Miraz Jordan

Wow. I updated to Apple Safari v14, then visited @cheri’s website and followed a link to one other site. Then I looked at Safari’s Privacy report. It had blocked 18 trackers! It blocked Facebook at Cheri’s site and loads of trackers at the other one.

Kiwis: TVNZ ☛ Origins is superb!

Scotty Morrison explores the origins of the Māori people, visiting the Wairau Bar site which could be the first community in Aotearoa. He tries to locate his hawaiki, his homeland, in the Pacific, but is hawaiki a real place or just a concept?

Unfortunately this Common skink I found in the garden was very dead, but I was thrilled nevertheless. This proves that the extremely rare flashes of something I’ve thought I‘ve seen were very probably (live) skinks. I suspect recent frosts have taken their toll.

I don’t know if it was the 5 am-ness, but today’s Apple Event just filled me with yawns. I feel like I know the script off by heart — change it up, Apple. The beautiful people with their beautiful words just didn’t connect. Maybe time to be a bit less perfect?

Ahhh, spring. Westerly gales all week, including gusts last night to 87 Kph and a thunderstorm at bedtime.

This unusual driftwood made me think of a planet and satellite moon. The two tree bases weren’t just accidentally connected but actually grown together.

Back in 2011 I came across this Porsche Spyder and an admirer on Oriental Parade in Wellington. Quite a car!

Oshi’s latest game: go out the wide open side door, through the gate and wait mournfully in front of the closed front door.

It’s been chilly and rainy the last few days which means the Tararua range has snow covered peaks, some of which we see from the east-facing deck on our house. This photo has added circular polarising filter for drama this morning.

Nothing much happening at Foxton Estuary when I biked around up there today. Felt bad my grilled fish (blue cod) and chips contributed foil, polystyrene and plastic cutlery to the planet’s burden of rubbish. At least I was back in the car before the hailstorm came through.

When I go out and leave the dogs at home I give them 3 instructions: no barking, no peeing, no pooping. I don’t know about the barking, but they both forgot the ‘no peeing' injunction. 😣

A neighbour needed a lift to an appointment so we followed up with lunch at Salt and Pepper at Ōhau. I had a very delicious potato rosti stack with avocado, egg, portobello mushrooms. 🍽

The cafe was very busy. Good to know this business is surviving.

I was feeling grumpy about our cool weather with persistent drizzle, and looking fondly at old September holiday photos in warm places. After seeing updates from my online pals suffering from wildfires after a stinking hot summer I’m rethinking those grumps. Stay safe out there!

Clocks go back on 27 September. Today I start moving dog meal times to ~3 minutes later each day. I wish we’d dump this whole daylight savings malarkey. And to think it was a Kiwi who started the ball rolling! 🕑

New Zealand entomologist George Hudson first proposed modern DST.

Many thanks to all those who mentioned enjoying TV+ ☛ Ted Lasso. 📺 Two episodes today cheered me right up on a day of cold wind, grey skies and drizzle.

Today’s racism realisation (thanks Crossword clue): The Lone Ranger was not Lone:

The Lone Ranger is a fictional masked former Texas Ranger who fought outlaws … with his Native American friend, Tonto

an enduring icon of American culture.

Literally erases the native character.

Such an interesting interview (41 minutes): Georgie Harman on women and mental health:

Julia Gillard talks to Georgie Harman, CEO of Beyond Blue, Australia’s leading mental health support organisation, about the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on mental wellbeing.