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Young Bella is taking a bit of time to get used to being at home alone with Poppie all day. She continues to surprise us every couple of days with some new level of destruction.
Another fine welcome home
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Category Archives: Wellington
A fine welcome home
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For the first time in years both Jean and I are working full time. This means Poppie and Bella have to spend days at home on the bed by themselves. For Poppie, this is an old routine but for Bella … Continue reading
Another cute dog shot
Let me start with an apology. Sorry, it’s yet another cute dog shot. Yesterday Bella the puppy discovered a green Cicada in the back yard. Every time she went to sniff it, the Cicada flew a few inches away, which for Bella was captivating.
A footnote for the animal lovers among you – both Bella and the Cicada survived the encounter unscathed.
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- Bella fascinated by a bug
Last of the autumn sun
I’ve mentioned a few times that our place loses the sun for a couple of months every winter. This means we all make the most of any chance to enjoy a sunny day in autumn.
So when Rosie the 19 year old cat, Poppie the 8 year old Bichon and Bella the nutcase puppy had a chance to lie in the sun last weekend, they took it.
My wife and the science of baking – part 2
My wife and the science of baking
On Sunday afternoon my lovely wife baked. We were going out for dinner at friends and she had offered to make the dessert.
She has a stable of excellent desserts she could have called on but decided to try something new – to bake a Torta Gianduja or Chocolate and Roasted Hazelnut Cake.
The only issue with this decision is that Jean is not a natural baker – as she is the first to admit. Something about the discipline of following a recipe runs counter to her “free spirit” approach to cooking in general. After each baking adventure she wonders aloud why she ever attempted the recipe, why baking is so complicated and stressful, and why she doesn’t learn from past experience.
Testament to the complication and stress involved is the state of our usually spotless kitchen at the end of Sunday’s baking odyssey.
Thank you all for the good wishes
February is birthday month at Kainui Road. Both Jean and I have had birthdays in the past week and we’d like to pass on a big thank you to everyone who sent their best wishes.
It was also a big birthday for Jean’s Mum and the family spent the weekend celebrating and relaxing on the shores of Pelorus Sound. But more of that in a future post.
What, me get into mischief? No way.
Bella has that ability to look completely innocent – even when there is evidence to the contrary.
This is what happens when she goes rummaging through a wet garden looking for something to chew on – despite being taught not too.
Wellington sunset
While I was out and about Monday evening, Wellington put on display one of it’s “look at me” sunsets.
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- Mount Victoria across Evans Bay
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- Wellington City across the harbour
MX5 reborn
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After a brief pink period, the trusty Mazda MX5 arrived home pre-Christmas in resplendent red. It was immediately despatched to the trimmer for a new hood (the old one was a bit leaky) and the car is now as good … Continue reading
In praise of fixed focal length lenses
From the headline you can tell this post is going to be a bit geeky. And if you’re not interested in photography, it could be boring as well. Be warned.
A few weeks ago I purchased my first ever fixed focal length lens. It was a AF Nikkor 50mm 1.8D which is a lens Nikon have been making for the best part of 10 years in one guise or another.
It cost me the princely sum of $85 as it was second hand but in “near new” condition. The previous owner had his Nikon camera stolen a week after buying the lens. He didn’t replace the camera so the lens had been used only once. (No seriously, I believe what people write about stuff on Trade Me.)
Up until now I’ve always been a zoom lens guy. I love the flexibility of a good zoom lens and the ability to frame things as I like without having to rush towards or away from the subject. In fact I didn’t really see the need for a fixed length lens at all.
Recently I was watching the excellent video blog The Art of Photography and the host was extolling the sharpness of prime lenses and the discipline required to use them. The need to move around to frame the subject – sometimes to get in close and sometimes to back off.
And now after a few weeks with the 50mm lense I’m sold. The sharpness of this cheap little lens is amazing. The ability to accurately control depth of field is amazing and the 1.8 f-stop means photos can be taken in low light without any risk of the dreaded camera shake or resorting to flash.
If you don’t have a prime 50mm or 35mm lens in your camera bag, trust me, get one.
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- The lens
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- Sample shot – the inevitable flower shot
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- Sample shot – the bee shot
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- Sample shot – the puppy shot
Happiness is …
As a puppy Bella used to enjoy resting her head over your shoulder. She would stay there for hours if you let her.
As a gangly adolescent she still enjoys resting there when she gets the chance.
Red sky at night …
… a shepherd’s delight – or so the old saying goes.
Earlier this evening the sky over Wellington was delighting more than just passing shepherds. Not only was it glowing red but also yellow, pink, orange and some colour that might be called cerise.
After a glorious and calm summer’s day (I can say that as December is officially summer) the sun put on a fantastic light show to entertain us as it dropped slowly below the western horizon.
A refresh for a trusty workhorse
When it was first produced in 1989 the Mazda MX5 was hailed as the quintessential sports car – open topped, great handling and pretty to boot. I bought one of the first to come into New Zealand and have owned it ever since. It has been great fun to drive and has displayed that legendary Japanese reliability with over 130,000 kilometres on the clock and only minor repairs to show for it.
However in the last 12 months it has started to show it’s age. Not surprising considering the car is close 23 years old, it’s 13 years since it’s last repaint and 10 years since it’s soft top was last replaced.
With that in mind it was despatched to the excellent team at Classic Auto Refinishers in early October with instructions to “make it like new”.
Today they sent some shots of the car as it has progressed. The good news is it’s only a few days away from completion, the bad news is it’s still looking a bit pink.
After the paint shop, the next stop is the upholsters for a new (watertight) hood and then it’s as good as new – just in time for summer.
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- The pink Mazda
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- Primed and ready to go
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- One panel the colour it should be
Spot the dog
Bella is 9 months old and although she is close to full grown she is still very much a puppy. As you can see from this shot of her after she dived into the toy basket. Extra points for spotting the head, the tail and the stray leg.
La dolce far niente 