It has been a busy week. The food festival was on, and we have been extra busy and sociable. Another visit to 100 Acres reserve, and a few more photos of those beautiful terns, a couple of food demonstrations by Dominique Rizzo and Fast Ed respectively, a walk up Flagstaff Hill to take some photos,  the Festival Evening down at the old jail compound, a swim down at Emily Bay in the most beautiful warm, crystal clear water, drinks with our neighbours, a trip out to the Hilli Goat Farm and Pottery and finally, last night, dinner at Government House. And this weekend we are meant to go over to some friends to make a chook house!

Aye aye aye.  In the background to all this busyness are the complex political goings on on the island. I won't go too much into the politics because it is a BIG thing that warrants informed discussion, not opinionated speculation, but the long and the short of it is that Norfolk has been a self governing territory for decades, and now, in the wake of financial struggles, that is all up for....reconsideration. There are recriminations flying in all directions, accusations of impropriety, of mismanagement, of neglect.... Tensions are high, people are fearfull...

The promise of change is both hopefull and terrifying. A lot is at stake, and I understand positions on both side of the argument.

For the first time on this blog I am going to hold my tongue...not because I don't have an opinion, because I most certainly do, but because what I say could be damaging to me and my family. 

Keeping my mouth shut is HARD. 

Anyway, on to the business of living on the island.

Capturing the Terns is difficult, I am no wildlife photographer, and capturing the movement of a flying bird in a shaded forest is proving to be difficult. It was easier when they were on the ground.

Fast Ed and Dominique Rizzo's food demo's were actually very interesting. Despite the larger than life personalities, they do know their stuff, and I learnt a little bit about knife holding, the palette, and well, I forget the rest. 

The festival night atmosphere was just great, lovely evening light, happy locals, and tourists alike, good food (the Blue Bull was doing shredded chilli beef with onion and pepper salsa Sliders...oh my GOD so good) and the most chilled relaxed atmosphere.  

Trouble had fun playing on the tent ropes with his little friend... :/ He knows how to find fun, and thankfully the ropes were strong and the knots stronger so no harm done.

 We left the festival on sunset...just another beautiful reminder of how spectacular this place is.

Not a bad view from Flagstaff Hill...check out the colour of the ocean, and the bay in the background is where the swimming is safe and calm and just STUNNING. I will take some photos down there one day, when I'm not swimming out to the raft.

A couple more photos for good measure...I'm thinking these might be the basis for a few paintings, what do you think? Its a quite beautiful murky ocean scene isn't it.