Fourteen things

One: Going homeVincent O'Sullivan has written a 14-episode account of Ralph Hotere's journey home. The number recalls Hotere's use of the number, his referencing of the Stations of the Cross and of his 14 siblings. Frustratingly, the full version is only available to subscribers (when did the Listener change that?).Two: Favourite birds (my son will be so cross that I haven't used the proper full names, but the truth is, I can't remember them)godwitkingfisherpelicanspoonbillrobinshagploverkeabellbirdcraneheronmandarin duckblack cockatoosuperb lyrebirdThree: Books that got me through my childhood, and my children'sCorduroy, Don FreemanAny of the Frances books, Russell Hoban (illustrated by Garth Williams)Tell Me What It's Like to Be Big, Joyce Dunbar (illustrated by Debi Gliori)Mr Gumpy's Outing, John BurninghamBig Momma Makes the World, Phyllis Root (illustrated by Helen Oxenbury)The Ramona books, Beverly ClearyBig Sister and Little Sister, Charlotte Zolotow (illustrated by Martha Alexander)Virginia Wolf, Kyo Maclear (illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault)Come On, Daisy!, Jane SimmonsThe Raft, Jim LaMarcheThe Tiger Who Came to Tea and the Mog books, Judith KerrDogger and everything else, Shirley Hughesfar too much by Noel StreatfeildAnne of Green Gables and all the rest, LM Montgomerybonus: Kitten's First Full Moon, Kevin Henke + about a hundred othersFour: Authors I've found myself consuming in bulkGeorge PerecItalo CalvinoPrimo LeviLaurence FearnleyJanette Turner HospitalNigel CoxSara MaitlandJeanette WintersonMaurice GeePhilip PullmanAnn PatchettJim CraceMichael Ondaatje(see the children's list above)Five: Foods that make life betteravocadopistachioschocolatesmoked salmonsalad, lots of itroast chicken, then chicken souporangespeacheseggplantspoisson crutomatoesfennel seed and olive oil biscuitsbaconlasagneSix: 14-letter wordsSeven: What I want in a housea chair by a window, just for readinga kitchen that I can eat, cook, talk, and read ina space for the kids to playa front porcha sheltered space to eat outsideplenty of treesa glasshousevegetable patchesa workspacebookshelves in every rooma woodburnerinsulationflowerslightEight: Condiments, loosely interpretedlemons — fresh, juiced, zested, preservedhoneymustardfennel seedsyoghurtparmesansea saltpeppertomato saucemintcoffeea booka friendquietNine: Punctuation that makes text prettierfanciful ampersandsthe Oxford commadouble quote marksem-dashesen-dashesellipsessemi-colonsfull stopsquestion marks, sparinglywell-placed commasaccentstidy, well-aligned bullet pointsparentheses, occasionallyspacesTen: Plants I like to have in my gardentulipscrocusessweetpeasrosesazaleasfernsmintthymesagepeasbeanslettuceszucchinipotatoesEleven: The elements of a fine dayrainsuna small boy's arms around my neckthat first cup of coffeea showera walk, run, or yoga classmusicwritingbantera kissfriendsseeing something through my children's eyeslunchsupperTwelve: A 14-year-old dancerThirteen: Colin McCahon's StationsFourteen: A sonnet, of courseNot in a silver casket cool with pearlsOr rich with red corundum or with blue,Locked, and the key withheld, as other girlsHave given their loves, I give my love to you;Not in a lovers'-knot, not in a ringWorked in such fashion, and the legend plain—Semper fidelis, where a secret springKennels a drop of mischief for the brain:Love in the open hand, no thing but that,Ungemmed, unhidden, wishing not to hurt,As one should bring you cowslips in a hatSwung from the hand, or apples in her skirt,I bring you, calling out as children do:"Look what I have!—And these are all for you."Edna St. Vincent Millay