∞

The cows in the paddocks next door have been yelling a lot the last couple of days. This morning they're too busy eating. 😁

The cows have been fed hay or similar in the paddock and are eating.
∞

Different day, same (presumably) kōtuku white heron.

Large white bird in flight above trees.
∞

I was so pleased to discover iCab allows AppleScript. This script in TextExpander allows me to grab the Title and URL of the front tab and copy it as a Markdown link. 

tell application "iCab" 
	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
∞

It's been a whole week since I spotted an unusual visitor to Waikawa Beach and I assumed it had left. But today I again spotted the kōtuku white heron by the river and was able to get quite close. Such beautiful birds. 🐦

Very large white bird on the riverbank with ducks in the water nearby.
Very large white bird on the riverbank with neck folded and beak lifted a little.
Very large white bird on the riverbank with beak open.
Very large white bird on the riverbank with neck extended.
∞

Yesterday afternoon I lit the fire early — there was a cold wind. This morning we have our first snow on the mountain tops.

Mountains with a light covering of snow on the tops.
∞

After a supermarket trip this morning I’m treating myself to breakfast at Salt and Pepper in Ōhau. Avocado and salmon smash for me.

Blackboard menu. My meal on a plate.

∞

Each month I post on Waikawa News that I've sent out a Newsletter. Now I can duplicate the previous post as my starting point, thanks to the update in MarsEdit 5.2.

Select Duplicate Post from the File menu.
Select Duplicate Post from the File menu.

And more space for Alt Text!

The Alt Text entry box now grows to display more text.
The Alt Text entry box now grows to display more text.
∞

A big and very welcome update to MarsEdit today with 5.2, including:

The “Search” field in the main window now features a filter selection to toggle between searching everything or searching just the current selection. …

A new menu item for duplicating posts …

Alt Text field in Upload Utility and Media Manager now grows vertically to accommodate longer descriptions

At last I can narrow my search to just one blog.
At last I can narrow my search to just one blog.
∞

Today’s random beach find: a large blue piece of tin.

Large rolled piece of tin painted blue.
∞

Bah, last night I realised that on 22 May 2024 I wrote about a book I'd read, but somehow managed to use the wrong title and link and book cover. I'd tangled up books 1 and 2 in the series. Sigh.

Now corrected: Detective Chief Superintendent Fran Harman faces many challenges in Come to Harm… 📚.

∞

Ugh, woke just after midnight and still awake in these wee hours where the world is adrift.

Stress always turns up the volume on the tinnitus too. Ugh.

∞

An enjoyable read, but not riveting. A complicated case …Baskets and Beignets by Jana DeLeon 📚:

Fortune has solved cold cases before, but never one with so little evidence and so many suspects with not only strong motive but opportunity. Can she solve a decade-old murder

Book cover: Baskets and Beignets.
∞

Something I love about Waikawa Beach …

… is the wide open space, and lack of other people.

∞

I went down to the beach before sunrise today. I love walking through the avenue of toetoe / pampas (I think it's pampas, but I can't tell the difference).

A grassy track through tall plant spears with white fronds at the top.

There was just enough light to shine on the water.

A small bright spot of water in an otherwise datk landscape with pale blue and orange sky between clouds.

And the river wound golden across the sand.

A yellow ribbon of river winds through a darker beach landscape as the sun starts to light a partly cloudy sky with orange.
∞

I bought this M1 MacBook Pro in January 2021. This morning after 3 hours of use, including a couple of videos at full brightness and high volume, there's still 75% battery left!

I still can't get over the battery life on these machines.

∞

Pleased to report that last night's Emergency Alert Test Message was received very loud and clear.

Phone screen displays Emergency alert test.
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Hah! Trivial pursuits? – language: a feminist guide:

In crosswords the influence of patriarchal, racist and heteronormative values is most apparent in judgments on the “puzzleworthiness” of words. … [that] reflects the vocabulary and the cultural preoccupations of the straight white middle-aged men who edit most crosswords. That means, for instance, that arcane baseball terms are deemed puzzleworthy, but words referencing the interests of women, minority ethnic groups or LGBTQ people are not.

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We went to our nearest town this morning for some errands. Here's the main road through Levin on a sunny Sunday morning.

Levin main street.
∞

Nicely said: Manton Reece - Audio narration in Micro.blog

We want to see the personal side of someone, not just the polished brand. We want to see the imperfect, the creative, the emotion. We want authenticity.

∞

This 45 minute documentary was so interesting. This Civil War Submarine Vanished for 136 Years:

A Civil War submarine powered by hand cranks and lit by candlelight. What could possibly go wrong? Meet the HL Hunley.

I had no idea submarines were so old.