SEASONS: THE WATTLE IN BLOOM ~~ 2

Over at The Nature of Robertson,

my friend Denis has written about the entrance of Spring.

Last year, I published here my homage to the Wattle -

and my thoughts about the arbitrary nature of the dating of Spring.

Here is a fine instance of a Wattle in bloom in time for a revised Wattle Day,

August 1 if the powers that be want to take notice.

I was smitten by this species of Wattle so .....

an email to Denis asking for identification.

Here's what Denis said ~~~

It is a prostrate form of Cootamundra Wattle.
http://www.malleenativeplants.com.au/acacia-baileyana-prostrate-form-cootamundra-wattle/

This plant has been grown so widely that aberrant forms have appeared (naturally) 

and then (and this is the real point) have been recognised as worthy of cultivation, 

so they have come into commerce.

There is a lovely form which has purple tips.

But in many areas the true form has become a garden escape, 

and ends up being eradicated from nature reserves 

around Canberra as a weedy species.

High Tea at St Stephen's

 Last Sunday afternoon, a gracious friend of mine took me to a High Tea 

at

 St Stephen's Bayswater.

 The afternoon was organised by an NGO called

Australia Aids South Africa.

As the name implies, the organisation works to assist

AIDS victims in South Africa.

 The hall at Stephen's was packed.

There was wonderful music from talented local people.

As well as my friend and her lovely family,

I also enjoyed the presence at our table of

St Stephen's vicar, Father David.

Each table had its own host.

The host (or hostess if you prefer) provided all the beautiful

napery and tableware.

I thought this was a great idea -

since it split so much of the organisation, responsibility and work.

Beverages, it should be noted, were not limited to coffee and tea!

I did enjoy the champers in beautiful fluted glasses -

and the flowers and chocolates, too.

I think the afternoon was a marvellous social success.

I am sure the hard work was rewarded, as well, with financial success.

Thank you, Australia Aids South Africa.

Come to a Forest Picnic. It's the International Year of #Forests

Every year, Voiceless holds law lectures across Australia's capital cities on Animal Law.  Voicless brings to Australia significant legal practitioners from overseas who have impacted greatly on the practice and development of animal law.  Animal law in Australia has a long way to go to provide adequate protection for all animals - in particular, industrial animals. 

Voiceless - with its marvellous commitment of resources to this cause - gives invaluable service in this regard. 

The information in the graphic above is for one event in Melbourne.  To find out about all events across Australia please go here.

Retronaut-ing

I have discovered this most wonderful site.  It is an adventure, a trip down memory lane (although some of the memories are much older than those reading this), a wonderful resource. Come be a Retronaut.

This is your Life. Do what you love, and do it often.

 From here.

#Sustainablity shopping? Shabby #Vintage Junk Extravaganza 3-4 June 2011 #recycling

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This is the second year that the Shabby Vintage Junk Extravaganza has been held. The leadership for this event is provided by the indefatigable Tamara.  Many of the favourites from last year will be there again this year along with some new participants.  

Please let me declare my interest.  My daughter, Herself, was one of last year's participants and will be there again this year. She has masses of stuff to offer.  See one of her collages below.  And there is the most charming old-fashioned rocking horse.  

To find out more about last year's wonderful Extravaganza, please go to one of my other blogs, The Trad Pad.  

Please note: this year there are Early Bird Tickets.  This gets you in for a special one hour of shopping prior to the main opening time.  It is the Early Bird who truly catches the worm, so if you pay for that premium ticket you will get the premium pick.  I do know though that the stall-holders have so much stuff that stalls won't be emptied by 1pm.  

World Poetry Day - Dorothy Porter and Andrea Goldsmith #poets #writers#

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 Picture from here

To-day is UN World Poetry Day.

Let us take time to remember Dorothy Porter - arguably Australia's greatest female (or need we mention gender) poet in recent times.  Go here for a discussion about Porter's love poetry by her partner, Andrea Goldsmith.  

Andrea Goldsmith

Picture from here

  

The Monkey's Mask (A Mask Noir Title) 

 

Love Poems 

  

Reunion 

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY CENTENARY 2011 #iwd

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Wishing women across the globe

PEACE, JUSTICE, AND WELL-BEING

on the occasion of

the centenary of

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2011

 Picture of Emmeline Pankhurst Badge with Suffragette colours from here.

World Book Day : John le Carre : the Bodleian Libraries : Dr Zhivago #worldbookday #bodleian #lecarre

To-day is World Book Day.  Find out all about it here.  

What is fascinating this year - if you are a John le Carre fan and a fan of his most famous character, George Smiley - is that he has presented his literary archive to the Bodleian Libraries at Oxford in England. The intention is that the Bodleian will become the permanent home of the archive.

You can see images of some of the manuscript for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy here.

You can see images of some of the manuscript for The Russia House here.

I recall the movie of The Russia House quite fondly.  You see, I have been in love with Boris Pasternak since I read Dr Zhivago at the age of seventeen.  I have always kept a copy of the book on my shelves – and, in fact, have two at the moment.  You see, I don’t want to be without Dr Zhivago’s poems which are at the back of the novel.

I am not much of a traveller in foreign climes and have never visited Russia.  I always promised myself, that if ever I did visit Russia, I would visit Pasternak’s grave at Peredelkino.  In The Russia House is a scene in which Sean Connery’s character, Barley Blair, spends a Sunday at a lunch with the literary lights of Moscow at Peredelkino.  After lunch, he visits Pasternak’s grave.

So, in a sense, courtesy of John le Carre and Australian director Fred Schepisi (whose family used to own a pub at the old gold mining town of Ravenswood near Charters Towers in North Queensland), I feel like I have been to the grave.  I have paid my homage.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The Collected George Smiley Radio Dramas: 

Eight BBC Full-Cast Productions Starring Simon Russell Beale (BBC Radio 4 Dramatisations)

3 Titles By John Le Carre: 

"The Russia House," "A Perfect Spy," "The Honourable School Boy"

Doctor Zhivago

The Poems of Doctor Zhivago