Readers Digest Australia November 2021

IF YOU’VE EVER TRIED to select the perfect colour for your interior wall, you’ll appreciate how complex colours can be. Less so for bees, it seems. This month’s Genius article, ‘The Mystery Of The Blue Flower’ (page 146) discusses the fascination humans have with the colour blue, and why it so rarely appears in the world of plants and animals. We have our limited vision perception to blame for not spotting the full colour spectrum – while for bees, blue is everywhere. This month’s ‘Then and Now, High Heels’ (page 88) unearths some historical surprises that will add nicely to your pool of knowledge – just perfect for any trivia night. I don’t want to give too much away, but the fashion trend for shoes that offer a bird’s-eye view started…

When Love Prevails ‘Will We Ever See Our Child Again?’ (June) depicts the traumatic, heart-wrenching ordeal of a young couple, forced to abandon their newborn second daughter under China’s strict one-child policy, 20 years ago. Their unfailing faith was answered resulting in a joyful reunion with their daughter, now a well-educated woman living across the world. Miracles do happen when true, deep-seated love prevails, transcending distances thanks to modern technology, social media and some kind hearts. Family love is life’s greatest blessing. What greater pride and happiness can there be for parents than to be rewarded with the success of their children, and blessed with family love? VIMALA THIAGARAJAH Peace On Earth Mike Hilton’s letter (Letters, August) rings with so much truth. The socalled space race will not benefit us here on Earth, except…

After five years of silence, the distinct low growling sounds of female kiwis and the high shrieks of the males are being heard again – much to the excitement of the 150 volunteer bird conservationists who conducted the latest audio survey. Fifty per cent of sites that were silent in 2016 had kiwi calling in 2021. And not one site had become silent in the last year. The survey, called the Kiwi Call Count, is conducted manually using the human ear as well as listening devices to record population numbers of New Zealand’s five kiwi species, assessing the status of the birds in any given area. The kiwi’s call is the most reliable way to track them. In the early 1990s, trapping was introduced as a kiwi-saving action plan to protect the…

WHY WOULD ANYONE in their right mind leave New Zealand right now, home to Auckland, the world’s ‘most liveable’ city and run by a leader recently declared by Fortune magazine as the world’s greatest? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself since I returned to the UK at the end of June; the country where I was born is registering over 30,000 new cases of COVID-19 every day at the moment, while New Zealand, where I’d spent 2021, so far remains pretty much COVID-free. Despite being a New Zealand citizen, I’d never been to Aotearoa before I arrived there at the start of 2021. A Kiwi passport is arguably one of the most sought-after items in the world right now and I have a small house in Stratford, New Zealand, to thank for…

Simbo the Great USULA P. WIJESURIYA When we decided to adopt a dog, my son, Udaya, aged 12 and an avid Enid Blyton fan, claimed this dog was going to be his version of Timmy, the wonder dog from the Famous Five books. He named him Simbo and took full charge of the crossbreed German shepherd; feeding him, brushing him and allowing him to sleep on his bed. They were inseparable. Together they went on endless treks in our neighbourhood. Ours was the ideal location for adventures because our house stood on the banks of a lake with plenty of scrub jungle around. One day, while Udaya was at school, I was in the living room writing at my desk. My youngest child, who was two at that time, was sitting on the…

RAISING CHICKENS in suburban backyards is steadily rising in popularity due to the increasing community interest in sustainable living and people looking for simple ways to connect with nature. Fun and useful pets, they help reduce waste by eating food scraps and provide their owners with nutritious, fresh eggs. While reasonably low maintenance, chickens still have some specific care requirements. PERMISSION Check with your local authority as rules differ around keeping chickens. Many do not permit roosters to be kept in residential areas due to the noise they make. GOOD PETS FOR CHILDREN Chickens have their own quirky personalities and help teach children about the responsibility and routine needed to care for another living creature. Handle them often and gently from when they arrive and they should quickly become comfortable. HOW MANY TO…