- Warm Weather Wonders

Cunnamulla, Qld - Australia

Today we're in Cunnamulla to do the usual things - laundry, groceries, talk with loved ones etc.

This morning we left the mine a bit after 8am for the approximately one hour drive to Cunnamulla. Due to the higher temperatures, many reptiles have become active. Along the way we saw the types of things and critters one sees in southwest Queensland this time of year . . . we passed by a bearded dragon - a lizard a bit over a foot long, but often they're a bit cheeky and will stand with head up and chest out, looking tough and intimidating in the middle of the road when you approach in a car, apparently not realizing the car will not be intimidated.

A few mintues later I saw a snake in the road and turned around to get a closer look. As I was turning around I told Paul very clearly to not roll his window down and not get out of the car. I got to the side of the snake, saw it was a king brown (3-4 ft long) who did not look too healthy, but wasn't squashed, but still was quite deadly. Paul leaned over to see the snake and promptly got out of the car. He picked up his cell phone to get a photo and grabbed a stick to poke the snake. Much to our surprise, once slightly poked, the snake began to move, not much, but enough to earn some respect. We took a few photos and went on our way. After a few more kilometers a few kangaroos hopped out of our way. They soon were followed by an emu which nearly sideswiped the car - emus are very stupid, actually well beyond very stupid.

The rest of the trip included seeing a few more nearded dragons and a shingeback lizard in the road - the shingleback was slow enough and I was quick enough to be able to straddle him and leave him a bit dusty, but relatively unharmed. As we were passing over that lizard 2 emus darted across the road. Less than 5 minutes later a goanna about 2 feet long was running across the road. Unfortunately our timing was not as good this time - it probably provided lunch for a few birds and other lizards.

For the last week, the high temperature almost everyday was well over 100, a few days over 110. This time of year as the temperature increases a miner's thoughts may turn from the usual thoughts of colorful opals and certain bawdy visions involving the opposite sex, to thoughts of colorful opals, something cold to drink, a full-sized and well stocked refrigerator, air conditioning and certain bawdy visions involving the opposite sex.

Yesterday Paul dug out some very nice pieces of opal - bright colors in great ironstone . . . tomorrow morning we'll be after more . . .

I've already shipped home 1 ton of rough already and hope to ship another ton before I leave. I've also shipped home some beautiful Australian hardwood bowls and rough burls.

Even though it is beautiful here, I hope and expect to be back in the USA within about 2 weeks. Dawn is the beginning of more than a new day.


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