And how IS everyone?

Originally posted by Max Hedges
Karmen that sure looks cold, this week we expect daytime temperatures to be between 26 and 30 c. It's sure nice on the bones sitting in the morning sun soaking it all up. You'll have to win the lottery and come on down for the summer.

Max

What a wonderful fantasy to dream about, of a visit to there. I would dearly love that, for sure. I'm really reacting to the lower temps all of a sudden and warmth and sunshine would be great, and it's not even really cold yet. I think the lowest has been -8 or -10 celcius. Can't recall what that is in ferenheit. Today is quite warm though, in spite of the snow. A nice sunny day.

I'll put a lotto ticket on my next shopping trip list My cousin won 5.5 million once in 1989 (split evenly with 9 between kids and parents), another $500,000 around that year too, so it really does happen to real people. The cousin with the 5.5 mil had to have lawyers screen their calls after they won.

Little Miss Ma Yappy may just hit Australi and Australians yet

Karmen.

Originally posted by Vets Dottir
That's quite the threshing machine that looks nothing like the ones we had on the farm, the old tractor didn't look as old and antique-good either

Quite standard Marshall Drum machine and any colour you like provided its pink, this one is largely woodworm surrounded by some wood in places. Very rare is the add-on Claas straw binder and used here because this was a small crop of very old fashioned, long-stem wheat producing straw highly demanded by thatchers.

The engine is a restored 8 NHP McLaren of 1912; probably about 30 actual HP and nearly 1000ft/lbs of torque in reality.

I would imagine the average HSE inspector would have an apoplectic fit seeing all the open and dancing belts; indeed the main belt did part company once and fetched my young engine driver chum a fearful whack on the arm nearly ejecting him from the foot-plate.

Of course it took 11 of us to do in a short day, but not including raising steam, what 2 men could do in 15 mins with a combine harvester and a tractor/trailer; progress 10, camaraderie -9.

R.

[Norm Cromie (RIP)]

With winter coming on it brings of course many discomforts but also along with it comes some of the beauties and wonders of nature. Here in southern California we go from burning deserts and their gorgeous crops of wild flowers to the beauty of heavy winter storms that drape the landscape with a shawl of white. So, in this troubled world of today we have to continue our search for the wonders of this planet.

Both beautiful views Norm Thanks for that.

Am just back from physio session up at the hospital pool, shared with just one other woman today. Nice and warm, lots of exercising and banter/laughter. She mentioned that it had been -17 celcius this morning. On my way to and from the hospital I took a shortcut behoind some buildings and enjoyed leaving fresh footprints, and even better, I REALLY enjoyed seeing deer tracks in the snow. Had I spotted a deer again I would have taken a photo with my digital. No deer, no photo. Not toady, at least. The sun shines beautifully today.

In the outside smokers tent, open both ends, I yapped with a couple of smoking hospital workers. I was told it does get as low as -40 here. Even hit -47 a couple or so years ago. Yikes. I'll stay in on those days, for sure.

The first snow I mentioned, well, I understand that a place called Vanderhoof, BC got 4 feet ... yes "4" FEET of snow. I'm sure it's gorgeous ... but what a problem to get around

It's winter here.

Karmen

[Howard]

Originally posted by Vets Dottir
... or it looks more like Southern Manitoba or all of Saskatchewan ... dry, flat, a few trees here and there, mostly "there"

Ma Yappy

How's this for flat? Welcome to 'Ganmain Hill', the highest peak in town...
'Round here it's flatter than Gwynith Paltrow.
And dryer than a dead dingo's donger.

[Howard]

The trains don't exactly battle the hill on the west side of town, either. That's the hill, there. See the hill?

At least it makes driving a Blitz easier... Less gear changes.

Howard,

Those photos look a whole lot like the rural Manitoba where I started life, only we had dirt or gravel roads. No pavement. Still no pavement last year when I was there. I used to love walking the tracks too ... but always too scared of bears (we lived in a bear crossing. No kangaroos there )

Karmen

[Howard]

Well Karmen, no bears here.
But if you DO win lotto & end up here for any reason, just keep an eye out for Drop Bears, the vicious little bastards...
Keefy do you have any photos of Droppers?
HH
EDIT: See link

[Keith Webb]

Originally posted by Howard
Well Karmen, no bears here.
But if you DO win lotto & end up here for any reason, just keep an eye out for Drop Bears, the vicious little bastards...
Keefy do you have any photos of Droppers?
HH

Lots of drop bears around Yass, although I think they are suffering in the drought!

Maybe Max can nip out and get some pictures.

[Max Hedges]

her I am ready to go a lookin, taz always has a sparkle in her eyes when lookin for those drop bears
Max

[Rusty]

Max have you had those yappers fitted with laser guided eyes? is that why you have dark glasses on at night to stop laser burns.
POOR DROP BEARS try the verhanda of the Australia Hotel saw some there recently.

[ron]

Hi Karmen,
Thought that you might like to see some of my deer in the back yard, they are Chital deer a species native to India, they are all pets and all have name, hope you enjoy,

Regards,
Ron.

[Max Hedges]

You can smell it now it's actually raining lets hope for a good fall

Max

Originally posted by ron
Hi Karmen,
Thought that you might like to see some of my deer in the back yard, they are Chital deer a species native to India, they are all pets and all have name, hope you enjoy,

Regards,
Ron.

Did you take a paintbrush with white paint and dot those deer yourself? Gorgeous creatures aren't they!!! They look totally content and well fed. I've known people who had Llamas ... I still like deer better

I REALLY gotta win the lotto so I can start experiencing some of these places before I croak

Karmen.

Originally posted by Max Hedges
her I am ready to go a lookin, taz always has a sparkle in her eyes when lookin for those drop bears
Max

Wicked looking little isn't she? Who's her Daddy?

[Howard]

Deer or Llama...
I love all animals...
Preferably with sauce...
HH

Originally posted by Howard
Deer or Llama...
I love all animals...
Preferably with sauce...
HH

Nasty!

[Rusty]

Yes Howard nothing like fresh Deer, Backstraps thinly sliced, no more than a minute on side 1, 30 seconds on side 2, cracked pepper and watch out tummy hear it comes.

[ron]

Hi Karmen.
This is a little fawn 3 weeks old her name is Jilli named after my grand daughter,
Regards,
Ron,

[ron]

One more of little Jilli

[ron]

Karmen,here is one of Jilli and her mother (Buffy) I call them my living statues
Please enjoy them.
Regards.
Ron.

[ron]

This is the last pic, its of our young stag named Jed at two years of age,
I hope it has not bored any one but its nice to share

Regards,
Ron.

[Howard]

Originally posted by Max Hedges
You can smell it now it's actually raining lets hope for a good fall

Max

How did you go, Max? Yesterday when you reported rain coming we were in the middle of a filthy dust storm. Started raining last night about 10.00pm & ew got 8mm. Brings this year's total to almost 6". A fair wat short of our average 22"!

Hi Ron,

I don't find the pictures boring at all. I love them It's great to get glimpses into other MLU-ers lives and environments so we can all know each other a little better. Makes conversations in here all more personal, and fuller

Karmen

[cliff]

Originally posted by ron
This is the last pic, its of our young stag named Jed at two years of age,
I hope it has not bored any one but its nice to share

Regards,
Ron.

Definately not boring. This is the first time I have seen this type of deer and I think the white spots are fantastic. Far better by a long shot to view them in the paddock like this then in the freezer or on the plate.

Cheers
Cliff

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Originally posted by cliff
This is the first time I have seen this type of deer and I think the white spots are fantastic.

They DO make good aiming points, albeit the trick is to pick WHICH white spot to sight on...

Originally posted by Geoff Winnington-Ball
They DO make good aiming points, albeit the trick is to pick WHICH white spot to sight on...

Ah, I see that your inner brat is getting out for some fun and games

[ron]

Thank you all for your kind comments about our deer I can not think of a nicer looking lawn mower, and to sit on the verandah of a nice summer evening and watch them walking around within 25 feet or so and be a part of their lives,well it carnt get any better than that,
Regards,
Ron

Hi. I felt sad to have read this story. Sounds like the bears were attracted by the smell of dinner and the bears naturally accepted the invitation to dine, as bears naturally do when hungry

People are being told in that area all the time to not leave food of any type out and to clean up the fruit from their trees and yards to prevent attracting the animals and to prevent having to kill them when they, of course, come to dinner thats just there tempting them. Senseless killings that could have been prevented.

That area has a lot of bears, mostly black bears, and lots of cougars and everyone knows because they're always being told. If this guy didn't know because he's brand new to the area, well, he knows now.



Karmen

Three B.C. grizzly bears killed near Nelson

(CBC) - A mother grizzly bear and her two cubs have been shot and killed while feeding on garbage on the deck of a mobile home near Nelson in southeastern B.C.

The man who lived in the trailer told authorities he felt his family was threatened, so he shot the bears through an open window.

The cubs died near the trailer. Their mother ran into the woods, and is also believed to have died.

Conservationists say their deaths are a serious loss to the South Selkirk grizzly population, which is not doing well.

"This particular population has not got a lot of animals. The estimate is 60 animals total, and in that one event we lost a breeding female and two cubs, one of which is a female," said Joanne Siderius of the B.C. Conservation Foundation's Bear Aware program.

The B.C. Wildlife Act allows people to shoot bears, if they feel threatened. But Siderius said people living in traditional bear habitats could avoid that by keeping their food and garbage inside.

"If you don't want the bear on your deck, you don't put bear food on your deck. And maybe this particular family wasn't aware that garbage and pet food and freezers can attract bears."