I'm not actually doing the September Photoblogging challenge but decided to send in this photo for Date in the Life. Today is dreary, but I noticed how this tree looks with mist and cloud and hills behind.
This tree was left behind after all its companions were felled recently.
I actually took this photo about a week ago but forgot to post it. This is the river mouth winding across the beach shortly after sunset but before full dark. Kāpiti Island and the light from a (probably fishing) boat in the background.
With spring the birds are starting to show up again. Down at the lakes I spotted a black swan pair with half-grown cygnet, Pāpango | New Zealand scaup, Australian coot, and some ducks. 🐦
Photo from today, but these Barbary Doves are so tame they just hang around. Yesterday when I drove down the lane I had to stop because they didn't move. In the end I had to get out and scare them off so I wouldn't drive over them. 🐦
On one hand fantasy and romance … not my things really. On the other time travel and lesbians, and lots of interesting women. I read and pretty much enjoyed Sweet Paladin (In the Queerness of Time Book 1) by Alex Washoe. 📚
Harks back to Xena and Gabrielle.
Thanks to Cheri for the link.
Went out to lunch for a friend's 69th birthday. Eleven of us there. A couple in their early 60s and the rest older. The oldest 86.
I was the only one who has never been admitted to hospital. 😳
Little Fliss the Japanese Quail hatched on 26 December 2018. Yesterday she laid the first egg for this season.
4.5 years old and going strong! Also regular. Exactly 1 year ago she laid the first egg for last season. 🐦
I feared 'our' pair of black swans had disappeared from the small lake Puna o te Ora at the end of the road, but this morning I spotted them with a half-grown cygnet. Hooray! They must have been hanging out elsewhere. 🐦
I was lucky enough to beta read Outlaw Justice, The First Guardian, Book 1 by Cheri Baker 📚:
Mars hasn't had a murder in 70 years. Until today.
I said to Cheri in part:
What a superb book! I loved the characters, the setup, the chain of events.
Further books in the series are promised and I'm really keen to read them.
Now that iOS and iPad OS 17 are out, my first stop after updating is at Take Control Books to grab Take Control of iOS 17 and iPadOS 17.
Is it within 364 days of Christmas?
Why yes, yes it is.
Must be time to display the Christmas chocolates then …
Awake at 3 am thanks to gusty gales shaking the house and rattling mysterious things outside. 💨
I really enjoyed watching Nimona 🎥
In a medieval-futuristic kingdom, the citizens are protected by the Institute for Elite Knights, established by legendary heroine Gloreth, who, a thousand years ago, vanquished a
Great Black Monsterand enclosed the kingdom with a high wall for its protection.
On this day in 2015 we visited Batalha in Portugal, with its amazing Monastery.
Constructed in fulfilment of a vow by King João to commemorate the victory over the Castilians at Aljubarrota (15 August 1385), the Dominican Monastery of Batalha … is one of the masterpieces of Gothic art.
The first part of A Fine and Bitter Snow (A Kate Shugak Investigation Book 12) by Dana Stabenow seemed to involve a lot of recaps of things we knew from previous books. Then there were some deaths and things ramped up. Mid way I recalled the who and why from when I first read it. I was wrong. 📚
It's cold (7C outside) and grey this morning so for a bit of cheer here's a photo I took of Lake Waimarie — only a few hundred metres from our place — the other morning. I love these colours.
Around Equinox and Solstice I run a casual naked eye star watching event called Starry Time for the local community.
For tonight's session I created a set of Keynote slides for me to refer to during the session. Here they are as a PDF. Probably of limited use to northern hemisphere folks.
One of the great things about taking my friend to the ophthalmologist in Palmerston North was that she then shouted me lunch at my favourite eatery, Mr Choi's. Superb chicken teriyaki was consumed. Yum.
My friend unexpectedly needed me to drive her to Palmerston North hospital today for an urgent and painful eye problem. Hospitals are so big and complicated and busy.
A very handy tip for those who don't want to be blinded by a page of notes while looking at stars:
put your ipad or iphone into red mode easily …
To enable this: Settings->Accessibility->Display and Text Size->Color filters (enable) [more specifics] … (enable Filter Shortcut)
Now press the home button 3 times fast.
