Sunday 7th March 2010, Ranelagh

We went to the Taste of Huon yesterday. We went early, which is a novelty for me. I really enjoyed it. If it wasn’t for the camera though, I think I would have been bored.

I took lots of pictures.

Families with young children seemed to be the main visitors.

There were different musicians playing. The two guys I’ve shown here (below) played really good blues. If they had cds for sale I would have bought one.

Popularity: 2% [?]

14th February 2010, New Norfolk

I was talking to an old dog lying just outside the entrance to the motel I was staying in. This cat came running as though it was waiting to see how the dog was treated before making it’s move. It had the feel of a scam

The scam became evident when the cat took advantage of my entrance to get inside. Then it waited by my door - how it knew which door was mine I don’t know. Maybe most new guests are given the same room?

It made itself at home on my bed and went to sleep.

Popularity: 6% [?]

14th February 2010, Tynwald Park New Norfolk

Also known as The Rodents.

I met these guys in New Norfolk. Fonzie (the one with the tongue) is a ball dog; he bugs his owner to throw the ball, or in this case, the stick. Leanne (the owner) was absent mindedly throwing the stick while talking on the phone.

Fergus doesn’t get the ball game. He was more interested in grabbing hold of Fonzie’s tail while Fonzie was preoccupied with the stick.

Popularity: 8% [?]

14th February 2010, Jeffrys track

I’m in heaven. Even with a swollen ankle.

I’d heard about Jeffrys track, that it went all the way to New Norfolk. It is actually about 6km short of New Norfolk. The people I questioned about it all had horror stories, so I was apprehensive. Especially riding alone.

It is a great ride. A nice challenge, interesting varying terrain, and 70km! Although about 15km of that is on road.

From where I live, I only have to go a few kms till I’m on tracks. Then to Bermuda track, Whites track, Jeffrys track.

My ankle? That was closer to home. One of those hills that you can’t see over the hump in the middle of it, like a steep ski slope. Too much front brake and I was sliding head first down the hill with my bike on top of my foot, with the thought in my head “my ankle is broken”. It isn’t

I hope you all have someone to celebrate St Valentine’s day with.

Popularity: 8% [?]

21st November 2009, Salamanca market

There isn’t much good about this photo, I just like it

Popularity: 25% [?]

21st November 2009, Sullivans Cove

Sea gulls are one of the lucky animals that coexist  reasonably well with people, sometimes profitably. Although I’m guessing the quality of their diet isn’t too good especially in these fast food areas.

In the busy streets of Hobart you can see them flying along just above the traffic. If you stop and watch them, they are pretty amazing. Sea gulls and sparrows seem to go unnoticed by most of us, so they get more comfortable in our presence. I have seen the same with cows, willy wag tails sitting on their backs, sometimes even trying to pluck out hair for their nests. Or standing attentively by the cow’s nose while it eats in the hope that some insects might get stirred up in the process.

Popularity: 31% [?]

21st November 2009, Salamanca market

Popularity: 31% [?]

21st November 2009, Sullivan’s Cove

These were taken a while ago, but today is Christmas day.

Wiebke took the one of me above, I took the one of her below.

I think I was shooting a seagull poking it’s head over the top of the wall.

Wiebke is huddled up on the ground to look through the view finder for a low shot of me taking a low shot of her. One of the advantages of my camera is it has flip out screen

I hope you all enjoy your day.

Popularity: 33% [?]

Top: 4th December 2009, Boat Harbour Beach

Middle: Stanley

Bottom: The Nut

Stanley is an interesting place. It reminds me of Wyndham on the Kimberly coast which is squeezed between the Bastion range and the sea. Stanley is the same, it is squeezed between the Nut and the sea.

The Nut protects Stanley from the Westerlies; the prevailing strong winds. Views from the top of the Nut are pretty good. There’s also a track around the top with look out points so that you can see the coast to the East and West and 180 degrees of sea when you look North.

There’s a steep concrete path up to the top and a chairlift; I took both.

In the middle of town is a seafood cafe with lots of interesting photos plastered around the walls. They look like snapshots from one family and their friends mostly from the 70’s and earlier. Snapshots of them working on fishing boats or in the Cafe. From them you get a great idea of life in Stanley and what it would be like to live there. In most of them the sky looks overcast and grey. You also get an understanding that people have to work at several occupations to make an income - like the inhabitants of Lord Howe Island.

Fishing is still a significant industry - for a little town there are a lot of fishing boats. You can still see some of the infrastructure left over from when they used Stanley as the port to ship out iron ore from the Savage River mine.

Popularity: 35% [?]

5th December 2009, Boat Harbour Beach

Popularity: 27% [?]