Having a Go!!! At Burswood 2013

Yes of course we were there! We had a stall to support our FAb WACC (Western Australian Camera Club)....and enjoyed meeting all sorts who were there also to support various worthy causes. Let's start with.......

 John, the direct descendant of the King Of Scotland (its a secret) but you would have guessed by the Kilt.
No, that's not a machine gun under his arm...he was out to snap a good shot...not to break someone's jaw...just because....
He wasn't the only one in formal attire you know.

 I can't say everyone approved...but it was a very hot day and a temperature suited to wearing a skirt.
And the other wasn't laughing. He was trying very hard to be interesting flogging the NBN (National Broadband Network) that is if the present Liberal Government doesn't withdraw it all just to save more
money.
 Now here are the men in BLUE!!! Don't ask me about the history of their patterns I would say they looked rather good.

Don't rush, says the audience of one. I've got all day.


I'll just prod this soil to make sure you don't all fall in says their glorious leader.

 Talk amongst yourselves while I have my picture

taken...she's a photographer you know!!! We'll be famous one day!!! Don't forget to click on the photos to make them larger or, to see the fab kilt patterns.

That's better! Now we are getting somewhere!! 
 But what's that beautiful sound?
Oh its just the Barbershop Harmony Chorus. We'll just have to play louder! And now team you've done me proud all wearing kilts today but you'll have to hold back on your dancing. Just ignore those others...they're oldies having a go! Why wouldn't they? It is their day!

It takes courage you know to sing, play and dance in public, with strangers.  And, to represent the King of Scotland even if it was thousands of years ago....the Royal Court, that is!!

.

Turkish delight...talking Turkey!

A consideration of the writings of Ohran Pamuk. Who? I wondered for a while too as I had dropped my notebook, the battery fell out, everything was disconnected including what I thought to be all I had written two years ago. But I re-read it and decided this had to be shared.

Flaubert who visited Istanbul over 100yrs ago was struck by the variety of life in the back streets. As was I when we visited two years ago. But my excitement was hardly contained as I was about to experience what I thought to be the background of Turkey's Noble Laureate in Literature of 2005.

In the fifties when Pamuk was born Istanbul had not progressed to be one of the world's capitals as Flaubert had predicted. In its 2000 year history it had become poorer and more shabby and above all more isolated. To Pamuk it had become a city of ruins not only structurally speaking but on moral grounds. Its occupants had learnt to relish the losses of several cultures thus exposing their predilection for enjoying melancholia.
Istanbul was thought of as an ageing and impoverished city buried under the ashes of a ruined empire: a cloud of doom and gloom had fallen over Istanbul due to the fall of the Ottoman empire. Images created were disciples of Attaturk now dominating the Press: caricatures of black scarved women and bearded reactionaries fingering prayer beads.

Not so in 2011. More likely holding Iphones...a mixtures of scarves coloured or original black.

 A bridge over the Bospherous offers popular fishing relaxation on a Sunday. Colourful flags encourage the enthusiasm.

Markets and coffee shops encourage skilful street artists.


And 'History challenging Technology' is evident in the streets.

.

 This park I decided was not the scene of doom and gloom but the scene of celebration: citizens of all ages were sleeping under the eye of the statues of Attaturk and the consideration of remembered Community sages. With my camera under my arm I imaged your 'Monochrome city", Mr. Pamuk, but found only supporters of Attaturk in western dress, the signature of Attaturk tattooed on their arms, their political statements and beliefs to be revealed selectively.
The 2000+ year history of Istanbul seen as a city of ruins and decline has now been translated as 'The Tourist Destination...more than ten million visitors bringing their curiosity to your city of Istanbul, Mr.Pamuk, each year. The massive housing projects now offering many the hope of a home, the superb transport systems, communication, the variety of home grown food, a healthy and vital people all having transformed this city into a worldly capital. But please keep writing.

from D'Arcy to Napoleon!

Not a bad jump! But are you interested? I am as I've just written my will. But would anyone be keen enough to pay $170,000.00 for a genuine copy? I don't think so. But we do have one thing in common...cremation!
His ashes to be distributed in the Seine seeing he loved the French people so much and mine? Anywhere there is water. I did go all the way to Germany to do that for my mother. She created quite a storm as if the Alpine lake (See) knew that she had abandoned Den Kochel See in order to live in Australia. But on my return I discovered a container I had forgotten on top of my wardrobe...only a small one...but a most important one for my mother...the ashes of her Siamese cat...oh dear!
What ever happened to Napoleon's cat?
Whatever happened to his original letter? The one he had written in his illegible handwriting on April 16,1821, 19 days before his death. 'I told you I was feeling unwell!' as Spike Milligan said, with an order to mark his tombstone thus.
Napoleon's original is in France's National Archives. His ashes not scattered in the Seine River but transferred to Paris' Invalides Monument some two decades after his death in 1840. RIP.  

D'Arcy's Cultural weekend!!

He is all black! Tiptoes silently around the house. Like my shadow he is always there and almost anytime ready for a game. But, he looks bored out of his brain so I figured he needed some stimulation...sniff out the local scene, see how the locals do it and where do you think he stopped to smile? See him posing with her!!! Her, letting it all hangout...almost but enough to make him smile. Maybe there is a message there for his owner?
Click on the photo to see more...larger...but then sometimes the imagination is all one needs. After all if you had to stand like that for the last 13yrs or so wouldn't you feel a bit rigid? D'Arcy let his tongue hang out...he thinks she's alright!

But there are others

 who like to work off their morning enthusiasm in other ways!! Every little thing helps...almost...for some! But it's a dog's choice this morning at Ascot Waters in Perth.

Post Title! Very Good Choice!

I am writing a POST but the topic I'd like to write about is our incredibly slow Postal Service. Is it because of our signs on our letter boxes?
I didn't mean that SNAIL MAIL is OK!!!
Then what about the security of our letters? Everyone I have received has had a corner of the envelope torn
open....to inspect the contents?
To whoever it might be looking for a financial reward I am sorry to disappoint you and I will be doing the same in the future.
PS: I tried to put this on my Facebook page but the photograph spot seemed determined to be so small so as to cut off my friendly snail from the picture.

And how could I have made my point without my snail mail?

I

The Never to be Forgotten....Guitar!

No I'm not going to write about guitars...well yes just a little!
The previous Blog entry mentioned John Wheeler and his fab performance on guitar...last weekend. I now know why this guitar sounded so clear and fantastic. It is a unique model based on in parts on the guitars used by the famous Hank Marvin ( now a resident of Western Australia). Yes it is Hank Marvin of the 'Shadows' fame. Oh what memories this knowledge brings! I recall dancing to this fabulous music at my first party ever and have never forgotten the Shadows.
Another Guitar I will never forget even though it has traveled all over AUSTRALIA with me is my simple country style instrument given to me by a much loved person in my life at the time. I am finally parting with it and sending it to the USA to be in the life of my grandson. This guitar was owned by his grandfather who would be jubilant to know that his grandson was now enjoying it.
Yes, his grandfather was a surgeon in training who was idealistic enough to believe all the pharmaceutical companies represented in the seventies. No, don't worry these tablets are not addictive! You'll never become dependent on these. Oh, No! They won't cause you to develop delusions or psychiatric illnesses. No, never! You'll feel great with these!
So, where does that experience leave us with the present quandry about using STATINS to solve our potential heart problems? I know what I believe.
My husband died at age 36...two weeks before his 37th birthday and it wasn't a heart attack that killed him but addiction!

Saturday Arvo in Tooday!

Yes you've heard of Toodyay!! Moondyne Joe? Live Music? Of course, of course! Well here we were then...to catch up with an ex-old Royal Flying Doctor Pilot who now recalls only his many tunes or airs in the air! Yes, Wheels was setting the feet tapping.

  No the bar was actually crowded but I couldn't resist this black and white image...Iphone and all!







Wheels, John Wheeler, kept the beat but no matter how many times I tried I couldn't make him smile.

 No matter! He is at the guitar every weekend and easy to find in Toodyay, starting at about 4:30pm. Try it on why don't you? Well, only if you are around Perth WA Australia...the rest, you can book your next holiday and we'll see you here soon!