...makes Baldwin look like a metropolis

Hallo from Hokianga Harbor! It's quiet here. Very quiet. THIS is rural New Zealand. North Hokianga used to be a thriving capital of forestry, thriving on the destruction of the kauri forests. Today it is a collection of small communities made up of a mix of back-to-the-land types, a few traditional, anglo farmers, and a small Maori population. It reminds me a bit of Downeast Maine- a lot of people living in a beautiful, isolated place just trying to get by. And like Maine, encroaching development looms on the horizon, threatening certain change to the community lifestyle, enviromental destruction, and skyrocketing property values. Walking along the road today, though, you'd never think it.
I spent the afternoon walking down the gravel road from the farm toward town. In the two hours and 1/2 hours I was walking, I was passed by one car. Instead of cars and houses, I watched rolling hills with a handful of cows, sheep and goats. At the roadsides were beautiful trees- variations on familiar species: pines with long, stretching limbs- quiet different from Maine's more skyward-directed pines; and a few beautiful cedar (which reminded me of a very young little Mainah, and her dear parents); and lots of new unknown species: some stunning giant ferns, a beech maybe, and many others I'll have to look up.
It occurred to me while walking that one of the factors in NZ's battle against invasive species must be its often very hospitable climate. From what I understand, the weather just doesn't ever get very cold here. Looking around, I see giant geraniums that have been here for years and years, nastursiums spreading far from their original plantings, and today, I saw fennel growing madly along the roadside! Huh? Wild fennel? Not quite sure what the story is on that, but it had spread all along the road for a fair distance. I'm enjoying checking out this warm climate... so different from home!!
I also was greeted in my walk by some new birds to add to my Life's List (well, greeted is probably not quite the right word as they were often scared from their perches by my approach...). Today I saw Tui, and Australasian Harriers, New Zealand Kingfishers, and a few terns that I didn't get quite close enough look at. Oh, and a few sparrows and swallows of course too.
Well, I wish I could add pictures, but the USB port here seems to be broken! Bummer... I will add more in Auckland if I am able. If not then, Wellington, for sure!