Home Base

We celebrated Thanksgiving a week early and roasted a 12-pound turkey for three people just to have lots and lots of stuffing. My stuffing recipe is an age-old one from my mother, something she improvised with butter and toasted bread. Over the years, I  tweaked it, adding onion and mushroom.  A basic recipe that still … Continue reading Farewell, Ahipara

Our time in New Zealand is winding to a close, and each day speeds by faster. We will be back in Detroit in early December, just in time to leave the beginning of summer in Ahipara and face the unseasonable cold predicted for the Midwest. My daily walk on the beach suddenly is more precious … Continue reading Hiding in Plain Sight

The first time I flew in a prop plane, John and I were on our honeymoon. We caught a jumper flight from San Juan to St. Croix, and I was terrified. In general, flying on any plane was anxiety-ridden for me. Take-offs and landings were white knuckle moments, and flying over the ocean conjured up … Continue reading Picture This

Continued: Our week of adventure with Carrie Tongariro National Park is northeast of Taumaranui. Located a few hours from Auckland, the park is a popular destination, featuring the 19-kilometer Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a World Heritage site. That track has been on my bucket list for a while, but in October, it is still partially snow-covered … Continue reading Death by Vacation, Part 2