Katy Did or Perhaps Katy Didn’t

Although this 45mm long Katydid (Maori, Kiki Pounamu, L. Caedicia simplex) may be a native insect (it’s also found in Australia) it is called after the call of the American Katydyd (Katy Did, Katy Didn’t).  Well that’s what Andrew Crowe tells us.  It is quite a coincidence that after just posting about the Tussock Katydid in my Monday Morning Medly a week or so ago I should come across this one so soon after.   As far as I can recall I’ve never seen one before.   It can jump or fly.  At night it eats fresh leaves, flower buds and fruit and these can change its colour to a pinkish red.

Am I Going Soft?

I’m not really a domestic pet person.  Not for myself that is.  Apart from anything else my lifestyle makes it a completely impractical option.

I used to have a cat. I inherited him.  I called him BP:  stood for Big Puss.  I never have been able to recall what his proper name was.  I loved him dearly though.

He loved to be in the room where I was.  That was usually only a problem if he was in the kitchen where, if I was cooking, he would curl up in the middle of the floor when I wasn’t looking.  Invariably when I turned round I stood on him.  It never stopped him doing it.  There were rules though.  He was not allowed in the bedroom.  He would sit at the door but never come over the threshold.

The Family were at The Cottage for dinner last Thursday before I went to Mahunga (Mahia) for the weekend.  When the Family come down the dog, Misty, and the cat, Comet, invariably come too.

When I came to go to bed there was Comet on my bed and settled in for the night.  All commands to leave were met by a slightly contemptuous and very slight opening of one eye.  

Comet

I must have been in an extraordinarily mellow mood that evening because I decided, as she wasn’t on my side of the bed, she could just stay there.  Next morning after going out for a while she returned and settled down on the couch for yet another sleep.  She was most indignant when, on leaving for my weekend away, she was ejected.

I must be going really soft!

The Ferry to Rawene

When we went to the Church at Motukaraka, in order to avoid a very long road journey, we first had to get the ferry across the Hokianga Harbour from Kohukohu where we were staying to Rawene (a lovely little place with an exceptionally helpful garage - well it was the owner rather than the garage who was helpful.  Odd how we sometimes say that a thing is helpful).  Before we got on the ferry we could see the church across the harbour in the far distance.  The buildings below the church is the Marae of the hapu on who's land the church stands.

Going North (Just for the weekend).

The family are coming for dinner this evening.  Tomorrow first thing I'm off to Mahia with the croquet girls with whom I go to tournaments.  One of our number has a bach there and we're off for what looks like becoming an annual event.  Last year we had a great time but the weather was indifferent to say the least.  I've just watched the 7pm forecast and full sun is promised over the weekend and beyond.  That would be a real bonus.

The downside is that there is no internet and no cellphone coverage so I shall be incommunicado until Monday night.  Hopefully, though, I'll have lots of photos to show for what should be a great weekend.

Thankful Thursday

My brother, Scriptor Senex aka CJ talked last Thursday about noise: his favourites and his least favourites and he invited people to name theirs.  Which a number of people did.

I commented that amongst my favourites are the loud and clear songs of the Bellbird and the Tui outside The Cottage and rain on the roof or windows when I am snug in bed. One of my dislikes is the adverts on TV (particularly in NZ) when the sound is ramped up so much over the set level for the programme.  (This is denied but I don't believe the denials!).

The more I've thought about sounds since then the more I have realised that most of the sounds I really love are either sounds of nature or sounds of music.  I think that most of us dislike the man-made sounds that intrude into our lives but there are also some natural sounds which frighten or even terrify us.  Having lived through a hurricane which destroyed part of my house on Lewis I can say that it was one of the most frightening experiences of my life.  How the people of Tornado Alley in the US including at least one follower of this blog (I hope you are OK Cynthia - I've just seen more Oklahoma tornados on TV).  So the sounds of hurricane force winds would be amongst my least favourite sounds of nature.  As is the sound of an earthquake - and I've only experienced the noise resulting from a relatively small one.

What I really love, though, is that I live in environments with few neighbours and only the noise of the countryside to listen to (other than, of course, my music which I can play without disturbing anyone).

So today I am thankful for the fact that I have the gift of hearing but that I also have the option of silence in the places where I live.

The Churches of Northland: Motukaraka

It's now well over a month since Pauline and I set off for a long weekend exploring the churches around the Hokianga Harbour on the West side of Northland.  I've already posted about the Church at Pakaraka.  Now for the second one.  The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption at Motukaraka.

Opened on 3 April 1910, with festivities attracting more than 2000 people, the church was entirely funded by the local Maori community after taking nearly 3 years to build.  It is constructed of kauri much of which came from the hapu lands at Tapuwae where kauri stands had survived the extensive logging in the region.

The painting over the alter is a copy of the Assumption of Our Lady by the Spanish painter Murillo which had previously hung in the Native School having been brought out to New Zealand by a Motukaraka schoolmaster.

The church is on land owned by local Maori, The Ngai Tupoto ki Motukaraka, (the Ngai Tupoto hapu is part of the iwi of Te Rarawa) who have maintained the church since it was built.

Who Mentioned Bruges?

Someone recently mentioned Bruges in a blog post.  I know they did.  I'm sure they did.  I'm sure because mention was made (and there was a YouTube clip) of the film In Bruges.  Comment was made that regardless of the film's merits it showed lots of footage of the old city of Bruges.  I thought that it was Jenny Woolf of The English Travel Writer.  I suppose that was a natural association.  I went to Jenny's blog this evening to comment and discovered that it wasn't her blog where I'd seen it.

I can't find a reference anywhere. 

So this evening having watched the film (not to be recommended except for the scenery) I don't know to whom I want to make that fact known.  Can anyone help me?  Pleeeeeeeeease!

Life can be very frustrating sometimes.

Monday Morning Medley

Dark Coprosma Carpet Moth (Austrocideria callichora was Hydriomena) - I think

A snail with a tail.  Well it's not but what is it?  I notice that a few snails had a similar thing stuck to they shell

Field Grasshopper (Conocephalus species) aka Tussock Katydids

New Zealand Praying Mantis (Orthodera novaezealandiae).
You can tell it's the NZ variety because of the blue knees.

Autumn Colours

How to Create a Starry Sky

A few nights ago I suddenly wondered what would happen if I tried to catch raindrops with the camera's flash.   Now I know.

Great Expectations

Apples are like lollies/sweets to cattle.