Sparrows used be everywhere when I was growing up. Now their position, at least in Sydney, has largely been taken by mynas and sparrows pushed well inland.
FD and I have now moved to Townsville and the sparrows are doing nicely here (having long disappeared in Brisbane), along with so many native birds that it's impossible to walk out into the back yard without hearing or seeing something feathered.
Sparrows used be everywhere when I was growing up. Now their position, at least in Sydney, has largely been taken by mynas and sparrows pushed well inland.
FD and I have now moved to Townsville and the sparrows are doing nicely here (having long disappeared in Brisbane), along with so many native birds that it's impossible to walk out into the back yard without hearing or seeing something feathered.
Great that you're back. I appreciate that sparrows are/were an import and in next to plague proportions, but whenever they are mentioned, it brings to mind John Wheeler's carol, where "The sparrows are under the eaves" etc.
!!! Great photo. I imagine it's a bit cooler down there currently than it is up here so hope you're well and warm.
And great artwork you shared Galilit.
Lovely to hear from you Clarence. Hope you and FD are well. My cousin, who has returned to living in Ingham, lived there for a while and greatly enjoyed it.
Great to see you here Climacus. I was going through some photos the other day and came across our trip to Wankydilla to visit Zappa and kuruman. Good times.
FD and I are having a weekend away (Townsville’s (No) Show holiday is tomorrow) so we are at a little beach shack near Innisfail. On my walk just now I thought I saw a forest kingfisher, but on closer inspection it was a rainbow bee-eater. The bird life in FNQ is wonderful.
The rainbow bee-eater is amongst my all-time fave birds. The first time I ever saw one (a pair, actually) I was very close to the river to which you kindly granted your nomme de ship, in the Yuraygir National Park ... a flash of stunning across the eucalyptic shrubbery
They seem to be remarkably urbanised up here - I’ve seen a flock of them here in the suburbs, all making that stuttering trill they have when flying around for food.
I expected things to get more interesting on the political scene before the General Election in September, but I never envisaged quite what that might mean. I think I lack imagination.
I expected things to get more interesting on the political scene before the General Election in September, but I never envisaged quite what that might mean. I think I lack imagination.
Or that you have a commonsense grasp of what's important and what's not.
I must confess I have no idea about NZ politics. Has something happened? Last time I really took any notice Muldoon was PM and I was protesting about most of what he did. Though I did notice some moron down my way resigned because he road a bike during lockdown and threw Saint Bloomfield under a bus. But I may even have that wrong.
Could it be the news a former National Party president leaked to a National Party MP a confidential list of Covid patients which he leaked to the media? For reasons I'm still not clear on, but had to do with him trying to highlight government shortcomings.
The former NP president was (she resigned) acting chief executive of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust at the time of the leak. The MP won't be standing for reelection.
I'm not sure NZ should be allowed to have a General Election until Jacinda decides to retire - you're so lucky to have her!
From an envious Brit.
Anyone with a heart for social justice wishes they had Jacinda. The trouble is that the me-first-every-man-for-himself crowd thinks her kind are bad news.
My congregation is planning, assuming no deterioration in Covid cases, to start worship services in the church building on August 2nd.
As part of the Council, we have been reviewing, amending, and approving Covid-19 safety plans to NSW Health standards for all the groups that use our premises, including our own FoodBox and Op shop. The first external group (an Anonymous group) is starting on Monday.
This has taken a lot of learning for many. I have been fortunate enough to have Quality Management experience. I imagine some church councils would have been finding this exercise very trying.
Crusher Collins? So named because as Minister of Police she threatened to have the cars of "boy racers" destroyed. In the event one was.
Nikki Kaye - the current Deputy, who won the seat of Auckland Central when both she and Jacinda were vying for it? (but who claimed Paul Goldsmith - who was sitting on the front bench had Maori heritage, when in fact he hasn't).
I feel sorry for Todd Muller too. I think he has been let down by lack of support in his Party, but I also think he made some bad mistakes when it came to issues of diversity in his front bench and his having a MAGA cap on display in his office ( even though he may have had less obvious memorabilia from Hilary Clinton's campaign) lacked awareness of how it might be used against him.
My impression of him was of someone who may have the knowledge of Small Business that he claimed, but wasn't very savvy when it came to how he came across to others and didn't think quickly enough on his feet. The upside down Tino Rangitiratanga ( Political control by Maori people over Maori affairs) flag behind him when he spoke didn't help either. (He didn't put it there, but he didn't notice it was upside down either. I would question whether in fact he supports the idea anyway),
John Key, the PM from 2008 to 2016 (National Party) was encouraging the previous CEO of Air New Zealand (Christopher Luxton) to stand for a seat with a view to him becoming a future Leader of the Party. Luxton is not yet an MP but he will be standing in the election for the seat of Botany in Auckland.
Actually she's one I have heard of. As Huia said she gained the moniker because she threatened to crush so-called "boy-racers'*" cars. I didn't realize she ever carried out the threat - but once sounds like vacuous grandstanding, I'm afraid. Probably bought the car herself (out of party funds) to put on an empty exhibition.
For some unknown reason I have always confused her with another woman - same party I think - called Paula Something. Same as in Oz I was totally confused by Bronwyn Bishop and some other Ms Bishop who became important.
*"so-called" because they should be called "lobally and hormonally challenged dipsticks"
Paula Bennet - also known as Paula Benefit as she was a draconian Minister of Social Welfare who had been on the Domestic Purposes Benefit herself, used it to get a degree, then, as Minister cancelled that entitlement for others.
Crusher has teamed up with my second least favourite politician in that Party, (behind her).
Actually she's one I have heard of. As Huia said she gained the moniker because she threatened to crush so-called "boy-racers'*" cars. I didn't realize she ever carried out the threat - but once sounds like vacuous grandstanding, I'm afraid. Probably bought the car herself (out of party funds) to put on an empty exhibition.
For some unknown reason I have always confused her with another woman - same party I think - called Paula Something. Same as in Oz I was totally confused by Bronwyn Bishop and some other Ms Bishop who became important.
*"so-called" because they should be called "lobally and hormonally challenged dipsticks"
Paula Bennet - also known as Paula Benefit as she was a draconian Minister of Social Welfare who had been on the Domestic Purposes Benefit herself, used it to get a degree, then, as Minister cancelled that entitlement for others.
Crusher has teamed up with my second least favourite politician in that Party, (behind her).
(the little man in my head who occasionally opens the "strawberry" drawer when I want "tomato" et cetera often replaces Ayn Rand wih Anaïs Nin ... which would make for far more interesting politics)
That's the conclusion I'm coming to as far as regular Sunday services are concerned. St Sanity does have a small mid-week Healing Eucharist, which resumed a couple of weeks ago, after a non-eucharistic service the week before. The numbers are under 20.
I did wonder what might be happening there, as it spread. And more cases over here too. Best wishes.
I've spent the weekend up in Hamilton exploring and walking. It is a beautiful region. My first time here. I've walked around, and up, a few places, seen Wairere Falls (153m), the lovely Hamilton Gardens, and I've just taken a nice boat ride through a glowworm cave at Waitomo. Off to explore another cave then back home.
Re church, just read the Maronite Co-Cathedral in Harris Park (next to Parramatta), Sydney, is closed for cleaning after a parishioner tested positive.
We've done 2 weeks of "in person" and "streamed" for two of our services. The previous two weeks of online only were done in the church "live" rather than have the band, readers, prayers prerecording and minister live from his lounge room. Technical challenges mostly sorted, but it does take a team - esp now we're also doing all the COVID safe stuff.
Total numbers watching the streaming services live were above previous physical attendance. Attendance in person over last two weeks about 30% in morning and 80% in evening.
I'm guessing we'll be back to online only in a week or so.
mr curly
I think you're right. There were 292 new cases yesterday and another death, I'd be expecting a return to stricter separation. This especially for those silly people outside the Golden Sheaf, obviously incapable of reading.
I recall one in Wetherill Park, not where that shopping centre was though. It has grown and grown -- once a one-level centre, now a multi-level Temple of Capitalism. Far more Italian and Iraqi near me given the population.
Vietnamese in Cabramatta (during the heavy drug selling and usage days; being white the pushers thought that was why I was there...) was my preference.
Very typical of many suburbs - a street of shops vanishes to be replaced with the sort of centre you describe - with rents much higher than those for the old shops. Or worse, not replaced but rather a new centre built on the outskirts of the old. The business of the old shops vanishes and they go downhill rapidly.
A variation has happened at Wahroonga, the station next from us. No dramatic new centre, but a large one at Hornsby, and a chain supermarket at Turramurra. The result has been that many of the old shops have vanished, and the premises turned into restaurants.
Dennis, no problems with that as long as it's mutually agreed and there is there is no abuse of power. Not sure about the former M.P for the electorate where Climacus lives, but the others definitely weren't.
Very typical of many suburbs - a street of shops vanishes to be replaced with the sort of centre you describe - with rents much higher than those for the old shops. Or worse, not replaced but rather a new centre built on the outskirts of the old. The business of the old shops vanishes and they go downhill rapidly.
Saw the latter happening very clearly in Cessnock during recent holiday. We made sure we supported the lovely old-school country bakeries, not the chain once that cluster outside Woolies.
We (the church council) have postponed in building services until at least September 13, with a go/no-go review in late August.
But NSW cases are slowly rising. People are becoming much more lax. Even in the chemist, a person squeezed past me in the aisle ignoring the distancing marks on the floor.
@mr curly, the situation in Cessnock was once much direr, with many empty shops on the main drag. When I was still a councillor, almost every place was occupied, but the slowing economy has hit some places hard and vacancies seem to be growing again, even before COVID. The off-main street sites seem to have been hit harder. Don't know what the rents would be like there, but probably higher to get the return on investment.
Comments
FD and I have now moved to Townsville and the sparrows are doing nicely here (having long disappeared in Brisbane), along with so many native birds that it's impossible to walk out into the back yard without hearing or seeing something feathered.
Great that you're back. I appreciate that sparrows are/were an import and in next to plague proportions, but whenever they are mentioned, it brings to mind John Wheeler's carol, where "The sparrows are under the eaves" etc.
Bizarrely, yesterday, a kingfisher (stunning) joined the party on my lawn. Not sure what he was after.
And great artwork you shared Galilit.
Lovely to hear from you Clarence. Hope you and FD are well. My cousin, who has returned to living in Ingham, lived there for a while and greatly enjoyed it.
FD and I are having a weekend away (Townsville’s (No) Show holiday is tomorrow) so we are at a little beach shack near Innisfail. On my walk just now I thought I saw a forest kingfisher, but on closer inspection it was a rainbow bee-eater. The bird life in FNQ is wonderful.
Or that you have a commonsense grasp of what's important and what's not.
Your wish is my command.
Piglet, AS host
The former NP president was (she resigned) acting chief executive of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust at the time of the leak. The MP won't be standing for reelection.
From an envious Brit.
Anyone with a heart for social justice wishes they had Jacinda. The trouble is that the me-first-every-man-for-himself crowd thinks her kind are bad news.
As part of the Council, we have been reviewing, amending, and approving Covid-19 safety plans to NSW Health standards for all the groups that use our premises, including our own FoodBox and Op shop. The first external group (an Anonymous group) is starting on Monday.
This has taken a lot of learning for many. I have been fortunate enough to have Quality Management experience. I imagine some church councils would have been finding this exercise very trying.
53 days in and the new NZ opposition leader has resigned for health reasons -- I wish him well. Any real contenders for the throne?
Nikki Kaye - the current Deputy, who won the seat of Auckland Central when both she and Jacinda were vying for it? (but who claimed Paul Goldsmith - who was sitting on the front bench had Maori heritage, when in fact he hasn't).
I feel sorry for Todd Muller too. I think he has been let down by lack of support in his Party, but I also think he made some bad mistakes when it came to issues of diversity in his front bench and his having a MAGA cap on display in his office ( even though he may have had less obvious memorabilia from Hilary Clinton's campaign) lacked awareness of how it might be used against him.
My impression of him was of someone who may have the knowledge of Small Business that he claimed, but wasn't very savvy when it came to how he came across to others and didn't think quickly enough on his feet. The upside down Tino Rangitiratanga ( Political control by Maori people over Maori affairs) flag behind him when he spoke didn't help either. (He didn't put it there, but he didn't notice it was upside down either. I would question whether in fact he supports the idea anyway),
John Key, the PM from 2008 to 2016 (National Party) was encouraging the previous CEO of Air New Zealand (Christopher Luxton) to stand for a seat with a view to him becoming a future Leader of the Party. Luxton is not yet an MP but he will be standing in the election for the seat of Botany in Auckland.
I will be interested to see who steps up.
For some unknown reason I have always confused her with another woman - same party I think - called Paula Something. Same as in Oz I was totally confused by Bronwyn Bishop and some other Ms Bishop who became important.
*"so-called" because they should be called "lobally and hormonally challenged dipsticks"
Crusher has teamed up with my second least favourite politician in that Party, (behind her).
Appropriate for those in cars.
In the style of Ayn Rand, it seems.
(the little man in my head who occasionally opens the "strawberry" drawer when I want "tomato" et cetera often replaces Ayn Rand wih Anaïs Nin ... which would make for far more interesting politics)
I've spent the weekend up in Hamilton exploring and walking. It is a beautiful region. My first time here. I've walked around, and up, a few places, seen Wairere Falls (153m), the lovely Hamilton Gardens, and I've just taken a nice boat ride through a glowworm cave at Waitomo. Off to explore another cave then back home.
Total numbers watching the streaming services live were above previous physical attendance. Attendance in person over last two weeks about 30% in morning and 80% in evening.
I'm guessing we'll be back to online only in a week or so.
mr curly
NZ politics is definitely not dull.
Best wishes to all in Victoria and NSW.
Vietnamese in Cabramatta (during the heavy drug selling and usage days; being white the pushers thought that was why I was there...) was my preference.
A variation has happened at Wahroonga, the station next from us. No dramatic new centre, but a large one at Hornsby, and a chain supermarket at Turramurra. The result has been that many of the old shops have vanished, and the premises turned into restaurants.
Sounds good to me!!
Long time, no see. Welcome back!
Saw the latter happening very clearly in Cessnock during recent holiday. We made sure we supported the lovely old-school country bakeries, not the chain once that cluster outside Woolies.
mr curly
But NSW cases are slowly rising. People are becoming much more lax. Even in the chemist, a person squeezed past me in the aisle ignoring the distancing marks on the floor.