My Birthday Boy and Minty Dog Celebrating Birthday number 9.
Who has the biggest smile?
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If Pa is older than the Queen, does that mean he’s the “King” ?
Young son Jordan sits deep in contemplation. Nan’s 80th birthday has just passed and he’s got a lot on his mind. “Mum”, he asks. Pa’s older than Nan isn’t he?” “Yes” comes the intrigued motherly reply. “How old is he”, he asks? “Ninety Two, he’ll be Ninety Three at the end of this year”, is the reply. Young sons eye brows rise in amazement. “How old is the Queen”, he asks? “I think she’s 80″, says Mum. “Wow, that makes him older than the Queen”! “So, he was around before the Queen was. Does that mean he’s the KING”? It’s Mum’s turn to raise her eyebrows. “Yep. He sure is”!
(c)musicgal2012 – All rights reserved
My apologies for being so quiet for so long. I have been absorbed in my music studies with Berklee College where I’m working on completing my Specialist Certificate for “Singer Song Writer”. I have already completed the “Harmony” course and am half way through studying “Vocal Technique” at the moment. Next term I’m studying “Guitar Chords 101″ which will complete the required credits. By the end of it all I hope to be more competent/confident singer and guitarist and hence a far better Song Writer.
Practice, practice, practice and a heck of a lot of hard work lie ahead of me before this dream can come true.
I have a lot of stories and pictures stored in my head from the past couple of months so I’ll try “pop in” when I can to post them.
Love to All 
Lorelle
(c) musicgal2012 – Lorelle Press
A pair of “Happy Jacks”
(c)musicgal2012 Lorelle Press
Don’t let the smoochy demeanour fool you. These birds are aerial assault artists. They zealously protect their nests and their young from everything. If you dare to get too close you will get a jolly good head pecking for your trouble.
Just like most of our native birds their young fledge and leave the nest because they are too big and spend time on the ground before they can truly cope in the adult world of the trees. This can cause havoc for the adult birds as the young ones are very vulnerable to predators and tend to get themselves into some pretty “interesting” situations.
These birds live in family groups of up the twelve individuals which is why they are also called “Apostle” birds. They usually raise only one chick at a time and the whole group protects this chick until it is capable of flying and feeding itself.
They may not win a beauty contest but they certainly demand respect from all the other occupants in the garden, people included. They will even dominate their chosen home to the point of dictating “who” can be allowed to live in their territory and will drive out invaders, especially snakes. That’s the ONLY reason I tolerate them.
© musicgal2012 Lorelle Press
Cracks in the Earth
- These cracks have been known to go down 60 – 80 Feet.
Black Soil Plains
The black self-mulching clay of the Moree Basin is constantly on the move. In summer it bakes in the hot sun much like a large chocolate cake. As moisture evaporates in its rich core, cracks open across its surface; form into a network of veins to score its fleshy crust. These cracks can be wide enough to swallow an unwary foot and have been known to go as deep as 60 – 80 feet.
When it rains, the soil swells and the cracks close. A crust of earth will form like icing over the top concealing any evidence of their presence. At times this crust can form before the cracks have fully closed. This can prove perilous for unwary feet and the odd gumboot can be dislodged this way. It can also break an animal/human leg.
With moderate rain, the clay becomes extremely sticky and will build up on the soles of shoes to the point that bare feet can be the only option. If there is enough rain the surface becomes a giant bog ready to engulf a foot half way up to the knee. Cars bog. 4WD’s struggle and or bog, it is wise to stay on gravel or tarred surfaces. Large machinery can go down to their sumps.
These cracks serve as a natural habitat for the local fauna. Insects, mice, reptiles and probably many other creatures use them to shelter from the torments of nature.
The self-mulching action of the soil as it constantly opens and closes airates the earth and renews the top soil as the old surface topples into the deep cracks.
The Moree Plains is a rich mixture of moving, breathing, chocolate earthen cake. Although it may look good I don’t think I’ll take a bite. :)
(c) musicgal2012 Lorelle Press
Upon the tide a restless wind,
Stirs sleepless in her sheets,
Her wary eyes cast to the shore,
Towards the Dragon’s keep,
Head shielded by his leathery wings,
He sprawls along the shore,
Entrenched in slumber, an earthen bed,
And quilt of rocky tors,
Armed with scales of Azure Blue,
Tempered steel for claws,
Rocky turrets crest his tail,
And sulphur crusts his jaws,
This is one of my earlier posts from August 2012. It's one of my favourites so I thought I'd reblog it.
Photo Credit: Flickr.com. Photos.
Whilst sitting in my pergola yesterday evening, a mere few strides from my veranda steps, a black (probably a western brown) snake slithers its way between my two dogs and under the house. Great ! It then plays hide and seek with my cat along the wooden borders that line the garden bed at the base of the veranda. Great !
This morning I’m about to put my horse’s breakfast into her food bin (20m from the house) which is a cut down shuttle on a pallet. What do I see? The same reptile, casually cruising away from me and you probably guessed it…..straight under the pallet. WTF !! I had to move the horse to another spot to feed her. Also, her water trough is gunked up with algae because of the sun and heat. To clean it I usually reach under and remove the bung to drain it. It’s so NOT happening at the moment!!
I’ve developed a dislike for leaf litter and any grass longer than 2cm. You can’t see them. All you might hear is a slight rustle. I’d love to burn it all so there’s nothing but bare earth but the council frowns on such things at the moment. There’s a total fire ban and the farmers would not be amused if there crops went up with it 
.
It would liven up the place though
Out of millions and dillions of acres jam packed with reptile delicacies why oh why do they want to move in with us? They don’t “just pass through” it wouldn’t be so bad if they did. THEY STAY !! I find myself constantly side stepping them which isn’t funny when there are small children and animals and it’s so easy to step on them. I feel like a reptile magnet.
This one’s only about 4′ long compared with one we had this time last year. It was a 7′ king brown which was hell bent on drinking from my dogs water at the base of the veranda steps and didn’t give a stuff if we were next to it. We have dams. What’s so good about the dogs water? Maybe dog spit tastes better than cow spit ?
I’m not impressed !!
Our old Chamberlain Tractor rigged up with a Scarifier. An oldy but a goody.
I don’t know how old it is but she still runs pretty steady and gets the job done
(c)musicgal2012 Lorelle Press
Wild ducks enjoying a stroll along side the waters edge of our house Dam.
(c) musicgal2012 Lorelle Press
