A blog post by Emma
We thought it was about time to say ‘hello’ again after not being around for the best part of a year. A lot has happened whilst we’ve been away, and we’d like to share some of these exciting events with you.
Since our last post, we’ve made our annual migration from the UK to New Zealand and back again. We have been as busy as anything with work, volunteering and our most recent life-endeavours. The most significant piece of news being that our team of two now has a new explorer…
A Little Critter
In May this year, Tom and I welcomed our very own little critter into the world. He is now 15 weeks old, holds two passports, and has already travelled halfway across the globe. World, watch out, here comes Ezra Paul!
Tom, Emma & Ezra on their first day home from the hospital 
Ezra collected his first botanical specimen whilst out gardening with Mum last week 
Ezra, our budding entomologist
So, mums and dads who travel and adventure, we’re looking forward to hearing some of your tips!
A Beech-side Proposal
No, that’s not a typo. It was a mast year in New Zealand, so many of the native plant species were fruiting. The beech trees were putting on a beautiful display of delicate, red flowers and Tom and I decided to camp amongst them for a couple of days last year in November.
Reflections in Mavora Lakes 
Flowering beech forest 
Reflections in Mavora Lakes 
Just us! 
A native New Zealand Robin seeing if we have disturbed any leaf litter 
Sunshine, cloud, wind, rain 
Our campsite in amongst the beech trees
Little did I know that Tom had an ulterior motive for the camping trip. You can imagine my surprise when Tom held out his hands claiming to have found a “really cool insect” yet, when he opened them up, there was instead a ring. Either way, he could have guaranteed that I would be excited.
Beech flowers and the “really cool insect” 
The sun setting on a pretty special day
A Nest of Our Own
Around two years ago, Tom and I bought our first house together. It’s in my hometown in New Zealand just on the outskirts of town. We’ve been renting it out but, not long after arriving back in New Zealand this last season, we finally made the move!
Tom, Emma and their new nest
What we love most about the house is the garden. In fact, it’s what drew us to the property in the first place. The section is just over half an acre, and once we cleared away the ivy and bindweed, we discovered a whole host of beautiful trees ranging from natives to ornamental to fruit.
Our pōhutukawa (NZ’s Christmas tree) in full flower 
A rose from the garden 
A monarch visiting one of the many dahlias 
Produce from the garden 
A freshly emerged monarch butterfly (foreground) with native admiral caterpillars safely wrapped up in nettle leaves (background) 
Our vegetable patch
We’ve been renovating inside, too. We still have plenty left to do, but we’re really enjoying having a project of our own.
Tom putting in the insulation 
Emma and the “bump” strike a pose whilst sanding
The Adventure Continues
We’ve already got a backlog of wildlife adventures that we can’t wait to share with you.
Whilst we were in New Zealand, we visited the Royal Albatross Colony at Tairoa Heads. We also volunteered with the Department of Conservation on the Kākāpō Recovery Programme out on Whenua Hou Island. Along the way, we met numerous amazing plant and animal species.
The Facebook announcement for our kākāpō trip (and for the little mammal we were smuggling with us)
As for the UK, we’re now settled back in and will be staying until Christmas. We’ve both been busy learning the ropes of Parenthood. Tom has been working hard out in the field surveying newts, bats and reptiles, and I’ve been on baby duty and desk-based work.
We don’t plan on stopping adventuring any time soon, so be sure to look out for these blog posts and more in the coming weeks!
ZOOMOLOGY BLOG 
Big congrats you two (three?) You’ve got your hands full now enjoy every minute! Good to see you back.
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Great news on all the exciting developments. And welcome to Ezra. Nice to see you posting again.
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Thank you, Carol! We still can’t quite believe it all. Now that we’ve gotten to know Ezra and things are settling down a bit, we’ve finally got the chance to look back and reflect on all the excitement. 😀
-Emma
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Thank you, Brian! We’ve definitely got our hands full, but we’re completely in love with the wee critter, so it all feels worth it. 😛 Glad to be back!
-Emma
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Congratulations! What a busy and exciting time – can’t wait to hear more!
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It sure is! Thank you, Pam!
-Emma
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Congratulations folks, a gorgeous wee babe, the new generation of wildlife warrior. Enjoy!
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Hi Wendy, thank you! We definitely hope to raise him as one. 🙂
-Emma
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Congrats! Such a wonderful, happy exciting time! Keep chasing your dreams and exploring!
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Thank you for your message, Jodi! We shall!
-Emma
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Oh WOW! I hadn’t yet seen this when you left comments this morning. Ezra is gorgeous! And Mavora Lakes will always be a very special place for you, how romantic 🙂
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Aw, thank you, Liz! Tom and I are absolutely head over heels for Ezra. 🙂 As for Mavora Lakes, I’d never been before, but it was a nice place to walk, swim and camp! Have you visited there?
-Emma
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Yes and it was beautiful! We didn’t stay overnight.
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You lead a very lovely life. Congratulations on your newest family member and the engagement. ❤
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We are very lucky. 🙂 Thank you, Lynda!
-Emma
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Dear Emma, Tom and Ezra. We really enjoyed reading your Zoomology Blog. You are both an inspiratiion to life – you really are! You have achieved so much in such a short time, and are clearly one of the most happy couples and Ezra making three. Your new new home and garden looks wonderful. It will be good that you will be going home to a NZ summer. After all the summer in the UK has not been too exciting for you weatherwise, particularly the month of August! We look forward to seeing you in Kewstoke on the date I suggested on your ansafone. Will ring you again to check if that is ok. So glad everthing is working out so well for you you all. Longing to meet Ezra next month. Promised your Grandparents that I would steal an extra cuddle on their behalf!! Keep happy and well. Much Love from Aunty Wendy, Alan and Saffron [Alan’s Guide Dog]
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Congratulations and welcome back! 💐💐💐
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Thank you, Simone! ❤
-Emma
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Congratulations!!
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Thanks, Christie!
-Emma
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Welcome back guys! And a big congratuations with the addition! Beautiful and exciting! 🙂 🙂
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Thank you very much, Pete! It really is all happening at the moment. 😀
-Emma
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Wow! Emma, what a wonderful long chat we had this morning catching up with everything and everybody. We are so looking forward to seeing you and meeting Ezra for the first time. Will tell Julie that arrangements we made are good for you too. Our love to you, Tom, Ezra, and all the family. May your wonderful little man never stop smiling [ have just seen your latest photos on facebook!] What a joy he is for everyone. Longing for that cuddle! Much love Aunty Wendy, Alan and Saffron.
x x x x x. Think that you may have received a message from me earlier!! Apologies if you did. Still learning all this wonderful and brilliant technology!!
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Hello Aunty Wendy, Thank you so much for your kind and sweet messages. ❤ It was lovely catching up with you and Alan over the phone earlier. I'm very much looking forward to seeing you both (and Saffron!) in person – it has been too long! I'm very impressed that you've managed to find our blog and even subscribe and comment. 😀 You've got it! Chat to you more over Facebook/WhatApp. Lots of love, Emma, Tom & baby Ezra x x x
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I am adding my congratulations and warmest wishes to all three of you!
Best,
Tanja
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Thank you very much for your warm wishes, Tanja! 🙂
-Emma
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Stunning pictures! I wonder if you picked your 12 faves and made them into a 2020 calendar if it would sell on Amazon. “Ezra Paul”: you are tempting me. Sounds like a perfect name for a character in a story!
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Thank you! Haha, a new business venture? We’re always up for trying something new! 😛 “Ezra Paul and Sue the Pseudoscorpion Go Adventuring” Kinda like the “Famous Five” except there are only two and one is an invertebrate… I’d read it!
-Emma
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I like it too! Hmm. Let me think about it. I had thought about The Orange stealing the name. That way, if the real life EP did not like it, he could disavow the character. Have you thought about writing such an adventure? The original Dennis in “Dennis the Menace” was Hank Ketchum’s son.
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