Sunday 17 March 2024

"Fog is more dangerous than dark, as it gives the illusion of seeing." - Aleksandra Ninkovic


Our last morning on the South Coast was overcast and rainy so I decided to head back via Bowral to visit Dirty Janes. (the antique shop discussed here).

The mists grew to fog as I ascended the mountains, making it a specatcular vista which I would have loved to have photographed if only there was anywhere to pull over.

I made a pitstop at Fitzroy Falls, but only made it to the first look out. The fog was full white out so the walk to the second lookout would only have been for the exercise, as there would be nothing visible beyond the rail.

Howver, I was still very happy with my morning excursion. It was a delightful cocoon of anticipated excitement. A swirling reward of repainted scenery.

"Don't be afaid to go into the mist." Sophie Madden

Linking with #AwwMondays (for the aww you make when in awe) #Sundaybest #NaturesNotes 

 

Tuesday 12 March 2024

“How sweet to be a cloud. Floating in the blue!” - A. A. Milne


 This looks like summer rather than autumn. This weather is nuts. I will be offline for the next few days but most likely on Insta.

Will try to catch up on comments next week. 


1. All Seasons is open from Thursday through Wednesday 5pm, Sydney Time. 

2. Please link one  'seasonal' post a week. Please make it clear what the season link is. In words if not clear in the photo. It can be something to do with the actual season or weather, or it can be those things that happen once a year - Christmas, Halloween, or anniversaries & birthdays....

3. Make sure you link back to this  #AllSeasons post.

4. Please comment on the post before yours and the host's. Don't dump and run.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Friday 8 March 2024

Tell us about....family history

'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet'

What's in a name, you ask? Well, Shakespeare asked, and like Juliet I don't place too much importance on these things but I do find names interesting. The why behind them. China has had surnames for a long time (and interestingly between 1600-1046 BC they seemed to be matrilineal but after that became patrilineal for some reason) but the first surname recorded in Europe was in County Galway in 916. The Normans introduced surnames to England after 1066 but these names were changed or dropped. Later, Aristocracy started passing down their surnames in a family and by 1400, most people had hereditory surnames.Wives began to take their husbands names and King Henry VII (1491-1547ordered children take their father's surnames. (More info on surnames here).

However, it is the middle name I am interested in. Or the family middle name. My father's family had a middle name you pass down. This is a patronymic name. Ours is Beresford. This is an old English name, that fell out of favour in the 1950s but really had it's heyday the century before that. I found it so weird as a kid. When my father explained it could be shortened to 'Berry', I would melt in mirth.

There have been a LOT of Lord Beresfords. Common practice, if you had an illegitimate child was to put the father's name as the middle name, as a way of letting the child know who the father is or more likely, letting the father know it was his child. It's called a putative middle name. 

I love the idea that sometime back in history, a Lord Beresford got a scullery maid pregnant and she decided to get what her child rightfully deserved. She'd thurst their child on the coattails of his aristocracy by giving the child his surname, even if it wasn't as a surname. I love even more that everyone that came after wanted a bit of that aristocratic ancestory gold dust until it dissolved into history and no one knew why or cared how the name came to pass.

Dad didn't know. It was just the middle name of his father and his father's father and lots of other boys in the family. 

We have continued the tradition. I don't really know why. Tradition is illogicial. Peer pressure from dead people, as they say. I prefer to think of it as a link to scandal and a feisty, determined mother wanting only the best for her child but who knows? Maybe someone a few centuries back just really liked the name and the other parent said 'No way are we calling our baby Berry! It can be a middle name!'


Do you have a patronymic name in your family? Is it a really weird name?

(Note, very excited I've grown not ONE but TWO roses!)





My Random Musings

Thursday 7 March 2024

“To plant a garden is to dream of tomorrow.” —Audrey Hepburn


In lockdown, I began planting seeds as a funny little hobby to spark joy. Over time, it became a very zen expereince for me, though I would not call myself a gardener...I called it 'planting without purpose'. I kept it up after lockdown for a year or so but then gave it up...just time wittered away. And then a rose I planted years ago finally bloomed...and the buzz of excitement I got was enormous, even though it doesn't seem to smell much.








So I've planted flowers on the footpath bed and cress for lunch next week...

Sometimes you just need a little push in the right direction to get back into doing things that make you happy!

JENerally Informed



Tuesday 5 March 2024

Mardi Gras (cont)

 I've got nothing seasonal this week, and a busy day tomorrow so here's a few pics of the shopping centres decked out for Sydney Mardi Gras....


Linking with #TheRandom














Saturday 2 March 2024

Five Favourite Monthly Moments

There's a new link up over at Rachel Swirl's so I thought I'd throw a quick little round up...looking at my Insta, I've had a fabulous February....but my favourites? 









1. Dinner on the South Pylon of the Harbour Bridge has to be number 1! It was so decadent and reall special.

2. Meeting up with Austrian Blogger Traude (Rosetrose and her lovely husband) was definitely a highlight, even thought the weather ruined our plans a little. Also touring about the city with my friend from England was a lovely way to pass the time & catch up


.

3. A weekend at Currawong is always magical.









4. Valentine's date at White Rabbit and Holy Duck was superb!










5. Family fun with the kids for a birthday celebration was wonderful!

Hope you've all had a wonderful month and why don't you share yours over at the link up here.

Linking also with #WWWHimsy #WWOT #TheRandom #SaturdayCritters #weekendcoffeeshare #Skywatch #GaleriaHimmelsblich #FriendshipFriday



RachelSwirl

Friday 1 March 2024

Radio plays - what have I been listening to?



As I was putting together my Feb reading list, I realised in my Graham Greene rabbit hole I'd been doing a bit of the old-fashioned radio play style listening, so I thought I would make a second post and link it to the book list.

In the past, I've mentioned how much I love Pulp Fury Radio and the full cast production of Daisy Jones & the Six on audible.

This month I listened to The Living Room which I enjoyed. It's apparently a look at Greene's own struggle with his religion and his affairs.



I also really enjoyed the fun of Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud in the short free production on Audible of 'When Greek meets Greek' and ' The Happy Hypocrite'. The Greene tale is a lot of fun. The Beerbohn is a little more dated.



The Missed is a full cast short series of a mystery in a small town told from different characters version of events. Sami Shah just won an award for it so I thought I'd check it out. It's entertaining and I finished it in just over a day.


All are free except Daisy Jones, so no harm in giving them a try.

Do you listen to radio plays?

Linking with SeniorSalonPitstop #WWWhimsy #TrafficjamReboot #AnythingGoes



My Random Musings