Just a dusting

We thought it was about time we started boring you all with snow photos again....

We had a bit of a southerly blast come through today (Sunday), leaving behind this dusting on the Remarkables (taken from the top of our driveway):

A timely reminder that winter is on the way. It's good actually, just when everyone starts to get a bit down about the end of summer, snow arrives and reminds us all just why winter is so great down here.

And down the end of the lake - it never ceases to amaze us how individual hills can be hit while those right beside it will be completely missed.

Coronet Peak goat shoot take 2

Last weekend we were invited out with the local Deerstalkers branch for another goat shoot on Coronet Peak Station. Once again we drove to the top of Coronet Peak ski field (the top of the M1 for those who know the field) and then walked out to Mt Soho homestead which is near Macetown - out the back of Arrowtown. All up it was about 17 km over 6 hours, not too bad considering we stopped often and chased goats up and down a few hills.

This picture was taken on one of the ridges over the back of Coronet Peak ski field, looking towards Mt Aspiring National Park. If you look very closely you can see a bit of snow in the background - there was a fresh dusting overnight, amongst the first dustings for this winter, so it was pretty cold up the top!

Moving House

Don't forget about me! I want to move house too!

Burton is now well settled in and hasn't gone back to the old house for at least a week and a half. We had to go back and get him twice - once on the first day after he followed Andrea (who was cleaning the old house) and once a few days later. It must be confusing for him when the old house is only about 100m away, and the new tenants aren't moving in until the 10th of March.

We're busily tidying up the section - the last people living here didn't appear to know what a hedge trimmer was... We've been pushing wheelbarrows up the drive in almost total darkness, which went a whole lot better than pushing them back down again in total darkness. But we're getting there!

The clothesline is now completely usable again, the roses are no longer trying to grow up the inside of the weatherboards, and the front entrance way is much improved - i.e. you can drive down the driveway without damaging the car's paintwork (we gained 1.5m of driveway width just by trimming things back). We've also regained the view through to Ben Lomond and the Gondola by knocking the tops off the hedge, which is still about 20 ft high.

The trimmed roses, removed cherry trees (small, straggly and not thriving) and realigned back yard:

The front rose hedge nicely trimmed, and the front edge dug out and lined with river rocks, with the Remarkables in the background - bring on the snow (only about 8 weeks away now. Already getting noticeably colder, especially in the mornings)!

New tussocks and a closer shot of the river rocks. We estimated that we've carted about two tonne of rocks so far and we still have about 1 more tonne to go. We're hoping to have that done by the time Andrea's parents turn up on Thursday.

Thar Hunt

Greg was recently invited out on a Thar cull for a week with the Department of Conservation and the local Deerstalkers branch. Thar are Himalayan mountain goats, about twice the size and height of New Zealand goats, and they act more like deer - i.e. they run when you try to sneak up on them.
The bull Thar (i.e. adult males) are a sought after trophy and overseas hunters (and many New Zealand hunters) pay thousands to be flown in to shoot them. Nannies aren't such a trophy, even though the meat is good on the younger ones, and the population is getting out of control and damaging the native alpine plant life. Thar live above 1600m so are above the winter snow line.

The timing wasn't fantastic, as the hunt was right at the same time as we got possession of our new home, but it's the sort of opportunity you just don't turn down!

The helicopter the guys flew in on (and the valley they flew up behind it):

The terrain was quite steep...

With lots of glaciers, which made it very cold at night. The lowest temperature recorded during the week was -14°C, which was a bad frost, even by our standards, especially when you're in a tent on the side of a mountain.

A young bull Thar (Greg's first). Standing, it came up to Greg's shoulder. They grow a lot bigger than this - slightly smaller than the average NZ cow in height.

One of the other members of the hunting party "glassing" (looking through binoculars) for Thar. Most of the Thar shot were 200+ metres away.

And lastly, not a bad view to wake up to out the front door of your tent... even if it was as cold as a Mother-in-law's kiss.

New House!

Finally we have a place we can call our own. It needs a fair bit of work, but both of us can see the potential... even if it is a 10 year plan!

The current tenants have let us take a few pictures even though they were in the middle of packing (and dinner!) so there is a bit of stuff around, but here are a few photos.

The kitchen (from these windows you can see the Remarkables):

The lounge and log burner, taken from the dining room, which is next to the kitchen:

And part of the outside:

The two windows above the deck are the dining room on the left and lounge on the right. Top right is one of the spare bedrooms, with the Master Bedroom just out of shot to the right. The single door downstairs leads to a big under house storage area, and the ranch slider on the right leads into the downstairs lounge with bathroom, 2 bedrooms and laundry all coming off that room. All up 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 living areas. It has solar water heating and the yunca woodburner is identical to the one we have here with connections for a wetback. It's not connected at the moment but it's something we'll probably look at - free hot water in summer and winter! Also 2 heat pumps, one upstairs and one downstairs. Overall it appears to be a considerably warmer home than the one we've been living in (double glazing etc). It doesn't have a garage (the garage used to be under the house but has been converted into the semi-self-contained downstairs) but there's plenty of relatively flat land to put one in. That's somewhere in the 10 year plan. We do know a good builder...

The two best things about the house are that we stay within the community we're in now and don't have to give up the dinners with the neighbours, and that the current tenants are leaving behind their vege garden (complete with raspberries, strawberries... and colossal rhubarb plants!).

World Famous in New Zealand!!!

Well..... in Queenstown anyway!

First in the Southland times on Tuesday morning, the three girls from DeerStalkers:

And then on Thursday, both of us in the Mountain Scene:

Just goes to show that if you dress up in blaze orange camo gear and spend a day selling venison burgers wearing reindeer antlers, you attract attention. Who would have thought?

Another New Toy

We finally picked up our new 4WD yesterday so here are the "before" photos.

Our next step will be to start pulling bits of it off and putting other more expensive bits on! We're starting with a snorkel, mud tyres and tow hooks, along with a 2 inch suspension lift and a few other bits and pieces. We promise to post "after" photos!

And for those of you who aren't as excited as we are about an old 4WD to pull to pieces, here's a pretty sunset!