Exploding watermelons.

Food for thought:

It’s easy to forget
the weather that caused havoc for farmers across our land; cyclone Yasi, the droughts and floods

Customers concerned with the price of fruit and nit picking about imperfections.

 If we think at all, imagine everything is back to normal for those affected.

ignore the distance our food has travelled

Oranges from California. Durian from Thailand

News of exploding watermelons in China.

Picture from here

If you’re struggling and poor, how tempting to hurry nature along!

Tampering backfires. Crops ruined.

Are our farmers here supported adequately
To enable them to be patient and let crops grow healthily?

***

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more. No less.

Photo captures from ABC news.

An infestation of cockatoos

My fitful sleep was in tatters, shredded by the most unholy cacophony, fit to wake the dead. Almost impossible to describe but something akin to a mechanical contraption desperately in need of oil, with metal parts rasping cruelly against each other. Shrill, discordant, unpleasant, intrusive.

Startled fully awake, I lay trying to comprehend, to make sense of this weird, unfamiliar HORRIBLE noise. 

Not coming from a close-by road, but overhead. Perplexed and fully attentive now, I was aware of it travelling from farmland some distance off. Louder and louder. Dreadful ... what on earth? Birds? There must be hundreds, but what are they? Not anything usual for these parts. Eventually they passed overhead and wheeled off into the distance - come morning I forgot their very existence.

Until

North side of the house

Snowy white feathers, cute as a button close up, entertaining, amusing, inquisitive, swinging from strands of bark and twiglets barely able to hold their weight...

but not so delightful in these numbers

West side of the house

quarrelsome

noisy

voracious feeders

(in what is left of the lopped tree)

South side of the house

ravenous

East side of the house

Many farmers and graziers despise cockatoos due to their extremely destructive nature. Even in suburbia they've been known to strip timber from houses, shred insulation boxes and create havoc.

So when they were frightened off by a passing truck I was rather pleased

Debris from their visit

I wonder if their appearance in such large numbers has anything to do with the locust plague earlier in the year followed by the floods? Perhaps they've found their way south foraging for food? It's easy to forget that the repercussions from natural disasters affect birds and animals too and this could be just one of many events playing out across the country.

Ah ha! Technically speaking this is a Little Corella or Cacatua sanguinea (I wonder if that's from sanguine, meaning cheerful or hopeful or for the ruddy complexion?)


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Do as I say, don't...

do as I do...

I know it’s not fashionable but I love my laptop and I also like watching Eurovision. Whilst my laptop is sleek, and has elegant lines that are soothing to the eye and touch, Eurovision on the other hand can be brash, loud and fun. Chalk and cheese in fact.

pic from here

On Saturday night they were due to meet and be companionable, with me as the lynchpin. Laptop, meet Eurovision; Eurovision, meet laptop.

The Plan (cue here dramatic music) was for some friends and I to watch Eurovision while chatting on Facebook about the songs, clothing, hairstyles and all the glitz and glamour that makes up the annual feast of wacky, weird and wonderful entertainment. My lovely laptop was vital for this to work smoothly.

My appetite for an entertaining evening was well and truly whetted. I’d watched the excellent SBS documentary ‘Secret History of Eurovision’ which tracked Eurovision through many social and political events with wonderful archival footage tracing its rich and fascinating history.

I’d been educated, now to have fun!

So, from the comfort of our respective loungerooms we were about to share the awesomeness (cough, cough) that is Eurovision. Whilst others around Australia were indulging in themed parties and drinking games we were to have a Claytons party.*

The brilliant Julia Zemiro and Sam Pang had been in fine form the previous two nights. The patter was prepared, along with interviews and general dagging around from their broadcasting shoebox in Dusseldorf, so I was confident we were in for a great evening. (For the record, I was disappointed that Belgium and Norway didn't make it to the finals.)

Now, we all know Blogger had a hissy fit last week, so I’d assumed the general malaise surrounding my reliable laptop was some odd residue from that and somehow mysteriously related.

My luscious laptop and I have travelled happily together through thick and thin for years. Part security guards, through airport x-rays, ever reliable and helpful, ready to do my beckoning at the tap of a key or swish of finger. I’d slip her into a little black leather satchel for safe-keeping, and sashay off to whatever destination was necessary.

”I might just check to see if there are any system updates before settling down” thinks I.

Then nothing. Nil, zilch, zip, zero response. "Oh crap".

I used to say I’m not a gambler, and I’m well known for insisting that students BACK EVERYTHING UP. Maybe I'll have to revisit that assessment of my gambling status?

Confession: "Do as I say, don’t do as I do…" oh crap.

ALL my files, ALL my photos…oh crap. Big time stuff up. And what about the Eurovision Party? I felt like I was all dressed up with nowhere to go. It wouldn’t be the same without sharing and giggling and oohing and aaahing with my FB mates.

Many, many stomach churning hours later, fingernails nibbled, results broadcast – Europe voted for Azerbaijan (safe and bland we thought) and Australia voted for Ireland (lively and fun) – Wonder Son (my techno savvy son) walked me through the process of nurturing lovely laptop back to health. But not before some gut wrenching moments of thinking she’d have to go to a Wizard, and even they may not be able to retrieve any data.

The parting comment: “You were really lucky. You’ve dodged the bullet this time, you might not be so lucky next time. BACK IT UP MUM!”

I have. It is done, and I plan (more coughing) to stick to a backing up schedule in the future. It really wasn’t a fun experience.

Surely I'm not alone? What have you done, or not done with your techie toys equipment?

* the Party you have when you’re not having a party

The end of a Fairy Penguin

I was going to write about something fun and random, but keep thinking about the gorgeous Fairy Penguin that was entertaining the crowds at Easter.

I read in a local paper yesterday that he was killed by some youths. Now I know why he'd disappeared after I wrote the P - Penguin drabble here.

A tiny part of me wants to be understanding and is saying things like "the youths probably have tough lives and are marginalised and unhappy", "they're angry with the world and taking it out on a defenseless creature".

The bigger part of me wants to be unkind and is entertaining mean and extremely uncharitable thoughts towards them. After all Fairy Penguins are a protected animal, and this one was a delight. Hundreds and hundreds of mums and dads, grandmas and grandpas, different ethnic groups and children of all ages had enjoyed his swooping and darting antics. He wasn't hurting anybody, he wasn't a threat, (I guess that was why he was targeted, he couldn't fight back.)

This event brought back the sorrow I felt a couple of years ago when there had been a large sting ray at the same pier. It was there for months, and it was possible to hand feed it if you were game, and there at the right time. Those who fed it knew to keep clear of the barbed tail. It was wonderful to be able to see it up close in its natural habitat, gliding effortlessly through the water and watch the wing-tips glide past boat hulls, flexing ever so gently to avoid making contact.

Then it wasn't there any more. It'd been hacked to pieces by some teenagers.

I'm feeling disgruntled and ill at ease. Locally this has happened, statewide things aren't so great, nation wide ditto, worldwide - not so good either.

For me, little glimpses into the natural world provide a haven from the violence humans choose to do to other humans. It's a form of escapism and helps me find a balance from all the crap out there.

I know the animal kingdom leads to untimely death, is full of the need to eat or trying to escape from being eaten. I think the difference is that it's not killing for pleasure, it's not done because the killer is miffed with something out of kilter in their own life, or for jealousy, or revenge or lust for scarce resources.

So much for these posts being light and whimsical ... perhaps it's time to get to work on my other blog and focus on the healing process after having been bullied!

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If birds could swear - a random post

There was a tree in our back yard. It had grown from a twiggy shoot when we moved here quite a few  years ago, to this majestic stunner with an enormous canopy.

The Rainbow Lorikeets love it, and perch way,way up and plot their next foray into the apple tree to take a single peck at the juiciest apples. (Another post about our trees and Rainbow Lorikeets here)

Unfortunately the tree had one massive limb leaning over, caressing the house. It was splitting. Winter is coming, and there'll be raging storms. The thought of having the limb or whole tree get up close and personal is unsettling.

We called an arborist who confirmed that the tree would need to be lopped.

The trees were in bud, small, insignificant cream flowers way up in the canopy

The birds are extremely unhappy, I think they're plotting revenge. All afternoon, the lorikeets were cursing constantly, abusing shrilly and wildly, watching us mulching, telling their cronies that we're bad people. I didn't need to understand 'bird' to get the gist of the meaning!

The possums have lost their highway to the roof of the house *thumbs nose at possums - no more galumphing across the roof at night.

Sometimes being pragmatic is the safe option, trees are important, but so is our home.

The biggest logs are nearly 40 cm in diameter.

The strong  smell of eucalyptus oil is almost overwhelming, I can fully relate to koalas getting dozy with it. Last night, standing outside watching the first stars appear, the smell of eucalyptus was heady.  Indoors, the fire was crackling cheerfully with some of the dryer branches. A glass of home brew - Super stout - in hand; in all, a satisfying day. I'm kind of glad The Challenge is over, so I can enjoy a slower pace and find a new direction.

Blogging schedule - as a theoretical concept

So, here I am a week on from my last post. Still a bit gloopy in the brain department, but coming together again.

In my wanderings through the reflections posts it appears a lot of bloggers like to keep to a schedule and let their readers know what the schedule will be. (Really? Are people that structured and organised? I'm still in a state of wonder that I'm here with two blogs having just celebrated by first blogiversary!)

Prior to the A-Z challenge (thankyou Arlee at Tossing it Out and faithful crew) I had few followers (and don't we all wish that that word was more welcoming and friendly), and we kind of knew each other and accepted various foibles regarding such arbitrary things as schedules. I'll try to settle into a pattern however, mostly posting on Sunday and include some photos possibly from my travels both here, Victoria, Australia and overseas and have a bit of a chat about them.

Given my passion for kids and adults with learning difficulties, my love of the environment and general concern that the underdogs in this world don't get much of a fair go, those interests will probably sneak in too from time to time.  But the serious wordy stuff will still be over at traverselife, so don't worry, I'll try to keep it light and whimsical here! I might also write some 'small stones' later in the year - after all that's why I started this blog.

I suspect for the next couple of weeks photos will be most dominant - I'm a bit worded out. My mother used to say "Stop eating when you've had elegant sufficiency". Right now I feel like I've been a complete glutton with words and I'm paying for it with severe indigestion!

For all the lovely new people who've dropped in during the challenge and decided to stay around for a while "Hello" it's lovely to have you here, and if it doesn't work out between us, and you wander off after a while, I fully understand. Life happens, we get busy, that's just the way it is, but it's been a wonderful supportive and encouraging month, and for that I'm incredibly grateful. For everyone who commented, thanks, it'd be great to hear more from you when you have time.  I do try to repay visits, but sometimes I trip up, so I'll apologise in advance if I don't manage that goal.

Right now, I'm going to wander off and find some photos for tomorrow.

See you then!

Puppy Fix :D

Stella, the 8 week old Guide Dog puppy.
Being trained by a friend. 

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A-Z of Alliterative Drabbles - A-Z Blogging Challenge April 2011

I posted 31 *Drabbles during April, some days I got carried away and posted two drabbles.  I'd planned to write them all on climate related themes, but got distracted and included ones on learning difficulties as well. I managed between 15 and 40 alliterations on most drabbles, on quite a few posts I included sound alike words too, it was a fabulous, fun month of blogging. (A *Drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.)

• A  Art about artists and art exhibitions included 40 A words. 
• B  Bereft of bananas about the devastation from Cyclone Yasi included 27 B words.
• C  Climate & children 2 x drabbles. The first about climate challenges included 27 C words, the second about children with learning difficulties included 24 C words.
• D  Distinguished Scientists and the difficulties they have in being misrepresented by Shock Jocks included 32 D words.
• E  Environment & Ethics. About the ethical use of our environment included 23 E words.
• F  Fretful is about my concerns for our environment. It included 27 F words. None rude!
• G  Geographers celebrates these salt of the earth people ... Hi A! I managed 36 wonderful G words.
• H  Horrible Feelings & Hearing. 2 x drabbles. the first again about the environment had 28 H words, the second about children with hearing difficulties ... Hi L! ... also included 28 H words. 
• I   Inspiring 2 x drabbles The first is about Sir David Attenborough with 30 I words the second about children with learning difficulties with 32 I words.
• J   Justice & Jam 2 x drabbles. The First about a university lecturer fired when it was discovered he was dyselxic (with 22 J words)  the second about my attempt to make marmalade contained 21 J words. With thanks to my brother for the cumquats.
• K  Knowledge contained 16 K words and is about a friend wanting to return to work.
• L  Lighten up It was getting a bit depressing focusing on so much negativity.  It was fun posting photos of fun places I've travelled to. The words I'd chosen for L happened to coincide with my 1st blogiversary. A few of us had a virtual party! Oh, there are 39 L words.
• M  Marvellous Ideas relates to the need to find alternative fuels to coal, and the derision when alternatives are suggested. I included 30 M words.
• N  Nincompoop and Napalm is about Vietnam Vets and PTSD. It contains 30 N words.
• O  Outrageous. A true story that still disgusts me; about a bullying teacher. A restrained 20 O words.
• P  Penguins. Well you can be lucky! I wrote the post then my husband came home with photos of a penguin taken locally. There are 36 P words and the post relates to climate change.
• Q  Quinces. Thankyou lovely neighbour for the lush fruit! I managed 18 Q words.
• R  Reliable & Roberto's Report. 2 x drabbles. The first about climate and water challenges (30 R words) the second a salute to a fellow blogger who helps out when bloggy things go awry. (27 W words 4 WR words).
• S  Shilly-shally is about climate issues again. There are 36 S words related to oil and water depletion.
• T  Tense is about workplace bullying. There are 33 T words (My eyes are fuzzing up, so don't get miffed if I'm counting inexactly)
• U  Unwanted attention related to childhood bullying, and the long term damage that can result. I only managed 21 U words.
• V  Valiant volunteers is a tribute to all the amazing people who give their time to help others, often working in inhospitable conditions without any recompense for pay lost. For Tim and his mates! 21 V words.
• W  Weirdo is a repost - I was tired. It's about a relative with Aspergers. It's not an alliterative post. 
• X  Dr Xing. My brain had gone to mush, I snuck in sound alike words and pretend I got to15!
• Y  Yollanda and her yellow yacht. A good opportunity to include some lovely photos! There could be 24 Y words.
• Z  Zero is about a child with a learning difficulty and his heartache. This is for you L and all the crap you survived at school. There could be 20 Z words.

Luna Park St Kilda - near Melbourne
April was a bit of a roller coaster ride!

Gosh, seeing it all together is pretty neat. That was worth the effort, though I'm looking forward to a change of pace!

How to make a Hyperlink (clicky) signature here

An extensive Reflection post is over at traverselife here

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Z. Zero

Zac was a zealous student, interested in Zionism and Zoroastrianism. Sadly he could remember zilch, zip and zero about spelling. The last letter of the Western alphabet; a metaphor for his life: a big fat Z. He longed for the sizzling zing of success. But he zipped his mouth with this score.

Zac wanted to zoom into oblivion. He felt like a zombie, totally zonked.

He belonged in a zoo for freaks, had no zest for life. He’d have to zig-zag out of the school yard zone to avoid the zap of the bullies who had zero tolerance for difference.

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

Cheers!  :D

I'll be back Monday to wrap up with Lee at Tossing it Out who has generously devoted so much time to hosting the A-Z Blogging Challenge this April.

Over at traverselife, I've spent the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
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Y. Yolanda's yacht.

Yolanda would be able to read the message on the Frankston pier - no worries!

I’ve got a young friend named Yolanda, she yearned for a yellow yacht and last year bought one from a Japanese gentleman for a lot of Yen. They celebrated with bottles of Yellingbow and a hunk of yearling on the barbeque.

Yellow yacht at Flinders, moored for Easter.

Yolanda named the yacht “YIPPEE!”

Yolanda yodels enthusiastically. Some of the crew – all youths - say it sounds more like the yelp of a yak, and use the work “Yuk”. Yolanda says it helps her yank more strongly on the yardarm, though a yeoman of yesteryear may give her a run for her money and yield a better result.

Yellow yacht and motor boat at Flinders last week. Yippee indeed!

Yachts at Mornington. Very low Easter tide.

Here tomorrow: Zero


A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

Over at traverselife, I've spent the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
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X. Dr Xing

It could be a bit extreme, but I suspect Doctor Xing will be prescribing more Xanax to treat depression in Gen X. Many of that generation are exhausted by tying to learn to play the xylophone; some even wanted to travel to Xanadu for extra lessons! Most people would just use the Xerox to copy the instructions rather than travel exhausting amounts of kilometres to somewhere on the map where “x” marks the spot. That’s a bit exaggerated don’t you think?

Just between you and me, Doctor Xing is a little strange, he signs his prescriptions with an inexact ‘x’.

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.
This Drabble in no way represents any person I know and I trust that anyone with a similar name will accept the words in a lighthearted way. I had to find something to fit with X and am scraping the bottom of my brain barrel here - I have a deep and long lasting respect for my Chinese friends, workmates and neighbours.

Here tomorrow: Yolanda's yacht

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
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W. Weirdo

For all the kids who are different in some way and don't fit in.
*
Kids at school laughed at me with derision

Called me weird

A no hoper

A loser

Socially inept, I kept to myself, content and apart, not comprehended their need for togetherness. Touching made me withdraw physically, left me cold and shrinking from the grasp. It felt distasteful, alien, intrusive.

I enjoy numbers and graphs, their lack of ambiguity. Working alone using logic clean and clear is safe. This graph, showing heart rate and age, the result of time well spent.

I’m working on an iPad app for it next.

Those same kids will use it; they won’t laugh this time.

"Chart"

Terry J. DuBose

from Wikimedia Commons

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

This Drabble first appeared in  The Burrow Valentine's Feature 2011, hosted by Burrowers, Books & Bladerdash. 

Here tomorrow: X. Dr Xing

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
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V. Valiant volunteers.

Valiant volunteer Tim Warner
at the launch of the Alwyn Tamo - 19 March 2011

Vera is very interested in volunteering with the Volunteer Marine Rescue. She has a voracious appetite for learning all she can about her vivacious hero Alwyn Tamo who was a visionary and vigilant in her determination to value the lives of all people revving around on Westernport Bay.

The vistas around Victoria are very dangerous, but the volunteers are valiant! They give up their time without pay and may come across scenes of violent destruction, which they tackle with visible determination and bounce back with vim and vigour.

Occasionally they become vexed with some vessel owners, but they're never vindictive.

The chaplain from HMAS Cerberus is part of the official party.

Launch of the Alwyn Tamo - 19 March 2011

The Alwyn Tamo can navigate Bass Strait
(a notoriously treacherous stretch of water).

On a sunny day at low tide, looking towards The Heads from Sorrento -
ie. towards the entrance to Port Phillip Bay.

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words No more, no less.

Here tomorrow: W: Weirdo

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.
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U. Unwanted attention

Many parents are unaware that their child is receiving unwanted attention from unscrupulous bullies at school. The unwilling child becomes jittery and uncertain if they’re unceremoniously upended in the toilet. The unceasing torment undermines the child’s confidence and they need to unburden unashamedly.

It’s unbelievable that untold amounts are spent on war not education. It's unheard of to provide unfailingly exceptional programmes; I think we're uncharitably uncommitted. It would change the outcome! Due to the unwillingness of authorities to tackle the problem creatively and unilaterally, beautiful lives are undermined.

It’d be great if an umbrella would help, but it wont.

Things can spiral down very quickly if bullying isn't tackled early on.

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

Here tomorrow: Valiant Volunteers

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.

T. Tense

It’s trying to work in a tacky company when you want to throw a *tanty because of the trickery of twisted managers.

If you’re truthful, articulate and value integrity and have tried to temper your retorts but failed, you might need to troubleshoot or you’ll appear totally tactless and truculent. Your job may be terminated - not temporarily!

If you’ve tallied up too many tempests and transformed from 'team player' to 'turned-off', bullies may tell that they were targeted and tasted your terse tongue.

They may then testify this left them **totalled by your terrible taunts and call it truculent behaviour.

Isle of Skye.

***
*tanty = tantrum

**a slang expression usually applied to cars eg “He totalled his car when he hit the tree” = the car is bent beyond repair. In this case the person who is totalled had been hurt irreparably.

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.

Here tomorrow: Unwanted attention


Here for how to make a clicky signature.

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.

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S. Shilly-shally

Safeguard our planet.

It’s silly to *shilly-shally around. We need to salvage the situation swiftly and not saunter into the future as if everything is secure. The scientists have solved many sizzling problems in the past and got us out of some supremely stupid situations, but we shouldn’t be slack or serenely indifferent. That’d be slovenly.

I spoke with a saffron robed sheila who said she had specialised superpowers and could streamline the supply of oil and water to see us out - even when we’ve stripped the silver lining from the shale shelves in Siberia.

Should I call her “saviour”?

East Side Gallery. Berlin 2009.

***

* to be indecisive and get distracted by unimportant things.

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words. No more, no less.
I'll revisit S when the month is over with a Drabble for a Super friend.

Here tomorrow: Tense

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.

How to make a hyperlink signature here
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R. Reliable x 2

The reliable *rancher rearranged the rotation of the crops to reduce stress and strain on the soil used for raising seedlings.

Market Garden, near Springvale Vic. Due to be subdivided for housing.

Ruby wanted to radically reduce the residue from poisoned run-off, which was going into the rancid rivers.

Rainfall had been increasingly random which was leading to unreliable reserves. It was realised that reservoirs needed to be re-engineered and that the focus needed to be on realigning responsibilities to reflect the change.

Soil needed to be rehabilitated and reserves of groundwater stabilised. There needs to be responsible re-organisation of resources, to reduce risking the revulsion and wrath of future generations.

Erosion as a result of poor land management.

***
*the words Market Gardener simply didn't work.

***

And now a Drabble for a fellow blogger who gives huge amounts of time and shares his expertise very generously on the Blogger forum as well as in his blog the Report. Introducing Roberto.....
*
Roberto’s Report – It’s reliable!

Have you ever had the experience of ranting and railing after wracking your brain, and everything is still wrong. You feel like a wraith from your recurrent dreams of wrong-doings. You repeated the directions, but nothing’s going right. It’s ridiculous! You’re in a rage ‘cos your blog simply isn’t rocking.

Repeated requests to your usually ritzy sources are greeted with ribald laughter and rollicking derision.

Contact reliable Roberto!

His “Report” is a ripper! He’s respectful, rational, and reasonable; you’ll soon be able to relax, recline and rejoice after having your problems solved, no matter how random.
*

A Drabble is a story told in 100 words No more, no less.

Here tomorrow: Shilly-shally

Over at traverselife, I'm spending the month looking at different aspects of bullying.

=]V[=: Q - A to Z Blog Challenge

=]V[=: Q - A to Z Blog Challenge