The pohutukawa tree is a New Zealand Christmas icon since it flowers during November and December. Christmas never seems right to me unless I see the pretty scarlet flowers. The pohutukawa grows in coastal areas and is part of the myrtle family. The Maori people consider the pohutukawa sacred since the spirits of the dead leave Te Reinga (the top of the North Island) via the trees. According to...
The lotus flower: 1. They grow in humid and warm climates such as Asia. 2. The roots of the plant grow in water, usually a shallow river or pond and the leaves float on the water (as a rule). The flowers grow above the water and have a thick stalk. 3. The petals range...
Visit any Asian country, and you’ll soon see lots of scooters or motorbikes. They’re the favored method of transport and there are lots of them. Trying to cross a road is hair-raising stuff and not for the fainthearted. Hubby and I like to play spot the most riders....
Hen’s night, stagette, bachelorette party. They’re all terms for the same thing—the last party that a bride has with her female friends before she gets married. The stag or bachelor party has origins long ago in history. Stag parties were held back in Henry VII’s...
Today my special guest Amy Denim is doing my Thursday Thirteen for me. I know—score! She’s here to tell us about business plans and her new release The Coffee Break Guide to Business Plans for Writers. Check out her easy 13 point plan below. Oh, and Amy is giving away...
Singapore is a small island country with a big heart and presence. Around 45 km west to east and 25 km from north to south, the population is densely packed. I’ve visited Singapore three times now, usually on the way to another final destination since Singapore is...
When I was a child my father used to receive a gift of crystalized ginger, dried fruit and nuts every Christmas. I hated, and still dislike, the dried figs component, and I wasn’t very keen on the ginger either. That has changed over time, and as I’ve grown older I’ve...
