Afternoons

It's time to dive deep with our Monday Expert feature, and today we're talking fossils. More specifically we'll get into what it takes to become a great amateur fossil hunter, so if you have any questions for our expert, send them to 2101. Morne Mamlambo's an amateur fossil hunter living in the South Island who has amassed a huge online following. You can find him on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, just look up "Mamlambo Fossils".

Grab your dancing shoes, or maybe your Ham radio, knitting machine, or lawnmower race car because it's time for us to go clubbing. Every Monday we hit the clubs; we've been members at gardening clubs, pinball clubs, pigeon racing clubs but we know there are more out there. If you think we should cover your club get in touch 2101 or [email protected], the quirkier, the better. This week we're talking to John Ayto from the NZ Historical Arms Association.

We catch up with Brad Foster, our man on the ground in Australia. He tells us about the news hitting the headlines across the Tasman.

With the unemployment rate sitting at the highest it's been in a decade, 5.4 percent, hunting for a new job can feel like the ultimate up-hill battle. We're hearing stories of unprecedented number of applicants of people being declined almost as soon as they've sent their CV, while others tell us they never hear back at all. Add in rising costs and all this chat about AI, it can be hard to know where to even start. So to share some insights into job hunting in this tough market is Gabrielle Cutfield, founder of Emerging Engines.

A young Aucklander is starting early with his commitment to protecting our native animals. At just seven, Jaxton is a regular pest trapping volunteer in his community of Franklin, and is now a Trap Master at a local reserve. The school holidays are coming up which means Jaxton will have more time for his hobby, but it also means other children have a chance to get involved thanks to EcoFest - that's a series of events that get the whole family involved in protecting our native taonga. To learn more about trapping, conservation and EcoFest, Jaxton and Community Coordinator Carrie Harman are with Jesse.

Breaking up the four major electricity companies once sounded like a fringe idea, but it's a concept that keeps being floated so is it worth properly considering? Winston Peters has announced NZ First will campaign on it, high-profile business leaders have long been calling for government intervention, so could this actually happen? And what would it mean for household electricity bills? Political commentator Bryce Edwards joins Jesse to discuss the issue.

Iolanthe cicadas are one of our smallest cicada species, found in the North Island from the Coromandel Peninsula to Wellington. This species has become extremely rare in the wild and there are very few modern sightings or recordings. Males have a very high-pitched song used for calling females. Because of the high frequency of the song, some adults may not be able to hear the call at all. Due to its lack of sightings, its threat status is unknown. However, its rarity is worrying, especially with no information on their ecology and population density. Nicola Toki chats all things critters with Jesse.

Landscape designer Tony Murrell is with Jesse to discuss what you should plant if you're looking to pay tribute to or remember somebody special to you. His suggestions are:

Jacaranda mimosifolia flowering late spring early summer.

Prunus mountain haze or awanui good for small gardens soft pink flowers.

Metrosiderous excelsa , moon maiden [yellow flower] or scarlett pimpernel [ smaller growing coastal sport form red flowering late December through January] and Mistral upright Rata Sport named after the French wind.

Ficus nitida – well behaved tidy evergreen tree with a large dense canopy of verdant green.

Acer Palmatum – Japanese maple , sculptural form beautiful dappled shade.

Quercus suber – Cork oak – majestic and rustic evergreen cork bark oak.

Olea europea Olive – sculptural spiritual Trees , fruiting in summer.

Cedrus atlantica glauca or Lebanii – ‘The bearing of the Cedars’

Pinus thumbergii – Japanese black pines.

Knightea excelsa – NZ Native honeysuckle.

Liquidamber gumball – 3/3 m mound shaped.

Cunnonia capensis South African butter knife bush evergreen flowering interesting foliage.

Vitex lucens – NZ Native Puriri.

Cercis forest Pansy.

Lagerstromia indica , flowering in pink , red ,white and mauve.

Podocarpus totara matapouri blue – NZ Native blue totara – can be purchased in cloud pruned shapes fabulous sculptural forms that can work amongst grass gardens and more formal designs.

Cussonia spicata – African cabbage Tree – ELEPHANTS favorite dinner.

Erythrina christa Gallii – Coral flower Tree.

Julie Biuso from Shared Kitchen shares her recipe for Hummingbird cake. One story behind this cake goes that it is sweet enough to attract and delight a hummingbird. It's easier to make a two-tiered cake rather than the usual three, and most home cooks are unlikely to own three matching cake tins. The sponges are oil-based and have a light texture. It's one of those lovely cake batters that doesn't call for butter, sugar, and eggs to be creamed, but like muffin batters, don't beat it - just mix the ingredients gently together.

Afternoons critic Kate Rodger is here to share what's on at the cinema: No Tears on the Field If I Had Legs I'd Kick You