Starry Night over an Aztec Temple

Because one never gets tired of plagerising Van Gogh!

This piece will go to Turkey.

From Ugly Duckling to Elegant Swan

As many of you know, yesterday I got married to my longterm partner, Tim. We've been together nearly ten years, and living together for about four, so it was a bit of a surprise for me when he finally asked me for my hand in marriage in early January last year. Although I must confess, I had a few hints.

Planning a wedding is a long-winded affair with a great many steps to consider, and I am pleased to say that things went very smoothly indeed. Our first dance was a great success, even if Tim was not fully braced for the lean! We did the tango, which was a fun experience in a wedding dress, I must say (and entirely unrehearsed in the dress).

Ah the dress, it is silk and I had to try on many dresses before deciding on the one that felt right, and then making a few modifications.

There will be more photos as we have yet to collate those of family and friends, however I thought I would share this one. You see, my first impression when I was dressed and elegant was that of a swan, which immediately led me to hunt down the worst photo of me I could find to present you with this:

Ugly "Duckling" (aged 16)

to Beautiful Swan:
This one is taking with the "wishes" tree - we gave everyone a leaf and asked them to write a message and pin it to the tree. I have the results before me and will go through them soon).

And the only photo I have on my camera of the newlyweds (don't worry, everyone else had heaps).

The cake was a fruitcake from the Cupcake Parlour and so full of fruit that it was rather an effort to cut it! Everyone (hopefully) got a cupcake to take home. I hope noone was greedy! There was exactly one each with four left over for me to give to the children tomorrow.

And because I know you think the cake looks great, here's another picture:

The Lemur Bride alas, lost her veil. Once we've made a new one, we will photograph this handsome pair again.

A Dapper Dabbling Duck

Probably our most handsome duck, the New Zealand Shoveler is one of the least commonly seen and also least known. This is because he prefers quieter, backcountry lakes and waterways to the city ponds. Smart in appearance, and smart in nature, the Shovelers are the first to head for the seashore in duck hunting season, where they seek sanctuary on the open ocean. Still many are shot every year, however. Named "shoveler" for its bill, this is a dabbling duck that unlike its counterparts does not graze. Instead it uses fine filters in its bill to sieve riverwater and strain out tasty invertebrates and their larvae.
I have seen thesein Christchurch, in Travis Swamp.

This postcard is likely to wind up in Panama.

The Weka Thief

The Weka is a species of flightless rail found only in New Zealand. It is sometimes mistaken for a kiwi - although the two look almost nothing alike, at least to a bird lover like me! Weka are noted for their curious tendencies and love of thievery. They have been known to sneak into tents to steal food, but also favour shiny objects, which they use to decorate their nests. Obviously the one pictured has musical taste, either that or she doesn't believe that you should take ipods into the native forest... Anyhow, when not eating pillaged food, weka eat almost anything - insects, lizards and frogs, berries and shoots, baby birds, eggs... Basically, they're the pigs of New Zealand. Their loud "CCOOOOEEEEE" call has awoken (rudely) many a tramper. But sadly in many areas their numbers are dwindling, although in other areas, they are still on the menu!

This postcard is off to Costa Rica.

One day this will be worth a fortune...

Yeah, right!

Tui Brewery handdrawn postcard. Gosh, the red scans garishly. And clashes nicely with the magenta of the building.

Isn't it awesome?

Stylised Butterfly

And this fellow will be winging his way to Romania! He is a stylised Tussock Buttefly, one of several tussock butterfly species endemic to New Zealand. Hence the tussock grass. He's a postcard.

I contemplated an April Fool's joke but couldn't think of anything clever. Also, one of my online correspondent friends is currently in hospital suffering a terrible decline through kidney failure. The prognosis doesn't sound good. So frivolity and immature behaviour does not seem particularly fitting.

Hairy Maclary and Friends

Beloved to the children of New Zealand is "Hairy Maclary" - a scruffy pup who has lots of misadventures involving chasing cats, stealing sausages and winning the show. He is a black Skye terrier of the scruffiest kind. This postcard features him and a few of his friends. See if you can figure out which is which:
Schnitzel von Krumm with a very low tum,
Bitzer Maloney all skinny and bony,
Muffin McLay like a bundle of hay,
Bottomly Potts covered in spots,
Hercules Morse as big as a horse ...
and Zackary Quack.

These delightful books are written by Lynley Dodd. At some point in the future I will draw the cats!