When was the last time you wrote a letter by hand?
Can you imagine paper being so sparse and contact between loved ones so infrequent that you'd use every last inch of paper when writing letters?
Such was the case in the early 1800s when New Zealand faced a paper famine. Letter writing was essential to keep in touch but with such limited paper available the technique of 'crossed letters' was adopted.
The writer would turn the page ninety degrees after finishing a page and add a second layer of text.
Read more about this fascinating writing form here.
Some Choice News!
Many New Zealand gardens aren’t seeing as many monarch butterflies fluttering around their swan plants and flower beds these days — the hungry Asian paper wasp has been taking its toll.
Thanks to people like Alan Baldick, who’s made it his mission to protect the monarch, his neighbours still get to enjoy these beautiful butterflies in their own backyards.
Thinking about planting something to invite more butterflies, bees, and birds into your garden?
Thanks for your mahi, Alan! We hope this brings a smile!
Auckland Harbour Bridge summer works
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is carrying out essential maintenance on the Auckland Harbour Bridge this December and January. The southbound clip-on lanes will be closed (24/7) from 26 December to 5 January for road resurfacing. Night-time lane restrictions will be in place throughout the summer for recoating work on the bridge. Traffic will still be able to travel in both directions at all times.
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