This entry is merely a photo catch up for these two months. Not much to say really. Note the march of the sunset from early February to late March.
I haven’t contributed to Su’s Changing Seasons in while. Neither have I added anything to my blog. I know that it is always there to fall back on.
Every year we are drawn to the Mornington Peninsula, South of Melbourne, to enjoy the calm beachside. Every year there are more photographs to admire. Then they just disappear. I miss the days when photographs meant more. But to most, it’s today here, tomorrow gone. I hoping a little return to this blog will help me diarise my observations of where I visit, like it used to. By the way, I don’t really visit that many places. For the most part, I’m fairly happy with where I live. It’s can be beautiful, and other times quite droll. But it still surprises me.
Attached are some photos from the edge of Port Phillip Bay in April this year.
I have added some homecoming autumnal photographs to finish the month.
These photographs were taken in Greens Bush in the centre of the Mornington Peninsula
The following photographs are an assortment typical April in Port Phillip Bay
Plus some Autumn leaves
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.
The stars were amazing, and my phone could take pics of them
There was of course relaxation, entertainment, catching up with family and friends.
An there was plenty of beauty
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.
I like to take photos of plants, and this six month period has been no exception.
Some nice sunsets and Autumn scenes
Some covid lockdown activities
With Winter upon us now
Boy has it changed. It’s raining and cold (for us). Days are short (for us) It is a great time of year for daytime photography. I have not been doing much but the phone is always near. I’ll add some for Su’s changing seasons.
I look forward to dedicating more to time to being regular on this forum.
Almost six months since I have written anything. Blogging is such a great way to relate, even if your audience is six or seven people. I was going to enter a May changing seasons when I realised I could not do that with putting up some Rosebud piccies. We stay there from late January to late April every year. We love it because our family is there, who we really don’t see much for the rest of the year, and we have some lovely neighbours, and it is within easy walking distance of a gentle clean beach. For most of time it is warm, I probably drink a little too much, and unfortunately it has some questionable locals, I emphasise some, as most are just like you and me. This year they stole Jo’s art folder and a larger folder of my printed songs, covers mainly, which can be recovered. Having not long moved to the ‘burbs, we found our 15 yo dog did not like being left at home and consequently made a lot of noise, at night. This displeased the neighbours and broke a lot of our stays.
I have been holidaying at Rosebud now for nearly 60 years. I love it’s beauty and simplicity. I prefer it when it is quiet, which is why we visit post season. We don’t stay there for the whole 3 months; Jo and I live about 130 kms from it; we leave the van and set-up there. I work about 90 km from it.
Just because I don’t come here often does not mean I going to abandon blogging. It is a pretty special place here and I hope to hang on by a thread for a while yet. Been a crazy couple of months with Mum moving into a nursing home, industrial fire clean-ups and the continuation of the move into our lovely new house. It’s funny being in the ‘burbs again. Like, I’m not big on Halloween; it’s not really an Aussie thing. Yet. But boy did we get swamped by kids wanting lollies. We had been preparing for yearly Melbourne Cup weekend away from it at the Maldon Folk music festival. Jo bought a nice selection of sweets for the campers. Oh no. Spooky looking children in expensive ‘the scream’ masks moving from side to side wanting lollies from the new neighbours. And what is it with the pumpkins? Our pumpkins are good in May!! oh well. The whole event seemed harmless enough. Then there’s Thanksgiving. We don’t do it. But the following day there was all this crap about Black Friday. Grrrrr. To be honest, it didn’t really affect me that much. But surely you have to give thanks before you thanks give? Thanks Su
Clouds
Industrial fires
Domestic things
In the last two months I have been busy with moving and visiting my mother in several hospitals. Mum is 95 and has undergone bowel surgery and is currently in a rehab hospital. She probably won’t be able to go home.
In late August. early September Melbourne endured a horrible industrial fire. I have added a couple of pics.
We have moved to our new house but are still managing the old property as we hope it to be subdivided into two blocks. This is a very involved process requiring all kinds of local government scrutiny. I do not agree with rampant, unchecked development so I am in full agreement with this process.
Our new house is comfortable and is situated on 1600m2 in 10 year old estate. A considerably more manageable piece of land. We are loving it so far; it has a few flaws but what house hasn’t? Our older dog doesn’t like much but the young dog loves it.
Spring has arrived here. We are experiencing warm days and cold nights. Like Su in New Zealand, we have been warned of a horror Summer ahead of us. So I am enjoying these beautiful days. And I am yet to cop hay fever!
Today is the day of the Australian Rules football grand final. Two avian teams are playing – the Magpies vs the Eagles. I follow neither. I am supposed to have some allegiance to the Victorian team, the ‘pies’, but I can’t bring myself to that place. I will be barracking for the Eagles (from Perth)
Below are smattering of photos I have taken over the last two months. Check Su’s great page for more pics.
Mum
Ok, it’s July 31. I’ve had enough of this Winter thing now. I know we still have another three months of it to go down here in Victoria.
I have been playing a lot of music lately so my photos have suffered. And I am itching to get out on the water again. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I’m off to Gippsland again.
Also, Jo and I have been slowly emptying rooms here. After living here for 20 years, we are yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’ll get there. Here’s some pics from July. Added for Su’s Changing Seasons which can be found here.
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.
I get out sampling a fair bit these days. It’s a great job; I’m so lucky to have it this late in my career. The youngies put up with my whinging about my back or something else that might be bothering me. We get the work done no matter what the weather. On Thursday 21 June, our Winter solstice, we a had a glorious day for sampling on the Bay. Port Phillip is a large (1930 sq km), very open and mostly shallow embayment. It is separated from the sea by a narrow opening referred to as the rip; mainly because with tidal changes, the sea rips through there at quite a rate. Having said that, we do not have tidal variations seen in other parts of the world like Cornwall or The Kimberley; the Bay would indeed be a very different place if that was to occur. I have seen seals, dolphins, penguins and many migratory birds in the Bay. Whales visit, but I am yet to see one. Being next to a city of more than 4 million people, it has been hammered over the years. Treated sewer still empties into it; it has been over-fished and subject to many nasty pollution events. At its northern, southern and western ends it is has been deeply dredged for shipping. Despite this, it is still beautiful. Here’s some pics from the other day.
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