Sat, 14th May, 2022 Margaret Diggings Fossicking Area, Emerald Springs, NT

23 degrees - pleasant - clear sky.

Rebecca sent through a photo of my pot man I have her saying that Clive had fixed him up and he was happily sitting with her flourishing herbs on the deck.

Steve got the detectors out and we went for a wander. I found a Bower Bird nest - sadly he collects white things, not gold things.

It is getting very hot in the sun so headed back to the camper for a cold drink then a cuppa with a pikelet and rosella jam - yum.

In the afternoon Jon rang. He enjoyed his first night shift with his ‘crew’ - the driller and another off-sider and they got on well. He said while he was chatting with Annalise a goanna appeared on the patio. How did it get up there? The dogs were with her Mum while she was cleaning the house. She quickly closed the doors and the goanna went down the steps and into Jon’s gym. Luckily it didn’t want to do a workout so it ambled outside and laid down in the sun. That was certainly a surprise for her.

I sent Annalise a text and after chatting via texts she sent me a photo of her visitor.

We put up the shades along the side of the camper as we will stay a few days and the sun is still very hot. 

In the afternoon it is lovely sitting outside listening to the birds but all of a sudden they just stopped - bit eerie. We could smell some smoke on the breeze but couldn’t see any about.

We walked up to the mine area so I could take some photos. Someone has burnt a few bits here and there but the grass was too green we think. Certainly was an interesting operation - looks like it was done with bits and pieces on the cheap but still have cost a lot to set up especially pumping the water up the hill to spray onto the ore before it tumbled down the shoots trying to separate the gold from rocks.

Got back as the light was fading to cook tea in and on the fire with baked potatoes in alfoil and steak and sausages and I did up some onion and vegies inside. We have a hard life!!

Finished watching the Midsomer Murder dvds and started on a TV Series - The Coroner.