#spotted

@georgepenney@sunny.garden · 6d ago

#Spotted on Market Day in Aotearoa New Zealand:* A small human (6?) wearing sparkly pink roller-skates is holding Dad's hand as he tugs her through the markets. Laughing when Dad threatens to veer off-piste to look at a patisserie stall or a sausage truck. A young human (8?) and Mum have matching bright purple hair. A stranger stops to compliment them both and Young Human says proudly: "I was scared to do it for a school play so Mum did hers too." Snuggles up against Mum when she gives him a side hug. A man in a cowboy hat, Levis, cowboy boots and a western shirt is moseying along past a busy fruit stall. A big mug of hot chocolate in his hand, marshmallows bobbing on top. A faint milk moustache sticking to his moustache as he grins at a friend manning a hand-carved wooden toy stall. A tiny human (2?) is sitting on Granny's lap, showing her how to play patty cake. Granny is highly distractable, especially since there is a big slice of apple cake in front of her that she keeps eating, but Tiny Human is doing her best to keep her on track. This game is SERIOUS. A gang of very big and fluffy dogs are greeting each other in the door of a dog-friendly dive bar. Tails wagging, doggy introductions taking place. Faint woofs and uffs of happiness. Humans sitting nearby enjoying dinner but Social Dogs care not for humans when there's playing to be done. (Continued Below)

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George Penney

@georgepenney@sunny.garden · Jun 11, 2026

#Spotted While Roaming in Aotearoa New Zealand: A small human (3?) is painstakingly colouring in a picture with Nan's help. Nan's suggesting that they use a dark green on a tree and Tiny Human is MOST offended. Green is not for trees! It's for ELEPHANTS! EVERYONE knows that! A woman (20s?) is patiently showing another woman (80s?) how to use a parking meter. Taking her through all the steps. Accepting a warm thank-you hug as her due. This is community. Two women (70s?) are sitting across from each other in a cafe. Air cheekily conspiratorial. A pungent--but not unpleasant--waft of weed drifting from their clothes every time the door opens and cool air gusts inside. There's no age restriction on naughty fun. Three teens are riding BMX bikes along a quiet country road alongside a winding river. Laughter and shouts echoing over the valley. A big blue winter's sky overhead. A cold green-scented breeze coming off distant mountains. Cows grazing on long lush grass nearby. A woman (40s?) is telling a friend (60s?) a funny story. Big arm gestures, rubbery facial expressions. Acting out all the bits. Visibly full-to-bursting with happiness when it makes her friend erupt into a delightful, resounding belly laugh. Continued Below. (my view this evening. This is the view from just outside my favourite take away fish and chip shop. The owner is moody. The food is delicious. The breeze is promising a sold snap. The mountains in the distance are stunning.)

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George Penney

@georgepenney@sunny.garden · Jun 07, 2026

#Spotted at a Secondhand Bookfair in Aotearoa New Zealand: A tiny human (2?) has worked out how to fly! All one has to do... Is hold a sturdy picture book in each hand... And then flap arms wildly while roaring: "I'M FLYING MUM. I'M FLYING!" A whirlwind of--not so elevated--euphoria. A woman (60s?) is holding her mum's (90s?) hand as they wander amongst the tables of books. Leading Mum to wherever she wants to go with utmost gentleness. Lifting books and turning pages as needed. A small human (4?) BURSTS out of the book fair, a picture book clasped to her chest. Legs almost a whir, she RACES over to a bench and promptly takes a seat, opens her book and starts reading. A book emergency is a very serious emergency. These words need to be READ! A woman (60s?) is doing some impressively bendy stretching in the car park. Then, with game face on, she collects a fold-out shopping trolley from the back of her car and marches off towards the fair. Book buying is a serious athletic activity! Two men (70s?), hands clasped behind their backs are looking speculatively at a model ship display. One gives an approving grunt to a mighty sail ship, saying: "Always thought I'd make a good captain." "That right?" His friend says, emitting a tiny, almost imperceptible snort of laughter. (Continued Below) #books #bookstodon

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George Penney

@georgepenney@sunny.garden · May 14, 2026

#Spotted at the Beach in Aotearoa New Zealand: A tiny human (3?) in a crocodile onesie is stalking along the tideline. Roaring at the gently lapping waves as the tide rolls out. He can make the sea retreat! His crocodile powers are MAGNFICICENT! A woman (20s?) wearing a backwards baseball cap, hi-vis and bare feet moseys to a piece of driftwood while holding a guitar. She sits down to softly serenade the sea, sky and a lone seagull standing on one leg. A faint melody drifting through the air. A tiny human (1.5?) is toddle running between Mum and Dad with magnificent goobery chortles, little feet kicking up sand. First to Mum, then Dad. Then back to Mum. Whoa, where's Dad going? Gotta run go catch him again! A man (80s?) wearing neat suit trousers, a paisley waistcoat and a long-sleeve green shirt, is making his way down a long, flat stretch of beach. A walking stick in one hand, the other holding a straw hat in place as a gust of wind carries the scent of nearby pine trees to the sea. A couple (40s?) are frying eggs, bacon and tomatoes in a frypan placed on a small gas burner. Delicious smells in the air. Both snuggled up together. Breakfast is moments away and it is going to be scrumptious. (Continued Below)

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George Penney

@georgepenney@sunny.garden · Apr 30, 2026

#Spotted While Roaming in Aotearoa New Zealand: A small human (4?) wearing a plaid shirt and sensible jeans and gumboots is walking through a feijoa orchard, munching fruit as she speaks VERY sternly to a flock of geese waddling along behind her. A woman (60s?) wearing a very fashionable outfit is pulling a pose in a leafy alley way in a small country town. A photographer crouching down to take a picture. An assortment of clothes hanging on a nearby tree branch. A small human (5?) on a bike stopping to see what this is all about. A woman (40s?) is coasting down a hill on a sunny yellow pushbike. Legs out to the side. A straw hat fastened securely on long hair. A the long skirt of her green dress bunched up in her lap. A tiny human (1?) has just spotted not one, but TWO trucks full of bright red apples passing her on the road. With great purpose she points at the apple trucks, then looks at everyone waiting at the lights around her. This is something that MUST be noticed! A weka* is circling around a picnic table. A tiny dog (teacup mousehound?) is sitting in a basket and Weka is increasingly curious. Is this thing a sandwich? Could it maybe... steal it? BUT WHAT IS THIS?! It barks? Hmm. Nope. Maybe it'll go inspect the barbeque instead. (Continued Below)

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George Penney

@georgepenney@sunny.garden · Apr 29, 2026

#Spotted While Roaming in Aotearoa New Zealand: A small human (4?) on a bright pink bike is told to stop at the lights. When the man goes green, she grabs Dad's wheelchair and coasts across, feet off the pedals. She lets go on the other side and is OFF. Dad leisurely rolling along behind her. A woman (30s?) resembling Tilda Swinton walks into a cafe with a motley bunch of fresh-picked garden flowers in a glass of water. She sets them on a table and waits for a friend who walks in moments later wearing dusty biker boots. Grins, hugs and serious lunch chatter commences. A very composed man (80s?) with long silver hair, wearing neatly ironed jeans and a blue jumper, finishes his cafe lunch and walks over to the kitchen to nod decorously at the owner, saying: "Thank you so very much. I enjoyed that a lot. See you on Friday." The owner grins: "Awesome!" At the beach, two gloriously eccentric women (70s?) in flowing dresses are sitting at a picnic table with a bottle of wine and two ornate goblets before them. Sipping their wine, looking at the view. Every now and then letting out glorious cackles that echo over the whisper of the waves. A couple (70s?) are wandering along the edge of the dunes on a long stretch of beach. Stopping every few minutes to cheerfully evaluate a new driftwood find, a rock, or an interesting bird. Hair ruffled by a faint breeze. The scent of the sea and nearby pine trees strong in the air. (Continued Below)

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George Penney

@georgepenney@sunny.garden · Apr 05, 2026

#Spotted at a Country Easter Fair in Aotearoa New Zealand: A small human (3?) is full of all the woe. Lip quivering. Mum says: "What's wrong?" Small Human wails: "There's TOO MANY THINGS and I am having VERY BIG FEELINGS!" Mum picks her up for a hug. "One bite at a time. That's how we do it." A tiny human (2?) has spotted a tiny puppy. (Chihuahua cross tribble?) Suddenly, patting Tiny Puppy is all Tiny Human wants to do. But how? Ah! She'll run in front of the puppy and go floppy. Her body is now a floor noodle. She can't POSSIBLY move until Tiny Puppy says hello. A man (30s?) in farm clothes is talking to friend (70s?) Friend ask: "How ya doin' lately with everythin' going on." He sighs and shrugs. "We're managing." Friend says: "We've got some spare diesel in the tank on the farm that we're not usin' if ya need it." "Yeah. I'd appreciate that." Two men (40s?) in farm clothes and gumboots* are standing side by side watching people come and go from the fair. One says to the other: "I thought two was hard, ya know. Then they turn thirteen. Jeez thirteen's hard." His friend gives him a comforting man pat on the shoulder. A tiny human (2?) has dropped a chip (oh no!) Maybe if he stands on it... it'll make it go away. Dad says: "Did you just drop a chip?" Tiny Human shakes his head vehemently. "Think ya might have.." "No! No I didn't!" "Then what's that under your shoe little fella?" "A chip but it's not mine!" (Continued Below)

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BlingoAli

@blingoali@mastodonapp.uk · Feb 22, 2026

Here's an oddity I #spotted on #Guernsey a few years back. Very much a grab shot against the light, so heavily GIMP'd, but it's apparently a #Subaru Sambar Dias Classic, although I would have guessed #Daihatsu #Hijet. Later Sambars were re-badged Hijets, so that might be true. If ever there was a #WeirdCarMastodon candidate, I'd say this was it. Gotta love a #kei car! #ClassicCars #OnlyVans

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BlingoAli

@blingoali@mastodonapp.uk · Feb 20, 2026

#Spotted this in a Norwich car park last month. Irish plates on a Suzuki Hustler. My pic doesn't convey how tiny it is - I should have parked next to it! Gotta love a #kei car! #weirdcarmastodon