Central Otago Dry

I am not sure when we last received any significant rain and the hot dry conditions day after day are making some of our gardens work hard. Although we have a good irrigation system for our trees and vegetable gardens, the perennial banks are toughing it out in the sun and sometimes extreme wind.

It was a fun start to the year with lots of visitors and family staying and now 2024 is basically planned out.

At the moment it is a matter of keeping up with the daily baskets of cherry tomatoes and large tomatoes, abundant cucumbers, courgettes, fennel and lettuces. The onion crop is about to be hung in the shed to dry, along with the garlic and shallots and the brassicas are looking good for Winter. My father was an avid vegetable gardener and so was Philip’s. It has always been a dream to be self-contained with our vegetables and walk through the vegetable department at the supermarket. We have certainly managed that. But, we are both novices in recognising how much one plant can produce. Hence, a lot has been given away and our shelves are full of preserves for the Winter.

The garden has also extended into a flower-picking area that has challenged me by the sheer amount it produces. The more you pick the more you get. I have had such fun filling bowls of colourful Dahlias and Zinnias for friends and my house is full of huge purple dinner plate-sized heads, to masses packed in a bowl. My idea of drying flowers has also become a monster and the shed extension is now filled with colourful dried flowers.

At long last we are going on a roadie and travelling to the Whangarparoa peninsula for an extended family reunion. My Mother was an identical twin and back in 1995 my cousin Barry organised for the families of Shirley (my Mother ) and Dorothy to have Easter at an outdoor education camp at Craigieburn. It was so much fun. It is nearly 30 years since that Easter and my son Richard has organised a school camp for us all this Easter. The grandchildren are similar ages to what our children were in 1995. Given the distances everyone lives apart these days we don’t have everyone - but it will be amazing and terrific for the little children to get to know one another. We will be away for three weeks - which also gives us the chance to meet friends and explore up and down the country.

Philip and I have now become acquainted with the world of Woofers and Kiwi Housesitters. Inga and Julian our German house sitters from last year are now our new children. This year we had the fabulous Delphine, a woofer from France. I ended up with Covid and she gardened with Philip for a week along with cleaning and was the best ironer. I didn’t want her to go. What a gorgeous girl and I love following her travels through Australia before she heads home to Vichy - France. Because of our two ginger cats, we have Kiwi house sitters from Germany and Scotland lined up for this year.

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Tours for 2024 have been very popular

France - Full

Italy - 1 have room either for a single or couple (due to a cancellation)

Turkey - Needs more bookings for it to head away.

judith@judith-cullen.com

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Tours start in France on the 28th of May on the Cote D’Azur, a week in a villa in Provence and 4 nights in the Dordogne. Philip and I are starting a week earlier in the UK and after 30 years going to the Chelsea flower show again.

A week after France is the Italian tour, which takes in the Veneto, Dolomites, Lake Garda, Piedmont and a week in a villa outside Lucca. I have my long-time bus company owned by Daniele doing the driving again and the wonderful Alessandro who will be cooking in France and Italy.

A week after Italy is Turkey with my fabulous Turkish tour hosts Alison and Hasan. This is a unique insight into a diverse country with the best food traditions. At this stage, Turkey needs more people. If you are keen to leave the Winter and explore with us please E-Mail me.

I am in my happy place touring with a great group of people and it is nice to host tours for ‘our’ type of travelling. We aim for interesting tour routes, being immersed in the beautiful countryside while taking in the lifestyle, history, food, wine and culture of the region we are visiting.