August is gone ... spring has sprung !

Very wierd month this .... we have been full of colds and sicknesses .... yet the weather has been absolutely marvellous ... warming up week by week. Now it feels like it is summer.

Firewood pressure has gone off - we are actually generating some electricity - so petrol bill has gone down.

Anika is asking some great questions and has become a reader over the last 6 months - very exciting to see her grow in confidence with learning. She and Andrew were exploring google this morning to find out about warm and cold blooded animals as we weren't sure about birds.

Anika has attended her first "5" year old birthdays of people who haven't been "our" friends first. Good to see how others do it ! Anika is becoming more and more influenced by her friends and by advertising. She has finally discovered McDonalds and wants to buy a toy there. We did well getting to 4 and a half. Santa and birthday lists are getting very long with all of her requests for "things".

Hazel loves being outside and is outside at the first hint that anyone is heading that way. She is always looking for fun and is a busy wee thing -

expressing her needs very aptly through two words in a wide tonal range - with non verbals - pointing and head nodding and shaking.

Hazel is expressing her frustration of being an aware toddler without language by hitting and throwing everything and everyone. She is learning quickly about consequences and behaviour is beginning to modify.

I am back to only doing my Enviroschools work so my life is alot more manageable - and therefore home life is better. I am doing a short stint of music teaching at a local school - with a focus on instruments of Maori (taonga püoro) with the seniors which has been really interesting.

Andrew has been very busy increasing his legal understanding of how the environmental court works - applying for funding, searching out experts as Sustainable Wairarapa, who he is the chair for, is taking the local district council to court to try and prevent 25 more years of discharge of effluent - directly and indirectly into our awa - the Ruamuhunga. They are hoping to make progress at a mediation process.

Andrew in a suit - first time I've seen him in a full one - off to a meeting with lawyers.

Andrew and I both joined Facebook - submitted to the peer pressure of families. Is quite fun - more time on these jolly computers. Very easy to use and publish photos.

So no great thoughts to share with you all - other than it is a gorgeous clear blue sky day and we have had a cracker frost this morning ....

- the daffodils are out on the bank

- the kowhai flowers are out in the bush

- hence the tui are rushing around madly

- there are lambs everywhere

- the paradise ducks have 6 chicks

(we will count down with them - as happens every year -

only raised 1 in the end ..)

- the hawks (kahu) are doing dippy dives showing off to each other

- the garden is covered in peastraw waiting for some action.