Guest Post by Jennifer Phillipps

This November my blog will be 16 years old. To celebrate I have asked you my readers to submit a Guest Post for my blog as a way of celebrating our connectedness as a community through social media. 

I hope you will send me your story or at least a glimpse into your life I feel I know so many of you through the comment section and emails I hope this will introduce you to one another. Thank you in advance for being part of French la Vie / Tongue in Cheek.

 

New zealand South WalesOur Home in New Zealand

 

Greetings Corey,

I have been reading with you and about you for many years now and so it is nice to send through something from the other side of the world to share.
 
I live in the South Island of New Zealand/Aotearoa and the town is called Nelson.  The population of around 52,000.  We are known for our crafts/artists/wine and food and being on Tasman Bay at the top of the South Island.
 
I have a husband/partner of 24 years who originally came to NZ from Wales, I am a regular “Kiwi” gal of 61 years of age.  I was born in the North Island on the East Coast in a town of a similar size but grew up in the Capital City of Wellington, the centre of our Parliament.
 
 
 
 
Coronet Peak is in the midst of a three-day spring snow storm with 15cm of fresh snow on Tuesday morning.
Coronet Peak is in the midst of a three-day spring snowstorm with 15cm of fresh snow on Tuesday morning.
 
 
We are meant to be going towards summer, but the country has been plunged into a spring storm with lots of snow blanketing many parts of the country.

The stormy last few days the countryside in the South Island’s lower reaches was covered in snow, sadly this has affected lambing, as many lambs are due now, so the farmers are counting their losses, which is always very heart wrenching, but at least one good thing has come from the cold, families are on holiday here for school break, we are pretty much Covid free so they are free to travel and the fresh snow means families can hit the slopes and have fun in the snow

 
 
 
New zealand 2
 
New Zealand
 
 
 
 
Grasse
 
Grasse France
 
 
 
 
Burano
 
Burano, Italy
 
 
 
 
Marche? Aux Puces De Saint-Ouen
 
Marche Aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, Paris
 
 
 
 
Elephants
 
Africa
 
 
I have traveled quite widely with my husband as we work on economic development consulting we traveled each year for a number of years. Needless to say I have many images of my favourite spots around the world. One being Venice and of course Paris, where I made a point of celebrating my 50th Birthday. My husband and I had a lovely stay in Grasse some years back, using it as a base to explore the area prior to an international conference in Lyon, so we did a fair bit of driving and enjoying some of your part of the world on that occasion. However, in recent years I have not traveled as much, preferring to stay home, rather than travel so often.  Now, of course with Covid19, travel is off for this part of the world and so my husband is happily at home too, working via Zoom calls instead, as many people are.
 
 
 
I thought I had cruised through menopause until the anxiety thing kicked in and I ended up in a sort of depressive fog for a short time, not helped by my husband being in Palestine doing economic development work and talking about the threat of kidnap et al, so I think it was a perfect storm of too much going on, followed closely by the total lock down here and other places in the world for Covid19 which was a shock to us all.  In the end the time together in lock down here in NZ was beneficial and I am so much better than I was at that time….life gives us these “lemons” but we just have to work through them and head towards the light
 
 
 
 
Collections from world travels a
 
My home collection
 
 
 
 
Collections from world travels
 
 
 
I enjoy photography in particular but have a fondness for many things that you often talk about…the thrill of finding interesting things at markets/second-hand shops and even Opportunity Shops as we call them here, charitable stores…which I find things in and also donate to.  I am an avid scavenger for textiles/crafts from around the world, with textiles, in particular, a favourite thing to find, so our house is full of many treasures.
 
The above photos include some old pieces, mostly African, certainly ethnic as there is a wonderful Navajo basket I got when driving from San Francisco to Portland via Yosemite (I am a big Ansel Adams fan). I have a collecting bug! I have Murano glass from the 1950s in another spot and lots of New Zealand pottery. The lovely owl in the middle came from my Africa travels and is from Zimbabwe, a real favourite I struggled to bring home in my luggage as it is a bit bulky.

 

 
We have a lovely small dog to walk each day, our little city is very compatible with that, and we enjoy traveling around our South Island in particular with our dog as a companion.  
 
I am a step Mum to one, having lost my stepdaughter too early, she was a special needs person with a number of issues, she did not speak (was very good at some sign language, as her means of communication), and had limited brain development, but was a lover of music.  She was well-loved and encouraged with her passion for music, as much as was possible and she had a very full and happy life. 
 
 
New zealand 4
 
New Zealand
 
 
We live in a large, oldish house, about 100 yrs old, but not old compared to many in your part of the world.  We are thinking about downsizing for retirement and even where we might live, so that is something present in our thoughts just now, heightened by the Covid virus and being in our homes more of recent months…so it is an ongoing item of interest….where to from here?
 
 
 
New zealand x
 
 
 
Well, I think that is a little slice of my life to share, I am sure I could ramble on longer, but this is enough to get things rolling.  I included some images I have taken of where I live and bits of NZ we love, to give you a sense of “Our Place” at the bottom of the world.
 
Cheers and stay well as you head into the wintery weather,
Jennifer
 
 
 
 
Tasmina bay new zealand
 
 
 
I will have to take a photo of me, for another time, I am not so good at having pictures taken of myself, preferring the landscape photos instead.
 
    Cluster Navigators Limited www.clusternavigators.com Nelson 7010 | New Zealand
 
 


Comments

12 responses to “Guest Post by Jennifer Phillipps”

  1. Hi Jennifer! Love your home and garden…those rhododendrons (I think they are) are beautiful. I can tell we could be great brocante buddies…I love the Marche Aux Puces de Saint-Ouen too, though it’s not cheap they have some great quality stuff. I hope to make a pilgrimage Ile-sur-Sorgue brocante heaven one day. New Zealand would be nice…too it looks lovely in your post!

  2. Snow! (but I’m sorry about the lambs) and nearly Covid free! So different from here in the Bay Area where precipitation is about a month away and it’s dry and hot. Nice to see your photos and hear what life is like there! Thanks.

  3. What a lovely read! I admit to being a tad jealous of all your travels, how wonderful that you have brought a small piece of each corner of the world into your home!
    I have to laugh about the video you shared! A good friend of ours spent a couple of years in New Zealand and my brother actually spent a couple of years in Australia…both speak extremely fondly of their different experiences in what they presumed were “English” speaking countries only to realize they didn’t understand just how varied “English” can be!
    Thank you for sharing you blessings and struggles, both have helped me today.

  4. I am loving your guest posts, Corey! It’s lovely to get to know other folks here!
    If we are interested in posting a guest post, do we just ask?

  5. Another great treat. This time from down under. Thanks Jennifer for sharing a bit of your welled traveled life with us. Your country is on my have to visit list. It looks as if a tour of your home would be a treat with all your special treasures.
    Thank you.
    Ali

  6. Ella Dyer

    Dear Corey and Jennifer,
    Thank you for sharing this delightful guest post; I have never been to New Zealand but, now have an urge to travel(and the Prime Minister is most impressive)!
    Jennifer, I would love to connect with you as you mentioned your husband’s work in Palestine. Our “adopted” son was born in Jerusalem; as a result we have a very different viewpoint on the middle east than many.
    Bonne fin de semaine from the Côte d’Azur,
    Ella

  7. Jennifer,Hello from Perth.Thank you for sharing your very personal story and beautiful photos.

  8. Ann of Avondale

    Nice to meet you Jennifer. Are the flowers like this in all of NZ, they are beautiful. We had a visiting priest from NZ in our parish who would often mention the shepherds in his homilies, we loved him.

  9. Jennifer Phillipps

    Thank you everyone for your positive feedback and encouragement. It is lovely to be part of this blogging community courtesy of Corey, and strange and intriguing to see my little story being shared.
    The flowers are Rhododendron’s and they do thrive profusely in many gardens and parks in NZ…we have the sort of climate here and I guess, the soil that they like to thrive in.
    For now, it is not possible to travel to NZ, we are nearly Covid free, but it is still coming across our border as Kiwi’s come back from overseas and go into arranged isolation…my stepson is currently doing that after returning from the UK. So for now, we are doing our best to fight this nasty virus and tourists cannot come to visit, but I hope in the not too distant future you will all make a pilgrimage to our fair shores and enjoy the countryside and the people.
    I have visited the Bay Area several times, loved it and part of my visit was tracking down the Frank Lloyd Wright buildings…I am a big fan. So I also have very fond memories of San Francisco and surrounds!
    As for the beautiful market in Paris, I could have filled a ship with all the pieces I liked…but I came home instead with a lovely piece of old textile, something that would fit in my luggage..I did not see so many Brocante markets, due to time restraints, but that is something I would still love to do.
    Cheers from New Zealand….Jennifer

  10. Leslie in Oregon

    Jennifer, I have loved New Zealand since I spent more than several very long layovers exploring it while I was flying as a purser for Pan American World Airways. As far as I can tell, the country has only become better, without losing its lovely, diverse charms, since then. Although I may never get to act on my enduring wish to emigrate to New Zealand and live on the South Island, I hope to at least spend several long sojourns there during the rest of my life. You are most fortunate to be a New Zealander.

  11. In reading Jennifer’s post it brought back so many memories of visiting New Zealand many years ago. In Nelson I had afternoon tea with the spinning and weaving group in a historic old house. I will never forget that. Thanks for sharing, Jennifer!

  12. Jennifer Phillipps

    Thanks Marilyn….it may be that you visited Broadgreen House, which is a Cob Cottage, it is a much loved landmark, which my Dad helped out at for many years and helped fund raise for….here is a link, perhaps it is the one you visited? https://www.nelsontasman.nz/visit-nelson-tasman/plan-your-trip/activities/2880-broadgreen-historic-house
    Glad you had a good visit in NZ….Cheers

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