Sky on Fire Sunsets

Baby Peewit

The Peewits are all around Cloncurry.
They nest in the trees and the small bird will aggressively chase a hawk away.
They are very territorial and very demanding.

They are also very friendly when they feel secure.
A peewit comes and walks around me when I water the garden.
He checks the beds for insects and chirps on the fence quite unafraid of me.

They found the bird fallen from the nest
A little peewit

Skies and Clouds

Cube It

Dreams and Fantasies

Dreams and Fantasies

Sitting beside the mountain stream
Watching the World go by
Slowly the dreams pour down the side
Of Memory

Into my vision
You come.
A dream... as you are not around these days

The vision melts and pours down
Like bubbling champagne
Running down the Eternal Fountain

Pumpkin Delight The Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin images in a variety of forms

The Pumpkin Story

I planted some pumpkin seeds a few months ago after making pumpkin soup.
To my delight, they started to grow, and soon there were 7 clumps of growing Pumpkin Seeds. Only one vine grew in abandoned splendor. The others sort of shriveled and struggled and complained in their knotted clumps, and did not extend beyond a small circumference.

This one was soon full of flowers, and then there was a small pumpkin.

The gardener came to tell me that this was a surprise, as 'there are no bees in Cloncurry, and the flowers have to be hand fertilized'

This set both of us on a new learning curve. I did photograph some bees in the white gum flowers. They were small wild bees, but maybe this pumpkin had been fertilized by ants or even the little lizards that live in the vicinity.
We learnt that there are male and female flowers. It was all explained to me and when I went to do some fertilizing, the vine was full of male flowers.
Then we saw that the female flowers have a tiny pumpkin below the bloom and if not fertilized, the pumpkin simply falls off.
We also learnt that the other vines only have male flowers which could be the reason they have not grown any bigger.
We tried fertilizing. The flowers are full open in the morning and that was the best time. We have two more pumpkins about the size of a tennis ball. This one is nearly ready.
Pumpkin soup for all the Cooking Students or maybe Pumpkin Tart.

Steam Train in Cloncurry

http://www.q150.qld.gov.au/library/pdf/q150_train_souvenir_program.pdf

Fast facts about steam trains in Queensland

http://www.q150.qld.gov.au/CelebrationHighlights/q150Train.aspx

• The first steam locomotives were put into service in 1865 in Queensland. The first four locomotives were all given names that reflected the importance of the role they would play in opening the fist section of railway. They were named “Lady Bowen”, after the wife of the then Governor of Queensland, “Faugh-a-Ballagh”, as a tribute to the first Governor of Queensland Sir George Bowen, (or perhaps because of the large number of Irish who helped build the railway), “Premier”, and “Pioneer”.
• Queensland Railways (QR Limited) has in its heritage fleet, one of the first steam locomotives to enter service in Queensland, (which is now one of the oldest able to operate in the world). It also has also has in operation the last mainline steam locomotive built in Australia (BB181/4 1089 - built at Walkers Ltd, Maryborough, in 1958).
• The biggest steam locomotive used in Queensland was the Beyer-Garratt. It weighed 137 tonnes.
• Steam locomotives used to be delivered along Brisbane streets in the 1920s. Evans, Anderson and Phelan, a company at Kangaroo Point, South Brisbane, used to deliver steam locomotives to the Woolloongabba railway yards via Main Street, on prefabricated tracks. The locomotives were moved under their own steam.
• From 1865 until 1969, Queensland Railways had a total of 1311 steam locomotives put into service. Of these, 908 were built in Queensland.

Find out more information about the history of trains in Queensland

Steam Train Arrives at Cloncurry

The Great Cloncurry Q150 Steam Train holdup
http://enews.premiers.qld.gov.au/em/message/email/view.php?u=23360&id=505655

The locals say the Cloncurry to Marimo train trip topped off a wonderful weekend, which celebrated the arrival of the Q150 Steam Train in Cloncurry and the bushrangers added to the excitement.

Days before (on Thursday 4 June), passengers arrived to a huge roar of Cloncurry residents and the local school band. Many passengers travelling with the Q150 Steam Train commented on the enthusiasm shown by Cloncurry residents and the atmosphere created for their arrival in Cloncurry. Celebrations continued into the evening with a street party and even an old time boxing match.

Mayor Andrew Daniels said the Q150 Steam Train provided much enjoyment to the community, which Cloncurry residents will remember for years to come.

“We were able to provide passengers on the train with a memorable experience of Cloncurry – one of which they will take back to family and friends!”

Stalls and Faces at the Show

Handmade whips made by the seller.
Silver and other Jewelery.
Linden Lee Linen and Home Products
Enjo Cleaning Products

Stalls and Smiles at Cloncurry Show
Hopefully the Sellers will view their smiling faces and ad their contact details

Beautiful People at Cloncurry Show

Local Artist with her self Portrait at the Show

Local Artist with her winning self portrait at the Show.

VIA Free Inspirational Verses and Literature

Robert and Julie travel the Country Shows of Queensland sharing their Bible Inspirations and Literature which they give freely.
The Artworks are created by Robert and they are freely available to those wanting one.
I loved the Artwork as well as the Inspirational verses

You can visit the link http://www.viamagazineonline.com

Private Schools for Country Students

Three schools, All Souls St Gabriels and Toowoomba Grammar and Cathedral School ran information Areas for students wishing to study in Toowoomba
http://www.twgs.qld.edu.au
Toowoomba Grammar School (est.1875) is a non-denominational day and boarding school for boys (Prep - Year 12) with a total enrolment of 950 boys of whom approximately 300 are boarders. The School is one of the nine Great Public Schools (GPS) of Queensland.

http://www.allsouls.qld.edu.au/
Boarding at All Souls St Gabriels School Our students come from all over Northern Australia, as well as the Pacific, Papua New Guinea and more recently, Europe.
We believe that this experience is an enriching experience in itself. Boarders learn self-reliance and independence as well as a tolerance of others.
Why Board?
Boarding House life provides, within a Christian environment:
* an opportunity for development of character, self discipline, leadership and initiative.
* an opportunity to develop a set of values based upon respect, consideration, honesty and trust.
* an opportunity to learn to cope with the successes and challenges of school life in the supportive, caring and encouraging environment of the House.
http://www.cathedral.qld.edu.au
Welcome to The Cathedral School -Townsville's only Anglican school for boys and girls from Early Childhood to Year 12, including boarding students from Year 7 to Year 12.

At Cathedral, we are 'educating for life-long success' . We know that this requires a well-rounded education - to develop the "whole person" by nurturing the body and spirit as well as the mind.

Camels at Cloncurry

http://www.thebigcamel.com.au
John Richardson has been involved with the camel industry for over 20yrs, he has been breeding camels, raced camels and has won some of Australia’s largest camel races. John and his family have created The Big Camel Tourist Park on their camel farm in Yeppoon to share their passion for camels with you.

There were camel rides. Children loved the camel ride led by a camel called Coca Cola because she loves to drink Coke.
Children and their parents rode the camels seated high on a double seat swaying as the walked up to the end of the road and back.
It looked fun

There are many wild camels around Cloncurry.

Doll Display at the Cloncurry Show

There was a display of dolls in the Bird pavilion.