SPRING IS HERE
... And here is the evidence from recently blooming flowers carefully encouraged by the warming weather to burst forth and announce Spring has arrived, with a carpet of colour

Finally Labour Party admit to mistakes during their 9 year Dictatorship
Prior to the Labour Party conference this weekend Phil Goff was asked if he would apologise to the conference for the nanny state policies, Mr Goff replied: "I think we want to draw a line under the past and say, yes, we made mistakes, we didn't listen."
I do wonder if Phil Goof will be publicly apologising to the nation for blunders, incompetence and irresponsible social manipulation shown over 9 years of Labour dictatorship???
... or should they simply wind up the party and go home?
See : http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10596584

Mt. Kakepuku September 5th
Just minutes south of Te Awamutu it was a superb day for the short trek up Kakepuku, in perfect clear skies, with a clear view of Ngaruahoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu ... 200km further south.
Birdlife is gradually returning to the mountain, with tui, fantails and other small birds everywhere ... well at least until a number of tui frantically scattered when a falcon burst from its slumber in the trees and darted skyward, to glide and return in a majestic swoop to the bush. Even the butterflies were friendly enough to parade their colours for us on the trig plantform overlooking the treetops and out to Pirongia to the west. AQ perfect day and well worth the effort of a short climb. A pa site at the peak is still evident 150 years after it was abandoned and fascinating to walk through the hand formed platforms cut into the hillside.