Discoveries with Dougall 36 in a three day lockdown.

A three day lockdown has been imposed following a small outbreak of the Uk Variant of Covid in Brisbane. It seems like an oversize reaction to a small problem until I am reminded of how it all started just a year or so ago. To date  2.8 MILLION people -the lives of mums, dads, grandparents, siblings have all been snuffed out. Let's not underestimate its horrible effect. We wait to hear whether the three day lockdown has acted as an effective circuit breaker and has contained the two clusters completely. So staying at home is key except for the occasional walk and shop. 

Today's Discoveries with Dougall started with Pink Powderpuffs- Calliandra brevipes and went into something texturally different. 

It ends in the Pinks again with this flowering tree which is everywhere at the moment - bright at its blushing edges.This is the Golden Rain Tree - another glorious weed introduced to Australia from Asia.  We wait to see if we can hope to see some of the family over this Easter weekend.  So much seems to be turned on its head at a moment's notice but we have to be patient and accept what the science tells us is right. Planning ahead seems an impossible task in the 21st century but we shall not be deterred. 

Vincent today is your day.

Vincent your ear must be buzzing today - today you are in our thoughts and in our conversations and here is why. Yesterday one of your paintings sold for 30 million euros and for all your ardent fans and emulators the hope and the expectation is that works of art in Vincent's style will one day fetch equally amazing amounts, because let's face it sunflowers are fabulous as we discovered today when we went to the Sunflower Farm in Kalbar, a quaint little town about an hour a way from Brisbane.

Fields and fields of the proud sun worshipping flower. 

We encountered some happy and sad ones and ones which are perfectly attuned to the rays of the sun. 

 

Can you spot the bee loving its time here absolutely laden with Pollen ? 

The quaint little post office in Kalbar 

We brought some home with us and here they are happily sitting on the buffet. 

The most precious item in my Sunflower collection is Nick's painting of Vincent's Sunflowers. 

Here is the painting which sold for 30 million. You will no doubt agree that Nick's rendition of his Sunflowers is truly magnificent and possibly beyond anyone's price range. Offers to his mum just in case. 

 

Greek Independence Day and Excitement in the garden

Today marks 200 years since the start of the Greek Revolution for Independence from Ottoman Rule in 1821. There are many commemorative events going on in Brisbane and all over the world. We owe so much to their efforts to fight for their liberty and their democracy. 

Its significance was marked for me differently but one which I wont easily forget. Our lemon tree is blossoming. A smell I often associate with the Greek World and which I am trying to recreate in our garden. I was there today and I noticed a buzz around the blossoms and when I went in to look closer I saw My Very Own Greek Blue Banded Bee - well alright it is Aussie, but the fact that it was in my garden today of all days is wonderful.  

For those of you who don't know about these bees, blue banded bees are among the most beautiful of Australian Native Bees. They have bands of blue along their body - a bit like the Greek Flag ! 

They are also said to be solitary bees. They build their nests in clay soil or mud brick. Maybe it has taken up residence in my bee hotel in the garden. They are very effective pollinators and perform what is known as Buzz pollination. So you can understand my excitement when I saw this bee - and here she is in action.You can see the sacks of pollen on her legs. Isn't that just the bees knees!

This is the video

Χαρα θεου- Discoveries with Dougall 35

The house was beginning to smell musty, a smell I remember well from Delhi monsoon days when nothing had time to dry. But joy of joys or as the Greeks say God's Joy the sun came out this morning.

I threw open all the windows, fed the birds, paid my bills and headed out with the terrible terrier who was SO delighted to see me.

We kept well away from the stream however with its gushing water still rising and fallen trees.Heading out today had something of a Noah and his Ark about it but the only thing we could team up stepping off the Red Hill Ark were lizards and water dragons. 

Talking of which did you know they love eating bees? Here is the proof. He sits there and snaps them up like tasty snacks when they are flying back. I know I have sat and watched him do it. Who would have guessed!

Today saw us going down a new road. The pluses and minuses of living on this one !

Hope the sun is shining where you are ! 

Weather events in Australia

It is 9 am on Tuesday the 23rd of March 2021 and I am heading out for a walk without Dougall. The state has been inundated with heavy rain for several days. NSW is worse affected with many rivers flooding but I was curious to see how the rain had touched my hood. It did not take long. This really saddened me. A beautiful tree which just toppled over its roots loosened by the force of the water. 

A bit further down the road, in Dougall's favourite stream the little bridge completely submerged. 

This is it in drier days. 

Further down the path the water rising rapidly and mushrooms loving it. 

The paths are completely submerged. 

Even the flowers are pulled down with the weight of the water falling. 

Then there are those that clearly don't mind. 

So, if like thousands of people currently in Australia I would need to think about evacuating what would I take photo albums, jewellery, all those best bottles from the wine fridge, our hundreds and hundreds of book, photos in frames, momentos collected from all around the world or practical things like towels and bedding and beloved pets.What would you take as you fled a house about to be inundated?   

As it should be.

In this age of toxic masculinity as they call it, which has been known to surface in rugby clubs, it was so refreshing to see a young mum this morning walking past the biggest rugby ground here in Brisbane with a toddler on a bike and breastfeeding a babe in her arms as she walked along. It was empowering, liberating and as it should be. 

And have I moaned a little about subdued colours and toned down palettes ? I take it all back. Today's walk / run was a riot of colour and it put an extra spring in my step. 

Park colours viewed differently.

Today's walk zig- zagged through Roma St Parkland all the way back home and since the mood is not about blooms and bright colours I thought it might be interesting to catch some of the contrasting greys silvers and ochres in the park. The plaques of those who volunteer and go beyond the line of duty all lined up in the park, a little beyond the roof of the train station offering up similar line contours. 

Yes there is a street called Zig Zag St in our hood. 

So its dull and humid and very rainy but there is so much to see even so.And I have fun every time. 

Discoveries with Dougall 34 - Mood boards

From one day to the next the weather has changed. The temperature has dropped significantly, the pool cover is back on, our trackies are out of the cupboard and I am searching for my slippers. Rain is forecast all week which is a little unusual but not unwelcome. I can feel the desire for soup and make a quick trachana, with halloumi, a traditional sour wheat soup from Cyprus for lunch.

Today is a free day - I have nothing in the calendar until Queensland Theatre this evening. Perfect day to wash gardening gloves, does anyone else do that? Clean the fridge, empty the freezer and clean the oven. When all this is done it is nearing midday so time to head out with the dog, who is eager and waiting. The colours are subdued today but no less appealing and the greens are vibrant but the blush of autumn's turning just adds in the pinks and lilacs on the mood board against a dark sky.

 

Back at home and an attempt at a cookie recipe from the New York Times. First batch baked quickly and were a little burnt. I knew because I had one. To the second batch I added dark chocolate and baked those too at the same temperature. Had one to taste.The chocolate was divine and melted.  Third batch done at a lower temperature, paler but not as crunchy. So that is three cookies today when normally I would have none and it is a reminder that while lockdown and covid have been good for spending time doing things you might enjoy, there are risks ... as a friend put it you either become a hunk through exercise, a chunk through all the extra biscuits or a drunk ....

So which category do you fall into ? 

Discoveries with Dougall 33 After the storm of the 2nd March

The Met office had issued a severe weather warning and within five minutes the sky had turned a dark grey and the wind was bending the trees. Within minutes the rain lashed down in sheets. Trees and branches were down, power in houses too, roads flooded.An inch fell in minutes. Taking D for a walk today the only thing that was up were mushrooms - lots of them everywhere. 

But my treasure of today and it really is one is this spectacular creature on my hedge - I think this is the Orchard Swallowtail Butterfly. Magnificent. Made my day. 

Bush Poetry

 I went to an event on Sunday to listen to some Bush Poetry. Its not something I am familiar with so had to go and check out what was involved and Shelley Hansen a bush poet herself, puts it beautifully :

http://www.shelleyhansen.com/59/what-is-bush-poetry-

"According to the Australian Bush Poets Association website, "by definition Australian Bush Poetry is metred and rhymed poetry about Australia, Australians and/or the Australian way of life".

Early bush poetry developed from the traditional ballads and sea-shanties that came to this country with the first European settlers. In time, a distinctive Australian voice began to emerge as poets wrote of our natural wonders, our history, and events experienced by themselves and others. Put simply, famous exponents of the genre such as Banjo Paterson and Henry Lawson, along with lesser-known writers, illuminated the world in which they lived. Bush poetry is truly Australia's first homegrown popular culture."

I had the privilege to listen to two on Sunday Noel Stallard and Greg North and not only did I admire their ability to roll off reams and reams of poetry without a hitch but also to note how funny, pertinent, irreverent and Aussie they all were. If you get a chance to listen to them go for it. It makes for wonderful entertainment. Here is one of Gregs poem's which I took from his book "Limericks and Littlies" entitled 

Brolgas - this is a kind of big bird - watch them dancing in the You Tube video below and then read the poem. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Tjy16PTsgQ

Greg North 

Just fabulous stuff. Thank you Robyn Jaques and Paul Perret for introducing me to this typically Aussie Genre of Bush Poetry.