Janice Higgison

Somewhere between grief and now,

my body journeys in its own time.

It has a way of knowing

how the past has not completely past.

It trips and falters on the warmest sunny days,

when nothing at all is changed

I know these days and my familiar ways

without looking at the date.

I’ve learnt to drop,

to sleep,

to stop,

to pause,

to honour

and to weep.

It’s ok to be left of centre

instead of staring staight ahead

bearings will reset and life will start again,

this I know for 10 year it has been so.

To know with pride,

that I know this place,

and it means its ok when,

for now…

the courage has been knocked out of me

and wisdom came instead.

I left New Zealand for Mexico on 1 Feb 2019 at 2.35pm. I arrived at Puerto Vallarta at 3pm on 1 feb 2019.

In between I did a serious time warp! travelling 12 hours direct to Los Angeles. followed by nearly 4 hours in transit and then 3 and a half hours on the plane from LA to Puerto Vallarta.

now im processing a big jetlag hangover!!!

New Zealanders can travel to Mexico on a tourist visa for up to 180 days. the visa is issued on entry. No on flight was required on entry. So it is an open plan for me….

I am starting with a travelling friend I met last year in Canada who has kindly planned our first month, sorted the bungalow and and co-opted us into volunteering at a lovely 3 day festival. let the adventure begin.

Cyndy and myself on our first adventure on Savory Island…

The Barrier is one place where I always find time to weave. After traveling I have realised the special tonga (gift) we are blessed with in New Zealand. Our flax (harakeke) is indead a great resource. Maori knew its worth as it was grown and harvested for rope, baskets and mats.

Part of returning home for me is connecting with the natural resources and my personal skills as a novice weaver. Hilda kindly taught me to weave my beach hat and I practice each time on my return to reset the skills

Thanks Hilda. Skill sharing and people connecting and sun shade.

how does it get any better than that?

24 count

12 kilometers off the Coromandel coast of New Zealand and about 100 kilometers from Auckland lies Great Barrier Island.

It is my other home.

A place where life makes sense for me.

People live off grid. They work together to support the community development. They all talk more to each other. They care hugely about the environment and nature. The island is 60% protected under Department of Conservation. They volunteer to keep and maintain services for everyone.

Milk and produce deliveries are unloaded from the undercarriage of the barrier sky bus regularly

My family sharing the table with my barrier family!

Shoal bay. Where my ‘other home’ is nestled in the trees across the road from the bay at Shoal Bay pottery

Where Sarah Harrison (artist, potter and environment awareness ambasador) holds a workshop under larger shade trees on recycled beach washup.

Reconnecting to my creative side to produce my ‘tree of life’. The pohutakawa tree made from debry of the fishing industry that has washed up on the beaches

Beach gathering is a satisfying outing and the best teacher and model has lifted my level of consciousness completely

My room with a view. Its new curtains in place and the ocean lapping me to sleep

recycled driftwood and ocean waste create the chook run fence

now recognised for the dark night sky. With such little light pollution the stars are not only brighter.. they seem bigger

taking recycling one step further Sarah’s hand crafted keep cups come with me into every coffee shop now

local attractions… the mermaid pools. when the tide is right it is just majic

friends like this dont come along every day…

$100 will fly you the 100 km from Auckland to the Barrier in 40 minutes

There’s a park in Te Puna where the dragon lies under the cherry blossom trees. Where children climb and play as they chase the day away.

He invites the child to find their inside kings and dragons to spar and stay, with dreams of knights and castles from another time and day.

In the quary space of magnificent gardens and natural ampetheatre the grandness of nature holds time for tadpole fishing in the talc coloured water.

The hills behind harbour the outdoor musical instruments that echo and resound through the air as children discover music of vibration and joy.

It is here one day, 20 odd years ago, that my small son came running up to me in pure delight. “Hey mum.. there dragon in the park” The essence of my son is captured in this place and he is allowed to be..

forever young

Returning now I find peace were there was sadness. The spirit of the child and childhood is everywhere. In every one who comes to play.

In revisiting this beautiful place I love the memories of my mother self and children time that grew with the Te Puna Quary Park over all those years.

Te Puna quary park in Tauranga began as the vision of the amazing local lady, Shirley Sparks. The ugly quary was abandoned after the rock was used to build the causeway to Mount Maunganui. She determined to build gardens and a place to play. It began by asking for volunteers, groups and schools to take a patch and look after it.

A Gift of living for 25 years in Te Puna means I have been able to admire and watch this stunning local treasure develop.

Me and the 4 children would often go and ramble through the park discovering a new sculpture, or the ultimate.. one day .. a dragon. It now hosts the annual ‘Quary fest’ which grows more spectacular every year.