I’m not here to talk about politics or farming… but I do have very strong views on their effect on my life. And yours.
Rivettingkatetaylor is all about living in rural New Zealand – things that matter to us, to our families, to our children, our schools, our sports clubs and to our communities.
Kate Taylor was born Kate Rivett, hence the rivettingkatetaylor, on a sheep and beef farm in West Otago (and yes, I still roll my r). The provinces have always called so it was no surprise to marry a farmer and settle down in rural Hawke’s Bay.
Thomas and I now live in Central Hawke’s Bay, North Island, New Zealand, where we have 5ha of land with a lovely cottage, pigs, calves, sheep, chooks and two children (not listed in order of importance). Sarah is 11 and Lachlan is nine.
I am a freelance writer for a number of companies and media outlets. I also love doing personal histories for people who want to preserve their memories for loved ones once they’re gone. I’m also an avid photographer – informal family portraits, weddings and reunions, but especially my own kids! You can see some of these at www.flickr.com/photos/rivettingkatetaylor.
I am fiercely provincial – I love rural New Zealand with a passion – our way of life, our attitudes, our relaxed nature and our ability to live hand in hand with the world around us (no matter what townies think).
PS Kate – you had better add North Island New Zealand to your description of where you live in case any foreigners need to know…. you have gone global with this!!
By: Susan Wylie on July 29, 2008
at 11:28 pm
Changes made – don’t you know Takapau will be world famous one day! We don’t have L&P, carrots or large brown trout, although we used to have plenty of flax…
By: Kate Taylor on July 30, 2008
at 11:27 pm
What clever Mother produced such a clever daughter – Oh that’s me
Mum
By: Ruth Rivett on September 3, 2008
at 8:50 am
Good to read what my North Island niece & family are up to.Beverley Rivett
By: beverley rivett on September 17, 2008
at 11:06 pm
Hi Kate
Just heard you on the Farming Show, as Jamie said it’s great to have a gender balance on the show. After entertaining two preschoolers, baking, getting lunch ready and trying to get washing dry, it was a welcome relief to listen to your piece on bus safety today. It’s thought provoking now that school’s are back for Term 3. I look forward to many more lunchtime listening over the airwaves.
Kate Anderson
Clinton, South Otago
By: Kate Anderson on July 22, 2009
at 1:04 am
Thank you Kate. I had my sister in Tapanui (Keri Young) listening in order to give honest feedback – she said she liked it but I’m hoping she wasn’t just angling for an upcoming-birthday present! Lol. Did you see my confession in comments for the school bus safety one?
By: Kate Rivett-Taylor on July 22, 2009
at 1:13 am
hi Kate I too enjoyed listening to you on the farming show as I was driving back from town. It made me think too about the bus safety although I have to drive my kids to the bus stop so they are not crossing roads. However our school have recently got flouro vests for all the kids whether they walk or take the bus which are brilliant. Even the bus driver has one as he often gets out and walks the kids across the road. Will look forward to your next spot on the farming show. cheers penny, Roxburgh, Central Otago
By: Penny on July 22, 2009
at 9:50 pm
Hi How is the birthday girl Thinking of you today as we celebrate Georges 10th birthday> Where has the time gone. Well I hope you get this message and all the best to you and your family
love juanita fahey
By: Juanita fahey on May 13, 2010
at 11:30 pm
Did you realize that there was a day when the Aussie football team wouldn’t play the All Whites because they were considered totally inferior……There was also a day when All Whites who played for English clubs didn’t seek a release to turn out for the All Whites….Oh how times have changed……Betcha Ricky Herbert receives the odd big money offer to coach somewhere that’s not the Aussie football league.
My email address……….. This is home where I do much of my work from now…Except when I am working for a sound and lighting company as on call support and for Inner City marketing on the same basis.
Hope you are well…next time you are in town call and we could meet for a coffee.
By: Ross Holden on June 21, 2010
at 7:22 pm
G’day Kate,
Lovely to meet you at the NZ Young Farmer Contest earlier this month – you Kiwis really know how to run a fantastic event and great comp! I’m one of the Aussie delegation to the NZ YFC and we had a brilliant time, so thanks again. I was just checking out your great photos on Flickr – do you happen to have any from the grand final quiz show?
Thanks Kate – and a great blog BTW!
Cheers,
Ruth
By: Ruth Redfern on July 30, 2010
at 12:07 pm
You should update the ages of your children too – or am I a year out!!
Mother
By: Ruth on September 22, 2010
at 2:33 pm
Hi Kate,
I happened across your blog while looking for my own, since my computer is down, and I am checking email at the library. I am also, Kate Taylor, so it is always kind of fun to visit other “Kates”. Your blog is really nice! I am an American, living on the East coast, originally from the Southwestern United States. Anyway, New Zealand is someplace I have always wanted to visit. Perhaps one of these days…
Take good care,
from another Kate Taylor
By: Kate on September 30, 2010
at 10:14 am
thank you Kate – I was once told to google my own name to see what came up – both about me and about other people with the same name. There is a singer in America who does a cool version of “Crying in the Rain” and also an author in the UK who writes erotic sex books! Slightly different from the rural NZ flavour of rivettingkatetaylor
By: rivettingkatetaylor on September 30, 2010
at 10:48 am
Hi Kate
I noticed your reference to Patrick Ogier in your blog (got there by doing a Google search for him). I met him in the Village in Delhi (I am here with the NZ Team) and it some interesting coincidences emerged. It seems that his mother’s maiden name was Ward and she was brought up in Palmerston North. My mother’s maiden name was Ward and she was brought up in PNth also! – probably a few years earlier.
I have been looking to catch him in the Village again, but have not managed it so far. I thought I would try and get a contact for him (email/facebook) to follow up the possible link.
Do you have a contact for him that I might get so I can explore the possible connection a bit further?
Thanks
Gary Hermansson
By: Gary Hermansson on October 11, 2010
at 10:01 pm
Hi Gary, I think you will find his mother was brought up in Palmerston, East Otago, not Palmerston North. I could be wrong, I had in my head they were Oamaru or Timaru. Patrick is on Facebook
Hope you are having a wonderful time over there – we have been watching! Everyone else – catch up with Gary’s blog on http://web.me.com/garyhermansson – I wish I had been reading it earlier!
By: rivettingkatetaylor on October 12, 2010
at 10:00 am
Hi Kate
I am Patrick’s first cousin and can fill you in on a few details. Clare and the others started off in Palmerston, but moved to Timaru, then Christchurch. The oldest son, Hugh, was my father. So your Auntie Peg was my grandmother. Who was your grandmother? I’m guessing either Connie Bryant or Marge Wylie.
I have been pottering on Family history a bit lately, but mainly the Wards at this stage, though I do have a little bit about the Shennans. I think my aunt Ann has more.
Do look up my blog – it is about a puzzle I invented, that is now an iPhone/iPod app, Rogo.
By: Nicola Ward Petty on December 29, 2010
at 9:08 pm
Hi Nicola, nice to “meet” you. Connie was my grandmother, I know Ann, Clare, Roger, Dunstan and Reg well. I also knew Mary, also from when I was overseas in 1996 when she was in Guernsey, and I think at some stage I did met your father back here. At least, I have a family photo Aunty Peg gave me that was taken when Hugh was visiting London, possibly in the early 90s?
Am on holiday and looking at my site via a mobile internet connection so I will look at your site when we get home
By: rivettingkatetaylor on January 12, 2011
at 7:06 pm
Hi Kate, just got your details from Sarah Giddings, not sure if you remember me, I was at Saunts with Sarah. Hope you’re well, Sarah says you’re married with wee ones, I’m still married to Phil but my ‘wee ones’ are still of the 4 legged kind, 2 cats and a dog. I still think of you if the song ‘How Bizarre’ comes on as it was in the charts when you were working with me. I’m a ‘docker’ still, the same job I left Saunties for, still see some of the drivers, some have passed, one of them won £101k on the lottery a couple of months ago, how cool is that?. Sarah said you were okay after the earthquake but that some of your family suffered, hope they’re okay, when something like that happens it’s so easy to put it to the back of one’s mind as we never seem to suffer here. Would be nice to hear from you but if you don’t remember me that’s fine. Debbi x
By: Debbi Cragg on May 23, 2011
at 6:40 am
Of course I remember you! It was only one harvest season but I loved my time in Roos staying with my Young Farmers friend (who was probably pleased to see me go!) and for Johnson and Saunt. You and Sarah were very welcoming and friendly. I had Skippy (?) and his girlfriend call in to see us about 10 years ago which was cool. It has been 15 years since I was over there
and yes, How Bizarre reminds me of that time too lol
By: rivettingkatetaylor on May 23, 2011
at 8:19 am