From today's walk down by Fennel Bay (Lake Macquarie, NSW AU): about 40 little black cormorants sitting along a small jetty, with a great egret standing in the water nearby. There's actually a little pied cormorant in amongst them, hard to see that in the low quality photos!

#WildOz #AustralianBirds #NewcastleAU

We had a beautiful Saturday picnic yesterday. I cooked up some rice and didn't burn some bits of salmon, packed them into tiffins, bought a tin of beans and a bottle of red, and headed out. Train to Newcastle, ferry to Stockton. Bastard biplane pilot buzzed us while we set up table under the shade of some giant figs, but departed once we had the tablecloth pegged down and food in place.

Fully fed and wined, we strolled up to the breakwater as the sun started to dip. And then the dolphins appeared! Right bloody next to us, picking off fish along the side of the breakwater. Big buggers! What a sight to behold, we stood there and watched them for prolly 10 minutes.

Anyway, here's a dolphin, if you squint hard. Apparently my trigger finger reflex is somewhat impaired by half a bottle of Merlot.

#AltText #Picnics #NewcastleAU

If you are in #NewcastleAU you should drop into the Newcastle City Library to see this exhibition of Australian Afghan women's embroidery. Here are the stories behind some of the exhibits and exhibitors:
#embroidery #arts #afghanistan
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-04/afghanistan-women-embroidery-fashion-protest-taliban/102420124

I love these self seeded elkhorn ferns on small trees next to the platform at Fassifern train station.

#ferns #NewcastleAU

And about time too.

#NewcastleAU #LakeMacquarie #Straya

https://www.betootaadvocate.com/headlines/new-south-wales-town-of-toronto-gives-up-and-officially-changes-its-name-to-tronno/

One plus about having to park further away from the beach was walking past some of the historic homes in Newcastle East. This terrace house is part of Boatmen’s Row, where the pilot boatmen (who also did the maritime rescues in the nearby harbour) were housed beginning in the 1890s. Sold off by the State Government some years back, now exxy private real estate. Loved the garden on this one and the Monty Pythonish house number, 42.

#history #heritage #NewcastleAU

This week’s offering with Garrett van Dyk about the development of food culture. I had a great time with this guy! #earlymodern #histodon #foodhistory #Frenchhistory #newcastleau #history https://newbooksnetwork.com/commerce-food-and-identity-in-seventeenth-century-england-and-france

Loving these pretty trees in flower all around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie (NSW, Australia). No, not the jacarandas -- Norfolk Island Hibiscus (Lagunaria). Their beautiful pink flowers attract nectar-supping birds like rainbow lorikeets and honeyeaters, and pretty bugs too. Looking forward to later in the season when the hibiscus harlequin bugs show up.

#PlantsOfMastodon #NewcastleAU #Straya

I’m currently reading “The One Device” by Brian Merchant and tonight we rode home from dinner in town. My partner clipped his iPhone onto the bike and used it as a front light. The modern smartphone is truly a marvel. It may bring risks to our privacy. But it has also permanently changed our lives and is close to truly being the one device. #firstpost #newcastleAU