Catch a falling Star

Downloaded the photos over a week ago and then got heavily inundated with ... life, lol. Humble apologies to those who keep regular readership. The title of this post came to me after walking home one night with the moon out and the milkyway so close, it felt like I could almost walk up to it and be in it. I saw 4 shooting stars and was blown away by the immenseness of the night sky that you get out here.

Two Fridays back I went into Geraldton for the night with the WM to watch her girls play net ball. It was a last minute decision as on reflection I decided it was time to do something quite random and not what I would normally do. Those of you who know me well, know that sport is not high on my list of knowledge or practice, lol. I heard netball, but thought basketball (the only games I had attended when we had girls at school) so when the WM said it would be cold, thought, hmmm yes, I suppose the stadiums will not be heated in winter, add an extra layer. Imagine my surprise when we parked the car, and the WM pulled out two folding chairs and proceeded to walk onto the OUTSIDE courts beside the stadium!!!!! She had to explain that netball - in winter- is played OUTSIDE and basketball - is played - INSIDE in summer. I was still having trouble making sense of it all as I am sure I have only ever seen the Silver Ferns and other NZ teams playing on inside courts forgetting completely about school netball in NZ (don't think I ever went to a game in 10yrs of boarding! lol). As there was still a modicum of sunshine just before sunset, we proceeded to set up and make ourselves comfy. As the night drew on, so the temperatures dropped. By the third quarter of the second daughter's game, I was huddled under a jacket, over my leather jacket, jumper, jeans, sox etc, guarding my vital organs from hypothermia, sitting with all collars up, head down, eyes closed and going to my happy warm place in my head, lol. For some strange reason in the 4th quarter, I was able to raise my head to watch the last of the game, because the temperature dropped from Arctic to a mere hoar frost temperature. Needless to say immediately the games were finished we were in the car, heater was turned on to cremate, and a fast dash was made to Maccas for a very hot coffee. Actually stayed the night in town, as another staff member out here leant us her house for the night. It had a HEAT PUMP in the lounge so in a short space of time became suffused with warmth and all was right with the world again.

Spent the next morning poodling round the shops, an unexpected bonus, and then once we had got our groceries late afternoon we headed back. The wildflowers were beginning to come out,

and we were both taken with the colours of canola and wheat growing side by side. The WM kindly stopped so I could take a couple of photos to show you what canola looks like. This is probably about a third of the way back here looking north west of Geraldton.

As we turned off to Dean Rd, (17k long) we passed my favourite pond (that fills up after an amount of rain has fallen and was very excited to

see this Mountain Duck crossing the road. He was part of a flock on the pond, initially flying to the other side of the road as we approached in the car and stopped, while he was

honking to the others, before walking back across the road. There were over 20 ducklings swimming on the pond so we were both out with our cameras trying to get some shots before they swam too far out of range.

Got back to find there was a campfire on that night. I had a few things to do so said I would walk up and catch up with everyone at the campfire (I thought that is what I meant, lol). I walked up past the WM's house and even though I saw the car there, couldn't hear any noise so set off down the track to the air strip where they said they would be. Walked about 1/2 mile down the track, couldn't see or hear anything so thought, hmmmm maybe it is the other side of the air strip, so trip trop, trip trop back I went, turning off behind the Principals house down the track to the other end of the strip. This was all in the dark, but as there was a moon, was totally ok, lol. As I was heading towards the second track, I noticed a car head off down towards where I had just been, then away down towards my place and though I leapt about and yelled, no one heard. I had tried to walk towards the car as it was turning and then thought, I could keep on doing that, or could just go to the fire and wait, so I did. As I lurched out of the dark, the WMH told me the WM and neighbour were frantically searching for me, thinking I may have fallen over somewhere, as they had been to my place and it was empty and had not been able to find me in the meantime. They were about another 20 mins as they went on to visit all the other staff on site to see if anyone had seen me!!!!! All was sorted once they eventually got back to the fire whereupon we settled back for sausages in bread and marshmellows for tea.

On the Sunday it was decided we would all go to the Coalseam for a picnic lunch. Made the famous Bulte family 'Kumera Salad' except had to call it 'sweet potato salad' so the troops here understood what they were eating, lol. Most of the staff on site came for the day and it was great to see the beginning of the wildflowers coming out there.

It was another barbeque with the picnic lunch as the Coalseam has gas barbeques available, and my offering went down a treat - yay. This photo is a shot of what it looked like - many of the flowers were still in buds and not fully out. Lots of yellow with pinks just starting to flower - everlasting daisies mostly.


Two experiences that made the day - we were sitting down eating our lunch, (all took our camp chairs with us), with a beautiful sunny day. Several other people were doing the same thing as us, when the next thing, four kangaroos leapt out of the scrub and right before our eyes, hopped through the park in front of us. How Australian is that,lol.

Also while having lunch, I noticed movement in a tree not far from where I was sitting and managed to get a photo of this robin. Most of the birds in the bush are extremely timid as I have said before and I cannot believe I even got this picture.

I have put pictures in before I think of the coal seam but popped one in again for any new readers. The Irwin river runs through this area at the base of the coalseam. The area was once under a glacier and the coal seam is as a result of extreme pressure over millions of years turning peat and vegetation into coal (if I have read the blurb properly).

Had to take a photo of the moon. The saying once in a blue moon would seem to mean little out here. We had a blue moon for about 4 days and have seen them already this year. So not all that rare I think.




On the way back from the picnic we stopped at Duckkie Dam, on the school property, so named because of all the ducks on it when full. This is the biggest dam on the property and provides a good amount of the school's water. This was taken late afternoon and I loved the reflection on the water.

Last but not least, was very excited to see the first orchids of the season. This is a tiny flower and easily missed until you know where you are looking.

The only down side was by the end of the day the midgies were out in their legions. Even though I was covered in repellent, I have been bitten all over my face, on my legs, on my elbows, and on my scalp. I am starting to look like a third world child again (I know it is politically correct to call it 'developing country' now but it does not have the same ring, lol) as apart from the lumps, I am covered in scars from scratching said lumps - am on antihistamine tabs to prevent the itch to save what little is left of my hide, lol.


I will do another post to tell of the last Service at School last weekend but need to get some shut eye.