The old shearing shed

 

It's almost a year to the day since I started out on my road trip immediately after the death of my wife,Val.

The first stop was in Stockinbingal, inland New South Wales, where I stayed with old friends, the Berrymans, on their farm.

This photo was taken early in the morning and shows their old shearing shed. I was prompted to put it on the blog by farmer, Keith, recently telling me  that the old shed is having a comprehensive makeover to comply with current health and safety requirements and the shearer's expectations and requirements. 

So adieu old shearing shed -I captured you for posterity on a beautiful April morning a year ago.

An early morning walk

 As regular readers of the blog will know wherever I am I try to take take an early morning walk.Many will recoil in horror at the thought of leaping out of bed at 5.00 am to go for an hour's walk but for me it is one of life's greatest pleasures. 

The morning walk in Terrigal is pretty special but here in Stockinbingal this week it is extra special. I can walk for an hour on the farm and not see another person and once I am clear of the farm yard not even a building. I have to open a couple of gates, cross the grain train railway line and then walk up a dirt track to the top of a hill. From there the vista is glorious and no photo or photos can do it justice. The air is clear and it is balm to the soul. 

This morning a jet passed overhead at high altitude en route from Melbourne to Brisbane or Coolongatta. Two years ago I would have resented the intrusion but today it was reassuring that life was returning to normal.  

I sat on a tree stump and meditated and reflected that I am incredibly lucky to live in Australia.

Later in the morning I drove into Temora, 35 kms away, to do some shopping. The main road was almost empty apart from big pieces of oversize farm machinery on the move with escorts. Temora looks just like one imagines an Australian country town with the canopied buildings and stock and station agents and former department stores.The town was busy and it looked reasonably prosperous unlike many small country towns.The traffic was light, slow moving and very courteous. I definitely knew that I was not at home or in Sydney . I shopped in Woolworths. There were spaces in the car park, no queues at the checkouts and the staff were chatty and friendly. It's almost as if I am in another country.

Here are a few photos from this morning's walk. 

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