I’m starting to wonder when evidence about being a couch potato will stop focusing on the amount of time people spend watching TV.  I for one don’t watch much TV but probably spend equivalent amounts of time as the “average” person glued to my computer either reading on line, fixated with my photographs or wedded to my blog.  Lately we’ve also started watching more TV from the computer than the TV broadcasters so in all I think I must be surpassing the elite levels of sedentary slothdom. Last week I watch hours of another online photography... [See today's Snap]

Some of the first visitors to Domestic Executive HQ were a pair of ducks.  On and off since then there have been a pair hanging around in and out of puddles and hiding out in the bush.  Since the puddles on the drive dried out momentarily the ducks took up residence on the waterlogged lawn.Then the lawn dried out a little (read that as waterlogged but no duck pond) they headed off to paddle in the stream by the drive (read naturally created channel of water from the torrential rains). If I were one of those ducks I’d be really frustrated with the constant search... [See today's Snap]

Those in the northern hemisphere mustn’t have got much sleep last night as all New Zealanders shouted out for Spring. The woo hoo from Wellington was audible all the way up the Hutt Valley.  Yes, Spring is official here and my what a beautiful day. Spring sunshine to warm our hearts and give us hope that we are indeed moving to brighter and drier days. Daffodils are abound although we only have one so far – I snapped this early this morning with the morning dew still clinging on. With our turn about seasons, I can’t help but still think of 1 September... [See today's Snap]

Once again the weather is tormenting us.  Being chased by the rain has become a regular pastime in recent days.   Put this together with a dose of Wellington winds and it’s the perfect recipe for meteorology misery for long suffering residents.  In the last two days I’ve talked to three people who are seriously researching moves to warmer places.  I can’t blame them as someplace warm and dry would be a perfect alternative to what we’re living with right now.  Read More →

In my day job I’ve talk about how some days being a leader means you have to be able to herd cats.  After my photography trip to Ohariu Farm I can see how I can use the herding sheep metaphor as a way to describe how leaders with the right support, tools and techniques can you can not just lead people in a direction but skillfully shift direction as conditions change.  Watching Greg running the ewes in the pens was fine leadership in action, ably assisted of course by his trusty sheep dog. When I took the photographs in this blog I was feeling very much out of my... [See today's Snap]

One of the things I love about New Zealand is you can turn the corner in a city district and see a view like this.  Wide open spaces uncluttered by humanity.  Just as nature intended.  This is a view across the Ohariu Valley taken whilst on the photography workshop.  Read More →

It’s been a struggle but I’ve whittled down my picks for the photography workshop to a mere 96 photographs.  Now all I have to do is process them and decide how best to tell the story of the day on Ohariu Farm.  Film photography probably makes you more disciplined in your photography since you are acutely aware of the number of films you’re ploughing through whereas you can snap away quite happily with a digital camera.The problem is that all you are delaying is the decisions of which are the best shots.   Some say that digital photography makes you... [See today's Snap]