Category: House, Garden and Dogs

Spring has Sprung..

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
The Wetlands towards the bridge.

Spring be here! With the warmer weather and there being no restrictions, the wetlands has become a busy wee place. There are a number of reasons for this, the weather is nice, it’s quiet and peaceful and the kiosk is very popular. The food is good, well cooked, tasty and reasonable priced. Benji likes his Ice-Cream so when it’s been warm  and we have completed our walk I have taken him to the kiosk, bought a dog portion in a  cup for him and a cone for me. I get Rum and Raisin, he gets Vanilla. We have not been around to the ducks and geese for a little while. Benji has been having a bit of a problem with his paw so I thought it best to keep him off the gravel path.  The serious gravel at the back of the Wetlands going down to where the geese are, I generally carry him over.  Irrespective of the weather, the Wetlands has become the  ïn” place at the moment and although the walking areas are  fairly quiet, the kiosk is always active – and the Ice-Cream is nice.

Yesterday  was a lovely day, hardly a breeze and 24c – really nice and yes, the Wetlands was packed. There was not a parking space to be had. I drove through drove to the foreshore and

Looking up the hill instead of down.

we spent the afternoon there. There was more seagrass than there was sand but what sand there was Benji enjoyed. We left just before schools ended for the day and were able to miss the traffic through town. Today – another nice day – the Wetlands was busy but there were spaces in the carpark so I parked there and took Benji for a walk, doing our figure of eight (8) We start off at the bridge and go around until we reach the other side of the bridge, – we cross the bridge and walk in the same direction, returning to the bridge and  completing a circuit of the area. I took a few photographs and we went home. At home I removed the disk from the camera to load

The New Jetty – still not complete yet. Should be open in a few weeks.

the photographs onto the computer and had lunch. After lunch the boy and I took off to  Hummock Hill and the Foreshore. I tried to take a photograph and could not – I had forgotten to get the disc out of the computer. I  drove up to  the Electrical Retailers and bought a new disc – I needed a spare anyway. From there we drove back to the foreshore and Hummock Hill and spent the afternoon there. It was a lovely afternoon and the place was quite busy with a good number of people around.

This week was the AGM of the  local  Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and I was asked to resume the role of Secretary- which I did. Annabell wasn’t terribly happy, but although I have had concerns I feel that the organisation and its goal is bigger than petty differences. Anyway, due to Covid  the group has not been operational for  four months so it was a fair break. Time to get back to work. Having said that, we have had three funerals in the last four weeks (the latest this afternoon). We hadn’t even started this funeral today when we were told that another of our friends had died. Sad, yes, but we wont be involved with that.

It’s only Wednesday and already I want the weekend to hurry up and get here. It’s been a very strange week – funerals aside –  and up to a point Benji has not been given as much

Spring Gazinias

attention as I would like. Sunday, sometime  after the boys had left, I ended up taking Annabell to the hospital; Monday the RFDS AGM: Tuesday, Ladies Coffee evening: tonight just

We will have Yogi back for a few days next week.

too tired to do much and Annabell wasn’t feeling the best.  The funeral today took a lot out of her. The Church Newslletter/|Magazine is due out next week. Well, that’s not going to happen! I would like it to but I am less than halfway through it. I do want our magazine to end up like the State Magazine to which very few contribute – which is very sad.

I had Annabell at hospital at 1am this morning and I have to take her back at 8:15 this morning when the two doctors are on duty. She is not a well lady and I am concerned about her. Acording to the nurse this morning she may require a whole bank of tests to determine the problem, so we will just have to look after her and support her. I need to be at church, but other than that I will cancel all my activities for this weekend – Annabell is more important.

Wandering again.

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs

After the trip to Point Douglas and the Lighthouse, the weather took a turn for the worse and winds of 120kph, with driving rain were predicted. The rain wasn’t too bad but the wind had  a few of us worried. I was worried

The Bay through the trees
Taken at the top of the hill on the Fitzgerald Bay Road

about the eucalyptus at the far end of the back yard, however, they survived. I suppose, really, they stayed where they were and I survived not having fallen trees and a mess to attend to. I will never make a ‘real Aussie”mainly because I hate Australian Eucalyptus  trees.  They are great where they should be – in the Australian Bush – they should not ever be in an urban environment – where they are. And they are there deliberately because the council of then ( and members of the council today) insist that  we do not import exotic trees and that the native trees for the state be used. Exotic, by the way, are not some trees from some far flung region of the planet, but merely trees that grow in a State other than South Australia — New South Wales, for example. I hate them because they are messy and shed leaves , twigs and bark everywhere. The leaves are toxic and nothing will grow near them. In a fire they are the most dangerous tree in that they are full of oil and where other trees burn, eucalyptus trees burn,  heat up and then the oil explodes sending embers and sparks across containment lines, thus spreading the fire. And lastly, they are dangerous in that they are subject to stress and  when under stress they can – without warning – drop large tree branches. In Adelaide several people have been killed because of branches falling on their cars and here, two little children were killed playing when a large branch fell on them. And I think I have said much of this before and it’s only the  really high winds these last days that have brought it all back to mind.

This morning,however,  being a fairly calm morning, I got ready to take Benji out for our 7am walk, He didn’t want to go. I did not force him but I  confess that I badgered him a bit and in the

You’ll keep, Daddy, you’ll keep.

end we went walking. About one third distance into the walk and he started limping and a few moments later he was lifting his front right paw.  Yes, I did think there was something there as he warned me off when I tried to  move the paw pads to see it there was anything.  He limped with this paw in the air so I told him we were going home and I lifted him and carried him part of the way. Only part of the way because he is no lightweight. Anyway, we got back on to the concrete and I put him down. Facing the way home, the tail went up in the air and he set off with a jaunty  stride – no sign of  a paw problem. He walked quite the thing. We got to the corner and the house was across the road, but I turned the corner and kept walking, and so did he. By the time we got back to the house we had walked more than one and a halt times the distance we normally walk. Yes, you are free to chastise me as much as you like, but I felt quite good about that!

The Shingle Ridge – rare and unknown.

Today being the 22nd August, which means that there are only nine days until Spring. I suspect that in the fullness of time I will complain about the excessive heat but at the moment I am over this cold and would like some warmth, I would like to get out and about with the camera. We have a “Foreshore” which is a different thing from an actual “Beach” I would also like to camp overnight at Point Lowly area so that I can  photograph the sunset and then photograph the sunrise the following morning. And yes, I would have Benji with me. Don’t know how he will go sleeping in a tent, so it should be interesting.

There was a post from the local council suggesting that not  many people had responded to the requests for photographs for the Council Calendar.  I thought “why not?” so I put in five entries. They probably wont get used but at least I entered. However, I did get a reply asking to submit a photograph of the Lighthouse without the time and date stamp on the photograph – which I did – so you never know.   The Shingle Ridge is a  ridge of shingles that run for several kilometres. No one seems to know how or why or even when, it was formed, The ridge is about six or seven feet high and about ten or more feet wide.

Wandering, new lenses and vanishing comments

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
The Almond Blossom

As suspected the Zoom Conference was a series of drop-outs ( NO not that kind of drop-out)  and I  dropped out 8 times and missed much of the discussions.  Mind you, having said that, the last quarter has seen everything closed down, so, really, there was not a lot to discuss and anything I did miss, I’ll pick when the minutes arrive.. The last two days have been reasonable with regard to the weather. I even managed to take Benji out to Point Lowly and the lighthouse. For Benji it was an afternoon out in the car and a wander around old, familiar ground. For me it was an exercise in frustration. I bought a new lens for the camera – a 15mm wide angle lens and I just couldn’t get the setting right. All the  photographs I took were just blank shots – nothing but white. To make matters worse, somehow a feature had gotten activated that was really frustrating me and no matter what I tried I just could not get it off. Eventually I gave up – put the camera in the car,  took Benji for a last walk to the lighthouse and then drove home. Once home I took out the camera went into the back yard and  stayed there until I removed this annoying feature – which I eventually did – and if you even think to ask me what I did – don’t – because I have no idea ! That’s about it for the moment since the next few days are forecast to be cold, wet and miserable again.

Before he went back up north to Olympic Dam ( Roxby Downs) Andrew and I spent a day in Port Lincoln. He drove as far as Franklin Harbour  (107klm) and I drove to  just after the Tumby

The Pride of Port Lincoln

Bay (140 klm) turn-off and he drove from there into Port Lincoln. I wanted to go to Bunnings so we went there first, mainly because it was the furthest away and we would work back from there. Andrew wanted some things for Connor so we spent some time in Children’s Clothing. I wandered off to the pet section and  had a look around finally buying a new toy for Benji. I did, however, get the photograph of the Champion Racehorse that I didn’t get last time we were in Lincoln. Same as last time, we went for lunch at  Del Giorno’s Restaurant, which is always excellent. I found Andrew’s car new difficult to drive. What I mean is that it drives very well, responsive and smooth, but difficult for me. I am a midget a mere 5ft. 5 inches and this car was not designed for someone as small as me.   The driving seat only went so far forward, which was not close enough for me. By the time I had

The other side of the Gulf – 152 klm. by road

driven to the 140 klm, I was  quite painful and had to  pull over and change drivers. Yes I know but everything in this car is electric including the seat adjustment and Andrew has it set up for him and was  unable to make too much in the way of changes to accommodate me.   I was uncomfortable mainly because I felt I really didn’t have full control of the vehicle. Still, it was a good day out and I got the bench cushions that I wanted and a new toy for Benji. Andrew did get some things but not as much as he wanted and we did have a nice lunch. The following morning Andrew went back up to Olympic Dam.

Benji and I spend the yesterday afternoon (Friday 15th) at Stony Point and the lighthouse. I have been playing with a new lens and during the afternoon I took lots of photographs – dumped lots of  photographs. This new lens will take a bit of getting used to and setting up. It’s interesting – frustrating – but interesting.  It is supposed to be a nice day today so more than likely I’ll drive out to the Point again and play some more with the new lens,  and Benji doesn’t care where I go to in the car just as long as I go with him. I might even get to keep some photographs this time :o)  I have ordered a battery for the camera. I have the feeling I might need  an extra battery. And again my comments have vanished from a post – both by the same person. Perhaps their server does not like me, they don’t like me or my server is playing silly beggars, I know not, but something is not right

 

Towards the Final Curtain V

by edgar62, posted in House, Garden and Dogs
On a good day

The police are at their wits end and are at a loss on what to do next. Hardly a week passes without there  being a death on our roads, drivers taunting police and engaging in police pursuits, which have to be terminated because it’s too dangerous for the police to continue. And if the clown ( not the word I really want to use)  crashes the car and is killed- guess what – it’s the police fault – it was only a car for goodness sake!  And it’s not just males. What made the police and the rest of us, shake collective heads in despair.? Less than five minutes drive from here ( my house)  a driver rolled the car in the scrub,  one passenger was  badly injured and was flown by the RFDS to Adelaide, where he died. The other passenger  suffered “multiple limb injuries” and treated here in hospital as was the driver of the car, who suffered minor injuries. This was NOT the outcome of a police chase.          Ok having taken that in, now take this in – The driver of the car was charged by Major Crime Investigators  with causing death and harm, by Dangerous Driving. There was also a raft of other charges. The Driver of the car was 12 years of age.  The  passenger who died was his 20 year old brother and the other injured person was 11 years of age. In Heaven’s Name – where do we go from here? This is not over – there will be more to come out of this.  The main area for these deaths on the roads is Adelaide and surrounds and it is

Just so tired, daddy. Not able to go walking.

concerning me that I have to drive down there in a couple of weeks and right at the moment I am not greatly enthused. A few days later a teenager walked free from court after a crash that killed his passenger, The driver suffered head injuries and said he doesn’t remember the crash or the fact that he was high on drugs and alcohol when he lost control of the car,  so the  Kindly judge gave him a suspended sentence and he walked free from court. In South Australia you can kill someone, go to court, plead guilty and get 40% deduction of your sentence just for pleading  guilty and saving the state the cost of a trial.

I have had an email yesterday which now tells me that there will be no physical meeting next week. The people cannot come to Adelaide from Queensland so the Conference will be by Zoom- which is yet to be set up, so no doubt I will get all the necessary information in the fullness of time.`My problem is that the NBN is not stable in this area and I keep on dropping out. This is what happened at the RFDS Conference – freeze up, then drop out.

I have been doing some further reading on  the South Australian National and Conservation Parks and discovered that with the exception of parts of the Flinders Ranges National Park, to even have  a dog in your car within the bounds of a National Park can still attract a hefty fine. The reason for the part exemption of the Flinders Ranges National Park, is simply that the main road runs through the middle of the park.  However, here’s an interesting thing – I have said that dogs are banned from National Parks – Service Dogs are not. Interesting.

Snow in the Flinders

On the subject of the Flinders Ranges, the weather, which is cold, wet and miserable was soo  bad these last few days that it was snowing at the Flinders National Park and there are reports that it looked like a ski area. Apparently it has snowed there before but that was about 60 years ago. So, really, it has been cold here the last week or so. Down here it has just been raining almost constant, but a couple of times it has not really been “rain” but a continual wet and cold Scottish Drizzle. Might not be heavy but it’s just as wet.