No run for me this week at #MarriottWaters #parkrun event number 339 Rather, I filled in as the photographer. 90th volunteer credit, all at MW, to go along with 214 "runs"
father, husband, gardener, parkrunner, wannabe writer, reader (mainly scifi and fantasy), enjoyer of science, astronomy, landscapes, studied business, student of history
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No run for me this week at #MarriottWaters #parkrun event number 339 Rather, I filled in as the photographer. 90th volunteer credit, all at MW, to go along with 214 "runs"
There are over 200 ripe oranges on our tree, so of course new flower buds are forming....and yes we have already used dozens #gardening #Australia #Melbourne
30:28 today at #MarriottWaters #parkrun in cool, blustery conditions. Partly my fault as I stopped to retie a shoelace (oops). Huge thankyou to all the volunteers that made today's event possible.
this unnamed Cymbidium I recently obtained is developing two really good stems of flowers
My dendrobium speciosum (Sydney Rock Orchid) plant has 53 stems of flowers emerging. Looks like a good year
would bruising, incoherence, and swollen ankles be possible symptoms of any form of poisoning?
At #MarriottWaters #parkrun event 337 for my own 213th run (afyer I volunteered as Run Director last week for 47th time, and 89th event as a volunteer). Finished in 30:08. So close to breaking the 1/2 hour for the 5km. Oh well, next week then.
innovation by my son. on his suggestion, this loaf I made included the juice and zest of 2 oranges straight off our tree as part of the liquid ingredients. came out well, and has a decent hint of orange taste
wow. deaths are a lower risk than medicine......riiiiight
Irony. My father gave me a Cymbidium over 25 years ago. Friends (with no direct links to my dad) gave my wife a potted Cymbidium about a decade ago. The flowers are identical. hmmmm.... unknown named variety?
This image is from the Otway Ranges, and is by Ioannis Ioannou
another brilliant image by Nicole Bates. Fog in the Dandenong Ranges, Vic, Australia on 2 August 2025
At #MarriottWaters #parkrun event 334 for my own 211th run. Finished the 5km in 29:06, 44 seconds faster than last week. my own 211th run, to go along with 88 volunteer credits. Huge thank you to all the #volunteers who make these free and timed, parkrun events possible
At #MarriottWaters #parkrun for my 210th event and their 333rd. Finished in 29:50, so first time under 30 minutes since May. yay! Big thankyou to the vollies, without whom these events could not occur.
Another Nicole Bates image from The Basin here in Victoria, Australia
This eucalypt image, by Daniel Clegg, is from the forests of New South Wales
Rather cool and quite gusty at #MarriottWaters #parkrun this week for my 209th run at the 332nd event. 30:02 for the 5km so ALMOST broke 30 minutes. HUGE thanks to all the volunteers this week, without whom #parkrun events cannot occur.
Yet another brilliant photo by Nicole Bates. This one taken at Doongalla
faintest of rain, and patchy clouds, has lead to a blue sky rainbow this morning 🌄
Clearly I take the Run Director role seriously during the pre-event briefing at #MarriottWaters #parkrun
Picture by Aaron Poole of the road through the Black Spur in Victoria, Australia (north east of Melbourne)
Winter, so have started seeds for planting in Spring, and set up some "sampler" punnets that were shared at the local Gardening Club meeting #gardening #vegiepatch
At #MarriottWaters #parkrun number 321 for my 87th volunteer credit (45th as Run Director). Numbers were well down this week, with the Run Melbourne event on tomorrow.
horrendous Winter weather here (south-east of Melbourne, Australia) today.
One of the reasons I love our (Australian) native trees. Middle of Winter, short days, and our Corymbia ficifolia (Red Flowering Gum) is happily spot flowering, providing food to the Honeyeaters and Lorikeets as well as for any bees venturing out of hives.
Here's another piece of gorgeous Australian scenery. Eurobin Creek, Mt Buffalo. Image by Harry Oldmeadow
Sigh, the “stop trans people doing parkrun” brigade are at it again. Parkrun is gender neutral and non competitive by its very nature. This isn’t about fairness to women this is about being anti trans. #parkrun #transrights
Another extraordinary image from the Dandenong Ranges here in Victoria, Australia by Nicole Bates
no pics this week at #marriottwaters #parkrun. Finished the 5km distance in 30:20, just 5 seconds faster than last week. Also volunteered as First Timer Briefer for visitors and those just starting parkrun.
recent rain has finally increased moisture levels enough that fungi are emerging. #Melbourne #Victoria #Aus #nature
yes, Dandenong Ranges, Victoria, Australia
just a couple of views across our local park this morning
We have a photographer here in Victoria (Nicole Bates) who has recently been posting her own pics on a page in FB that are totally gorgeous, and a testament to the beauty of the Dandenong Ranges in Winter. Inspiring.
At #MarriottWaters #parkrun again this week, for my 207th event. Finally over my recent cold, but still 30:25 for the 5km distance. Onward and upward with better times, I hope. Huge thankyou again to all the volunteers, without whom these events would not be possible.
Viewing from Oz, I really don't understand why violent, threatening, armed, masked individuals (who could easily be fakes, given no facial identification is possible) aren't immediately reported via 911 calls
be careful out there, people
oh and if they ask if they are ICE, note "they have failed to show photo ID I can match to their hidden face"
"911 there are armed, masked and therefore unidentified individuals at (shop) threatening local individuals. please advise"
they care for our hearts whilst with us, and take a piece of our hearts when they go. hugs
A bit of an idiot today. Coughing, sneezing, and a fever all week (not flu or Covid, thankfully) but still went to #MarriottWaters #parkrun this morning. Finished the 5km distance at 31:19, with slowing to a walk multiple times. Almost 3 minutes outside my fastest this year.
my then 9yo son planted some citrus seeds as an experiment. 9 years later, a lemon has fruit, and the orange would make a brilliant privacy hedge with those thorns
time for the rest of the world to include vaccination in visa requirements for US citizens so they are less likely to spread disease
has it yet been confirmed it was an impersonator, or were they an actual officer?
Run Director this week at #MarriottWaters #parkrun for my 85th volunteer credit. Rather cold and mildly frosty (0 degrees Celsius at the start), but always good to help out.
definitely appears to be intentional. why? a possible attempt to Terrorise both the media and anyone seeing it? does that make the masked assailant a terrorist?
shouldn't there be a "recall" process where nominees breach undertakings given on confirmation hearings? if there isn't ....do something about it
that's hilarious
potentially looks like an act of terrorism, by targeting those who would be visible you could suggest to others that this is their future if they don't buckle under
Australia should issue a Travel Advisory, making it clear the issue has to do with violence by authorities
fantastic. inspirational...re writing. can see apparent agony of shifting, which infers "the beast" was unaware of their status
they should be asked "are you going to rely on the Nuremberg defense" (that is..."I was just following orders")
members of terrorist organisations shoot at journalists (including foreign journalists), just saying.....
Took the boys to OzComicon. Needless to say, the bag I bought was filled up
rather cool and breezy at ##MarriottWaters #parkrun this week, with first spots of rain when I was near the finish. finished the 5km distance outside 30 minutes. oh well. Run Director next week, so will try to break 30 minutes the week after.
that is seriously demented, if he truly believes it
At #MarriottWaters #parkrun again yesterday. Back under 30 minutes for the 5km distance. Our youngest got a 5km in too. Big thanks again, as usual, to all the volunteers (without whom parkrun couldn't occur)
post-flushot bribes for the boys. lol
@stephenking.bsky.social .... is number 47 as competent as agent 86? (showing my age...lol)
he does remind me of Maxwell Smart.... and probably wouldn't get the reference
there are a couple of very interesting results, taking quite a bit of time to resolve
Think you are right, it would quite reasonably be a case of issues close to the heart of that seat, that would NOT entice voters elsewhere
No running for me this week at @MarriottWaters @parkrun, rather I was Run Director for my 44th time, to go with 40 other volunteer credits, and a total of 201 runs/jogs/walks. Congrats to my youngest, who smashed his previous PB time today.
yesterday was my 4th anniversary of retiring. sooooo busy. lol
28:32 at #MarriottWaters #parkrun on Saturday. Finally getting back to beating my pre-lockdown times. Run Director next week.
wow. 3 months ago it looked almost a foregone conclusion that the Lib/Nat coalition would win the federal election. major swings the other way and major coalition candidates have been defeated. Labor had gone from just in majority to comfortably in power.
An Australian tradition. "democracy sausage" with the local school having a BBQ fund-raiser on election day
agree. The outcome of the vote will what the outcome is. My own electorate (Holt) has no "independent" candidates, as all 6 are from named parties
I am again reminded of Germany 1932. Less than 1/3 of electorate voted, and of them around 1/3 voted for H's party. With less than 10% of all possible voters, that party was able to secure power..with awful outcomes. Here in Oz, there have been minor parties (L and R) that have had near 10%
oh, and (on a personal note) I think it is vital to vote FOR alternatives to what you don't like. Strident voters still vote in voluntary systems, exaggerating the lure of otherwise less popular candidates
not sure if he meant it that way, but disengagement "with the major parties" would definitely shift voters to alternate candidates. Voluntary voting systems would mean disengaged voters would simply not turn up.
no, but the Roots miniseries certainly opened my (then) young Australian eyes to the evils of slavery AND the resilience of the individuals and families that survived
not sure about the attachment to my reply....
sounds like planning for eugenics to me
concur totally. perfect example Germany, early 1930s. about 1/3 voted, of whom 1/3 voted for H's party, so with only 10% of the electorate they were able to get into power. fringe groups won't get elected in Oz as successful parties need to entice "middle" rather than strident voters.
that's assault, pure and simple. show your neighbours, and ask if they are comfortable with someone who does that around youths in their building
wow. just wow
class.....? what did he call Joe Biden?
question. do ICE agents swear an oath to obey the constitution and, if so, could failing to uphold the right to due process be an actionable offence for each relevant officer... and for each instance/victim of their action?
sadly, I fear the same about damage occurring
At #MarriottWaters #parkrun again this week for my 200th event. 29:15 for the 5km distance, despite slowing to a walk for about a minute. coolish, but deceptively humid. ok with that.
Discovered #AdrianTchaikovsky books a couple of years ago. Fantastic to hear a couple of his I have enjoyed have both won awards. Alien Clay (brilliant!) Special Citation at Philip K Dick Awards in USA, and Saturation Point won a BSFA
Reading the Dragon Gate seriers by Lindsay Buroker. Currently on book 4. Recommended for those into dragon fantasy with a hint of steam punk. Good characters
sorry, we don't have them here in Australia so I can't suggest a solution. Mind you, his teeth might not like painted rocks either
our rosemary is going bonkers with flowers, and the local bees are taking advantage #gardening #Melbourne #autumn
have heard of a trick with strawberry plants. paint rocks to look like strawberries, and leave next to the plant. birds learn that "strawberries" next to the plant are hard and inedible, and are more likely to avoid real fruit when it ripens
lol
Thanks. we have a great group, with a number going out for breakfast together after each event.
the lack of diagnosis in the past... both Einstein and Curie exhibited personality quirks now seen ad possible indicators of mild autism
question : is ICE a terrorist organisation, and should democratic nations around the world designate any employees as terrorists who need to go on a watch list?
29:44 for the 5km distance at #MarriottWaters #parkrun this week, after volunteering as Run Director last week. slowed to a walk a couple of times, but happy with that. My 199th run.
so... rather negative real growth after inflation
.....yet
saw on the news "10s of thousands protested".... whilst vision of just New York shows easily over 100k just there....
At #MarriottWaters #parkrun this morning, slowed to a walk twice totalling 20 seconds. My time for the 5km distance was 29:00:22, as advised by the timekeeper. Fastest since 8 May 2021 (which was the fastest that year). Onwards and upwards. #happy #running
surely she meant something else......right?
are they insulting her by suggesting she was like an elephant?
ummm.... EM has at least dual citizenship. The wording strongly appears to suggest EM will be deported. interesting
seen elsewhere......
concur, I always work out who is the most objectionable and then work back from them to 1
actually .... as an insurance scheme for agriculture, I think this would be grounds for rural voters in Republican voting areas to look at replacing their current reps at the earliest possible time, with someone who would look out for their interests better.