New on the art scene

My new line of New Zealand based jewelry made its first appearance this weekend in New Plymouth. For anyone interested in viewing the whole collection please visit:
http://www.hopesart.etsy.com

Some natives, captured in their natural habitat! Actually, this is Kim and her two children. Kim is a nurse at Avon Medical and she and the kids joined us for a hike to Curtis Falls (which we never found -- how can you miss a 25 foot waterfall?). It was a great hike regardless.

An odd upside down cloud raibow. This photo also appeared in the local paper (our shot was superior)

A prize to the first person who can identify this wiley salt water fish.

Bob, Katie, Richard, Lizzie, Hope, Riker and Amee .

We had a great time together when they visited.

How is this for a Christmas card?

Rotorua Lake House

Everyone loved the fireplace at the lake house that we stayed in for new years. The doors to the right lead to a balcony with incredible views of the lake (other photo).

Thermal Activity in Rotorua

This place was incredible with color!

White Cliffs Walkway - Taranaki

As with every image we try to capture, the picture never does the actual landscape justice.

This is part of a very challenging 4-5 hour hike, half of which is on the black sand beach below the white sandstone cliffs of north Taranaki. The other half is through dense sub tropical rain forest with incredible views of the Tasman Sea.

Tongariro Crossing

The Burgoyne / Vermilye crew. We experienced three seasons on this all day hike.

The massive volcanic crater we crossed.

Riker making the Emerald Lake in the middle of the Tongariro Crossing (12 miles -- the best one day hike in NZ) look even better.

Christmas at Wood Pidgeon Lodge

Sunset at the Lodge.

Pidgeon Lodge --- a great place, and a few years ago was an open barn.

Christmas dinner on the lawn, Pidgeon Lodge, Ruapehu District.

Karangahake Gorge

Hiking through the gorge - site of the original gold rush in 1875. Lots of tunnels and caves for mining.

Otama Beach House - Coromandel

Riker, doing what he does best.

Bob, Amee, Riker, Katie and Lizzie at Cathedral Cove on the Coromandel Peninsula.

On a cliff overlooking Otamo Beach and Mercury Islands. This was the beach house of the decade in NZ..... and probably of the century for us. A very simple and elegant design that included fully opening front and back, drawbridge fashion.