8am
31degrees, clouds in the north and a light breeze.
Rang
David to wish him a happy birthday and had a lovely chat with him.
Headed
off on our bore run. Appears to be a smoky haze but we can’t smell anything –
might be from that red glow we saw.
Our
first stop was Holding Paddock bore with windmill and trough. As we arrived a
heap of cattle were near the trough. They had just been finishing off the last
dregs of water and were shoving the trough around trying to get more.
Luckily
they didn’t break the pipe. We knew the tank was getting low and had tried to
see if it was the windmill itself not bringing up the water or whether the bore
hole was drying up. Unfortunately as it is a bore hole we can’t actually test
the water depth unless the whole thing is brought up so that will be a job for
Rob to sort out. We will just try and keep the trough full of water for the
cattle and the two emus we saw as we arrived.
Drove
down and around to St Patrick’s and picked up the pod on the trailer, it has
only just filled up as we haven’t had much wind lately. There are three more
dead roos which we will deal with when we come back.
Back
to Holding Paddock to fill up the water trough.
The
cattle were hanging around and one chap was so thirsty he didn’t wait for me to
finish. He stood there for ages drinking.
Steve
grabbed the camera.
After
it was full and so was that bull we drove the car around to the bore hole and
windmill. Steve poured more water down it hoping it will pump some up into the
empty tank.
I
made a cuppa and watched as the other cattle came over for a drink.
Others
just sat around – they were the ones who emptied the trough in the first place I
suppose.
Steve
climbed up and poured some more water down the windmill shaft again.
Unfortunately the wind isn’t blowing so we can’t see if it will pump up the
water. Will check it on the way back after we check the other water points.
They
were thirsty as they drank half the trough.
Steve
cleaned out an old concrete trough nearby and filled it and refilled the main
trough. Three galahs were keeping an eye on Steve, waiting for a drink too.
The
cattle are content now.
We
headed back to St Patrick’s, hope the wind starts blowing to fill up the pod
again.
A
huge goanna who lives under the old tank wandered towards the rotting roo –
gross. We left the two more rotten ones – must have died just after our last
bore run. I got the other one who must have only just died after getting his
foot caught in the fence – poor thing. I dragged him off away from the water
area.
Continued
on our bore run. Found a little bat hanging onto the side of the trough at
Music Well. Cute little thing till Steve moved him with the broom – he has some
nasty looking teeth. Steve lifted him out on the broom and put him on a tree to
dry out.
At
North Mill Well the cattle had shoved the float’s concrete cover so the float
was stuck open and the placed was flooded. Emptied half the tank but luckily
this one has a good water supply so with the sun shining it won’t take long for
the solar pump to fill it up again. Steve managed to get the top back and the
float working again.
Naughty
cattle!!
The
wind still isn’t blowing so don’t know if Holding Paddock windmill will fill
the tank again. Will check it in the morning . No more problems so headed back
home for a late lunch. 1pm 40 degrees in the van. No wind but the sun is out so
our solar pump should be refilling the two tanks.
Kym
messaged to come and join them for games and dinner. I thought it was because
the backpackers were leaving but when we arrived I found out they had left in
the morning. Didn’t quite cope with the heat here. The musterers will be
joining us for dinner instead.
I
had my tablet with me and Jess had posted a video and some photos of the great
weekend they had water skiing and tubing at Tinaburra. Lily and Bandit love the
boat.
Storm
clouds are building in the north and west. A chap arrived in a truck to take
some of the cattle to market so we sent him up to the musterers who are staying
near the shearers’ quarters.
The
sun peeked out under a cloud so we grabbed our cameras – Kym loves sunsets too.
As
we photographed lightning flashed to the left of the sun in that dark cloud. I
missed the lightning strike of course.
Last
one before the sun disappeared.
The
lightning show began to the west and the north. We went onto the verandah on
the other side of the house and watched the storm move south. Kym set her camera
on a tripod and set it for long exposures and started clicking. There were some
amazing flashes and they hung there for a long time. Not too much thunder and
we only got a few drops of rain.
Looks
like a good storm to the north too so I hope our van is ok as I didn’t close
the roof hatches this time.
The
musterers arrived – young crew from Mataranka, NT. It was like being with our
boys and their friends listening to them go on about things – though these boys
let loose with the swear words very frequently but they all seem very nice.
Kym
and I quickly went through the 500 odd photos and found a few great ones of the
lightning. She will send them to me for my blog. Glen posted this one on
Facebook.
Headed
home with more amazing lightning flashes as we headed north. All good at home
with no rain, just some dust blown in the windows. Now the wind is blowing well
we will be able to check Holding Paddock windmill tank tomorrow.
The
lightning show was over when we went to bed. Heard two donkeys eeyoring with
some cattle at the water trough.
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