All I can say is it’s a good thing there wasn’t any oncoming traffic. 😆 s l o w  r o a d s

Very much enjoying watching S10 of Doc Martin 📺:

The villagers eventually discover his fear of blood, and the frequent and debilitating bouts of nausea and vomiting it causes. In spite of this handicap, Ellingham … gradually gains grudging respect from his neighbours.

The Man Who Died Twice: (The Thursday Murder Club 2) by Richard Osman continues the adventures of the Thursday Murder Club. Still amusing, its novelty has lost a little lustre, so all the way through I felt a little sceptical. 📚

Book cover: The Man Who Died Twice.

Very uncomfortable topic for a cozy mystery, but I like this series and its characters who are very real: The Missing Pets Mystery (The Supermarket Mysteries Book 2) by Rachel Ward. 🐦

all is not well in the little town of Kingsleigh. Three cats have gone missing in a week.

Book cover: The Missing Pets Mystery .

Gathering rosebuds: carpe diem:

“carpe diem” [is] usually translated as “seize the day”, but it’s a lot more than that: “carpe” could also mean “harvest” the day, or “tease it out” like wool, or “press on” with it like a journey, or “pluck” it like a flower

Screen Shot of the ode at the link.

I made myself teriyaki chicken bowl for lunch. It was pretty good.

Teriyaki chicken bowl with vegetables and rice.

I’ve been reading some Horace Odes. Ponder this:

What may be tomorrow, take care not to ask – whatever
kind of day Fortune brings, put it down as profit, and don’t
turn down sweet loves and dances while you are young

Via: Soracte - Pantheon Poets | Latin Poetry Recited.

Screen Shot from Soracte showing Latin and English versions of the quoted section.

Since a friend introduced me, I’ve enjoyed Daily Organics Summer Kombucha. Now I’ve bought a Scoby from them and am about to try making my own. The biggest problem is it came with no instructions. Found something online and giving it a go… I have no idea what I’m doing.

Kombucha Scoby in a jar.
Kombucha Scoby and starter tea mix in a jar.

Spring! Spotted today at the local pond, a duck with, I believe, 10 ducklings. Look at those little mites! 🐦

Duck and a dozen ducklings on the lake.

An often used TextExpander snippet grabs title and URL from Safari. Tab groups upset it. Updated:

tell application “Safari”
 set theName to name of current tab of front window
 set theURL to URL of current tab of front window
 return “[“ & theName & ”](” & theURL & “)”
end tell
Screen Shot of the snippet.

Another good read from an author I enjoy: Goodbye Sky Field (A Port Alma Murder Mystery Book 6) by Anne Shillolo. 📚

DC Holly Towns is working on a high-profile meth lab case … but keeps getting drawn closer to a plane crash site and its secrets.

Book cover: Goodbye Sky Field.

I love Welcome Swallows: they’re small, colourful, fast and generally cute. This one came to sit on our deck railing. Photos through a window. 🐦

Swallow on the railing through the window.
Swallow on the railing through the window.
Swallow on the railing through the window.

LOL: Underbirds are go! Aotearoa New Zealand’s Bird of the Year competition has started. I think this year I might vote for the Ruru — I thought I heard one last night for the first time round here.

Screen Shot with text including Underbirds are go!

Pleased with myself that today I checked my camera settings before getting click-happy on the shutter. This morning there were about 15 Kuaka feeding on the beach. 🐦

Kuaka with long beak half buried in wet sand.

We have some large, though pale, Kiwifruit (from the shops) at the moment. Yum.

Note for people outside NZ: a Kiwi is a] a bird b] a person. A Kiwifruit is an edible delight.

Large kiwifruit on a plate.

Excellent practical steps — How To Use Stoicism To Remove False Impressions :

apply calm reason to the assumptions
And throw away what is obviously false.

  1. “Other people judge me sometimes.” — Probably true
  2. “I dislike criticism.” — True
  3. “I am useless.” — False
Screen Shot from the article.

Last year I gathered half a dozen delicious apples from my Granny Smith tree. Right now new blossoms are coming in.

Blossoms on the Granny Smith tree.

A gorgeous morning at the beach, where the sea was gently lapping tiny waves just like on a tropical island. Kāpiti Island in the background.

Blue sky, blue sea, grey sand, island in the background.

From one part of the beach this view of cloud snugging round the Tararuas.

Cloud clad Tararua peak from the beach.

I was heading to the deck when I pulled up short. A California Quail (a rare and occasional visitor in these parts) was hanging out on our deck railing. It waited quietly while I took a bunch of photos. ❤️ 🐦

California Quail.