This will hurt me...

How many stamps do you think we'll need to send him to the Punjab?

It is autumn and here are some clouds. May, 2010. So it was my birthday and all I got was two cranky little boys. And some really cool stuff. As I Step Over A Puddle At The End Of Winter , I Think Of An Ancient Chinese Governor, by James Wright And how can I, born in evil days And fresh from failure, ask a kindness of Fate? -- Written A.D. 819 Po Chu-i, balding old politician, What's the use? I think of you, Uneasily entering the gorges of the Yang-Tze, When you were being towed up the rapids Toward some political job or other In the city of Chungshou. You made it, I guess, By dark. But it is 1960, it is almost spring again, And the tall rocks of Minneapolis Build me my own black twilight Of bamboo ropes and waters. Where is Yuan Chen, the friend you loved? Where is the sea, that once solved the whole loneliness Of the Midwest?Where is Minneapolis? I can see nothing But the great terrible oak tree darkening with winter. Did you find the city of isolated men beyond mountains? Or hav...

Art. It takes it out of you...

Parliament lawns in Autumn. May 2010. May 7. 127 days into the year. 238 days to go. 65 years since the Germans surrendered. It's my birthday and with any luck I'll be getting presents.

There is one pastime that is making extreme headway into our present lives - for both Henry and Ezra - that is, of course, puzzles . Here Henry reconstructs Africa for us, mired deep in the Congo Basism trying to sort out the difference between São Tomé and Príncipe and Gabon . Dare I say it, but our Henry already has a firmer grasp on geography than 98% of adult Australians!

Kissing the camels at ZooDoo. April, 2010. Guess what? Theme Thursday , that's what! Today we're talking PINK and I've got a photo of a camel. Because that's how I roll . This camel didn't spit on us, but if it did I would imagine it to be green or yellow , rather than PINK. To the best of my knowledge, famous pop sensation PINK has thus far refused to record a song about camels. What's up with that, edgy songstress? Maybe llamas are more her line of work. This coming Sunday will be Mother's Day, which means we're all lining up for the annual Mother's Day Classic , which will mean that we'll no doubt come away with a bundle of PINK goodies. Maybe we could hire a camel and win the bugger this year! Yeah, PINK, that's it.

"Look dude, I'm just trying to enjoy my Vegemite on rye in peace. Enough with the paparazzo s@%t!"

Walking to walk. April 2010. Above you can see the MV Cartela , a fine little steamer operating out of Sullivans Cove here in Hobart. By all accounts, she is now Australia's oldest continuously licensed passenger vessel. Take that, RMS Titanic!

Despite their tendency to be incredibly loud and annoying; they remain, as always, extremely lovable .

Chinese political propaganda two weeks running? Must be something in the water! I couldn't go past this little number from 1982 featuring Lenin, a cat, and some decidedly non-East Asian children (except for the decidedly dodgy-looking scamp in the chequered overalls and dunce's hat). I think that this group represents the best mix of crafty proletarian children; the cunning genius of Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov himself; and the addition of a feline friend positively brimming with Communist Christmas Pride ! Remember, nothing - not even handguns - says "Christmas" quite like the masses against the classes.

Sunflowers struggle outside Parliament House. February, 2010. Sunflowers always seem such an inappropriate choice out the front of Parliament House. I rather like the pansies or the daffodils myself.

Ez spots a butterfly heading straight for the photographer... ...fortunately he survived.

Late-afternoon in Bellerive is a lovely way to end the day. April, 2010. Three for the price of one today, and the bonus of a panorama! Bellerive , in the original French, means something like 'beautiful river bank' or 'beautiful coastline'. Any readers care to confirm or correct?

Jennifer aides Henry in achieving his best Olga Korbut impression!

Desolation Row Shed #1 Car Park, April 2010. Now, I've never been to America, but I have seen it on TV. Thus, I feel amply qualified to present today's Sunday Top Five: The Top Five American Cities I'd Like To Invite To Dinner : Detroit : an interesting girl who's fallen on hard times. She has her charms, however. Birmingham : a Southern Belle. Better keep her and Detroit apart. Seattle : yeah, a bit hipster but all Apple products must be left at the door! Boise : she'll be bringing the potato salad. Hilo : A exotic lovely who'll no doubt bring a bit of colour.