A Happy Story from Michelle and Erick
A Happy Story
Today we saved a little creature that had fallen into our pond over night. This is what happened this morning. I seen a small ripple in the pond water, for some reason i look out the window at just the right time .As we have frogs in the pond at first i thought it was a frog but then i seen what looked like a spikey thing swimming in the pond ,i then realized it was not a fish but a small hedgehog. I then yelled out to Michelle we have to save a drowning hedgehog in the pond. We both ran as fast a we could. Michelle got the the net and scooped him out. The poor little guy looked like he had been swimming all night. We put him on the lawn, he looked up at us, as if to say thank goodness you saved me! You could see the gratitude in his little face. He was absolutely exhausted and was shaking with being so cold. We took him inside, put him in a box, Erick kept him warm with a hair dryer and a heater. He had a big sleep and then awoke with a appetite. So we got him some cat food which he thoroughly enjoyed and then went into a bush and had another nap, and then later he was gone. Back to living a hedgehog life. 😁 The funny thing was he seemed to know we were there to help him and was extremely friendly toward us. The moral of the story is, every life is worth saving. A very happy ending, oh and by the way, the pond now has a make shift safety fence to protect the hedgehogs ha ha!
We named him Terry Flatwood. Don't ask us why
😂
See the photo he has Ericks beanie hat to keep warm.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
52.6% Human-centred experience and communication
-
14.8% Critical thinking
-
29.9% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.7% Other - I will share below!
Loading…