Out on the Balcony

Well I was out on the balcony thinkin' and I forgot to mention yesterday that I am also a bit of a historian after doing quite a bit of family research.That brings me to the words "Fair Dinkum" and their origins. These aussie slang words are still used frequently, and now seen as a way of saying my response is honest or true.
A little online research shows that "Fair Dinkum" in England may have meant something like "a fair pay for a good day's work", however the one I like most is from the Australian Goldfields during the mid 1850's.
It is said that the Chinese words "din" and "kum" were used by Chinese prospectors on the goldfields and "din-gum" was the response for "GOOD GOLD".



This is my G Grandfather Alexander and his wife Eleanor.

He was born in the goldfields of Victoria where his father Jacob had migrated from Ontario in Canada.

 

Jacob developed a lung disorder, as did many other goldminers, and died quite young leaving his wife, Alexander and other siblings to fend for themselves.

They moved to Braidwood on the south coast of NSW where gold was also discovered and later Alexander and Eleanor moved to Homebush in Sydney.

Alexander was a drover and when Eleanor died quite young, their children were placed with other relatives and in institutions while Alexander was away for 12 months at a time droving.

 

Homebush (home bush) as the name implies, was where drovers and stockmen brought the livestock to markets from all over Australia.

 

 

Most mornings my first stop is out on the balcony with a cup of coffee and the odd durry. Here I decide whether to venture out or just view the world without too much effort.

 

Sunrise at Lake Cathie today.

I did take it from down the road a little after searching for a new location angle and view.

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the balcony (the surf looked magic again today) I noticed a surfer getting some pretty nice barrels out front.

 

Closer inspection of this image showed that it was Bonny Hills local Darren O'Rafferty doing what he does best!!

 

 

 

This little fella is a "Spangled Drongo" who migrates here during winter from New Guinea and far North Queensland.

They are called a Drongo because they migrate south for the winter. This year they have kept us entertained with their mimicking calls and aggressiveness towards each other.

There is about 15 Drongo's in this flock and this one visits the balcony regularly.




Another view of todays Sunrise at
Lake Cathie.
Coastal Banksia in foreground.

 

My SLR Camera tip for the day is experiment with new settings. Fair Dinkum!!