The first nice thing to happen to me today (after my nice phone call to Chris, of course) was a lovely bike ride with my brother Bill to Hemmant Quarry, not far from Bill’s house at Tingalpa, Brisbane.

“In the last five minutes you’ve taken more photographs than I’ve taken in the last five years,” Bill said, getting onto his bike as if to say that he’d had enough.

“Well, that maybe true,” I laughed, “but just think – I have recorded most of my happiest memories!”

We rode on down the track and passed the lower path to the quarry where  you could actually walk into the water if you wanted to. I looked at it with a sense of loss as we passed. A little farther on we saw two men, obviously workers, doing something in the bush.

“Good morning,” I called out.

“G’dday,” they both called back and waved.

Bill and I were riding on up the hill when my older brother turned around and said:

“I expect you’d like to go in and see it from down there…”

And before I could reply he had turned his bike around.

“I was thinking how nice it would be,” I  answered, “but I didn’t say anything because I thought you might be fed up.”

Some minutes and many photographs later I was standing near a clump of trees in order to take a longer shot of the scene when I became aware of the two workmen behind the bushes; they were spraying weedkiller in bottles attached by leads to a generator. The men looked at me and I felt impelled to speak.

“Are you spraying weedkiller?” I asked needlessly (it was quite obvious).

“Yes,” the taller man with the red beard said taking out an earplug and stopping to talk.

“It’s so beautiful here,” I beamed.

“Especially at this time of day,” he noted.

“When the trees cast long reflections on the water,” I showed my understanding.

“I hope we haven’t ruined your enjoyment with the noise we’re making,” he said very nicely.

“Not at all,” I assured and added, “May I take your photo?”

It was so pleasant and cordial out in the bush at Hemmant Quarry this morning but beautiful places and lovely weather always seem to have a nice effect…