New Zealand flax flower

What with the bokeh in the background and the bright red of the flower it's almost Christmasey :-)

Today is 4 years since my lovely Mum passed away. I don't know if I will ever get used to it. I decided that what I needed today was time away from everything and everyone. It's a delicate balance with hot temperatures and wind in the high country.

I chose to go somewhere I've never been before, a track on private land in the foothills. It wasn't as long as I'd hoped but on the upside offered some shade, flowering southern rata, abundant native bird life, and a sense of adventure as I explored an area I'd never been to before.

I was in the headwaters of a tributary of the Hororata River. Huge bluffs and rock formations are the legacy of volcanic activity 80 million years ago. Native bush is regenerating and I couldn't help thinking how much Mum would have loved it, either under her own steam or viewing it via my photos.

I'm a northern girl and like Mum love our New Zealand Christmas tree the Pohutukawa. Their close cousin the Southern Rata were a surprise find. They're usually further west and obviously have a wee micro climate they like in the gorge.

As it neared the time Mum passed away I came across the tranquil setting of the Washpen falls. No one else was there and I sat with just the sound of the water and birds as I remembered Mum. I was surprised and delighted by how right it was to be there. Right time, right place. My small celebration was a fruit mince pie and a cup of tea as I reflected on my sense of adventure which is a gift from Mum.

And so my Christmas eve passes, a mix of sadness and joy. I'm enormously grateful for my Mum.

Today's gratitude: For being part of a powerful landscape.

Peace