margaret_r | Update (Reply)

It’s awhile since I did an update, not that much has been happening. We had plans for trips to see grandchildren, but of course they didn’t happen due to the closure of all state borders at one time or another. Daughter and grandsons were going to come to us in September, but again … closed borders because of a second wave in Victoria – just as things were looking quite good too.

Anywho, it’s now been 15 months since we saw the boys and 14 months since we saw our granddaughter. But! Borders have now opened and there is a planned family Christmas here with at least one daughter and grandsons. I’m not getting too overly excited – been there, done that before (damn COVID) but I’m sorting out the house in preparation, which is quite a lot of work as it has got very messy over the last twelve months or so, and getting the back in order. So, at least things will look a bit more shipshape whatever happens.

On another note, progress has been made on my Lewis fic, especially in the last month thanks to ushobwri and the November writing challenge MiFuNoSo. It pushed things along and I’m near the end now, hopefully finishing off by early new year, which I'm sure will please my auction bidders. They have been very patient.

Other than that, photo taking has been my usual standby occupation and here’s a few from the last couple of months, this first batch taken on walks in the park over spring.

Mother duck and ducklings.

The local koala was seen off and on, although I think there are at least two in the park so I'm never sure if I'm seeing the same one all the time.

A kookaburra in flight

This magpie could see itself in the car window and was going a bit crazy at its reflection

A New England honey eater

Rainbow lorikeets

In the meantime our callistemon came into flower

As did the photinia

We have a Willie wagtail that comes to visit every morning and I watch it from the window of the spare room. It's cheeky though and even if we are outside doesn't fly off until you're just about on top of it. According to Aboriginal folklore they are gossips and bad news bringers. I love watching ours, it's a real character.

A couple of weeks ago I spotted a galah pecking around on our front yard, dashed out with the camera and ended up with a whole collection of feathered friends enjoying both our grassy front and the street tree.

First there was one

Then there were two

Another one landed on the fence

They congregated in the tree

Got some nice shots of them flapping, flying off and landing on the overhead wires.

A rosella arrived too

then there was a bird I'd seen a couple of times around but had no idea what it was. When I managed to get a good photo of it and looked it up I discovered it's a white plumed honey eater