Christmas 2023

Hi Friends,

2023 has flown past, with both of us happily busy - but very few photos, as we generally stayed close to home.

Janet came from New Zealand to spend a week before Christmas camping with us in the Bunya Mountains, then Christmas with Bob's family at their farm near Toogoolawah, then back home for the New year.

Our only camping trip as a family was to Springbrook National Park in March while Joyce attended a 2 day silent meditation retreat.  We were joined by Zac, 28 year old autistic and  musical friend of Joyce's who has since moved in with us since he could not find other accommodation in the Sunshine Coast nearer his family.  The move has been successful for us all, and we are enjoying having him live with us.

Natural Bridge near Springbrook

We enjoyed a visit from Joyce's brother Alan and his wife Linda from Calgary in early April, and were able to include a visit to a very special spot near Maleny - the a large sculpture by Andy Goldworth located in the middle of the rainforest a couple km walk from the nearest road. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okpsgcG2MzE  - an extraordinary, and moving granite sculpture costing about $500,000!!  We have been watching the fig tree - or rather several generations of fig trees on top of the sculpture struggling to grow through some very dry periods - and finally looking like the still small surviving tree might survive and even grow its roots over the sculpture as originally enivisioned - if we don't have the very hot, dry summer which has been predicted!!

Bob's energies this year have gone mainly into the Butterfly House (still) when they decided they wanted to grow food for the caterpillars on site - and the most effective way would be to raise the existing pot plants onto metal shelves, and build a hydroponic system on a low shelf under them.  This has taken a massive amount of designing and construction, mainly by Bob so far, as volunteers are still difficult to access.  

And Joyce has kept busy with her involvement in 2 meditation groups - one based in the Labyrinth at the Art Centre, which is now celebrating its 7th birthday.  She has also managed to fit in a couple of camping trips with friends, and a 8 week - one night a week choir in Brisbane, Birralee Recycled which gave both the enjoyment of singing with a large group with an excellent conductor and accompanist, and the chance to visit several friends in Brisbane, and some adventures by bicycle en route to the choir.  Continuing minor health issues led to some serious thinking about the importance of focusing on quality and not quantity of life - and now that a first version of thinking about this complex issue are in writing - she is happy to relax more, and just let the future unfold, confident that she can make appropriate decisions when necessary.  See https://quality-not-quantity-of-life.blogspot.com/2023/09/quality-not-quantity-of-life-sept-2023.html if you are interested in exploring these ideas further.

 I have just discovered some talks and podcasts  featuring Ian McGilchrist, an English philosopher, who shares some very intriguing and exciting thoughts that help explain mankind's current dilemmas in a useful and positive manner.   Ian proposes that humanities' behavior can be explained by the interaction of our left and right brains - and that we currently have lost contact with the much more nuanced and sensitive right brains.  You might enjoy exploring some of Ian's work for more thoughts on the way we use our brains affects how we view our world, and consequently how our whole world is unfolding.  

 A couple examples are: 

https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/85-iain-mcgilchrist   and

The Brain, the Sacred and the Soul - Iain McGilchrist and Thomas Steininger of Evolve - YouTube   Well worth a watch!! 

 

                    The End Approaches

Is this a misguided refusal to believe mankind is omnipotent and that we can 

live forever as individuals and as a civilisation while destroying our 

environment...

Or a simple statement of our current predicament?

A realistic evaluation of the now rapidly evolving results of our refusal to 

protect and cherish our environment.

Our separation from nature will soon destroy us all.

How can we respond to the looming death of our life support, and hence us, 

and our civilisation?

By shutting our eyes and hoping it won’t happen?

Or by living fully and openly for our remaining time be it days, weeks, months 

or possibly even years,

Celebrating the mystery and beauty of life

Cherishing the wonder of each day

Rejoicing with gratitude in all we have.

Which do you choose to do?

Remembering that what we see as endings are also new beginnings,

both for ourselves, and for the earth.

Christmas 2022

Christmas Blog 2022 

 Here is a brief record of our year. 

 December 2021

Christmas 2021 was pretty much followed our recent tradition with four days camping about 200 km NW in the Bunya Mountains, this year at the Burtons Well campground at the northern end of the Bunyas. This is a relatively open grassy area with a few shady trees if you get to them first, which we did. By that time we setup camp had supper and walked out to the sunset. We were soon overtaken by a stack of people from the south end so we took a picture and retreated to bed. 

Disinfecting station to stop spread of fungi in Bunya forest

The next day we left early for Cherry Tree via the lookouts. First bit of rainforest was 'infested' with whipbirds, a very welcome bird of wild areas, but then the open eucalyptus forest was open, sunny and hot. The new rerouted track was especially hot. At Cherry Tree (6 km) Bob had sore feet, so Joyce returned by the road and brought Misty our faithful car, to the rescue.

 Day 3 was a drive to Paradise Carpark and a slow walk to Little Falls and back. Back to camp for lunch and rest and took off for the sunset with only a few others this time, probably due to light rain on the way and a dark return to a Joyce fire. Fungi everywhere all shapes and sizes. 

Christmas Eve was a drive to Dandabah to walk the Scenic Circuit. Good walk but tired and a bit sore. Lunched in D’bah picnic area down at the bottom before driving back to Burtons Well. 

Christmas day we broke camp and had a very enjoyable lunch with Noela, Jack and Graham at the Toogoolawah farm for Christmas.

 The next day we enjoyed a Zoom get together with Craig and Karen in Toronto and Janet in New Zealand - the wonders of modern technology!!

 January 2022 

,

The wet weather begins!!  Main focus was keeping the  Butterfly House (BH) going through leaks, short power outages and occasional walks and bike rides and a few golf games. 

February 2022

 The rain becomes more serious.  More rain and rain and local spots beginning to flood including the golf course. More BH work on new account apps, irrigation controller and attempts to improve humidity control in the breeding lab the last with limited success – just too much rain. Dehumidifiers expensive and estimated availability is September at best. 

We had a total of about 1 metre rain over this period – a lot of water, but much-needed by the Island after a few dry years.  Our home is fortunately above flood level on our low sand island - but won't withstand too much sea level rise (though neither will the rest of the island!).

Lotus flower in nearby park (not native!!)

 Mid month we kayaked about 15 km for a three day trip up the Passage that separates Bribie from the mainland to Mission Point.  The trip turned out to be not too well timed as we battled mosquitoes and sandflies,  rain, and wind in abundance. Coming home on the third day into the tide and a strong wind was hard work, though avoiding the worst of the wind led us into some interesting and previously unexplored corners.  Bob got to the sand banks at Whitepatch half way back, had to just lay there for a while till he could get enough energy for the last few kilometers paddle home.

March 2022 

The rain and flooding of the roads cleared enough for us to drive north and a bit inland to Eidsvold lunching at Ban Ban springs (almost grown over with tall grass). To the west of Eidsvold we camped at Tolderodden Conservation Park on the Burnett River - small but quiet with walk up a hill. Packed up camp and back to Eidsvold then north to Monto and NE to Kalpower State Forest to set up in the quiet bush campground. We woke at night to a BIG STORM just after we retired with serious lightning QUITE CLOSE. Early the next morning, we biked  NW to Barrimoon, the start of the  Rail Trail, which we found after taking a wrong turn and getting thoroughly stuck in the mud for awhile. The Trail headed north and gently down through six tunnels in the mountains. These were quite dramatic with  microbats and moths in the darkness, and some very interesting echoes and sound effects. 

  The next day we went on to Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat – lunched and swam, all very civilised – then bicycled up the road to NP Picnic Area for cheese and crackers supper. Lazy day bicycle and walk to Gorge Lookout and couple of caves and back to swim and birdwatch at feeding station and walk to Big Foot. Next day bicycled to Cania Dam (26 km return). . Next day broke camp and breakfast in Picnic Area and walked to Two-Storey Cave, and  headed home, camping at Bunya Westcott to break up the driving. 

After three days of BUG (bike group) and BH business for Bob,  we were off again with Joyce and her friend Denice to a meditation retreat on Springbrook inland from the Gold Coast.  Bob enjoyed the Springbrook Campsite for two nights and up and down and through waterfalls, in retrospect a bit too ambitiously for his aging knees. 

 April May 2022

 The rest of March and April and May was BUG accounts and BH accounts and audit papers and a bit of repair to the flashing motorbike headlamp and green led eyes of the monster on a letterbox at the BH.

 All this was in WET WET WET weather, and not much golf with the course flooding. Joyce began slowing down with increasing hip/leg pain. 

June July 2022 

Early June, Janet arrived for a long-delayed visit from her home in St Arnaud, New Zealand (South Island about 100 km S of Nelson). We enjoyed with a few days at Bellthorpe Stays and its rainforest walks which gave Bob a break from his other duties, though Joyce was slowed down by constant pain.

We all enjoyed jig saw puzzles when Janet was here

A welcome get well gift from the Bike Group

On our return, Joyce started oxycodone, then on morphine patches for pain relief, which, along with osteopath treatments  finally started a positive trend.  We also enjoyed jigsaws and making a 1920's style dress and hat for Janet who was attending a wedding back in NZ.  Once Joyce's pain and inflammation started to go, the morphine was ramped down and finally stopped.  She has replaced the opoids with urine therapy - drinking and massaging with one's own urine.  She has found this ancient, and widely used technique invaluable in handling residual pain, and restoring her energy and enthusiasm for life - well worth a try if you are faced with any physical or mental health challenges.  Lots of information available online! e.g. here, and  https://thewallachfiles.com/urine-therapy-uropathy-your-bodys-own-best-medicine-a-powerul-infection-fighter/, and  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Oxqzzh15HQ

 While she was here, Janet visited locally and in Bundaberg, and went on a road trip out west to Birdsville, then spent a couple more weeks 'working at home' before returning to NZ late July. 

 

Joyce's beloved E bike (now with 12,000 km in 2 and a half years) was not functional for much of the time Joyce was incapacitated, perhaps in sympathy.   Its carbon-fibre drive belt broke (not supposed to happen) the first time Janet rode it.  A new belts was only available interstate and proved troublesome to install and tension properly, requiring a few trips to the bike shop in  Brisbane by Bob and Joyce. The rnal car pickup (to surprise and amusement by the pickup attendants).  Bob also started coming as chauffeur on Joyce's weekly Thursday recorder-playing trip to Bli Bli while Joyce was recovering and has continued as it gives Bob a day away from the Butterfly House and his other duties.

 August September 2022 

Bob bought a vertical-hydroponics kit from “Mr Stacky” for the BH to test out whether we can grow Sweet Potato on site with idea of using the unit for greens at home after testing. Sweet Potato bit has worked well and it has become a BH feature so we may not see it home :-(. 

                                                                                    

 A dehumidifier was purchased by the BH with another La Nina threatening.  Works well but the tank was a bit clumsy and heavy for the Lab ladies. PeterA and Rod (BH maintenance crew) were eventually able to a good job implementing Bob’s design changes.

 Joyce‘s desk chair became very tatty so Bob decided a new one was a good birthday/xmas present. After checking out designs at Officeworks  TWO comfy armchair-style swivel desk chairs. Joyce home-made and fitted fancy felt covers. 

Bob's!

Joyce's

 October 2022

 The BH potting area patio roof which Bob negotiated through grants and Council was finally delivered and completed (bar final inspection) and is loved by the BH nursery crews. The BH was broken into one night with $3000 of power tools taken from the tool and pump sheds. Holes were cut in the security fence and shade house but nothing appears lost from the latter. 

November 2022 

We attended a BioBlitz (a citizen-science ecological survey of an area), 200 km N in Rainbow Beach with Bob and and Joyce's recorder-playing friend Zac.  We explored Rainbow Beach Friday, went on an organised Fungi Walk on Saturday and then we walked on to Lake Poona, went to an evening talk by a VERY enthusiastic lady on composting and the importance of invertebrates and microorganisms for soil health, and went on an Insect Walk on Sunday, and drove home on Monday.

The next weekend we returned to Springbrook with Joyce and Denise meditating and Bob camping (with numerous horse-flies). We had great views from the rainforest End-of-World lookout which was closed in with mist and rain on our previous visits. The views contrasted with the very ancient Antarctic Beech trees very much threatened by Global Warming. 

In contrast to Bob's determined efforts to keep the Butterfly House going (presently as president), his Social Golf group (as treasurer) and the BUG bike group (also treasurer), Joyce's activities are more just social.  Two much-valued small meditation groups, a laughing group (now in its 15th year), a recorder trio/quartet, and the Bribie Island Orchestra (bass recorder!!), as well as leading 'Road Less Travelled' bike rides, and full moon rides (and camping up the beach whenever possible) help remind her that it is the connections and  relationships in life that are important, not the possessions!!!

And we will close with the message from this year's Christmas card:

Life

A time to be

A time to grow

A time to play

A time to leave

 

A time to leave??? What a strange greeting for a Christmas message, the time for rejoicing at new birth. And yet, as life can be seen as a journey from just being, through growth, and play – the leaving becomes a time for excitement as the goal is approached.

Bob and I continue to live the magical life of the modern retiree, happy and comfortable in our Australian 'Fool's Paradise' only barely aware of, and scarcely affected by the increasing turmoil on our planet – climatic extremes and instability, a collapsing and moribund financial system, and increasing suffering and death of all species, including our own. This year, relatively minor health issues which seem almost inevitable with aging have taken more of our energies, though not enough to lessen our joys from friendships and nature.

However hopefully beneath the peace and happiness of our life is gratitude for being alive at such interesting times, and an awareness of the sacredness of the shortness of the time remaining to us all.

We wish you much joy as you negotiate our uncertain future.

2021

 Well year 2021 proved to be almost pedestrian with Australian states largely closed off from each other and capital cities and larger regional centres in occasional lockdown whenever the virus showed itself. Yes that troublesome COVID19 remained with us all year and even morphed into a more infectious strain which introduced the unpopular mask. The trial vaccines were a distraction and proved to offer some protection against hospitalisation for the believers but certainly they were no “silver bullet”. Some businesses thrived but most had a poor or disastrous year and many people were unemployed or even homeless.

Life for us had a certain sameness since long distance travel was largely out and so unpredictable anyway.   We decided on a programme of evening sunset watching and monthly short camping trips around the local south-east Queensland area whenever other events like Joyce’s music or Bob’s golf interests allowed. The following map shows the extent of our 2021 wanderings (numbered 2 to 14 – number 1 is home).

December was almost unremarkable being hot and showery, triggering Bob to move with computer downstairs away from the afternoon western sun.  We camped in the Bunya Mountains (map 4) for a few days before Christmas, which was cooler and also misty and rainy but we enjoyed hiking in the beautiful forests and photographing the hugely varied fungi. We returned home via a very enjoyable Xmas lunch at the family farm outside Toogoolawah (map 11). 

Just after Xmas was Joyce fell on a rock while walking at Whitepatch foreshore and hurt her hip.   Scans a few days later showed no breaks, and fortunately the hip healed after a week or so on crutches.   Otherwise we have both thankfully been free from medical problems, though Bob had a precautionary colonoscopy in August which found no abnormalities.

Also in January the Butterfly House EFTPOS terminal broke down so much ado getting a replacement and spare terminal amid a COVID lockdown. Bob was also helping Jennifer take over the Treasurer's duties. Meanwhile Janet in New Zealand was making snowman in her yard while we explored the flowers of Bribie's heathlands.

February saw Bob and Joyce bicycle 35km up the Bribie ocean beach (at low tide) to camp for a couple of nights at a National Park campsite (map 2). Unfortunately the weather saw us and sent in a couple of storms so the trip was aborted at lunch on day two. We struggled home with no power on Bob’s bike, pouring rain and a detour past a beach lagoon that overflowed in a creek across the beach too deep and fast for the bikes.  A memorable day!!!

March started with a Booloumba Creek camping trip with visits to “the egg” - a remote (couple of km walk from the nearest road) sculpture by the Scottish artist Andy Goldsworthy and Booloumba Falls.

After some Bribie sunsets and photographing some interesting local fungi, the month ended in another camp at Peach Trees Camping (map 6) in the hills near Jimna – walking and lots of bird-watching.

April started with a three-day COVID lockdown and Easter Holidays so we decided to stay near home walking, riding bike and paddling kayaks for exercise and catching up on paperwork and bike and Butterfly House maintenance jobs. 

Yes – it is a real live large green tree frog that sometimes lives in a rainwater downpipe near the bike parking.

End of April we camped at Hidden Valley private campsite (map 7) near Yandina with Joyce’s friend Denise. Bob finally found a pair of UGG BOOTS that fit at the Eumundi Markets.

A week into May we took the Cleveland car ferry across to Stradbroke Island to a Cylinder Beach campsite (map 8) lunching at Brown Lake on the way there and the way back to the ferry three days later. We biked along an old road to Amity Point and actually saw a wild koala up a tree by the track and also biked a ways up the surf beach.

In June we spent two nights at the renovated  O’Reilly’s Rainforest Camp (map 14) now all very “civilised” and not so much to our taste. However we enjoyed a day walk up the border (with NSW) track getting most of the way bird-watching and enjoying the rainforest and especially the remnant huge Gondwana Antarctic Beech trees.

July saw another week of COVID lockdown, lots of catch-up paperwork for Bob, and a camping trip to Elanda Point on a large coastal lake (map 9).  We camped near the lake under shady trees and walking by the lake at dusk ran into an echidna also walking along by the lake,  walked inland to Mill Point and the Kin Kin Creek bridge site (washed away by flash flood), and finished up the visit by a very nice Bistro lunch on a patio under trees.

In early August a Cotton Tree Camping trip (map 10) started with picking up Bob’s new Ebike (Merida Espresso City 700 EQ) and setting up camp virtually across the fence from the beach overlooking the mouth of the Maroochy River. We then spent the next two days cycling north to Mudjimba and south to Point Cartwright. Thursday Joyce went to Bli Bli with her recorders and Bob cycled back to 99Bikes for a bit more information on the bike.

September was pretty pedestrian for Bob with paperwork and maintenance at home and the Butterfly House.   Joyce enjoyed singing weekly with a Community Choir in Brisbane (Birralee Recycled) which met for 6 evening rehearsals in Brisbane followed by a concert mid-October - a commitment which meant we didn't manage to fit in a camping trip.

October began with a Toogoolawah Showgrounds Camp (map 11) on a weekend bicycle outing with the Bribie BUG (Bicycle Users Group) on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail followed ten days later by a Thunderbird Park Camp (map 12) on Cedar Creek near Tamborine where we enjoyed various walks, lookouts, waterfalls, bird watching, a ropes course (Joyce) and visiting some old memories (Bob).

In November we camped at Goomburra Park Camp (map 13) in the Main Range NP a bit north of Cunninghams Gap. It was an enjoyable visit with eucalypt and Gondwana rainforest including plenty of the rain, cloud and mist as well.

And a more personal note from Joyce.  During the year, I have been focusing on deepening my personal connection to nature, including several cycling and camping trips alone up the beach, most often returning at night by the full moon.  I am member of, and often, facilitate about 6 usually small groups - musical, meditation and exercise - that bring joy and meaning to my life.  Some of my musings about life can be found at Joycesbirdpoems.blogspot,com.

My relationship with Bob(we have now been married 53 years!) remains central to my life, and continues to deepen as we learn, often aided by laughter to negotiate the challenges of living busy lives with aging minds and bodies.   We see the 'pandemic' very differently.  Bob is happy to accept the public narrative - and is fully vaccinated, whereas I am drawn to very different alternative viewpoints on the nature of the 'crisis'.  Out of concerns for my own health, and concern about the apparent low and very short effectiveness, and likely risks of the current vaccines, I am not going to be vaccinated, and will accept whatever (to me completely illogical) restrictions this might entail.  For both of us the bottom line is the same as it is for all other Australians: we can only obey the 'rules' as we see fit as we watch the story unfold.

Janet continues to enjoy life and work in New Zealand, where she has now been for 3 years.  She had plans to visit us in July, which had to be cancelled at the last moment due to border closures - so has been using her holiday time to further explore her new homeland.  Craig (and his partner Karen) are happily living in Toronto despite its many lockdowns and restrictions as they are able to do their computer-based work happily from home.

What will 2022 bring? More civil unrest as people tire of constraints on their “freedoms”? A resurgence of COVID as we attempt to reopen our economies? New more disruptive strains of the virus (e.g. Omicron from southern Africa)? Worldwide supply-chain problems currently predicted to take least a year or two to recover? Moves away from “globalisation” towards more local food and manufacturing? Economic disruption from the huge debts racked up by China’s rapid development and by the world-wide COVID disruptions? Increasing extremes in the weather due to Global Warming? Hydrogen as a viable transport/industrial fuel? We could go on forever and still not solve the world’s problems. 

Oh Well. Maybe see you next year!  It has been a great time to be alive!

And as a final postscript that probably summarises it all