They Have Hearts Too

pour happy thoughts into your breakfast bowl that summer mayn't dry out hope leaving it on footpaths adrift amongst the stepping stone madness of commuter feet try looking for a moment through the spectrum of flowers petal art by vein they have hearts too open to the sun begging for bees and if they wilt … Continue reading They Have Hearts Too

the goose and the magpie nest

bare little tree - small bird's nest revealed (we imagine a goose one webbed foot curved to twiggy bowl, the other flaps about rowing the air honk! honk! her arm through mine enjoying a giggle). geese 'V' on high but we can't fly. we gallop the drawn lines our dog and our masks. blue sky … Continue reading the goose and the magpie nest

August – Haibun Monday

August follows from a grey and fearful July – the closed hatch of cities in lock-down. Concrete and buildings hunkered under shifty, flannelette skies. The grime of recycled messages from haggard, mesh-faced leaders. Closed front doors, a stultifying blank. Resentment breeds as fast as the virus itself. Different areas, different rules. Anger like pavement cracks … Continue reading August – Haibun Monday

Politics, Heroes and Victims

So this is what I wrote 12 months ago on July 9th. A lot has changed and nothing has changed. In Australia, it is Sydney, not Melbourne in Lockdown and facing a new, more contagious form of the virus. I know a lot more people in Sydney than I do in Melbourne and I hear more of the strains of the Lockdown. It’s not easy. But, having been a bit self congratulatory early on, I think Berejiklian has knuckled down and accepted that this is going to be harder than she thought.

Biden is now president in the US and I gather that, in terms of COVID, things are improving.

But personally, last year seems like a doddle compared to 2021. Everything is relative.

Reposted for Fandango’s Flashback Friday

Out of the Cave

As Victoria rushes to stem the tide of COVID, other Australian states look on, both sympathetic and protective of their own safety. Borders are closing. The Queenslanders (with the whole of New South Wales between them and Victoria) even suspect Victorians of smuggling themselves across the border on freight trucks. Maybe it’s true but it seems unbelievable to me.

This year is unbelievable.

World politics is unbelievable.

In the US, the numbers are terrifying. Over 1600 deaths in the last two days and 61,848 new cases just yesterday. P showed me the graphs.

He made the remark that during two days in April, more people died of COVID19 than died in the September 11 attacks in 2001.

And yet Trump still glosses over it and congratulates himself on saving thousands of lives.

Will the dead be remembered every year in memorials all over the country? Will the doctors who tried…

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Politics, Heroes and Victims

As Victoria rushes to stem the tide of COVID, other Australian states look on, both sympathetic and protective of their own safety.  Borders are closing.  The Queenslanders (with the whole of New South Wales between them and Victoria)  even suspect Victorians of smuggling themselves across the border on freight trucks.  Maybe it's true but it … Continue reading Politics, Heroes and Victims

A little dabble with Winnie

I am fascinated by the dispute between Australia and China.  China doesn't want the origins of COVID19 investigated by foreign nations.  They are flexing their (not insignificant) economic muscles and threatening tariffs on some Australian goods.  Australia doesn't need extra threats to its economy right now.  But even I, who tries very hard not to … Continue reading A little dabble with Winnie

Mother’s Day

Last night, I sent a British friend a message wishing her Happy Mother's Day, just in case they celebrate Mother's Day the same day we do (they don't).  Anyway, she sent me an article about Anna Jarvis... the woman who created Mother's Day.  It was an interesting read.  None of Anna's descendants celebrate Mother's Day … Continue reading Mother’s Day

A pleasantly successful day…

Quite a successful first day of school at home for term 2.   It's amazing the necessary collusion of child/parent/teacher/technology and with any of those four bits missing, nothing really happens at all. The Queensland minister for Education (whose name, it turns out, is Grace Grace) was reported to have said last week that parents should … Continue reading A pleasantly successful day…