Winter By Lynn Elder
Winter steals our blue skies
and replaces them with yearnings for wood fires.
When rain-drenched clouds
above the paddocks crowd
a sense of gloominess descends,
bringing a desire to seek out friends
to indulge in wine and song,
while the season of winter stays too long.
As the earth turns so do the seasons. We are all experiencing a different season in our lives these last few months of the COVID-19 emergency. Today, Victoria, Australia, was the only state or territory to record any new coronavirus infections in the last 24 hours. These cases are a worry but seem to be under control. The curve is flattening but as we ease restrictions from midnight, the start of winter will see a flurry of activities as more freedom to dine in or travel within the state begins. Our ski season is opening a week later this year on June 22 instead of the traditional Queen’s birthday long weekend.
Only time will only tell if the measures taken by our government and individuals will see a quicker return to normal life for many of us. But the damage has already been done to the economy which no doubt will take longer to bounce back.
It has been a struggle some days dealing with a rollercoaster of emotions in response to changed circumstances. Thankfully I live somewhere close to nature and the autumn tones this year have been a joy to capture during this period of self-isolation. It is also a reminder of something much bigger and more significant than ourselves.
“A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains for ever.
The sun rises and the sun goes down,
and hastens to the place where it rises.
The wind blows to the south;
and goes round to the north;
round and round goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they flow again.”
-Ecclesiastes 1:4-7
Here is a collection of some of my favourite shots of autumn 2020.
A social media post brought to my attention that August 8 is International Cat Day which has prompted me to share some of my favourite cat photos with the rest of the world. For more information on how this day came into being check out this link https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-cat-day/
I love all animals big and small but my feline friends Rambo (the black and white one) and Friskie have a special place in my heart and in my bed at times! They wandered into our suburban backyard over 13 years ago and have embraced the tree-change.
Living on our 25 acres we are often surprised by special animal visitors. We often see kangaroos but deer are much rarer. Our property is surrounded by cleared farming land and lots of cattle. Up in the hills and towards the mountains Samba deer are common and considered a feral nuisance. This little fellow was prancing outside our kitchen door on our lawn late afternoon on Boxing Day. Because it was a bit nervous, I was trying to take photos through my dirty windows so the quality may not be up to my usual standard. However, my husband and I were thrilled to have such a pretty visitor. I did wonder if Santa Claus had left one of his team behind on Christmas Day. It finally with little leaps and bounds disappeared to where we don’t know.
Chega was originally an Indonesian prison where many East Timorese were incarcerated in appalling conditions. This is one of the many cells used and many were overcrowded.
Another prison cell.
Visitors to the museum are encouraged to write words of hope on the blackboard.
The barbed wire and high walls are a reminder of this place’s use as a prison.
Various artworks depict various aspects of East Timorese people’s journey.
Part of the CVAR report that led to the establishment of Chega to remind us of the human rights’ abuse against the East Timorese.
Part of the Chega display.
The importance of archives.
This photo features on the cover of the final report.
The final document.
Another area of the former prison preserved to remind us of its grim history.
