Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Faces on Fernleigh

Welcome,
Continuing with the 'fifty strangers' idea....

This morning the weather was glorious in this part of the Northern Rivers region, so a fast drive along a winding country road seemed to be the best way to spend part of the day.

As such I found myself in the locale of Fernleigh. As usual there was a camera and a couple of lenses with me.

The music was loud and I was enjoying the drive.  Actually I was contemplating stopping and photographing the road with its overhanging trees. At places it was like driving through a tunnel.

That idea was put on hold when I saw a vehicle and trailer parked adjacent to a field.  The thing that caught my eye was the the word "Farrier" painted across the back. Two men and a horse were at the fence.

I stopped and introduced myself.  One was a retired farrier who had likewise stopped to have a chat. He soon left on his motorbike. The other gent was Tim who was just about to finish his work and head off to another job.

Graciously he gave me a couple of minutes so that I could make a quick portrait.




I acknowleded his kindness in sparing a few minutes then continued down the road.

Not far along I saw a man mowing a field on his tractor.

I stopped again and he drove close to the fence, stopped and came over to say hi.

Neil was mowing the field for his eighty four year old mother.  She and his father used to grow macadamia nuts, but since the old man died, she doesn't grow crops anymore - just stays in the old place they shared for decades.
Neil himself lives in Mackay over a thousand kilometres to the north. He reckoned it was cold here today - I guess it's all relative.
Anyway, he comes down regularly and helps care for the place, although he says his mother still drives the old tractor.




I'm glad I met both these gents and heard a little of their stories. It makes this kind of work all the more interesting.  The image of the road with the overhanging trees will have to wait until another time. Then again, if there are more interesting people doing what they do......


Stay safe


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