December 30

The evening was clear for the first time since arriving here

although the waning full moon made smaller stars more difficult to observe

(From lower left: Matariki, Jupiter, Orion)

Today I also visited Bletchley Park with Jeremy, where many of the codes used in WWII were broken

December 29

Walking from Warwick to Leamington today, enjoying the quaint English houses

December 28

Rain today

December 27

Low tide

December 26

Stepping from painted yellow line to painted yellow line

following young footsteps

(hobbit feet)

December 25

After walking around the colonial houses and gardens of Nelson, we have a beautiful christmas lunch at my nana's, where my old great uncle and relations drop by, and then we squeeze into the car and head to the house by the beach. The sea was calm and warm.

December 24

We arrived in Nelson in the afternoon, where it was super warm.

Walking around with my dad at night, we came across a nice carols by candlelight.

And my nephew left out a plate of cut-up nectarine pieces for santa's reindeer outside the front door

December 23

The sky brightened after a busy morning at the observatory, making a beautiful afternoon to go rollerblading around the waterfront with Aleisha

We were both pretty uncoordinated, but greatly improved after a time. People were playing the 'Wellington Community Piano' by the water

Pretty cool

though I think I'll keep my bike for now

December 22

Wellington has the great ability to transform from a wet and misty place into beautiful sunshine in just a few hours

 (and then back again - star gazers have to be quick)

December 21

The alien has landed

The exterior and interior of the new Kelburn 'Campus Hub,' where below is the view of the just completed reading room on the upper level, part of the expanded library.

I also spent today in London trying to fit in as many galleries and museums as I could, starting with the British Museum where I admired an original Hokusai 'The Wave,' and learnt about the inspiration that romantic composers like Debussy drew from the work, such as in his 'La Mer'

December 20

Today:

I learned a new word while I was in London; "fenestration," which refers to the openings in a building envelope. I first encountered it at an exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts about Russian modernist architecture, and how the fenestration could be used to tell the story of what was happening inside, from the outside.

I thus spent my time walking around London trying to guess at the different spaces that may have been behind the different kinds of windows and openings in the buildings I saw...

December 19

Sitting on the asphalt, using the ground as a stable surface to view the stars (from left; Matariki, Jupiter, Orion)

As I was crouched on the road, a cat sat patiently underneath the car beside me. Both of us were very still, waiting, watching. Until another cat came along, and they battled on the street. Uncertain how feline I appeared to my starlight companions, I decided to call it a night.

In London, in a christmas-sy mood, I snuck into St Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square (thanks to a friendly usher), to sing and listen to christmas carols

December 18

My dad returned from Nelson with his epic boyhood trainset. Happy birthday Dad!

I also visited Windsor Castle today, with the Queen in residence.

December 17

Drawing

 (I love washed ink)

and touring Oxford with Helen, after being fully prepped on its long history; as a filming location for Morse and Lewis. Also in my mind was Lyra's Oxford from His Dark Materials...

December 16

December 15

Handel's Messiah performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and the Orpheus Choir of Wellington. It has been so long since I have heard music 'live,' and the rich texture that it brings is simply exquisite.

My previous self spent the day crawling through time in Birmingham, inside restored houses for workers and their families of the most basic dimensions (I wrote about it at the time here). But yay christmas trees!

December 14

(imagined perspective)

I did not see any of the Geminid meteors last night, during the predicted peak of activity (cloudy), but was fortunate to see a trio early in the morning of the 14th, before going to bed (though it was tempting to stay out: "come on! just one more! oh, that was too small! another!")

December 13

Sushi, from somewhere that is not St Piere's Sushi (and their cheap cheap daily specials), but rather a more fancy place, lined up with all the office workers on their lunch break.

A year ago I was standing in a field of sheep, walking from Leamington Spa to Offchurch, a tiny little village about an hour away on foot. I was taken by surprise that the route lead through a paddock, and I think so where the sheep. They lifted their heads and stared at me, Baa-ing, until they moved as one to start to surround me. I moved a bit faster, afraid of being fleeced.

At this time of year, the sun barely makes it into the sky during the day, making this photo taken about mid-day, seem like some kind of twilight with long cast shadows

December 12

Wash day at the House
(Ans Westra)