Labour Weekend....

The last Public Holiday here in New Zealand was Queen's Birthday at the beginning of June.

Since then we have all laboured through the Winter and now Spring is upon us it's time to relax and unwind. Of course those of us in the service industry are more than happy to soldier on!

Here at The Springs we have completed all the pre-season chores and our guests are arriving to what is going to be a very busy time and hopefully a very clement Summer.

All the best for a safe and happy Labour weekend!

And here it is already....October

The days are longer, the weather warmer. It's a great combination to lift spirits.

That being said, just now, we are experiencing a cold blast from the deep Southern ocean which bodes well for skiing for the last week of our school holidays.

The trees are filled with singing Tuis (New Zealand's native bird) sucking the nectar from the blossoms and swinging around the branches.

The NZ dollar is on its way down which it a huge relief to our guests. Not so good for us heading offshore, but our exporters are delighted!

Our guests are growing in number as this 2014/15 season gathers momentum. Hope to see you here at The Springs sometime soon.

Springtime Fruit.....

It's always a busy garden time as Spring arrives and it's no exception here at The Springs.

Our gardener, my husband, is currently out trimming the camellias. The citrus fruit in our little eco climate is quite abundant.

Here is a shot of the grapefruit tree and I have already picked lemons to make a lemon loaf to thank our neighbours for collecting our mail while we were away.

Now It's Our Turn.....

Everybody works really hard for their holiday and we are just finishing our time off.

We closed in June for our Winter and we are just home after spending special times with our daughter in Melbourne.

This year there has not been a sunshine holiday, but we are hoping for another stunning Summer to enjoy with our guests.

For our accommodation this time we rented a huge apartment for a couple of weeks and it was just a few minutes walk from the Queen Victoria Market where we spent a lot of time wandering around  soaking in the atmosphere and buying up exotic foods.

If we were here for a shorter stay we would choose a Bed and Breakfast, but, for a longer stay it makes more sense to have the freedom of a kitchen.....and I love to cook!

So, if you are coming our way, see you soon at The Springs.

A big hello to those who have already been with us and pop by to see what we have bee up to.

The Buzz Never Wanes.....

We have been operating The Springs for 16 years and are currently closed for our Winter.

By now you might think that over time we could have become somewhat jaded. Happy to say we still delight in every booking that is coming through for our next Summer season.

I think taking the time off has helped keep us refreshed and has given us longevity.

By the time September comes we will be raring to go again, so if you are contemplating a stay with us, just know that, when you book The Springs, there is an excited buzz at this end!

Look forward to seeing you here....This image is called Sweet Dreams!

It Was 50 Years Ago Today......

When I was just 17 I was lucky and cheeky enough to land an exclusive interview with The Beatles on the last afternoon of their World Tour in 1964. It could never happen today, but what a great time!



Here comes the bride.....

Over the years we have hosted very treasured guests.

Our honeymooners are joyful and later we get the baby pics.

Families are so much fun and the interaction is wonderful to watch.

One of our great families who have been with us 3 times have now invited us to their eldest daughter's wedding in the USA.

Sadly we are unable to make the wedding, but we will sure get to see more of the bride because she is marrying a KIWI.... one of our own!

I bumped into the happy couple in our town a couple of years ago so it will be great to catch up with them when visiting the New Zealand side of the family.

Happy to say that the Mother and Father of the bride are coming back in March next year. It is always special times when our guests return. One of the highlights of the business we are in...