Birthday celebration: dogs in disgrace

Doug's birthday was celebrated with a picnic lunch at the Major Mitchell Campsite, north of Mitchell. The day was mild, overcast and still, prior to steady rain the following day.

Before lunch we walked down to the Maranoa River and then followed it upstream for about 1 km. River she oaks in flower; slender white-trunked river red gums; pieces of fossilised tree trunk and roots; burrs; fungi; chunks of coal;

cliffs studded with mysterious large round rocks; and places where feral pigs had dug up the ground in search of roots – these and much more made our progress interesting.

On the way home we stopped at the top of Orchard Hill to look at the plants growing in the red sand. I love this place. It has a distinct warm, arid, bush smell and the plants are fascinating – diverse and hardy. As usual, I arrived home with seven new plants to add to my collection of drawings.

Major and Del are in disgrace. Doug let them out at 6:30 AM and because they chose not to come in again, they were left outside, where they have beds on the veranda. When we got up at 7:30 AM we found Doug's newly planted vegetable garden dug up, with spinach and broccoli plants spread all over the grass, and a gardening glove chewed. They were not popular!

Fortunately the roots hadn't dried out so the vegetables were replanted and a wire fence erected around the garden.

Del said it wasn't her idea and that Major made her do it! Two sets of dog prints was sufficient evidence to scold both dogs. Talk about payback!

Back home in Outback Queensland

The Mitchell Agricultural Show is an annual event that brings together the entire community.

On this special day people gather together to renew friendships, share in the many and varied agricultural and hobby pursuits – and have fun.

After our five-month absence down south, the show is an opportunity for us to say, "Hello" to our many friends and acquaintances. It always amazes and delights us the number of people we know well enough to share a hug and conversation.

Most people contribute to the show's success by entering various categories. For instance: vegetable produce, cooking, arts and crafts, flower arrangements, photography, sheep and wool judging, poultry of all sizes and types, cattle judging and many horse events. Then there was the wood chop; the side show alley; winery, lavender and nut farm displays; Terry the Juggler and Pirate magician entertaining the crowd (see photos); fireworks and live music. And, of course, there was lots more.

The art section was my chance to participate by entering three of my water colour paintings. I was delighted and humbled to receive two first places and one second place.

We've been back in outback Queensland for one week, after a pleasant and uneventful trip of around 2,200 km from Phillip Island to Mitchell. We are now unpacked and well-settled.  Within days of our arrival a welcome home present appeared unexpectedly in our garden: a magnificent bird of paradise (Strelizia regina). It's a flower I simply must paint!

Another highlight of the first week was our first marimba lesson. We have a lot of catching up to do, but it was great fun and lovely to see all our marimba friends once more --  also

to welcome two new players.

Mutton birds; packing up; waiting for final pathology results

Tomorrow – 18 April – millions of adult mutton birds will leave the Bass Strait Islands and head north; a 30,000 km round trip, flying north along the western edge of the Pacific Ocean to Japan, across to Alaska and then back again; returning to the same burrow on the same island in the final week of September – to begin their breeding season, all over again.

Now (mid April) their sole chick will remain in its burrow, no doubt hungry and confused. Over the next few weeks body fat will be shed, flight feathers will grow and the young birds will learn to fly. At the end of the month the young birds will depart on their migration flight to the Bering Sea and Alaska, following countless generations of their ancestors. How they navigate remains a mystery; likewise their extraordinary resilience.

So it's also time for us to depart on our 'migration flight' to Mitchell in outback Queensland. Boxes and bags are partly packed and a departure date of around 24th April has been decided. However, both of us await pathology results from skin cancers removed in the past week, and until we get the all clear we can't make our final preparations. But I'm feeling optimistic!

This week we collected my newly framed watercolour paintings from Wonthaggi. I chose a simple silver frame.

 For all my friends passionate about horses, I'll include photos of horses on 'our' beach.

This time we're towing a trailer as we seem to have more 'stuff ' than usual – a glass topped kitchen table, three office chairs, lots of books, a whipper snipper, and some sort of carpentry saw, along with lots of Doug's tools.

Every time we leave there seems to be lots of washing to do, cupboards to clean out, and things to tidy up.
Meanwhile our German shepherds relax on their beds and wonder what all the fuss is about! Oh to be a dog.

PS
If we depart on 24th of April, as planned, I won't be doing a blog for a couple of weeks. My next one will be written from our winter home in Mitchell.  The weather has changed here on Phillip Island. There's a definite chill to the air and cold winds are becoming the norm. I'm longing for the warmth and stillness of outback Queensland -- and to seeing all our friends once more.

Pleasure in simple things: Phillip Island

In an increasingly materialistic world where money and possessions are foremost in many people's minds, it's refreshing to acknowledge that true contentment and happiness almost always have their origins in either simple things or the natural environment.

Today's blog contains a series of photos taken on one of our walks along the beach. My companions were Doug and our two German shepherds -- Major and Del.  Just the four of us in a magical place at sundown.

Add to that some pieces of driftwood (the bigger and heavier the better, as far as Major is concerned -- about 15 kg!) and you have the recipe for focus and fun.

The mellow light of the autumn evening helped intensify the rich colour of the cliffs, and also the pathway of light that streamed from the setting sun to the wet sand on the seashore.

Just two people, two dogs, a stick and a beach. A blissful moment in time.

PS 
On neighbouring French Island, a large bush fire created a dramatic plume of cloud that reflected the progress of sundown.

Wallaby goes for a swim

In our part of the world  – Phillip Island in southern Australia – stories about wallabies swimming in the sea are occasionally told. 

Although we frequently see wallaby print marks hopping along the beach, we've never witnessed one in the water – until yesterday evening.

The sun had just set behind the Mornington Peninsula, leaving a golden glow. We noticed a wallaby hop onto the beach, pause a while, then proceed out into the bay and into small waves – near a rocky headland.

The wallaby spent about 4 minutes in the water, letting waves completely cover it. Then the wallaby hopped out of the water, across the beach and into the protection of thick coastal vegetation.

Why, we wondered, did it choose to get wet and perhaps even swim?

Was it for pleasure?  Or perhaps flea or tick control, using salt water to deter these parasites?

I can't answer that question. All I can say is that it happened, and I attempted to capture the occasion on my camera. Unfortunately most photos were out of focus, but I can include one. 

PS
The sunset photos were taken from the beach and also from our home, on the same evening. One photo shows the sunset reflected in our front windows.

I had a checkup with my plastic surgeon yesterday, and all is going according to plan. Fortunately the pathology results were good so we're all set to leave for Mitchell on 15 April!