This will hurt me...

Alien landing? Elizabeth Street Pier, Hobart waterfront. June 2013. Sunday Stealing: The "What's Your Story" Meme 1. What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten in public? Probably a witchetty grub . 2. If you had to go on an adventure, with elves, dwarves, or hobbits, who would you take and why? A rogue band of brigand trolls. 3. You are at a rural retreat lodge somewhere deep in Wisconsin or Canada. You are approached by a taxidermist who hands you a stuffed badger and asks you to put it in your lap. What do you do next? Say, "Yeah, cheers for that." 4. If you were given biscotti, would you prefer it with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? Awkwardly apologise for not eating it because of an allergy to almonds. 5. In your opinion, who is the funniest man or woman alive today At the moment? I like Louis C.K. and Stewart Lee. 6. If you were given thirty seconds on television to say something, what would it be? "Stop wasti...

Ezra at dusk.

Bug. Douglas-Apsley National Park, Tasmania's East Coast. January 2013. Another day, another bushfire(s). Why oh why are we forced to choose between pleasant swimming weather (plus bushfires) and miserable wet days (minus bushfires). I mean, really, it is so uncivilised ... The Skirt , Guillaume Apollinaire Hallo Germaine that's a fine skirt you have A fine skirt for a queen A cruel queen Let's feel the silk of it Silk from Japan And trimmed with wide lace made on no machine Your skirt's a silken bell whose double clapper Your legs have struck the passing of my fancies O Germaine now I ring it my breast heaving My hands press down upon your willing haunches Your bedroom O my bell is a fine belfry My hands touch silk and seem to tear my ears Those pegs are gallows on which skirts are hanging Those hanging men are dazzling my eyes Motionless as an owl the oil lamp watches

I do love the late afternoon light that occurs at the tail end of the daylight savings period. At the very least, I prefer it to the darkness that descends at 4 pm these days.

Watery Wednesday and I have opted for an afternoon delight ! Because, you know, my motto has always been ‘when it is right, it is right’. Why wait until the middle of a cold, dark night when everything is a little clearer in the light of day? And you know that the night is always going to be there any way. Yes, most of my day-to-day decisions are delegated to the Starland Vocal Band.

Someone must have had some time on their hands. Opossum Bay Beach. January 2011. Christ almighty, we’re ankle deep into February already. In barely eighteen [ 18!!! ] more days, my oldest – and loudest – beautiful boy will begin his journey through the Tasmanian educational system. Yes, the time for Kindergarten has arrived! While I am certain that Henry will enjoy, and indeed flourish in the new environment, I do fear for the welfare of his teacher. He’s a bright boy, but headstrong. Firm of opinion (and even firmer of resolve), I suspect that he will attempt a classroom putsch ! Be warned. Whatever happens, he’ll be sure to have an easier time of it than I did, Why, my school was so rough we had our own coroner! Which leads me to today’s Sunday Top Five; [In Chronological Order] My Top Five Educational Institutions That I Have Attended ! Upper Burnie Primary School Parklands High School Hellyer College The University Of Tasmania The School of Hard Knocks When I look at that list of...

The morning sun warms DHHS HQ on the corner of Davey and Murray, May 2010. In a few week's time, DHHS will be in receipt of a far brighter ray of sunshine, if you catch my drift... It's time for this week's Sunday Top Five, The Top Five Most Played Tracks On My PC Since August 2005 (According To My Last FM Profile ) The Spencer Davis Group: Gimme Some Lovin' Plastic Bertrand: Ca Plane Pour Moi Marah: Eventually Rock The Ronnettes: Be My Baby Pavement: Zurich is Stained

I'm experimenting a little with the post production here. I'm giving Hank here a bit of a silver/bronze tint that I think for some reason sharpens up the image somewhat. What do you reckon? These were taken at Seven Mile Beach, one of our regulars.

There's nothing cranky Hanky loves more than a quick game of hide and seek. Here he is behind Kate Moss's favourite hidey hole!

Hurrah ! Theme Thursday is upon us again, and my tendency to pick the image and the title before looking at the theme has again seen me located precariously between a rock and a hard place . Despite what you are all thinking, and notwithstanding the firm, proud-looking member above, the theme today has nothing to do with the sexy world of horticulture. Not one jot. No, today were are talking COLLECTION, and when I think COLLECTION I think “ phallus ”! Huh?!? Phallus . Well, more precisely, the cruel notion of phallocentrism , or – if you like – the COLLECTION of phalluses that poke and prod their filthy way into every facet of human society! It’s no point blaming Derrida people. Yes , he was a filthy-minded Frenchman with a predilection for intellectual masturbation [there’s that phallus again], but bear with me here... Phallocentrism is the notion that the operative principle of culture is male-dominated . MEN! Just as the phallus is implicitly – and more often explicitly –...