Southern black backed gulls

These are the big seagulls in NZ. The black and white adult and its browny grey chick flying north over low surf late on an autumn afternoon. 

Down the beach in winter

 Not a lot of paddling going on, but the sea is still warmer than usual for winter. Loads of shells and plenty of driftwood tossed up lately, we've had some storms and wind from the south.

Cool days, so decided it was time for some indoor activities such as getting a bit more order into the main book stack. They've been loosely in order since they came out of the box when we moved in. The sort begins:

Now I can find things faster. That only took 18 months.

Mish making a fry up breakfast for us: three eggs, three double yolkers! Our favourite jumbo eggs from the Waiarapa are often twins and always delicious.

Seventeen years in the making..and the waiting is FINALLY over !!!

I don't believe it!

My clever girl has just uploaded her e-book Wollemi: The Pine, the Lady Bushranger and the Bioprospector.

I remember vividly when Carol was writing her early draft  - we were renting the old house below Mother and Dad's at Castle Hill and Lola was just a little puppy, cute as a button and running all around the house. I reckon she took inspiration from the wonderful Bunya Bunya pine that grew just outside her study.

I caught her moment of euphoria when she successfully uploaded it...

                                                and this is what she'd been waiting for...

WOO HOOOOOOOOOOO!

Oh - and might I just add, cover design by Mish.