044

Maurice



There's no escaping it. Maurice is a cantankerous old bugger.

Can you tell?

He's done many things in his three score years and twenty, and can tell a great story, which he seems to do if anyone stands still within earshot. Like many of his age it seems that he cast his opinions in stone half a century ago, and he's mystified by how simple running the world should be, yet how hard "they" are making it.

043

Marie



Marie is in her mid eighties but still paints a mean eyebrow.

She's happy to talk about any subject really, but one gets the impression that she thinks she's old enough now, and is just waiting for God to collect her.

There's a contradiction somewhere which is difficult to comprehend as she obviously takes care with her personal deportment and clearly loves being round her family.

Perhaps age does weary them after all?

042

Peter

041

Ray



I'll confessthis bloke isn't a stranger, and it was actually his 60th Birthday party we were at but it seemed a shame not to use the shot!

Ray is the consumate barbecue chef, even on his birthday he spent the afternoon peeling green prawns, and the evening cooking them. He's a confirmed pyro-technician though, if he's not spraying aerosol near his barbecue, he's got a bonfire started with half a refinery of petrol.

It wasn't fancy dress. We live at the beach remember, sadly for the rest of the world, these are our "going out" clothes!

040

Tim


Dr Tim is an entomologist and happens to be an expert in Australian native stingless bees. He's just commenced opening an old rotten stump containing a hive of Trigonia carbonaria, as part of a "rescue" process, relocating the bees out of harm's way, and a few of them are just starting to show their displeasure.

Since they don't sting, they seem to sort of hover in front of one, and buzz things like "Come on, there's a nice chap, put the axe down and step away..."

It's OK, the old log they've lived in for decades is now gone and they have a lovely new apartment, safe from the bulldozer's grasp.

For more information on stingless bees, visit Tim Heard's website; sugarbag.net