Why Wait

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

Anne Frank

Photo: "World of Imagination" by gilad

For the Kewl Girls

These artworks ar by Julian Beever - he draws them in chalk on footpaths around the world. Some of them are you to 40' tall (about 12 metres) just so when you look at them at the right angle you get the three-d effect.

There is some info on Julian and good links on wiki.

btw - in the picture with the frog, the baby is real lol

Free to Be Me

The most important thing is to be whatever you are without shame.

Rod Steiger

Art: "Elemental Earth" by alexiuss

It is a Matter of Perspective

It is undeniable that Jackson influenced the birth and development of the music video. Some may say he was an influence to the overall music industry.

But keep things in perspective. This man was not a saint - and I am not talking about his money situation, Bubbles, sleeping in hypabaric chambers, the skin lightening, the allegations of being anti-Semetic or periodic drug problems.

As stated on the ABC, Jackson was "widely suspected of being a paedophile" and at the very least was 'troubled' in this regard. And lets not forget the "baby over the balcony" (as well as other bizarre appearances by his children with their masks and the like).

So remember him for his music if you must but I ask you to also remember this - next time there is a suspected paedophile in your street, or your neighborhood, would you be so forgiving, so excusing as the world appears to be for Jackson.

Remember Jackson but don't forget the children.

Photo: "Headstone" by j-e-t-h-r-o

Choose To Be

Happiness, that grand mistress of ceremonies in the dance of life, impels us through all its mazes and emandering, but leads none of us by the same route.

Charles Caleb Colton

Art:" Wandering Soul" by roadioarts

Miss Kylie Rulez!!

Miss Kylie treated us on Monday with her perfect vanilla and passionfruit slice. This time I remembered to take a photo before I tucked in :-)

If you want a little slice of heaven, then this is definitely it - creamy custard, tart and flavorful icing, flaky biscuits.

And apologies I am posting this on Friday - I kept forgetting to bring the camera home lol

Photo Challenge - Bush

Pick Me

The world's a stage and I want the brightest spot.

David Lee Roth

Photo: "In the spotlight" by ixian

Photo Challenge Updates

Yah, it is that time of the week, Wacky Wednesday, Hump Day or Photo Challenge Theme Day - whichever way you look at it, it's all good :-)

It is so fabulous to have so many people playing at the moment- Mr Linky appears to be available again so I will include it on Friday in my post. For newbies, can you come and just click the Mr Linky button and add your address so that we don't miss out on anyone :-) I will also put the address of regular contributors in a box on the right hand side of the blog (it will be there Friday morning) for even easier access.

So, to the themes .....

The Friday (Friday 26 June): Bush

Friday July 3: Finery

Friday 10 July: Juxtaposition (which will also add to the Kewl's girls dictionary skills)

Happy clicking

The Little Light of Mine ...

You can't have a light without having a dark to stick it in.

Arlo Guthrie

Photo: "sunray1" by chriskaula

God and Gardening

GOD:

Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, thistle and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colours by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

ST. FRANCIS:

It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers "weeds" and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

GOD:

Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colourful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

ST. FRANCIS:

Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

GOD:

The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.

ST. FRANCIS:

Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it - sometimes twice a week.

GOD:

They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?

ST. FRANCIS:

Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

GOD:

They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

ST. FRANCIS:

No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

GOD:

Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?

ST. FRANCIS:

Yes, Sir.

GOD:

These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.

ST. FRANCIS:

You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.

GOD:

What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.

ST. FRANCIS:

You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.

GOD:

No! What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

ST. FRANCIS:

After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.

GOD:

And where do they get this mulch?

ST. FRANCIS:

They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

GOD:

Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?

ST. CATHERINE:

"Dumb and Dumber", Lord. It's a story about....

GOD:

Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.

Courtesy of Janet via email

Photo: "Gardening" by adiastock

Knock, Knock

Perserverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Art: "The Princess Ballerina" by nine9nine9

Guess Where?

Yes they are the sand dunes in Forvie, Scotland (north of Aberdeen). Now I have to be honest and confess I never considered that Scotland would have sand dunes - rocky beaches, maybe limestone cliffs but not sand dunes. The dunes take up some hundreds of acres and are the fourth largest (and least affected by human contact) dune complex in Britain. There is a fabulous array of bird and plant life. There are ruins from when people inhabited the area in the Middle Ages.

And how did I find this out - podding through the night of course - this show was from Clare Balding's "Ramblings" program on BBC's Radio 4. It isn't available for download anymore but I would be happy to send you a copy if you are interested :-)

Photo 1 from Scottish Geology

Photo 2 from geograph

Deep and Wide

You can't do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about its width and depth.

Evan Esar

Art: "Life Wide Open" by Paulette Insall

Political Times

In Australia we are having something of a political scandal (boringly titled "ute-gate") about whether the Prime Minister called for special treatment for a businessman friend of his. The blustering has got to the point that there are now cries for the resignation of the Prime Minister and Treasurer or the Opposition Leader. Ho hum!

In Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi spends more time in prison. In Iran, the demonstrators are still on the streets despite the very real risk to their lives. We haven't heard from Tibet in the headlines lately but I don't that as a sign that all is well. And lets not forget the atrocities that are continuing in Palestine, North Korea and Zimbabwe.

It makes me so mad that we (the Australians who are interested enough to follow this story) are getting so fluffed up by something so ridiculous when there are REAL problems in the world.

And then I think that maybe this is what democracy is all about - the fight against corruption (real or perceived), the ability to try and bring down a government without a revolution, the ability to have ongoing debates about the merits of the Prime Minister's culpability (if any) in the newspapers, the ability for the population to know that any of this is happening in the first place, the ability of myself to write this post.

It has got me thinking ....

Photo: "Democracy" by jaderrrxO

More Kewl

For the Kewl Girls

It doesn't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.

Cowboy Proverb

Very Kewl

I Am Woman

According to an ad on tv, 63% of women don't have fireworks (keeping in mind younger readers) during love-making. Obviously it then goes on to recommend their product.

What I ask is this, if two-thirds of the population give the same answer, doesn't that make them the majority and therefore the norm? Yes there are layers about ability of partners, and our own psychological issues, the ability to ask for what we want etc, but if 66% are not experiencing fireworks, then why should this be medicalized, why should we feel "bad" or that we are doing something "wrong". And this has nothing to do with me, too crippled at the moment to do anything, it is about the ongoing marketing campaigns to make women feel like we are wrong, or deformed, or lesser in some way.

Aaaargh, womanhood and the perception of men (and women's magazines) of what it should be, and how we should be. Let us be!

Photo: "Ambares Fireworks" by kil1k

Sieze the Day

We only have this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand ... and melting like a snowflake. Let us use it before it is too late.

Marie Beyon Ray

Art: "Spelling" by tralalalla

Most commonly misspelt words

As spellings go, it definitely shouldn't be one of the trickier ones to remember. But "definitely" is the most commonly misspelt word in the English language, according to a study released yesterday, with flummoxed people regularly writing it as "definately".

And although some - wrongly - may call it sacreligious and a shocking inditement on our school system, "sacrilegious" and "indict" are not far behind in the list of words we have trouble spelling, The Daily Mail newspaper in the UK reported.

Six out of 10 people polled in the UK said they were embarrassed by their poor spelling skills, yet the research also found 57 per cent judge other people on their spelling, with 42 per cent admitting they believe people who can’t spell are "thick".

Worryingly, although the words failed to make even the Top 20, 9 per cent thought "mortgage" was spelt "morgauge" and 7 per cent often spell "speech" as "speach".

The Top 10 most commonly misspelt words in the study by http://www.onepoll.com/ were:
1 Definitely (Definately);
2 Sacrilegious (Sacreligious);
3 Indict (Indite);
4 Manoeuvre (Maneouvre);
5 Bureaucracy ( Beaurocracy);
6 Broccoli (Brocolli);
7 Phlegm (Phleghm);
8 Prejudice ( Predjudice);
9 Consensus (Conscensus);
10 Unnecessary (Unecessary).

From: Courier Mail

Photo: "Could you ...." by weare1

Photo Challenge - Town

Yabbie Boys

As I have recently found out, the eastern states version of the yabbie is a small freshwater crayfish (just over an inch) that is primarily used for bait. The Western Australian version is a small freshwater crayfish (maybe 4 + inches) that is a much treasured delicacy.

Over here they pump for yabbies with something that looks like a cross between a big bicycle pump and an icing tool.

This is shot from last Sunday when I was in Moonnee admiring the ripples in the creek bed from the receding water. Not sure who the lads are but aside from being fascinated by the yabbie-ing process, I loved the ripple effects their outlines made in the water.

Hmmm :-)

There can be no happiness if the things we belive in are different from the things we do.

Freya Stark

Art: "Second Helping of Love" by Karin Turner

Photoshop-ing

One of the local electronics stores was opening late last night as a "welcome to the neighborhood" for the government department I work for. Everything in the store was going to be on sale. Aside from a generous promotion, it may also have something to do with us having 300 employees and it is the end of the financial year. Anyway, it was still generous and I was trying to support the intention of the offer.

I have only one thing left on my list of things to buy to prepare for my impending Lentil Club life and that was a copy of Photoshop. It may seem silly as an "essential" but I figure that I will need ways to amuse myself and I love taking photos, and this is something new to learn so, why not.

I went to this store straight after work just to check things out and wow (did you get the hint about what store it was) I got a guy with an attitude. He was in his early twenties and, after ambling over to me, slouched over the displays while asking if I needed help. I picked up the two Photoshop products they had and realised that one was for movies, and the other included movie software. Now I am never going to need that so I asked if I could just get the package for photos separately. He responded that you could at it was about $199, as opposed to the $279 of the combined product. I asked when they were getting more in and he said he didn't know. I asked if he could order one in for me. He answered no. I asked if there was someone I could ring during regular business hours to order one in. He responded "No, head office does all of our ordering and just sends the stuff to us. Then we have to just sell the shit."

That ended that conversation.

I whipped down a couple of doors to the stationery store and picked up a copy of what I wanted for $169.

I have told myself that I won't open my new Photoshop until July 1 (my first day out of work... um I mean "my first day in the Lentil Club") but I am pretty hopeless at not opening presents that are already here.

So all in all, I have a new toy and will post bits if I ever produce anything worth sharing lol.

Photo: "Photoshopping" by Calebow

So True

Don't let the bastards get you down.

General Joseph W Stillwell

Photo: "yes" by porsylin

Welcome to the Lentil Club

The Lentil Club was initiated by Miss A who is now on a fixed income. This is based on the joking premise that on a fixed (or should I say "low" income then all you can afford is lentils). Ironically we both like lentils and enjoy them regularly. Anyway, I get to join the club officially at 5.20 pm in 9 days.

Now there are two ways of focusing on life on a fixed income - you can either focus on what you have, or focus on what you are missing out on. We choose to focus on the positives.


I am already on my budget of $50 per week for food. Admittedly I have stumbled a little this fortnight but once I have my freezer delivered, and with a little planning, I think it will all be fine.

I will have my fixed income but I can still earn a little money (based on my physical state - and if that improves/changes then I can go back to work) so I have also invested a little of my store of lentil funds to purchase a copy of Photoshop with the intention that 1) it will provide a good hobby, and (possibly only) 2) I might be able to use my photos or photographic creations with any written work I produce. Yes I am still focusing on possibly doing a freelance submission here and there.

I also have a craft idea or two that might come to something but I am not looking at these as a career, more pin money.

And I have my beloved study.

Co-incidentally I have two other people that are interested in the Lentil Club.

Welcome to a new philosophy on sucking the proverbial marrow out of life!

Photo Challenge Updates

Another week has come and gone (and is it appropriate to add here that I have only 9 days left at work) and it was great to see all of the photos for last weeks challenge. Please don't forget that if you have a friend or blog-buddy that is making positive comments, then they are welcome to join in the fun - after all fun is what it all about.

Anyway, onto our themes ....

This Friday (19 June): Town

Friday 26 June: Bush

Friday 3 July: Finery

Happy clicking folks :-)

PS: Mr Linky is still down so please make sure you leave a comment somewhere so we can all find your shot.

Yeah! Clap Clap Clap ...

When someone does something good, applaud. You will make two people happy!

Samuel Goldwin

Photo: "aaahhh summer" by *meppol

Sunday Clouds

Click for more detail :-)

Just Do It

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.

ee cummings

Photo: "Laughter" by immaRiot3

Can't Wait

Okay I was going to post this when it got here but I am too excited - I have bought a freezer!!!

With my impending change in circumstances (I finish work in 12 days and then I am going to follow my doctors advice and take a couple of years off from formal work to hopefully improve the situation with my back) it seemed like such a good investment to extend my food storage capacity as well as continue to minimise food wastage.

Admittedly I was researching it online and had picked my make and model but was then beginning to think that maybe I should save the cash as a "just in case". That was until I got a catalogue in the mail last Wednesday where they had "my freezer" discounted an extra $50! Sometimes you just get handed a sign.

I am not sure whether they will deliver it this week or next week (depends when it comes into the store) but it is all good.

Dance dance dance

Dive Deep

Dive into the sea of thought, and find there pearls beyond price.

Moses Ibn Ezra

Art: "Pearl's Girl" by $chixOr

Miss Kylie's Favorite Rose

Miss Kylie's Pink Rose

Miss Kylie's Swan River Daisy

Miss Kylie's Yellow Rose

Miss Kylie's Rose

Dear Diary

What a fabulous day!

They were doing emergency work on the local power lines so, knowing I would be without electricity for the day, too off for some fun.

I headed for Coffs where I sat at a beach for a few hours watching the surfers, and the whale on its annual migration northwards. In the winter sun, the changing colors of the water was more prevalent than usual and an added bonus. Although, really, if you see a whale, what more of a bonus could you possibly want without being greedy.

I then went to a local park where I stayed for an hour listening to the local choir of birdlife and watching the interplay of light and shadow from the trees.

My next stop was the Botanic Gardens where I planned to go for a bit of a womble (walking is still out at the moment) but it seemed to be the centre for a local triathalon-type activity - lots of people cycling and running and then heading into the garden. I am not sure my ego was up to wombling around surrounded by a large crowd of ultra fit children to grannies so I headed up to Moonee to check out the Reserve.

The tide was out but there was some great patterns in the river base so that entertained me for some time. (It obviously doesn't take much to amuse me does it.)

Then a great idea hit me - how about going to visit Miss Kylie - okay I was due to go there later but surely she wouldn't mind me lobbing up an hour early? Back into the car and off I went.

Oh what a spot of heaven she lives in. Miss Abbey soon joined us and we were treated to the BEST (and I do mean BEST) vanilla slice with passionfruit icing, as well as choc-caramel slice, served with proper coffee all on the deck overlooking their property. Who needs a cafe when you have Miss K as your friend lol.

There was the usual lots of laughter with "the girls", with Mr Kylie and Junior Kylies also joining in. And there was visit from other Kylie-family. Sigh, how wonderful. A few photos of the garden and then it was time to go home.

What a magnificent day with some of my most favorite people in the world.



Photo: "Dear Diary" by Shalora

Photo Challenge - Domestic

Better late than never lol....