Keeping it positive has been tad tougher with all the extra activities in this person’s life. Having the headspace already sorted from a lifetime of fine tuning has been a given, and totally necessary. 

Sure, there’s times when everything gets loaded up and where to go to first or next seems insurmountable, stepping back and establishing a direction or breaking down the task/s to manageable steps can take a little longer sometimes. And a hug from life’s wife helps.

This person has new playgrounds to explore, and more time to explore previous locations in increasing depths and details as they are now over an hour closer. 

Just the last two days, an hour’s commute to a locational area has been truly enlightening. 

From a totally new mindset as, this area was when this person learnt to hunt while in primary school, carrying out venison and wilde pig. Now; hunting only for images and shooting only with camera, the excitement is the same, the yearn to be around the next corner remains. 

Walking on riverbeds and rough ground is tougher, and slower, with an increasing reliance on a better boots-and-socks combination. Knowing also it’s gunna be fun the next week with a longer recovery with associated pain and stiffness, yet, the sights, scents, sounds and all other senses become alive again. 

To watch the trout face upstream, drifting, hunting the currents, tides and water surfaces for the bugs ‘n bees and other feastal delights. 

To watch bees drunk on fermented nectar fall into a stream’s current then swim to the nearest leaf island as it floats downstream. To align the rate of flow of the leaf island and swim an intersecting path shows intelligence of the bee, and truly fascinating to observe and learn.

To observe another bee, to fall into the same stream, either further drunk, disoriented, and/or incapable of flipping over, floats on the surface to become a trout’s next taste test.

To walk new riverbeds, to view into new streams to see trout and tuna feed and feast. To watch and hear magpies chortle near and far while the current splashes over midstream and river’s edge rocks, the lapping, all becomes so relaxing, even  hypnotic yet inspiring while creating art from the canvas of Papatuanuku, with weather and atmosphere provided through Tawhirimatea and Uru Te Ngangana. 

Another reason is that a later model SUV (for ease of entry and exit) provides an improved view and aspect of tracks less traveled, read dirt roads or riverbed and bush track access using a car with increased ground clearance minimises bottoming out, especially during wet months.

And the steering is lighter too, with heated seats, it keeps getting better, and the heated seats for on-the-road travels during the early hours to be on location at sunrise is a real treat, and makes the back feel sooo much better in transit.

Watching and learning through intense observation is one of the joys of being outdoors, as well as a relaxation treatment that works for us. It also goes back to this person’ years of hunting/shooting days, when spending hours in one place unmoving and learning about Papatuanuku and her family.