Save Our Forests, Save Our Wildlife

APOLOGY

I'm just popping in for a minute of two to say sorry for the lack of content here over the past few weeks.  

I've been laid low by, not one, but two doses of a flu virus (a month apart) - I'm feeling very weak & uncoordinated and tissues, cough mixture, ventolin & now anti-biotics are my constant companions.  

All this, I might add, after having had the flu injection earlier in the year as well, so there must be many, many different strains out there.  

Anyway I will get back to posting as soon as I'm feeling human again.  Love to all.

ASAP = Always Say A Prayer

God, our Father, walk through my home and take away all my worries and illnesses and please watch over and heal my family, and friends, in Jesus precious name.  Amen

Gerry Harvey you should be ashamed!

I LOVE WINTER - HERE'S A FAVOURITE POEM TO CELEBRATE

Woods in Winter 

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When winter winds are piercing chill,

And through the hawthorn blows the gale,

With solemn feet I tread the hill,

That overbrows the lonely vale.

O'er the bare upland, and away

Through the long reach of desert woods,

The embracing sunbeams chastely play,

And gladden these deep solitudes.

Where, twisted round the barren oak,

The summer vine in beauty clung,

And summer winds the stillness broke,

The crystal icicle is hung.

Where, from their frozen urns, mute springs

Pour out the river's gradual tide,

Shrilly the skater's iron rings,

And voices fill the woodland side.

Alas! how changed from the fair scene,

When birds sang out their mellow lay,

And winds were soft, and woods were green,

And the song ceased not with the day!

But still wild music is abroad,

Pale, desert woods! within your crowd;

And gathering winds, in hoarse accord,

Amid the vocal reeds pipe loud.

Chill airs and wintry winds! my ear

Has grown familiar with your song;

I hear it in the opening year,

I listen, and it cheers me long.

QUEEN - FRIENDS WILL BE FRIENDS

THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES By QUEEN

I love this song - I love Queen - I especially love Freddie Mercury's wonderful voice & I miss them a lot so I thought I would give you a Queen song each and every week until the songs run out - Enjoy!

AUTUMN COLOUR IN THE GARDEN

I took a walk in my chilly Autumn garden the other day and lo and behold there was still lots of beauty to see.  I hope you enjoy seeing the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them..

  

 

 

 

 

 

TO ALL THE MUMS

ANZAC DAY - LEST WE FORGET

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Some of  my family members who served in the armed forces:

World War 1

Leslie Frankland ‘Les’ STRINGER (1896-1985) - My Poppa

6th Battalion, 5th Reinforcement - Private.  Service Number/s:  V359143/2036

Les was wounded at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli on 7 Aug 1915 and that was just 9 days before his 19th birthday. He was taken to Hospital in Malta where his right foot was amputated, but he later had to have his right leg amputated (below the knee) after being transferred to Wandsworth Hospital in England.

William James 'Will' STRINGER (1886-1948)

2 Coy, 4 Depot - 71 Infantry (City of Ballarat Rifles) - Sergeant

Charles Robert MORTOMORE (1888-1917) MM

37th Bn Australian Inf - Private - KIA

Pte Mortomore enlisted in the AIF on 20 Mar 1916 and served with the 37th Infantry Battalion in France where he won the MM (Military Medal) in Dec 1916.  He died of wounds on 27 Feb 1917. A white cross marks his grave in the Trois Arbres Military Cemetery near Armentieres, France.

 “At ARMENTIERES on the night 25th/26th December, 1916, while acting as a scout, he displayed great daring in getting through the enemy wire and obtaining information preparatory to a raid on the enemy trenches. When the scout next to him was wounded he carried him back across No Man's Land to our lines, and then returned to his work. When a party of the enemy commenced repairing the damaged wire, he watched from a distance of five yards, and sent back information which proved of great value to our raiding party.”  Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 116

World War 2

Harold Ernest 'Harry' MORTIMORE (1914-2005) - My Dad

21 May 1940 Enlisted in 2/14 Aust Inf Batt - Service Number: VX16042 - Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant.  

Served in Middle East - Syria, Palestine etc

7 Jun 1942 Commanded 12 Platoon-39 Infantry Battalion on infamous Kokoda Track.

3 Jun 1947 Demobbed after completing service at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne.

Lt Harold Ernest MORTIMORE Anzac Day 1995 - Melbourne

Samuel Henry 'Snowy' MORTIMORE (1904-1981)

Service Number:  CV 35647 - Grader Driver

Because he had previously lost an eye breaking in horses he was, of course, unfit for the armed forced. Uncle Snowy served his country in the Civil Constructional Corps, grading roads, air strips etc within Australia and in particular in the Northern Territory.  He was seconded to the Department of Interior at Alice Springs on 21 Mar 1943.  Discharged from the CCC on 13 Feb 1946 when the Corp was disbanded.

Edward James 'Eddie' STRINGER

Service Number:  VX25709

Norman Leslie 'Norm' STRINGER

17 May 1940 Enlisted in 2/14 Aust Inf Batt - Service Number: VX15638 - Corporal.  Served in Middle East - Syria, Palestine etc.  Uncle Norm was discharged from the Army on 6 Dec 1945.

Owen Franklin 'Frank' STRINGER

23 Dec 1941 Enlisted in 2/5 Aust Commando Squadron - Service Number: VX69514

Uncle Frank was discharged from the Army on 3 Apr 1946

c.1939 Norm, Eddie, Frank Stringer; Malcolm McDonald with family.

Frank Stringer is in the centre

Malcolm John 'Mac' MCDONALD

Service Number:

Edward Frederick STRINGER

Service Number:  55998

William James Andrew 'Bill' WEBB

5 Nov 1929 Airman with the RAAF - Service No: 1159 - Place of enlistment:  Point Cook, Victoria, Australia

1939 Army Service Number:  VX1669  Served in Middle East - Syria, Palestine etc.

THE EASTER STORY - PART 3

Matthew 28        (New King James Version)

He Is Risen

1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”   8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

The Women Worship the Risen Lord

9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

The Soldiers Are Bribed

11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

The Great Commission

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Happy Easter 

 From Our Family To You & Yours

THE EASTER STORY - PART 2

Matthew 27                                                                   (New King James Version)

Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate

 1 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. 2 And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

   

3 Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.”

And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!”

5 Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

6 But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” 7 And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.

9 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, 10 and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.”

Jesus Faces Pilate

   

11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.

13 Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

Taking the Place of Barabbas

   

15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.

19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”

20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”

They said, “Barabbas!”

22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!”

23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?”

But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!”

24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”

25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.”

26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

   

27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. 28 And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29 When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified.

The King on a Cross

   

32 Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His cross. 33 And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, 34 they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

35 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

      “ They divided My garments among them,

      And for My clothing they cast lots.”

 36 Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there. 37 And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

 38 Then two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and another on the left.
39 And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 
41 Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, 42 “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. 43 He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 
44 Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.

Jesus Dies on the Cross

45 Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

47 Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.

49 The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.”

50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

55 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, 56 among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb

   

57 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. 59 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. 61 And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.

Pilate Sets a Guard

   

62 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63 saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ 64 Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.