Thinking of octopi, here's one I saw recently at Valla Beach.
Ghostly melody
For my response I drew on other haiku I've written, compiling a collection and jamming on the ukulele until the following lyrics took shape:
Sleep a dark rough sea
shipwreck surrounding mystery
she hides
many things
Ripples reflecting streaming light
a thought surfacing in the night
both shallow and deep
rivers of consciousness while we sleep
Under morning glow
magpies gently chortle song
brightening my day
while the shadows are long
Ghostly melody
follow me into my day
fragment of a dream
won’t you please stay
Cockatoos exclaim
echoing among river red gums
morning has broken
and so am I
On the dry dawn breeze
a chattering in the trees
if birds knew words
I’d hear headlines
Ghostly melody
follow me into my day
fragment of a dream
come what may
Riding as dusk falls
nostalgia induced shopping malls
looking backwards
while moving ahead
Materialise
handwritten words on a page
watching thoughts appear
feeling my age
As days flutter by
they must feel like full lifetimes
to a butterfly
Ghostly melody
follow me into my day
fragment of a dream
leading me astray
Air pollution in the MIA
In many ways asthmatics such as Nicole and Reuben Portolesi are like the proverbial canary in the coal mine when it comes to air quality in the MIA
Airbourne smoke-particle pollution affects the health of all residents, with respiratory issues only the most obvious short-term impacts.
It is selfish of farmers to treat our atmosphere like an open sewer to dispose of their waste.
There is a need to promote alternatives to stubble burning.
Just as wastewater can no longer be flushed down rivers, steps need to be taken to stop large-scale disposal of waste into the atmosphere.
Air quality in the MIA needs to be monitored and an appropriate authority needs to be identified who can take action.
In 2016 an EPA spokesman stated in The Area News that farms did not fall under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act and the responsibility for regulation belonged to councils.
Griffith City Council's Director of Sustainable Development responded that local government "has no specific powers to act in regard to agricultural smoke or burn-off, or act on the subsequent air quality issues... It is unclear why the EPA say otherwise in regards to agricultural burn-off.”
While it is admirable the Rice Growers Association are taking steps to manage the issue, there are broader implications for every resident with the lack of monitoring and oversight of air quality in the MIA.
It is selfish of farmers to treat our atmosphere like an open sewer to dispose of their waste.
There is a need to promote alternatives to stubble burning.
Just as wastewater can no longer be flushed down rivers, steps need to be taken to stop large-scale disposal of waste into the atmosphere.
Air quality in the MIA needs to be monitored and an appropriate authority needs to be identified who can take action.
In 2016 an EPA spokesman stated in The Area News that farms did not fall under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act and the responsibility for regulation belonged to councils.
Griffith City Council's Director of Sustainable Development responded that local government "has no specific powers to act in regard to agricultural smoke or burn-off, or act on the subsequent air quality issues... It is unclear why the EPA say otherwise in regards to agricultural burn-off.”
While it is admirable the Rice Growers Association are taking steps to manage the issue, there are broader implications for every resident with the lack of monitoring and oversight of air quality in the MIA.
Rainbow Lorikeet mural
I've been thinking about it since watching these birds while visiting Valla Beach.
Party in the trees
loud colourful characters
Rainbow Lorikeets
Canoe Tree Park in Finley
Yesterday I stopped to look at the canoe tree in Finley
I'd guess this park was built in the early 1970s before the legislation came in for scarred trees to remain in situ.
The canoe tree must be old as the heartwood has hollowed, which also means one can't get an idea of whether a stone or steel axe was used.
I like the accompanying mural that gives an idea of the processes used by Aborignals to make a canoe from a cutting of River Red Gum bark.
The canoe tree must be old as the heartwood has hollowed, which also means one can't get an idea of whether a stone or steel axe was used.
Collaboration with Dr Phil
Back in 2008 I was lucky to have my camera when a spectacular lightning storm passed off the coast near Valla Beach
The next day I sent a pic to the local Midcoast Observer, who kindly shared this proof after printing it in their newspaper.
Recently when visiting Valla Beach I saw that my partner's uncle, Phillip Roxburgh, has rendered the image by hand.
I also saw more lightning at Valla Beach, both by night and day.
I also saw more lightning at Valla Beach, both by night and day.
Collaboration with Dr Greg
After the Crossing Streams exhibition last year, I asked Dr Greg Pritchard if he'd be interested in collaborating on a Renga
Renga predates haiku as a form of verse and uses a similar format with the addition of two seven-syllable lines forming a response.
For a while I'd been stumped trying to decide which of my haiku to offer to Greg.
In the lead-up to the recent poetry reading in Narrandera, I decided to share one I'd written for that event while camping by the Goulburn River:
Renga predates haiku as a form of verse and uses a similar format with the addition of two seven-syllable lines forming a response.
For a while I'd been stumped trying to decide which of my haiku to offer to Greg.
Ripples reflecting
streaming autumnal light
each moment passing
On the mountain, clouds come in
it is like a ship at sea
Dhal recipe
- Wash a packet of red lentils, then boil for up to 20 mins in a pot with about an equal amount of water or maybe a bit more.
- In a fry pan with oil cook an onion, half a bulb or more of garlic and about a teaspoon each of cumin, garam masala, cayenne pepper and curry powder.
- Add half a pack of mustard seeds, if they pop it's too hot.
- Add a teaspoon of stock powder or dissolve a cube in water or add salt to taste.
- Mix it all together in the pot with the mushy lentils, using a little water to get all the flavour from the frying pan.
- Serve with coriander, if you like, or add vegetables.
Patriarchy demands of males
In The Will to Change (2003), the feminist author bell hooks wrote:
The first act of violence that patriarchy demands of males is not violence toward women. Instead patriarchy demands of all males that they engage in acts of psychic self-mutilation, that they kill off the emotional parts of themselves. If an individual is not successful in emotionally crippling himself, he can count on patriarchal men to enact rituals of power that will assault his self-esteem.
Belgian Chocolate Virtuoso
Belgium make great chocolate, so when I saw these biscuits heavily reduced at the supermarket I bought a couple of packs
I'd never seen these before and worried they'd be like a Tim Tam. However, this fear was unfounded.
The chocolate was buttery and without the gritty sweetness that sometimes coats biscuits. There was a hint of praeline.
Biting into it revealed a slender biscuit that was dry and little spicy in a slightly gingerbread sorta way.
Having now finished both packets within a couple of days, I'm disappointed that I didn't buy more.
Biting into it revealed a slender biscuit that was dry and little spicy in a slightly gingerbread sorta way.
Dreaming about trees
In recent years I've had a few dreams about scarred trees
It's a theme that's surprised me because they are the symbols of this landscape being Wiradjuri country.
The other week, the night before the poetry reading in Narrandera, I had a dream in which a Wiradjuri man I know was showing me tree hollows and explaining how they were used as shelter by Aboriginals.
The conversation was sorta based on one I'd had a week earlier, when I quizzed this bloke about the scarred trees that I see in my travels around the Riverina and their significance.
The bit where the dream got weird was the following day, when I drove into Narrandera Common for a swim and spotted these hollowed River Red Gums.
There they were, trees from my dream the night before.
It's a theme that's surprised me because they are the symbols of this landscape being Wiradjuri country.
The conversation was sorta based on one I'd had a week earlier, when I quizzed this bloke about the scarred trees that I see in my travels around the Riverina and their significance.
There they were, trees from my dream the night before.
Kimchi
Archybald Gnome
Hadn't heard of the Archybald Gnome competition before seeing the Bald Archy exhibition in Wagga recently
Both are spoofs of the Art Gallery of NSW's Archibald Prize, which is a painted portrait competition.
I was taken with this impression of right-wing politican Pauline Hanson by David Alexander.
The artist statement accompanying the work said “the mother of all gnomes can be seen feeding refugee and indigenous gnomes alike,” which a kind take on her Australian nationalism.
Both are spoofs of the Art Gallery of NSW's Archibald Prize, which is a painted portrait competition.
The artist statement accompanying the work said “the mother of all gnomes can be seen feeding refugee and indigenous gnomes alike,” which a kind take on her Australian nationalism.
Finding God
Most of the religious instruction in my life has come from Quakers and I'm grateful for that
My grandparents helped established the Friends' meeting house in Canberra and I'd be taken there by my mother as a child.
The Quakers have an inward looking form of religious service, which seemed more like meditation to a kid obsessed with Japan.
It wasn't until I studied North American history in Year 12 that I appreciated their empowering notion of God residing within us, as well as why it was considered dangerous enough to be expelled from Britain.
In recent years I think I've moved from being an atheist to being a pantheist and opened myself to the idea there's a spiritual element aspect to life.
If the Quakers were represented in my regional community then I might consider attending service again.
I have many fond memories of hearing people moved to share their spiritual experiences each week.
Fortunately I have my partner Jo to share my observations of the divine.
My grandparents helped established the Friends' meeting house in Canberra and I'd be taken there by my mother as a child.
The Quakers have an inward looking form of religious service, which seemed more like meditation to a kid obsessed with Japan.
It wasn't until I studied North American history in Year 12 that I appreciated their empowering notion of God residing within us, as well as why it was considered dangerous enough to be expelled from Britain.
In recent years I think I've moved from being an atheist to being a pantheist and opened myself to the idea there's a spiritual element aspect to life.
If the Quakers were represented in my regional community then I might consider attending service again.
I have many fond memories of hearing people moved to share their spiritual experiences each week.
Underwater love
Aside from launching my kids, one of my favourite activities at the pool is swimming underwater
It's been rewarding for me to see the distance extending that I can travel before surfacing for air.
One of the biggest gains was made when I realised that I didn't need panic.
That's a good lesson in many ways.
Not magic for Leeton Shire ratepayers
Ever heard the expression “the magic of the movies”?
It seems Leeton Shire Council were bewitched by this magic at their February meeting.
A late item at that meeting was a request to contribute toward the cost of producing the film Inside Water.
The Irrigator newspaper first reported on this project in January, so it is surprising it should need to be rushed before Council.
The minutes of Leeton Shire Council record that over three motions their offer of support went from $1,445 to “up to $7,500” before settling on “full sponsorship in the amount of $15,000.”
Minutes show that Councillor Ciccia moved the first motion which lapsed, yet this same councillor requested “that his vote against the [final] resolution be recorded.”
The Irrigator reported that “some councillors were unsure considering the tight budget they are currently operating under” and the final motion only narrowly passed, “five votes in favour and four against.”
Should local government be investing in producing movies when there are established funding bodies for this purpose?
Councillor Kidd was quoted in The Irrigator stating “There are major benefits of staging a filming project like this in Leeton” and stating that it could put the town “‘on the map’ both nationally and internationally.”
The crowdfunding page for the project it states filming will take place at Merribee Homestead, Binya.
Where is this production being filmed and how will it benefit Leeton Shire?
Ratepayers should be questioning both the decision to invest in film production and the handling of this request.
It seems Leeton Shire Council were bewitched by this magic at their February meeting.
A late item at that meeting was a request to contribute toward the cost of producing the film Inside Water.
The Irrigator newspaper first reported on this project in January, so it is surprising it should need to be rushed before Council.
The minutes of Leeton Shire Council record that over three motions their offer of support went from $1,445 to “up to $7,500” before settling on “full sponsorship in the amount of $15,000.”
Minutes show that Councillor Ciccia moved the first motion which lapsed, yet this same councillor requested “that his vote against the [final] resolution be recorded.”
The Irrigator reported that “some councillors were unsure considering the tight budget they are currently operating under” and the final motion only narrowly passed, “five votes in favour and four against.”
Should local government be investing in producing movies when there are established funding bodies for this purpose?
Councillor Kidd was quoted in The Irrigator stating “There are major benefits of staging a filming project like this in Leeton” and stating that it could put the town “‘on the map’ both nationally and internationally.”
The crowdfunding page for the project it states filming will take place at Merribee Homestead, Binya.
Where is this production being filmed and how will it benefit Leeton Shire?
Ratepayers should be questioning both the decision to invest in film production and the handling of this request.
Metaphor in my muesli
This morning I opened a pack of Trumps muesli, which had been gifted to me from a relative who is given them in her retirement home but doesn't eat muesli
I thought I could look beyond the name, which probably has little to do with the contentious figure.
Toasted muesli isn't normally my thing but free food is good food, right?
Then in the first mouthful I bit into a hardened piece of orange-coloured fruit that proved unpalatable.
The metaphor seemed too rich not to share it here.
Toasted muesli isn't normally my thing but free food is good food, right?
Then in the first mouthful I bit into a hardened piece of orange-coloured fruit that proved unpalatable.
The metaphor seemed too rich not to share it here.
Wild Wetlands in Narrandera
It was an event organised by Dr Greg Pritchard to recognise these water-based ecosystems and included projections onto the former Masonic building.
For my reading I grouped together a series of haiku.
My son Oscar asked if he could join, then asked if it should be a haiku or limerick.
I suggested the latter and he came up with:
There once was a river called Murray
whose water was all in a flurry
from place to place
the water did race
I wonder why it’s in such a hurry
Static electricity
I don't think I ever noticed static electricity before moving to the country
It wasn't until I was living in a farmhouse, far away from city lights, that I first saw a flash of blue light generated by synthetic fabric.
In hindsight it seems crazy not to have noticed static electricity being discharged before.
I certainly remember having felt it during primary school, when kids would shuffle their feet on the carpet and give each other a mild shock.
Yet I still remember the surprise of seeing it while living outside Wagga.
It wasn't until I was living in a farmhouse, far away from city lights, that I first saw a flash of blue light generated by synthetic fabric.
I certainly remember having felt it during primary school, when kids would shuffle their feet on the carpet and give each other a mild shock.
Yet I still remember the surprise of seeing it while living outside Wagga.
Resilience
Look at trees in the Riverina and you see history in the landscape
I've posted about scarred trees (click on the "scar tree" tag at the bottom of this post) but here I'd like to look at the trunks ringbarked by Europeans in the late Nineteenth Century.
There are many examples to be found of trees that have overcome this practice.
Looking around a Brucedale property this morning and I spotted a Grey Box and a Yellow Box that had both lived after being ringbarked.
They both sprouted new trunks and both had gone on to grow for over a century and are now forming hollows that will be used as habitat for birds of increasing size and then possibly possums.
Another example was this Blakelyi Red Gum that lost its trunk and formed new ones. It may have been felled more recently, possibly the 1930s.
I really like these trees as symbols of resilience.
I've posted about scarred trees (click on the "scar tree" tag at the bottom of this post) but here I'd like to look at the trunks ringbarked by Europeans in the late Nineteenth Century.
There are many examples to be found of trees that have overcome this practice.
I really like these trees as symbols of resilience.
Pathetic
As a minister and shadow minister with the Australian Labor Party Tony Burke has held a variety of portfolios and shown himself to be capable
So I found it thoroughly depressing to see him pandering for 'likes' on Facebook this week.
It seemed a sad commentary on the state of Australian politics and the lack of a meaningful opposition to the policies being lobbied by business and foreign governments.
It seemed a sad commentary on the state of Australian politics and the lack of a meaningful opposition to the policies being lobbied by business and foreign governments.
What the...?
My jaw dropped when I saw this ad from Hermes in the Australian Financial Review's magazine
Are they presenting a woman as like a dog being lured by a handbag?
C'mon -- it's 2018!
C'mon -- it's 2018!
Farm technology workshop
Ever thought there has to be an easier way to run a farm?
The rapid growth of wireless technology mean there are an increasing number of devices to improve efficiency on your property.
But how best to navigate this brave new world?
Ian Ware will be presenting a workshop in Coleambally on Thursday 8 March that will outline options to develop on-farm networks and enable automation.
His presentation will include a case study based on a Coleambally farming operation, as well as answering your questions about how to access broadband and establish wireless networks.
Ian has embraced new technologies in a number of technological fields including security and internet connectivity.
He will share his knowledge about getting the most out of your internet service in the home, in your vehicles and even in your paddocks.
Ian will provide advice on streamlining tasks using automation so that you can have confidence in remote monitoring.
This will also be an opportunity to troubleshoot, so bring your questions on technology and internet connectivity.
The workshop will run from 9am to around 1pm at the Coly Community Club with morning tea and lunch provided.
The rapid growth of wireless technology mean there are an increasing number of devices to improve efficiency on your property.
But how best to navigate this brave new world?
His presentation will include a case study based on a Coleambally farming operation, as well as answering your questions about how to access broadband and establish wireless networks.
Ian has embraced new technologies in a number of technological fields including security and internet connectivity.
He will share his knowledge about getting the most out of your internet service in the home, in your vehicles and even in your paddocks.
Ian will provide advice on streamlining tasks using automation so that you can have confidence in remote monitoring.
This will also be an opportunity to troubleshoot, so bring your questions on technology and internet connectivity.
The workshop will run from 9am to around 1pm at the Coly Community Club with morning tea and lunch provided.
Polyamory
Recent months have revealed a new emotional terrain in my romantic relationship of the last 16 years
I've written previously about living in an open relationship with my partner Jo.
Jo was the first subject I thought to reflect on in writing about gratitude this month and now I want to share my gratitude for the growth spurned on by sleeping with another woman.
At Burning Seed last year I met a fun and thoughtful woman who interested me and seemed interested in me and one thing led to another.
Physical intimacy led to exchanging letters and it felt like I rediscovered the joys of writing and reading, particularly the pleasure in restraining from opening the envelope until the moment seems right to savour the contents without interruption.
It stirred me in a different way to how my primary partner stirs and we've spent many months trying to reconcile our feelings.
She would grow jealous at times, even times when I would be on Facebook and she'd observe my posture and know I was engaging with this other woman.
We've both agreed it has opened new aspects of ourselves, prompted by differing emotions and the dormant memories of infidelities.
During those months I was interested to read on Facebook the experiences of another friend who'd entered into a relationship with a couple.
She distinguished polyamory from polygamy, seperating the love of many from that of lovers who have entered into an exclusive relationship with each other.
It's led my partner to decide she'd prefer we agreed on sharing ourselves with someone, rather than watch each other find another person.
Now it feels like we're about to turn another corner in our relationship and I'm faced with finding a way to share this development with my onetime lover turned penpal.
I am grateful for the way she has enriched my primary relationship during times when she was seen as a threat to it.
She has opened new insights and prompted conversations that might not have happened otherwise.
It hasn't always been easy but it has been revealing and, like making up after arguing, reinforced our desire to be together.
Jo was the first subject I thought to reflect on in writing about gratitude this month and now I want to share my gratitude for the growth spurned on by sleeping with another woman.
At Burning Seed last year I met a fun and thoughtful woman who interested me and seemed interested in me and one thing led to another.
Physical intimacy led to exchanging letters and it felt like I rediscovered the joys of writing and reading, particularly the pleasure in restraining from opening the envelope until the moment seems right to savour the contents without interruption.
It stirred me in a different way to how my primary partner stirs and we've spent many months trying to reconcile our feelings.
She would grow jealous at times, even times when I would be on Facebook and she'd observe my posture and know I was engaging with this other woman.
We've both agreed it has opened new aspects of ourselves, prompted by differing emotions and the dormant memories of infidelities.
During those months I was interested to read on Facebook the experiences of another friend who'd entered into a relationship with a couple.
She distinguished polyamory from polygamy, seperating the love of many from that of lovers who have entered into an exclusive relationship with each other.
It's led my partner to decide she'd prefer we agreed on sharing ourselves with someone, rather than watch each other find another person.
Now it feels like we're about to turn another corner in our relationship and I'm faced with finding a way to share this development with my onetime lover turned penpal.
I am grateful for the way she has enriched my primary relationship during times when she was seen as a threat to it.
She has opened new insights and prompted conversations that might not have happened otherwise.
It hasn't always been easy but it has been revealing and, like making up after arguing, reinforced our desire to be together.
Happy centenary Bill
My grandfather would've been 100 this week and my family were sharing memories, so I wrote a few of mine
I would’ve been aged five or six when I first met my grandfather Dr William Buscombe.
I don’t recall much, aside from the gift of a Crookes radiometer.
In the mid-1990s while studying at university I began emailing Bill. It might’ve been 1996 and his replies would promptly arrive overnight, discussing largely mundane matters but clearly enjoying connecting and communicating from the other side of the world.
In 1999 at the end of my studies, I visited him in Evanston and appreciated the opportunity to accompany him on his walk from home to Northwestern University and observe him still checking his email.
By that point he was becoming increasingly frail but still following his routine and maintaining correspondence, as well as reviewing the next iteration of the star catalogue that had been a substantial part of his career as an astronomer.
One morning on that visit I asked him about his attitude toward death.
He replied that at age 79 he’d lived beyond the average for a male and that “each day is a gift”.
It was a statement that consoled me and I remember relaying it to my mother when she later learned of his death.
Another highlight of that trip to Evanston was getting a sense of Bill’s relationship with my grandmother Royal.
One morning as Bill and I ate breakfast, Royal entered the room to join us and Bill stood while she sat at the table.
When he resumed sitting and eating I could see that he’d now positioned his body to be slightly turned toward her.
After that I’d notice how attentive Bill was to Royal and it was very sweet to see the subtle displays of his love.
That visit gave me an appreciation of Bill’s good-natured grace.
I don’t recall much, aside from the gift of a Crookes radiometer.
In the mid-1990s while studying at university I began emailing Bill. It might’ve been 1996 and his replies would promptly arrive overnight, discussing largely mundane matters but clearly enjoying connecting and communicating from the other side of the world.
In 1999 at the end of my studies, I visited him in Evanston and appreciated the opportunity to accompany him on his walk from home to Northwestern University and observe him still checking his email.
By that point he was becoming increasingly frail but still following his routine and maintaining correspondence, as well as reviewing the next iteration of the star catalogue that had been a substantial part of his career as an astronomer.
One morning on that visit I asked him about his attitude toward death.
He replied that at age 79 he’d lived beyond the average for a male and that “each day is a gift”.
It was a statement that consoled me and I remember relaying it to my mother when she later learned of his death.
Another highlight of that trip to Evanston was getting a sense of Bill’s relationship with my grandmother Royal.
One morning as Bill and I ate breakfast, Royal entered the room to join us and Bill stood while she sat at the table.
When he resumed sitting and eating I could see that he’d now positioned his body to be slightly turned toward her.
After that I’d notice how attentive Bill was to Royal and it was very sweet to see the subtle displays of his love.
That visit gave me an appreciation of Bill’s good-natured grace.
Kimchi snacks?
Spicy snacks
The other day I was telling my grocer how much I've enjoyed eating the snacks he's imported from India
I've posted on here about the Kurkure Mango Achaari Triangles and Chilli Chatka, which are both hot in a way that discourages most of my kids from asking for some and gives me a nice buzz.
More recently I tried these chilli and lemon flavoured potato chips, which was a combination that hadn't occurred to me but can be found in many stir-fries.
Once again it was tasty and spicy in a way not normally found in the chips sold at Australian supermarkets.
Even though we've adopted many culinary influences in this country, there is a clear segregation at work in the "international' sections of the shops.
Sure, there are some chilli and sour cream flavours available but they are, as the expression goes, weak as piss.
Or so I thought until my last visit.
While buying Pringles for a child's birthday party I spotted this promising Chilli Sambal flavour alongside the "Aussie" varieties of chicken salt and meat pie -- the latter reminds me of gravy, so it could be a Sunday roast.
Pringles Chilli Sambal has a nice amount of spice and a vinegar finish that is a bit similar to the Lays shown above for a heat and acidity combination.
I'm still hoping that the manufacturers of rice snacks will incorporate curry flavours but it's great to see increasing spice and variety in the snack section at the supermarket.
I've posted on here about the Kurkure Mango Achaari Triangles and Chilli Chatka, which are both hot in a way that discourages most of my kids from asking for some and gives me a nice buzz.
Once again it was tasty and spicy in a way not normally found in the chips sold at Australian supermarkets.
Even though we've adopted many culinary influences in this country, there is a clear segregation at work in the "international' sections of the shops.
Sure, there are some chilli and sour cream flavours available but they are, as the expression goes, weak as piss.
Or so I thought until my last visit.
Pringles Chilli Sambal has a nice amount of spice and a vinegar finish that is a bit similar to the Lays shown above for a heat and acidity combination.
I'm still hoping that the manufacturers of rice snacks will incorporate curry flavours but it's great to see increasing spice and variety in the snack section at the supermarket.
Kimchi
Another thing I'm grateful to have in my life is kimchi
I remember being attracted to this pickled cabbage for the spice, ginger and garlic.
Then I started making my own and soon found I wanted to eat it everyday.
One of my favourite lunches to pack for work is kimchi, rice, apple, capsicum and a little oil -- either sesame or olive.
More recently I asked Tania from Glam And Cheese Toasties for her recipe and she kindly directed me to Maangchi's Youtube Channel, which is delightful.
Last week I wasn't sure why there was a puddle of reddish liquid in the bottom of the fridge.
Last night I opened my jar of kimchi made using Maangchi's easy recipe and the contents started to leap out of the container.
Even though I hadn't left the kimchi out overnight to start fermentation, it was bubbling and a little fizzy to taste.
Otherwise it was great though, with the leek and carrot adding a lovely soft flavour and the fish sauce increasing the complexity.
I remember being attracted to this pickled cabbage for the spice, ginger and garlic.
Then I started making my own and soon found I wanted to eat it everyday.
One of my favourite lunches to pack for work is kimchi, rice, apple, capsicum and a little oil -- either sesame or olive.
More recently I asked Tania from Glam And Cheese Toasties for her recipe and she kindly directed me to Maangchi's Youtube Channel, which is delightful.
Last week I wasn't sure why there was a puddle of reddish liquid in the bottom of the fridge.
Last night I opened my jar of kimchi made using Maangchi's easy recipe and the contents started to leap out of the container.
Even though I hadn't left the kimchi out overnight to start fermentation, it was bubbling and a little fizzy to taste.
Otherwise it was great though, with the leek and carrot adding a lovely soft flavour and the fish sauce increasing the complexity.
Tulley's Hill
Just bought this beaut landscape painting by Lee Blacker-Noble, who I profiled here.
Lee's captured many scenes around Leeton, including presenting a history of the town on the walls of the Historic Hydro Hotel's bar.
Music
Thought I would share one of my formative moments and reveal an unlikely influence on my music
Music has always been in my life. Thanks to being born in the late 20th Century, I've been able to access a much wider range of music than those born in earlier centuries, and it's mostly free too via radio and libraries.
We take recorded music for granted, from the range of performances to their origins in far-flung corners of the world.
There's a comparison I see while watching my kids watch a huge variety of videos on Youtube. It prompts me to think how I was limited to a handful of TV stations while growing up.
One of the first musical trends I experienced was the tail-end of the disco phenomenon and I think it has shaped my interest in BPMs that lend themselves to foot-tapping.
My earliest exposure to disco came at the release of The Empire Strikes Back.
That film was incredibly popular, so much so that I was initially unable to see it.
As a result my aunt decided that, when we couldn't get tickets, we'd go see The Village People movie.
Can't Stop The Music told the story of the formation of the band, who are now seen as gay icons.
Their sexuality isn't much of a feature I recall from the film but many of the songs remain memorable, from Steve Guttenberg rollerskating while miming singing the opening song that implores listening to the sound of the city, through to the Hollywood musical treatment of Milkshake.
I can recall there was a lot of singing and dancing that followed watching The Village People movie and I think it shaped my interest in upbeat music. This would include getting into rap and hiphop then metal and then the crossover between those different genres in the late '80s, before electronic dance music took off with rave influences in the '90s.
Music has always been in my life. Thanks to being born in the late 20th Century, I've been able to access a much wider range of music than those born in earlier centuries, and it's mostly free too via radio and libraries.
We take recorded music for granted, from the range of performances to their origins in far-flung corners of the world.
There's a comparison I see while watching my kids watch a huge variety of videos on Youtube. It prompts me to think how I was limited to a handful of TV stations while growing up.
One of the first musical trends I experienced was the tail-end of the disco phenomenon and I think it has shaped my interest in BPMs that lend themselves to foot-tapping.
My earliest exposure to disco came at the release of The Empire Strikes Back.
That film was incredibly popular, so much so that I was initially unable to see it.
As a result my aunt decided that, when we couldn't get tickets, we'd go see The Village People movie.
Can't Stop The Music told the story of the formation of the band, who are now seen as gay icons.
Their sexuality isn't much of a feature I recall from the film but many of the songs remain memorable, from Steve Guttenberg rollerskating while miming singing the opening song that implores listening to the sound of the city, through to the Hollywood musical treatment of Milkshake.
I can recall there was a lot of singing and dancing that followed watching The Village People movie and I think it shaped my interest in upbeat music. This would include getting into rap and hiphop then metal and then the crossover between those different genres in the late '80s, before electronic dance music took off with rave influences in the '90s.
Being present
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, which is why we call it the present
'Present' can be defined in various ways but I think it's going to be more interesting to blur those lines here.
It's a word that complements 'temporal' in how it relates to worldly affairs and time, as present exists both in space and of space.
Recent times have seen an emphasis on the notion of being 'in the present' and maintaining conscious thought directed on currently passing moments.
This temporal thought is challenged continuously in Western culture, particularly when you consider how swamped we are by advertising -- a form of communication that presents idealised futures where lives are enhanced by products.
Notions of busy-ness and other business become by-products of the process of passing through the present in pursuit of a future, withholding presence in the present as a pretense for future release.
I am grateful to be living in the present.
My dreams of having a film-editing suite and a recording studio are both examples of the virtual opportunities that arise from the digital paradigm.
In the shift to a reality that is analogous yet not analog, we've opened new dimensions in our lives.
Much of this idealised present is contradicted by idealising the present, yet recognises the benefits of balancing the temporal present with our temporary presents in fantasising.
The digital future is fantastic, both in the present and incresing presence.
'Present' can be defined in various ways but I think it's going to be more interesting to blur those lines here.
It's a word that complements 'temporal' in how it relates to worldly affairs and time, as present exists both in space and of space.
Recent times have seen an emphasis on the notion of being 'in the present' and maintaining conscious thought directed on currently passing moments.
This temporal thought is challenged continuously in Western culture, particularly when you consider how swamped we are by advertising -- a form of communication that presents idealised futures where lives are enhanced by products.
Notions of busy-ness and other business become by-products of the process of passing through the present in pursuit of a future, withholding presence in the present as a pretense for future release.
I am grateful to be living in the present.
My dreams of having a film-editing suite and a recording studio are both examples of the virtual opportunities that arise from the digital paradigm.
In the shift to a reality that is analogous yet not analog, we've opened new dimensions in our lives.
Much of this idealised present is contradicted by idealising the present, yet recognises the benefits of balancing the temporal present with our temporary presents in fantasising.
The digital future is fantastic, both in the present and incresing presence.
Fabulous February
This month I want to focus my gratitude, so I'll be writing about subjects that I appreciate having in my life
I'm going to start with an obvious point.
My partner Jo is fantastic, a term I use to infer all the way she meets my fantasies of what attributes a person should possess.
We disagree on the memory but when she was courting me I recall her making the case that, as we're born less than two days apart, we really must be soul mates.
More recently she observed a certain emotional resonance when stating that we're hurt in similar ways.
I think it's through sharing deep feelings like cracks in our hearts that she's found ways into mine.
Reflecting on Jo's influence the other day, I imagined one of those temples carved into rock with a series of grand spaces.
These are the spaces I grow in my heart with her assistance.
Growth isn't always an easy process and I appreciate the support and guidance she provides.
I'm going to start with an obvious point.
We disagree on the memory but when she was courting me I recall her making the case that, as we're born less than two days apart, we really must be soul mates.
More recently she observed a certain emotional resonance when stating that we're hurt in similar ways.
I think it's through sharing deep feelings like cracks in our hearts that she's found ways into mine.
Reflecting on Jo's influence the other day, I imagined one of those temples carved into rock with a series of grand spaces.
These are the spaces I grow in my heart with her assistance.
Growth isn't always an easy process and I appreciate the support and guidance she provides.
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