This will hurt me...

Ezra finds a tree. Walk to Cathedral Rock, Mount Wellington. http://sundaystealing.blogspot.com.au/2017/02/the-super-bowl-li-questions.html  01 What is the worst nickname that anyone has ever called you? I never liked “Finger” (McCRACKen). It generally led people in an impure direction. 02 Have you got a favourite flower? I like pansies. And proteas. 03 Do you add a sauce, ketchup or other artificial flavourings to your food? I’m not sure what is meant by “artificial”? If you mean “condiments”, I occasionally use them. Mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce, soy sauce. That kind of thing. 04 Describe yourself using only words that begin with the letter 'T'. Tenacious. Thinking. Tumultuous. 05 What is your lover's pet name for you?  You’d have to ask her. I’m not sure that she says it out loud. 06 What is your least favourite colour? Teal. Or cyan. Or maybe puce. 07 Who did you vote for in the last election, and did they win? I honestly can’t remembe...

Wineglass Bay lookout, Freycinet National Park. January 2014. Finally, a new Q and A! It's the Let Me Give Your Heart A Break Meme ... Do you prefer a lot of ice in your drinks or just a little bit of ice? Just a little, please. Which condiment (ketchup, mustard, etc.) do you use the most of? Mustard. Hot. Does war scare you? It equally troubles and fascinates me. Do you know any songs that are older than you are? Of course I do. What an odd question. The Beatles had been done and dusted for seven years by the time I arrived. Beethoven had been dead for 150 years. Are you comfortable sharing drinks with your friends? Not in the slightest. What season were you born in? Autumn, which is often associated with feelings of melancholy. The seemingly possibilities of summer have faded, and the threat of winter lurks ahead. Skies darken, and people turn inward, both physically and mentally. Have you ever spent over $100.00 on an article of clothing? What was i...

Camp Falls, Tasman National Park, the Tasman Peninsula. October 2013. A Greyhound of a Girl , Roddy Doyle: This is the first of Roddy Dolye’s books that I’ve read that he’s written for younger readers. In many respects it is ‘typical Doyle’, but with a distinctly softer edge in terms of language and overall ambiance. That said, the narrative voice is distinctly Irish and I didn’t find the change undermined my enjoyment of the novel. Given the central themes of death, ageing and regret, the author does a great job of communicating a sense of tenderness and understanding without resorting to condescension or the hackneyed metaphors often seen in this kind of thing. Essentially a tale of love and death across four generations of women in one family, the blurb sums it up nicely: "One of them is dead, one of them is dying, one of them is driving, and one of them is just starting out". I enjoyed it, you might too. Recommended. C+.

Ezra can't jump puddles.

Snow joke!

The thing about water is that... it's just so... wet.

Henrik samler snø. Han vil bruke snøen for fisk. Fisken vil bli frosset. Henrik vil spise fisken. Det vil være en stolt dag.

Ezra re-enacts a Viking beserker raid.

Hartz Mountains National Park was been shaped by glaciers during past ice ages. Here we are walking up through the centre of the park to Lake Osborne, a small glacial lake reached by a walk through wet eucalypt forest, into alpine heath and then onto the lake itself. It was well worth the effort!

Say "Roquefort"!

'The Devil's Backbone'. Lake Osborne, Hartz Mountains National Park. July 2013. Wordless Wednesday. [Still] 'The Devil's Backbone'. Lake Osborne, Hartz Mountains National Park. July 2013.

Everywhere we go, we find cliffs.

Hip hop bush-strutten gangsta stylee.

Snow bunnies.

Prehistoric plant #1. Lake Osborne, Mount Field National Park. July 2013. Theme Thursday PASSIONS have got away from me! My apologies! Prehistoric plant #2. Lake Osborne, Mount Field National Park. July 2013.

Looking forwards... ...Looking back.

Mushrooms, they're great all-rounders! Lake Dobson, Mount Field National Park. April 2013. The Whispering Muse , Sjón: A lovely blend of imagery and allusion that draws heavily on the seafaring myths of various nations. At the end of the book, narrator responds to the assertion that he has changed since returning from the voyage recounted in the book with another question: "What is the point of travelling if not to broaden your mind?" An odd little lyrical beauty, I really liked it very much. B+ . Modern British Posters: Art, Design and Communication , Paul Rennie: essentially a history of the modern British poster from 1915 to 1970. Even moreso, it serves as a decent history of British society, culture, politics and the economy in that period. C+ . St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves , Karen Russell: This collection of short stories is at times creative, imaginative and fun. However, all too frequently, the stories simply end, without resolution. Now ...

Bushwalkers. Lake Dobson, Mount Field National Park. April 2013. Theme Thursday and my DESTINATION is somewhere near the beginning...

Snow gum. Lake Dobson, Mount Field National Park. April 2013. I love snow gums. If I was compiling a top 10 trees, it'd have to rank... He Would Never Use One Word Where None Would Do , Philip Levine If you said “Nice day,” he would look up at the three clouds riding overhead, nod at each, and go back to doing what- ever he was doing or not doing. If you asked for a smoke or a light, he’d hand you whatever he found in his pockets: a jackknife, a hankie – usually unsoiled — a dollar bill, a subway token. Once he gave me half the sandwich he was eating at the little outdoor restaurant on La Guardia Place. I remember a single sparrow was perched on the back of his chair, and when he held out a piece of bread on his open palm, the bird snatched it up and went back to its place without even a thank you, one hard eye staring at my bad eye as though I were next. That was in May of ’97, spring had come late, but the sun warmed both of us for hours while silence...

Raincoats are awfully empowering to four-year-olds.