Winter Solstice Swim 2

 Too many solstice swims are never enough!  We were at it again today.

before

during

Modesty forbids after.  Yes this was our annual nude sunrise swim.  I think I'm second on the left.

Winter Solstice

Friends of Triabunna Reserves did a clean up at Ada Street Reserve on the afternoon of 21 June.  I took this photo of Rob and Andrew returning to the cars.  However... they are very difficult to see.  It looks as though the mist is rising to take them to the twilight zone.  But it didn't, and we ended our travails with dinner at the Tandara.

The next day I read online somewhere that, if you stood in the sun at noon on that day, your shadow would be as long as it could be in natural light.  I don't actually think its true, and needs the qualification of 'the longest it will be in natural light at noon'.  Still, it was fun.  And I can see tiger eyes on either side of my shadow.

Swim Weekend

'Twas the night before solstice...  Actually it was Saturday afternoon, and the weekend before the winter solstice.

Maria Island looked like a volcano as we swept, cleaned and organised the Nippers shed for the Big Event the next day:  Spring Bay Suicide Awareness Network Annual Winter Solstice Swim at Raspins Beach.

Having made all presentable, we repared to Wattlebanks in Orford for a self-congratulatory coffee and even a bit of cake.  The mist still hung on the river.

We gathered at 6.30am on Sunday for final preparations.  The goddess was with us - no wind, no rain.

tea and coffee station

setting up for the choir

the choir in action later

congregating

Sue leads the charge in at 0800

Raelene leads the charge out, possibly at 0801

I'm in there, but obscured.  It is such a wonderful thing to be part of.  I felt so alive afterwards and ate 2 veggie patties for breakfast, and another 2 for lunch at home.  I hit the wall at about 1.30pm and allowed myself the indulgence of lounging on the couch reading The Wind in the Willows with the heater on all afternoon.

 I managed to be awake at 8.30pm to watch Miss Fisher, then Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Bobbin didn't quite make the distance.  We both slept very  soundly.

Bob and Maria

 

snow on Maria Island today

and still some hardy souls went for the Sunday Swim

I think the swim photos were taken by Bob.  Bob turned up at the back door recently.  Don the Postie introduced us.  If I understand correctly, Bob is from Mousehole, Cornwall, and Bob is short for Bobbin.

Now under contract for an appearance at the Winter Solstice Swim, Bobbin seems intent on relaxing until next Sunday.

I also am preparing for the big solstice event.  Curried scallops at the Tandara last week, and a Pepperjack Cab Sav.  A lovely lunch for the PUBS volunteers.  Tomorrow I am off to the Pop Up Book Stall to do my public holiday duty.  Given the weather, I'm not expecting many customers.

The Winter Garden

 

Long shadows in the morning

but very beautiful up close.  The yellow of the apricot leaves is one of my favourite colours.  Gardening Australia told me to prune apricot trees some weeks ago but I need to see those leaves!

I still have a cuppla figs ripening.  I wait for them to fall.  Even then they're not fully ripe, though the last bite, at the base, is delicious.

Tackled the last of the tomatoes today.  Now wondering what to do with the self-sown garlic.  Risk transplanting it?

This year 5 pumpkins emanated from the compost bin.  Haven't cut into any of them yet.

Kelly of the FoTR* gang visited while I was gardening.  He has eagle eyes for birds and keen ears for birdsong.  He was very excited that this bird (silver eye?) perched and watched us.  I also love this aspect of gardening but do not have the skill for identification, nor the memory, apparently!

The Kelly Bean was bringing me another book by Inga Glendinnen.  I am currently reading the one above.  She was such a talented writer and researcher.  Somehow, reading her is like participating in a wonderful tutorial.

I heard this chap as I was curled up reading in the sunny lounge window the other day.  There are lots of galahs around (!) but I have never seen them in this tree before.  The photo doesn't capture it (possibly muted by being taken through the flyscreen and window), but the pink of the bird was stunning against the gold of the leaves.

The pied oystercatchers are returning.

Maria Island is omnipresent, even in the East Coaster carpark.

*Friends of Triabunna Reserves.  We now have a website https://reserves-of-triabunna.org/