Mezze Moments
The perfect Sunday outing - first to Scenic Rim Farm Shop for some fresh produce, a lovely lunch and delicious cakes. The jacarandas were absolutely majestic and the bees were buried deep in Elderflower Farm's blooms. https://www.scenicrimfarmshop.com.au/
Dispersed and drifting
Animating Breeze
No one to guide you
Do just as you please
Each little movement
Lost in the sky
Invisible planting
Of seeds, one cant buy
New plants, new cycle
Despair is unknown
Allows your purpose
No judgement here shown
Carefree acceptance
Each seed is thus grown...
I took this photo and as luck would have it literally the next day I was reading this poem written by Nicki Cassimatis from her collection "The Cake Shop and other Morsels". I married them up and with her permission I am reproducing it here, a real favourite verse, capturing the essence of the dandelion. Nicki runs free workshops on "Poetry for Wellbeing and Joy" and the next one is at Albany Creek Library on the 5th of November - no fireworks- just soothing words.
To book go to https://www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/libraries/Events/WAMB/Poetry-For-Wellbeing-And-Joy-AC
Nick's first day as an Aussie was blessed with blue skies and sunshine. Both have been in short order on the eastern seaboard due to La Nina being around for a third straight year - so we headed down to Bondi and began what is probably my favourite walk eva. Bondi to Tamarama headland to see Sculpture by the Sea. Sculpture by the Sea returns to Bondi after an absence of two years. This spectacular coastal walk will host some 100 sculptures by artists from around the world. It is amusing, breathtaking, surprising and such a delight every time.
We started from Bondi towards Icebergs and encountered "Heads It Is" by Paul Caporn.
April Pines "Tidal" needed to be admired from many angles.
I loved Keisho Ushi's Eternity circle and we chatted on the headland as he told me how he had created his work from a base of white Japanese granite which represented the waves of the sea and the circle of life with Spanish granite - the rough and the smooth being interwoven in an eternal cycle of life.
There was Tony Davis's Interstice -a shard honed beautifully from wood.
This water drop heavy with the detritus it gathers in the oceans.
October the 18th found us in Sydney joining Nick at Woollahra Municipal Council overlooking the Bay.
A beautiful building set in some lovely gardens where a diverse group of residents took the Pledge to become Australians. Nick was one of them. The Mayor gave a wonderful speech saying how happy she was to be holding these ceremonies in person again after many years on zoom. She spoke about how each new citizen was bringing their own culture into Australia's diverse and multicultural population and enriching it. Where equality and fairness were paramount - she congratulated them for passing the exam and welcomed all to share the joy with parents, children, babies and relatives. It was Aussie warmth through and through with lots of good humour too.
Here she is saying she hadn't realised the questions were hard !
As Nick said today as we walked on the headland in Bondi in bright sunlight -
Australia you have got us hooked !
It's Jacaranda time here in Brisbane and I miss my tree - so for old times sake here it is.
The absence of one however has pushed me to create another - so from the stone/pip/seed of Russ's avocado I nurtured it in a cup of local artist and ceramicist Tony Rice, until it suddenly shot up and declared its roots to the water. I was so thrilled to see that. Hubby has planted it in a pot and I have officially anointed the three men, Russ, Tony and Charlie to be godfathers to my new avocado tree. Long may it grow and flourish.
When it is stronger it will find its place in the garden, already reserved for it.
The road back to Adelaide was tinged with historical memories and monuments and great canvases of colour. We stopped off in Hawker for their unusual War Memorial. Seating and flowers, as well as Ned Kelly figures and old gun carriages but also plaques to fallen heroes and I stood horrified before this one where I noted that one family had lost seven members. Can you imagine the pain and grief of those remaining?
Wilpena Pound is an extraordinary geological formation, an amphitheatre of mountains - Its name suggests a place of bent fingers, cupped hands and you will soon understand why. The Adnyamanthanha tribe talk about the Pound- Ikara, the meeting place being formed when two dreaming serpents went there and gorged on people along the way and finally fell asleep there forming the scene we have in front of us today. St Mary's Peak and Beatrice Peak representing their heads. We took off from a small airfield. Kangaroos and emu dads with their young grazed in the field next to the runway. We saw forests of Northern Cypress pine, Callitris and witnessed hazy smoke rising from them - it turns out they are the spores being released into the air.
The region is renowned for its geological history, ancient fossils and Aboriginal rock art.
Well that sums it up in one sentence but the impression it leaves is very long lasting.
We entered the Flinders Range- Ikara ( Meeting Place) and drove down the Brachina Gorge. We stopped to see fossils in ancient rocks, shells, molluscs, worms and leaves all visible after so many million years. A little further trying to spot the yellow footed rock wallabies which can only be seen when they are moving, otherwise they blend right into the rock face.They have yellow ears and a long yellow tail. And these rocks, the impressive slabs pushing sideways out of the earth, geological formations and layers going back millions of years were just jaw dropping.
