LOL — Good News in History, January 10:
188 years ago today, the first tea leaves from the Indian state of Assam arrived on a ship in Great Britain, with the effect of … dramatically increase the health of Londoners, as a city that had been drinking out of the Thames were finally boiling their water for the first time.
Yesterday we went to The Kauri Museum:
Kauri forests once covered much of the land north of the Coromandel … Abundant with bird life and a diverse range of flora and fauna the forests lived on this landscape for 100 million years. Land clearance and logging of the ancient forest has resulted in only a small fraction of the ancient kauri remaining in the 21st century.
Kauri grow huge:
…heights of 40–50 metres (130–160 ft) and trunk diameters big enough to rival Californian sequoias at over 5 metres (16 ft).
I left feeling sad about the destruction of these giants.
Been out all day doing various sightseeing things. One highlight was discovering this amazing Moreton Bay Fig in a tiny beach camp called Pahi.
The New Zealand Tree Register:
The tree is not only big and old but very shapely, one of the best looking of it's species even by the standards of it's Australian habitat.
Approx. Planting Date: circa 1865
Another shot from the heron kerfuffle the other day. 🐦
Hah hah. I happen to have studied German so have no problem with this word, but I love the total non-explanation of how to pronounce this sequence of letters that looks very complex to an English speaking person 🤪 —
The Germans have given a name to this condition: Heimscheißer (pronounced "heimscheisser")
Via: Can you only poo at home? You may be a 'heimscheisser'.
This was a very intense read. The oppressive heat and humidity of New Orleans was almost a character in its own right. Interesting and different, but I may not read more from the series. Scorched Grace: A Sister Holiday Mystery by Margot Douaihy. 📚
When Saint Sebastian's School becomes the target of a shocking arson spree, the Sisters of the Sublime Blood and their surrounding community are thrust into chaos. Unsatisfied with the officials' response, sardonic and headstrong Sister Holiday becomes determined to unveil the mysterious attacker herself
I enjoy this series, but this book didn't feel quite right at the start. Warwick and Bell don't enjoy an easy friendship, but the mystery is solved in the end. Murder on the River (Warwick & Bell Crime Mysteries Book 5) by Janice Frost. 📚
A murdered student. A secret from the past. A killer who’s still watching.
Recently the adult white-faced heron and two chicks had a kerfuffle on the fence. Here was one shot, with the parent looking decidedly unimpressed. 🐦
Some of the hundreds of people at Waipū Cove on this warm and sunny summer's day. We had to park some distance away from the cafe where we had lunch. I ate a delicious panfried fish with tabbouleh.
Today's music — Metamorfosi - Constantinople, Kiya Tabassian 🎶:
The ensemble aims to create a dialogue that recreates the spirit of the cultural exchanges between Venice and Eastern capital cities, such as Constantinople. The spontaneous changes, sharp contrasts and unusual rhythmic groupings in this program provide fertile ground for the musicians of Constantinople, who always welcome the chance to free themselves from the cultural codes of old Europe.
This 20 minute Doctor Alex video is very useful — 6 Warning Signs You're Ageing Faster Than You Should Be include:
- Declining energy and slower recovery after stress or poor sleep
- Loss of muscle and strength (sarcopenia)
You don't need to overhaul your entire life overnight. What matters most is consistency across a few key pillars. The first one is build and protect muscle mass through resistance training at least twice a week if you can and eating enough protein. Research from numerous studies show that maintaining muscle mass is one of the strongest predictors of healthy aging.
I heard part of this 4 minute track on the radio and its compelling rhythms drove me to find it on YouTube. Excellent Kiwi musician: Aaradhna - SHE (Official Music Video).
Down at the river mouth this morning, with the camp ground on the opposite shore and people swimming, kayaking, standup paddle boarding, and generally enjoying the day.
I so much enjoy this series, and this book kept me reading after I should have gone to sleep — once the adventure starts it's hard to stop reading. Urgent Track (The Jessica Anderson K-9 Mysteries Book 11) by D. L. Keur. 📚
It’s high summer when, after a SAR dog trial, Jessie’s pack mascot, Duchess, goes missing, and, in finding Duchess, Jessie’s dogs discover a child lodged in a hole deep below ground. Then Jessie’s dogs find evidence of another …and another.
Today we drove with our friends J&H and their dog Boo to Ocean Beach, out at Whangārei Heads. It took just over an hour.
We stopped for lunch at the busy Parua Bay Tavern.
Now we don't have animals to worry about, I love a good thunderstorm. Lightning and thunder are excellent reminders that nature is way more powerful than we humans can ever hope to be. Bring it on! ⚡️
The lead character and setup suggested I'd enjoy The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi: A swashbuckling, seafaring romp by Shannon Chakraborty. 📚
when she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse, she jumps at the chance for one final adventure with her old crew that will make her a legend and offers a fortune that will secure her and her family’s future forever.
Unfortunately the many mystical horror aspects just aren't my thing, so I skipped chunks of descriptions of fantastical stuff and ground my way through many chapters.
This 15 minute video was very informative and useful. 3 Warning Signs Your Sleep Is Harming Your Health (Doctor Explains Why):
Poor sleep doesn’t just make you feel tired. It disrupts blood sugar, blood pressure, hormones, brain function, and long-term disease risk, often years before obvious symptoms appear.
I've been working for years on improving my sleep and have seen noticeable benefits.
We watched and I enjoyed Prime Minister about our former Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern:
The 102-minute film documents the five years of Ardern's tenure, including both her political and private life. … The film includes information on the Christchurch mosque shootings, the 2019 Whakaari / White Island eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The load she carried was huge and the personal vitriol and abuse she endured was horrendous.
My only real criticism is the movie should have reminded us how in early Covid times we just didn't know anything about the virus.
This morning's music was a nice find, with a women's choir: Venetian Splendors: Sacred Baroque Music with Women's Choirs.
I especially enjoyed the Vivaldi: so bright and compelling. 🎶