As I neared Waiouru snow-covered Mt Ruapehu made an appearance.
Today’s destination: Tongariro National Park:
Home to three active volcanic mountains, and iconic and majestic landscapes, Tongariro National Park has attracted adventurers of all ages since 1887.
On the plus side: I did manage about 5-6 hours sleep and only one of Sasha’s 3 poops in the middle of the night was indoors. [yawn] Turns out we need to be alert to the slightest hint she needs to go out. Old dog problems… 🐶
Tomorrow I head off to Tongariro National Park for a few days of easy short walks and some lounging around. Should be fun, though chilly.
Side eye. (Kingfisher) 🐦
I just watched Soul and found it remarkable. Uplifting, clever, funny. Loved hearing the Kiwi actor Rachel House as Terry the accountant. Visually it was amazing: the way the light played on Joe’s hands as he played the piano… 🎥
A genre I usually avoid is (heterosexual) romance, but Kristine Kathryn Rusch is such a skilled writer that I really enjoyed The Perfect Man:
[detective] Tasha Morgan finds herself dangerously attracted to sexy, mysterious Rick Chance … whose secret could get her killed.
I just rewatched How to Self-Publish A Novel from @Cheri in Micro Camp 2022 (17 minutes). This is such an excellent presentation, and packed full with useful info. If you’re thinking of publishing a novel then definitely watch. Shame I’m not writing a novel…
The government just opened up second Covid booster shots for the over-50s. I was astonished to get an appointment so quickly. Off for my boost this morning.
Today I’m watching a bunch of videos, like this one: How to use Back button auto focus with Fujifilm camera as another step in getting to know my camera better and maybe taking better photos.
Hope I remember I’ve changed how the Shutter button works next time I take a photo!
Waxeye stack. 🐦
An article that everyone should read: The Sunday Essay: My breasts and me.
We went to see Elvis (2022 film) this morning. It’s an intense movie and we all came out quite sombre. Austin Butler did a magnificent job playing Elvis. Meanwhile Elvis’s manager Col. Tom Parker was revealed to be a man without an iota of humanity.
I did my NZ Garden Bird Survey on Saturday and saw: 6 sparrows, 3 magpies, 3 swallows, 3 waxeyes, 1 fantail, 1 blackbird, 1 kingfisher, 1 hawk, 1 chaffinch, 1 pheasant.
Tupu-a-rangi, one of the Matariki stars, is connected to all birds of the air…
We visited the Pottery Expo at Ōtaki Racecourse today. I bought this Sea and Sky bowl by Janice McDonagh. I’ll put it in the garden somewhere as a water bowl for wildlife.
A note for men in the US. Listen up! With the catastrophic Roe vs Wade decision you must support all women in your life. You ALSO need to tackle men: stop men’s violence against women (from tiny sexism to outright torture). What can men do to improve women’s lives in every way?
I had no idea there are 43 different blood types! From Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 Jun 2022.
most people are aware of the four main blood groups, A, B, AB and O…blood can be divided into …43 recognised types… A very rare type called Jk3… is found in … Māori and Pasifika donors.
“Matariki is about celebrating who we were, who we are, and who we want to be.”
Sasha, aged 15 and a half enjoys: walks, food, treats, bonus rabbit poop on walks, an occasional cuddle, napping. Today we did a ‘long’ walk: ~1.2 Km return. 🐶
Nice!
“Don’t buy presents. Be present.”
Mānawatia a Matariki! Tips for how to celebrate if you don’t know where to start.