Sunday 7th January 2018

nearly as big as mum

​Hello friends and family
Happy 2018.
Hopefully things are quietening down for you and you can enjoy a break before it is back to work! I have begun my summer harvest, with tomatoes, capsicums, potatoes, carrots, beans and broad beans too! After a shower earlier in the week I did mow the front lawn to tidy the place up, and weed-eated the lighthouse enclosure to reduce the fire risk. The workers are due here soon to re-pile the lighthouse so that could be quite noisy.

People damage from walking on the sensitive historical features.

​I did the monitoring rounds on Wednesday and Friday and the chicks are growing up fast. Today Hiltrun and I will micro-chip and weigh the oldest chicks as they have reached 70 days old. Chris arrived on Thursday and cousin Daniel arrived on Friday, so it has been busy.

Penguin chicks creching

​Chris and I met with Will and Jennifer who inspire us with their wonderful support and concern for the welfare of the wildlife.

The Pohutukawa continues to bring enjoyment

​At this time of the year the visitor pressure is at its highest with other new Zealanders wanting to act like they are above the law, shooting all over the farm and the road at night from vehicles, with shotguns and leaving the cartridges and beer bottle tops all over the place. Then there are the poachers who collect Paua from the middle of a seal breeding area. Fortunately, these people are the minority.

Disturbing the seal pups just because he can

The rain that drenched the rest of the country passed us by and so I have been busy watering gardens and trees!
Have a great week
Rosalie
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