Hello Now Souvenirs

The Now Now

⇜ November 2025 ⇝

General

I haven't updated my website much during November because I was in AOTEAROA / NEW ZEALAND for two weeks! We explored the North Island (1 week in Auckland 1 week in Paihia, Rotorua, and New Plymouth (yes it was a lot of driving)) and we loved it SO MUCH that we already decided that we're going back next year to explore the South Island.

I added 26 new birds to my Merlin Life List. My favorite New Zealand bird is the Kea, which I only saw at the Auckland Zoo (they do not live on the North Island; I did not log the Kea in my Merlin app). My favorite bird that I encountered in the actual wild is probably the sweet little Tomtit that landed in front of me when I was busy not-dying on a four-hour hike in the Paihia mountains.

We renewed our premium Geocaching membership and found 40 geocaches in New Zealand!

Seriously ppl NZ is a dream destination for birders and hikers and beachgoers. I cannot wait to go back.

The month started off with waking up to great horned owls hooting up a storm. They had a lot to say!

Art Projects

1. I planned out what I want to focus on for the next twelve months to become a better painter, with the help of this DIY Art School video I found.

2. I am working on a swan painting that I started one year ago, scrapped and restarted, and then shoved in a drawer for several months until today. Hopefully I finish it this time. UPDATE - I DID NOT FINISH THE SWAN PAINTING IN NOVEMBER