Postcards from home

[Dan]

*pics*

The tranquil botanic gardens. My Grandfather played a big role in its beginnings.

1 - been there
2 - been there
3 - been there
4 - haven't been there (oops)
5 - been there
6 - been there

There's a display in the botanic gardens with a really really old rock in it. My phd - scientist mother in law was amazed that it was just there in a plastic display case!

Really? Well, if it's worth anything to her, I might drop in there on Saturday for a look

That would be right I guess. A couple of years ago a couple of local louts broke in there one night and stole, of all things, a young crocodile! Probably walked straight past the rock worth millions on their way to the croc pen. They never did say where they released the croc. lol

Well, since you've been and done most of the above, I'll take you on a journey a little further west in the next day or so.

Probably one of the ones in the Mary river at Maryyourbrother

 

[mozgrame]

*pics*

The tranquil botanic gardens. My Grandfather played a big role in its beginnings.

1 - been there
2 - been there
3 - been there
4 - haven't been there (oops)
5 - been there
6 - been there

There's a display in the botanic gardens with a really really old rock in it. My phd - scientist mother in law was amazed that it was just there in a plastic display case!

Really? Well, if it's worth anything to her, I might drop in there on Saturday for a look

That would be right I guess. A couple of years ago a couple of local louts broke in there one night and stole, of all things, a young crocodile! Probably walked straight past the rock worth millions on their way to the croc pen. They never did say where they released the croc. lol

Well, since you've been and done most of the above, I'll take you on a journey a little further west in the next day or so.

Probably one of the ones in the Mary river at Maryyourbrother

In Queensland we pronounce it...Marryyourbrother.

 

[mozgrame]

The Fitzroy River, dividing Rockhampton. The biggest water catchment in the southern hemisphere!







Sometimes the river comes to town in a big way. A bit like @RiverEagle.

---

The Blackdown Tablelands. Near the town of Blackwater, pushing towards @Marga country.

 

[marga]

The Fitzroy River, dividing Rockhampton. The biggest water catchment in the southern hemisphere!







Sometimes the river comes to town in a big way. A bit like @RiverEagle.

---

The Blackdown Tablelands. Near the town of Blackwater, pushing towards @Marga country.

---

Beautiful part of the country. Haven't been to the Blackdown Waterfalls for years. Been to all the Rocky places you mentioned, yes even the Church.

 

[mozgrame]

The Fitzroy River, dividing Rockhampton. The biggest water catchment in the southern hemisphere!







Sometimes the river comes to town in a big way. A bit like @RiverEagle.

---

The Blackdown Tablelands. Near the town of Blackwater, pushing towards @Marga country.

---

Beautiful part of the country. Haven't been to the Blackdown Waterfalls for years. Been to all the Rocky places you mentioned, yes even the Church.

---

Back in 1979/80, ( I was in grade 3 at the time and doing home schooling ) we were living on a block of land called "New Block". The Dettrick family from Duaringa owned it at the time, maybe still do. As you come out of Duaringa heading towards Emerald, there is a turn off to your left a few k's out of town that heads toward Woorabinda. If you follow that road around, with a few twists and turns you find "New Block". It is set in behind the Blackdown's, on the opposite side of the tourist area.

It is truly beautiful country up in there. VERY secluded and peaceful. There are massive waterholes up in there that are about chest deep from one end to the other. Some are about 50m by 15m in size with completely flat stone bottoms. The clearest water you can imagine. Fresh water fish, ferns and blackboys everywhere right to the waters edge. Abundant birdlife, wildlife. Most importantly, to me at least.......no other tourists in sight No annoying music or parties, just the sounds of the bush day and night.

We used to joke that Yowies could live up in there for generations without coming across humans ever. LOL!

 

[RiverEagle]

On a slightly different level (but still Postcards from Home for sure) are these river-stones I've either collected and been gifted or given. You blokes have been going for the grand scale of things...I've gone the other way to focus on the smaller, simpler beauty that surrounds us.

The stones get polished and/or lacquered. And the pics here really don't do justice to the beautiful nuances and intricate patterns that have evolved over hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.

They look great in direct sunlight.

(Tap on the images here in particular to get a closer appreciation of them).









And here's a few made for me by a very creative and resourceful woman.




These are NOT candy kids; they're all riverstone.



The one above there is all manner of seeds, herbs, all natural earth, rock and fibre.




And lastly rare leaves and river-plant preserved in oil.

(Yeah, very talented lady she was. Not bad with the art and craft as well... )

 

[mozgrame]

Emerald, @marga country

Established 1879 on the Nogoa River. Well known for the Fairbairn Dam, coal mining, cotton and citrus farming (sshhh, don't mention the canker ) and grain cropping. Special mention to the Gem Fields just west a few kilometres!

Sadly, my pics don't do the place much justice......Marga may have some better ones???















Floods like Emerald too.

 

[RiverEagle]

Slightly or VERY different, but definitely a Postcard from Home, is this head-dress given to me as a gift this week.

She explained it's actual Islander-symbolism and meaning (quite in-depth).

Most of which escapes me and isn't necessary at this stage.

I just really like it, it's already hung-on-a-wall, and wanted to share.



It looks quite different in varying lighting, or from different angles.

And it's much larger than the pic projects.

It would serve me well as my avatar on one of my bad days, too.

(For those that know what I mean).

 

[Dan]

15 mins north of amsterdam in zaanstad.

Windmills and some Dutch football boots.....

 

[Dan]

And a beach about 30 minutes drive from our place in Amsterdam named Zaandvoort

 

[RiverEagle]

A slightly silly but genuine question @Dan

Are there windmills (like lighthouses) big enough for people to actually live in?

Here's a simple one (taken today).

Now Spring has "sprung" so too a rapid increase of bird-life near "my river". There are quite large flocks of galahs, cockatoos, slightly annoying magpies, to name but a few.

There's one already a regular in our gardens.
Somehow brave or intuitive enough to know I'm no risk (he keeps an eye my way often, but continues his feed unperturbed!)

"Say hello to my little friend...!"



If he keeps coming back I'll just about have to give him a name..lol!

(All suggestions welcomed!)

 

[Dan]

They far functional so a paint mill, saw mill, oil mill etc. they didn't so much live in them as to to them and operate them. They are pretty huge though

 

[globaleagle]

Awesome cockatoo! RE

We had a pet cockatoo.....we just called him cockey!

Also before we left for canada, we used to feed 3 magpies and 3 butcher birds.

3 years later we come home....and they all remembered us! Still ate from our hands!

The magpies were cool as they actually chase off the plovers who try to attack us.

Speaking of plovers....there was one nesting on the ground in the backyard...and a little baby plover has hatched!

awwwwwww.

Need pics.

(for some reason I think I've posted all this already)

edit: Haven't seen many igloo's in Canada.

 

[RiverEagle]

Firstly @Dan

If the windmills are indeed big enough to function in the ways U mention, wouldn't it be easy to live in as well (or simply convert one into a "home"?). Or are the Dutch too conservative to entertain the idea??

Secondly @globaleagle

Apart from the fact i too love "birds" of many types (Eagles, Swans, and the humankind) a mate came over last night for a cuppa and to see how I was travellin" health-wise (still a bit rough but that's beside the point).

We " brain-stormed" (as best we could,lol) and he has a name, pending final approval!

He's Kenny.

As in Kenny Rogers (who sings the song " Lady") because most ladies love at least a "cocka-two". lol.

We're still taking late entries on the matter.
As of now, he's Kenny (the cockatoo) for us.

 

[globaleagle]

Kenny is a pretty good name!

 

[Dan]

Windmills are functional so living in them is hard, the inside is largely taken up but machinery that is part of the windmill and room is limited, it's also very dusty and noisy. So if you imagine the Paint mill which i was standing on to take the photo there is dust everywhere from the ground up and pulverised rocks to make the paint.

To do that there are several things that happen, as the sails turn they turn a number of pulleys and cogs, they then lift some very heavy wooden beams that then drop to pulverise the rock, which spurts dust everywhere into the air as well as makes the entire building shake and can be hear from several hundred metres away.

So they are purely functional places, its not a house and in these specific ones they are part of a museum so would never be converted as the entire land/village which is free to enter and you can ride to is maintained as it was used back then. You could conceivable convert one itno living quarters but you woul dneed to remove so much internal workings

thats the upper floor of what is going on, the lower floors have even more things and you can only just walk two abrest through parts of it. The inside with machinery etc is about the size of a normal living room

 

[RiverEagle]

Outstanding explanation @Dan (thanks)

Google couldn't have summarized it better (I could've been more pro-active and looked it up myself too!) *But I have been well-crook, so that's my excuse!

So definitely not as simple as I imagined (to try and live in one) nor desirable, to say the least! Thanks again.

And @globaleagle

U don't think "Kenny" is a bit generic or unimaginative (for our little friend)?

I guess it's as good as any then...Thanks for your "reply" @globaleagle

 

[RiverEagle]

So Kenny's been back quite a bit the past week.



Spotted havin' a sun-bake and a feed.



Even seen with a pal or gal...



(Or it's all unconfirmed...They do all look alike to me...lol).

*And Wagga's "Beach" tidied and spruced up for the warmer weather now, and coming-Summer.

 

[globaleagle]

lol, sorry @rivereagle . I should've replied. Things were hectic.

But I did like Kenny!

 

[globaleagle]

As requested (ages ago and in case he still lurks around a bit).... Baby Plovers!!!

Aww