AUSSIE FACTS.......TASMANIA

 Another Monday and another lot of Aussie facts this week we are headed to Tassie also known as Tasmania.

Tasmania is an island state of Australia. It is located 240 kilometres to the south of the Australian mainland, separated from it by the Bass Strait, with the archipelago containing the southernmost point of the country

Tasmania has an area of 90,758km2 located 240 kilometres off the southeast of Australia. There are 334 other islands that lie just off Tasmania, ranging from rocky outcrops to three sizeable, inhabited islands.

In 1642 Abel Janszoon Tasman named his 'first sighted land' after his Dutch superior Anthony Van Diemen. While Tasman missed meeting any Aborigines, they knew their land as 'Trowunna', 'Trowenna' or 'Loetrouwitter'. Despite the official name of Van Diemen's Land, usage of the alternative 'Tasmania' gradually grew.

Tasmania was the second colony to be established by the British, in 1803. Tasmania's first penal colony was established at Macquarie Harbour (Sarah Island) on the west coast in 1822.

Named for Anthony van Diemen, governor general of the Dutch East Indies, the island was first encountered by Europeans in 1642 and named by Abel J. Tasman, a celebrated navigator under van Diemen's command. The first British settlers in the early 19th century retained the name.

WEEK 21 OF 2023

Sunday and bloody cold as well, I had to drag myself out of bed but I know once up I am fine so dragged my body out of bed at 4.50am.

I had no problems doing the shopping this week.

Had a ok day although I had a lot of back pain making sitting in any chair difficult and painful.

I dragged myself out of bed at 5am, Tim had a shower last night and left the towels on the floor soaking wet which I hung up to dry.

The driver Leo had at the start of the year is back which is slightly annoying but it is what it is.

Both Tim and I had medical appointments at the same practice, the doctor was pleased with my BGL's and has taken me off another of the diabetes tablets so now I only have one for diabetes down from 4 tablets and insulin.

I also managed to get in and out of the car on my own.

After my Dr's appointment I managed to go to the chemist on my own, Tim acts like I can't do anything.

Woke at 4.45am and after peeing I decided to stay up and it is bloody cold. I had the heater on for a while this morning.

Tim drove Sam to his headspace appointment, as Jess has work.

Tim had rehab this afternoon, his thumb isn't healing as well as it should be, so he has to wear the brace all the time for a while and see how things go.

Another cold morning and it isn't even winter yet, it isn't always easy getting up at 5am and yeah I could sleep later but I like my early mornings once I am up and dressed.

Someone changed the battery in one of the lounge-room's clocks but didn't fix the time, how annoying. I changed the time but couldn't rehang the clock.

The day has warmed up nicely.

Another cold start to the day, I wish I could put my own socks on, I don't like asking Tasha when it is so cold to come down and do it.

Sandy called in after she dropped Temika at school, just to say hi and see how I was.

Tim went and had another ultrasound done on his thumb it doesn't look good, he may need more surgery.

It warmed up nicely and was lovely in the sun.

Not as cold this morning, it is still cold just not as cold and still need the heater on for a bit.

Sandy called in to pick up the mail I had to post, this was seriously appreciated as there is no way I could get down there to post them.

Around lunch time it suddenly became very overcast and started to piss down with hail in fact we had three down pours with hail. It also became very cold, cold enough to think about turning the heater on, but I didn't.

Jessica was at work when the down pour happen and because of the turn in the weather her work was cancelled, she was doing traffic control work.

Slept well and up at 5am as usual turning the heater on before getting dressed. It is bloody cold morning.

Tim getting us KFC for lunch, Kathy bringing me over some snags & mash for lunches next week.

My right leg has been shaking a lot during the day.

Kathy and Summer turned up around 1pm and after depositing my meals in the freezer they went over to Tasha's so she can help with Tasha's assignments.

Damn it has been cold today.

JO-ANNE'S THOUGHTS

 Hello well here we are at another Friday and yes it is cold here a nippy 14 degrees no need for the heater so what are Jo-Anne's thoughts on this Friday.

Well there are far too many cockroaches here for my liking Tim will need to spray again. Thankfully we haven't heard anything running around in the roof so that's good. Tim sprays himself as it costs a couple hundred bucks to get professionals to do it and the stuff Tim uses is pretty much the same stuff the professionals use. I know some of you are saying no its not but depending on the professional it can be the same stuff and it works which is the most important thing for me.

Getting rid of bugs, roaches, mice and such are the job of the tenant not the landlord and we are tenants been living here since May 1988.

Tim likes feeding the birds out the front which is ok with me except the birdseed being walked into the house is annoying but not overly so, I can live with it.

It isn't easy dealing with roaches and mice when you live next door to a hoarder, although he is a nice person, the inside of his house is not so nice. Not that it's a place I go.

THURSDAY'S WORD OF THE WEEK

Well here we are at word of the week day and this week the word is. Alphanumeric which means to contain both letters and numbers.

PHOTO DAY

 

CREATURE DAY

 

Good morning every here we are at another creature day and this weeks creature is the Olm, I know you are thinking what the hell is an Olm.

Well it is native to central and south-eastern Europe and is listed as vulnerable. Your best chance of seeing it is in Slovenia'a Postohna Cave, where underground cameras and TV monitors allow you to see it.

Centuries ago, when floods washed them from their caves people believed they were baby dragons.

There is nothing normal about this slippery salamander, it's blind and only found in underground rivers and caves. It swims like an eel and can go years without eating and lives for a 100 years.

It spends its whole life underwater and finds food using super-sensitive sensors in its snout.

The females lays eggs only once or twice in a lifetime, on the ceiling of a cave and can smell if the young inside it is growing or not, if not she eats it. 

AUSSIE FACTS

 Good morning everyone, I hope all are fine and doing well me I am as I always am. This Monday I have a few more facts about the NT as in Northern Territory.

The NT flag was flown for the first time at a ceremony in Darwin on 1 July 1978 marking the grant of self-government.

The flag was designed by Australian artist Robert Ingpen AM, whose work is well known throughout Australia.

The Coat of Arms is symbolic of the people, history and landscape of the NT.

It has our floral and fauna emblems, the Sturt’s Desert Rose, two red kangaroos and a wedge-tailed eagle.

The kangaroos hold a shield decorated by Aboriginal motifs in one hand and shells found on our coastline in the other.

In the centre of the shield is an x-ray drawing of a woman as seen in rock art in Arnhem Land. The designs on either side symbolise camp sites joined by path markings of Central Australian Aboriginal people.

The eagle holds an Aboriginal Tjunga stone that rests on a helmet. The helmet is a reminder of the NT's war history.

The red kangaroo embodies the NT’s unique wildlife. It is the largest living marsupial with adult males standing more than 2m tall and weighing as much as 75kg.

Males are a rusty brown colour and females a smokey grey, while both have heat-reflecting paler fur on their under surfaces. They also have striking white marks with a black line on the sides of their muzzles.

Their long, thin limbs allow them to travel large distances through harsh conditions. They are found in the NT in very dry areas.

During droughts they retreat to waterways and open grassy areas where food is available. Sometimes several hundred kangaroos can be found in the same place, although they are independent animals and have no social structure. They prefer to rest under shade during the heat of the day.

When the drought breaks they move to mulga tree areas where food and shade is available. This is also where they breed. Females normally carry one young in their pouch.

The Wedge-tailed eagle is Australia’s largest bird of prey with an average wingspan of 2.5m. It is dark brown with a chestnut neck.

Their long, wedge-shaped tail and broad wings make it easy to recognise. Their legs are covered in feathers right down to their feet. A hooked beak and strong talons are the hallmarks of a bird that hunts other animals.

Although they are found throughout Australia, in the NT they are more commonly found in the arid centre than on the coastal plains of the north.

Before cattle and sheep farming in Australia, they ate a range of small mammals that lived in the soft ground cover, as well as other birds and reptiles.

Agriculture and fire has destroyed much of the ground cover, so introduced species like rabbits have become a large part of their diet. It is thought the eagle also hunts kangaroos that gather around watering holes.

Eagles form long-lasting pairs who defend their nesting and breeding territory against intruders. They nest in the high trees and build large platform nests that can be reused from year to year.

At sunrise they hunt for food. Later on, as the sun heats up the air close to the ground, strong updrafts allow the eagle to soar and glide up to 2000 m high during the middle of the day, warning other eagles to stay out of their territory.

Sturt’s Desert Rose has been the floral emblem of the NT since 1974. It is an arid plant which grows best in stony or rocky ground such as dry creek beds.

The Desert Rose has had many botanical names in the past.

It is a member of the cotton family, rather than the rose family. It was named after Charles Sturt who first collected it during his journey to Central Australia in 1844-45.

The plant is found in the southern parts of the Territory, and is cultivated as a garden shrub in Alice Springs. It can also be found in parts of South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.

It’s a small bushy plant which usually grows to 1.5 m.

It has dark green, round to oval shaped leaves. The petals of the flowers are mauve with a deep red marking at the base.

The flowers look similar to the hibiscus, which belongs to the same family. The plant’s fruit is capsule-shaped and contains small seeds covered in short hair, which is a trait of the cotton family.

WEEK 20 OF 2023

 MOTHER'S DAY

A new day and a cold day again I woke at 5.10 and after peeing stayed up with the heater on of course.

So at 7.15 I start the food shopping only to have the internet drop out after 5 minutes bloody annoying.

Kathy rang at 9.20 to wish me happy mother's day, Sandy called in to give me a hug and wish me a good mother's day.

Later Sandy brought me a pot plant and some caramel slice from Coles while she was here Tasha & Jess came with more flowers red roses and jam filled donuts.

It has warmed up nicely.

So my day has been good.

This morning I woke with a lot of lower back pain not something I have very often, in fact is has been years since I last had such pain.

My computer chair has about packed it in with the struts pretty much gone.

Had a bloke come and let us know they would be turning the power off at 11.25, should be off for about an hour. Thankfully I have plenty of data on my phone and the laptop is fully charged. Tim was leaving for another medical appointment so not going to bother him. I thankfully had just finished lunch.

It is bloody dark outside as .the security lights are out also it is 5am.

I was sitting here reading a blog when I heard someone at the front door being dark I couldn't see anyone but it turned out to be Sam, he came looking for batteries.

When I tried to ring Sam at 8am his phone went to voicemail I ended up accidentally rang Sandy while trying to ring Tasha. Tasha was just out of the shower she told me to go in and find him, while trying to reverse up to Jess's door the scooter got stuck and I had to get off it in order to move it, while doing this I managed to run over my own foot, while this was going on Sandy rang me back to see if I was ok and could tell I was upset and in two minutes she was here. She went in and woke Sam who was asleep with his phone dead. He did manage to make it up to the van before the driver left.

I asked Tim if he would go to Macca's for me for lunch at first his tone pissed me off and I told him to forget it but 30 minutes later he got up asked what I wanted and went and go lunch for me.

Slept in till 5.20am just before I woe I was dreaming about sorting my meds, as I take my first lot of tablets at 5am when I get up I feel that was my subconscious telling me it was time to wake up.

At 7.20 the power went out not just in the complex though as Sandy rang she also has no power.

Thankfully the power came back on at 7.40amm and didn't go out again all day.

Tim had another appointment with his counsellor he said she feels he needs a hobby, I agree but what he has no interest in reading or doing stuff on his computer such as blogging, I really have no idea what hobby he could take up.

I had message from Jess saying Sam not going to school as he doesn't feel up to it.

The laptop has been a bitch all morning, driving batshit crazy.

Tim is off to see our GP.

Damn my jaw is moving a lot as my teeth feel like they are chattering. I don't know if I am cold or just shaking.

Tasha got a text telling her that our GP is going to reintroduce bulk billing for children and pensioners, doesn't help me and Tim though.

Another cold day I got up without issue even though it was nice and warm in my bed.

Tasha got me a few things from Wollies, including a new brand of flavoured milk to try and mini scorched peanut bars which I used to like but haven't been able to buy in years.

It was a sstruggle to get up this morning but I did it and yes I could sleep longer but it throws my day out when I do.

Had a text from Jeannie (sister) who told me our old house in Flame St was shot up.

My brother and sister inlaw went out to some event last night and won a holiday.

Tim has gone to have blood tests done.

Kathy came over to help Tasha with her assignments as Tasha is having trouble understanding it.

Jo-Anne's Thoughts

 Here we are at another bloody cold morning and it's Friday so here are my thoughts on what, I don't know let me thing for a bit well I thinking about being cold and chattering teeth along with a jaw that moves side to side so much that I can feel it and it is driving me batshit crazy.

My jaw started moving a few years back and even though the new medication (Madopar) helps some but since the cold weather has started it is moving a great deal. The moving does give me a face ache and bit of a headache.

Since starting the Madopar my over all shaking has reduced and I can even hold my arms out straight without shaking for a minute or so. I have also started walking better picking up my feet instead of shuffling this is a good thing.

This is the first winter and yes I know we are still in autumn but still, what was I saying oh yeah this is the first time I have felt the cold and boy am I feeling it. However, if I put on warmer clothes I end up over heating and sweating, this is bloody annoying.

So this is what has been on my mind the last couple of days it isn't something I can stop or fix, just something I need to live with. As frustrating as it is.

Thursday's word of the week

Here we are at Thursday so here is this weeks word of the week is

coincidence which means:

A remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without apparent connection.

The fact of corresponding in nature or in time of occurrence.

Creature Day

 

Here we are at another Tuesday, thus it is creature day and this weeks creature is the Lesser Mouse Deer, this is the smallest known hoofed mammal it grows to just 45cm's and weighs a mere 2kg.

At first glance it appears a mix of deer and mouse but it is neither. It is part of the Tragulidae family which translates to tiny goat.

It is normally docile but males will angrily beat their hooves when alarmed, stomping on the ground seven times per second. This drum roll usually scares away predators but if forced to fight it will use its tusk-like canine teeth to tear at its foe.

Being the size of a rabbit with short legs as thin as pencils it is just the right size to scammer through the tangled undergrowth of the tropical forests of south east Asia.

MOTHER'S DAY FACTS

 Like many other countries in the world, Mother's Day in Australia is celebrated on the second Sunday of the month in May. Mother's Day is not an official public holiday in Australia; however it is a national holiday in many countries including Germany and the USA.

The first Mother's Day in Australia was held in 1924, several years after it first began in the US in 1908. Interestingly, while 168 countries celebrate Mother's Day as an established tradition, just over half of those countries (51%, Australia included) celebrate Mother's Day do so on the second Sunday of May

Traditional Mother's Day gifts include chocolates, candles, pamper hampers, pyjamas, and flowers. The traditional Mother's Day flower is Red Carnations. However, because Australia's Mother's Day date is in Autumn and Red Carnations are a spring flower, most people give White Chrysanthemums instead.

Anna Jarvis celebrated the first Mother's Day when, on May 12, 1907, she held a memorial service honoring her late mother in Grafton, West Virginia.

Many countries celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May including the U.S., Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Ecuador, most of Europe, Grenada, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, Puerto ..

 Had a really good nights sleep woke at 5.20am turned the heater on straight away.

A really cold day had the heater on and off all day.

This afternoon we had not just rain but hail, haven't had that in a while.

Jess was standing in the rain for a minute while working before jumping into the work truck to get out of the rain.

A bloody cold morning I really didn't want to get up but dragged myself out of bed, took my meds and turned the heater on.

Damn I am cold this morning I had Sam get my pink dressing gown with the hood attached down to wear when I go up the front with him.

I was pleased that Tasha brought washing down to toss in the dryer.

My nose will not stop dripping and it is driving me nuts.

Another bloody cold morning, last night I had Tasha add the heavy blanket to the bed.

Tim drove Sam into his headspace appointment and then he dropped him off at school before going to his own medical appointment.

Had the roofers here again as we have a new leak which Tim reported last night. They measured it up for a replacement roof which they thought should be done by the end of June. Here's hoping.

Yet another cold morning and I am still feeling like shit, runny nose and headache and cold.

I received 3 letters today including one I am not sure who it is from as they didn't sign it.

Sandy called in to drop of a small caramel tart she had bought for me, it was yummy. She also took the letters I had written and were ready to post.

Another cold morning I am still feeling like shit. It warmed up nicely by mid morning.

Sam didn't take his meds before going to wait for his driver and when I said “oh well don't worry about it” he ran back down and took it, I feel if I had made a fuss he wouldn't have done that.

Tasha bought me with my money of course some new singlets and undies. Including two size 16 singlets haven't worn that size in a decade or more, I hope they fit.

I have been awake since 4.20 and up since 4.35 as I needed to pee and of course it is another cold morning.

The size 16 singlet fits well I was surprised.

Yesterday arvo we had someone fro Ausgrid (electricity mob) come to the door to let us know they would be cutting power to units for about 20 minutes, it was more like 45 minutes but at least we knew what was happening.

Tim off to the doctors and to the shops as well so I am home alone for a couple of hours.

Feeling somewhat restless this afternoon.

Damn it is dark this morning the security lights around the units are not working, we had black out late yesterday afternoon thankfully it didn't last long. We have had a number of black outs since Liddell power station has closed. Coincidence maybe.

Apparently a number of units are still without power according to Jess.

At around 1pm someone came to the door to let us know the power was going out while something was checked. It turns out there is a problem with wires rubbing together causing the power to go out, however the problem is under the cement floor. I wonder how they are going to fix it.

Jo-Anne's Thoughts

Here we are at Friday a day for my thoughts and this Friday I am thinking about shopping as in the differences between online and in store shopping.

I do my weekly grocery shopping online and have it delivered, it took me a while to get use to doing it that way but now I am ok with it. That said I still like the idea of pushing a shopping trolley around the supermarket I just can't get to the shops on my own and walking around it difficult with the pain in my knees.

I do not like shopping for clothes online but I do it from time to time, from stores that I am familiar with and thus know what size I take.

Being short and weighing around 80 kilos I find my clothes size can vary from store to store and buying online can be hit and miss.

I do miss being able to go out and wander around shops, I have asked Tim if when his arm is healed and he is able to put my scooter into the car so I can go out to the shops. He has said he will do that but we have no idea when that will happen. I prefer to use my own scooter over ones that can be hired from the shopping centres, as mine is smaller.

Online shopping is good and I don't mind doing it.

I cannot imagine my mother being able to do online shopping it would confuse and frustrate her. Of course mum was 81 when she passed away.

My dad often bought stuff online from Ebay or some other site but never anything like clothes.

WORD OF THE WEEK

 

Thursday here in Newie and it is still cold by my standards if you live in a cold place you may not consider it cold.

Anyway here is this week's word of the week and it is coronation which of course means.

The ceremony of crowning a sovereign or a sovereign's consort

PHOTO DAY

 AN OLD PHOTO OF MY MUM(IN RED) AND HER MUM(MY NAN)

CREATURE DAY

 

Well hello Tuesday it is creature day and this week it is the Paedophryne Amauensis you may be wondering what the hell is it, well it is the worlds smallest vertebrate. That doesn't help I know so how about this it is a frog.

Found in the eastern rainforests of Papua New Guinea, it lives in a leaf litter on the forests floor and eats tiny invertebrates such as mites, which are ignored by bigger predators.

They're adept jumpers and they can leap 30 times the length of their body.

Their high pitched call sounds like that of an insect and is particularly difficult for humans to hear, which is perhaps why it went undiscovered until 2009.

Unlike other frogs its life cycle doesn't include a tadpole phase, instead they hatch as “hoppers” or miniature versions of the adults.

AUSSIE FACTS

Hello world here I am on a bloody cold morning feeling thankful that Tasha brought down a load of washing to toss in the dryer as the dryer is in the dining room end of the loungeroom thus warming the rooms by being on.

Anyway here are this weeks facts about the Northern Territory.

The Northern Territory (aka NT) is a vast federal territory in Australia famed for its Outback desert landscapes. In the arid The Northern Territory is a vast federal territory in Australia famed for its Outback desert landscapes. In the arid Red Centre lie the iconic sandstone monolith Uluru (Ayers Rock), the red-rock domes of Kata Tjuta and the sculpted cliffs of Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. Remote Alice Springs, the gateway town to the Red Centre desert, offers Aboriginal art galleries. Red Centre lie the iconic sandstone monolith Uluru (Ayers Rock), the red-rock domes of Kata Tjuta and the sculpted cliffs of Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. Remote Alice Springs, the gateway town to the Red Centre desert, offers Aboriginal art galleries.

Constitutionally, the territory was inferior in status to the states until 1978, and it had limited legislative powers until self-government was granted in that year. Its development since 1911, when it was transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia from South Australia, has been a major item of expenditure in terms of works, services, and inducements to producers to accept the risks of an uncertain physical and economic environment.

Due to the nature of the climate, the poor soils, distance from assured markets, and problems of recruiting labour have been considerable handicaps. Nevertheless, increased mining activity in the early 21st century significantly strengthened the economy. Moreover, since the end of the 20th century the population of the Northern Territory has become one of the fastest-growing in the country; most residents are concentrated in and around the capital city, Darwin. Area 520,902 square miles (1,349,129 square km). Population (2021) 232,605.

Australian Aborigines are thought to have lived there for at least 40,000 years. The settlement pattern of the Aborigines, however, remains a mystery, as does their origin. Estimates of pre-European population on the continent range from 250,000 to 1,000,000, of which perhaps one-sixth lived in the Northern Territory. Despite a multiplicity of tribal and clan structures, the groups shared cultural similarities in their indissoluble links to their lands and the importance of myth and ritual in maintaining those links.

Aboriginal, European, Asian, and other communities in the Northern Territory provide a distinct and varied cultural life. For the most part, Aboriginal people have retained their traditional clan structure, language, customs, and religious rituals, particularly in rural areas. In Darwin the Chinese and Greek communities are prominent in commercial and political life. The presence of a sizeable Timorese population, largely the result of political unrest surrounding the independence of East Timor in 2002, reflects Darwin’s long-standing role as a haven for refugees from Asia.

Although most residents have a suburban lifestyle similar to the rest of Australia, the frontier image of the territory prevails, reinforced by the predominance of pastoral activities and Aboriginal settlement over much of the area.

WEEK 18 OF 2023

I was in the bedroom at 5am attempting to change into long pants when Tim asked if I wanted Macca's for breaky, I said yes and did he know what time it was, he said he did know but felt wide awake. So he has gone to buy breaky.

Tasha had me scan and transfer files to a flash drive for her course. She also brought down washing to throw in our dryer.

I was up and changing my pants when the power went out and was out for an hour. I tried to just lay in bed but I couldn't I felt restless and ended up deciding to get up and have a wash without a light on. Just after I had done that the power came back on.

Tim drove me to the podiatrist but he was pissed off that I didn't ask Tasha but why should I, my feet are good no circulation problems.

Seems like I forgot to ask Tasha if she can take me to my appointment tomorrow, how frustrating, I hope she can still take me.

Up at 5am as per usual a cold start to the day, no breaky for me till after I have my blood taken.

The Coles delivery arrived at 7am which was a surprise. They sent me two bottle of chocolate milk I only ordered one. No pancakes or pikelets out of stock so annoying.

The lady came to take my blood at 9am. Had Tasha come and put some socks on my feet.

Sandy drove me to have my Xray and ultrasound done.

Tim has a 1pm appointment about his arm.

A new day and a cold start to it I may have to turn the heater on. Yes I turned the heater on for a short while.

The cleaners came and around 9.45am Sandy turned up no reason just to say hi, while she was here I had her cut up some cheese to add to my morning fruit.

Having a shower this afternoon on my own it feels so good to be able to do that.

Another cold morning I will need the heater on for a bit.

Sandy called in after she drove Temika to school just to pick up any letters I have ready to post.

It has been a cold day even for me who no longer feels the cold like I used to.

This afternoon both Tasha and Tim bought me fruit loaf in fact I ended up with 3 half loafs 1 of which I have put in the freezer, 1 in the fridge and 1 on the bench for daily use.

Another cold start to the day I have needed to put the heater on. I am answering letters most days as I have a small pile to get through but that's ok gives me something to do, at least I have hobbies unlike Tim who doesn't and complains he is bored and restless a lot.

The day warmed up as it went on and was nice an sunny by mid morning.

I even managed to fold the clothes and put them away.

I had a sleep in didn't get up till 6am, I woe at 3/50 to pee went back to bed and straight back to sleep don't do that often. A cold start to the day heater on as soon as I got up.

I am not feeling good at all I have shit concentration and a slight headache, I kinda feel like I want to sleep.

Had a shower and felt a bit better, also Kathy and the girls came over and brought me lunch meals for the week. I had sausages and mash for lunch with gravy and it was really nice.

THURSDAY'S WORD OF THE WEEK

Hello Thursday it is time for the word of the week and this week the word is: Convoluted

It means extremely complex and difficult to follow

or

intricately folded, twisted or coiled (like a walnut shell

PHOTO DAY

 

                                                        ME AND MY GREAT-NIECE THEA

AUSSIE FACTS

Good morning well here we are at another Monday and the start of a new month, yep it is May already this weeks Aussie facts are about Western Australia

Western Australia, covering the entire western third of the country, is made up mostly of the arid Outback. Its population is concentrated in its fertile southwest corner, home to the Margaret River wine region and the riverside capital, Perth. In the far north, the Kimberley region is home to ancient Aboriginal rock art, the Bungle Bungle sandstone domes and Broome, with Cable Beach camels and a pearling industry.

Western Australia also has the country's largest gold mine, is the world's largest producer of pearls, the world's largest diamond producer by volume, the country's oldest operating gold bullion mint, and Perth has the highest number of self-made millionaires.

On 25 December 1826 Major Edmund Lockyer, accompanied by a surgeon, storekeeper, officers, and 23 convict tradesmen arrived aboard the brig Amity. Major Lockyer selected a site for military occupation, the first European settlement in Western Australia, and which is now Albany.

In 1827, Captain James Stirling and the botanist Charles Fraser became enthusiastic about the potential of the river, and considered the possibility of a settlement. Stirling founded the Swan River Colony on the 1st of June, 1829.

The coat of arms of Western Australia is the official coat of arms of the Australian state of Western Australia. It was granted by a royal warrant of Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia dated 17 March 1969.

The Black Swan was proclaimed the bird emblem of Western Australia on 25 July 1973. The bird is similar in size and shape to the European species, but its plumage is black, often tinged with brown, and with white wing tips.