The year started with the usual display of fireworks at Straits Quay....easily the best in Penang.
It has been a very unusual January….the 6th in
our house in Penang. The weather dictates many things; moods and activities and
the weather has been wet and that has certainly curtailed photographic outings .............but some of us remained relaxed.
Helen has resumed her teaching schedule and we have also
been steady with guests. They come in all flavours but one American who
extended his original two nights with us was a delight to have. Forrest was a
man of many parts an accomplished musician and IT expert he was having a break
from the US and just following his nose. As the ecological systems know…..we
could do with more Forrests. We also had a Chinese family with a small child
who had sticky fingers and ‘absent’ parents.
Our friend Elaine, who has looked after Coco for us, had a
stroke. Which was a shock, but she seems on her way to recovery. Helen had been
out with Elaine and her husband Bill a few days earlier.
On the entertainment front we have had a good run in the Pub
Quiz…being in the medals for 6 weeks on the trot….with three first placings.
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| More Vodka |
I have written a separate article on the Maatu Pongal and this month we have Thaipusam that is imbedded within the Chinese New Year celebrations.
My photographic ventures are not at full volume. Normally at
this time of the year the Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters would be nesting at
Penanti. Last year the numbers were heavily reduced and I am afraid they have not
really turned up at all this year. Two birds make an appearance like they mean
business but do not stay around. They are local birds so must have found
another spot to nest.
I have made one trip to Byram and there was some modest
return. A wire fence erected several years back has made shooting difficult but
this is degenerating and I am sure with some assistance we may be back to
normal conditions shortly.
This is a common Tailorbird....we have them around home and they have eluded me for years. They are small, loud and stitch leaves together to make a nest.
My photographic stalwarts again have been my beloved
Kingfisher pair. They are going through the same routine prior to nesting that
I have seen before. I continue to learn a lot about them as a species; from
their feather colour to their relationship. I thought the male was feeding the
female who should be about to lay eggs (what a man)……….but I find it is worse…the
female is feeding one of last years chicks who is quite capable of feeding
himself. She is such a beautiful bird….but with a bad habit
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| Last years chick is on the right...about to accept free food |
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| Greeting between partners |
I have covered details on how this shot came about. The ejected but not extinguished cigarette butt was mistaken by the Kingfisher for a moving insect....it even got a good bashing before the smoking sequence.
My other addiction…sports has been well-served. The World
Indoor Bowling champs have just finished in England and all the games were
available live on Youtube…..makes my bowling arm very itchy.
The Sydney sevens is currently live on TV as was the one
from a depleted series in Wellington. The 6 Nations has also started which is
good. I reckoned Ireland may run out series winners but not on last night’s
form. Even Scotland look more formidable this year
Locally the Otters apparently have had another brood
although it has been difficult to spot them. You can smell them at times when
they den along the walkway. The work on the offshore island seems to have
slowed down. It is literally going to take years for that to be completed.
At home we got sick of a crappy backyard and a lawn that had
many bald patches and ant nests. We therefore had stone paving put down and now only have to
worry only about the plethora of dropping leaves. We have also had our existing lawn
replaced after the contractor made a mess with something else……sort of guilt
payment. The wettish weather has got the fledgling lawn off to a good start and I have also
got the irrigation system running properly after it languished for several years
with bad programming.
With the film Oscar season approaching we have viewed illicit copies of a number of the contenders.
I personally liked 'Sully', 'Hacksaw Ridge" and 'The Man who knew Affinity'. Interestingly they are all true stories. We saw an older film with Bill Connelly at Straits Quay and really liked it too.
The bread and pie manufacturing continues but currently the sausage stores don't need replenishing.
