The night shift takes over.
During the day we have bird feeders out and many birds come and dine from them.  Others walk around the yard picking up things we did not even know were there.  One crow likes to hide stuff for later on.  I am amazed that works as I have seen them hide it in full view of other birds.
Once dusk falls it is a different story though.  The birds go where birds g.  Not to be seen until the next day.  I see them winging their way to nesting areas.  Corella’s and Crows.  Corella’s in flocks and Crows in ones and twos.
Then the bats come out.  I see them making their way to wherever they are going.  I counted about 40 in around 15 minutes recently.  There are many others.  I do not know if he still does but one lived inn a tree next door.  Totally hidden during the day.  Coming out at night.
Bit like our resident possums really.  I use the plural as there was a mother with a baby on it’s back that raided the bird feeder.  We had made a possum home and it is in use.  I think that is the one.
Now I see the baby alone in the bird feeder.  I assume mum is off somewhere else gathering food.  Sometimes Merril will cut up a past use by apple for the possums.  They avail themselves of what is on offer.
I am late lasting this as we have had a busy start to the week.  Merril picked up her sister after 10pm last night and she stayed with us.  Merril and I went off to a prayer meeting at 6am this morning.  Then a guy came over to visit.  I had told him I was getting rid of some shrubs and he indicated he wanted some for his front yard.  Merril and I have indicated what is going and he was here this morning and got two to start.  I assisted with digging out.  Win win really.
He has not long gone and I remembered I had this post.  I have fed the birds.  The day belongs to them.  The night here belongs to the bats and possums.

It is hard to believe looking at the clock and it saying 4.57 I would think that I am getting up late.  But that is what happened this morning.
Yesterday did not feel like such a huge day.  It was the forth Saturday in the month and time for our free lunch.
The crowd seemed a bit lighter on but there were still plenty and some who had never been before.  Before we eat and some words are said and songs sung, I tend to check all is going ok and offer a hand where needed.  Merril was providing the audio which meant checking mics were working for the guitarist for singing and playing.  Then she puts up the slides which advertise some of the things our church has going on.
All was good so I had lunch.  I was at a table occupied by a couple I had never seen before.  I found it really interesting talking to them.  Both are well travelled around Oz.
After everyone has eaten we pack up and set up for church the next day.  That is after dessert which in my mind was especially nice.  I overheard someone say early on that the dessert was worth having.  I second that motion. 
Many hands make light work and I never cease to be amazed how quickly the pack up and set up gets done.  The more we do it the more we know what to do.  Helpers are coming out of the woodwork.
It is all done and dusted in less than an hour and folks are going home.
Merril and I were looking forward to going home and having a rest.  We still had things we wanted to do.  Self-growth things and preparations to make for the future.
But first things first.  A sleep.

A mate of mine would say, “it would bring tears to a glass eye.”
That came to mind as I was reflecting on the music posted.  I also read on the site about a mum who’s bedroom was engulfed in flames and the lady became disoriented.  Four kids across the road, ages 14 to 17, saw the smoke and carried out the lady.  Thus saving her life.
I am so glad to hear of such things and to see a blind performer singing what I think is beautiful (as is the person’s voice who sings with him.)
That gets to me.  What I see so much of is what I call creeping ugliness.  I once read that what is happening is like reading a book at dusk.  I get so absorbed in the book, I do not realize how dark it has gotten until I look up.
I see beautiful locations advertised accessible now only to the rich.  Yet when I look at the places, they were what I grew up in and accessed all the time.  In Sydney a place was set aside for a people’s place, and a casino was allowed to go there.
It seems to me that this world is getting uglier and beautiful places inaccessible.  That to me is not right.  I do not deny the rights of the rich and powerful, but I also do not deny the rights of the poor and powerless.  To me beauty is not the right of the rich only.  Beauty is for all.
Yet having said that I do believe that although locations are becoming more inaccessible to many, everyday people cannot be locked out of beauty.  Beauty is to be found not only in places - but in people.  The stories I started with, (amongst others), reflect beauty in people.
While much is a road to exclusion, it seems to me there are those who refuse to accept the limitations of the increasingly limited amount on offer.  Although marred, I, like many, recognise and respond to beauty.
Character and good will are not dead – but they are becoming less obvious.  I will promote beauty, character and good will.  When enough do something, it assumes a life bigger than its parts.