Miraz Jordan

Although I never saw Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) when I was a kid watching it now reminds me of those times. All the stories were about the men having adventures. Nyota Uhura and occasionally Nurse Chapel, the only visible women, did what the men ordered: sent a signal, fetched an item…

One of the excellent things about today was that we paid someone to do a couple of hours weedeating, garden clearing and mulching. That would have taken us longer to do, and instead we got to sit back, read, enjoy the sunshine. Except Deb has a cold, so she got to lie around sniffling…

First day for winter of putting out food for the birds.

There’s a cracker frost today!

Well, bizarre! Looked at Netflix again and there’s Star Trek: The Animated Series, just as I expected but couldn’t find this morning…

Was it some quirk of the VPN, I wonder? Both times I’m sure I was set to NZ…

I really enjoyed Star Trek: The Animated Series S01E04 that I watched on Netflix yesterday. I’m finding the series fun and interesting. …

…

Today the series is nowhere to be found… 😤

Shell fish.

From this morning: Waiting outside a funny little bakery on a street corner in Waikanae to meet a friend. Olde Beach Bakery. Their donuts were good but had too much filling. I didn’t much care for the chocolate I chose…

No, the oven did not preheat to the required temperature while I was preparing ingredients, because I’d forgotten that the clock was somehow unset. Dinner will be 30 minutes later than expected…

Learning about the old ‘set the clock’ trick cost us a bundle for an electrician’s visit the first time.

I found this little Southern Bell Frog on the lane when I went out this morning. That’s a relief — I haven’t seen many frogs around lately.

I absolutely loved the Icelandic movie Woman at War. 🎥

I loved the concept, the quirks, the gentle comedy and the incredibly serious topic, the acting, the landscapes, the music and musicians, the story. Best movie I’ve seen in a very long time!

Couldn’t choose a screenshot!

Hah! Never had much interest in Lego, but maybe I’ll visit — who knew there’s a new exhibition centre opening in Wellington? Tākina launches with hands-on Lego Jurassic Park exhibition

Six million plastic bricks have been used for dinosaurs, props … the T-rex alone took 1235 hours to complete.

I recently withdrew a chunk of savings and bought, after much research a pair of Nikon Monarch M7 8x42 binoculars specifically for looking at birds and wildlife. My first impression is: Wow! It's like someone turned the light on. The image is bright and clear and detailed.

I want to carry these alongside my Fuji X-T2 and big heavy zoom lens so wanted something reasonably small and light yet powerful.

Until now I've carried a pair of Bushnell 8x25 (permafocus) binos. They're wonderfully small and light and I don't have to fiddle with finding focus. They're easy to use and were inexpensive. New ones cost around $200 but I bought mine for around half that more than a decade ago. These fit in a pocket and are great for a quick look at something.

Bushnell 8x25 (permafocus): 265 grams. Close focus: not given. Focus-free models are designed for viewing distant subjects.

I also have a pair of Pentax XCF 12x50 (also around $200) that mainly stay at home. Although not huge they're just too big and heavy to routinely carry. They're pretty useful for looking at the night sky, which may well be what I originally bought them for.

Pentax XCF 12x50: 900 grams. Close focus: 9 metres.

But I don't only use these binoculars while out and about. We have a lot of birds around our home, some within just 3 or 4 metres. I can use the Bushnells to look at them, but only if I remove my specs first. Even then, it's a bit iffy.

A couple of weeks ago I was inspired to spend serious money getting excellent birding binoculars. Having discovered an interest in birds over the last few years I've now invested in a good camera and an excellent zoom lens. It's not surprising then that I decided to invest in binoculars too.

My research soon revealed that there are some extremely highly rated birding binoculars that cost vast amounts (US$2,500 anyone?). My budget was more in the low to mid-range, good value bracket.

See The Audubon Guide to Binoculars to find a pair of binoculars that suits you.

After a lot of review-reading, video watching and weighing up features I finally opted for the Nikon Monarch M7 8x42. They fall between the two pairs I currently have for weight and ease of use, but they have an amazing 2.5 metre close focus — perfect for use at home.

I considered the 10x42 but after learning that the additional magnification would also magnify any shake in my hands I decided to stay with the 8x42.

Nikon Monarch M7 8x42: 670 grams. Close focus: 2.5 metres.

Today I took them out for a test run and have been viewing nearby cows at home, nearby and more distant birds at the lake and down at the beach, by the river.

They're remarkably better than my other two pairs. The image is so bright and the detail stunning. I've had the chance to examine one starling near the front door and could see more than I've ever seen before.

These are definitely an investment for the next decade or two. So far I'm thrilled.