Life in the Margs

The tides of course come and go so where we can sit to watch the sunsets, when there is a sunset, changes. One of our sunsets we had to back up the beach and sit on the rock Michael’s perched on in the middle photo below. The two of us enjoyed a bottle of white wine. There was no one behind us on the beach as you can see from below right on even another night. The social distancing with surfers at the point that is visible on the right in the two photo above has come into question. We hear helicopters every day and wonder if they are checking out the beaches. They have taken orange cones and placed them in every other parking spot. If they can’t distance on their own, their parking lot will be closed. We are happy we have a house and we can walk both for exercises and for the views.

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The pole is actually wires to keep people away from the limestone cliffs on the right. What is hanging on the pole is seaweed. Not sure whether it arrived there on its own or with help. Folks generally stay on the correct side of the pole but like America, “dogs on the leash at all times” doesn’t mean they do it.

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As we walk up and down the beach paths, we keep running across information on the beach from its aboriginal history to what its like now. They have local groups actively working on keeping the dunes healthy and have specific paths from the walking and biking trail to the beach. They have ice plant and do not consider it invasive like at home.

Michael continues to write his memoirs and blogging about the wonderful Australian wines we have found both at bottle shops and in cellar doors that are open to purchase and leave (take away). Tonight is Easter night and we pulled lamb out of the fridge and will open a McHenry Hohnen Cabernet Sauvignon. David Hohnen was our best man, Patrick Heck’s, roommate in college. We are hoping to find him while we are sheltering in place, more or less. David started Cape Mentelle and one other winery before we believe starting McHenry Hohnen with his brother-in-law.

We will bring more little signs and notes about life in the Margaret River. It is difficult to be cheery everyday but we try to hug each other and count our blessings because we know each of you finds yourself in much the same mental and physical condition. We pray for the health of all of those on the front line especially with doctors and nurses but also the food chain from growing through serving via takeout or grocery stores. Many restaurant service people that have been laid off we hear are now helping farmers bring in crops in Western Australia. Farmers fear not having enough help to bring in some of the crops. We forget what it takes to get food to our tables.

Easter day has been gorgeous but we are now used to watching the odd clouds come and go off the Indian Ocean. Everyday the weather and clouds are different and the birds keep us entertained with their songs. Netflix is my friend, old NCIS’ are nightly on local TV. It takes so little to entertain us.

Stay healthy, get a good nights sleep and count your blessings, this time of Covid-19 virus is trying for all of us but this too shall end on a new normal.