The shortest day has been and gone and my good intentions to put a blog up last Friday night were thwarted when a power cut at 7.15pm plunged most of Oban into darkness. My computer, TV and lights were on at the time but fortunately all of them fired up okay when the power came back on at 9.30pm (thank goodness for surge protectors). Apparently an insulator 'blew' on the overhead power lines causing a bright flash before everything went black.
On 20 June I was given extra work hours to write a scoping report with the proviso that the time was only available until the end of the month (end of financial year). It's been good to fire up the brain cells again but not being home during the daylight does have its drawbacks. I've needed a torch to check the rat traps - definitely worth it though with the tally for the month at 15 with one more day to go. The dark chocolate drop bait was well ahead but then today both rats were caught with Nutella.
The roadworks are slowly making their way up Main Road with relatively minor disruption to vehicles; this might not last for much longer as I think they'll be crossing the road next.
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| New stormwater drains being installed under the footpath |
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| Glowing Sky shop to the right with roadworks to the left of the ute |
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| Our great well-stocked Four Square Supermarket |
Moments before taking these photos I'd seen that someone with a sense of humour had put Half Moon Bay up for sale - great sea views, beachfront section and a free Locations real estate sign...
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| Not for me - it loses the sun too early! |
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| Prime views of ferry terminal, Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island |
The proposed new museum site and the DOC Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre were both in full sunlight as I walked back up Main Road. My office window will be blocked by the back wall of the museum once it gets built but maybe I'll be retired by then :)
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| The new museum site - fire station to the left and DOC centre back |
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| The Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre in full sun and not a breath of wind |
The shortest day seems out of kilter this year due mainly to the moon phase making for light early mornings; most years I've needed a torch to walk down my drive at 7.40am but not this year. It's very black outside now though and it would be a brave Islander to venture far without a torch or two. There are a few streetlights down in the village and I can usually make out the white-painted road markings to get a bit further but once I turn off on to the metal road then it's torches on.
The orchids and fuchsia trees are also out of kilter; they seem to be sprouting new leaves and flowers so I guess nobody's told them that it's Winter at the moment. Maybe the cold spell in early May, followed by mild temperatures, has triggered their Spring juices.
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| New Fuchsia excorticata buds |
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| The orchids are starting to sprout as well |
