Night Travels – Poem


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Public domain image.

Night Travels © JLeahy

In the black of the night

Mind’s curtain drops

A screen unfolds

Scenes after scenes

Words travel in echoes

Enemies captured

Friends laugh

A child cries

Someone screams

Emotions grip you

You are afraid

Someone holds you

In places only dreamers go

Shapes blend into pictures

And fades into nothing

Spirit walks, runs and flies

In just one night, a lifetime,

can become one story

Until dawn brings the ending

Satoyama


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RM2IivELhWI

A Gardener’s Reward


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Picture: Jaradeenah Danomira. 2015

One of my proudest moment as a gardener is when my Cattleya trianae tipo ‘Baronessa blooms. I have several on a poinciana tree and the grey-green mid truck bursts into speckles of translucent white, dabbed with bright pink and golden centres. The Cattleya orchids tell me Autumn is here.

The flowers remain for three and half to four weeks before they finally wilt. These pictures were taken by my niece Jaradeenah Danomira this morning.

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Picture: Jaradeenah Danomira. 2015

 

Writing On The Wall


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tlHY8NgmxY

Graffiti – is it art, writing, or both? A freedom of expression. I have posted this question on this blog before. Here a documentary explores the work of street painters and gives them an opportunity to speak about what motivates them to colour the streets.

Female Voices in Writers Festival Byron Bay


BYRON BAY WRITERS FESTIVAL IS THRILLED TO ANNOUNCE THE FIRST ROUND OF WRITERS APPEARING AT THE 2015 FESTIVAL.

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Julia Gillard

Five successful and talented Australian women have top-billing at the 2015 Byron Bay Writers Festival from August 7-9. In what is shaping up to be a Festival showcasing a line-up of strong, female Australian voices, the first five announced were former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Joan London, Helen Garner, Kate Grenville, and Jackie French. More writers will be announced soon.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE FROM 17 APRIL!

Already the Festival is shaping up to deliver a diverse and eclectic program of stimulating and engaging conversations with some of Australia’s most celebrated writers and international guests in the Festival’s history.

Festival Director Edwina Johnson said she was delighted to be bringing the best writers and thinkers together to share stories, triumphs, challenges and ideas; to debate, laugh and cherish; to connect, nurture and celebrate literary talent and new friendships down by Byron Bay’s scenic ocean shore.

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When A Man Loves A Woman


How many of us have felt the deep and painful meaning of love in this song? And sadly, the man who brought us this beautiful song is gone.

The Guardian: Percy Sledge, who recorded the classic 1966 soul ballad When a Man Loves a Woman, has died aged 73.

Louisiana coroner Dr William Clark confirmed that Sledge died early on Tuesday morning at his home in Baton Rouge. He had been diagnosed with liver cancer in early 2014.

Sledge’s first recording took him from hospital orderly to a long touring career averaging 100 performances a year and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

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Star-Crossed Lovers


Monday Finish the Story with host Barbara W Beacham

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Picture by Barbara W. Beacham

Star-crossed Lovers © JLeahy

The neighbours were not happy about my choice of yard art. Beck shot me a look this morning before crossing to Mildred’s house.

I found the bison and hunter at a pawn shop. The owner wanted to get rid of them – cheap! He said it was an important reminder of our near-sighted ancestors killing all the bison.

“They’re special, you won’t find these anywhere”, the man assured. Sure, they looked ridiculous, but I wanted something like that for my stuffy neighbourhood. We moved here two months ago and I needed to get some laughs. My neighbours weren’t bad people, just very dull.

At 8pm, I heard Beck shouting over the TV.

“You have to get her to get rid of those stupid things. Mum keeps waking up at night to talk to the statue. She tells him how much she missed him while he was away hunting”.

“We are NOT going to remove the statues – make your mother take her medication!!”

(150 words)

Writing Elbow?


I have been finding it difficult to complete some of my stories over the last two weeks. Not for the lack of wanting, but the restrictions I created for myself in damaging my muscles from “over-writing”. You may ask, “over-writing? What is that?” It is similar to tennis elbow.

After coming to a conclusion I could not write any more words because the pain was too much, I saw my physiotherapist today and she told me I left it too late and there was nothing to do except sleep and rest. She made me promise to stay away from the computer for two days. I had the same injury when I actually played tennis over 20 years ago, so I found it amusing. Well, I had to make a post so I’ll be quick and yes, I have taken some pain killers to help.

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I found this article about my problem and thought, if other writers have the same symptoms, they may find it useful.

It was written by Colleen M

Over the last few weeks, I’ve felt a nagging and persistent pain in my elbow, right between those two little bones on the underside (if you hold your arm slightly bent). “Tennis elbow” was the first thing that came to mind, but I haven’t played in years.

I type, though. A lot. That got me wondering. Is tennis elbow—or “computer elbow”—another painful consequence of the writing life?

Turns out, it is. (groan) The good news is you can do things to prevent it, or in my case, speed up the healing process.

Other useful website for information on the subject.

What you can find in the Aussie Outback


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THE DELTA 2 ROCKET CASING (IMAGE VIA NASA)

Inigo Del Castillo

Things you find in the Australian outback: man-eating crocodiles, snakes, lots of spiders, and a Delta 2 rocket casing.

A Delta 2 rocket launched way back in 1990 and came back down to earth a few months later. One of its casings, however, took a little longer to find its way home – 18 years to be precise.

The rocket was used to launch the Indian INSAT – 1D geosynchronous spacecraft from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The Delta rocket motor was part of the third stage rocket launch. It was discovered in 2008, on a three million acre cattle station. Station owner Arthur Taylor was out flying a Cessna aircraft to muster cattle when he spotted the odd sphere.

Bet you knew the outback was big, but never realised it was big enough to hide space junk in someone’s backyard for 18 years!

Five Killed in Super Typhoon on Yap, Micronesia


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Devastated islanders gathering what is left after the Typhoon.

From ABC News

Another devastating natural disaster had hit a small Pacific Island nation. Five people died and thousands have lost everything in winds up to 250 kilometres per hour in Chuuk and Yap states in Micronesia about ten days ago. Photographer Brad Holland is hoping to raise awareness of the devastation caused by Super Typhoon Maysak with a series of images captured just days after it hit the islands of Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia.

The typhoon tore through islands in Micronesia at the end of March, killing at least five people and leaving thousands displaced. Because of their location, it took a while before the news became known.

Dramatic photos taken from the International Space Station show super Typhoon Maysak as it moves towards the Philippines.
The states of Chuuk and Yap, which were the worst affected, declared states of emergency with some islands experiencing damage to 90 per cent of homes.

See more Brad Holland pictures on ABC here.