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Not So Creepy Crawly

I would like to thank Frank at Dutch Goes the Photo for his Tuesday word prompt, crawl.  It allows me to post about something near and dear to my heart.  Yes, I know.  Everything is near and dear to my heart, but that can’t be a bad thing surely?  You have probably all seen the news this week about a recent insect study review.  The review found that insect numbers have plummeted, experiencing a 2.5% loss per year.  Now one can argue about the rate of decline, whether it can be applied uniformly across the globe and to all insects, but one thing is clear, our insect population is in trouble. Read more

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Just An Old-Fashioned Love Song

Happy lovey dovey day, everyone.  It sounds like I’m not sentimental, but first impressions can be deceiving.  After nearly 25 years of marriage (drats, I think I forgot my last wedding anniversary), I am still as much in love with my gorgeous man as the first time I ever saw his face.  We don’t do the whole Valentine’s Day thing, but as I forgot our last anniversary, I’m going to have to make it up to him somehow.  My love wouldn’t have forgotten the big day, but as it coincides with another apparently important anniversary, he would have felt it rude to overshadow the other event, unless of course I happened to mention it first.

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To get in the mood for this lovey dovey day (and in the interests of this post), I’ve been listening to some of my favourite love songs/tunes (see my list below).  I fear this list may tell you more about me than you would care to know, but I thought I would share it with you anyway.  Here goes: Read more

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Tiny Treasures

This is my response to the Ragtag Daily Prompt — Manufacture.  I’ve finally come up with the an idea for my next mosaic.  After my last huge effort, I am looking to do something small, literally.  I like to make mosaics from my own photos, but in this case I won’t be able to.  I should be so lucky to see an endangered mountain pygmy possum! Read more

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Strange Aquatic Creatures

Today’s post will introduce two very strange aquatic creatures found at one of Canberra’s nature reserves — the first, one very odd looking duck, and the second, quite duck-like.

Australia’s musk duck looks half-fish, half duck.  It must be the oddest looking duck I’ve ever come across.  It is so named because it is very smelly, emitting a musky smell from scent glands on its rump.  Musk ducks spend most of their time in the water.  They even sleep on the water.  They can fly, but launching from the water or ground is hard work, so they do so infrequently.  When fleeing predators, they choose a watery escape rather than take to the wing.   Read more

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Camouflage Or Sabotage?

Today I have some clandestine photos to share with you, dear Readers.  Provided on a need-to-know basis.  Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.  The subjects are well camouflaged.

I recently went on a short walk with my son for the purpose of some online activity.  Suddenly I heard the unmistakable sound of a bird of prey.  “What was that?” I exclaimed.  “Oh yeah,” my son said, “two sparrow-hawks nest in those pine trees over there.”  To say I was indignant, Ladies and Gentlemen, was a total understatement.  I demanded to know why this information had been withheld from me.  Was the information top-secret, only to be disclosed to those who ‘need-to-know’?  Well, no.  He just forgot.  Can you really believe that? Read more

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Keepsake

In the interests of posting more flower photos and sharing memories, I present to you some rose photos.

I have four lovely rose bushes at my house.  All but one was given to us.  One by our mum/mum-in-law — a treasured possession.  Friends gave us another (Homage to Barbara) when she (the mother-in-law, not the friend) died.  Ever practical, like the woman herself, the flower heads just drop off when they are done.  Barb would have appreciated the joke.  The third rose was also given to us by a friend.  It was one of the roses planted in the Rose Gardens at Old Parliament House (Canberra), but it was culled from the garden to make way for more healthy stock.  Their loss, our gain, don’t you think? Read more

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The Changing Seasons – January

January —  the season of abundance.  It can’t help it if it so hot.  Temperature records were broken again during January, including in my little part of the world.  Our town had four consecutive days above 40ºc, a new record.  Due to the bushfire hazard, many of our nature reserves were closed to the public.  So I’ve been housebound and cabin fever has set in.  Hence, this month’s post focuses on the small haven that is my garden. Read more

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More Of The Same

This is my response to the Ragtag Daily Prompt — Forecast.  To join in, click on the link.

It seems that this month, there is a new temperature record broken every other day.  Another scorcher is forecast tomorrow.  When the temperature dropped below 35c yesterday, I quickly hightailed it out to the surrounding bush.  Due to my mosaic project and hot weather, I’ve been terribly inactive and was afraid my legs would no longer work, but I can report that they are still in walking order.

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My photograph of a helicopter carrying water to a fire near Tidbinbilla (24/01/2019).

This is what happens when water becomes a commodity.  I predict that the former federal water minister will lose his seat at the next election over this debacle.

My thoughts are with Vanda from Our Other Blog:  Two Sisters and Two Points of View, whose town has been evacuated due to the bushfire emergency in Tasmania.

Stay safe and look out for your neighbours.

Regards
Tracy

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For Any – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

I recently read a blog that raised big, important questions around democracy and leadership. These issues are dear to my heart, and I suspect that I may attempt to untangle them in my own mind in the fullness of time. Knowing where we want to go is one thing, knowing how to get there is another. Perhaps the solution is easier than we think? Maybe it has something to do with choice? Ah, choice. Yet another concept that exercises my mind.

Anyway, in the interim, here is a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon that speaks to this matter in ways that I can only aspire to.

If you haven’t checked out Paul’s poetry, you really should. It is wonderful.

pvcann's avatarparallax

Power – Word of the Day

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Photo: fiveglobalvalues.com

For Any

Gestures of power fall in different ways,
and becomes ways of being,
for good or ill,
either for self,
or, for community,
though neither to judged,
until power is imprisoned
and forced into perversion,
the servitude of the many for the one.
But beauty,
artistry,
compassion,
breath,
nature,
demand more,
they are great equations of true power,
neither for the one or the many,
simply love for any,
in this shared venture we call life.

©Paul Vincent Cannon

Paul, pvcann.com

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