Avian Visitor

We had a new avian visitor this evening - a peacock from across the road. He was a bit troubled by the hawk that was circling and even more concerned when I went outside to take a closer look. He ran right up the drive, tail wobbling behind him, leapt up to the lawn, frightening a rabbit as he trotted by and then disappeared over the fence.

So you'll have to make do with this shot through the window...

Stocking Up

Staying at an alpaca farm for Labour Weekend hoping to get a bit of inspiration about what beasts we might recruit for our little lifestyle block. I'm quite tempted by these crazy crias but he's not so keen...

Impulse Purchases

We went to a local market today and made three impulse purchases. A ukulele, two chilli plants and the answer to our gumboot storage problems, a macrocarpa boot stand...

Grass Hopper

Cottontail

Honey Eater

Our tuis have been enjoying the coral trees and will feed on the flax when it comes into flower.

To fill the gap and encourage the tuis to come closer to the house, I've installed a honeyeater feeder in the magnolia outside my study window. I found the feeder in the shop on Tiritiri Matangi and it has holes shaped to the tui's beak in the red base. An upcycled water bottle, two coathangers and a bit of wire has completed the kit.

Apparently it might take the birds up to three months to find the sugar water so I'll have to be patient.

Fitting Furniture III

A rimu side table to sit between our two sixties armchairs and give us somewhere to put our sundowners.



I think it's going to be good for Scrabble too as the top rotates.

Fitting Furniture II

I was rather taken by this telephone table, also found on TradeMe. Just need a big red old-fashioned phone to complete the picture now...

Fitting Furniture I

We have been busying ourselves buying up bits of furniture from TradeMe (the NZ equivalent of eBay) to give our house a bit more sixties flavour.

This is his choice - a fake leather, petrol blue recliner chair with foot stool. I think it's hideous and eighties rather than sixties but it's reasonably comfortable and you can't see it when you're sitting in it.

The first step on the renovation ladder

We made our first bit of progres with our renovations this weekend. Not a big step but progress nonetheless - a loft ladder which will allow us (him) to fit insulation and make for a warmer winter next year. We were relieved to find that there were no signs of bats or possums in the roof - just lots and lots of spiders!



Interestingly, the attic stairs were manufactured by prisoners as part of an inmate employment programme. Let's hope they don't test them up against the prison walls.