Rugged, unforgiving.
We had a long, fun, exhausting Saturday (yesterday) with the kids attending Pony Club and riding their little hearts out. I will post some cute images from that later on.
But not today.
We were lucky enough to get a little rain on Friday night…
blessed, welcome rain.
Only 12 mm (almost half an inch) but still nice.
Enough to settle the dust.
And maybe keep the lawn a little green.
And allow me a slightly longer shower and day off shifting sprinklers.
…
But the rain made it tough for one group of people that same night.
This is a helicopter which flew over our little town
as the kids rode round the show ring,
preparing for next weekend’s gymkhana.
We all stopped to look and wonder about it.
It arrived from the west of town
landed at the hospital for a few minutes
before taking off and heading back towards the coast.
Then we realised.
Then we realised.
A man had been missing since Thursday in some heavily timbered and rough countryside near here. As with all country areas, he was someone we knew (or knew of) – a government worker who lived here and knew the area well, walking in rugged bush to the north of our place.
We only found out hours before this photo was taken that he was missing.
He was last seen a few kilometres from my uncle’s boundary and – according to news – reports he was carrying a mobile phone, hand-held radio, a GPS unit and a compass.
…
And this chopper had been in the search party,
…
And this chopper had been in the search party,
flying over looking the rough terrain looking for a sign of life.
It was confirmed last night.
It was confirmed last night.
The missing man was found not long before we saw that helicopter yesterday afternoon.
He did not make it.
Our conversations today are sombre,
the reality of the dangers of this place hitting home.
My thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family.
…
This country we call home:
…
This country we call home:
she can be beautiful, but she is also rugged.
Unforgiving.
…
Puts whinging about sprinkler shifting right into perspective, doesn’t it?
4 Comments
Kate
oh wow, that is very sad and certainly puts things into perspective. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
cowgirlwannabe
Just when we think our lives cant get any worse, all we need to do is look around (or up) as in your photo and realize that maybe our life is better than we thought! Have a great day.
Peachfuzy
Perspective.
Sometimes it just kicks you in the ass.
T Lee
the wild is THE WILD and those who venture into it, KNOW IT! still, SO SAD and MY HEART goes out to the family…TRULY! you (we) do live in a untamed world! love your posts…the good , the bad, and ugly….but NOT so much the ugly! love , prayers, and condolence's to all close! truly!