Be   humble for you are made of Earth. Be noble for you are made of stars - Serbian proverb quoted on Word-a-Day.

I’m late posting (usually Tuesdays), because I have had a few days in Nelson. My favourites: a studio at Tahuna Holiday Park overlooking the estuary and a tree in front of the unit exactly like the one from the movie Tree of Life and most of all walking on Tahunanui Beach. As it was midweek I visited the Farmers’ Market on a Wednesday afternoon at Fashion Island where I was tempted by flowers, olives and heritage plants. Usually I like to visit Nelson in the weekend so I can walk around the Saturday market. Later I visited the Suter Art Gallery to see the current exhibition and was inspired by a series of paintings showing colourful figures moving in space, blurring into each other with indistinguishable features.

   I always like to take my time driving home slowly. I called in to have a coffee at the Forrester’s Cafe right on the border of Nelson and Marlborough province. I wanted to check out the gluten free and vegan options as I am going to a Writers’ Retreat there next weekend. Do look out for the cafe and stop for a rest. They suggested I write to Council to reinstate the sign that tells you where the boundary is. At present the structure is still there but it is covered in graffiti. The road signs are all in excellent condition, on some bends it’s recommended you only do 25 kph!

   I love browsing in Havelock, home to green lip mussels. Sadly the Maori craft shop has closed. I always looked forward to touching the huge white bird just inside the doorway, sculpted by Clem Mellish. The business has been replaced by a shop selling outdoor motors and sporting goods.

   I arrived home to admire all my roses blooming after the half bucket of sheep pellets I gave them in September: Mutabilis, Gruss an Aachen, Fruhlingsgold, Katherine Mansfield and Sally Holmes, Souvenir de la Malmaison and Anais Segalas, a cerise-purple rose brought out by early settlers and found on old graves in cemeteries. I have previously mentioned Cecile Brunner used by the ‘Picton flower ladies’ for posies for Cruise ship passengers. Sadly I also read news on Facebook of a friend who had broken her leg while on a mission of good.

NZ King Salmon decision

   The decision on NZ King Salmon farms has been postponed until 22 February 2013. In relation to this today on ‘This Way Up’, I heard a radio interview and the term ‘surfenomics’. What is the value of things like a surf wave or a coastline or a walk on a wonderful beach? How much revenue/cash does the natural resource generate? How much would people be willing to pay to keep it if it was under threat or could be harmed? These are the same questions that have been raised in relation to the salmon farms issue. The government thinks it will be of value as more jobs will be created (cash). People feel their properties could be devalued (cash). Tourists might decide not to visit the Sounds and go elsewhere (cash). The main thing for me is altering the environment, a coastline that has been like this for centuries is under threat from a proposed built environment. How much would Marlborough people and other New Zealanders who own property in the Sounds or value holidaying here or even Tourism organisations be prepared to pay to maintain the natural beauty of the area for future generations? 

Marine reserves in the Ross Sea - talks fail

It was only recently when I went to a talk organised by Forest and Bird in Marlborough that I learnt about the number of countries involved in Antarctica. 24 countries and the European Union are members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). This organisation met in Hobart to discuss a proposal by New Zealand and the United States to set up marine reserves in the Ross Sea area which included creating a ‘special research zone’. Unfortunately after two weeks the talks have failed. Russia, China and the Ukraine were concerned about the fishing restrictions.

Literary matters

The Library Association (LIANZA), wants people to lobby their MPs to keep NZ libraries free. The relevant Bill is scheduled for 7 November. You can support the association at http://www.facebook.com/KeepPublicLibrariesFree and The Yellow Birds is a haunting war story set in Iraq told in spare poetic prose.