View to the N, MtBS
Happy Australia Day holiday to all Aussies!
For those of us in the south, it's cool for this time of year (23C). Those up in SE Queensland and northern NSW are struggling with dangerous floods and heavy weather conditions from the remnants of Cyclone Oswald. Yep, this cyclone packed a punch-and-a-half. Some areas had 24-hour rain totals that were greater than Adelaide's yearly average! Sadly, some people have already lost their lives, many trying to cross flooded roads - why? And so many of these same people were hit 2 years ago from the La Nina floods. Coming on top of a series of extensive bushfires - it's not a great summer!
It's been "Back to Work" week this week, followed by the inevitable "Back to School" week for the students. I'm a little apprehensive this time simply because of the lack of achievement; hoping it improves this week.
On the writing front: I've emailed my entry to the CWA's Debut Dagger award - who knows, eh? I'm fixing up a short story to enter into the Bristol Short Story Prize and writing a new one for the Kernewek Lowenden writing competition. Plus working on my query letters (etc) - that should be finalised on Friday.
For those of us in the south, it's cool for this time of year (23C). Those up in SE Queensland and northern NSW are struggling with dangerous floods and heavy weather conditions from the remnants of Cyclone Oswald. Yep, this cyclone packed a punch-and-a-half. Some areas had 24-hour rain totals that were greater than Adelaide's yearly average! Sadly, some people have already lost their lives, many trying to cross flooded roads - why? And so many of these same people were hit 2 years ago from the La Nina floods. Coming on top of a series of extensive bushfires - it's not a great summer!
It's been "Back to Work" week this week, followed by the inevitable "Back to School" week for the students. I'm a little apprehensive this time simply because of the lack of achievement; hoping it improves this week.
On the writing front: I've emailed my entry to the CWA's Debut Dagger award - who knows, eh? I'm fixing up a short story to enter into the Bristol Short Story Prize and writing a new one for the Kernewek Lowenden writing competition. Plus working on my query letters (etc) - that should be finalised on Friday.
View to the NW
Met with The Summiteers (Bush for Life mini-BAT group) at MtBS to douse the seedlings with long-awaited water. Up until a few minutes ago, we'd still had no rain (be lucky if we've had 0.2mm), in fact, we've had no significant rain in 5 months. The Summiteers are a fabulous bunch: thanks Karen, Tony and Steph. We're meeting next week to plot this year's activities. Exciting stuff!
Bird update: Wrens, thornbills (striated, I think, who was telling me off - I apologised), RBFs, spiney, shrike-thrush, babblers (H), sulphurs, y/f h/es, pardies (H), Wes (H), rosies, pies, fantails (H), curras (H) - AND TWO RAPTORS DIVING OFF THE COMMS TOWER, possibly kestrels, could be falcons. [Background: I heard what I thought was a young cockatoo on the tower (squeaky gate-type call) but couldn't see it. Gave up just the second the two raptors dived off the tower - at full-speed. IMPRESSIVE!]
Fauna update: Kangaroo on the Australia Day holiday - very appropriate (driving at the time, so no photo)
Photos: Taken over 3 days (26-28 Jan) The manna gums are shedding their bark at present - looks fantastic! Yes, those are dead/dying correa bushes - the reality of 5 months of poor (or zero) rainfall. I tried to get one of a wren - came out as a small black dot in a tree (not included).
Happy writing
Bo
x
Bird update: Wrens, thornbills (striated, I think, who was telling me off - I apologised), RBFs, spiney, shrike-thrush, babblers (H), sulphurs, y/f h/es, pardies (H), Wes (H), rosies, pies, fantails (H), curras (H) - AND TWO RAPTORS DIVING OFF THE COMMS TOWER, possibly kestrels, could be falcons. [Background: I heard what I thought was a young cockatoo on the tower (squeaky gate-type call) but couldn't see it. Gave up just the second the two raptors dived off the tower - at full-speed. IMPRESSIVE!]
Fauna update: Kangaroo on the Australia Day holiday - very appropriate (driving at the time, so no photo)
Photos: Taken over 3 days (26-28 Jan) The manna gums are shedding their bark at present - looks fantastic! Yes, those are dead/dying correa bushes - the reality of 5 months of poor (or zero) rainfall. I tried to get one of a wren - came out as a small black dot in a tree (not included).
Happy writing
Bo
x
