Here’s a picture from my recent Photo Workshop day at Pūkaha Mt Bruce. The battery on my Fuji X-T2 died about 6 hours in, but my iPhone still managed this Tieke (Saddleback) which was being fed mealworms very close to us.
For NZ$100 we bought this 1,000 litre plastic tank from the local licorice factory. It was used to ship vegetable derived glycerine for use in their factory. We’ll be using it to help keep our vegie gardens watered once we decide where to put it and how best to hook it up.
This is a perfect day to be at home. Blue sky and sunshine, a little birdsong and an occasional cicada, otherwise quiet, no wind. Paradise.
Out of nowhere this morning I started humming The Tornados - Telstar (1962) a hit from my youth. I was 7 years old when this came out and it was only 5 years since Sputnik had been launched. Investigating that led me to another childhood favourite: The Shadows - Apache (1964). 🎶
Glad I gave S2 of Batwoman a try after struggling through S1. Alice is less mad, gruesome and sadistic and more interesting and appealing. Batwoman’s backstory is superb. I love the way they’re dealing with contemporary issues. I’m really enjoying S2 so far.
I was having difficulties sending some texts on my new Mac. Turned out I needed to check the settings on my iPhone. I also logged out of Messages, restarted the app and logged in again. So many little details to sort out when setting up from scratch.
Our unexpected visitors last night had spent 5 hours on a 3-hour ferry trip from the South Island. Fierce gales left most passengers vomiting apparently. Not as bad though as those travelling the other way: Ferry berths after strong winds cause 12-hour delay.
From earlier this year. Our river is tidal, but on this day it was really still. Looking southwestish towards the sea.
The erudite amongst us may know this is a very fine Giant Galapagos Tortoise — a huge animal I loved seeing at the zoo in Honolulu back in December 2008. It’s a wonderful zoo I’d happily visit again, even though I’m usually ambivalent about zoos.
It’s one of those mornings where the sea is almost mill-pond calm. The damp sand caught Sasha’s reflection as I looked towards Kāpiti Island.
Well New Zealand has a community Covid case today so: Auckland moves to alert level 3, rest of New Zealand to level 2 for a few days. Tricky virus!
I enjoyed reading Spoils of the Dead (Liam Campbell Book 5) by Dana Stabenow. I love her descriptions of Alaska and the life there. 📚
the archaeologist is dead, murdered on his own dig site. And Liam Campbell is about to learn that he’s traded one troubled bush town for another.
Around 2001 compassion led us to adopt Olive the cat when her owners moved overseas from next door. However, we made a huge number of mistakes with her over the next 15+ years. She was always a difficult cat and I think that was our fault. I’d know better now. 🐈
I was out of the house by 6 am for the Photography Workshop at Pūkaha Wildlife centre. Home by 7 pm. Made hundreds of photos, many not successful. I really like this Kaka close-up though. It was trying to steal food from our table at the cafe.
Here’s a green gecko to make up for my blue. Look at those ‘teeth’!
Hmm. That wasn’t the Tui brewery in my last post. It was simply a Fonterra milk factory. 🤦🏽♀️
As my friend Rachel so rightly pointed out:
It’s a good day : because I woke up :)
Ageism is death!
I just wrote this to a friend and realised it belongs here too:
One of my latest philosophies: every wake-up is a fresh start.
It was going to be ‘every day’ but that doesn’t really account for naps. 😆
Well, this is so sporg : tomorrow I drive to Pūkaha Wildlife Reserve for a photography workshop. It’s only 42 Km away as the tūī flies, but I have to drive 125 Km thanks to the Tararua Ranges.
(I’m not sure a tūī could cross the ranges — peaks around 1500 metres high.)
