Of course, we've shifted in a week of phenomenal early summer weather, so that helps, and I know we'll get our share of rain in Taranaki.
We have seen the mountain a few times but, with the recent tragic deaths of Hiroki Ogawa and Nicole Sutton, it's a reminder that nature is not always kind or fair. It seems these two young people were well prepared but the weather that Labour Weekend meant their options for rescue were limited. Our dramatic landscape is dangerous as well as beautiful and deserves constant respect.
In New Zealand being connected to nature is a fundamental part of being a Kiwi and today the debate about economic development and jobs is sometimes positioned as being either environment or economics. But we know it doesn't have to be that way.
There will be people protesting on Castlecliff Beach today at 12pm in solidarity with the boats that are "greeting" the Anadarko oil drilling ship west of Raglan.
I read a fantastic quote from Henry Ford recently: "If I'd asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." It's the same with a focus on carbon as our primary fuel when renewable energy is the future.
I was so pleased to see the Sustainable Whanganui Trust recognised as the supreme winner in the first Trustpower Energy Direct Whanganui District Community Awards this week - it shows how important the environment is to people here, too. The new recycling centre, a partnership with Tupoho, is great and easy to use - you can drive round the front or the back to drop off your recycling, and they take all numbered plastics now.
This week also featured the release of the Waitangi Tribunal's Tongariro National Park report. The tribunal found the historical gift of the peaks of Ruapehu, Tongariro and Ngauruhoe in 1887 that became the heart of the park was not accurate.
Back in 2007 I sat in on some of the Treaty hearings as the local Department of Conservation manager and heard the evidence. For me, this announcement does not take away from what I imagine was the original spirit of gift - instead, it emphasises that there was meant to be a strong partnership from the start.
The final decision of how the tribunal's recommendation will be implemented is yet to occur but I would be happy to see joint management between iwi and DoC.
Finally a confession - I read an interesting article recently about the concept of "slacktivism". A University of British Columbia study found that while social media campaigns raised awareness, there was a negative correlation with donating funds.
Simply clicking "like" on Facebook seems to make people less likely to donate. I have to confess (and by doing it publicly, I will undoubtedly take the action I have been putting off) I am an example. I have signed up to be a part of the Sarjeant Gallery's Thousand Stars campaign but still haven't got around to setting up my donation of $5 a week. Join me at www.sarjeant.org.nz
Nicola Young is a former Department of Conservation manager who now works for consultancy AECOM. Educated at Wanganui Girls' College, she has a science degree and is the mother of two boys.
