Reach for the sky

Took this pic on a weekend visit to Brisbane. Was walking past an old frontage and saw this great blue monstrosity looming behind it. For me, it is a nice contrast between old and new architectural styles. Not sure which I prefer, as they both have their own qualities (hell of a blue sky though).

What a guy!

I miss Guy Fawkes night! We used to stuff an old pair of clothes with dry grass, build a bonfire and burn that sucker to the ground.

And all the different kinds of crackers you could buy! I remember going with dad to a Chinese firecracker store and marvelling at all the different packets and potions. Sparklers were my favourite.

One year I threw a jumping jack off the verandah and it landed in the brim of Uncle Johnny's hat below. Burned a hole, if I remember rightly.

We would sneak out early in the morning and pick up all the dead firecrackers from the neighbours' lawns (I think we got into trouble for that too).

Bring back Guy Fawkes night, I say. If people are stupid enough to blow themselves up with homemade fireworks, then they should be banned from participating. Leave the fun to us pagans who know one end of a double bunger from the other.

Halloween for dummies

I know October was a while ago, but I came across these pics from when we lived in the States and thought I'd share them.

American pumpkins are a different variety to Australian ones. They have orange flesh like ours, but the outside is bright orange as well.

Perfect for carving Jack O Lanterns. This is the Pumpkin Carving 101 course I took while I was there (my wife did the carving, as I am not allowed to play with knives).

When the pumpkin is suitably gutted and carved, you just whack a candle inside and there you have it!

The perfect device for scaring away children when they come up your drive looking for handouts. God, I love Halloween!

Nature's gentlefolk

Here in far North Queensland, we seem to have greater numbers of curlews than other states, where they are becoming rare. Known as the Bush Stone Curlew, these little guys are the epitomy of grace and elegance.

They glide daintily about on long, slender legs, which do all the work, keeping their bodies completely level. They also have large heavy-lidded eyes that stare soulfully at you when you approach.



Also known as the Screaming Woman Bird, curlews are mostly active at night, calling loudly and mournfully to eachother (much like the loons in On Golden Pond), as they scratch around for insects in the grass.

We recently had a pair of curlews lay their eggs in our yard (they lay two eggs on open ground). The chicks have since hatched and are now almost as big as their parents.



They prefer to walk (and run when necessary) rather than fly, which is possibly the reason they are becoming scarce in southern states due to predation.

Curlews are nature's true gentlefolk and they will always have a special place in out hearts (and our photo albums).