Heather

https://mastodon.nz/@HeatherInNZ

Unstoppable gardener, mother, blogger, occasional poet. she/her

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Last Notes

2026-10-22 00:25:45 UTC

Thing about having a front yard garden. People passing by stop and talk to you.
Yesterday a lady stopped to ask what I was growing. I pointed out the pea seedlings and all the herbs in the herb garden. I asked if she wanted any. She said maybe mint and I have her several sprigs of mint and she said she likes to make fresh mint tea.
Today a lady and her daughters - one a teen the other about 3 yrs old - stopped to look at the ducklings that come by with their mama duck every day. I asked if the little kid wanted to feeds some ducks as I was about to feed them. She tossed all the food to them one fistful at a time and was even brave enough to let them eat out of her tiny hand.
(I've added a photo of the ducklings. they are quite large half-grown babies. There are 17 of them, though only 14 in this picture)
#Gardening #VegetableGardening
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2026-10-18 20:40:42 UTC

In other #Seedling updates:
I've planted out the few peas that sprouted, but some look like they are doing early senescence even though they all got the same start in life. I've started a new batch indoors, hoping for a higher germination rate.
Still just the two courgettes have grown, out of 6 seeds I started. But they both look good and are ready to plant out.
Last week I started:
Second round of peas
Sunflowers
Next up will be:
Second round of courgette
popcorn
Even more sunflowers, if I've got room
** I had to take the peas photo from an odd angle because I have surrounded them with chicken wire to keep the ducks from trampling them & the blackbirds from digging them up looking for worms
#Gardening
#VegetableGardening
#GrowYourOwn
#Seedlings
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2026-10-18 20:28:20 UTC

My climbing beans are ready to be planted out now. But in Wellington, traditionally, threat of frost has passed once you hit Labour Day weekend - still five days away. The weather forecast is showing warm - no lower than 10 degrees C - all week. Do I trust the forecast enough to plant early?
#Gardening #VegetableGardening #GrowYourOwn #Wellington #Aotearoa
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2026-09-22 23:51:20 UTC

Seed raising: how it's going.
The beans have mostly all popped up, some just starting, some with first leaves out. Germination rate has been pretty good for seeds from my own garden. I counted 35 sprouted out of 48 sewn. That's nearly 3/4ths germinated.
Peas, on the other hand, have had a poor germination rate. At 12 sprouted out of 48 sewn, that's just 1/4th germinated. These were from a fresh packet of store bought peas so it's probably something I did wrong. Sewn too deep? Too much water? Not enough water? Since I'm starting them outdoors there's not much I can do about over-watering. I'll have to do another round of peas and perhaps try starting them indoors.
I also started zucchini about 2 weeks ago and none have emerged yet. I just brought them inside today in hopes that will improve things.
#Gardening #VegetableGardening #GrowYourOwn #Peas #Beans #SeedRaising
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2026-09-18 22:30:20 UTC

I made it 3 weeks in a row of starting one type of seed per week. But I missed the mark last week and now it's the weekend. To be fair, I was out of room in my tiny cold frame and over flowing onto the ground already. I thought the peas would be ready to plant out by now. The peas had other ideas.
Oh well. I'll continue on next week. Next up will be either popcorn or sunflowers. Resources I checked were mixed on whether to start sunflowers yet so probably it will be the popcorn.
And my beans are coming up as of yesterday, though just barely. The curve of the stems are visible but the leaves haven't popped up yet.
#SeedRaising #Gardening #VegetableGardening
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/294/404/689/698/062/original/43722a90b400207b.jpg

2026-09-18 01:18:55 UTC

This is my main seed raising setup. It was a cold frame but the glass panels broke.
But the metal frame lets me control the environment somewhat. The chicken wire I just folded over the top of it; it can be taken on and off as needed. It keeps birds from helping themselves to the tender greens.
Over this I can toss a blanket or some bubble wrap at night if we are expecting frost. Or I can throw a shade cloth over it if it's getting too sunny and hot.
The seedling pots are in these wire basket things which were in the kitchen and pulled out like drawers from the cabinets. We removed them to make way for other stuff. But they are super useful for organizing the seedlings.
#VegetableGardening
#Gardening
#GrowYourOwn
#CoverCrops
#SeedRaising
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2026-09-18 00:25:19 UTC

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I learned in an online class I took through Koanga Gardens that plants bank nutrients in the soil surrounding their roots and later draw these up to put nutrients into their flowers and subsequent seed pods. I think this is one reason people say to cut your cover crops before they flower. But this reason is moot if you are planning on turning those flower-stalk nutrients back into the soil or laying them down to form mulch.
I have also read that the reason is to prevent them making seeds that might drop into your garden bed, but I really don't see that as much of a problem.
#VegetableGardening
#Gardening
#GrowYourOwn
#CoverCrops
#Lupins

2026-09-18 00:10:20 UTC

Cover crops.
This is a mix of blue lupin and mustard but the lupins stole the show. You are supposed to chop them down before they flower but the blue lupin flowers are so pretty I can't help myself!
Cover crops are used between growing seasons for several reasons. They out-compete weeds. Some improve the soil. (In this case the lupins are legumes, which are nitrogen fixers, adding nitrogen to the soil. The mustard releases chemicals which can eliminate certain plant diseases from the soil.
Additional benefits depend on what you do with it when it's finished. If you chop your cover crop and lay it over the garden bed to dry, you have just made your own mulch. If you dig your cover crop into the soil you have just added nutrients back into the soil; this is often called 'green manure.' Alternatively you can chuck it into your compost bin, either green or after letting it dry, depending on what's going on with your composting system.
#VegetableGardening #Gardening #GrowYourOwn #CoverCrops #Lupins
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2026-09-15 05:34:19 UTC

Look, I know this country has it's problems. I know all the ways things have gotten worse since I arrived here 20 years ago.
But today a convoy of indigenous leaders who rode across the country arrived at Parliament on horseback to deliver a petition defending their rights directly into the hands of members of Parliament.
A petition that had 50 thousand signatures which is a lot in our small country.
It's moments like this I am reminded that Aotearoa is still such a special place.
#NZPol #NewZealand #Aotearoa #ToitūTeTiriti
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-ao-maori/1393130/horse-riders-bring-50-000-strong-treaty-petition-to-parliament

2026-09-11 10:15:24 UTC

Access to the birth control pill really was an historic moment for women and Loretta Lynn sings about it quite frankly
"All these years I've stayed at home
While you had all your fun
And every year that's gone by
Another baby's come
There's a gonna be some changes made
Right here on nursery hill
You've set this chicken your last time
'Cause now I've got the pill"
Loretta Lynn - The Pill
https://youtu.be/5DcdONaKSQM
#JukeboxFridayNight
#History

2026-09-11 05:16:31 UTC

Seed Raising!
Week 3: Courgette (a.k.a. zucchini)
Zucchini are really just a type of summer squash. Summer squash are a category of squash that are picked early when the skin is still tender. Mostly they are "bush" varieties - meaning they are all bunched up, not long and vine-y.
But zucchini still need a lot of space because the leaves are so big. Typically you give them between 0.75 to 1 square meter which is a lot of real estate in my little garden! So I tend to grow only a couple despite how much we love them.
Zucchini are cucurbits which are "heavy feeders" meaning they are nutrient hogs so they need to be well fed. Cucurbits have separate male and female flowers which means pollinators need to visit a male flower to pick up pollen and then a female flower to leave some pollen on it. Growing more plants increases your chances of a good pollination rate. Though gardeners have been known to take matters into their own hands. All you need is a paint brush and a little patience to pollinate these guys yourself.
Zucchini come in a lot of varieties so it's hard to pick. Today I've started seeds for me and mum each to have 1 yellow and 1 Lebanese green. Plus a few extra to give away!
#Zucchini #Courgette #GrowYourOwn #Gardening #VegetableGardening

2026-09-08 03:55:32 UTC

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13 days later the peas are finally starting to sprout!
#VegetableGardening
#GrowYourOwn
#peas
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2026-09-05 21:56:07 UTC

I'm sad about it but I have to stop listening to 99 Percent Invisible podcast after being a fan for a long time. I stopped mid-episode because Roman Mars was personally advertising AI - not the 3rd party ads that creators don't have much control over but directly promoting with his own voice.

2026-09-03 02:39:17 UTC

More seed saving!
Today I processed last season's blue lake bean pods. The way the beans get saved generally starts with a few beans getting too mature to eat by the time I notice them. So I let them grow and dry on the vine. Later I pick the whole pods and stick them in a paper bag and put them somewhere well ventilated until I'm ready to process them.
Here's my beans ready for planting! Blue lakes make skinny white beans that remind me of tic tacs. It's not a large amount but plenty for my needs. I discarded about 1/4th of them which were damaged or underdeveloped; we get a lot of Fall rain so there's always a risk that seeds will get damaged when I leave them to dry on the plant.
#Gardening #VegetableGardening #GrowYourOwn #SeedSaving
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/117/204/737/770/839/077/original/d7fd6229f79ba209.jpg

2026-09-01 23:43:09 UTC

Seed saving!
It's a problem. Two or three dill plants last year lead to this, thousands of seeds! I always have big ideas for them. A lot of herb seeds can be used as spices. Or microgreens. Or sprouts. But I usually don't get around to it.
But yesterday I stepped into my local library and found out they are collecting seeds for a seed & seedling swap. I left with several seed donation baggies and plans to share my seeds with my community.
This was step one - processing. Removing the dried seeds from the seed heads and collecting them up into bags.
#Gardening #VegetableGardening #SeedSaving #GrowYourOwn
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2026-08-31 23:34:22 UTC

Seeds I'm starting this week are beans.
Our whole household loves green beans (aka French beans, string beans, or snap beans) and they are one of the easiest things to grow, making them a favourite of mine.
Like peas, they are legumes, and nitrogen fixers, so they improve the soil while they grow! I've been growing a variety called "blue lake" for a few years now. They are prolific and 'stringless."
Beans are largely self-pollinating* which means they will grow true to type from the beans (seeds) they produce. This makes them a great candidate for novice seed savers! I've been growing the blue lake beans from my own seeds for a few years now.
* But runner beans, however, will cross pollinate so you have to be more careful if you're seed saving
#VegetableGardening #Gardening #GrowYourOwn

2026-08-28 10:16:07 UTC

And this is just one of my favourite Dolly Parton songs. This is from the album "Trio" which was a collaboration with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. I do love a supergroup especially when it's women joining forces in a music industry that can be hostile to them.
"Just a wild rambling rose seeking mysteries untold
No regret for the path that I chose
When a flower grows wild
It can always survive
Wildflowers don't care where they grow"
Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt - Wildflowers
https://youtu.be/tbZHguOCi3Q
#JukeboxFridayNight
#BeLikeDolly

2026-08-25 03:53:44 UTC

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Peas! One of the earliest seeds I like to start in Spring. They are cold-tolerant and love a cooler climate, more than their cousins, the beans. Get them going too late in the season and they might just crash out early from the heat once it warms up.
Like all legumes, peas are nitrogen fixers - they draw nitrogen out of the nitrogen gas in the air and store it in their roots in little nodes. This enriches the soil and reduces the amount you need to 'feed' these plants.
Garden peas are great but I love sugar snaps because you can eat more of the plant (the pod as well as the peas) and they are tasty fresh right off the vine.
2/?
#VegetableGardening
#GrowYourOwn
#peas

2026-08-25 03:48:36 UTC

Seed raising. I was growing 100% veggie plants I raised from seed and then I burnt out on it. Last year I got all my plants from the garden centre. Nothing wrong with that; whatever you've got the capacity for is great. But I do LOVE seed raising when I have got the energy.
This year I'm going to try starting one type of seeds per week, starting this week. That is the plan, anyway. I also love the idea of growing extra and giving away the excess plants to friends and/or by putting them in front of the house with a 'free' sign. Because I have a small home garden and I always end up with excess seeds. I'm starting with peas.
1/?
#VegetableGardening #GrowYourOwn

2026-08-23 02:32:44 UTC

HI folks, I just replaced our letterbox and I'd like to know if I could turn the old one into a bird house/ nest box to put in the back yard. It's all wood with a mail slot 3cm wide in the front and a door in the back. Pictured below (I put the penguin statue in front of it to cover our house numbers).
The main compartment is about 20cm wide by 35 cm deep. Height is 20cm on the low side and 35 cm on the high side.
Anyone know what kind of birds might like this as a next box, possibly with a little modification.
We're in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Birds I've spotted in the garden include: house sparrow, blackbird, starling, song thrush, silvereye/tauhou, fantail/pīwakawaka, kererū, tui. (Also chaffinch, greenfinch & goldfinch but they seem highly seasonal)
I know blackbirds, house sparrows, and starlings already nest in our garden sometimes.
#Birds #BirdHouse #Ornithology
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2026-08-10 21:43:39 UTC

Is there a hashtag for people requesting volunteers to caption photos on posts? I quite enjoy adding the alt-text on photos when I have the time

2026-08-08 22:54:59 UTC

Last night's visit with the parents:
Our admiration for musicians who have lived a long life and have been making music the whole time &mentoring younger artists. Namely, Joni Mitchell (83 y.o.) and Willie Nelson (93 y.o.).
I had sent them this fantastic episode of the podcast Strong Songs about Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now, which showcased 4 different recorded versions that span her whole musical career. We all found it moving.
I mentioned another that I'd put Prince in this category, though sadly he died young (57). He mentored many artists, mostly black women. He also wrote a lot of songs for other artists.
My parents said they know hardly anything about Prince. "we should check out some of his music."
It's a little outside their wheelhouse music-wise but I've had fun this morning listening to Prince and picking a few songs to add to their playlist.
I have a "Songs For Mom And Dad" playlist on Spotify that I curate just to share music with them.
I went with songs that leaned more into the funk/R&B/soul genres and not too synth-heavy. They are not big on electronic instrumentation.
Oh, the podcast, if you like Joni Mitchell, I highly recommend
https://strongsongspodcast.com/blogs/episodes/s08e03-both-sides-now-by-joni-mitchell
#JoniMitchell #Prince #Music

2026-08-01 23:59:16 UTC

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Here is my #recipe for microwave "kettle corn"
I have a made-to-purpose microwave popcorn bowl but any large microwave safe bowl with a _loosely_ fitted lid will do.
1/4 cup popcorn kernels
1 T icing sugar (powdered sugar)
1 T vegetable oil
1 T melted butter
2 pinches of salt
Place in large microwave safe bowl & give it a good stir. Place a microwave-safe lid/plate/etc on top (lid should cover all the bowl but not be fastened down (so nothing explodes, ok?).
Microwave on high for 1 min. 50 sec.*
Removed all popped kernels to a second bowl.
Place un-popped kernels, still in the first bowl, back in the microwave with the lid on for another 1 minute.*
This keeps pretty well for a few weeks in an air tight container, making a nce prepare-ahead snack (or breakfast cereal).
* Your timing may vary, as a rule you should stop your microwave after you're able to count 2-3 second between pops to avoid burning
#popcorn

2026-08-01 23:49:31 UTC

Hey fun fact popcorn used to be eaten as a breakfast cereal in America. I just tried it with some home made kettle corn (not in an actual kettle, just you add some powdered sugar to the popcorn some it's sweet and salty) and it's actually really good.
I used my home-grown mini popcorn so it's little kernels and it's a good size for cereal IMO.
I mean, think about it. Puffed grains? A little but sweet and a little crunchy? This is basically Honey Smacks / Honey Puffs
#Popcorn #BreakfastFood

2026-07-30 20:21:03 UTC

I nearly put bacon bits into my oatmeal instead of walnuts this morning. How's your morning going, fedi friends?

2026-07-28 09:45:47 UTC

Can anyone tell me how word limits on posts works on mastodon? Is it set by the server admins or a setting on my account that I can change or what? My word count limit has been quite long for a while now - I can see a long post I made maybe 2.5 weeks ago - and today I go to do a long post and I can't - my limit is much shorter now?

2026-07-28 09:22:47 UTC

We've had frost two nights in a row and we're set to have a third. I don't have frost cloth, but I've been keeping the few frost-sensitive plants going with a combination of fleece blankets and bubble wrap. You have to take it back off in the morning, of course, as the fleece doesn't let in much sunlight, and the bubble wrap doesn't let in much air circulation.
The pic is my passionfruit plant tucked in for the night.
#VegetableGardening #Gardening #GrowYourOwn
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2026-07-19 08:38:58 UTC

Facebook is down for me right now and just, what if it never came back, would that be so bad? What if this was it, and it just vanished from all our lives forever.

2026-07-12 05:47:16 UTC

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Well I got the oca harvested anyway. This year they were prolific but mostly tiny. (I am growing them very low-maintenance so I've only myself to blame for these results).* So I lowered my size criteria for eating (too small to eat ones get put back into the soil to grow next year's crop). (But I did grab a few bigger ones to stick in the soil too in case size matters).
* They are growing in a large up-cycled recycling bin (its footprint is approx. 60cm x 40 cm?). Every Spring they get topped up with compost and soil amendments and they get liquid feed when my other plants do. Every Winter I pull out the big ones and stick the little guys back into the soil. It's kind of an ongoing experiment at this point. I usually get about one small roasting dish worth per year this way but I'm happy with it as it is very low effort.
#VegetableGardening
#GrowYourOwn
#Gardening
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2026-07-12 02:56:59 UTC

Gardening tasks I hope to get done today:
- Prune the peach sapling
- Dig up the oca (New Zealand yams)
So far I have done reading on:
- How to prune the peach sapling (I got this book called Pruing Fruit Trees: A Beginner's Guide by Kath Irvine and it's very helpful)
- bulb planing into pots (Mom and I decided to try bulb layering!) (Yes we are very late getting our flower bulbs planted)
In other garden news:
- The garlic is coming up already!
#VegetableGardening #GrowYourOwn #Gardening

2026-07-06 22:35:59 UTC

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"CVS" perhaps?
(pharmacy chain in the U.S.)
(if they sell sushi it's probably not the best place to buy sushi)
(yeah pharmacies sell all kinds of things in the States including food sometimes)

2026-07-06 04:04:59 UTC

19 years here and the New Zealand accent still gets me sometimes.
I just learned that the St Pierre's jingle does not say "You're gonna love our fishy."
I mean, it almost made sense - it's a sushi place.

2026-06-29 01:41:31 UTC

Has anyone got tips on installing a camera in my attic to spy on the starlings that nest there every Spring? It needs to be awfully simple - I'm not very tech savvy - and I'd be okay with a hardwired setup as it's the space nearly directly over my computer desk and I'm not above putting a hole in the ceiling.
#WildlifeCam #Webcam #Birds

2026-06-23 21:11:48 UTC

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A New Zealand milk token:
I hardly knew what this was when I saw a little dish of them at an op shop, but I knew I wanted one. I picked on out and the cashier expianed they were milk tokens, which did not really explain anything.
My friend - who is the same age as me but grew up here in New Zealand - remembers milk delivery when she was a kid and explaind it to me.
So with door to door milk delivery, you put out your empty, cleaned milk jars for the "milk man" to pick up when he delivers your milk. You put the milk tokens into the empty jars to pay for next week's milk! (where and when you buy the tokens has not been explained to me).
While this one is metal, she remembers plastic ones in different colours, signifying what type of milk you wanted.
This one appears to be from a dairy in Petone, an area of Lower Hutt, which is the city I live in.
#coins #MilkToken
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2026-06-23 10:13:36 UTC

I collect coins but mostly just ones that I stumble across. A fun subset of my collection is coins that aren't legal currency.
Here's a few:
A Radiotopia challenge coin. I got it for donating during a pledge drive. (99% Invisible did an episode about challenge coins.) It's purely a souvenir - a quite pretty one. It's satisfyingly hefty - 5 cm across
(I'll add more to make a thread as I find the time)
#coins #Radiotopia
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2026-04-06 09:22:01 UTC

I'm back on a #CountryMusic kick, listening to lots of women artists and getting some new playlist ideas:
1) Country Women Revenge Murder Ballads (there are so many)
and
2) Country With Sapphic Vibes

2026-03-29 22:30:49 UTC

My Mills College class ring. I only wear it when I need to remind myself that I can do hard things. Like graduate college.
But today it's also reminding me that even institutions that feel like they will always be there can crumble. Mills made it 170 years, only to have COVID take it out in the end.
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2026-03-05 01:24:16 UTC

Not everything on the internet is enshittified - this website lets you ring a doorbell for a migrating fish so a Dutch lock operator can let them through
https://visdeurbel.nl/en/
#fish #nature

2025-12-01 08:14:09 UTC

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If it were today? I'd like to think I'd just hose the car off and get on with my day. Maybe casually mention to the kid later. Like "this weird thing happened, I wonder what's up with that." (pretty much what you did it sounds like!) However when my kid was your kid's age, I did not know as much as I do now (about their neurodivergence, about autism and PDA, etc) and I don't know if I would have been that chill.

2025-12-01 07:48:54 UTC

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💜

2025-11-30 23:01:27 UTC

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Dentist office called me back and I had to do Advocating For My Child stuff and so got off the phone in a social anxiety spiral - thus the anxiety-gardening. And then got to thinking about all the health professionals that have let my child down and then all the educational professionals that have let me child down - and therefore let me down when they were supposed to be helping - and thus the anxiety-gardening turning into rage-gardening. But I'm feeling better for all that because I was crushing some weeds the whole time, and I totally won. And now I'm going to eat some lunch and feel victorious.

2025-11-30 22:57:33 UTC

Well. I woke up to anxiety thoughts immediately making themselves known.
I have just anxiety gardened for longer than I should because I am one month post-covid and still have serious fatigue. But it is really the only thing that works some days.
Anxiety gardening helped me process some stuff though it's safe to say some of that processing was turning my anxieties into rage. Anger at a lot of the external causes of my anxieties today.
But it feels like progress.
#MentalHealth

2025-11-24 09:57:24 UTC

Yesterday evening I was working in my front yard veggie garden, feeling very behind on everything. And this woman walking a greyhound stopped to tell me how much she liked my garden, how she loves having a look at what's going on in my garden when she walks past.
And then she proceeded to discuss two of my neighbour's front yard veggie gardens which she also admires. And these are both gardens that I know and love to admire and draw inspiration from whenever I walk past. So I felt honored to hear that she held my garden in similar regard.

2025-11-20 05:08:15 UTC

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For an even easier preparation of the kale and silverbeet, I sometimes chop (for kale also de-stem) and toss them in the steamer and after cooking add some olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, maybe some lemon. If doing the kale and silverbeet together, tho, throw the kale in first as it takes longer.
If you want a prepare ahead step, the de-stemming and chopping of the leafy greens can be done well in advance.

2025-11-20 05:03:06 UTC

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As that looks a lot like a typical harvest from my home garden, you might find this post from my garden blog useful. It's not recipes so much as techniques that are pretty flexible as far as what you have and how much of it.
https://thiswildgarden.blogspot.com/2022/12/what-do-i-do-with-them-part-2.html

2025-11-13 10:07:55 UTC

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Just thinking of what I would try if it were my kid. And I'm thinking about encouraging him to interact with the car in real-world ways that could make him feel like he had control of the situation and had knowledge about cars. Like, a few that don't involve turning the car on: check the oil, fill the windshield wiper fluid, pop the hood and prop it up, check the tire pressure (if you have one of those little gages), that sort of thing. IDK it so depends on your kids interests but this kind of real, important grown-up know-how and the use of gadgets would have appealed to my kid at this age. And the sense of being the one acting upon the car, knowing things about the car, doing a real and valuable thing to the car, might shift his relationship to it? Change the perceived power dynamic? IDK geez I'm getting rambliy, I'm going to bed now.

2025-11-07 04:01:52 UTC

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😂 I love that you are also a fan of Future Man

2025-11-06 21:44:06 UTC

I know saying "RAT test" is repetitive because the 'T' means "test" but also it feels weird to say "I took a RAT today"

2025-10-14 23:25:49 UTC

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was planning to get regular hair dye, I wouldn't mind going ree for a bit. When your hair is as short as mine, it's only ever for a bit. Or if I like it enough I could keep it up. One regular hair dye should be good for at least a couple dyes. My hair is about an inch at longest right now.

2025-10-14 00:59:29 UTC

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It's going to be in the spirit of Columbia, not the details of the costume because there's no way I'm finding a gold sequined coat with tails. But I did find a coat with black lapel sequins, I just wish it wasn't a little small on me.

2025-10-14 00:50:21 UTC

I'm trying to put together a Columbia costume for #RHPS from mainly thrift shop items. It is fun but challenging. Kind of wishing I'd gone for Mickey-Mouse-hat-and-PJ's Columbia instead of the iconic tap-dancing Columbia.

2025-10-02 09:30:15 UTC

I'm feeling a bit on my own over here in my little corner of New Zealand, feeling sad that today is the day the federal funding runs out for NPR and PBS back in my country of origin.
I don't know when I first heard NPR but I remember when I first started listening. I was alone, cleaning my college dorm room, listening to the radio, when I heard This American Life's episode "24 Hours At The Golden Apple," in which reporters document one entire day at a Chicago diner. I'd never heard anything like it.
After that, I discovered more. Fresh Air, A Prairie Home Companion, Philosophy Talk. It felt like my own personal discovery; it felt new and grown-up.
Listening to all the pledge drives back then, I rarely had the money to spare. I'm trying to make up for it now.
(link to 24 Hours At The Golden Apple)
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/172/24-hours-at-the-golden-apple
#NPR #PBS #ThisAmericanLife

2025-09-24 23:08:57 UTC

A nice thing that happened yesterday is I was standing in my front garden admiring the sunset - which was like a banked fire, all dark grey clouds lit up bright orange-red underneath, with some fluffy clouds floating in front of it like smoke - when I guy walked past and said "nice work on the garden, I walk past it a lot and it's looking really good" and then I realised if I hadn't done all that work on it I wouldn't have such a nice view of the sunset because of the overgrown bushes.
#goodthings #sunsets #gardening

2025-08-25 20:32:52 UTC

This time of year is weird for a #SouthernHemisphere gardener because I'm seeing all your #VegetableGardening posts on here and it's late Summer harvests, like beautiful tomatoes and etc. and here I am just starting to think about what I'm going to plant this Spring

2025-07-14 10:24:46 UTC

This is Pegasus Books in Wellington. I took these pictures because I wanted to remember how it feels. The first thing I notice is how incredibly quiet it is. It's a big quiet; it envelopes you. It's not just a lack of music; I am unaware of even the other customers. I realise later, it must be the books. Every wall and a lot of the floor is lined with books.
It is a reassuring feeling. This labyrinth of books, books to the ceiling with ladders, books overflowing and stacked on the floor. Knicknacks stuck in everywhere, too, often in theme with the books, just as often random. Old saggy ottomans and chairs wedged into corners. Hand written signs everywhere. It's not the only second hand book store left in Wellington, but it's the only one that feels like this.
#SecondhandBookshop #Bookshop
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/114/850/964/971/079/502/original/e35e92da7716bbf0.jpg
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/114/850/985/196/868/023/original/94491a62ebb49a46.jpg

2025-05-25 21:29:53 UTC

Just going through my 'downloads' folder thinking I should organise these memes and such and apparently I need a folder just for David Tennant
#DavidTennant
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/114/570/552/850/515/252/original/f09d182365c4a742.jpg

2025-05-22 09:20:36 UTC

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It was this one https://www.noelleeming.co.nz/p/award-45cm-freestanding-dishwasher/N157153.html

2025-05-22 09:19:14 UTC

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Not sure how useful this will be because it was 2019, but here's what I dug out of email records: plumber for installation was $347. Diswasher was $1,188. It was not a typical size; it was a 45cm wide model because that's all that would fit next to the sink. We needed some cabinet alternation to make a space for it which we hired a handyman for, this cost $353. If you are also looking at small dishwasher models, we've been quite happy with ours. To keep on top of everything and have minimal items to hand wash, i run it twice a day. But it does not take long and it works well.

2025-05-20 20:49:56 UTC

Talking to my parents about when we went sailing around the South Pacific in the 80's and how you kept in touch pre-Internet. They had a ham radio, they did a check-in with a friend once a week.
But then there was Pacific Net. This was one guy, a hobbyist with a big antenna somewhere in Hawaii. He did a broad cast daily at a set time. Gave weather updates and did check-ins. You'd ask to be added to his check-in list. He would ask for your check-in and you would give your location and your heading. Tell about weather conditions and any other news you had. He would give you information about your location he'd gathered from everyone else he talked with. Like "this is what to expect at the port you are headed for" etc.
If you heard someone on the check-in that you wanted to talk to, you'd ask them to switch to another channel for a private chat.
Absolute early Internet vibes.
#sailing #HamRadio #PreInternet

2025-04-15 22:35:22 UTC

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"cat portal" on the right leads into the closet where he's got a hang out spot
https://o.mastodon.nz/media_attachments/files/114/344/358/769/576/407/original/4c18b8afd75a5271.jpg

2025-04-15 22:26:53 UTC

@npub196k…nzq5 I cut a hole in my wall so my cat could hang out in the closet so yes completely agree. (an nice looking hole)

2025-02-15 20:49:00 UTC

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As far as I can tell, no consequences for them, no arrests. And now I'm worried they are going to come try this shit at Wellington Pride next month?

2025-02-04 09:21:31 UTC

I just want you to know that if you need a scoop for your dog food, cat litter, potting soil, or what have you, you can make one - easily and quickly - out of a milk jug with a pair of sharp scissors.
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/944/870/221/177/807/original/5d7e61b5fbb02c7d.jpg

2025-01-22 20:10:17 UTC

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Locally? Wellington's golden mile redevelopment, which prioritises walking, cycling, and public transit, got final approval at the end of last year and work is actually starting on it.

2025-01-14 09:05:44 UTC

Just boosting a couple "welcome to Mastodon" type posts as I know of a few new people joining in here :D

2025-01-07 23:32:52 UTC

I hate most home electronics/ appliance noises but there are exceptions. The dish washer makes the soothing swishy water noises, especially relaxing when I stand in the kitchen late at night, after everyone else has gone to bed.
And the new mini-fridge sounds like it's possessed by a friendly ghost. It's all "whooOOoo, aaAAAaaah!"

2025-01-03 06:30:00 UTC

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I'm going to look into this antihistamines thing. Seems like I might have seen something about antihistamines lowering your chance of getting a COVID infection - and also certain allergies lowering your chances? But maybe it's a correlation thing, and it's the fact that people with allergies are more likely to be taking antihistamines? Take all that with a grain of salt; it is just a vague memory. I'll see what a search can turn up.

2025-01-03 02:38:10 UTC

I have just gone for a walk in the sunny afternoon, picked blackberries, sipped honeysuckle, watched the water glitter on the stream, and I finally feel like Summer is properly here
#Summer

2025-01-02 23:14:45 UTC

Also here is some clear info on resting after COVID and slowly easing into exercise. There's other info out there, and I know a video format isn't ideal for everyone. This is something I first found a year ago to share with my mum. If you've got more info on this topic, please share.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuDTh5uNnJv/
#COVIDSafe

2025-01-02 23:04:20 UTC

As a friend recently asked me for info on avoiding long COVID, I had a bit of a look at what is known. There are three things that are clear #1 is avoid getting COVID, of course (this is a whole other topic). #2 I already knew - rest as much as possible while recovering from COVID. #3 was less clear in the literature the last time I checked, but is looking very clear now. Vaccination reduces risk of long COVID and boosters reduce risk further.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vaccination-dramatically-lowers-long-covid-risk/
#COVIDSafe #LongCovid

2025-01-01 21:47:27 UTC

While EVs have been in top American news stories today, it's not at all in the ways I would have hoped.

2024-12-31 20:44:09 UTC

Happy New Year, friends. We did stay up til midnight, watched Gremlins, ate snacks, toasted with bubbly, went to bed. It seemed only one house in our neighborhood bothered with fireworks in the cold rain, which I am not at all complaining about.

2024-12-30 06:53:34 UTC

I harvested my tiny crop of garlic today. Look at those wild curly flower stems! I grew just 6 garlic plants this year, in a repurposed recycle bin, and got larger bulbs than I have got growing them in the ground. These are from hardneck garlic that I bought from Twisted Citrus two seasons ago. I took the last six cloves from my crop last Fall and planted them.
#GrowYourOwn #VegetableGardening #Garlic
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/740/315/934/241/437/original/a6796f232edfb75f.jpg
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/740/315/948/593/734/original/3880292a2147b141.jpg

2024-12-21 06:45:00 UTC

Happy #SummerSolstice everyone. I made #pavlova for the first time in 5+ years and it was very good. The kid even liked it though he has not in the past. Making it 'assemble your own' with whipped cream and fruit on the side probably helped.

2024-12-19 02:15:45 UTC

I discovered the birds had been eating my pea seedlings! Came back hours later to deal with it and they'd eaten even more!
You can tell it's birds if you see sharp, angular pieces taken out of your leaves. (see pea seedling in the first pic). Snails and slugs eat your leaves in a more curved pattern, carving out a little semi circle.
I improvised a chicken wire cage to keep them out, simply folding the sides down and folding the corners into shape.
#VegetableGardening #Peas #GrowYourOwn
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/677/039/054/471/134/original/f4bdd004a4875c11.jpg
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/677/040/202/316/355/original/ae95315a65694210.jpg

2024-12-17 04:32:31 UTC

Sometimes I think about Ken's House of Pancakes in Hilo, an absolute institution, a favourite haunt as a teen and twenty-something. It's comforting to just mentally go back there.
Today I decided to look them up, and I'm comforted to know they still exist and the decor still hasn't changed since the '70's.
However I am sad to learn they are no longer open 24/7. For a long time they were the only 24 hr. establishment in Hilo.
(CW on that link for all the food pics)
https://www.kenshouseofpancakes.com/index.php/photo-gallery

2024-12-09 06:11:14 UTC

I am going to go plant my beans now, and then I will be done planting veggies for now. Thanks to the rain the soil will be well watered and I've been waiting all day for the sun to get low in the sky so the beans can have a nice cozy start on acclimating.

2024-11-29 08:56:20 UTC

This is the first song I thought of. Because "kotahitanga' contains the word 'tahi' which means 'one.' Which made me think of how this song starts with 'one voice' meaning a solitary voice and ends with 'one voice' meaning many voices singing together as one.
Wailin' Jennys - One Voice
#JukeboxFridayNight
#Kotahitanga
#Togetherness
https://youtu.be/-jKH6kILbho?feature=shared

2024-11-26 05:17:11 UTC

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I have been round and round with my GP on this same symptom. All respiratory and cardiovascular checks were normal, chest xray and bloods normal. No anemia. I go round and round about what I think it is. Was sure it was anxiety for a while. Was sure it was acid reflux for a while. Currently IDK I'm putting it in the bucket of weird symptoms that are probably perimenopause related. have you tried tracking it in relationship with your cycle?

2024-11-22 20:49:19 UTC

I like quirky small town tv shows, especially if they are murder mysteries. Currently enjoying #Bodkin
Also recently enjoyed: #Deadhloch #Population11 #ThreePines
(probably I'm forgetting a few)
Got any recommendations for others?
#TVShows #TVMysteries

2024-11-22 01:36:38 UTC

#COVIDSafe friends, please can anyone point me at some sensible and clear guidelines for when a household member has COVID? Have just had a first infection in our household, and I'm finding info that is all over the place. Like, how long to isolate from rest of family, when we should all test, and for how long, etc.

2024-11-19 09:18:34 UTC

#TuneTuesday #YouCantTouchThis
Thought of one more. This Chicks cover was pretty good. The Smashing Pumpkins cover I was not really into. You just can't improve upon Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac in this case, IMO.
(I went with this version from The Dance as it's the one I know best)
Fleetwood Mac - Landslide
https://youtu.be/WM7-PYtXtJM?feature=shared

2024-11-09 22:08:05 UTC

Just tried Dad's childhood cinnamon toast recipe and it's next level.
So you make toast. Then you put butter, cinnamon and LOTS of sugar on top, then you stick it in the oven (or toaster oven) and toast it again until the top goes a bubbly. Wait for it to cool and the top is all crunchy cinnamon goodness.
#Food #recipe #Toast

2024-10-31 21:00:51 UTC

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This weird thing where Kiwis have misinterpreted what "trick or treat" means and they ask the kids to do a trick to get a treat?
Like, folks, its not trick FOR treat. It's trick OR treat. Like, give us a treat or we will TP your house. But no one does that here.
#halloween

2024-10-31 20:57:49 UTC

Halloween in Aotearoa this year.
The best thing I saw while taking my kid trick or treating was a black 1920's car, hood down, with life-sized skeletons suck all over it. Pulls up next to us, a bunch of trick or treaters hop out, and the thing just drives away?
Wish I'd gotten a photo
#Halloween

2024-10-23 22:15:24 UTC

I don't talk enough about how This Ends At Prom is one of my favourite podcasts. They talk about teen girl movies from a lot of angles - critical, personal feelings, cultural impact - with lots of delightful tangents. But the best thing actually is just that the chemistry and banter between these two queers is delightful.
I really enjoyed the recent episode about Nightmare On Elm Street even though I don't like horror.
https://podtail.com/podcast/this-ends-at-prom/
#Podcast #ThisEndsAtProm

2024-10-21 22:34:32 UTC

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That quote is such a good reminder. It's easy to feel like 'it will be like this forever.' My kid hit tweens and suddenly a lot of the things that felt like that have shifted. For instance one day I was going to comb his (long) hair and he just picked up the comb and did it himself which he had literally never done before and now he does it regularly and doesn't want me to do it ever. It was always a big negotiation for me to comb it regularly and now it's a non-issue.

2024-10-08 00:33:21 UTC

I've heard about the connection between estrogen and progesterone levels and ADHD symptoms but finally read something about it for myself and yeah.
Been feeling crappy today and looking at the estrogen/progesterone cycle, I'm near the very lowest estrogen point today according to this graph. Going to keep this on file and maybe actually start tracking my cycle better.
Also relevant to #perimenopause
https://www.understood.org/en/articles/adhd-hormones-women
#adhd #hormones
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/268/943/687/558/400/original/e25766195a7bfd62.jpg

2024-10-06 03:35:27 UTC

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there also used to be more jobs that involved working with your hands and mainly not talking to people

2024-10-06 03:20:43 UTC

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bean slicer. Coffee grinder. Old school pencil sharpener with the crank handle? Have seen the first two at op shops, not sure about the third

2024-10-02 23:08:33 UTC

There is a bird making a nest in our roof directly over the head of my bed. Like, I hear it up there scratching and pecking around up there from first thing in the morning. Then it goes and perches in a nearby tree and sings.
I've just got a better look at it and I think it's a starling. I think it's just the one so far? A pair of birds made a nest in this spot last year and I was hearing the babies peeping for food when their parents arrived.
#birds #Starling #nature

2024-09-26 21:34:40 UTC

Trying to do an audit of the random items in the back of my pantry.
Anyone got a great recipe that uses a lot of breadcrumbs? I have got an (expired but probably fine) unopened bag of wholemeal breadcrumbs, 400g, probably 2-3 cups?
#Recipes

2024-09-19 21:53:18 UTC

I can't understand how that gang patches bill passed. I don't know a lot about gangs, tbh. But how is it ok to arrest someone for what they are wearing? How is it ok to arrest someone over a symbol on an item that they have in their own home? How does one define what is and isn't a gang to begin with?
#NZPol

2024-09-12 21:11:05 UTC

Back on newspapers.com again and noticing the language. In the South Carolina papers anyway, no one says "Civil War." In papers from the 1970's I saw it called "The War Between The States" and also just "the war of 1861-1865." Like, has no one decided what to call it yet? Or is this some Southern resistance to calling it the Civil War?

2024-09-11 08:56:37 UTC

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Thanks for the recommendation!

2024-09-11 07:24:10 UTC

Folks, my face sunscreen is just not working. I reapplied three times in about four hours and still got sunburned. And I was wearing a wide brimmed sun hat the whole time. This has become a recurring problem. There is either something wrong with my sunscreen or something wrong with me. Any recommendations for face sunscreen that can handle Ao/NZ sun? I'm currently using Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen SPF 50+
#Sunscreen #SunBlock #SunSafe

2024-09-05 22:57:30 UTC

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#SmallAndFleetingRegrets
In an image file as it was slightly too long
@npub14n6…x793 @npub1n8f…vtap
https://mastodon.nz/system/media_attachments/files/113/087/452/412/228/012/original/814cf52f11459197.png

2024-09-05 22:10:30 UTC

#SmallAndFleetingRegrets
I
Sometimes I think about how
my friend heard that there was a copy of Alice In Wonderland
illustrated by Salvador Dalí in the rare books room at Mills College
and we were going to go have a look at it our senior year
but we never did.
@npub1n8f…vtap look I did a hashtag

2024-09-05 21:40:36 UTC

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I have written a third one and am now full of doubt that anyone wants to hear my stupid little regrets 😅

2024-09-05 20:55:56 UTC

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I wrote another one last night about not going to a midnight showing of RHPS but it ended up heavier than I realised it was going to be 😅