Falling trees
We have been working hard continuing to clean up our bush block Whistlers Rest, hoping to finish it before the next bushfire season. In the process I noticed a lot of the hickory wattles have died. They are drought tolerant, have a lifespan of 30 years but are prone to borer attack which I think is the cause of their demise. So my husband armed with his new chainsaw cut them down for me.
I also attacked the sprawling blackthorn (Bursaria sponosa). It was a very prickly job but and am now pleased with the more open parklike effect.
Pride comes before a fall
As I was thinking about falling I remembered "Pride comes before a fall" on the snakes and ladders board we played with as kids. It was the stuck up guy tripping over that I thought was hilarious and remembered so well.
The game doesn't have it now but the original version was all about virtues and vices.
Ladders
Honesty climbs to success
Diligence to promotion
Kindness to reward
Obedience to respect
Industry to prosperity
Snakes
Pride to fall
Laziness to poverty
Gambling to ruin
Temper to trouble
Robbery to prison
Interestingly the only one of those I remember was pride and falling.
Ok I know this is a lizard not a snake but I haven't actually seen a snake on the block and this little guy delighted me by coming out whenever I was cleaning up last summer.
A fallen world
Even though churches in NSW can now have 50 people in attendance ours remains closed. We are not gathering because the 4 square metre rule means even our small congregation can't fit into our small church and there are all sorts of other rules that spoil the experience - like no singing, no prayer books, no hugging or shaking hands, altered communion arrangements, lots of extra cleaning etc. So at the moment it seems easier for us to continue with the online service sitting by a warm fire at home - stone churches can be very chilly in winter.
I enjoyed this week's message from the Bishop of Bathurst (the diocese of our country church) which relates to my theme of falling. Why doesn't a good God stop a bad virus?
We have been attending a church of our choice on youtube. We take communion in our living room and sit in comfortable chairs in front of the TV. This winter we won't have to wake up at 6.30 am in order to get ready to go to our local chilly church at 8.00 am. We get up at a reasonable hour and watch the service in the comfort of our warm home.
ReplyDeleteThat is the wonderful part of online church, especially in Winter.
DeleteLooks like you have both done an excellent job clearing out the dead trees Joan Elizabeth, better to be prepared well ahead of time. I like your wee lizard companion.. much friendlier than a snake 😉
ReplyDeleteNow I have the follow up job of clearing them away - there never seems to be an end to the work. I love the little lizard but it has sensibly gone to ground now the weather is cooler. We have a wood fire in the shed where I too can retreat to warm up.
DeleteOh, I remember a lizard who seemed to wave hello (but reckon he was warning us, rather)!
ReplyDeleteIf it was summer in the desert he probably had hot feet.
DeleteOur church has started meeting in small groups but I will wait till the meetings start up again at the church. We have lots of blue tongue lizards here which frighten me when I hear them scurrying away as I think they are snakes.
ReplyDeleteI love blue tongue lizards. They are a rare treat in our mountains garden and I have never seen them in the other gardens. Things scurry are always a concern when gardening. I have seen black snakes in the mountain garden, they frighten me too.
DeleteAt first glance at your first image, I thought I was looking at Mt Lindsey.
ReplyDeleteI looked up photos of Mt Lindsey and they sure do look alike.
DeleteThe lizard seems curious.
ReplyDelete