At least this kookburra I found in the pecan nut tree the other day wasn't bothered by too much apart from working out where his next meal is coming from.
At the time of writing on Friday afternoon on the 3rd April, 28 people have died in Australia from the Corona virus and I believe a number of them were infected on cruise ships as were two locals who died in our local hospital who had been on the Royal Caribbean and the Ruby Princess. Such a tragedy for their families!
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| One of the hundreds of butterflies that have appeared in our garden. |
Many of our Australian States, if not all, have closed their borders and travellers who try to cross into Queensland from New South Wales are being turned back if they don't have the appropriate paperwork to allow them in Queensland for work, etc.
Each State seems to have their own restrictions but these are the ones here in Queensland at the present moment which were sent out yesterday by our local member:
Queensland’s border restrictions
From 12.01am tonight (Thursday April 2), Queensland’s border restrictions will be tightened to limit the spread of COVID-19. That means, anyone who isn’t a Queensland resident or who doesn’t hold a border pass, will not be able to enter Queensland.
Anyone with an exemption must have a border pass prior to crossing the border. Only freight transport services will be able to cross Queensland’s border without a border pass permit.
The restrictions will replace the current arrangements which enable people to cross the border provided they self-quarantine for 14 days.
For more information or to apply for a border pass permit, click here.
Latest closures and restrictions
In case you missed it, the following restrictions now apply in Queensland:
- Picnic areas, toilet facilities, lookouts, popular walking tracks, swimming areas and four-wheel drive beach recreation areas in Queensland National Parks are closed.
- Strict travel restrictions apply to anyone seeking to enter an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community; all persons must self-isolate for 14 days before entering these communities.
- Temporary reduction in long-haul travel to rural and regional communities.
- Fossicking is temporarily restricted (except on private land with prior approval; social distancing rules apply).
- Recreational fishing is prohibited (except if catching fish for your family to eat; social distancing rules also apply).
- Armourers and dealers are no longer able to operate as per the non-essential business closure direction, except for purposes set out here.
Home Confinement Direction
The Queensland Government has issued a home confinement direction to all Queenslanders to stay home, unless:
The Queensland Government has issued a home confinement direction to all Queenslanders to stay home, unless:
- shopping for essentials - food and necessary supplies;
- medical or health care needs, including compassionate requirements;
- exercise with no more than one other person (unless from your household);
- providing care or assistance to an immediate family member, or;
- work and study if you can’t work or learn remotely.
This is an important direction to help stop the spread of COVID-19. It is also enforceable by law. Non-compliance with this direction carries a maximum penalty of 100 points.
For more information please click here.
The Prime Minister has requested that people over 70 self isolate but tell that to my 83 year old sister who just HAS to 'pop' down to the little shopping centre to pick up the paper for her neighbour and pay her bills at the Post Office etc. even though I have told her there were alternatives. She said she saw a lot of 'oldies' at the shopping centre and what else were they supposed to do? I am sure that those who are registered with 'My Aged Care' would be able to get help. Does anyone know? As we are over 70 we are now not supposed to be going out unnecessarily either.
Anyway, enough about the virus which has taken over everyone's lives and changed the way we live. I am sick of hearing about it to be honest. I decided it was time to finish the loom knitted beanie I started six months ago and when it was finished I realised that it really wasn't a good idea to leave a beanie on the loom for that long as there is now a bump in the middle but I have been told that it will wash out. This one is for a really big head and I used the red loom from the kit I bought from Spotlight. I will make some more which will go to the homeless as our winters can get very cold although you couldn't imagine it as it is 30C or so today and we are in the second month of autumn.
If you are interested in making your own masks then check out the post Making a Mask on Organised Castle. Also Chris from Gully Grove has an interesting interview with Sally Fallon on her blog which you might like to watch. It is called Wise Traditions Podcast Coronavirus. Sally is the author of Nourishing Traditions. Chris is also one of our Simple Living Toowoomba workshop presenters as she makes great sourdough and you can find her tutorial here.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend....at home I dare say! I have to keep reminding myself what day of the week it is as the days just seem to run into each other lately :-)
Missing catch ups with friends and art groups, so decided some comfort food was in order.😁 Being childish means self saucing Butterscotch pudding with cream is dinner tonight.
ReplyDeleteOh, that sounds quite delicious, Margaret. Perfect comfort food! MegXx
DeleteMargaret ..... butterscotch pudding! I am shocked. LOL! Yes, I am missing catch ups too and the thought that this could go on for six months....YIKES!
ReplyDeleteKookabura stunning, never seen one. It brings the song about it to my head. What is Fossicking? Beautiful pictures of the flowers,bees & butterflys, simple joys to which we have access everyday. Stay well.
ReplyDeleteFaith, I have no idea why fossicking was mentioned but it is prospecting or looking for precious stones, gold, fossils etc. Not something that many Aussies would do I imagine.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a beautiful Autumn day here, Chel. We'll be staying home, behind our blue gates, for the most part. I have some seeds, gifted to me by a lovely friend, that I want to plant up in the egg cartons I've saved and I have some sewing I want to do. One of us has to go and pick up our fruit and veg box this morning and we'll walk the dog later on too. The path takes us along a little creek and under the trees so it's a lovely walk. Meg:)
ReplyDeleteMeg, I have heaps of old seeds that I might plant before the forecast storm arrives...if it does 😏 Better than them sitting in a draw. Enjoy your day at home.
DeleteGood to hear that you are listening to the stay at home message. Bluey just has to go and get the paper from a little cafe each Sat and Sun morning. We have been the the shops once in the last fortnight. We needed coffee so off he went for that and came home with quite a bit more. It was all items we were getting low on. We are now good for another month. I am taking the dog for a walk on the beach when it is low tide. This means there is plenty of space to be well away from everyone else. It blows the cobwebs out of my head as well. I will keep doing this until we enter full lock down. Love all those gorgeous flowers that you are posting lately.
ReplyDeleteJane, we have gone for a couple of drives without getting out of the car. Hope that is still allowed 😳 It is a good time to live by the beach for an early morning walk. Hopefully that won't be banned at some stage. I miss our simple living workshops and should have had a good one today which we had to cancel 😢
DeleteI'm staying home like a good 'oldie' 😉 but do walk the dog twice a day, and wave to other walkers as we cross the road to avoid being too close, and a few shouted conversations. I did an online food shop with IGA, a new service they've offered. The young woman who delivered it was cheery and asked if there was anything else I needed while she was there.....um yes, vacuum and dust the cobwebs maybe. The store was very good and packed my shop into boxes, as I'd requested, so I was happy.....good for a couple of weeks now. Look forward to seeing more beanies come off your looms.
ReplyDeleteNanette, I wonder if Woolies has that option if we go down the road of online ordering as I woukd prefer the groceries in a box and I would think the supermarkets wouldn't be short of them. Glad you are behaving yourself...being an oldie and all 😂
DeleteHa ha cheeky oldie yourself 😄 It's worth asking Woolies for boxes, good luck.
DeleteChel I know a couple of elderlies who I phone regularly now that we're all confined to our homes. I remind them during every call, not to go out. I remind them that they can get all of their groceries delivered, but oh my goodness they're stubborn. They're feeling so lonely and often my phone calls are the only human contact they have all day. I wonder if our world will return to the way it was? What will our new normal be? I'm hopeful the changes will be positive. XX
ReplyDeleteSally, I was just wondering what will happen at Easter as my sister likes to have lunch together. I am not sure what the laws are about that in Qld although two people can visit someone. With guidelines changing from day to day I will just wait and see what happens. Yes, I am not sure what the new normal will be especially if this virus hangs around indefinitely.
ReplyDeleteI am glad the rain came first. Our gardens are lovely again.
ReplyDeleteYes the rain has transformed everything, hasn't it? It had been a few weeks since we had a shower so it was nice to get at least a little light rain yesterday but we have none forecast for the next week now as far as I know but the seeds and seedlings are off and running now thankfully.
DeleteMy mum is in her 60's and for the most part, stays at home. She isn't adverse to leaving for essentials though. So I'm not much help with knowledge of assistance packages available, for seniors. Wonderful beanie you've created though. I remember the loom kit you purchased from Spotlight.
ReplyDeleteIt's about time I knit some more dishcloths too. My current ones are getting holier than Swiss cheese! They're well overdue for replacements. The feel of cotton on my fingers will feel great this time of year. I wanted to learn continental knitting this year - so I'll practice on my dishcloths.
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Thanks for sharing Sally's wonderful interview. I wonder if cod-liver oil, will be the next thing to disappear from shelves? When I told my mum about it, she said yes, we got that as kids too. So just like you. :)
Chris, I don't think the cod liver oil tasted all that nice though unfortunately so it may not be a hit. When I was little polio was rampant so I guess our parents were trying to build uo our immunity as best they could. We also had liver in our diet regularly.
ReplyDelete