Did You Know?

That the moon has earthquakes too. The moon is shrinking getting more than 50 metres skinnier over the last several 100 million years. Just as grapes wrinkle when they shrink so too does the moon. The crust of the moon is brittle, so as the moon shrinks it breaks, forcing fault thrusts on a neighbouring part. Some of these quakes have been measured as being as large as a 5 on the Richter Scale.

Moonbows can be seen but they are much fainter than a rainbow because the light from the moon is far less than the light from the sun. They are an optical illusion created by water droplets refracting the light from the moon. Because they are fainter they are less visible and rarely seen.  … Continue Reading

THE AXEMAN’S  CARNIVAL  BY CATHERINE CHIDGEY

Everywhere the birds; sparrows and skylarks, thrushes and starlings, bellbirds and fantails and pipits – but above them and louder, the magpies. We are here and this is our tree and we are staying and it is ours and you need to leave now.

The Axeman’s Carnival is a riveting read told through the eyes of Tama the magpie. Set on a debt-ridden South Island high country farm, owned by gentle Marnie and her controlling and sometimes brutal husband Rob.

Marnie grieving after a miscarriage, finds a tiny magpie chick and brings it home to nurture it. Rob objects and questions having a magpie living with them.  … Continue Reading