KT Day 4: Kununurra and Parry Creek

This was a day of superlatives, so if you need to stop reading … stop now. We awoke in the camp beside Mirima National Park, a place so powerful that S dreamt all night. Our early morning walk took us through amazingly beautiful country … a few photos here ….

 

 

and I managed to capture a Rainbow Bee-eater …. looking rather fluffy!

Then we went into Kununurra to the Markets and bought some fresh locally grown food ….. made possible by the huge Ord River irrigation scheme. We forgot a lot of things we should have done … and went adventuring on a 4WD track out to Perry Creek Farm where we are staying for two nights to sort out all the problems with our vehicle and the hopeless service from Britz. We dont have things we should have, the things we do have don't work … you know the score! BUT …. we went down to Marlgu Billabong late this afternoon, to a world heritage wetlands. Just a few photos to give you the idea ……

 

 

 

The last superlative … the biggest moon we ever remember seeing …. and it is our 42nd wedding anniversary today … so good timing!

So enough said for today … sleep tight! I am really appreciating your comments which I glimpse in the few moments I connect to the Telstra 3G network … thanks so much for your appreciation …. when I can find some wi-fi I might be able to respond …. stay tuned for more adventure

 

Posted with Blogsy

KT Day 3: Olive Python eats Fruit Bat

In the early hours of the morning, before we were up, a young and rather small Olive Python snaked her way up a tree in the Nitmiluk NP campsite, and caught a fruit bat. When I saw her she was being mobbed by greedy ravens intent on stealing her meal, and possibly even eating her too. I chased them off … a ranger appeared and agreed that the ravens would damage the python if they could.

She has her catch and is beginning the task of loosening her jaws to swallow the rather awkwardly shaped bat.

Olive turns her head upside down to begin with. I think she is relieved that by now a group of campers have gathered around her and are keeping the pecking ravens at bay.

Are wondering how she will manage those big spikey wings? I was not watching when she did it …. but when I went back, it was all done. Would you like a little break from python dining? …… here is the campsite at Katherine Gorge ….

Pleasantly bushy with shady trees, a great swimming pool, excellent facilities, all in an indigenously owned and run park … great!

This is us, very basic but practical for the Gibb River Road which lies ahead in Western Australia.

Notice how Olive has squeezed the bat very tightly, an important part of bringing the meal inside her body where it can be slowly digested.

And now she has ingested the bat, whose wings stick out rather painfully from a different angle … and you can see the the ravens have been back to attack her … there are several bloody spots. What a hazardous life for a python! Soon after this photo she would begin to move back to a sheltered place, and we would be on the road to Kununurra, over 500 km away to the west. Last photo for this post, moonrise over the mini Bungle Bungles at Kununurra.

Loads more day three fun to share later.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Kimberley Trip Day 2: Nitmiluk Gorge

Last night we made it to Adelaide River just as twilight faded into a tropical thunder storm. We had collected our vehicle, a classical “troupie” … quite comfortable but with no storage space, so everything was rattling around in the back. We opted to sleep in the van, under a pop-top roof which kept the rain out! Early this morning we were on the road to Katherine, NT's second largest town. The straight and level Stuart Highway rolled on and on through beautiful country, wetlands, forest, termite mounds. We called in to Edith Falls for a swim ….

then made our way to Katherine/Nitmiluk Gorge and National Park …. where we camped by a glowing Salmon Gum.

As we ate our lunch a small flock of Blue-faced Honeyeaters seemed to enjoy our company!

After lunch we swam again … but not in the gorge, which may still be harbouring saltwater crocodiles … it was the pool for us … but look what I found on the way! Not sure what lorikeets these are ….

Later we joined a dinner cruise on the first two gorges. Totally enjoyable in every way …. a revelation to my partner who has always believed one should never dine in anything that floats or revolves!

Our guide ….

first gorge …

second gorge ….

welcoming drink …

and full moon! Of to sleep now

 

Posted with Blogsy

Kimberley Trip – Day 1: Canberra, Darwin and Adelaide River

An early flight out of Canberra, a few hours in Sydney, then our flight to Darwin, in Australia’s far north. Canberra’s morning will be cold with expected temperatures of 0-14 degrees C for the day, while Darwin’s predicted temperatures for the day are 25 – 33 degrees C. So imagine us dressing warmly with t-shirts under the woolies!

nothing special here

shadows

Unfurling, by Andrew Rogers

still under construction

new terminal spaces

security, Canberra Airport, Brindabella Mountains behind

In Darwin we pick up our campervan, stock up on supplies and hope to make Adelaide River before dark. Next day the plan is to drive to Katherine, and find a campsite in Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) NP. There should be heaps to explore there, before we head west to the border with Western Australia and Kununurra (where there will be internet access). This is a scheduled post, but I hope to send news from Kununurra before we start on the Gibb River Road trek.

Macro Windows

My macro photos are windows into a smaller world than I normally see. I have been practising, so that my results will be better on the Kimberley trip.

garlic chive seeds

late tomato flowers

nasturtium

one more dandelion

calendula seed head forming

Thank you to Jake and his window challenge this week. No more challenges for me until July!

Dandelion

Autumn garden; globe artichoke plants, galangal, broccoli, water chestnuts and cress in ponds on right, dandelions and calendula thriving in the corner of a big wicking bed ….

dandelions in the garden

this is what caught my attention this morning, not that I really had time for photos …. but they looked so perfect …

dandelions and calendula

somehow the colours of dandelion and calendula flowers strewn with falling grape leaves create the perfect background for the great fluffy seed heads … and the older one with just a few tiny parachutes left …

asteroid and landing pods?

…… looked rather like a space object … no longer in the plant category …

still to fly!

but this one was full of poised parachutes, shifting slightly in the breeze but still holding firm …

up close

and below, another flower attracting bees … I had not noticed the tiny curls amongst the fluted petals … my camera often sees more than I do … stores it away to show me later!

dandelion curls for a busy bee

Maybe the three year old will be blowing these dandelion clocks while we are away …. sending the seed sailing for new fertile patches where the whole cycle can begin again, and creating more delicious dandelion greens for the garden!

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

The flower of survival.

Used in medicine in Ancient Greece and was praised in herbals in the Middle Ages.

Taraxacum is from the Greek word, taraxo, meaning pain or remedy.

The leaves are edible, and may be used in salads, or cooked like spinach.

This plant is highly nutritious, rich in vitamins C and B, and pro-vitamin A,

and minerals potassium and iron.

Dandelion is a spring tonic, it expels toxins, wastes and pollutants through the liver and kidneys,

cleaning the blood. (thanks to Friend Nature for the Dandelion uses info in her timely post today)

Yellow Robin

Yellow Robin in the orchard

Last weekend we were cleaning up the orchard in preparation for our trip away. Summer fruits have long gone, but there are citrus to pick and tend. A pair of Yellow Robins flew from tree cage to tree cage, alighting like falling leaves on the grass to snap up delicious prey.  They knew I was there, trying to look inconspicuous by the apricot tree … so they kept a wary eye on me as they slowly moved away into the bushland. One flew up onto the top of a tree cage and gazed back at me.

Yellow Robin on a tree cage

I hope you have had a very happy weekend … have a great week!

I watched him for a half an hour today
To gum tree trunk he clung side way
And constantly looking towards the ground
For slugs and beetles crawling around.

A tiny movement catch his eye
And then down to forest floor he fly
And take dark beetle in his bill
and beat to death and eat his kill.

He eat grasshopper, moth and fly and bee
And take spider from leaf of tree
And bullant with the nasty bite
Is also in the robin’s diet.

With breasts of yellow and wings of gray
I see them often almost every day
And their low and soft distinctive ticking song
Once heard one never could get wrong.

I watched him for a half an hour today
To gum tree trunk he clung sideway
And constantly looking towards the ground
For slugs and beetles crawling around

Francis Duggan

 

Escape

We were in Kathmandu working as volunteers for a local group, Volunteer Society Nepal. The incredible air pollution from low grade diesel and the custom of burning plastic refuse in the streets and on the river banks had given us both a shocking cough. Kathmandu cough is a well reported phenomenon. I became so sick I needed to escape for a few days. We flew to Pokhara, high up in the Himalayas, where the air was still clean.

Yeti Air will take you there!

looking down on Pokhara

fresh air at last!

Machapuchare

and back to Kathmandu again …

Our escape did a lot of good … but I was still a basket case when we eventually flew on to Delhi … fortunately the dry clean air of Rajasthan did what was needed, and my poor suffering respiratory system recovered  :)

Earth Air Fire Water Tasmania

Another series of sadly neglected travel photos are those from Tasmania. One of my blogger friends is there now, so I looked for my photos to share for Ailsa’s Four Elements challenge. This first one is a rocky cliffside near Port Arthur on the Tasman Peninsular.

Air was indeed challenging … until I found this one of Long-billed Corellas in a tree near the Hobart Docks.

We were travelling in campervans, staying in beautiful places, sharing the cooking and campfires!

One of the most tranquil areas was on the Tasman Peninsular, where one quiet and beautiful beach after the other offered play space for the children and us. We walked from our campsite through tall trees to a remote bay … blissful.

Tasman Peninsular

I hope you enjoyed this little trip through the elements in Tasmania; wishing you peace. In a few days we will be heading north for our next adventure!

Three Year Old Views

We are in a spin preparing for the Open Studio and Sale tomorrow … which means my yoga barn has been converted into a gallery. It looks wonderful, but there is still a lot of work to do! At the same time we are packing for the big five week trip away to Australia’s far north west corner, trying to remember to organise all the chargers and downloads that one depends upon these days. Perhaps we will forget the toothbrushes! In the massive clean-up (family will be staying in the house while we are away) I found these artworks.

Our youngest member loves to exhibit her works too … she says “I will hang it in my gallery” and carefully sticks her drawings or paintings to the wall. There are quite a few still there, but here are some current favourites.

Girl

I love this one because I often ask my yoga students to feel the energy radiating from their finger tips when we are lying on the floor relaxing. This girl seems to be skipping, smiling enormously and beaming her joyful energy out into the world.

Treasure Hunter

Another larger than life figure, this time hunting treasure, and the clue is “X marks the spot!”

Nanny with red bird

I was asked to stand still in the middle of the floor while the young artist studied me and carefully did her drawing. Of course there was no red bird, and my arms were by my sides … isn’t it intriguing? Imagination wins out over boring old observation every time! She was very pleased to point out that I had two smiles ….

Kipmobile 4WD car/plane

Dashed off with ease, the Kipmobile is her most popular vehicle at present. It can go anywhere, in no time at all … rather Tardis-like in that sense. When I was sending baby clothes to friends in France she explained that I did not need to post them, we could take them ourselves in the Kipmobile. This is an advanced version of the Kipmobile with a new 4WD capacity, perhaps because the camper we are hiring for our three week trip from Darwin to Broome is a high clearance 4WD for crossing swollen rivers and negotiating rough roads. Wouldn’t you like a Kipmobile too?