Mother Nature And Earth Week-You Save Money by Helping

I Am Just One Person How The Hell Can I Make A Difference ?

We hope to not only show you how, you as one person can in fact make a very big difference. You will also discover you as one individual, will save yourself and others money, in the process of helping Mother Nature And Earth Week out.

That statement (how the hell can I make a difference) is the type of negative thinking that has been going on far too long, and we still hear it far too loudly in the general population today. We need to all become serious about what we can do, and I have a list that I want you to check out . This list will take you to the many options there are, to change your ways & save money at the very same time. Very basic & simple changes, just click on the links applicable for you.

Environmental Fact Sheets


* Air Pollution

* Urban Parks

* Healthy and Affordable Homes

* Healthy Schools

* Mercury In Our Communities

* Sprawl and Urban Job Loss

* Toxics In Our Communities

* Transportation Equity

* Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs

* Climate Change

* Water Background

Here is an extract from the Earth Day Web Site which you can visit simply, by clicking on the blue earth day emblem above.While you are going over this information, you will soon discover how you as an individual, can make a difference by helping Mother Nature And Earth Week.

"Forty years after the first Earth Day, the world is in greater peril than ever. While climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, it also presents the greatest opportunity – an unprecedented opportunity to build a healthy, prosperous, clean energy economy now and for the future. Earth Day 2010 can be a turning point to advance climate policy, energy efficiency, renewable energy and green jobs. Earth Day Network is galvanizing millions who make personal commitments to sustainability. Earth Day 2010 is a pivotal opportunity for individuals, corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. Join the more than one billion people in 190 countries that are taking action for Earth Day. "

Well my friends, I sure hope this post and the two previous, might just get you thinking that ,hey I can do this and even if I just changed my light bulbs, it will help while saving me money. Please do not think I am some Greenie Evangelist, as that has nothing to do with what we face , if we do not take a common sense approach .

It does upset me when I watch my 11 grandchildren playing, and I think just how much longer will the generations ahead, have what Mother Nature has provided for all to enjoy. I will leave you all now with that thought, and please see if you and your family can use an open mind,to find at least one exercise or project, that will benefit Mother Nature And Earth Week on this the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.


Be a participant not a spectator ......
Take Care Friends

Allen Sentance Fisherman

Mother Nature And Earth Week-part two-

Welcome friends to my part two of Mother Nature And Earth Week.

Carrying on from last post, I want to let you all know that I feel, far too many people do not accept that, our planet is struggling to handle the abuse that us humans are dishing out. I base my opinions,not on government survey's and reports . My opinions are purely based upon my observations over 55 years of living and working in nature. Just as the picture above indicates Life Is Good and we can keep it that way.

My Observations

After growing up in Dubbo , a wheat and sheep country farming district, that was quite productive back in the 50's and 60's . Then farms from Dubbo and further west into the far west of the state, began to develop flood irrigation and the growing of cotton. First came the problem of salinity that began to kill native gum tree's because the flood irrigation caused the salts to rise to the surface.

This was followed by the mass clearing of forest's and bush lands, to further develop for more growing area and open irrigation channels. The governments then saw the benefit of the dollars for our country, and supported this raping of the country, by over issuing water allocation licenses. Obviously with no consideration of the damage to our waterways and rivers. We will need Mother Nature And Earth Week to help us turn all this around, and it is going to be a long dedicated process.

Today farmers are committing suicide or going bankrupt due to the 10 yrs of drought they're experiencing in the west of the state. Some may argue this ,yet I truly am of the belief , Mother Nature always supplies enough water to irrigate her trees and plants. Now with so much open cleared ground , Mother Nature is treating the area's as deserts, and how often do you see rain in a desert ? always in forested area's only.

Native Fish Disappearing

Now here's a subject I am very concerned about, for as a person who grew up on the rivers camping and fishing, I again speak from first hand experiences. A man could catch enough fish on one fishing line, in an afternoon or morning , to feed a family of 6 for a week. Seriously now you would spend 6 days to catch that many fish, and there would be none at all if the fisheries did not restock waterways with fingerlings.

This has all been proven and documented as being a direct result of, flood irrigation channels along with the introduction of the European Carp to help keep the channels free from weeds and grasses. They did a wonderful job , yet we cannot get rid of them now, and they are taking over our waterways. It appears all decisions by governments are based around $ dollars $ and not the consequences of the country or us.

We Need To Change Now

How long will it take ? for man to realise that god created this earth, for us to cherish and not despise . That the mountains ,lakes and rivers were meant to form a paradise, now these and many wonders are falling prey to mans devices. It seems to me they are blinded by the $ dollars $ that they seek !!

The Earth Day Network is taking big steps these days, to protect our people and our universe. I want to talk further in my next post about them and how we can all do some thing to change our failing planet. So please take on board some of my personal observations of the last 5o yrs, and look around you to see what is happening in your part of the world. Please leave your comments of your observations, and we will discuss further next post, Mother Nature And Earth Week .


Bye and take care til my next post

Allen Sentance Fisherman

Mother Nature And Earth Week

Earth Week On Our Planet - 22nd April - 40th Anniversary

Hello my friends from around the world, today I want to touch just a little on Mother Nature And Earth Week. For those who do not know me, I am Allen Sentance (Fisherman) to all my friends, and Mother Nature and I have been good friends for years. I visit her very regularly and blend into her surroundings very quickly.

I think back to when I was a small boy, and my dad would take the whole family out into the bush with nature all around. More times than I can remember, we would camp out under the stars, and catch rabbits and fish to eat. So I became connected to Mother Nature and her magnificent environment , some 50 yrs ago .



Fisherman's Thoughts on Earth Week
I am not going to get up on my soap box and rave on about the good old days, yet I have been around long enough, to have some wonderful memories of our Planet, World, Universe or what ever you like to know it as . Now with 50 yrs experience as a good friend of Mother Nature, I speak with some informed comparisons . Considering Mother Nature And Earth Week !

Then
I will let you all make what you will of my comments, as I am a person who loves to share his opinions. I remember as a boy, all the country rivers running with pristine clean water, other than in flood times. I could walk over the town of Dubbo's traffic bridge, where I grew up and look down into the 6mtrs of water and see the bottom.

Now
The river is barely running, and you will never see the bottom of the river from the bridge. It has basicly over time been turned into an irrigation channel , to supply over allocated water allowances. This water is stored in a massive man built dam, 3.5 times that of Sydney harbour in volume. Man has replaced Nature's influence.

Then
When our family would go camping and fishing , we had forests and tree's in abundance. The wildlife in the corridors of nature's bush land was there to be admired and enjoyed by all. If you had hard times , you could always go out into the bush ,and support your family from Mother Nature.

Now
When you drive out into the country side where I grew up, I would estimate that 90% of all bushland and forests have been cleared . Apart from the old river gum's along river banks and waterways, the country has been turned into cultivation paddocks. This has forced natures animals and creatures to decline , and some are now extinct.

To be continued
I would like very much to continue this article in my next blog post, and explain further my thoughts on the up coming Earth Week . Also I want to outline just how you can can contribute , and help Mother Nature And Earth Week ....


take care & bye, until my next post

Allen Sentance Fisherman

Haiti Earthquake Strengthens My Gratitude For Life

Haiti Earthquake Strengthens My Gratitude For Life

photo source-CNN

Here we have a very heartbreaking view of surviving children, from the Haiti Earthquake ,lining up to be fed by our wonderful rescuers & support teams.

Like every one else around the world, over the last 14 days all we have been hearing on the news, is what devastation and disaster the Haiti Earthquake has caused.
As I watched broken dead bodies lay in the streets, I began to cry, as then I truly was jolted into reality. The reality of just how grateful I am for my wife ,family & Life ! Since that fateful day the Haiti Earthquake Strengthens My Gratitude For Life .

The whole disaster looks like removing in the vicinity of 200,000 people from the islands population . They were here one minute, and gone the next, just like the click of your fingers . I closed my eyes then, and clicked my fingers, at the same time imagining my family & children just vanished from my life never to be seen again and without saying goodbye. I did more than cry this time I sobbed for quite a while .

I had spent the whole of the christmas and new year period , with family I had not seen for almost 2yrs, some of them even longer, and I had special time with all my grandchildren. Now after seeing & hearing of the Haiti Earthquake , I realize just how wonderful and precious those times are . We do tend to take so much for granted in our lives. I have prayed most days for the families and injured who have to live with the grief and burdens . You never know just how well off you are until life is gone.

My Reasons For This Post
It is very sad, and I write this post, not to be morbid and make you feel bad, yet I would like to think you are at least thinking of the unfortunate ones , caught up in the Haiti Earthquake. As I stated earlier , the Haiti Earthquake Strengthens My Gratitude For Life , only as it shocked me into looking at what I have in life to be grateful for , and to never question it again as long as I live !

My Gratitude For Life
Now I would like to show you some of the reasons, that I am so grateful for what I have in life, and none of them are measured in any other way than Love . I spent time with all my immediate family over christmas , which was just magic. I think it is tragic that so many people keep putting things off , until the day like the click of your finger, the loved one you were going to call or visit is gone forever .

My Most Treasured Mate -Wife-Partner & Mother of our 4 Children.

Allen & Sandra

We have been to hell and back too many times to remember , Yet today after 36 yrs of marriage , our love and commitment for each other continues to grow and blossom. We have 11 grandchildren from three of our 4 children , and I want to share a couple of photograph's of them to show you what I am so grateful to have in my life .

Six of my precious grandchildren

Can you begin to see just how well off I am in life, and how beautiful life actually is, I now am more grateful than ever before, as I have taken the time to reflect on my life, going over all my reasons and Gratitude For Life . What I have in life , money cannot buy .

My eldest son Fred's four children

I have not shown all my family and grandchildren here, yet they are all so special to myself and Sandra . My post here today is to show the world just how grateful I am for my life and all the things in it. I then look at all those innocent , unfortunate victims that were in the Haiti Earthquake, they too had families and grandchildren as they are no different to you and I . Close your eye's now, and visualize all your family and grand children gone from your life like the click of a finger or wink of an eye !

Life, while very beautiful , can also be very cruel and please take the time to look at what you have in life , while you can . What you have today could quite honestly be gone tomorrow , do not put off those calls and visits to loved ones. I am sure you may understand now , how the Haiti Earthquake Strengthens My Gratitude For Life .

Thank you for reading my post

Allen Sentance Fisherman

Tribute To SENO My Brother

Hello to all my readers, today I want to share a brief cross section, of my brother Ian (SENO) Sentance. I share this with you all as a Tribute to SENO My Brother as he was tragically taken from us on 28-10-09 in a house fire. He is to be buried today Friday 6-11-09 .

18-2-1961 - 28-10-2009

Tribute To SENO

Last week SENO was asleep in his unit when it caught fire , the firebrigade arrived to find SENO was inside and even though they managed to get him outside, it was just far too late as he had been overcome by the smoke and passed away from smoke inhalation . He was not physically burned any where, and I was told he would not have suffered and looked just like he was asleep and comfortable when my sisters identified him at the hospital.

This is my way of expressing my love for him ,and how I will miss him. I am 10 years old than him , yet we got on as great mates, and had some wonderful times over the years with SENO.
Working with me on many occasions, we also have done some crazy things together and got away with them , many of them were life threatening antics of fun at the time. The difference being that SENO's crazy fun things usually came back to bite him .

He was a very carefree lad who only lived for today and took life as it unfolded before him , he loved life ,people,fun and only ever hurt himself as a result of some of his errors of judgment, and yes he did have quite a few of those. The special and precious love and understanding that my mother and SENO had was unique and needed to be witnessed to understand it. Our mother passed away only a few years ago, and thank god as this tragedy would have killed her.

I have spent the last week in deep thought , and going back over our lives and watching home video's I am fortunate enough to have of SENO . I suppose the most powerful thoughts revolve around the way he loved to be the life of the party, and nine times out of ten he was just that and more . Every one who knew him loved him in their own way, and he did manage to piss every one off at times yet they loved him and will never forget the good times they had together.

As all his mates and people who knew him would tell you, SENO loved to play the guitar and sing at any party going . He was very good at this and in fact did win a few talent quests over the years, some of his John Denver renditions were excellent as John Denver was one of his favorite singers. I have managed to upload a copy of a home video from a get together in my parents yard, it is SENO and his neice Jodi singing "A Boy From The Country by John Denver . I considered it SENO's signature song and I want to share it now.

A Typical Scene With Seno On Guitar

This video is one of many we have and were all taken on a home video camera, although the quality is only amateur standard the memories they hold are priceless . I have loaded this one to YouTube and called it , Ian Sentance (SENO) Lives On . Yes....... our mate SENO the boy from the country has gone yet will never be forgotten. I will share a few family photographs that I have and then I will finish up this post and Tribute To SENO My Brother !

Well SENO , you were without a doubt, the greatest brother, and I have not one regret of our life together as brothers . The way you could work at your prime was inspirational and few men could out work you , I am not the only one who would vouch for this.

Together we had some exceptional times, that other brothers will never ever experience , and you have taken with you some special secrets, only you and I will ever know. You always lived your life to the limit, and that was wild and care free, there were lots of times I could have strangled you for the things you had done!! Yet the beautiful and good things you did throughout your life, far outweighed your faults and bad judgement's.

I have so many wonderful memories of my mother and family , that are directly connected with you and the things you have done over the years. Well SENO , I love you in a very special way and will always remember our fun times , good bye for now mate until we meet again.

Your Loving Brother

Allen (Fisherman)

Bush Walking Around Adelaide River Village

Come Bush Walking With My Wife Sandra and I

Well G'day again to all my readers,buddies,pals and friends , today we will be going on a regular bush walk Around Adelaide River Village . This is no special activity for Sandra and I as we do it quite regularly , I only hope I can give you all a sense of being with us on this Bush Walking trip today. There are many different tracks that lead off into the surrounding bushland, of varying distances from one kilometer up to 15 or 20 kilometers .

Our Front Drive We Leave From To Go Walking

Before We Start :
The bush combined with mother nature is without a doubt a beautiful experience, yet if you do not follow some very basic rules of the bush it could all turn into a nightmare , and none of us want that. So I will outline some of the basics , you should consider before heading off . This walk is only a reasonable one of around six kilometers round trip, all up maybe one casual hour.

1- Take a ltr of drinking water even though you can do the trip without a drink.
2- Wear good comfortable shoes or joggers.
3- A friend or neighbor should know where you are going, and when you intend to be back.
4- Wear a sensible hat for the conditions , and sunglasses if required .
5- I like to carry a stick, like a broom handle around 1.2 mtrs long.
Or a sapling from a tree can do the same thing, except your stripping tree's.
Yes friends it is a weapon, not a walking stick .
6- Always take a digital camera with you, as nature can offer some magnificent shots.

A Hill Top View Overlooks Adelaide River Valley

Well we leave our driveway gate usually 7-am of a morning walking only five hundred mtrs until we reach the Adelaide River , we are then in magnificent bushland filled with many types of birds who are at that time of day very active and singing their particular part in natures bush choir . Walking for about two kilometers along the river bank , we regularly come across 20 to 30 beautiful little wallabies grazing in open areas. They let us get quite close before scampering off into the scrubby bush to hide until we have gone , we often get them to sit and pose for a photo.

Australia's 2nd Largest War Cemetery

We have now reached the famous war cemetery that was established in Adelaide River for all the fallen soldiers and civilians from the Bombing of Darwin by the Japanese . This cemetery is a most beautiful picturesque, peaceful parkland that is kept in spectacular condition with manicured gardens and lawns. Thousands of tourists come from around the world just to see and photograph the war cemetery with its gardens. Not today yet soon I will do a feature blog post just on this cemetery for you all, so keep an eye out for that one.

Car Park Area Outside The War Cemetery

Come on guy's lets move on now, as we are about to come across a favorite part of this six kilometer walk, and we are in fact about half way then . This section is a beautiful part of the Adelaide River where you can sit in the shade and just listen the the rippling of the shallow running river . It is a special spot of mine where I often come to sit and think or watch and listen to the water and birds . I always tell my friends that Mother Nature and me are good friends, and I visit her as often as I can.

As we sit here for a few minutes admiring nature and the deafening sound of silence ,two small wild piglets come down to the rivers edge and drank, we sat perfectly still and watched, while they did not even see us only 6mtrs away. Here you can also watch small fish feeding along the shallow edges, and occasionally big fish around three pounds will dart through the shallow section back into the deeper water. I often bring my grand children here to fish and enjoy it .

Where I Come To Meditate With Nature

Now friends we will move on away from the river, and back along another track which will head us in an arc and along another wooded area, where only two weeks ago I saw a wild buffalo heading through the bush . As we walk further and now heading back towards the Adelaide River Village , we follow the tree line of a cleared area where we come across a large number of lorikeets that were in the trees feeding on the
eucalypt blossoms . The sound they make in large numbers like this is very loud and while we take some photos of these beautifully colored parrots its not hard to realize that Bush Walking is full of many pleasures as well as great exercise.

Western View of The Adelaide River Valley

Moving on to the western track on the other side from the village , we are now on the home run just one and a half km from home . This last section basicly is a nice flat smooth track all the way to home, where we will enter our back gate as we have come in a compete circle . Many of the locals here will do similar Bush Walking Around Adelaide River Village and we quite often will meet them coming the other way .

We love to do this walk even more when the wet season is here as we get to watch the approaching storms coming across the valley, and at times we do get caught half way home in the rain. Who cares though it is like warm monsoon showers and very refreshing, no trouble as we are near home and a shower with fresh clothes .
Well friends I only hope you enjoyed the Bush Walking today and we will see you all a little later for yet another taste of the Northern Territory Australia .


Allen Sentance
Fisherman

Dry Season Over in The Top End

The Top End - Dry Season Ending

Hello again my friends and readers of the universe, to-day we will as I said previous, take a further look at some area's that the Fisherman has been. The photo above is an aboriginal Painting from the walls of the Katherine River Gorge, which is a stunning place to visit should you ever get the chance to visit the Top End of Australia . These beautiful paintings are a big part of Australia's heritage, and can be seen in in many historical locations around the Top End .

Dry Season Almost Over
You will get your 4 seasons in The Top End , just like clockwork and the difference to other area's is that , The Top End seasons do not vary much in temperature from minimum to maximum . What is unique to the Northern Territory of Australia is our wet season , that very few tourists get to see . Most tourists hear about how wet it gets and high tail it out , fearing they will get stuck here , which was the case years ago.

Today you can drive from Adelaide in the south of Australia all the way to Darwin at the very top of Australia all year round , or alternatively as I would suggest to any one planning a visit here , fly to Darwin . We have a great international airport just 15 km out of Darwin city , from there I suggest hiring a vehicle and visiting most of the amazing wonderful places . When complete you fly back home, and the savings on fuel alone from driving here will cover the cost of car hire easily, and you get to enjoy more time here. Only my opinion , others may argue with that .

The Famous Daly River Crossing

This is a shot of the Daly River crossing where you cross in the dry season to get to Port Keats and the famous village Pepperminadi . Once the wet arrives the river floods and cuts these places off from vehicles . Your only access then is by small charter plane to Port Keats .
The town ship of Daly River itself is on the immediate river bank before you cross the Daly River, it has a hotel with a small van park and some cabins . The police station is there also , as well as some basic supplies at the small store.

The mighty Daly River however is a lot more famous for the annual Barramundi Fishing Classic , which attracts competitors from around the country and the world. I will perhaps at a later stage do a blog post just about this famous classic, so keep an eye out for that post . We best get back to talking about the Dry Season Almost Over in The Top End .

Tourist Times
The Northern Territory top end has a thriving tourist industry , which come from all over the world, and people in Australia doing their famous around Australia Trip, usually towing a caravan . The influx of tourists start at the end of the wet season around April-May, when the runoff is happening and they begin to catch big barramundi as the waters begin to recede from the flooded country area's.

From this time until Sept-October is called the dry season , and mark my words it gets very dry, not a speck of rain until the build up period starts. This will start October when you begin to see all the tourists and caravans heading south , because of the build up humidity that some folks can't handle , and the inevitable wet season that is here from mid December through to March. Personally the dry season for me becomes monotonous and boring , almost 4 months of sunshine and no rain.

Our main Tourist attractions "Crocodiles"

We do have a large number of crocodiles here in The Top End, and in fact we usually have a couple of fatal attacks on people silly enough to put themselves in a vulnerable situation . I do a lot of fishing in the area and regularly see croc's while I am fishing, they are only dangerous if you are stupid . My love of the Top End of Australia grows stronger every year as I experience all it has to offer each and every day.

I was a plumbing contractor and worked 6 days a week , until I made the decision to retire from plumbing which took up all my time with no time left to enjoy life. A good friend of mine Sean Rasmussen has taught me how to replace my income , by becoming an online internet business man . I now am running this from home with my wife , so I no longer have to go out working, and I now enjoy the luxury of true freedom, doing what I want and when I want. Fishing usually 3 days per week .

My Latest Catch a 70 cm Barramundi

So we now come to the end of this post, and I hope you now are getting a picture of just some of the beautiful places around The Top End . I will be bringing you lots more as the weeks go by and I am looking forward to giving you some video clips of our magical tropical thunderstorms . Now with the Dry Season Almost Over in The Top End we bid the straggling tourists goodbye and we get ready for the build up.



Allen Sentance
Fisherman