Appreciating nature (IMG heavy!)

I have been appreciating nature, of late. I love my digital camera and I am taking photos whenever and wherever I can. I truly live in a beautiful part of this world and I grew up taking it for granted! Over the last couple of years (I would say about 5-7), this area has really grown.....as in new industries have cropped up, therefore lots more new people have moved here to get jobs.

I love this time of year! Not only is it hot (my favourite weather), but the days are, mostly, beautiful, crisp, clear days. I grew up in a small community (here), where there was basically NOTHING for kids to do, but go to the beach, over someone else's place or the like. Most of my friends didnt have a computer or any of the gaming machines available of the time (I was one of the lucky ones with an Atari....remember them?). We (Bro and I) had to HOUND our parents for a video machine!

Although this place has changed lots (bush area bulldozed to make room for more subdivisions, etc), there are still things that have not changed. Nature, for example, is still the same in most areas. Since we have an Aluminium plant, they have to have a 'buffer zone' between them and 'civilisation' so if any fallouts happen, we are, basically, protected. Mind you.....if one of the Lines were to blow, then we would ALL be in for it! But, that would only basically happen if someone COMPLETELY fucked up, so is highly unlikely.

Anyway....here are some photos that I have taken over the last couple of weeks....just so you know what I am talking about!

The sky one evening...loved the way the sun was playing with the clouds!



Our two resident Kookaburras. They had a baby, but s/he has now left the nest and they all alone, again. I found their nest the other day. It is visible from our back verandah and I missed all the comings and goings!!


The walk down to the beach is not far.....couple 100 metres....and this is in between!! This is what we found today! a see of green foliage, with pink lillies poking their heads up everywhere!


A flower in the greenery on the side of the path to the beach.....quite common, but fitted in with my 'theme' for today! An open Pippy........just something that caught my eye. Not something you see too often down there, either!


While the kids were swimming, today, I took these. The first is a shot to the left of where I was standing......huge sparse water in between me and the boat (the white thing in the middle) and then an island. 2nd is across the mouth of the river, directly in front of me.....mainland is that far away! hehe. 3rd is a shot of down the river towards the bridge. No, this is not the way onto this island........it is actually the main way to the next town (which is just across the bridge).

Happy Easter!

The morning has come and gone. The kids have got their presents. There is no chocolate, here, unless it is given to the kids from someone else. Even then, we 'ration' it out to them, so that they are not out of their trees for the holidays. For some strange reason, the Easter holidays start AT Easter in QLD and not the weekend before, like so many lucky states! Well, lucky for the parents, not the teachers! hehe.

We went on a nice little bike ride this morning - to clear the head....apparently. Well, as nice as a kiddy chair and a kiddy trailer on the back of a bike can make it, anyway!! My plans are to take the kids to and from school on the bikes, so I had better get some fitness up about me or I am just going to be totally stuffed!! The hills are the killer! Not going down them - the trailer pushes me on them - but going up them! I was afraid to change gears, at first, because my bike has had troubles before in that department! Our plan was for a large ride before lunch, have lunch at a brilliant little take away and then come on home, stopping off at a friend's place on the way. Didnt happen! We got 1/2 way to the shop and I decided to turn off and make my way to my friends place! My legs were KILLING me! But my friend was duly impressed...hehe.

Pete has just bought me a cross trainer (elliptical exercise machine, where you stand and pedal instead of sitting on a bike. Oh! and you use your arms, too, so good all round.), so I will no doubt be hopping on that every day. All it takes is 5 minutes to get a decent work out on one area, so I will definitely be doing that! Just pop on when the kids are asleep or something like that and off I go!!

I have set myself a challenge for this long weekend - to clean up my soap making area. This involves the other areas under the house, here and takes up about 1/2 of the under-house area (if you catch my drift. So is a pretty big job! When we moved here, everything just got thrown in left, right and centre - where it could fit best - and I have been putting off sorting it all out until now! I have set this challenge on CM mainly for myself, but I have asked the girls to join in with me, also. So far, a couple have taken up the challenge with me and sorted out their areas that they have been putting off, themselves, so all is good - I am not alone in my endeavour!