Another photo from times gone by. 20 September 2015, a suit of armour in the hotel at Santa Cruz de Mudela. In the Region of La Mancha, this is half way between Granada and Madrid.
Once I was used to the noirish language I enjoyed the adventure of Tropical Punch (Bubbles in Space Book 1) by S.C. Jensen. 📚
Does she like her job? No. Is she good at it? Also no. She can’t afford to be too good. The last time … cost her a job, a limb, and almost her life.
Excellent 5 minute linguistics video: Do New Zealand and Northern England have the same vowels?!
And another: Gaudi Cathedral, Barcelona, Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus.
And another: Gaudi Cathedral, Barcelona, Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus.
I may have a cold so am laying low today. This photo from the archives, 02 September 2015: part of the amazing and fantastical Gaudi Cathedral in Barcelona.
Nearly 2 weeks after Cyclone Gabrielle, more than 50 people still unaccounted for, communities and food growing land wrecked by flood and silt and forestry slash. More heavy rain on the way. Toby Morris cuts through the sludge with The Side Eye: A climate change reality check.
This makes for very sobering reading: New Zealand Historic Weather Events Catalogue. So many huge storms that have caused enormous damage.
Once I finished procrastinating I steeled myself to cook Chana masala with cumin rice … only to find I don’t have enough of the ingredients. Postponed till after I go to town tomorrow and can shop.
It’s Census time (07 March) and our forms were delivered yesterday. We can complete it on paper or online. The online 2018 Census had the lowest response in more than 50 years and the 2011 Census was postponed to 2013 because of the Christchurch earthquake. Third time lucky.
I always enjoy a visit from an Eastern Rosella. 🐦
Cyclone Gabrielle that wrought so much destruction in the north and east of Aotearoa New Zealand’s North Island didn’t affect us directly, beyond a bit of ‘normal’ wind and rain.
But we do get the indirect effects of food-growing land being flooded, roads being torn up.
Apparently I walked about 11 Km (nearly 7 miles) yesterday on Kāpiti Island. Today I’m feeling it! I feel I should be fitter than that!
Why women are especially vulnerable after a disaster:
there is years of evidence here and overseas that family harm increases after a disaster and that women are more vulnerable to violence and death as a result of disaster compared with men.
This little green cutie is the Korimako | Bellbird 🐦 :
Bellbirds are green with a short, curved bill, slightly forked tail, and noisy whirring, fast and direct flight.
One of our more colourful birds, the Tīeke | North Island saddleback. 🐦
North Island saddlebacks have striking black plumage, a rufous chestnut saddle across their back, bright reddish-orange wattles … and a thin pale yellow band on the leading edge of the saddle.
Easy to photograph are Weka as they hang around on the ground looking for opportunities to break into bags to steal food. 🐦
I wasn’t up to the challenge of photographing birds in dense dappled foliage. This is a Kākāriki | Red-crowned parakeet on Kāpiti Island. 🐦
I asked Makewera, one of the Kāpiti Island guides, what these were. He told me they’re the fruit of the Kohekohe tree.
notable for having characteristics normally associated with trees growing in the tropics … its flowers and fruit grow directly from the trunk or branches
I had an excellent trip to Kāpiti Island today. I heard tons of birds but seeing them was a challenge with the dense dappled foliage.
Luckily this little North Island Robin posed for me. 🐦
