A thought about community and volunteering and stuff

I was so delighted to come across this scene on my way back from Penola last week.

The community spirit around these parts makes me so proud, it's a warm and fuzzy feeling, a sense of belonging to something bigger.

Yesterday I attended a BBQ with clients and staff of the organisation I volunteer with. It was a great feeling turning up for some salad and snags and being welcomed and recognised. It's wonderful to be involved and included in celebrations at this time of year, in my local community.

I enjoy my volunteering role and benefit from the weekly interaction in a social sense, just as much as the exercise session ladies do. One of the old dears asked me yesterday what exactly it is that I DO as a volunteer. I was a bit lost for words. I am just a volunteer.

I guess that I am there to support the paid carers and the work of the organisation basically. 

I do enjoy the exercise sessions, and the chats over morning tea after. I think this social aspect is the most important thing for older people. Getting out of the house and in the community. The feeling that they are part of society still, part of something bigger.

They have great stories to tell and I feel privileged to be able to listen to them. So to add to my volunteering role, I am not only a support, but a listener. A willing ear.

In other news, with all the end of year concerts out the way, I am overjoyed that it is the last dayof school for the girls for 2019. I am ready for sleep ins and lazy days.

There is no rest for the wicked though, with our holiday shack fully booked until the middle of January at the moment. I will be wearing a track, with cleaning duties. 

I am also becoming reflective on the past year, what I have achieved and realising how I want to move into the next year. This one has been a doozy, not unlike a roller coaster, with so many knocks and scrapes. I am hopeful.

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My first scaly encounter at Lake Mac

Lake McIntyre is as good as place as any to get out of the house, out into nature. I visited last week with my camera for a stroll around the walking trail.

This is when things got interesting. I walked away from the walking trail to photograph this bird. I think they are what people in other parts of the country call bin chickens aren't they? Well in these parts, so far at least, they stick to their natural environment. I've never seen one raiding the garbage, just as well when visiting here you need to take your rubbish with you as there are no bins. 

I was fairly aware there are snakes here and the weather has been pretty hot of late. This particular day last week, it had cooled off, but I was still looking around for them though as I stepped of the track to get a better view to photograph the birds.

I caught the sight of some small wrens and butterflies flittering about in the reeds and moved about four metres to the left to try to capture them. I think I should have been taking a bit more notice of what was on the ground instead of what was in the reeds, because I looked down and there I saw a snake!

In that quick moment the first thing my brain registered was a plastic toy snake to the snap fast reality I was looking at a real snake. A real snake, less than a metre in front of me! Dark brown scaly skin, which wasn't shiny at all, and a yellow underbelly. It had found a patch of sun to bask in, to warm it's cold body.

I turned on my heel and ran as fast as I could to the safety of the trail. As I turned I could hear the russle of leaves as the snake moved, in which direction I do not know. I think I startled him as much as he scared the hell out of me.

I think my brain was working much faster than my legs, as I nearly faltered running away. My heart was beating so fast and it took me a minute to register in disbelief at what had just happened. I am thankful it was a cooler day and this scale creature wasn't so active as would be normally. I'll keep telling myself that, and thank goodness I looked down and not taken a step forward or crouched down because it could have taken this story to a whole different level.

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December (already!) garden

The first of December came with the thermometer in the high twenties and an afternoon thunderstorm, with loads of rain. 

It was a slow weekend, one I absolutely needed and have been longing for.

Two weeks of the school term left for this year, and six wonderful weeks of sleeping in! Yay! 

Lots of colour in the garden, along with all sorts of bug life. I unknowingly captured a couple mini beasts, that I didn't see until I edited these photos. Also one human mini beast who protested about me shooting in her direction.

I love the changing seasons in the garden, always something to enjoy.

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Oh for the flowers.

It is wonderful to be sharing here this week. It is wonderful to know I am missed. 

Life has been busy, if not overwhelming. Work is busy, home life is busy, with kids and all the other things that happen, like swimming lessons, haircuts, helping number one son.

Mother hen has gone to the cup, and it has been empty pretty well. Without much of a chance to replenish, I have been making an effort to be selfish and do things for me. Take time out for the things I need, to make me feel like me again.

I coached my first school group at gymnastics. It was a small town school so a whole school group under 15 kids, was a good way to cut my teeth. I was nervous as hell, but it went well! Always the way, stressing for nothing. I also had a kindy group of 26 this week, which seemed hectic but turned out all good. That many four and five year olds is like organising a heard of cats! 

Amongst all the things, the garden keeps on giving me gems, something to cut through the coldness of winter. I planted anemone corms a couple of months ago, and now they are giving me most beautiful flowers and colour.

It's coming around that time when winter wares out it's welcome. The cold antarctic wind can bugger off now. Moral is low, we all need a dose of sunshine and some defrosting northern winds.

I went out yesterday to capture the plover babies that roam around our cul-de-sac. The most gorgeous fluffy little things, that huddle in warmth under their mothers. I didn't see them out, but was reminded that spring is moments away, with two wattle birds courting in the gums trees above me.

Foggy mornings usually bring the sunny winter days, two more weeks and I look forward to the sun coming into it's own and basking in it's warmth. I look forward to the garden in all it's glory. 

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Just a bit of June in the garden

Here's just a little bit of what's going on in my garden. Despite being in the thick of winter with it's unforgiving coldness and wind, there is some fabulous things flowering and fruiting!

Lately we've lost some of our big trees and shrubs to old age. Natives don't last forever. We've squirreled some wood away in the shed, and done endless trips to the tip with greenwaste. It has left us with lots more room for new plants, it wasn't a hard decision to fill these gaps with fruit trees.

Miniature versions of citrus, apple and nectarine have filled in some of the gaps in the garden. They are fabulous for smaller gardens. We've even squeezed in a feigoa tree! Summer is going to be in her element when they fruit, she LOVES them.

I've pruned my roses, except for the carpet roses. They are still throwing out a few flowers, but have to get on to pruning those a bit. They tend to get a bit unruly if left to thier own devices.

Alstroemeria

There's a bee in there somewhere. I tried to coax him out, but he came straight out and flew away. I couldn't get a good shot of him.

   

Green Hellebores

Jonquils

We have oranges, and behind that, mandarins!

pink carpet roses

I love this colour of snapdragon, so gorgeous! The buds are a dusky pink,, then open to a soft pink. These come up from seed, so I hope I get some more come up of this colour.

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