Biting into it revealed a slender biscuit that was dry and little spicy in a slightly gingerbread sorta way.
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.
Purslane is a tasty weed
Purslane might be my favourite weed, although Mugwort is another ripper
I've been increasingly eating purslane and encouraging it to replace the lawn in my backyard.
The purslane, onion and cheese combination that was remarked on recently is still very popular.
For lunch today I had purslane with potato and brie.
Happy Birthday Eden
Free to Morrow
One of the earliest examples of 'free to Morrow' was nearby around a century ago outside Tango Joe's at the settlement called Bagtown.
A cemetary is all that remains of Bagtown, between Hanwood and Griffith.
'Tango' Joe Burgess sold cordials at a time when alcohol was prohibited in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
However, according to an interview with a former Bagtown resident, Burgess also sold an early McWilliam's wine known as 'Pinky'.
As for the sign, legend has it that one day a bloke asked 'Tango' Joe for a drink and, because the bloke's name was Morrow, free drinks were supplied.
A replica of 'Tango' Joe's store housing actual cordial-making equipment owned by Burgess can be seen at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum.
Wild at art
David Lynch first came to my attention via a profile in The Weekend Australian ahead of the release of Wild At Heart
It spoke of his interest in settings of urban decay, as well as the mix of brutal realism and surreal fairy tale-like moments in his films.
A few months later I was a 16- or 17-year old at the cinema using a borrowed ID to buy a ticket to the R-rated film.
It didn't change my life but I think it did change how I see the world, at least a little.
Wild At Heart remains a favourite film and I like the way it presents romantic love as an antidote to all the evils of the modern wold.
It's a theme that continued in Twin Peaks but became complicated in films Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, where unreliable narrators use romantic love to try and keep a handle on their increasingly unbalanced lives.
I like the way Lynch keeps audiences unsettled and, while there are many aspects to his storytelling that are remarkable, there's something about the way that he reconciles all the varying viewpoints without compromising their individuality.
It's not without judgment but it recognises the richness they add.
It's a richness that I think distinguishes David Lynch's work.
Hung trolley
Some curators say that hanging a piece can change the context in which it is viewed
Found myself admiring this particular shopping trolley more than any other I've known.
Securing an open relationship
I’m noticing a theme in my reflective posts: they often start with the phrase “a friend posted on Facebook…”
It’s a statement that much of our interactions are undertaken in that highly-managed medium.
Obviously much of my reflection happens here and recently I’ve been pondering the increased interest in polygamy.
It’s surprising who likes the posts about open relationships that I share and I’m also surprised who shares posts of their own.
Yesterday a friend commented on how she’d decided an open relationship wasn’t for her while growing up with a view of her unhappy parents’ open relationship.
Now she’s just entered an open relationships and was explaining that polyamory isn’t the same as polygamy.
Her point was that being open to being more than a couple isn’t the same as being open to everything that could be a part of that relationship.
It brought to my mind recent conversations with my partner and how the notion of an open relationship isn’t a notion like open borders.
Our relationship is probably a bit more like I imagine it is in the European Union, where passports are checked prior to crossing boundaries.
Obviously much of my reflection happens here and recently I’ve been pondering the increased interest in polygamy.
It’s surprising who likes the posts about open relationships that I share and I’m also surprised who shares posts of their own.
Yesterday a friend commented on how she’d decided an open relationship wasn’t for her while growing up with a view of her unhappy parents’ open relationship.
Now she’s just entered an open relationships and was explaining that polyamory isn’t the same as polygamy.
Her point was that being open to being more than a couple isn’t the same as being open to everything that could be a part of that relationship.
It brought to my mind recent conversations with my partner and how the notion of an open relationship isn’t a notion like open borders.
Our relationship is probably a bit more like I imagine it is in the European Union, where passports are checked prior to crossing boundaries.
Neve's new canvas
She began drawing a wristwatch on her arm last year and has been branching out onto other limbs with various images and logos.
This one wasn't obvious to me but I later heard her explain that it's a diamond.
"Everyone needs their diamond in the rough," she said.
The way she said it made it sound like the rough was a place, either mental or physical.
So I began imagining it like 'sleeping rough' to mean outdoors.
Like one might paint a diamond on their ankle when camping to avoid mosquito bites.
Anyway, I'm going to encourage Neve to consider a career as a tattooist.
Tracking The Seven Sisters
Last year I had an idea to photograph the stars one morning and noticed a clump of stars to the north.
My partner saw this picture I’d taken and identified them as the Peliedes.
She later directed me to an article that discussed how in various parts of the world these were known for being a group of women (sometimes a mother with daughters) fleeing the Orion group of stars, viewed in places as a man but elsewhere as a bear.
It was fascinating to learn a similar story seemed to be told all around the world about the same cluster of stars. This Nexus article argued the story appeared in Denisovan societies, which places it very early in human migration around the world.
So when the National Museum of Australia started promoting their Songlines exhibition, I was curious to learn how various Australian Aboriginal groups shared similar stories.
The exhibition builds on the stories from the lands of the Anangu, Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra peoples, which cover three deserts in an area of 600,000sq km.
The story of the Seven Sisters fleeing a shape-shifting male character varies in different parts of the continent but there is a unifying theme in recognising the threat men pose for women and girls.
In some versions the male Wati Nyiru tries to ingratiate himself to the women but is unable to control his lustful impulses. For example, in one telling the penis has other ideas and tries to interest the women by pretending to be a carpet python so they will eat him.
Other parts of the story vary in the details of which waterholes the women dug in their travels, or where the water course becomes hidden. In this way the story serves to instruct on how to survive in the outback.
In some places some women are interested in the man pursuing them, elsewhere they are frightened. In some stories they trick him and at least one telling involves them weeing on him. It was interesting to sense how the tone shifted but unclear whether that was a result of particular storytellers or the cultural traditions they recounted.
The exhibition illustrates the story of the seven sisters in a variety of ways, including video of dances and animations, as well as paintings, pottery and woodcarving.
It demonstrates the complex nature of representation in Aboriginal art, which combines symbolic and geographic representation to link nature and culture.
The central role of art in this exhibition makes it feel as though it might be better placed in the National Gallery than the National Museum. I understand the exhibition developed from an Anangu initiative and the result doesn’t attempt to draw too many connections or boundaries in each telling of the seven sisters story, which frustrated me a bit as I didn’t have the time to compare and contrast them while shepherding my kids through in under an hour.
My kids had mixed reactions but when I began to joke about the magical penis, they became more interested. This fantastic phallus is acknowledged in varying tones by the different artists and elders involved and, again, is interesting to sense the different morals and sensitivities involved.
In hindsight I can see that my expectations for the exhibition were somewhat shaped by the cross-cultural comparison in the Nexus article. Songlines is fascinating for the glimpses into various cultural traditions and was a bit surprising in how it uses contemporary art to show these, but it left me hungry to learn more -- which isn't such a bad outcome.
Image above shows Seven Sisters Songline (1994) by Josephine Mick, from the APY region
She later directed me to an article that discussed how in various parts of the world these were known for being a group of women (sometimes a mother with daughters) fleeing the Orion group of stars, viewed in places as a man but elsewhere as a bear.
It was fascinating to learn a similar story seemed to be told all around the world about the same cluster of stars. This Nexus article argued the story appeared in Denisovan societies, which places it very early in human migration around the world.
So when the National Museum of Australia started promoting their Songlines exhibition, I was curious to learn how various Australian Aboriginal groups shared similar stories.
The story of the Seven Sisters fleeing a shape-shifting male character varies in different parts of the continent but there is a unifying theme in recognising the threat men pose for women and girls.
In some versions the male Wati Nyiru tries to ingratiate himself to the women but is unable to control his lustful impulses. For example, in one telling the penis has other ideas and tries to interest the women by pretending to be a carpet python so they will eat him.
Other parts of the story vary in the details of which waterholes the women dug in their travels, or where the water course becomes hidden. In this way the story serves to instruct on how to survive in the outback.
In some places some women are interested in the man pursuing them, elsewhere they are frightened. In some stories they trick him and at least one telling involves them weeing on him. It was interesting to sense how the tone shifted but unclear whether that was a result of particular storytellers or the cultural traditions they recounted.
The exhibition illustrates the story of the seven sisters in a variety of ways, including video of dances and animations, as well as paintings, pottery and woodcarving.
It demonstrates the complex nature of representation in Aboriginal art, which combines symbolic and geographic representation to link nature and culture.
Songlines embody the stories of the ancestors’ creation of country itself. They are a belief system. But they are also akin to maps – stories about the land that, understood, spoken or sung, can be used to navigate on foot or even by vehicle. Given that this continent’s Indigenous populations represent the oldest continuous civilisations on earth, the songlines can even be seen as foundation stories of the cosmos.
The central role of art in this exhibition makes it feel as though it might be better placed in the National Gallery than the National Museum. I understand the exhibition developed from an Anangu initiative and the result doesn’t attempt to draw too many connections or boundaries in each telling of the seven sisters story, which frustrated me a bit as I didn’t have the time to compare and contrast them while shepherding my kids through in under an hour.
My kids had mixed reactions but when I began to joke about the magical penis, they became more interested. This fantastic phallus is acknowledged in varying tones by the different artists and elders involved and, again, is interesting to sense the different morals and sensitivities involved.
In hindsight I can see that my expectations for the exhibition were somewhat shaped by the cross-cultural comparison in the Nexus article. Songlines is fascinating for the glimpses into various cultural traditions and was a bit surprising in how it uses contemporary art to show these, but it left me hungry to learn more -- which isn't such a bad outcome.
Image above shows Seven Sisters Songline (1994) by Josephine Mick, from the APY region
Old landscape
You might've noticed I've returned to keeping a sketchbook diary
It was interesting that when I grabbed an old sketchbook, I was surprised to see recognise a landscape on the pages.
It's an old quarry site opposite Pindari. You can recognise the S-curved track on the hill.
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