Friday Feathered Friend
Simon Woolf visited the South Island over Christmas and he took this beautiful picture of a kotuku.
"Back in the 1970's I got to know National Forest Service Photographer John Johns. John was a phenomenal photographer, who was both technically and creatively brilliant. John was a true gentleman. He shared his knowledge freely too.
One of his many amazing photos was a Kotuku in flight, however his photo was very different to other Kotuku photos I had seen. It was the white bird against a white sky, and in Black and White. It was a beautiful piece of art and showed The Kotuku, our White Herons features so precisely.
John Johns along with Geoff Moon would be our greatest ever wildlife bird photographers. They largely worked with film, creating images in a darkroom, and shooting with manual lenses, They respected their environment immensely.
This Kotuku photo, taken yesterday, is a tribute to John, and what he taught me all those years ago. I was very fortunate to have John and Geoff, who both passed away some years ago now, as friends and mentors".
Paper Shredding
I will be doing a lot of paper shredding over the next few weeks. Is there anybody who would like the shredded paper. I don't know if you can use it for hamsters and other pets, maybe it could go in your compost.
Just let me know if you want some.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.4% Yes
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14.1% No
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.