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Bluey The Fly

I was astonished, ladies and gentlemen, to learn of the investigation by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) into the origin of the idiom — to run around like a blue-arsed fly; an idiom that means to be very busy.  In particular, I was surprised by the OED’s initial proposition that the origin of the phrase could be traced to a 1970 quote by HRH Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.  As many older Aussies can tell you, the phrase has been around at least as far back as the 1950s and probably longer.  I was also surprised to learn that the phrase may actually have its genesis in another country – America.  I’ll be blowed!  (Word nerds can read about it here and here.) Read more

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You

Can a grey day fill the senses, ladies and gentlemen?  I used to think not.  However, on this particular grey day, after completing some chores, I stopped off at my new favourite bird watching spot.  I encountered another photographer there — a very nice man.  He had all the gear, but was lamenting the light.  The birds though, were making the most of it. Read more

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Just A Kind Of Magic

I think I have encountered it, ladies and gentlemen.  My spirit animal.  And what type of animal is it?  Is it a dingo, a blue whale, a rare bird or a raw prawn?  Well no.  It is a duck.  A very common native duck. Read more

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The Shape Of Things

Who would have believed that the subject of what constitutes a silhouette would have caused such debate in our household?  Views differed greatly, but hopefully I’ve selected a few photos that fit the Silhouettes topic for this week’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge. Read more

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What’s Your Beef?

Would it surprise you to learn, ladies and gentlemen, that Australia has the highest rate of deforestation in the developed world and that, although direct comparisons cannot be made. rates of land-clearing are on a par with Brazil?  Land-clearing is accelerating the growth in Australia’s carbon emissions. Read more

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Birds Of A Feather

Dear Readers, I think I might be a little hooked on this bird photography caper.  As my True Love took some annual leave in early August, we’ve had plenty of opportunities to take some short excursions around our local environs to check out the birds and other creatures. Read more

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Get Off The Grass

Welcome to Canberra, ladies and gentlemen — the national capital of Australia, where the federal parliament convenes when it feels like it and policy is made on the hop in the rabbit warrens corridors of power.  It is also home to many rabbits. Read more