COAL TRAINS

COAL TRAINS, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

The empty coal wagons going up the mountain and the full wagons bringing the coal down to the coast and the Port of Brisbane from the huge seams of coal from the Acland Mine on the Darling Downs, Queensland,

This engine was pulling 41 wagons of coal.

SPRING BLUFF RAILWAY SIDING

SPRING BLUFF RAILWAY SIDING, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Perched halfway up the Ranges, the railway lines carved into the mountain. The gardens are always a colourful show during spring and summer.

A WATER HEN

A WATER HEN, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Diving for food in the hot midday sun. The hottest day we have experienced this year to date. We never suffer from the extreme temperatures that occur in the rest of the State as are high in the mountains and usually experience cool breezes but today was an exceptionally hot one....


I sat here at the water hole contemplating.....A death by drowning here last summer and a resting place in the early days of Australian settlement. The spot is called "Bullockys Rest", as the bullock teams hauling logs would rest under the shade of the trees.

This tree would have a tale or two. Aquainted myself with two old trees today, this Australian tree and a London plane tree planted in 1870, on the side of the mountain beside the rail tracks.




The local historians and authorities decided to preserve the watering hole permanently and officially two years ago with a dedication and speeches.


A local still keeps a bullock team which is special seeing those steers pull the timber wagon.

IS THIS A BARBIE DOLL PONY?

I was commissioned to take photographs of stud ponies on a horse farm on Wednesday and can not resist posting the mane and tail on this pretty little girl. She is being photographed for an "on line" horse show.

What a joy she is....

SHETLAND PONY

SHETLAND PONY, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Visited a shetland stud to take formal portraits of some of the ponies...this is informal...time to smell the roses!!!

A LITTLE COMFORT GOES A LONG WAY

A bus driver short to drive some older people to an open air church service so I drove the bus and took a few photographs of the prayer meeting. I honour people their beliefs and the faith that helps them through life's hardships.

I am an agnostic evolutionist until someone can offer a more scientific explanation. I am spiritual in the fact that I believe in the balance of nature with all her beauty and savagery. I become calm and at peace watching the ocean, the stars, the birds flashing overhead, running water, touching an ancient tree, looking into a dog's eyes is one door away from heaven, the joy of the living creatures, the basic goodness in the human spirit.

The people I took on this trip received comfort and calm and for this, religion is a boon for them..the rituals, the muttered prayers, the belief that their God will care for them. Most of these people suffer from loneliness, and physical pain and any comfort is a blessing and I do sincerely hope their "God" walks with them..

DETECTOR DOGS IN RESIDUE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

In response for the query of more information on these beautiful intelligent working dogs.

The use of organochlorines were banned in Australia and a recall of all organochlorines on farm.

In 1995 the NORM (National Organochlorine Residue Management program) commenced. The focus to pin point source contamination at farm level. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries in Queensland took the iniative with a world first to develop and train a residue-detection dog, hence the first trained dog Norm.



The dogs offer advantages in savings in time and people resources, reduced numbers of soil tests to accurately pinpoint the contaminated site/s.

They have travelled all over Australia and to New Zealand to identify potential chemical residue sites, are a safeguard to protect Australia's hard-won reputation for its clean green primary industry products.

Handler, Greg Horrocks, travels throughout Queensland schools promoting animal welfare and help children understand their duty of care and responsibility towards animals.

The dogs can be hired on a fee-for-service basis for anyone seeking an assessment of sites for OC contamination.

I would imagine if buying a land holding and were concerned about past use of organochlorine chemicals the dogs would be of huge benefit.

BREEZE- The DPI DDT Detective Dog

BREEZE- The DPI DDT Detective Dog, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

This is Breeze and she detects DDT in the ground...a very important job as DDT is banned worldwide and this dog if an area is suspect detects the soil which is collect and taken to a lab for confirmation. Beef cattle and crops are not to be grown in areas with a DDT level. DDT would transfer into the meat of a beef animal or the milk of a dairy animal.

She scratches madly if she detects the chemical and Floyd if he detects the bug buried in the ground drops to the ground with the bug between his front legs buried.

Dogs are something else....

FLOYD - DPI Detection Helio..(Detective!) Dog

FLOYD - DPI Detection Helio..(Detective!) Dog, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Meet Floyd a very important black labrador. You learn something new every day. Nine dogs were on display with the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries and these dogs are trained to sniff out one scent and one scent only...specialists......Floyd is let loose in the maturing crops and can detect before they are a major problem the lavae which are buried in the ground of the helio* bug.

PEACE WITH YOU TOO BROTHER

PEACE WITH YOU TOO BROTHER, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Out and about at the festival, enjoying the spring air....

THE OLD & THE NEW

THE OLD & THE NEW, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Today was the Spring Parade in this small Australian community...the old leading the new..who knows we may need the one horsepower again...

THE ROAD BUILDERS

THE ROAD BUILDERS, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

A MACHINE!!

A MACHINE!!, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Every time I leave my gravel road and hit the bitumen I am waiting for the machinery, which I do not mind as the machines are mammoth. A huge stream of big shiny bikes was waiting also and have to get a little more pushy and take their photos as the bikes were all gleaming and the huge machinery were in the background in the dust. Were about fifty bikes and mainly black and the riders dressed in black...very surreal with the midday sun gleaming off their helmets...I am kicking myself for not taking the picture....I was such a wuss.....

Goodna, Brisbane

Goodna, Brisbane, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Jackarandas out in Brisbane this week but will be three or four weeks before the trees blossom here in the mountains.

THIS LITTLE GIRL WAS BORN YESTERDAY...NOT LIKE I..UNFORTUNATLY

I had occassion to call at a pony stud today on business and was fortunate to see this little girl less than twenty four hours old and her father who is 24 years of age....

Safelink, Brisbane

Safelink, Brisbane, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Bridges, bridges and more bridges in construction

A BIG TOY

bucket, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Onya Kevin, Infrastructure that should have been done years ago. Keeps my boys busy!! and keep the international financial meltdown at bay...

My boys are busy one a construction engineer, and the other, at the coal face worker, and AWU representative. No one can say I ever pointed my sons in any particular direction with their political persuasions. A work ethic is all one's needs in this great land.

ARABIAN HORSE

PALE HEADED ROSELLA

PALE HEADED ROSELLA
Originally uploaded by cnlizziebns

An early morning visitor

AUSTRALIAN PLOVER

AUSTRALIAN PLOVER, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

This bird attacks with the yellow hooks on the elbow of the wings. They lay their eggs without benefit of a nest in the middle of the paddock and guard fiercely.

I went carefully closer and closer to this little darling yesterday morning. He/she was eyeing me off and I had thought had escaped the fury but he/she attacked and attempted to beat me about the head with its wings.

A hasty and undignified retreat on my behalf...... .

A pair has been in my paddocks for years and should know by now it will not be harmed...but is not having any of me...guess it wishes I would stop being on a holiday and mind my own business.

THE KING BOYS

IMG_6866, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

AUSSIES

AUSSIES, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Fortunes made and fortunes paid.
Let the polititions and the bankers and the city look up at the wonder of the glow in the skies and I will drown my soul in their beauty and dance in the glow.

My back yard this morning, rainbow lorikeets, bronzwing pigeon, a female, and two male king parrots. Uplifting the wonder of such beauty.

AIN'T LOVE GRAND

My neighbor is a character lives life to the fullest and has found true love on the Internet....

Jack after dallying outrageously with the local ladies cast his eyes global....very entertaining living next door to Jack. I reckon' Jack saved women who dallied with him after being jilted beforehand. Was fraught when two turned up at once....oh my...life in technicolor, drama and love and just through my backyard. I remind myself of something but will not go there...

Jack is personable, handsome and kind and does not hang about the local pub from daylight till dark like a lot of the local yokels .
A terrific pick me up for a jilted girlfriend or wife and then right to go....

Jack also has another fetish, collecting old cars, different cars different stuff, mainly cars. I have mentioned this to him...You can talk Liz what about all the horses you collect...but but they are rescue horses the majority...yeah well these are rescue cars...

Jack in seventh heaven scrabbling about with "love" on the Internet and one caught his fancy and after corresponding for some time decided to meet. On his return declared he was in love and said he was determined to "hold out". Do not need to know this part. ...The new love turns out to be pretty and personable and was to visit Jack for the first time. Ahhh what car to drive...he settled on the limo, stocked with flowers wine and nibblies, took me for a test drive down the road "do you think this may be a bit way way over the top" said I...."Out" said he....He then employed the local layabout, non working, bad back, I bet Centrelink do not know, on the condition he wear a chauffeur cap, and off to the capital city.


Just goes to show how little I know she loved the grand gesture.....probably liked the movie "Pretty Woman".




Jack is forever lost to the local ladies as the Internet lady has him branded and tied.




If I do not post again I will be no doubt destroyed by the neighbor or perhaps the Pretty Woman. Such a shame the mr fixit of the lonely hearts has departed. I miss the drama, the engine propelled thingys that fly in the sky, one with a human attached, now that was exciting, the Harleys roraring about at all hours, the feathered indian headresses, the freaky signs, etc etc.......his grass is mown and slashed, the cars have reduced in number, about twenty now, and they have been lined up neatly in a row not all over the place as previously...Jack has become predictable and tamed....oh well will have to rent DVD's for drama.


All in a row and flower gardens too but thought I had better not go over and take photos of the garden....may have been in trouble....

I have time to think about important things such as this .....forget financial meltdown all over the world ...I am just out of sorts as the entertainment next door has been damped down... am on holidays and have broken fingers so can bludge about on the computer and not feel guilty....Oh well such is life

Are the broken fingers payback for stickybeaking....naw...that would be a broken nose.

SUPER NOVA

Playing with Photoshop Elements....

GUS BEUTEL LOOKOUT

GUS BEUTEL LOOKOUT, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Postcard picture for portolio

RAVENSBOURNE NATIONAL PARK

RAVENSBOURNE NATIONAL PARK, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

A short walk in the Ravensbourne National Park with the lush undergrowth, ferns and the "Red Gold". The prized and saught after Red Cedar Tree. Regarded highly for making quality funiture with a beautiful grain. One of these trees is worth thousands and thousands of dollars.

FROM THIS

IMG_6660 (1), originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

The Ravensbourne area 20 ks to the south of where I live, soft vine scrub with patches of temperate rainforest with patches of huge eucalypt forest. The grass is the introduced kikuya from Africa which does so well in these red soils.

TO THIS

IMG_5821 (1), originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

This area is 20 ks to the north of where I live. The biodiversity of the area is evident...This is open eucalyptus forest with spotted gum and ironbark trees.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

That's it...have wasted too much time ...

MACK

MACK, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Diane that is the silver dog...Took the mascot with the macro lens and made it look like a big fella.........He thinks he is a big fella anyhow!!

LUCKY I'M ON HOLIDAYS

OLE PHOTOSHOP, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

and it is raining.......I will get used to this and as am a fantasy nut will have some fun with this software.

WELL HELLO LONESOME

WELL HELLO LONESOME, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

A dairy heifers first calf...a contrast to the dusty paddock...Not to worry Mum and friends are nice and fat living on silage (last years crop buried in the ground green, mixed with molasses and grain.

My friend, Kaylene, who worked for me for many years is getting married to a dairy farmer and I paid a visit today.

Some time ago the dairy cows were receiving potato chips, the crunchy dry ones, compressed into cubes mixed with the grain and fed. YUM love Rock and Kettle varieties

IN A WORLD FULL OF COPYCOWS

IN A WORLD FULL OF COPYCOWS, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Dare to be DIFFERENT!!

This is Granny horse who is in her late 30's.....

EBONY & IVORY

EBONY & IVORY, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

A beautiful natured three year old colt. Broken in perfectly. Kay's neighbour, Peter, broke the colt in and did a good job. He was the supplier of and instuctor to Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman in the soon to be released movie, The Australians.

EBONY AND IVORY

My friend, Kay's paint stallion. Ebony & Ivory.

thunderheads:city2000

thunderheads:city2000, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Rest in Peace my loyal and noble friend. Two years and I am still crying...I had to easy this horse from his mother as he was so large...and through many ups and downs this beautiful animal graced my life for twelve years...I miss his regal presence..

HISTORY REVISITED

HISTORY REVISITED, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

My brother has just completed building this slab hut largely using old timber from a fallen down hut.

SLAB HUT

SLAB HUT, originally uploaded by cnlizziebns.

Inside the finished old new hut using a lot of slabs from a fallen down hut reputed to be 100 years old plus some