LAST WEEK OF MARCH

BEAUTIFUL WEATHER, i think the really hot days are finished. 

a gorgeous visitor
on the island - a
morning when i
met six couples also
doing the walk,
most unusual as
i usually have the
whole place to
myself.

 this crazy craft 

went past the

bedroom window

during the week,

not sure what it

is but i think the

owner may be

a tad eccentric

 this little person was
found in the drive,
dead and only about 6"
long. i think it choked, that's a bit of gravel in
its mouth, attached to
something by a fibre.
it's a baby eastern
brown - i wonder where
the siblings are :-O

the fabulous blue-faced honeyeater

THURSDAY NIGHT i invited a bunch of buddies to go on the twilight cruise up the darling, it was a perfect evening, it's a great
way to catch up - so much nicer that a pub dinner

my house, taken from over the lock 

FRIDAY - dust storm over the lock, it was a brown and windy day but the cormorants were all busy fishing

ELECTION DAY

AFTER A MORNING  of handing out how-to-vote cards i've got an afternoon of cleaning up the yard, all the leaves from yesterday's four hour marathon on the roof, cleaning out the gutters.  i can't believe how jam packed they were.

i literally had to dig the leaves out they were so compacted and tangled up with twigs and long strips of bark

              the view from up there

ELECTION DAY!

giving out how to vote cards for our local Jane
Macallister, who's running as as independent
with jeremy buckingham's group - fighting for
the health of our environment

WELL TODAY I HAVE BIG HOPES for a change of government, although the alternatives are pretty awful.  Labor with a lots of independents and greens to hold them to account - that could be the best outcome.  i think the Nats will get a clobbering

blue green algal bloom starting to appear at the junction

BENDIGO BANK here in wentworth has given so much support back to the community in $$$ every year. they celebrated 20 years and commissioned me to do a work of art, which i was asked to present at their anniversary evening. it was held on the banks of the darling on a beautiful evening after a hot day

the dinner and

celebration was held at the rowing

club on the 

banks of the

darling

 sam and di

cross, sam

is a founding

member of

the bank

 on Wednesday there was

a gathering of local people

to talk to the Australian

People's Tribunal, who are

travelling up and down the

darling to get first hand

accounts of the state of

the darling.  lots of long

term residents gave sad

accounts of its demise

Clair Bates, barkandji woman and a local artist talked about her childhood on the river when it ran crystal clear, pre-carp.

Marg Whyte talked about her life on the land, when the Anabranch of the DarlingRiver was killed off when government put the water into a pipeline - the local birds and animals died as a result. as marg said they don't move away, they're territorial and they starve and die

The walk down to the forum

the amazing

green in these

photos is caused

by algal bloom

which is starting

to appear on the

Murray as well

as the Darling 

walking to the island -

i thought i'd discovered

a gorgeous new parrot 

until i zoomed in  😂

 it's that time

again - full moon,

and it's been

so beautiful

and varied

during the hot weather this week - mid 30's every day - i've been working on my book

GOLLY! A WEEK'S FLOWN BY

IT'S STILL HOT! March 19 today and the past week has still been in the 30's after a lovely spell of cool nights and days in the 20's - it's going on for another week, 35 every day.  it feels different though, still a bit hot to spend time outside but the evenings and mornings are really beautiful, autumnal stillness and soft light.
so this week . . .

rene turned 38!!  yesterday    and the family is in the middle of moving to tokyo.  sayaka and the kiddlies travelled there for health check pre. kinder/day care while rene packed up cartons of stuff in osaka.  makes me feel tired just thinking about it, but it won't be long and they'll be there.

lovely pic of sunny and her co-workers - boss lena in the front on the day of attending presentations for 'yarra woman of the year' or something like that, for which she was nominated.   they look like a great team.

 last night - Bendigo community bank celebrated 20 years of operating here in the wentworth shire - they commissioned an artwork from me and asked to present it. instead of a dry old do in a hall, the night was held in perfect weather on the banks of the darling in front of the wentworth rowing club.  a lovely evening

sam and di.   sam is a founding member of the bank

one of my favorite visitors

red rumped grass parrots on my morning walk

another lovely visitor

i'm working away on my little 'skip' character and book idea

my size reference model charlie brown

I spent time early in the week during the mild weather to reorganise the studio and have opened up the couch corner and suddenly everything feels right.  now if only the weather would co-operate. . .

wednesday, an opening at artback and dear robert had a large show.  he's so great to photograph, you can't get a bad one.  his body just moves into great angles whatever he does.   his show was impressive, a good night with dinner late with sonja, helen and her friend kate

the good old combination
of palms and the T&G
was as great as ever against
a fabulous sky

Earlier wednesday - Jane MacAllister's campaign launch on the banks of the darling at junction park.  i'll be helping out with pre-polling and polling day handing out of cards

the river through my bedroom window on the weekend  :0)

my favorite nature strip again  

coffee down at the wharf and a catch up with captain john egge

    bad boys up in the rubber tree

 walking on the island - nasty green stuff appearing on the river
surface -  strange film on the murray and the darling is just not flowing at all  -   so worrying to see