The construction of the new bridge over the Maranoa River continues. This past week has seen the arrival of more big machinery, the building of a dirt road across the river (with nine pipes through which to direct the water) and a series of office buildings. Every evening Major and I note the changes.
On arrival at the bridge yesterday evening, I heard a group of young girls splashing about in the river. I waited until they'd finished their swim before making my way down the steep sandy bank.
Looking up, one of the girls screamed and then called out, "It's a wolf!"
I assured her that Major was not a wolf, that he was on a lead and he was very friendly. Whereupon the girls were all over him, hugging and stroking.
For 10 minutes or so the girls threw sticks into the river for Major to retrieve. Before they left, two of the girls gave me a demo of the song and dance they will be performing tonight at their school breakup presentation night. Then, with bright smiling faces they headed up the steep bank and home.
After Major unsuccessfully tried to pull a very large log out of the river, we did likewise.
I love this river, the mighty Maranoa.
On another subject, we have a pair of Willie wagtails nesting in a tree in our front garden. Their eggs have hatched so now is a busy time. It's estimated that a mouthful of food passed from a Willie wagtail to its chick contains around 300 insects. What an extraordinary contribution these birds make towards keeping insect numbers in check.
Currently I have an acid beetle bite on the inside of my elbow. Unfortunately it's become badly infected, requiring antibiotic treatment. I hope our Willie wagtails are gobbling up all the acid beetles living in and around our house!
On Saturday morning Doug and I met four friends at the Mitchell on Maranoa Gallery and then spent a very pleasant hour looking at an exhibition of excellent photographs and stories created by local woman Jennie Bucknall.
With the theme 'Women of the Land', most of the photos include local rural women immersed in many and varied activities -- some pleasant, some not! Recognising familiar faces and talking about the various incidents captured on camera made for a stimulating conversation, and later, coffee at Krystal's 'Lemon Pie' cafe rounded off the morning to perfection.
On my walk along the river with Major and two young friends Ben and Locky, I discovered evidence -- in the form of a dump of steel and heavy machinery -- that the new bridge over the Maranoa River is about to begin construction. This bridge was damaged in the February 2012 floods and and is the only road bridge that crosses the Maranoa River on the Warrego Highway; a vital highway linking Brisbane and the east coast of Australia to Mount Isa and Darwin in the Northern Territory.
Unfortunately, we're going to lose the colourful murals painted on the pylons of the old bridge. Also, the mulberry tree and some of the magnificent river red gums that grow along the bank. A couple of bottle trees are also in the path of the new bridge, however, I hope these will be dug up and relocated.
On the way back from the bridge, Ben and Locky had fun on the Musical Stock Grid -- as shown in the photo.
This week's botanical art project is to paint a group of woody pear seed pods. My challenge is to achieve the lovely rounded shape, and also to reproduce the varying shades of greys and browns. Gradually I'm becoming more confident in using a brush and watercolour paints rather than watercolour pencils, and I believe the final product looks better too. Add to that the fact that the process is more enjoyable. So it's all good!
After a day of softly falling rain and a burst of heat (around 35°C most days) spring is progressing at a galloping pace. You get the impression that Nature thinks there's not a moment to lose with flowers turning into seeds, grasses coming to a head and every night, hundreds of flying foxes arriving in Mitchell to feast on the last of the cadaghi (Corymbia torelliana) blossoms.
My regular evening walk along the river with Major is one of the highlights of my day. Time out to plan the novel I've just begun -- set on King Island where we used to live and own a sheep property -- time out to dream.
Meanwhile our showy tipuana (Pride of Bolivia, Tipu Tree) is in full golden flower. The slightest breeze causes a shower of brilliant orange yellow blossoms to fall from the tree to the ground. Raining gold. Large winged seeds follow the flowers. This deciduous tree grows fast, gives excellent shade and provides a pleasant outlook from our kitchen window.
My next botanical art challenge is to use watercolour to paint woody pear seed pods. My transition from using watercolour pencils to watercolour paint and brushes is progressing slowly but surely. From circles, to apples, to woody pear seed pods -- that's the plan.
The WOW Dance group of Mitchell provided last Saturday night's entertainment in the Memorial Hall. The dancers included young children, teenagers and adults -- all locals, many of whom we know.
It was fun dancing wrapped around the story of Cinderella, following the traditional tale, but with a local twist. There was plenty of 'good feel' humour, popular classical music, colourful costumes and smiling faces. In addition, Mitchell's adult Line Dancers put on two performances, to enthusiastic applause. It was a good night and well attended; a credit to the performers, their teachers and many supporters. Unfortunately I forgot to take my camera.
Early November is the peak of blossom time in Mitchell. Consequently, honey-eaters and flying foxes are here in large numbers, chattering and squabbling in the treetops over the choicest nectar. These 'blossom nomads' are always welcome in our garden and along the banks of the Maranoa River.
At present, cadaghi's (Corymbia torelliana) are the main focus of their attention, with their large cream blossoms. Although not native to this part of Queensland (they belong in tropical coastal Queensland) cadaghi's do very well in Mitchell, surviving droughts and floods with equal ease. Some people criticise them as they tend to drop branches and leaves; however, I think they are a pleasing addition to the bottle trees that line our streets.
The cadaghi growing alongside our back verandah is literally humming with bees and beetles; fluttering with butterflies; and alive (by day) with parrots (including red-winged parrots) and honey-eaters (including Friar birds); and by night, with squabbling chattering flying foxes. It's a large tree so the activity in and around it has been and still is, a source of great interest.
Three days ago, as I lifted the lid of the toilet, my eyes fell on the glistening, pulsing body of a green tree frog. This is the first green tree frog to visit our toilet since we moved here in July. After taking his photo I carried him out into the garden and released him in lush shrubbery. It will be interesting to see if he returns to live in the toilet!
Our cannas are flowering. Without knowledge of this garden or cannas, we didn't know what colours the flowers would be. Therefore, it's been exciting to discover the colours. So far we have pure yellow, pure orange, and a mix of orange and yellow. Together with their foliage, they make a colourful display.
Mitchell's Anglican Debutante Ball -- held on Saturday 27 October 2012 at the Mitchell Memorial Hall -- was a grand affair that demonstrated yet again the strength and vibrancy of the community existing in and around the small outback town of Mitchell, Queensland, Australia.
Ten Debutantes, each attended by a flower girl and page boy, were presented individually on stage. The formalities began with a reading of Dorothea McKellar's 'My Country', a poem reflecting life in the outback where this year's February flood and the bush fires of the past week are foremost in the mindset of this community.
Yet the people here are strong and positive, evidence being in the presentation of ten beautiful teenage girls, their handsome partners and charming young attendants -- all on the eve of their life here in Mitchell and beyond.
Surprisingly formal for this day and age, these young people willingly dressed the part, courtesied, bowed, cut a special cake, and danced a series of old-style dances with skill and grace.
A crowd of around 300 people of all ages gathered together to support the Deb Ball. We were the guests of John and Cathy Beitz whose daughter Hannah was one of the Debs. My greatest pleasure was to see Hannah make her entrance and watch her presented -- and then to see her deliver an excellent speech on behalf of all the Debs. In addition, Doug and I enjoyed talking to our many friends, some of whom had sons, daughters and grandchildren involved in the formalities.
I decided it would be fun to learn at least one of the dances so I googled 'The Pride of Erin' and we learned the dance here at home, much to the amusement of our two dogs! However, when it came to dancing 'The Pride of Erin' they did it differently in this part of Queensland and so, in the end, we didn't end up showing our skill on the dance floor! We enjoyed a few other dances though.
In ten years time, many of these flower girls and page boys will be making their own Debut: in the same hall, in front of the same community. In ten years time, many of these Deb's and their partners will be returning to this community with tertiary qualifications and long-term partners from 'away'. So the generations roll on, each strengthening the one before -- in their own way, in their own time.
This ball symbolises why we love living in Mitchell. It's about strong community and friendly down-to-earth people.
Last Sunday's Garden Day at Gigi and Scott's property 'Westwood' was inspirational.
'Westwood' sits comfortably on both sides of Australia's famous Dingo Fence (called the Dog Fence, locally) and is a typical large semi-arid cattle property. Blue-grey scrub blends into native grasses, with improved pastures in some places.
An extensive vegetable garden and orchard keeps this family well-fed and healthy. No chemicals are used. Fertilisers and mulches are home-grown using plentiful cattle and poultry manures. Vegetables are protected from bird and insect attack by means of tents made of fine mesh.
A family of talkative guinea fowl sound the alarm whenever a King brown snake slivers into the garden. Then they round up the snake and drive it out through the boundary fence or into netting. Apostle birds also have a distinctive snake alarm call.
Today -- on the home front -- we saw our first brown snake. It was 1 1/2 metres long and disappeared beneath the house. I confess to feeling anxious regarding the safety of our dogs. Our first gecko in the house was, on the other hand, a delight!
But back to the Garden Day. Apart from guinea fowl, Gigi has a collection of rare and exotic hens and ducks -- and a very special pet rooster that loves being patted. One breed lay chocolate coloured eggs. Then there are pet kangaroos, a Siamese cat and of course, cattle dogs. This is a place where life is good for all creatures great and small -- plants included.
Although the temperature hovered in the mid 30s C, a large group of people came from far and wide to partake of the warm hospitality given by Gigi and Scott. Plants were exchanged; conversations and laughter flowed easily as friends shared hints about plants and gardens.
On the way back to Mitchell we detoured to Orchard Hill where I discovered three new flowering plants. There's always something happening in this particular patch of bush. Aside from the flowers, the aroma of red sand and blue-green herbage filled my nostrils: an aroma typical of the Australian bush on a hot sunny day. This is the Australia I love.
Katie turned 16 this week, a fine age for a very special and dearly love Siamese.
