Winter beach holibobs 2013

Winter beach holibobs 2013

Woofings, furiends!

It is mid-winter here in New Zealand… I just got back from a short holibobs with mum and dad. It was a bit chilly, but we had sunshine and blue sky every day, it was pawsome!

We rented a little cottage right next to Onetangi Beach on Waiheke Island. Waiheke is about an hour by car ferry from Auckland, New Zealand.

Onetangi Beach is my favouritest beach: it’s 1.87km (1.16 miles) long… doggy bliss!

Here are my holibob photos…

I keep a good lookout on the car ferry!

I keep a good lookout on the car ferry!

 

 

Ahhh, what a beautiful sunset on Onetangi Beach!

Ahhh, what a beautiful sunset on Onetangi Beach!

 

 

Not bad for mid Winter!

Not bad for mid Winter!

 

 

Lucky mum took this picture when she did, moments later yours truly chased the seagulls! BOL!

Lucky mum took this picture when she did, moments later yours truly chased the seagulls! BOL!

 

 

I can even keep an eye on the pesky seagulls on the beach from the cottage we stayed at!

I can even keep an eye on the pesky seagulls on the beach from the cottage we stayed at!

 

 

There's a good view of the beach from the deck, too.

There’s a good view of the beach from the deck, too.

 

 

Even the cafe down the road has a pawsome sea view!

Even the cafe down the road has a pawsome sea view!

 

 

There's more to Waiheke Island than stunning beaches... there are also pawretty green hillsides, complete with moo-moos and sheeps - as well as vineyards.

There’s more to Waiheke Island than stunning beaches… there are also pawretty green hillsides, complete with moo-moos and sheeps – as well as vineyards.

 

 

The beach is definitely my favourite place though!

The beach is definitely my favourite place though!

 

 

Oh dear... so many beaches, such short little legs. I got tired and dad had to carry me!

Oh dear… so many beaches, such short little legs. I got tired and dad had to carry me!

 

 

I'm so tired, I think I'd like to drink this coffee, please.

I’m so tired, I think I’d like to drink this coffee, please.

 

The holibob was pawsome – though I am happy to be at home again, and rest up a bit!

Love ‘n’ nose licks,

Minnie x

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/winter-beach-holibobs-2013

 

 

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July 9, 2013

Another sailing holibob!

Another sailing holibob!

Even though I had sailing holibobs over Christmas and New Year, I was lucky enough to have another sailing holibob at the end of January! It is summer here in New Zealand, and we are lucky enough to have a number of public holidays at this time of year, giving us long weekends to enjoy.

The last Monday in January is always Auckland Anniversary Day – a public holiday for the Auckland area only. And as Auckland is known as the “City Of Sails”, it is only right to spend it on mum and dad’s little yacht!

Here are my photos from that weekend… as you can see, I had a lot of pawsome adventures!

Westhaven Marina (or perhaps I should rename it 'Westiehaven' Marina!) in Auckland, The City of Sails.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the best things about sailing holibobs is all the beaches I get to visit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mmmm, lots of great sniffs on this beach! *sniff snort*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dad barbecues noms for dinner on board the boat. Note that I am first in the queue for noms, don't even think about pushing in line, mum! 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YUM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tired out after a big day... and I'm sure there are more adventures to be had tomorrow, I'd best get some zzzzzzzz....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, we visit friends of mum and dad's on their boat. I assume my usual position, guarding the barbecue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a little snooze on my friends' boat. Barbecue guarding is tiring work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yay, it's time for a trip ashore! I love going in the inflatable dinghy, we call it the "Minnie-mobile". 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ooooh, pawretty!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On this beach, we catch up with some different friends. These people belong to my furiend 'Major', who is a mini schnauzer. Major and I had a great time running around the beach together. Mum did try to take a photo of the two of us, but we didn't keep still long enough and blurred all the photos! BOL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mmmm, the sniffs here are EXCELLENT! Dad said something about there being rabbits around, but I didn't see them, unfortunately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was a fun trip ashore! Now it's time to head back to our boat on the Minnie-mobile. I am the figurehead of the Minnie-mobile. 😉

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the boat, I want to get onto Facebook and Twitter and tell my furiends about my adventures, but dad keeps hogging the iBone!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time for another nap in my favourite spot, on the cabin top. It is nice and shady (because of the boom above me), and I get to see everything that's going on in the bay. Plus it's nice and breezey, so it keeps me cool and delivers all the sniffs directly to my nose! Pawfect! 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hang on, who's this? I hope they are not going to interfere with my Minnie-mobile?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now there are two of them! I watch the duckies closely. I am not happy about them being so close, but I don't like swimming so jumping into the water isn't an option. All I can do is glare at them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horrors! Mum decides to go swimming - and the two ducks swim with her as she does laps around the boat!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am most concerned about mum as she swims around the boat with the two ducks! I go to the bow-wow of the boat to keep a close eye on mum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phew! I am pleased to say that mum was unscathed after swimming with the ducks. I can now nap on my beach towel, worry-free. Mmmm, I do love sun puddles!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All too soon it's time to head home again. My favourite position is on mum's lap when she's helming!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way home, we see the Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa AC45 catamarans out practicing. They are the practice boats for the next America's Cup. I have seen them out on Auckland harbour before, but never this close!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Luna Rossa catamaran is "flying a hull". Apparently their boat speed triples when they sail like this. Yikes! Looks a bit scary to me! Note the pretty Auckland skyline in the background. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunchtime! Back at the marina berth, we are really hungry and decide to barbecue sausages on the boat before we head home. Naturally, I guard the barbecue. Nom nom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holibobs + noms = a happy dog. And what pawsome adventures I had!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Till next time,

Love ‘n’ licks,

Minnie x

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/another-sailing-holibob

 

February 15, 2012

Summer Holibobs Album 2012

Summer Holibobs Album 2012

Woofings!

I am now back home after wuffly holibobs with mum and dad… we went cruising on our small sailboat for a couple of weeks. (Here in New Zealand, Christmas and New Year are in our summer.)

Here are my holibob photos!

The best thing about holibobs? Lots of napping and relaxation! Here I am, having a snooze on the cabin top of the yacht. We are anchored off Ponui Island in the Hauraki Gulf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other pawsome thing about holidays is getting to spend lots of time with mum and dad. Here dad and I are looking for rabbits! (We didn't find any, but I could sniff 'em!)

 

It's Christmas Day! I got this cool squeaky turkey, and some new bones to nom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cuddles from daddy. 🙂 Me - a daddy's girl? Yep, definitely!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dad is fishing, and I watch veeeeery closely... I love fish, nom nom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drat - no fish on the line, just bait! Maybe dad will let me eat that, it smells nice and fishy and stinky... please? What do you mean by 'no'??!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next stop: Te Kouma Harbour, Coromandel Peninsula. This is a panorama taken from the hillside... it's very pawretty here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leaping through the long grass on the hillside at Te Kouma! Our boat is anchored in the bay behind me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So exciting - there are wild turkeys on the hillside at Te Kouma! No, I didn't catch one, but I did find a turkey feather *nom nom*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chillaxing on my beach towel on the boat after an energetic time ashore. Those hill sides are mighty steep if you only have little legs, y'know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giving the humans the hurry up for my dinner! All that walking 'n' sunbathing 'n' stuff makes a dog hungry, y'know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beach dog. 😀 I wuff the beach!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then the rains came. For days and days and days. Mum and dad got so bored they started collecting rain water to top up the boat's water tanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rainy days = indoor puppy playtime. Just as well that mum packed lots of toys for me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tired out after a big indoor play session! Here I'm cuddling up to my new turkey toy, plus an elephant toy that Morris gave me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yay, the sun came back! I resume my nice spot on the cabin top. It is shaded nicely by the boat's boom, and I get a great view of the bay from up there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pawretty sunset 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And those were my holibobs! It was kinda relaxing and kinda strenuous too – and a lot of fun.

Did you have holibobs too? Do tell me all about it!

Love ‘n’ licks,

Minnie x

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/summer-holibobs-album-2012

 

January 24, 2012

Wag ‘n’ Walk

Wag ‘n’ Walk

A couple of weeks ago mum took me to the Wag ‘n’ Walk in Auckland Domain. Apparently this is the biggest dog event in New Zealand, and it raises money for the animal charity Paw Justice.

The Auckland Domain is Auckland’s oldest park, and it is located in the central suburbs. The park is 75 hectares (185 acres) in size… nice and big for us doggies!

We arrived at the Domain a bit early for the walk. It was a hot and sunny day; fortunately there were lots of nice, big, shady trees to sit under. I must admit that this was my favourite part of the day, as I managed to scrounge 3 belly rubs off total strangers! Ooooh, I do like my belly rubs… *dreamy look*

Minnie The Westie at the Wag n Walk

Relaxing under the shady trees before the walk... I wonder if that lady will give me any of her ice cream? I'd best keep looking, she might notice me and feed me some noms!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minnie The Westie at the Wag n Walk, Auckland

And the walk is underway! There was lots of wagging and lots of walking. The doggies were all colours, shapes and sizes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minnie The Westie at the Wag n Walk, Auckland

Yay, I found another white doggy! This one had a very nice smelling bum *sniff sniff*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minnie The Westie at the Wag n Walk

There were other nice sniffs on the walk too, not just bum sniffs! This big old tree was very cool. I made sure there were no rabbits hiding in the holes between the roots!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minnie The Westie at the Wag n Walk

We take a break under the tree - it was a very hot day. The building in the background is the Auckland Museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mum took me home shortly after that photo was taken, as I was very tired and far too hot. The walk was fun, but I was all wagged ‘n’ walked out!

Love ‘n’ licks,

Minnie x

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/wag-n-walk

 

December 17, 2011

Westie Walk with the Westie Club NZ

Westie Walk with the Westie Club NZ

Being a member of the Westie Club NZ is fun! One of the events they organise each year is a Westie Walk in Cornwall Park, Auckland, New Zealand.

Cornwall Park is beautifully landscaped and incorporates the famous One Tree Hill. The park covers an area of about 120 hectares (296.5 acres), some of which is run as a farm. Yep, there are sheep and moo moos right in the middle of the Auckland urban sprawl!

The 2011 Westie Walk

This year’s Westie Walk was on Sunday 13 November, which is Spring time in New Zealand. A nice time of year for a walk!

Here are my photos from the day. And yes, you might spot the occasional Scottie too; they are part of the clan after all!

Westie Walk 2011

Who says it's just dogs that are food obsessed? The humans huddle around the BBQ... and that's before the walk has even started!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk 2011

The walk gets underway! There are Westies in front of me...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Club Walk 2011

... and there are even more Westies behind me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk

Me, I have to stop and sniff every tree. This is hard work; there are a lot of trees in this park!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk 2011

The Westie Walk is a great way to meet new friends. Here I am, playing with a new furiend. Sadly I didn't catch her name, we were too busy running running running!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk 2011

Of course, it's good to see old friends on the walk too. That's me, Minnie on the right. In the middle of the photo is my boyfriend, Morris. And on the left is Magnum, another Westie furiend that I see most weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Walk 2011

We stop for some water... it is a hot day! The stairs also make a good photo opawtunity. I am in there somewhere with mum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sheep in Cornwall Park

Amazing! There are white, fluffy things in the park that aren't Westies!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westie Club Walk 2011

After the walk, the dogs and humans alike relax in the shade and enjoy some noms. There's a sausage sizzle for the humans (though I did get a small bit of sausage too!). And there were some free dried chicken necks for the doggies. Nom nom!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tired westie

I was soooo tired after the walk, I fell asleep as soon as I got in the car!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tired Westie after Westie Walk

When I got home, I had a snooze as soon as I got through the front door! I didn't even make it onto the couch or bed! Or into the kitchen (where the humans were doing food things)... now THAT'S a tired Westie!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m looking forward to the Westie Club’s next event already!

Love ‘n’ licks,

Minnie x

 

 

 

To link to this post, use:  https://www.minniethewestie.com/westie-walk-with-the-westie-club-nz

 

November 14, 2011

Minnie The Westie book available in UK and NZ online bookstores!

Minnie The Westie book is now available in UK and NZ online bookstores!

Minnie The Westie - book coverI was just doing a bit of web surfing and spotted that my book “Minnie The Westie: The Adventures Of A West Highland Terrier Cartoon Dog” is now available to order in online bookstores in the UK and in New Zealand (as well as the US)!

Here are the links:

I’m about to put all of these links on my Store page (where you’ll also find the US links and Kindle edition links)… gosh this is exciting!

The MinnieMania is spreading!

Woofs ‘n’ wags,

Minnie x

 

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/westie-book-uk-nz-bookstores

October 15, 2011

Minnie The Westie lives in New Zealand

Minnie The Westie lives in New Zealand

New Zealand is a country in the South Pacific. Being south of the Equator, you might notice in some of Minnie’s cartoons that her (human) mum and dad wear shorts and t-shirts at Christmas: that’s because it’s summer in New Zealand at that time. The seasons are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere.

Being close to the date line, New Zealand is one of the first countries to see in every new day.

Minnie the Westie lives in New Zealand

Whereabouts in New Zealand does Minnie The Westie live?

Minnie lives in Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand. Although Auckland isn’t the capital of NZ (that’s Wellington), it is the largest city with a population of just under 1.5 million people.

Auckland is a great place to be a dog: there are lots of beaches and green spaces for running around on. It’s pawsome!

And it’s not just Minnie that thinks Auckland is pawsome…

Auckland regularly ranks highly in quality of living surveys. According to Wikiepedia:

The 2010 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranked Auckland 4th equal place in the world on its list, while The Economist’s World’s Most Livable Cities index of 2010 ranked Auckland in 10th place. In 2008, Auckland was classified as an Alpha World City in the World Cities Study Group’s inventory by Loughborough University.

West Highland Terriers are popular dogs in New Zealand: check out the West Highland White Terrier Club of  NZ (Westie Club).

 

PS. Would you like to use Minnie The Westie dog cartoons? Click here to read about cartoon licensing. Hint: using my dog cartoons is free for non-commercial blogs and organisations!

 

To link to this post, use: https://www.minniethewestie.com/minnie-the-westie-new-zealand

 

August 9, 2011