Down by the riverside at Paterson and a traveller's rest. Paterson River.

Sheep dogs at Vacy.
We had stopped for a meal. A long meal as it turned out because the staff were recovering from a celebration the night before and after nearly an hour and half our food arrived. Well, afterall, there was no real hurry! And watching the world go by in the sunshine and the fresh country air while seated near those dogs on the the verandah was fine enough.

Believe these dogs are Kelpies (Gaelic meaning water sprite). The Border Collie is a prominent ancestor (along with the Dingo, some experts say). They can be black, black and tan, red, red and tan, chocolate or blue smoke.
The well-bred dog is sound in build and in movement to allow for the stamina demanded of a working sheepdog and they work tirelessly it is said. They are characteristically very faithful as well as intelligent, active, alert and very social and love companionship more than food - almost. Patient and enduring, gentle and obedient as well and with an uncanny talent for anticipation is their character, well, those are the fruits of patient and resonable obedience-training for the dog's spirit will be broken if he or she is bullied and the typical courage and lively character will be extinguished for good.

Day trips, past and present, to Shoal Bay and the cycles of life.

Things to do at Shoal Bay. Keeping fit?
Todays the day for the annual flu 'shot' and the appointment was made before hearing about the latest threat from Mexico.
Spot the google tool bar. Mine is in morse code today, lol.

from The Annual Holiday Pam Ayres. from Some of me poetry. Arrow

Well, I'm off on me holidays,
It's all within me reach,
I've got myself in trim
For carting deckchairs round the beach.....
Oh so remote and deeply tanned,
With me sandwiches, me knickers,
And me ears full up with sand....

Shoal Bay, Port Stephens, north of Newcastle.

To other waters and lacrimosa or tearfulness. On Anzac Day a view of Wallsend Cemetry while the drama of Mozart's Requem sounded nearby (on the car radio) ...lacrimosa...lacrimosa...on that day of teaful wonder, when the tomb is rent asunder...Dies irae..(abc classic fm radio)
Our relative is buried there and on this anniversary, flowers were placed there, grown from a cutting, taken long ago, from her garden.

Finding Neptune. Willful mermaids diving into the deep sea temples of King Neptune and Amphitrite.
Early on, the mural graced the wall of the court yard in the Country Club, Shoal Bay, then, fifty years later, the same artist, Hal Holman, was commissioned to produce this copy on canvas. A photo near the work has 'the artist touching up the mermaids' during a restoration in 1985!

Do fish really create a calming environment? Restless captivity is anything but.

Google has an acquatic theme on their tool bar today and prompted this masterpiece taken at the sideshows near Nobbys Beach. Had this siren emerged from the nearby seas?
A group of young European women tourists added a touch of class as they were employed to run the ticketing and the side shows. For one, their fair complexion, without a hint of freckles or sun-tanned weathering, 'gave them away'.

'Making tracks' outa Stroud and leaving the Central Hotel behind.

Above: seen in Stroud. Below: Slovakian Dancers at the Playbox Theatre.

Slovakian Dance. I believe this dance group were visiting performers who knew the traditional regional lively dance forms while the cimbalom (type of dulcimer) player (on the left) could be a local performer as he has been seen before in a folk group. The violinists were the stars.
In Newcastle, the cimbalom artist compered the show, (was he the main English speaker?) and, what's more, a member of the audience (not me) succeeded in identifying the cimbalom!
Pardon my ignorance, after several months I am fairly sure it was Slovakia and not Slovenia.

The Slit Lamp uses a high density light source to examine the eye (yes) for any disease processes. Check-ups are recommended.
A visit to the optometrist inclues a sight test using the well know Snellens chart with square shaped letters all, by and large, confined to the English language.

Things medical and the media discuss AIDS, its prevention and life with AIDS. It is a complex topic and talk of a ban on condoms is very strange to hear about when the issues are conflated and boast unusual conclusions. Preventative measures and health promotion is a key to the tragedy. Church spokespersons have their say on the topic but the church community always holds a wide range of beliefs, naturally enough, no two people ever think the same although the discernment of prevailing wisdom is a tenet.

A store in a country town boasting the best egg and bacon rolls; 'we have vegies'; 'bread from your local baker'; the best ice-creams locally made in Coopernook; a fuel fire for wintery days; liquor supplies; a fish tank; hand-crafts; sunnies; fishing gear; historic photos; fuel bowser that was out of petrol; nice service; very very strong pots of tea and ubiquitous take-away menu.

The folks in Stroud are protesting and I suspect the problem is that of proposed mines.
Beware because they are into throwing bricks and rolling pins in this otherwise sedate little country town!

The annual International Brick and Rolling Pin Throwing Competition is held between the four Strouds in the world: Canada, UK, USA and Australia, third Saturday of July each year.

The port of Newcastle has morphed into a major exporter of coal and a new coal loader is under construction (the area nearby yesterday's photo).
This third loader will send the black, high grade, metamorphic rock to distant shores to fire the furnaces and produce electricity and release carbon dioxide emissions.

It's hugh! Waiting near the coal loading infrastructure at the port is a new construction.

Fossil fuel. Coal. Vegetation and perhaps some trees (again) took countless years to turn into coal (and oil) and provide us with a buried treasure trove of energy.

Wood is the medium in this work.

Once there was a tree and a young boy. The boy played under the tree; he would swing on its branches and eat its fruit. The tree was a real friend. The boy grew older....and the tree was often alone.
One day, the boy came back. Tree smiled and said
'Come and swing in my branches and eat my fruit, play in my shade and be happy.'
'I'm too big, I want money to buy things and be happy.'
The tree replied,' Take my fruit and sell it then you will have money and be happy.'

The boy became a man.... he returned to the tree which shook with joy.
'Come and swing in my branches'
I'm too busy. I want a house to keep me and my loved ones warm. Can you give me a house?'
'You can cut my branches to build a house.'

Many years passed and the boy became an old man....he returned and the tree was very happy and begged him to play.
'I'm too old and sad to play. I want a boat to take me very far from here.'
'Cut down my trunk and make a boat and then you can sail away and be happy.'

When the boy returned he had become a very old man.
'I'm sorry but I have nothing left to give you. I am just an old stump.'
I don't need very much now. Just a quiet place to sit and rest.'
'Well an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, sit down and rest.'

So the old man did. And the tree was very happy.

Balance Health Club Mayfield, next to Phoenix (Club).
this silo has attempted to segue! which it often does.

Back to the Ocean Baths. Water: 21 C. - warm.
Facades are very up-to-date and here is this building (posted here a few days ago) with a very old and large facade.
Restoration is a long, expensive and difficult task when done, I think, without the help of the 'you beaut' building companies. Behind the scenes the current work on the Ocean Baths is similar to the latest trend to create a wall out of a giant panel that is lifted into place by a crane and held up by props.

Strategic response to missiles! Newcastle Jets are in Japan and play Nagoya Grampus in the Asian Champions League. Never fear.

Surfing is one fun activity, baths is/are another, depends what you want to do.

'window' on the ocean baths.

Newcastle Ocean Baths

Nobbys Beach before the current heavy weather.