Friday Feathered Friend
A lovely picture of a tarāpuka by Louise Thomas.
"Our beautiful endemic and endangered black-billed gull/tarāpuka (Chroicocephalus bulleri). Sometimes I've found them a little confusing to identify as in non-breeding plumage, black-billed gulls can have a two-coloured brownish and black bill and red legs, but they always have a longer, finer bill than a red-billed gull - that said there is also a little variation in the bill sizes. The two species sometimes hang out together as well to make it more confusing. Bird #57 in 2022."
Suellen’s sweet Christmas tradition
The festive season is always a great excuse to indulge your sweet tooth, and this time of year poses the perfect opportunity to bring a real showstopper to the Christmas table.
For Suellen’s family, that showstopper is Croquembouche, an impressive tower of cream puffs bound together with spun sugar that is popular at weddings in France and Italy.
What began as a birthday treat at a local French café has become a cherished Christmas tradition for Suellen and her 17-year-old twin granddaughters, Ellie and Sadie. Every year, the trio gather in Suellen’s apartment at William Sanders Village to cook this festive dessert - a holiday highlight they all treasure.
Click read more for the recipe.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!