A fellow down the road breeds and protects rare Cape Barren geese. 🐦

Today I spotted half a dozen of them near the river and was struck by how very big they are:

Length: 85 cm
Weight: 5.3 kg (male), 3.8 kg (female)

A group of large grey geese stands together in a grassy field with tall vegetation in the background.

Such a delight, listening to Handel's Messiah - Lausanne Cathedral 2025, all 2 hours 20 of it. 😁 🎶

Micro.Blog photo challenge: Home. 📷

Grandma in an armchair.
Grandma in chair — photo of a printed photo taken around 50 years ago, probably around Christmas time.

Traditional Christmas morning at the beach. ☀️

A white sand beach below a grey sky, Lifesaving flags fly, a crowd of people ar on the beach or in the water nearby.

Micro.Blog photo challenge: Feast. 📷

Thai food in Taupō on 18 June 2023.
Thai food in Taupō on 18 June 2023.

For the Pacific Wave Appreciation Society. 🌊

At Mangawhai, 40Km south of Ruakākā.

Micro.Blog photo challenge: Travel. 📷

Footprints in the snow.
Snow and footprints on a bridge at Hanmer Springs 02 June 2008.

Micro.Blog photo challenge: Baking. 📷

Christmas fruit mince pies.
Christmas fruit mince pies, 06 December 2025.

Ohhh, can't wait for this movie to come out mid-2026. It looks delightful and hilarious: The Sheep Detectives. Do watch the trailer.

n this witty, new breed of mystery, George (Hugh Jackman) is a shepherd who reads detective novels to his beloved sheep every night, assuming they can’t possibly understand. But when a mysterious incident disrupts life on the farm, the sheep realize they must become the detectives. As they follow the clues and investigate human suspects, they prove that even sheep can be brilliant crime-solvers.

Micro.Blog photo challenge: Grinch. 📷

Hermit crab in large shell.
Hermit crab in large shell, 04 June 2024.

The sun rose at 06:02 on this Summer Solstice and I went to the beach to watch it. ☀️

Haere mai te Raumati.

Red sky over silver sea with islands in the background and a tiny wave at the shore.

Micro.Blog photo challenge: Solstice. 📷

Solstice moonset 21 June 2024.
Solstice moonset 21 June 2024.

September's pukeko chicks have been independent for a while now. This morning we spotted 3 tiny new chicks that are all black fluff and legs. 🐦

Adult pukeko and baby on brown grass.

Micro.Blog photo challenge: Sparkle. 📷

A good frost.
A good frost at Waikawa Beach on 21 June 2018.

A local knitter made this bear and when I saw it I realised perhaps our house could use some Christmas decoration after all. So cute. 🐦

White knitted Bear in a Christmas jersey and bird sculpture atop a piece of wooden furniture.

Micro.Blog photo challenge: Beard. 📷

Green-lipped mussel with 'beard' on 12 February 2019.
Green-lipped mussel with 'beard' on 12 February 2019.

With the characters and setting well established from Book 1 this series is settling well. I've preordered the next in series. The Mystery of the Silver Dish (The Antique Shop Mysteries Book 2) by Judith Cutler. 📚

The dish is valuable. Too valuable. No sooner has [Lina] displayed it at a prestigious antique fair than the police swoop in, accusing her of handling stolen goods.

Book cover: Mystery of the Silver Dish.

It's hard to believe this series is already up to book 12. I'm still enjoying it. Fakes and Lies (Naomi Blake Mysteries Book 12) by Jane Adams. 📚

the world of art forgery and high-stakes deals hides ruthless collectors — and killers who will do anything to keep their secrets.

Book cover: Fakes and Lies.

Good on our new local Council! — Councillors vote to oppose plans for fast-tracked sand mining at Northland's Bream Bay:

Whangārei district councillors voted unanimously to oppose plans for fast-tracked sand mining at Northland's Bream Bay. …

the proposal offered no jobs or economic benefits to Bream Bay or Northland, even though regional benefit was a requirement of the fast-track law. …

The proposal … is to use a suction dredge to remove up to 150,000 cubic metres of sand a year for an initial three years and up to 250,000 cubic metres a year for the next 32 years.

The last time I spotted jellies in the sea I was in Wellington. This one was swimming around at Marsden Cove Marina the other day.