The Magic Of Eskridge Station

A few weeks ago I had an interview with Kay Bazzard- she wanted to write an article about me to feature in the lifestyle section of a local magazine Bay Buzz. The story was duly written, facts checked and Florence made contact to organise a photo shoot. I'm really not quite sure what happened but somehow the wheels fell off and the article was rather unceremoniously cancelled. But what a fascinating experience it was, the explaining to outsiders the richness of our lives. Ah, but there was our first hurdle- Rob The Indispensable wasn't to be included. How can a story about all that I am not include my best adventurer friend? What I did come to understand was that our lives have become so rich and expansive that it simply cannot be condensed into 1200 words. Besides, I long ago learnt to tell our story through pictures. To be honest, no one else can do that part justice because my view of the world is unique and, well- mine!

I have made a transition to writing here in The Wild but there's been quite a lull where I have just been sharing on facebook so I 'm not sure how I catch up as there is so much I want to record. So I shall just begin here in the middle of being 62 in a summer that has barely happened and we'll see how we go.

Even as I am writing this everything has changed- cyclone Gabrielle has just devastated our beloved province by flood this past week. All the places that we love to go have been destroyed. Hundreds of wonderful old trees have fallen, properties, crops and livelihoods smashed, bridges have collapsed, cutting off rural communities all over the place, but worst of all- people have lost their lives and others have been traumatised by rescue events and the power of the floods. Horses have been found on the roofs of houses as flood waters recede, cattle trapped in silt have been spotted and dug out, beloved dogs and cats have been rescued, found and recovered and others just haven't made it.

However, just last Tuesday the 7th... 

We discovered Ellis Wallace road after Rob read about a bike trail and a railway bridge up a strange road we'd never heard of before and off we set one day to find it some 7 years ago. The Esk valley has become very dear to our hearts. Rivers are amazing- their largess, their capaciousness- the way that they gather up all that needs to be channelled, guided and released. Often suffering tremendously in the process, yet regenerating themselves time and time again. Even accepting the rearrangements that have occurred within their borders with gracefully resignation. Since we had a day off and it was the first run of high temperatures this summer, we decided to take the opportunity to visit Esk Ridge Station and see what we might find. Private land that can be visited with permission. This time there were contact numbers so Rob rang and spoke to the two sisters that now own the station. Our wet summer has been unkind to the river, stretch marks galore, new channels forged and all the wild plants washed away. Just a little ezapote and mint beginning to come through. The river was still swift and a bit murky, but the trees are happy. And now a week later it is all gone! So I have a chance to record all that we experienced in this valley and be witness to it's regeneration and recovery.

We decided to unearth our muslin canopy out of the top cupboard and see if we could find a branch to hang it in. The poplars obliged very nicely, but the canopy was not so easy to work with. And it was windy. Rob's "just incase cutlery" that he keeps in the car, made useful tent pegs. 

The light was so lovely.

And the shade was just lovely under the care of the silver poplars

I tried every which way to manage my "side" 

but in the end I gave up.

A while back I ordered these Cath Kids bags because I adored them. After a long period I realised that they didn't appeal to anyone else. So I kept them and Rob came up with the bright idea of making them the bunting bags. Perfect! 

Off we went for a wander and managed to get across the river- just!

This holiday hut intrigues us. A little more work has been done on it since our last visit.  

Clearly people camp here regularly.

It's a lovely spot.

It even has its own waterfall. In good form this year.

A channel through to the river.

So English. And so pretty.

Well at least the equisetum arvense (field horsetail) has bounced back. So full of silica too!

This wee stream comes out of the hills the other side and runs just passed our lovely picnic spot.

See, just up here.

It's so lovely and peaceful here under the care and shelter of the rustling poplar trees. Although the cacophony of the summer cicada chorus might seek to disagree.

It's always nice to bring some suitable reading with us on our picnics. We often find the most marvellous articles that nourish us deeply while we are immersed in the quiet of nature. With no rush or bustle we often read bits aloud to each other and learn something new together- like these stories about the rongoa benefits of the Kowhai tree.

 

That came from this fascinating book The Meaning of Trees by Robert Vennell.

There's something about the "setting up camp" 

that engages us in the slow, deliberate pace of an adventure.

In mid summer it's nice to head off in the afternoon sometime, planning to settle in for dinner and to be around to watch the close of day.

The little house may come in handy. Ewwee

Picnics present such different possibilities for eating meals. We love this little tiffen tin we found in Mitre 10 in Dannevirke one day.

Loads of fresh vegetables are just the ticket for a summer dinner in the wild.

I even made kind of dolmades (what else could we call them?) using Kawakawa leaves and they were fabulous.

The avocado dressing/dip is just the best! Just blend together 3 or 4 good avocados with salt, pepper, dsp wholegrain mustard, dsp satay sauce, juice of half a lime or lemon, 2 tbsp of milk, yoghurt or in our case Caspian Sea yoghurt. More liquid if you want it to be a dressing. 

And all of a sudden it's time to go again.

It's really not much trouble.

Just shake it all about.

The goats are long time residents of the area.

Wild and free.

Wee Waipunga station.

Loads and loads of Tutu all along the unsealed roadsides. It's pretty toxic and probably as important as hemlock to be able to identify as the young shoots look inviting but they're not for eating! Tutu is a useful Rongoa plant if you know how to prepare it.

Hello girls!

Once we get off main roads we drive slowly so that we can see everything as we go by. We thought we'd stop here and see if there was a piece of fire wood we could take home amidst the slash here.

Just around the bend I noted that the hawthorn berries are ripening up nicely.

Quite suddenly a man came striding toward us most indignantly. It turned out he was Jo and after I convinced him we were driving slowly because we love the wild and that we really, truly weren't scoping his place we had a great conversation, What a terrible mess the forestry process makes of the land. The way we do things in New Zealand really has to change. Jo wasn't happy about it either, 

An abundance of Wild carrot and fennel flowers heading back past the main swimming hole.

And the most beautiful gum tree.

Just to the right here is where our friend Billy and her daughter Lanthe live. They are Granny McNab Heirloom Nursery and they bring the most wonderful plants to our Farmers' Market each Sunday

And out the other side quite abruptly we meet the bustle of the Napier Taupo highway SH 5.