The House(s) of Fran_mart

This is basically an entry to cover a couple of images which appeal to me. They were both taken on 17 March. The first is of a brown snake (about 1.6m long) - noting the date, it may have been driven out of Ireland!. The second image is an Eastern Yellow Robin.

It is not uncommon for us to see 'roos from the house, and at this time of year the mums are often carrying a passenger. However actually getting this shot of a joey taking afternoon tea from the pouch was remarkably lucky. Enjoy.

Objectives 1 To increase coverage, within the Canberra Ornithologists GROUP (COG) bird observation recording system of the area within the COG Area of Interest (COGAOI) outside the borders of the ACT – which I term the hinterland of the ACT. 2 To build up species lists for the hinterland and areas within the hinterland. 3 To give a simple project to which people interested in birds can participate whether or not they are members of COG. 4 To have some fun. Relationship to the COG Bird Blitz For the last several years Barbara Allen has been facilitating a Spring blitz of the COGAOI within the boundary of the ACT. This is building up a very useful time series of data. It is my intention that this exercise complements the Blitz and intend that the methods used will be largely the same. I have chosen to do this at the other end of the year to avoid any conflict of resources between the two exercises. Methods Timing: The core date is 21 March and if possible I’d like people to undertak...

Also known as the Palerang Council by-election. At the last Palerang Council elections a lady by the name of Judith Miller was elected (with the help of preferences from us). She unfortunately had to stand down after one sitting, citing health issues. So the rules are that there is a by-election. A few days before I was contacted by our neighbour, the local organiser for The Greens and asked to help hand out cards for one o the 3 candidates. He isn't a formal Green as such, but is endorsed by a Comminity party which is aligned with The Greens. As usual I said OK - on my past performance, probably giving the poor guy a kiss of death. I opened the booth at 8am and decided to try to keep a track of the number of punters. (The last time I did this for a Local Government election, in South Australia, I was on deck for 4 hours and not a single punter came by.) At least this time there were some voters. I was expecting a rush at 8am and then slowing down, but in fact it wasquite qui...

The opening photo above features a couple of Brandywine tomatoes which are about the tastiest I can recall, as well as being humongous or bigger than that. It also includes a trombuccini, which as far as we can work out is a cross between a trombone (a variety of pumpkin) and a zucchini. This is a very strange looking fruit, but also rather pleasant eating when converted into a slice. Many thanks to Rob Ey for providing this plant for us. The shoe is just there to provide scale: it isn't very big (by shoe standards) and I suspect not too tasty - unless well spiced. This second image shows a gift basket of produce we gave to Ingrid for her 32nd birthday. )She also got a cheque towards a new computer but that isn't so photogenic.) This image is of 3.2 kgs of crab apples picked from the garden bed in front of our bedroom. Totally un-netted so the Rosellas are really slack. I continue to be amazed how pruning the daylights out of a tree gets the fruit happening.

.. and having daubed moves on. The images here are of signs and paintings noticed, when I was able to snap them, around Port Vila.

In a recent message to my running (on the rare occasions they aren't injured) friends I commented that for me to get fit I had three post hammie objectives: Lose 20 years off my age Lose 5 kgs off my waist start taking 2m/stride rather than 2 strides/m I saw step 2 as the most difficult. However I have just been for a 4 hour walk around Pt Vila and have decided that I am well on the way of achieving it. So reality is restored and the difficult one reverts to #3. My first was along through the wharf to the end of the road. Or at least as near to the end as one can get, since some fascist has decided to build his McMansion across the road. Quite good fun except for when a real estate agent (probably trying to sell the McMansion ) went past in his car with two bolshie German Shepherds leaning out the windows stirring up all the local canines. Once the dweet was clear all the dogs returned to their abodes and resumed sleeping. There were a few birds around, but unfortunately t...