This will hurt me...

QUICKLY ! Get that pot of gold boys… Geilston Bay, January 2011. Rainbows: optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere; or something infinitely more sinister? In Greek mythology, the rainbow was considered to be a path made by a messenger (Iris) between Earth and Heaven. In Chinese mythology, the rainbow was a slit in the sky sealed by goddess Nüwa using stones of five different colours. In the Epic of Gilgamesh: the rainbow is the "jewelled necklace of the Great Mother Ishtar" that she lifts into the sky as a promise that she "will never forget these days of the great flood" that destroyed her children. In Norse Mythology, a rainbow called the Bifröst Bridge connects the realms of Ásgard and Midgard, the homes of the gods and humans. In Hindu mythology, the rainbow is called Indradhanush, meaning "the bow of Indra, the god of lightning, t...

Looking west atop Mount Wellington. May 2010. The combination of cloud, altitude, intense cold and lingering snow made me think that I could see an albino rainbow when we'd ventured up the mighty rock. Am I mad or does thou see it too? Morning Glories , by Mary Oliver Blue and dark-blue rose and deepest rose white and pink they are everywhere in the diligent cornfield rising and swaying in their reliable finery in the little fling of their bodies their gear and tackle all caught up in the cornstalks. The reaper's story is the story of endless work of work careful and heavy but the reaper cannot separate them out there they are in the story of his life bright random useless year after year taken with the serious tons weeds without value humorous beautiful weeds.

I was greeted with a far lovelier scene out on the fire escape this morning. No doubt, you will recall the snow photographed yesterday. Well, it is still there! Only this time, it had a friendly rainbow there to keep it company. I want to share with you all part of my day. I just went to a launch of a campaign designed by, and aimed at, 'young people'. It was an open thing, hip and happening. There were TV cameras there, lots of money thrown at glossy brochures, stickers, stick-on tattoos, a new-fangled website, carry bags, magnets, the lot. The central component is a website projected as a 'multimedia portal for young people by young people' and by and large, they have done a reasonable job in their task, I wouldn't want to suggest otherwise. The thing that I have to note though is the audience. As I said, it was an open launch that was promoted widely. There were tables full of grub and drink for people to pick over. So who was there? Conservatively, I would wa...