Kate Upsidebackwards

My youngest is 17. All my kids know that "believers are receivers" 😂 even though they help me purchase & wrap the books that Father Christmas brings for everyone.

And this leads to hilarious headlines

This caught out a couple of Australian members of parliament, they're not allowed to have dual citizenship so being automatically granted it is a problem for them!

Australian commentator claiming a NZ skier as "one of our own", typical.

NZ has two medals, Aus has none so far...

To all women in science
Happy International Day for Women and Girls in Science

I'm rejoicing because it's only going to get to 25° here over the weekend, such a welcome relief 😂

Woman arrested over alleged 18-year romance scam An unsuspecting Dunedin man lost more than half a million dollars over 18 years.

Woman arrested over alleged 18-year romance scam www.rnz.co.nz/news/nationa...

This scam netted less than $30,000 per year on average. Surely more profitable to just get a job?

I turned on the tv this morning around 7am hoping to catch the end of the snowboard big air (women) that they were talking about on the radio, but it wasn't even Olympics coverage on 9 by then 😔

NZ got silver, too.

The free to air Olympics coverage is pretty disappointing in my opinion

A large leopard slug on damp ground next to a woman's size 8 shoe. The slug is approximately half the length of the shoe.

I'm not generally a slug fan, but this leopard slug is magnificent (my foot for scale)

🦁 🥁

They look amazing!

High haze means we get a solar halo 😇

A pair of gang gangs just stopped briefly in my garden 🪶😍
They flew off too quickly for me to get a photo 😔

⚠️ New Covid variant. This damn virus has impressive tenacity. Be aware. Keep yourselves safe. Covid is not cold, and it has the persistence to cause long-term damage after initial symptoms have abated. Avoid it.
#CovidIsNotOver
#LongCovid

Seconding this and tagging @jonathanking.bsky.social because I believe there is now a sequel

‘Straya

Natural history of New Zealand flowers Join author Phil Garnock-Jones for a talk about the wonderful world of NZ flowers, with plenty of time for Phil to answer your botanical questions.

I'll be doing a mini book tour this month to Kirikiriroa & Tāmaki Makaurau. If you come along, please say g'day.
21st: haftokk-premier.eventfinda.co.nz/2026/flower-...
24th: Devonport Library 7:30 pm
28th:
ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/events/2026/...

& later (May): Auckland Writers Festival.

Screenshot of GeoNet alert advising of M4.3 quake causing moderate shaking near Seddon just now

You ok, Wellington? #eqnz

OMG you guys we saw an Australian owlet nightjar! 🪶 On a night tour at the local wildlife reserve, the guide said there had been recent sightings but it's one of the rarest birds in Canberra.

Nonetheless, it's not bad advice in general. You shouldn't really wander alone in the bush.

Having literally seen kangaroos bouncing past my house, I think this could be difficult advice to follow!

A female koel sits on a rotary clothesline, planning a heist on the local tomato crop

Just saw a female koel fly out of our garden with a whole cherry tomato in her beak.
She spent a while casing the joint. 🪶

No but I try to book a week or so in July because the cold mornings here are hard & I like to get a break - and so does everyone else!

Happy birthday 🎂🥳❤️

We currently have a heat wave warning *and* a sheep grazier's warning! I guess the heatwave, when it breaks, will break hard.

After so many still, silent days in the heatwave this is a joyous cacophony. Other birds are active too but the cockatoos drown them out 😂
So many hanging upside down, I wonder whether it's to wash in the rain? 🪶 (Sound on!)

a woman in a pink dress is standing in front of a door and holding the handle . ALT: a woman in a pink dress is standing in front of a door and holding the handle .

Rain! 30° in the kitchen before 9am, but cooler outside and some rain

I kind of want a storm because it will feel like a break from the heat, but realistically I know it will still be very hot and after a storm it will be hot and HUMID 🥵