Visions of Winter in the Valley

August 18, 2015August 18, 2015 Joanne10 Comments

The back of my house overlooks the Tweed Valley, and the floor of the valley is covered in acre upon acre of sugar cane fields. Sugar production is one of the major industries in the area, just as it has been for many years, and during the winter, when the cane is ready for harvesting, fires are lit in the scrubby undergrowth, making way for a clear harvest run for the heavy machinery.

Usually, we see the bright orange glow of the cane fires after night fall, when a strip of the valley can be seen first of all smoldering, slowly transforming into orange flames, and as the fire takes hold we often hear the crackling sounds in the stillness of the dark night. It’s a magical sight, and one which we never tire of seeing.

I’ve tried so often to take photos of the cane fires, but with the surrounding darkness of the night, rarely do the photos do justice to the sight we see. Recently however, I spotted a swirl of smoke in the valley, late in the afternoon, before nightfall. And it eventually developed into a doozy of a fire too!

As you can see in the final photo, at the peak of the blaze, the density of the smoke almost completely hid majestic Mount Warning, the extinct volcanic mountain, and overseer of the Tweed Valley.

I may complain ad-nauseum about the sweltering heat during the summer, but it is winter still, and all things considered, I do live in a beautiful part of Australia.

“Out on the patio we’d sit,
And the humidity we’d breathe,
We’d watch the lightning crack over canefields
Laugh and think, this is Australia.” ~ This is Australia, Gangajang.

~~~~~~~~

Mount Warning · winter

Wordless Wednesday

July 15, 2015 Joanne5 Comments

Australia · In My World · Mount Warning · pecan nuts · photography · winter

Winter in My Garden

July 6, 2015 Joanne11 Comments

I try, often unsuccessfully of late, to add a photo each day to my Blipfoto journal. One day that I try to participate in however is “Mono Monday”, a day in which “blippers” are invited to add a black and white photo of a theme, as created by a generous host of the challenge each month.

A brilliant blue sky on a winter's day. — A brilliant blue sky on a winter’s day.

Today, the theme chosen by an Australian blipper was “Winter”, so my camera and I took a wander around the garden in search of suitable photos for the theme.

With the brilliant blue sky overhead today, we had a maximum temperature of around twenty-three degrees Celsius, I had in mind to take some photos of the almost bare branches of the pecan nut tree. The leaves begin to grow again when the weather warms up in spring, and by autumn we have a tree laden with pecan nuts.

About a month ago, the leaves began to fall, and now, the only leaves left are those that got caught in the branches during their fall, and have since lost their brilliant green colouring.

I think I'm being watched! — I think I’m being watched!

As I walked toward the pecan tree, I heard a rustling sound, and there amid the scrub outside our side fence was an old friend of mine, Mr. Bush Turkey! I haven’t seen him for over six months now, and had feared the worst. Apparently, he left the area for a while, and has now returned and taken up residence in his old nest amid the scrub and small trees.

He’s not the prettiest of creatures, you must admit, but what he lacks in looks he makes up for ten-fold in personality, and he remembered me! As I said hello to my old friend, he ran to me, showing no fear. (I have been known to slip him the occasional treat to eat.)

The sugar mill in the valley, surrounded by cane fields.

Another notable sign that winter has returned is the smoke rising from the huge chimney at the Condong Sugar Mill. I can see the mill, way down in the valley, from the back of my house. The mill remains dormant throughout summer, awaiting the new stalks of growing sugar cane, harvested and brought to the mill by many local farmers during the winter months.

After my garden walk, I took the clothes off the clothesline, leaving my camera on a table on the veranda. A while later, remembering where I had left my camera, I collected it, at just the right time to see the muted tones of a gentle winter sunset. So pretty, and so much a sign of the season.

Ah winter, how I love the cooler months. 🙂

One of my friendly magpies, guarding their territory. Nesting has begun.

Australia · authenticity · Mount Warning · photography · summer

The Storm after the Heat

January 6, 2014 Joanne23 Comments

What a hot day it has been today! We’ve had a series of days of higher than expected temperatures since the new year began, and I’ve had enough!

In keeping with my word for the year, authentic, I am staying true to my feelings, and announcing that I’ve had enough with this heat. I’m not happy.

About 5pm, after the rain, with the thunder still rumbling in the distance. This kookaburra wanted his dinner!

The truth of the matter is, I’ve tolerated our hot summer days rather well for the last two summers, although they have been unusually cool for here. When I say cool, I mean less humid. Temperatures have still reached up to over thirty degrees celsius, but with less humidity. This summer though, the humidity is back, squeezing the oxygen from the air and leaving us all dripping with sweat!

The Noisy Miners were all atwitter on the clothesline.

Today, I made a decision of mammoth proportions, totally out of character for me, whilst at the same time being authentically me ~ I’ve ordered a small, portable air-conditioning unit, which will live in my office/sewing room. The cooler air will make me feel a lot happier.

The sky turned an eerie bright yellow colour as the sun began to set. — The sky had an eerie yellow-green glow as the sun began to set.

How can anyone be expected to work with a clear head, whilst battling to think straight with their melted brain? It’s simply impossible to do so. I have work related sewing to do and so many sewing and craft projects that I can hardly wait to begin, but not in this heat!

The Butcher Bird had been flitting back and forth for food all day. I think he must have been stocking his larder, knowing there was a storm approaching. Here he is at 8pm. — The Butcher Bird had flitted back and forth for food all day. I think he must have stocked his larder, knowing there was a storm approaching. Here he is at 8pm.

I’m not a big fan of air-conditioners. Ceiling fans cool the air very nicely, however I don’t have a ceiling fan in my office. Tomorrow, however, I will be collecting my mini air-conditioner. The money spent on the unit and the extra electricity used to operate it will be earned back tenfold through work production, which has currently ceased, and peace of mind; no more being agitated by the hot days. And I’ll only use it on the hottest of hot days.

One of the kookaburras enjoyed a view of the sun setting from the clothesline.

There is often a display of something very special indeed to be had after an unbearably hot day, and that is the cooler relief that an afternoon storm brings. And even more special is the sky….just look at those colours!

A picture paints a thousand words! This sunset is straight out of the camera, free of any editing.

No one can control the weather and it’s no use trying to fight the heat. I think I may have just worked out a solution to staying busy, which I want to do, whilst tolerating the heat….perfect! 🙂

autumn · happiness · inspiration · Mount Warning · music · old house · photography

Cee’s Share Your World, Weeks 19 and 20.

May 17, 2013 Joanne12 Comments

Signs of winter have crept into my part of the world this week and last night really was rather chilly indeed, with the temperature dropping down to around eleven degrees Celsius. Believe me, that’s quite cold for this area!

There are definite advantages to cool sunny days though and last night we were treated to another beautiful autumn sunset, so while I share my world by answering Cee’s questions for both weeks 19 and 20, I will also share last night’s sunset with you all. 🙂

WEEK 19 ~

On a vacation what would you require in any place that you would stay? (This was a suggested question for Cee to ask, from my blogging friend Carol.)

Usually I have an automatic response to Cee’s questions, but I had to give this one some thought. Coffee making facilities came to mind, but I could go out for coffee, I can live without a television, easily, and all places you stay in have a bed….but what I really would dislike sharing is a bathroom. So that is my answer, I would require an adjoining bathroom in any place that I would stay on vacation.

If you were or are a writer do you prefer writing short stories, poems or novels?
I don’t believe that I would have the patience to write a novel, but short stories I can do, and I enjoy writing them. When I think about it, every blog post I write is a short story really. I do enjoy reading, and writing poetry too, but short stories are top of the list.

What’s your favorite song of the moment?

Oh that’s such an easy question to answer, it’s the song that is playing on constant repeat inside my head! The Australian version of The Voice is being shown in Australia right now, and one of my favourite contestants, Luke Kennedy, sang a duet of the song from Les Miserables, “I Dreamed a Dream”. It hasn’t left my head since that night! I’ve loved this song since I first heard it sung by Michael Crawford.

If you were to buy a new house/apartment what is the top item on your wish list?

If I were to buy a new home, my number one criteria would be that it had to be old. I’ve always wanted to renovate an old home, a one hundred year old home would be ideal, and I would like to restore it to its former glory.

Now onto Cee’s questions for WEEK 20 ~

Do you like winter, or not, and why?

Winter, oh how I love winter! I’m a cold climate girl. I grew up in The Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, where it actually snows during winter in some of the higher altitude towns. There are four definite seasons in the mountains, each with its own individual beauty, and during summer it doesn’t even get dreadfully hot. I love it!

Are you a listener or talker?

Definitely a listener, especially when I first meet a new person and don’t know them very well. I think that everyone who knows me well would agree that I’m a very good listener, but I can talk once I get going too!

What is your favorite juice or fruit drink?

Is there such a thing as chocolate juice? 😉 There should be, but seeing as there isn’t, I think I would have to say pineapple juice. It’s a juice that I don’t drink often, but when I do, I love it.

What do you have to be so happy about?

My four children. Sure, there are other things that make me happy (like beautiful sunsets!) a day at a time, but ask me any day, of any year, for the last twenty-eight years (‘coz that’s how long I’ve been a mother) what makes me happy, and I would consistently say my two sons and two daughters. They are the highlights of all of my life’s happiest days, and that’s every day.

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