It has been six months. That’s pathetic.

I really enjoyed blogging when I started six years ago. I seem to have lost my way with it lately. I think my weakness for Facebook is to blame. It reminds me of when I was a smoker. I knew it was doing me harm but could not kick it. I am not dumping Facebook this time like I have before. I am going to try to become a watcher, and initially, a once a day poster. It is now 12:15 PM and I have already shared 2 things today. Oh well. One was plugging a CD by a local musician, the other a mariachi version of Gold and Brown. Hardly controversial. Maybe good shares like this are OK? Having said that, I still do not want to allow Facebook to continue to consume me. I gave up cigarettes by slowing weaning myself off over a few years, thirty years ago. I think I can discipline myself with Facebook, and get it down to a decent level of observance.

In early January 2020, large parts of Australia were on fire. Some of these fires had been burning since September 2019. An overseas observer would be forgiven for thinking that all of Australia was burning. This was most certainly not the case, however, no matter where you lived, except maybe the top end, there was ever present evidence of these fires burning; in all capital cities, bar Darwin. This is unprecedented. This was, and is still, a crisis for Australia. I have no photos from this period.

The weather turned later in January, as we prepared to go to our yearly sojourn to Rosebud, on the Mornington Peninsula, South of Melbourne.

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  Rosebud at night

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  Waxing crescent Moon set

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  Beautiful serene coast

The stars were amazing, and my phone could take pics of them

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  Milky Way over the dark Bass Strait skies

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  The Large Magellanic Cloud

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  The Milky Way

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  Orion over the Bay

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  Orion through the trees

There was of course relaxation, entertainment, catching up with family and friends.

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An there was plenty of beauty

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We do not stay at the beach constantly, as we have two dogs that need caring for at home. While there, in February and prior to the covid lockdown, I started the process of baking sourdough. Here are some photos of my fun.

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I like to take photos of plants, and this six month period has been no exception.

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Some nice sunsets and Autumn scenes

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Some covid lockdown activities

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  Early days reverse camera

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  All fixed now

With Winter upon us now

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Changing Seasons July 2019

Had to get out of Victoria too cold.

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On a plane to sunny Queensland

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Sunrises

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Sunsets

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Beaches

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Surfing

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Temperate rainforests

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Flowers

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Art, trees, a river and a mountain

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Self Portraits

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Wonderful company

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And Bangalow Palms

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Brisbane

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For Su’s Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons June 2018

June 30 already! It is been a different month for us with me changing to working 0.7, and preparing to move off the farm to a suburban block. I have added the usual bunch of cloudy watery pics with a couple of ring-ins taken by others.

Driving in the country in Australia, especially at night, and more so in Winter, is a challenge due to our lovely furry friends jumping in front of us without warning. This photograph is doctored but is a timely reminder for all of us to slow down a bit and keep our eyes peeled.

Last week Jo and went to see a special viewing of movie called Brothers’ Nest. Shane Jacobson attended the screening with an introduction and post movie Q&A session. I enjoyed the movie very much. It could be classified as a black comedy. For Australians it is nothing like Kenny. It’s distribution may be limited to Australia. Jo and I are in this photo but we cannot be resolved.

Thanks again Su for running changing seasons. See her blog here.

The Changing Seasons May 2018

Late again. May started warm and ended quite cold. The fire is chugging along quite nicely and days are short. And at the end of May I got the dreaded Manflu.
It has been a month of car breakdowns. I have a bad habit of holding on to cars for too long and yes, they breakdown spectacularly. I’m out of pocket over 2 K and this car is running nicely one minute then all of a sudden, no transmission. On the freeway, thankfully out of the burbs. I just managed to get the car off the road, rang roadside assist and waited in the cold on the other side of the armco railing for a tow, because every monster truck that went by would wobble the car. That’s cars.
What a great day I had with the sampling team on Port Phillip Bay. The Bay was lumpy but we managed to finish all 6 sites, replicates and blanks. And we did all of this in 9 hrs.
Later in May our team headed down to Lake Wellington, the westernmost lake of the Gippsland Lakes, to investigate more sampling sites and to be involved in a media event. Lake Wellington is a large shallow brackish lake. It is partially surrounded by farmland and an RAAF air base. The LaTrobe River empties into it. I had initially requested to be not interviewed but I gave in and accepted it in the end. I was zero prepared. My colleague did not skip a beat but I bumbled my way through my bit. Thankfully, the editing skills of the journalist made me sound like a professional.
Now I’m 60 I’m grabbing every opportunity I have to make my life more interesting. I have not always done this; I don’t regret it because you can’t turn back time. There are also many very valid reasons why I have lived my life as I have to date; not a topic for these pages as I would bore you to tears.
I’ll add some photos below for Su’s changing seasons .

Looking west from Mt Macedon

Looking south-west from Macedon

Melbourne through the haze from Mt Macedon

Me sampling at Lake Reeve taken by Chris Garland

Lake Reeve at Loch Sport taken by Chris Garland

Sampling at Lake Wellington taken by ABC journalist

The Changing Seasons April 2018

April for me has been mixed, with some highs and some lows. I know people like a good read, but I live my life with Jo and the dogs, play music, take photos and measure things. I wish I could enjoy writing but I just make a hash of it most of the time. Here is some photos from April 2018. Still warm here, even today on May 1. Colder nights and mornings. The beach is all (mostly) packed up, with our caravan still in a suburban driveway waiting to be brought home by a suitable vehicle. Thanks again Su for you inspiration and changing seasons initiative.

I turned 60 in March. This cake was baked by a colleague pictured below on the boat. Thanks Chris

Lucy and Chris

Sunset viewing at Rosebud

Gippsland Lakes land-based sampling

The swinging udders

Winery in the Mt Macedon Region

The Changing Seasons. March 2018

As I approach the end of my wonderful 4 weeks off work I realise I have done a lot of things but I have not reconnected with blogging. I’m so glad that Su has kept the changing seasons going because I can continue to drop in here at least once a month. It’s been an eventful month with spending some time down at the beach, home and a few days in the mountains. Here’s some snaps

The Lady Nelson (Replica)

Friends relaxing on the beach

Cruising – not my cup of tea

Girls having a ball on the Ovens River

Our little teardrop, Button

Bright

Bright

Brunch at Bright

Girls getting dunked

Our little mountain over the warter

More sky

Rosebud at night

Rosebud at night

Another sunset

Home at night

Home at night

The Changing Seasons February 2018

It’s such a mad month for me. I am so looking forward to March. Friday is my last work day for 4 weeks. One small problem; I’m working Saturday! Duh how did that happen. Oh well, big relax on Saturday night and some extra time at the end of my leave. Here’s some pics of my February. Added for Su’s Changing Seasons

Callistemon

View from Red Rock at dawn

Rosebud Sunset No @@##$

Handstanding great niece

Roseb…..

Rosebud clouds

Rosebud clouds 2

Sunset reflection

R…….

Drinks on the beach

The Upper Yarra River at Warburton

Starvation Creek Res

Sunset at home

The Changing Seasons January 2018

It’s the holiday season in Australia and it’s been a hot one. I may add some words later but here is some pics from the month. Added for Su’s new changing seasons

New Holland Honey-eater and agapanthus

Raked clouds

Lake Tyers

Lake Tyers

Adele and her flare

My day flare

The fire crew at Lakes Entrance

Hot sky

Ah, the serenity

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged anything but on the changing seasons. Here’s a bunch of photos specially chosen for the Serene theme. Apologies as some have been previously published.

At home

At home

Wye River

Wye River

Wye River

Wye River

At home

Lakes Entrance

Rosebud

At home

Rosebud

At home

Rosebud

Lakes Entrance

At home

At home

Lake Victoria

Altona

Hobart

Maldon

At home

Lake Tyers

The Changing Seasons, October 2017

A frantic month of ‘Where did that go?’ I had some leave, did some burning, visited Tasmania.
Took the dogs for a run down the Altona dog beach. They had a ball.

Since the nasty grass fire of February 2014, we have had many piles of dead cypress trees awaiting burning. Last weekend was coolish with favourable light SW winds. Perfect pyro weather. This was 3 of the 8 piles we burnt. There are just as many, if not more, dead trees to burn next Winter.

Jo had a bit of fun in the bobcat.

Last week I flitted down to Hobart for 24 hours. Too short. I love that place.

And thanks to Ruth at RuthsArc I was able check out some wonderful new sculptures. The weather and light was not the best.
I’ve added these for Max’s Changing seasons.