Another First!

Mt. Buller, Victoria, AUSTRALIA

July 8 to 13, 2011.  Luckily, I had seven days holiday between (our chicken's) batch 39 and 40.  I, originally, had no plans to escape from the farm during the week- I was simply aiming to raise a certain amount for an important project in the Philippines but the weather forecast in Victoria was so enticing that I failed to resist booking online for my 3-day adventure.     

The driver of the horse-driven carriage, Swanston St., Melbourne.

For four years I had been dreaming to visit the Australian Alps to experience the snow but there were powerful circumstances that would always come across my plans; so the snow had fallen and melted for four consecutive wintertimes without RJ visiting the place.

But not in winter 2011 because I have finally found my way to Mt. Buller!

The unique kneelers.  St. Paul's Cathedral, corner Swanston and Flinder's Streets, Melbourne.

...with Margarette- one of Melbourne's city 'ambassadors'. 

I will write another post about my first snow experience.  Most of the photos here were taken in Melbourne- a day before my first encounter with snow.


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Boomerang

The facade of the Freo Market, W.A., Australia

February 28, 2011.  I was exploring the Fremantle Market (Western Australia) and was expecting to see the local fresh produce of the region but was surprised to discover that there were also arts and crafts, silver jewelries and a few food stalls around.  And in one corner I noticed this boomerang shop.

Boomerang Shop.  Fremantle Market, Western Australia

Boomerang.  I heard this word when I was younger but couldn't understand when the older folks would relate boomerang with a person's deed.  My mom had tried to explain to me that boomerang is a flying tool that, when thrown, will surely come right back without hitting the ground; but she never showed me a photo nor did she draw the said tool, the reason why I couldn't understand the 'boomerang effect' that they were saying. 

...until I came to Australia and have seen the different designs of boomerang! According to Wikipedia, the oldest Australian Aboriginal Boomerangs are 10,000 years old.













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Sincerely...

I missed the blogosphere and I am planning to be back soon.
Whether to use the same blog name and theme or to change both is what I am currently considering.  But I already love The Chook-minder's Quill, slash Lens.  After I have gone past the major milestone in this Australian migration highway, this is still me- the chicken farmer.  For more than a month after taking my Australian citizenship oath, nothing has changed really, it has remained as a mere piece of document.

And yes I am leaving no stones unturned to achieve some major changes in my Australian life.  I am praying that it will soon be granted, and as it gradually unfolds I simply want to share it to the blogosphere. 

SIDE ALTAR.  St. Mary's Cathedral, Perth, Western Australia

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Simply Australian

The flag, the queen and the coat of arms.

Today, the 20th of May 2011 is a very remarkable and memorable day in my life. I attended the Australian citizenship ceremony to take my pledge- the final step in my journey to Australian citizenship. This achievement is 4 years, 4 months, 4 days and 2 hours in the making.

The departmental ceremony was very simple. NO guests allowed.  No friends, no family member—just us (a group of ten who were scheduled to take the oath at 10am). There’s no chance to take photos before and during the event.  It was a 20-minute program—brief and simple. There was a short video presentation showing some new migrants who were very happy living and working in Australia, each was proud of being a new citizen of this country.

Then the immigration officer read the message of the Australian immigration minister Chris Bowen; after that we took the pledge (that was around 10:20am), we were not even asked to raise our right hand!  Others shed some tears, but I didn't, though I actually wanted to...  After the oath, we sung Australia's national anthem- Advance Australia Fair; but NOT the entire song, only the first paragraph!  Whew!

Australian Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Adelaide, South Australia.

Happy?  Uhmn... Yes I am happy because finally I have achieved my goal; but NOT really happy with the ceremony because it didn't give justice to all the hardships and challenges that I've been through along the way.  Actually, it was my choice.  I decided to perform my oath at the soonest possible time; I don't want to wait for another sixty days to join the oath-taking ceremony scheduled at my local council.   Huhmn... should this be allowed, I would love to take another citizenship oath this coming Australia Day 2012- it must be a very big event!  More solemn and more emotional, I guess.   

 

Simply Filipino-Australians - Jordan and RJ.

My friend Jordan Gay-od took his pledge today, as well; he was with the batch who’s scheduled an hour after ours.  I was walking out of the elevator from the third floor when I saw him- it was only at that very moment when we both realized that we’re celebrating the same thing on the same day- we haven’t seen or ‘texted’ each other for quite a while.  So I went back to the immigration office and waited until he finished his oath; then we had our photo taken by Karen- the immigration officer who administered the oath.  After the quick ceremony, Jordan and I headed to the BBQ City in Chinatown-Adelaide to have some bites!  He paid for the main meal; I treated him with a dessert- a peach crepe of Happy Sweet.  I was happy; I believe he was, too!  At least we have each other to share that joyful moment with!  

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English 101

A car for sale in Port Wakefield, definitely NOT the car that Corey wants. 

My workmate Corey told me this morning that he was thinking of selling his boat and his motorbike then use the money to get the car that's currently for sale in Pt. Wakefield.

"Huhmn!  What's the 'KO-LOR' of that kHAH (as in caR)?"  I asked using my obviously fake Australian accent.  

He didn't answer, instead, his forehead skin wrinkled.  Puzzled, he asked me, "What's that?!"

Simple, he couldn't understand what I was saying, so I spelled the word- COLOUR. A bit embarassed, I asked him, "How do you pronounce that word here in Australia?"

"KAH-LAH!" he instantly replied.


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Happy Easter!

In Australia, I've noticed that during Ash Wednesday celebration Christians would start greeting each other a "Happy Easter!"  Simultaneously, shops and other similar establishments would post this greeting or would exaggeratedly showcase an array of Easter stuffs during the entire length of the Lent.

My icing injector broke when I was writing on my mocha cake- the reason why the letters don't look very good.

During the Holy Week, the long weekend or public holiday Down Under would start on Maundy Thursday and, interestingly, wouldn't simply end on Easter Sunday but until Monday which is called Easter Monday; and in Tasmania they are on a holiday until Easter Tuesday!  Australia is always very excited for Easter, the reason why as early as Holy Tuesday, my mocha cake is already Easter-inspired.

This long weekend is not for the people involved in the livestock industry, though.  We still need to attend to the needs of our animals every day.  But honeslty, I don't know if the entire long weekend of those who are on a holiday is sincerely spent with the essence of the season because I've observed that more people are visiting the coasts and campsites than the church, and it seems to me that local children would directly relate Easter Sunday with bunny and with the colourful eggs of different sizes than commemorating Christ's resurrection.

I can't help but compare how Australia and the Philippines celebrate the Lenten Season.  Being religious is, indeed, not a guarantee of being prosperous.  I am sorry.

The chocolates at Haigh's Chocolates, corner Rundle St. and King William Rd., Adelaide City, South Australia

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Glamour

"While I was driving back home from Foodland-Balaklava, I noticed the charm of the railway crossing at Bowmans... at dusk it was boasting of its silhouette against the elegance of the early evening sky!"

Adelaide-Port Augusta railway line, Bowmans, South Australia.

I survived.

We’ve been very busy in the farm for the past seven days... It’s harvest time and we’re short of one worker after a workmate didn’t turn up one day without notice and decided to forever ignore my calls.

It was not a joke to run this half a million-capacity broiler farm 24/7- physically and mentally with only three people especially during the final third of the cycle when there were five times  a week night catches, daily bird sample weighing, heavier dead bird to collect, with the main water pump motor playing up.  I simply don’t want to see these chickens to gradually die of thirst or heat stroke because of inadequate evaporative cooling during warmer days. 

It was a great relief to find a replacement for the worker we’ve lost, but it was equally frustrating that after working with us for a day and a half (a third to be exact) this 20-year old recently-employed worker decided to quit simply because he cannot handle the burden and the smell of daily mortality collection.

This photo was taken after the chicken harvest; 12 April 2011 at 11:56PM...

I had to work day and night especially if it’s my turn to act as a watchdog during harvest; forgetting about my day off until this 16-year old local joined us yesterday.  I can only wish (though I am, honestly, fervently praying) that this guy will work with us for the next twenty years (as what my employer would usually say); while hoping that at the soonest possible time the immigration department will finally grant the visa to our much-awaited Filipino worker.       

 

Thank God it’s Friday!  No harvest, no bird weighing, no grain stocktaking, no feed ordering, no phone calls from the integrator’s broiler serviceperson, no emails, no fax messages... just dead bird collection and minor repair, plus rodent baiting- which is very important these days to get rid of mice that love to nibble our chook feed at night—in my estimate, they are close to or even more than a million!

This afternoon I decided to do my supermarket shopping in the nearby town- Balaklava.  But I needed to do it quickly so I could get back to the farm before it gets dark and cool (especially during these days that the autumnal equinox has already taken place) to shut the blinds at the cooling end of the sheds.

 

...and while I was driving back home from Foodland-Balaklava, I noticed the charm of the railway crossing at Bowmans—it looks absolutely ordinary under the bright, blue sky, but earlier at dusk it was boasting of its silhouette against the elegance of the early evening sky!  

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