Well, it's been a while since I've posted on my blog.  We have been very busy building relationships at Mountain View, and settling into life in a wonderful community.  More significantly, we have been on a spectacular vacation to New Zealand!  In November, Beth and I made the journey to the other side of the world to share with our son and daughter in a trip of a lifetime.

New Zealand is a wet, green, paradise with breathtaking flora and fauna.  I especially enjoyed talking to bee keepers and knowledgeable locals about N.Z.'s plants and pollinators; its economy and ecology.  I am addicted to international travel, as it allows me to study people and their ways, their connections to God and the land.

Our son, Sam, did a fantastic job as chauffer, host and tour guide; taking us 3500 miles around the south island, showing us his favorite sites and natural wonders!  New Zealand is a wonderful place, and it's people are kind and warm.  I shall always remember the stunning wonders we saw, but time with family remains the greatest blessing!