The House(s) of Fran_mart

 Some photos around town.   I start with  the construction site formerly known as Commonwealth Park.  It is a mess,  and the bloke I spoke to was unsure when they'd finish but hoped before the site is set up up for the next Floriade.  Resign, Sally Barnes, for this annual fiasco.  Oh - she has resigned, but apparently for being old, not because of poor policies. The Grey-headed Flying Foxes are back in numbers. An interesting crane being shifted around.  The driver is on the end of the jib travelling backwards! Another crane: this one removing the site office from our facade removal project as they have finished  after about 18 months. Jobs I wouldn't like - an ongoing series.  I have spoken to these folk in the past https://franmart.blogspot.com/2019/04/in-memory-of-window-cleaner.html and they are mainly rock climbers keeping in shape and earning a few $$$ while doing so.  They are also young. A couple more window cleaning ph...

 Another trip to Canberra for dentist and a couple of croquet matches.   The first images shows the outcome of 'pesticide' use along Imlay Rd.  We didn't stop to read the signs but I think it was an all embracing herbicide that nailed everything.  In a few areas the spray had drifted into the trees off the verge. Once in the South East Forests NP it looked as though they had slashed rather than sprayed.  A good thing, but we didn't take a snap of that. We found a log truck crawling up a hill for a km or so but was able to get past him OK  Once on the Monaro Highway we met this peleton doing 15 kph.   The caravan had a couple of looks at getting past but pulled back in, so I - I suspect knowing the road better than the van driver - made with the loud pedal and got past all three in about 100m.  I kept out to give the van driver a hint that all was clear but he held back: I suspect he was still behind them when they got to Bombala. After r...

 This includes our visits to the Book Fair and Kelly's Swamp as well as some views from our apartment. This group of cars on the roof of the Target carpark intrigued us.  It turns out they are Teslas and the Canberra dealership is somewhere on Bunda St.  Possibly a cheap place to park your stock.  I am still surprised there are so many available when most other brands have 6 -12 month waiting lists. As the muppets running Floriade have blocked off Commonwealth Park we are going through Reid on our morning walks, This is a very pleasant thing to do, especially with some flowering street trees. And some flowering garden trees. The weather hadn't improved by the time we got home.  (As I type, I think back to January 2020 when the view was similarly, or worse, restricted but due to bushfire smoke rather than water vapour.) So our second outing was to EPIC to visit the Lifeline Book Fair.  The main arena would probably have caused Thelwell to come over all unnec...

 This will be a collection of photos taken in various spots.  The narrative may be even less coherent than usual.  On looking through them sunsets are a feature! I nearly always look at flocks of Corellas to see if a Long-billed is mixed in with the Littles.  On 6 April I heard an aberrant call as we walked in Commonwealth Park and on checking 2 birds perched in a nearby tree found I had Bird of the Day. Less exciting in Canberra, but very much so for anyone from overseas (with the possible exception of some, Macaw-infested, places in South America) was a Crimson Rosella perched on the sunviso outside my study. The Shire, also known as the ACT Government, has set up a school holiday facility in Glebe Park where they have a container of junk which is spread out over the lawns.  Kids then get stuck into the stuff to play with as they like.  A brilliant idea which works very well.  (As a side benefit it must give OHAS onanists conniptions!) Sunrise on 7 A...