good evening

summer days

we're already on the other side of summer here in the southern hemisphere. it's been a pretty dodgy one, with more wind and rain than heat and sun. plus, it's always a bit sad when the days start to feel noticeably shorter. but for now let's focus on the good times...

at this time

because i too am a sucker for a sunset photo.

newegg

i came across this nest of seagull eggs on the rangatira side of kapiti island. a little girl found it on some rocks near the shore and immediately ran back to the tour guide pleading that someone had to help the baby bird because it wants to get out! it seemed to be going at a steady clip, no doubt it was out soon enough.

there were also loads of cheeky weka birds walking around. they are so fast and clever. one pretended to saunter by me in a disinterested manner then out of nowhere dived into my bag and grabbed a piece of foil that was somewhere in the middle of the bag and dashed off before i even knew what was happening. moral of the story: don't trust a weka.

velvia.velveeta

on some of the shorter walks in tongariro i took along a medium format film camera i have been learning how to use. it certainly involves a lot more effort to get results but it's pretty interesting comparing the same image to one taken with my canon digital slr [see below]. the fidelity of color and depth of detail in the darks kinda blows my digital version away. i also think the developed positives have a charming quality on their own. here i used a film stock called velvia which is known for its ultra rich color. velvia the word [and the results] remind me of a kind of processed american cheese known as velveeta. if you grew up in america in the 80s i don't need to remind you how rich, creamy [i daresay delicious] that synthetic cheese was. think there's a reason the two words sound similar!

merry kiwi xmas

not the crossing

i didn't do the crossing while out in tongariro last week, but i did manage to get in a few hours of rigorous tramping. even the baby hikes offered stunning views.

don't look back now

recently i realized that i rarely stop to look back when walking along a trail. instead, i just charge ahead. if the signage on the trailhead says it will take two hours to complete the walk i'm mentally trying to beat the clock. so recently walking along on kapiti island i decided to pause along the way and look back. the point of view dramaticly changes. perhaps there is some larger lesson to be learned here. looking ahead is practical, but looking back can also afford some pretty nice views!

sirocco

last month i had a chance to go see the famous sirocco at zealandia. as far as birds go he is definitely a celebrity. he is also a very inquisitive fellow. i was wearing a baseball hat with bright letters on it when i went to visit him and i was convinced he kept walking over to me because he found the hat unusual. i could be wrong but i maintain he was into my hat!

this morning

a reprieve from the rain and gloom this morning. and then a visitor hanging out under the window...feels a bit like spring.