Hawkes Bay Edition

Vol. 293-2  August 11, 2025

Ph Chris 022 078 0890


Everybody's Talking

Tree design: In Derbyshire, England, furniture isn't built it's cultivated slowly and deliberately over the seasons. At Full Grown, young trees are gently trained around custom frames, growing directly into the shapes of chairs, lamps, and more. This small company, inspired by ancient techniques and a chance encounter with driftwood, imagines a new kind of craftsmanship, one shaped by nature rather than machines. Native trees like ash, willow, and hazel are used for their flexibility and resilience. Instead of cut and assembled wood, the process lets each tree become its own unique design. The finished pieces carry the marks of time, intention, and care, blending art, ecology, and a little bit of magic.

Clay coolers: Across India, a quiet, ancient solution is helping people fight rising heat without electricity. From simple earthen pots to handmade refrigerators, clay-based tools use evaporation to lower temperatures and preserve food. These porous vessels work by slowly releasing moisture, which cools the surrounding air and water as it evaporates. Unlike fans or air conditioners, they cost little and don't stop working during power outages. Some models, like clay fridges, can chill fruits and vegetables for days using only water. Built from local materials and long-standing traditions, they offer comfort when other options are out of reach. For many, these humble inventions are a lifeline as temperatures continue to soar.

Stonnee vision: In the village of Hauterives in France an unassuming postman built a wonder from the ground up, literally. After stumbling on a peculiar rock during his mail route, he began collecting stones and sculpting them into strange, dreamlike shapes. Over the years, the pile turned into something far more ambitious a hand-built palace of towers, arches, and mythical figures, all shaped without formal training. Driven by a vision he once saw in a dream, the postman crafted the structure piece by piece after work, using only basic tools and an old wheelbarrow. Locals used to mock him, but now his creation attracts visitors from around the world. What began with a stubbed toe became a monument to imagination.

Tree code: In the village of Xilinshui, China, a forest was shaped into a scannable surprise. Planted with 130,000 junipers, the design forms a QR code large enough to be read from a plane. Travellers who snap the code mid-flight are directed to the village's tourism profile, blending nature with promotion. QR codes are already ubiquitous in China, used for everything from payments to donations and ads. But this one adds a green twist to tech. It's part landscape art, part ad, and is fully rooted in modern marketing. As a code you can climb over but also click, it blends digital life with the natural world and is the only QR code that needs watering, pruning, and maybe a little sunshine to stay online.

Quotable Quotes

The truth is rarely pure and never simple. ~ Oscar Wilde

The world is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper. ~ Bertrand Russell

Trivia

1. Who composed the opera La Traviata?

2. Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is displayed at this Paris museum.

3. A pawpaw is a fruit, small cat, or engine part?

4. This 2,300-km coral formation can be seen from space.

5. Which astrology constellation is considered the Archer?

Your Weekly Horoscope

ariesAries (March 21 - April 19)
If you feel frustrated at the start of the week, try to focus on finding a positive outlet for direct­ing your energy. Avoid the temptation to act impulsively or in anger. Lucky numbers: 1, 4, 11, 23, 35, 37.
libraLibra (Sept 24 - Oct 23)
Midweek may give you an energetic boost to your mental endeavours. This could be good for writing, such as working on a book or developing a new presentation plan. Lucky numbers: 6, 8, 19, 26, 37, 38.
taurusTaurus (April 20- May 20)
Do you have a project that would benefit from an extra push of hard work? The middle of this week may provide you with that opportunity, so take advantage of it. Lucky numbers: 10, 18, 20, 27, 31, 40.
scorpioScorpio (Oct 24- Nov 21)
At the end of the week, be especially careful of dig­ging in your heels when interacting with others. Take a deep breath and listen to why they may be opposing you. Lucky numbers: 5, 9, 20, 23, 32, 40.
geminiGemini (May 21- June 21)
You may find that you want to go in a lot of different directions now. What might be best at the moment is to take a deep breath, and care­fully weigh your options before proceeding. Lucky numbers: 6, 14, 15, 18, 30, 39.
sagittariusSagittarius (Nov22-Dec21)
At week's end your heart may be pulling in one direction, while your head is pulling in the opposite direction. Try to take a few steps backward and wait a few days. Lucky numbers: 9, 15, 17, 19, 24, 30.
cancerCancer (June 22 - July 22)
Early in the week, you may feel that you simply want to spend some time enjoying all that life has to offer. There is nothing wrong with doing that for a few days to relax and unwind. Lucky numbers: 2, 7, 13, 18, 21, 27.
capricornCapricorn (Dec 22- Jan 19)
You may feel conflicted this weekend between continuing to work or taking a time out. Deciding what to do should be based on what seems like it will serve you best. Lucky numbers: 10, 12, 15, 27, 31, 36.
leoLeo (July 23 - Aug 22)
Have you recently been frustrated in pursuing what you are passionate about? That dynamic may begin to pass this week, but things ramping up might take a while. Lucky numbers: 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 40.
aquariusAquarius (Jan 20- Feb 18)
For the past few weeks, you may have had diffi­culty getting traction on your goals. The situation could begin to improve, but it might take a while to return to normal. Lucky numbers: 4, 8, 12, 19, 26, 29.
virgoVirgo (Aug 23 - Sept 22)
Have you felt that things have been on the fritz lately, particularly your car or computer? This may start to improve now, but expect things to still be erratic for a bit. Lucky numbers: 1, 3, 10, 13, 20, 36.
piscesPisces (Feb 19 - March 20)
Over recent weeks have conversations with others been confusing and non-productive? Did you make a change to resolve this, and what did you learn from the process? Lucky numbers: 1, 7, 12, 27, 33, 37.
Lucky numbers for the week: Lucky numbers this week: This week's odds favour Taurus winners with the luckiest number being 27.

Did you know

Iron mistake: Barcelona turned down the Eiffel Tower, fearing it would be an unattractive sight. Paris took the chance instead, but locals mocked it as a metal asparagus. Now, it's one of the most iconic landmarks on Earth.

Heart head: A shrimp's heart isn't where you might expect it to be. It's located in the thick, armoured area of the head, which protects the heart and other organs better than the softer tail, giving shrimp a built-in survival advantage.

Sky-high romance: Anna Swan, standing 2.41m, met Martin Bates, 2.36m, while touring with a circus in 1865. Their towering love story earned them worldwide fame as the tallest married couple ever recorded. Even Queen Victoria sent wedding gifts.

Acid shield: Even though stomach acid is powerful enough to break down metal, it doesn't damage the stomach itself. That's because a special mucus lining acts like armour, blocking the acid and helping to keep everything safely balanced inside.

Border blend: At Four Corners Monument in USA, located at the intersection of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, you can stand in all four states at once. Visitors can also shop for local crafts, snap a fun photo, and soak in the quiet beauty of the high desert.

On the lighter side

What is a polar bear's favourite place to vacation? Brrr-muda.

Firefly parents commenting on their son: He's bright for his age, isn't he?

Did you hear about the centipedes who walked hand-in-hand, hand-in-hand, hand-in-hand?

Moe: Should you eat fried chicken with your fingers? Joe: No, you should eat your fingers separately.

Answers

1. Giuseppe Verdi 2. The Louvre 3. Fruit 4. Great Barrier Reef 5. Sagittarius