Triple Short

Pure genius (and fantastic acting)

I should qualify this, by saying that I’m a straight cis woman - and the posts are majority from the same. But those posts I’ve seen from people in same-sex relationships have been warmly responded to and they do aim for gender inclusive language.

There is a huge Australian FB group which might be more bearable. It’s inclusive of gay/lesbian, gender diverse, intersex members. It’s very firmly moderated and woo gets rebutted quickly. Moderated to the point of abruptness at times! Can find by searching “Menopause & Peri-menopause Australia”

Photo of an Estradot patch showing a batch number which is suspected to be faulty.

Well that explains a fuck-tonne.

How disappointing. And expensive!

Photo of two vases filled with pink, salmon and yellow peonies. One vase is an old-fashioned milk jug with blue and white stripes, the other is tarnished silver. The vases sit on a cream kitchen bench speckled with grey.

Bringing peonies inside to save them from the wind forecast for this afternoon. 🇳🇿🌱

🇳🇿🌱

An illustration of a massive pōhutukawa in bloom, displayed in a white frame on a shelf next to a potted fern.

A set of four coasters printed with illustrations of Te Whanganui-a-Tara landmarks.

A tea towel with an illustration of a rather round Kiwi lying on the couch, remote in hand, watching the telly. A small grey Kitty is snuggled up, and through the window the Avalon Studios tower is visible. The tea towel is hanging displayed on a line overlooking Te Awakairangi.

The front cover of the Bird and Back 2026 Calendar features an illustration of Oriental Bay in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, with the fountain playing.

Mōrena ki a koutou!

Are you following @birdandbeach.bsky.social yet?

Did you know that that’s our new business name, and that the new website went live last night?

I’d love for you to check out our range of art prints, coasters and tea towels, and of course our calendar at www.birdandbeach.co.nz

Oh no, much hugs

Photo of a flower of woody peony Spellbound. The bloom is a vibrant pinky apricot fading on the outer petals. The flower has just opened and is one day old.

Photo of a flower of woody peony Spellbound. The bloom is four days old and has faded from vibrant orangey tones to a lemon and peach blowsy beauty.

Favourite peony this week - tree peony ‘Spellbound’. Huge blooms 20cm across when fully opened, flamboyant, fragrant. 🇳🇿🌱

🤣

“Don’t type while high post-surgery” was a lesson learned recently by my husband. He wrote nonsensical emails to family.

Delightful!

Oh no it’s looking bad for Tasman

Woop woop Nelson! Hope Tasman follows suit.

Photo of a single fuchsia-pink peony bloom with petals striated with darker and lighter pink, and golden stamens visible in the centre.

First peony of the year - intersectional Morning Lilac 🩷 🇳🇿🌱

The Meaning of Words Quiz 6 October

If you need a break from ..... all that, here is a mini-quiz I made this morning for work. No cheating - let me know if you get 10/10

forms.gle/a4vSRkU1u7wY...

Ah no, so sorry. I wish you and all yours a peaceful time of remembrance and family warmth. Xx

Corporate writing is often awful - let's fix that: https://billbennett.micro.blog/2025/10/03/corporate-writing-is-often-awful.html

Needs a lot more dust, a screwed up tissue, grimy charging cable, and a long-abandoned lens cloth. No, that’s just my bedside table you say? (But seriously, I like it - disclaimer, no professional expertise to offer)

A painting of the black hole scene from the film Interstellar

1 hour painting

Second the peanut brittle rec, it’s my new fave.

Ugh we’re missing again 😂 Is it because we don’t actually eat food in NZ?

Merino & Wool Socks NZ | Lamington Socks Searching for the best Merino socks in NZ? Enjoy softness, comfort, and quality with our ultra cosy collection! View our range and shop online today.

You need knee-high Lamingtons Paul, they hug you from just below the knee, all the way down. Good for the babies in your life too. www.lamington.co.nz

Ikr, how does this just happen, again and again and again and again.

tHe reGioNs arE DoiNG so wEll

It's #BirdOfTheYear time! Don't forget to check out the Aotearoa Birds feed!😀

www.birdoftheyear.org.nz

🪶🇳🇿

But about halfway through my teaching career, something brutal became clear: my role as a teacher wasn’t just about nurturing creative humans anymore. It was about keeping them alive. Somewhere along the years, “lockdown drills” quietly became “active shooter drills,” as if we’d collectively accepted the reality that this isn’t hypothetical anymore. It’s coming.

After the drills, it was difficult to return to learning, so most of the time they'd want to map out escape routes. We’d discuss which heavy-duty art tools could double as weapons. Most of the time, students would self-designate their role in the hypothetical chaos. Some would volunteer to be the fighters, the students who would attack an active shooter. The blockers, furniture-movers that would barricade our classroom doors so an active shooter couldn't break through the door. And then there were the quiet ones, frozen, absorbing the unthinkable notion that they might die, and that their beloved teacher would throw her body over theirs to shield them from gunfire. Writing this now, it reads like a war manual. But that’s exactly what it was.

today on webworm, a guest piece from a former american high school teacher on active shooter drills and why they no longer wanted to prepare for warfare (please RT, if you can): www.webworm.co/survivalsimu...

Hey yeah, here's some news!

I'm still The Sewphist, and I always will be... but now I actually own a company with my beloved R, and we'll be selling both of our art, as prints and on homewares and gifts. We're bringing production in house where possible, so yes to NZ Made!

Give us a follow maybe?💙

Not now, Mother Nature