy pinned to their shirts to show support and respect for those who served.

Scott got the day off and went off to play in the mountains with the other mountain bikers. I on the other hand, had a work day starting at 3pm (cha-ching! Holiday Pay!) and had to find ways to entertain myself all morning. So instead of remembering to take photos of pretty fall trees, I went for a bike ride. And took lots and lots of pictures of the pretty ocean. A lot like the pretty pictures you've all been subject to before. But this is my blog. So here's my lovely, if not mildly familiar, Anzac Day pre-work bike ride photos:

Maybe I'm having a hard time believing all the winter talk because it looks LIKE THIS outside!!!

A glimpse of a few feet of my 2,600ft climb. Yep, did it to myself people.

View of Christchurch from the south... flat...

"You know you're in Christchurch when..."

Taylor's Mistake. I don't know what mistake Taylor made... cuz I would totally land my ship there too.

A bunch of locals, and one who really wants to know WTH I'm doing so close to her paddock.

Close up of the skeptic.

My trusty steed.

So that was my solo Anzac Day adventure. I admit, as a good Kiwi I should have been at a service at dawn. But I didn't read about that until, well, just now actually... there's always next year! 

Bike Rides and Baaaaa!

I'm a lucky lady. Last week, Scott came home with a new bike... and it wasn't for him. After a few months of (not so) subtle hinting on my part, he sussed out a great bike for me. See, I've always thought road riding was a) dangerous, b) boring, and thus c) pointless. After moving to New Zealand though, I admit I may have been mistaken. Or rather, all those points are absolutely true in the States and therefore I was not wrong. But here in New Zealand, the roads go such beautiful places! And outside of a few lot of earthquake damaged roads in Christchurch, they are amazingly well maintained. Which I've heard has something to do with our astronomical petrol prices. Anyways...

Here's the new steed:

I took her for the inaugural spin last weekend in Akaroa. It was a great time, with rolling hills and beautiful views.

So yesterday I decided to venture out on my own. Unfortunately for me, however, a neighborhood ride either means going straight down my mega steep hill, or going up my mega steep hill. I opted for up. The mountain we live on is called Mount Pleasant, which is amusing considering how pleasant it is(nt) to ride up!

One of my favorite things about riding in NZ (on road or on dirt) is coming across my neighbors. They're usually quiet, although sometimes I think they're mocking me as I chug up the hill. And it seems like they are always eating. But they're friendly. And I love seeing them.

Please excuse the quality... it's what a $150 phone will get you in New Zealand....

I would love to plop a house right in the middle of the picture above. That would be perfect.

So I don't know if I'll be racing my road bike anytime soon... but I think I will really enjoy riding it around the hills. Maybe bringing a picnic or riding out to a vineyard for some wine tasting with Scott. (Hint, hint husband.)