Catherine

Bit windy innit

They’re not making it easy for me… now on my third lot of documents to post. Had to write a statement about how I travelled from UK to NZ as a baby. Guess it looks like I was kidnapped or something.

Letter that reads: ‘27.3.17 Dear Poppy, Thank you very much for your letter. I am so glad you enjoy my programme. I liked your drawings of your silkies very much. Best wishes David Attenborough’

Thank god. This is one of the most valuable things in our house - written to my daughter in 2017

They received mine yday, am hoping for swift printing. Was not a fan of having to post my original birth certificate! And now I have to repeat process for my kids 🤞

Thanks for your kind words @clairemabey.bsky.social! Such beautiful books in the Longlist, so chuffed to be in such excellent company 📚

@theobrominated.bsky.social Congrats on the long list - nice to see we’re in good company! 🌱🌸🌿

Three people standing on long golden grass looking up at pink clouds in the sky, set against dark rainclouds in the distance

Whakaoriori Masterton gives good sunset after a day of extraordinary rain.

Close up photo of yellow pōhutukawa flowers

A yellow-flowering pōhutukawa tree reaching out over the edge of a road

Metrosideros excelsa ‘Aurea’. Trees are still flowering in Normandale, Lower Hutt 💛

For those (rightly) upset at FluTacking not continuing, consider joining WellKiwis: www.wellkiwis.co.nz Since 2017 it has helped me understand what viruses are around - esp helpful when my partner was going through chemo

Wellington Natural Heritage Trust We need your help to secure one of Wellington City's last remaining tracts of old-growth native forest. It's an absolute gem!

Wellington Natural Heritage Trust
needs your help to secure one of Wellington City's last remaining tracts of old-growth native forest.

The 71 hectare property is in South Mākara. Kiwi have moved in already. It will flourish with effective pest control!

givealittle.co.nz/org/wellingt...

A huge Northern rātā tree in full bloom, with clusters of bright red flowers

This morning I went on a rātā-viewing walk run by the Wellington Botanical Society & the tree outside St Paul’s Church on Waiwhetu Road is *incredible*! Well worth a visit if you’re obsessed with Metrosideros robusta

I have a collection of her hand-coloured books here in Pōneke Wellington - would love to show them to you if you’re ever around these parts 😊

I spy 3 Emily Cumming Harris hand-coloured lithographs 😆

An image comprising three photographs, each of a hand holding the book ‘Groundwork: The art and writing of Emily Cumming Harris’ set against different coloured metrosideros flowers: bright red rātā, pink pōhutukawa and yellow pōhutukawa

Are you searching for a great Christmas present for the #Aotearoa art lover or natural history enthusiast in your life? Our pukapuka explores #colonialhistory, #women’shistory, #botanicalart, #comets, #NZpoetry & #eclipses

Aw thanks so much Sue! 🥰

Book cover of ‘Groundwork: The art and writing of Emily Cumming Harris’ and text advertising a free author talk at Unity Books, Wellington, 6pm, Wednesday 26 November

11 lithograph books from 1890 laid on a table. Some of the botanical plates have been hand-coloured by Emily Harris using watercolour paints

A delicate sketch of a brown butterfly perched on a stem of forget-me-not-flowers, with handwritten text above & below it. This card is dated 1826 and is pasted in a Georgian and Victorian scrapbook that belonged to Emily Cumming Harris’s aunt, who lived in England.

Tonight we’re giving an author talk at Unity Books Wellington at 6pm! Our presentation features our favourite research moments, artwork by Emily Cumming Harris & we're bringing our collection of rare hand-coloured books from the 1890s to display. www.facebook.com/share/1FN2pX...

My sister has long covid & had to give up her job a few years ago. She’s started making & selling sweet little peg angels & prints: felt.co.nz/shop/mrs-mac ❤️ #christmasnz #secretsanta #handmade #aotearoachristmas

A yellow flowering pōhutukawa tree in bloom with the fire station building behind it

Close up of the fuzzy yellow flowers in bloom on a pōhutukawa tree

The yellow pōhutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa ‘Aurea’) behind Chaffers New World in Wellington is in full bloom. Covered in bees this morning 💛

A sunset, with golden sky on the horizon and waves of pink cloud above

Walked up to the stopbank after seeing your post, thanks!

A hand holding a bunch of aquilegia flowers that range in colour from pink, red, yellow, pale yellow, lilac and dark purple

Grew a rainbow of aquilegia 🌈

The book ‘Groundwork: The art and writing of Emily Cumming Harris’ held up in front of Taranaki Mounga, which has white snow on its peak

New Plymouth people - Michele & I are giving a talk about some of our book research highlights. 6pm, Wed 5 Nov, Taranaki Research Centre. Come say hi! #taranaki #botanicalart #newplymouth

An arrangement of different-coloured dried ferns on a page, spread out like the rays of a sun

An arrangement of different-coloured dried ferns on a page, spread out like the rays of a sun

An arrangement of different-coloured dried ferns on a page, spread out in different directions, with the tallest specimen in the middle pointing upwards

A striking arrangement of different-coloured dried ferns on a page. They are centred around a middy-type specimen in the centre

Was excited to come across these elegant pressed fern specimens in a file I looked through today, c.late 1800s/early 1900s. But I miss the time when I could order a file from NZ Archives & view it 45 mins later. Takes 3 days now.

I’ve been searching for the kōwhai pattern for years - that is such an incredible score! 😍

Tautoko that. Hope that Mele Tonga-Grant stays in too, only 1 vote ahead. Local elections are such a weird mixed bag

Mostly good results eh, though I do not understand who keeps voting for Barratt and *far* too many people voted for Levy

3 copies of the book ‘He Puāwai’ with beautiful coloured flowers on the front cover

Such a stunning pukapuka! Am at the launch at Unity Books for ‘He Puāwai’ by @theobrominated.bsky.social 🌸🌼🪻Perfect Christmas present

Stallholders sitting behind stalls full of colourful zines, stickers and original artworks. There are lots of people looking at the stalls.

The Zinefest at the School of Architecture on Vivian Street in Pōneke is super cool. We had a blast buying zines, stickers & having little portraits drawn. Love the creativity ❤️ #wellingtonzinefest

Apparently all the older teachers were horrified but the younger ones promptly followed suit 😆

My Dad (NZer) taught at Harrow School in the 70s. In the heatwave of ‘76 he rocked up in shorts, knee-high socks & short-sleeved top with academic gown overtop. It led to the institution of ‘summer dress’ for the whole school in summer months, lol.

Hey Hutt folks, you may miss it when voting, but please don’t vote for Suzanne Levy! She sounds fine, but OOPS she runs the TERF organisation Speak Up For Women.