life of fire (a concerto)

composition beginning
with timidity,
a delicate foray into
existence,
perhaps lingering for fear of the known,
the breathless destruction
that comes with being

fire

a confidence is gathering
swiftly, with success
and orchestral fuel,
a collaboration that we know will destroy,
but this can be ignored
in the harmony of beauty ablaze

a finale soaring with freedom,
a reach for the solitude of release -
an intoxicant,
the flames rage to escape the coals
but the dying has already begun,
and the concerto
will smoulder
and be
razed

warning

the cyclone watches
you
with a calm eye,

enticing movement
to the outside,
to survey

the damage
of tempestuous squalling,
atmospheric pressure

moulding the art
of cyclonic breathing,
take in the air

deep in your lungs,
inhale the stillness, the silence
and wait,

turbulent winds
will return in a blink
of the eye

of this storm,

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ps. satellite photo was taken on my last trip to the moon (google images)

silkie warmth
hovering over chicks
mother hen

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Congratulations on the chicks!

Edgar Allen Poe is the proud strutting father;

Snowy is the doting mother;

and miraculously we have 5 new Chinese Silkie chicks.

On Sunday Tessa went to check on Snowy who was sitting on her clutch of eggs in the coop. Well what a lovely surprise the little girl had when she discovered a chick instead of an egg (not a complete surprise, but a surprise nonetheless – new life is always a surprise I think).

Over the course of the next two days five chicks had hatched from the clutch.

I put the chicks and Snowy into a safe brooder in our shed, so they could have some privacy and space from prying beaks.

We have only used the heat lamp a couple of hours of the day, as Snowy does a wonderful job in the temperature raising department (this is what hens do best ).

The chicks are growing fast and Snowy is being very attentive and diligent (Silkie hens make the best Mums).

Edgar Allen Poe is quite the rooster around town and is hiding his despair at being separated from the lovely Snowy by courting the other ladies of the coop.

And so the story continues …

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ps. The fifth chick is under Snowy’s feathers – that is what she is looking at You should see her when all 5 are under her wings – she looks the fluffbucket indeed!

This is the week that you can visit your local alpaca farm in Australia; and being the proud owners of two Suri alpaca we thought we would go and have a looksee at the place where Spirit and Merlin were born (Ivory Park alpaca farm in a place called Bungadoo).

Personally I would have gone to visit Bungadoo just for the sound of the name

So we travelled forth to Bungadoo on Sunday afternoon to visit Ivory Park. This alpaca farm is owned and operated by Bev and Darryl (with a focus on solid white Suri alpacas).

And what a pretty farm it was!

Rolling hills, plentiful dams and a multitude of alpaca afoot.

This is the Suri nursery with Mums and their bubs (or crias as they are called in the alpaca world)

Suri alpacas (crias and Mums)

Suri nursery (Ivory Park)

Ivory Park also has some Huacaya alpacas (the fibre is very dense and stands perpendicular to the body). Suri alpacas have the finer fibre which has a dreadlock appearance.

Here is a very young Huacaya alpaca (cria) with Mum.

Huacaya cria with Mum

Huacaya cria

There was even a llama to behold:

Fabuloso (not my name )

Llama

Last but not least – the Suri alpaca on the left is Pinjarra Rossini (father of Spirit and Merlin). He looks a bit pleased with himself (but what the hell would I know learning the body language of an alpaca is on my To Do list!)

Pinjarra Rossini (left)

The kids and I really enjoyed our visit to Ivory Park and didn’t get spat at once

Thank you Bev and Darryl (and Sandra and Tim for the introductions).

National Alpaca Week 2013 ends on the 12th of May, so you can still get yourself out there and visit an alpaca farm near you!

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Remember boys – two heads are better than one

Now’s our chance – let’s finish that tunnel!

Spirit and Merlin gossiping again

Jazz – this is how you dog paddle

Hey Spirit, you know how I told you – Never trust the humans

Well these ones are tolerable

However, this one with the camera is totally weird

resting boot
frog sitting peacefully
Mum squorks

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Just a bit of Haiku Schmaiku (as Squires used to say) in the Basho tradition

If you have a moment pop over to Benedicte’s blog (an artist from Canada) where she has been writing and drawing up a storm (every day). She has done a couple of froggy poems as well and I thought I would join in

Billy and Benny, flower pot meeeeny

playful goats
crunching on hay
tough roughage

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Two gorgeous miniature goats have joined Merlin and Spirit (our two Suri alpacas) in their paddock.

I would like to introduce you to Billy and Benny – they are very young but won’t get much bigger

They are pets and we can lead them around the garden like dogs, but unlike dogs, they eat nearly everything they can get their little mouths around (including plastic)!

We will have to keep a close eye on these two hyperactive eating machines.

this is bliss

dusky pink
fairy floss skies
whisper in the ear of the night
one moment
please

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Two male alpacas (desexed) have come to live with us here in the Elysian fields

Spirit and Merlin are inseparable (a macho smoochy smooch)

Look at those lips on Merlin!

They remind me of the pushmi-pullyu critter from Dr Doolittle

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Keep your hands off my eggs

Hope you all have a happy and safe easter

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