I’ve been inspired by Xenia from Tranature to try some poetry. I must say this haiku business (and sound units) is all very confusing, so let’s just call this free verse. Read more
Softly, Softly, Splash
Jewels For The Making
Have you ever stood in front of a jewelry shop and admired all the beautiful gems on display but not given a second thought to the effort, skill, design and creativity that has gone into making such beautiful pieces? I know I have. Read more
Viewpoint
To photograph or not to photograph? The other week a tree fell on a house in my suburb. It did considerable damage. No one was hurt. It would have made an interesting photo, but I don’t take photos of other people’s misfortunes. On the other hand, it is not my intention to completely sanitise my blog to focus on only the positive. Read more
Bright Star
This post is dedicated to my little dog, Ama, who is not well. So far we know that she has copper storage disease but not how bad it is or whether we can mitigate it. I’ve not had much time for blogging lately as we’ve had a lot of medical appointments and I’ve been researching treatments, including low copper diets. It helps to be informed when talking to veterinary specialists. It also gives me something to do while I worry. Read more
Trip The Light Fantastic
This is my response to the Lens-Artists Weekly Photo Challenge – Magical Light. Join me for a photo journey of light across the seasons.
In Australia, our light can be very harsh. Generally, if the light is too harsh for photography, it is too harsh for me. Nevertheless, I understand intuitively that different colours require different light, and that some colours create their own light. Read more
Remembrance Day
I think it is always worth bearing in mind that there may be differing views held by service men and women and their families about Remembrance Day and other days commemorating military victories and defeats. I’ve heard these views expressed myself in articles I’ve read and radio interviews I’ve listened to. Some find it particularly galling that these commemorations are held with all due solemnity and fanfare and yet our elected representatives appear to have learnt nothing from these conflicts. Often there is much censure for daring to question the symbolism of the occasions. Here is a reflection on Remembrance Day by David Cox, whose father fought in WWII.
I barely acknowledge it. I don’t hate it like I hate some stupid societal rituals but I don’t feel what I should about it. So, it comes. It goes. I should put on a better show than just buying a poppy, I suppose, but my father didn’t have much time for it. I learned from him. And he should know.
Seaforth Highlanders. Italy. WWII.
My father was wounded badly in a historic battle at Ortona. Hit by heavy artillery. Lay hanging in a tree in the battle ground for three days. Carried out on the dead cart. Received a 100% disability pension. They not only didn’t think he’d live, they thought that if he did, he’d be a vegetable. And they were right for about 15 years – like the plant in the Little Shop of Horrors, though. After that, he got a bit of life back but even then…
View original post 511 more words
A Little Nip And Tuck
Ladies and Gentlemen, every now and then I wonder what is involved in surgical training and to what extent cadavers are used for this purpose. You can see where this is going, right? Where do these bodies come from and are there sufficient available to ensure that doctors/surgeons are well skilled before they get to try out surgical procedures on a real live person? Or perhaps technological advancements mean that cadavers are no longer used for training? Read more
Purple Swamphen
Today I had the pleasure of reading about the African Swamphen on the De Wets Wild blog. If you haven’t checked out the De Wets Wild blog, you really should. Dries and his family travel to the many wilderness areas of South Africa to bring us beautiful photos of the flora and fauna of each place they visit. Anyway, the African Swamphen (Porphyrio madagascariensis) is a sub-species of the Purple Swamphen. The Purple Swamphen has a wide distribution across the globe, including Australia.
At Dries’ request, I’m posting a few photos I took recently of the Purple Swamphens in my area. Read more
Fry-day
It is warming up in Australia. Today we had a big fry up on the outskirts of Canberra. The Pierces Creek Bushfire is believed to have been started from a burnt-out car. With temperatures in the mid-30s (celcius) and gale force winds, the fire quickly spread and has now burnt out 147 hectares of bush and farmland. The fire is not yet under control. Read more
If Looks Could Kill
I’m not the only one in the family with a tendency to storm off in a huff. When Makea has her cranky pants on, she lets you know. Read more
Reflections of An Untidy Mind 