I've been wanting to grab a photo of a Pahirini | Chaffinch for a while now. Finally one flew in while I was waving my camera around learning about settings. 🐦
I've enjoyed previous books in this series by Alice Bienia, and this was another engrossing read: Knight In The Museum (A Jorja Knight Private Investigator Mystery Book 5). 📚
When the daughter of a former police officer asks Jorja to look into her father’s death … Jorja is determined to find her the answers she’s looking for.
Yumm. Just like the last time I made them (a year ago, thanks On This Day): Lemon Butter Biscuits. So delish!
Oliver's input into the competiton ruffled a few feathers, but saw donations to organiser Forest and Bird soar.
Boosted by the publicity, the conservation organisation received $600,000 in donations associated with its Bird of the Year competition - six times higher than its previous record set last year.
Via: John Oliver thanks the pūteketeke after Bird of the Century win.
Surprise! … 😼
A new review of archaeological evidence and human physiology strongly suggests that modern gender roles have colored our reconstructions of the distant past.
Source: One of The Biggest Hunter-Gatherers Myths Is Finally Getting Debunked.
I set a couple (literally) of settings on the new X-T5 and went out to experiment. Focus was set for bird recognition. I'm thrilled with these shots. 🐦 📷
Today: ring shop to check my trip won't be wasted. Drive from home to Waikanae (30 mins), train to Wellington (1 hour), walk to shop (25 mins). Exchange trade-in Fuji X-T2 camera + $$$ for Fuji X-T5 camera. Lunch nearby. Do the reverse trip. All up: 6 hours. Whew!
Whew. The 12 year olds have left the train. The sound level has dropped from maybe 100 decibels to close to zero! Great kids though. Chatty but well behaved.
The train I’m on is chock full of schoolkids who raised funds for this trip to the swimming pools in Porirua. The teacher is requiring kids to stand so adults can sit. 😎
I love language(s), words, pronunciations, so this 27 minute video Out of date dictionaries–with native speakers from UK/USA/Australia! was utterly fascinating and fun.
Some of my own pronunciations are very old-fashioned! But then, I'm 68, so what do I expect? Plus, I'm a Kiwi, born in England. 💬
Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole is a delicious dish. I've made it twice now — the second time with a bit less salt. I use Smoked Paprika for extra yum.
Be warned that prep time is way more than the claimed 10 minutes.
Instead of monterey jack cheese, I use Edam.
If any of my Wellington / Kāpiti / Horowhenua pals need a good Massage Therapist, then Natalie Waddell from Functional Bodyworks in Paraparaumu just can't be beat.
She is so good, and the 2 people I've put onto her so far strongly agree.
Where do recipe writers get their Prep times from? I reckon they must roll the dice. 10 minutes, pah! More like 40!
Good words today from 12 graphs that show New Zealand isn’t doing as badly as you think | The Spinoff:
There are many reasons not to be cheerful, especially where the climate is concerned. Yet this attitude can blind us to all the things that are getting better. And when we fail to celebrate our wins, that defective self-knowledge diminishes our sense of our own capacity, shrinks our horizons, inspires defeatism.
I made a loaf of Classic white crusty bread today.
It was OK but not fantastic — the dried yeast was a bit old and it's so hard to find a warm enough place in the house for the dough to rise.
I guess practice will make perfect.
Turned on the radio for a minute only to think "I know that voice!" It was my good friend Rachel: Rachel McAlpine: Is life worth living after 90? | RNZ:
She also walked the footpaths of Wellington asking people how they see their life unfolding at 90. Her new play The Secret Lives of Extremely Old People erupted from those conversations.
There's no wind, so it's a calm day and not cold. I'm enjoying listening to actual rain on the roof. And the birds chirping, of course. We badly need this rain — 14 mm (0.55 inches) in the last 12 hours.
We went out to dinner tonight for a change — to Hell Pizza. Yum.
It's been a two nap kind of day, with a third possible too … 🥱🥱