As I go about my morning chores, they’re there; chattering and flittering around me way too quickly for my feeble photography skills to do them credit.

I’m talking about Piwakawaka, The New Zealand Fantail.

They usually arrive on the Homestead around the time of the first snowfall on the Southern Alps and disappear back up there around now. They don’t seem in any hurry to go this year.

Maori mythology deems them the messenger between the living and spirit world. I like that. They like to flitter around Leia the Goat’s (catalyst for the genesis of Union Homestead) grave and its not too hard to imagine her dictating directives regarding the quality of the hayfeeder, overdue paddock clean ups and, “just when are you planning to trim to flock’s hooves?”.

She obviously had a lot to tell us as, last evening as we settled down in front of the TV, their insistent chattering could be heard through the open lounge window.

I’m onto it Leia, I promise.