Voting, It's Not For The Birds

We voted in the Wisconsin mid-term election and sent our absentee ballots in by international mail.  And, we want all of you to register to vote if you haven’t already, and then want you to vote either in advance or at the polls. 

In front of the New Zealand Post Office with our absentee ballots

We went on a braided river walk this week to see nesting birds.  Braided rivers have multiple channels, shallow water, and multiple, small, often-changing islands of stones and sediment.  We met at a Department of Conservation (DOC) building, and the DOC staff introduced two trustees from an organization called BRaid that works to protect braided rivers in New Zealand.  These two knowledgeable folks led the short hike and helped us find and identify several birds including the wrybill, the only bird in the world with a sideways curved beak.  For the birders among our readers, we also saw pied stilts, black-fronted terns, pied oystercatchers, black-billed gulls, spur-winged plovers, and banded dotterels.

 

Tramping this Thursday was to Sandy Bay – the 10k round trip walk offered beautiful views out over the ocean and cool rock formations on some hillsides.

Welcome swallow with nest building material

A friend gave us lemons from her lemon tree.  Cindy turned some of them into lemon curd and then baked and filled cake rolls.  One went to Paul’s department at the U, and one went to a newcomer’s gathering.  Everyone gave it thumbs up, so the recipe will be showing up again.

Cindy's lemon cake roll

Esther turned 4 this week, and thought the cake made a good birthday treat

We just returned from walking to the Saturday Riccarton Farmers Market.  Two of our favorite things there today were some beautiful cakes, and two young brothers doing busking.  

 

Earlier this week, we went to the opening of a pop-up performing arts venue (Little Andromeda), which was developed by Michael Bell, the son of one of Paul’s fellow teachers.  Little Andromeda will only be open for 45 days, but Michael has 75 acts scheduled to perform during that time.  

Little Andromeda pop-up venue, central Christchurch

Paul and El Jaguar, a street performer

It’s spring and animal babies are a happening thing.  These little Kunekune piglets were born at Willowbank Nature Reserve where Cindy volunteers.

Okay – so get out and vote and tell your friends and neighbors too!