Tell us about...Sunshine

In Australia, we have a tricky relationship with sunshine. It is infact one of the biggest killers in this country. According to the Australian Cancer Council, skin cancer constitutes 80% of all new cancer diagnosis, and more than 2 in 3 Australians will have some form of skin cancer (approx 67%). We are also regularly in severe drought - this pending severe El Nino that will alter weather patterns around the globe is already making us think ahead to water restrictions by the end of the year. It can mean unbearable heat and dreaded deathly bushfires.

However, especially in Sydney, we don't cope without sunshine. One day of rain is enough to affect our mood. A week of rain makes us question if we suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Sunshine is synonymous with Sydney Harbour in my head. You want what I call those Champagne Sydney days if you head out on the water, or round the harbour on a coastal walk. You want the light dancing on the water, flashing like diamonds.

Given the season, I am constantly walking with my face upwards to the low winter sun. I bask in the warmth any chance I get - reading a book on the deck, eathing lunch outside, and walking before the shadows take over the foothpaths. On my walks recently, I've been searching for komorebi, like in Perfect Days, after being reminded of this word by Kwarkito in this post.

I stumbled across this quote, and while I unfamilliar with the person who said it, it's good life advice:

"Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine". - Anthony J. D'Angelo

Just in the same way sunshine can bring joy and delight to our daily lives, and bringing some magic to the way the most simpliest things appear....we need to carry this warmth with us and share it around. So shine on those around you whenever you can. 

I could quote almost all of this song's lyrics as good advice but there's a legal cost to that so give it a listen. Lyrically perfect, but also musically sunshine. 

Do you chase sunshine? Where do you find it? How do you capture it?

Linking with #TellUsAbout...

Banksia in B&W

 The detail in the banksia seems sharper in B&W for some reason. I guess the colour distracts the eye?  A little googling found this article - the eye tends to ignore black backgrounds and focus on other things. Without colour, the eye focuses on contrast. 

These photos are in colour here.

Linking with #WeekendinB&W

Big Bad Banksia Men

As a kid, I was terrified of the Big Bad Banksia men. Which is weird because I was less terrified of Snake who really orchestrated all the menace.

And if you read The Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie as an adult, you discover the gumnut babies killed way more people than Snake and the Banksia men put together. It's quite bizzare to reread this beloved book. Very, very different to how I remember it.

However, the Banksia Men could have been handsome and gorgeous people, had she not been in need of villians. In bloom, they are so gorgeous! There are apparently around 170 types of Banksia in the genus.

For those OS they don't know the May Gibbs story - a picture of the villainous Big Bad Banksia Men is here. Anyone my age was terrified of them as a child, when our parents chose to read this to us as a bed time story...

Have you ever gone back to a familliar story and discovered it's quite different to how you remember?

Linking with #FloralFridayFoto (also for the OS, Gumnuts are here.)

June Reading

Off to a cracking start this month, inspired by the writers festival. I read Ghost Stoires, which is understandably being translated into 26 languages and winner of the Miles Franklin award. I loved this. I thought it was so funny and clever.

It's not going to be for everyone, but it made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. I adored it.

After seeing him talk at the Writer's Festival, I had to get straight into the second book in the HappyHead series. Finishes the story, or does it? Lots of twists and plenty to keep you entertained. What I liked most about this series, is even though it's YA, it still gets you emotionally engaged, both in the thriller aspect and the intellectual aspect. Lots of mental health issues covered and for me, it highlighted that hetronormative assumptions we take for granted.

All that aside, it's just a ripping yarn as they say! Josh Silver just published an adult book so very keen to read that.

Was putting books in the street library and thought I'd give it a go for my train book, as it fits in my handbag. It's a book in email. It's dated a lot. It was published in 2000 and I'm having trouble working out how to read some of the characters. One guy, I'm not sure if we're meant to think he's a complete jerk or a cool guy - he's misogenistic and homophobic. Is it a sign of how times have changed? Or was he written to be a tool? A lot of the jokes aren't funny any more, just sort of offensive. Not sure I'm going to finish it...will give it a bit longer tho as apparently the e. book was very popular and perhaps we are meant to think all the people in it are awful and that's the joke?

Also stumbled on this and gave it a quick read before putting it on ebay. It's a little picture book on Automatic Negative Thoughts. It's a guide in a story aimed at Year 4 primary kids on managing anxiety. I thought it was pretty good, giving a clear action management plan.

Working my way though the least popular Agatha Christie's - unlike Destination Unknown that I loved, a fun spy thriller (less thrills but more of an adventure), this spy novel is a little strange. Starts off traditionally and then gets very political - and some of those politics have dated or she seems a little out of touch on the matter, though it does also feel a little more relevant than it should be these days. There is reference to the French student protests, and the revolt in the youth is in part to the older population being apathetic and letting them down. The rise of Nazism has returned. Published in 1970, there is also a lot of reference to the growing nuclear power and the dangers that brings, environmentally and politically.  It was her 80th book, published for her 80th birthday. It is different to any of her other spy novels, and a very different read to her other books.

In the to be read pile, I have a new source of inspiration - I am loving Vladimir on Netflix (Rachel Weisz is superb - delightfully distasteful) and each episode title is a book written by a woman. I've read all of them, and adored all of them except 3. So I will track those down as it stands to reason, I'l enjoy those too. And they are the Joyce Carol Oates, the Grace Paley and the Flannery O'Conner.

Linking with  #MonthlyBookworms  #TuesdayTwirl

Courtesy

Last night I went to Izzard's Hamlet (I throughly enjoyed it by the way, get tickets if they are available, but that is not what this is about - the Tour details are here, Melbourne, New Zealand etc). When my husband didn't want to go, I just got myself a ticket as I thought it would sell out, so didn't want to waste time waiting on the theatre crew to get back to me.

I was the first in my section of the audience and when the couple next to me arrived, the man in the seat next mine said "Good evening, how are you today?"  My initial reaction was 'how lovely and polite' and then 'I can't remember the last time this happened, it used to be normal'. 

Anyway, we chatted a bit before the show and at interval. I do often chat to people around me if I'm at a show, but it's not after such an immediate greeting. I really felt a shift in the experience.

So let's bring that back. It costs nothing and it is a nice thing to do. People can take it or leave it, as far as ongoing communication goes. While less about respect in the situation I'm talking about, it did build a feeling of social cohesion. This article says it helps build a feeling of shared values. I do think we felt a moment of unity - something that you forget when you read the news these days.

So let's change that in our day to day lives. I'm off to the theatre tonight with friends so will give it a go. It starts with you and it starts today.

"Nothing is ever lost by courtesy. It is the cheapest of the pleasures; costs nothing and conveys much" Erastus Winman 

Secondly, walking to the Opera House is sheer delight at the moment. I'll be so sad when the lights go out on the weekend. I walked straight to the show - no need for dinnr or drinks. But it was lovely and my mood lifted a little just at the dazzling lights and colours. 

In the taxi on the way home, I was chuffed to see this on my insta. Again, these little connections mean so much more than we realise. It's camaraderie, and feeling part of society or a community.

So much to be happy about at the moment. 

Linking with#TrafficJamReboot  #MySundaySnapShot #WaterThursday #HappyTuesday and #Happynow

Sunrise or Sunset

 With the shorter days, it seems to always be sunrise or sunset on my dog walks.

My husband is back from Morocco and feeling the cold on days which I think are warm and sunny for a change (as he missed the cold snap and all the rain).

I'm rugged up, especially on the days I'm out at VIVID or walking to the theatre.

Winter is officially here.

Linking with #AwwMondays

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