Theme Day - Landmark

Above: Flinders Street Station

Easily the most recognisable of Melbourne's landmarks is Flinders Street Station on the corner of Swanston and Flinders Streets. This grand old Edwardian baroque building of red brick and golden cream stucco was built between 1905 and 1910 after winning an architectural competition held in 1902.

When going into "Town" this was where people met up - "Meet me under the clocks" was the catchphrase of friends, lovers and sweethearts. It was everyone's favourite meeting place.

Flinders Street Station is Australia’s oldest train station and the busiest suburban railway station in the southern hemisphere. Over 1500 trains and 110,000 commuters pass through each day. It is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, and the 708-metre main platform is the fourth longest railway platform in the world

Today's quote: As a child I found railway stations exciting, mysterious and even beautiful, as indeed they often were ~ Paul Johnson.

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Lightning Lashes Melbourne

From an early morning storm which began at 1.40 am this morning, Melbourne's skies were lit an eerie glowing pink. As the thunder rolled, the lightning cracked, you could be forgiven for thinking you were facing your personnel Armageddon. Wild storms lashed Melbourne leaving devastation in its wake. Many homes are still without power, the trains weren't running, the Monash was like a snail's pace, the Tulla was at a standstill, and the highways were almost as still as a corpse, and the Kew cemetery was on fire caused by gum trees being struck by lightning. I wonder how many bosses today have received a call saying, "Can't get to work today, got struck by lightning."? Below are some pics of our skies today.

Above: Melbourne 27 October 2014. 6.59am. Photo: Marc Taylor

Above: Lightning seen from Templestowe Lower (East of Melbourne) photo: David Swann

Above: Storms over Melbourne CBD. photo: Ian Ranson

Above: Lightning in Coburg (north of Melbourne). photo: Jason Edwards

Above: Lightning Bolt on the Bay. photo: Donna Bauer

Above: Dudley Street underpass at 8.52am. photo: Stephen Skilbeck

Above: Commuters experience delays after wild weather lashes Melbourne. photo: Nicole Garmston

Above: Gum trees on fire at Kew cemetery. At least nobody there will die in the fire. photo: Michael Filgate


Today's quote: The reason lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place is that the same place isn't there the second time ~ Willie Tyler

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Avast ye, matey! - it's that time o' year again - t' day when people around t' world suddenly break out into unintelligible words an phrases. September 19 be "Talk like a pirate day" and this young fellow be all dressed up for t' part. ’Tis time to flap yer jaws like a buccaneer.

Above: Captain Blood

A few words and phrases to help you with yer pirate speak:
Shiver me timbers and binnacle me barnacles,
Hornswaggle .... Thar she blows! .....

"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest--
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest--
...Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!"

The archetypal pirate grunt is Arrrr - remember to rrrroll your 'r's

How did it start?
International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAPD, September 19) was created in 1995 by John Baur (Ol' Chumbucket) and Mark Summers (Cap'n Slappy) of Albany, Oregon.

Above: Cap'n Slappy and Ol' Chumbucket

It is said the day came about as the result of an injury playing sport. During a game of racquetball between the two (Summers and Baur), one of them reacted to the pain from an injury with an outburst of "Aaarrr!", and the idea was born. They sent a letter to columnist Dave Barry in 2002 who rather liked the idea and promoted it. It is now celebrated internationally.

Above: The Jolly Roger

Today's quote: Pirate Law: Dousing oneself in beer is a perfectly acceptable replacement for a shower.

And finally, How do you know if you are a pirate? You just "Arrrrrrrr"...

Theme Day ~ Rust and Ruin

The Lonely Chimney

Above: The ruins of a home

This is all that remained of a home burnt in a devastating bushfire - everything was gone except for the chimney which was still standing, a rusty pipe and some twisted metal.

Today's quote: People need to be cautious because anything built by man can be destroyed by Mother Nature ~ Russel L. Honoré

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Melbourne ~ World's most liveble city ...again!

For the fourth time in a row, my city (Melbourne) has been named the world's most liveable city. Melbourne outperformed 139 cities to top the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Survey and achieved a perfect score in healthcare, education, sport and infrastructure. That's something to be proud of.

The scores are calculated by assigning every city a rating across categories including stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure and culture and environment.

Our Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said he was proud that Melbourne had received the top honour. “To be named the world’s most liveable city for four consecutive years is a great honour and a testament to the enviable lifestyle that Melbourne’s offers,”

I have selected a few photos of Melbourne showing different aspects of the city.

Above: The Yarra River

Above: Flinders Street Station

Above: One of Melbourne's trams

Above: Public art - "Cow Up a Tree"

Above: Playground at Birrarung Marr

Above: Dennis Lillee (one of our greatest fast bowlers) at the MCG

Above: Melbourne cottages

Above: The Blowhole

Above: Seafarers Bridge


Today's quote: To misquote Dr Johnson, if you're tired of Melbourne, you're tired of life.

Second quote: Cities are the greatest creations of humanity ~ Daniel Libeskind.

Theme Day ~ Zest

Seafood & raw fish with Tobiko (Salmon roe)
Some people have a zest for living, some have a zest for life, and some have a zest for all things fishy...This is Sashimi - thinly sliced, raw food, it is one of the most famous dishes in the Japanese cuisine. The dish above is from Chiba, a local Japanese restaurant.

Sashimi Ingredients
Sashimi is comprised of Maguro (Tuna), Sake (Salmon), Tai (Sea Bream), Saba (Mackerel), Katsuo (Bonito or Skipjack Tuna), Kanpachi (Greater Yellowtail/Amberjack), Buri/Hamachi (Yellowtail or Amberjack), plus Shellfish and Mollusks: Ika (Squid), Tako (Octopus), Amaebi (Shrimp), Hotate (Scallop), Hokkigai (Surf Clam), and Roe and Millet: Ikura (Salmon Roe) and Uni (Sea Urchin).

Did you know.....
That the word sashimi means "pierced body" and dates from the Muromachi period (around 1337 to 1573)? It is thought it was possibly coined when the word "切る = kiru (cut), the culinary step, was considered too inauspicious to be used by anyone other than Samurai!

A Bit of Trivia
There's a restaurant in Tokyo called Zest which prides itself on serving American rugged U.S. Southwest style foods.

Today's quote: What hunger is in relation to food, zest is in relation to life ~ Bertrand Russell.

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Theme Days ~ Squares

The Green, Green Grass of Squares

Above: Urban Garden Amphitheatre.

This is the Urban Garden Amphitheatre;
Lie on the grass, pull up a seat,
Sit for a while, take the weight off your feet.

Surrounded by zinc-clad walls, this homey little snug is down the steps of Federation Square on the corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Street.

Today's quote: I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars ~ Walt Whitman.

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Easter Sunday Lunch

Easter Sunday Lunch at my place with the family - 7 children under 10, screaming, yelling little blighters, food spilt, a delightful mess, drinks tipped over and best of all, those wonderful ear splitting screeches when they don't get their own way. Is there anything more wonderful than the sound of children's voices raised in kiddie warfare? And that's only the children - you should hear the adults! You need either super-sonic hearing to make yourself heard or a loud-speaker to get you point across.

Did you know...

The commercialism of Easter, that in which children collect chocolate Easter eggs, chocolate bunnies, and fancy baskets to put them in is a tradition that stems from the old pagan religions as part of the celebration of spring. They believed eggs represented fertility and rebirth.

The story of the Easter Bunny

Ever wondered how a rabbit came to be associated with Easter? Since ancient times, rabbits have been associated with springtime, It is said the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring, Eostre had a hare as her companion - the hare symbolises fertility and rebirth and much later, Christians changed the symbol of the hare to the Easter bunny. In Germany about 500 years ago, the Easter Hare acted as a judge and determined if the children had been behaving themselves or not. The tale took off from there, in 19th century Germany, eggs were made from pastry and given to good children, today the eggs are chocolate eggs.


The Spirit of Easter
Kindness is the essence of truth, when we are kind toward others it reflects our true self. The Spirit of Easter is about hope, love, and joy. Seeing things with new eyes, a rebirth of starting afresh.

I wish everyone a happy Easter and may your day be filled with love, laughter and merry memories. This is a time when we should remember those less fortunate than ourselves, someone, somewhere, some place, is cold or hungry or lonely and perhaps in some small way we can help make their day a little brighter. It can be as simple as a smile - it costs nothing yet can help make someone's day just a little brighter.

Today's quote: It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow ~ Robert H. Schuller.

Theme Day - Triangles

Le Gâteau de Triangle

Once again we have Theme Day and this month it is triangles, instead of spires, wires and architecture, I give you ~ Le Gâteau de Triangle. Photo taken at a friend's party, and, btw, it tasted as good as it looked!

Above: Le Gâteau de Triangle


Today's quote: A compromise is the art of dividing a cake in such a way that everyone believes he has the biggest piece ~ Ludwig Erhard.

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Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh - Happy Saint Patrick's Day

Well now, today is Saint Patrick's Day, the day all Irish people and those who wish they were Irish celebrate the wearin' o the green, drink Guinness (made by Arthur Guinness, who founded the brewery in Dublin in 1759) and have a rip snortin' good time.

Above: St Ali Loos Sth Melbourne

Not having a recent photo of one of the many Irish pubs around Melbourne, I searched for all things green and came up with this -

Why is St. Patrick's Day celebrated on the 17th of March? Because that is the date of his death back in 461 Anno Domini. Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early seventeenth century and commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland as well as celebrating the heritage and culture of the Irish. I myself have a Shillalah - an Irish walking stick or cudgel, very handy for knocking heads about! I must take a photo and post it up one day.


I leave you with this Irish blessing:

May your days be long and filled with happiness
May your children be many and full of health
And may you live in peace and harmony.
Today's quote: I come from an Irish family. St. Patrick's Day was our big holiday. The night before we'd hang up our stockings and in the morning they'd be full of beer ~ Sean Morey.

Sláinte

Theme Day ~ People on the Street

Anyone for a Beer?

Above: Outside the Leinster Arms

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, what better than sitting outside a local pub downing the amber fluid with a few mates? Convivial conversation, relaxed atmosphere, these blokes have the right idea.

Hidden in the quiet back streets of Collingwood, the Leinster Arms is a well-loved and popular favourite with locals. Built in 1863, it's the only single storey pub ever built in that era and has an "Irish" feel to it.


Today's quote: There's nothing I value more than the closeness of friends and family, a smile as I pass someone on the street - Willie Stargell.


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Theme Day ~ Entry

Grandeur of the 1880's

Above: The Staircase

This is the entrance of the Grand Hotel, Healesville. It is an elaborate hotel designed by the famous architect, William Pitt. With fifty rooms, the large two storey solid brick hotel was built in 1888 for Mr. Edgecombe. The bricks are hand-made and came from the local brick-works of Clarke and Phillipie. It has an unusual French mansard-style roof of curved corrugated iron with protruding attic windows. Originally there was an iron-lace verandah along the front which was removed when the present large brick and concrete Bauhouse-style verandah was constructed during the World War II and the two street facades were cement rendered.

The Grand Hotel is historically significant and is registered with Heritage Victoria.

Today's quote: Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else ~ Tom Stoppard.


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Theme Day ~ Photo of the Year

 

Above: Bird on a Rock
Photo taken mid morning at Queen's Park lake.

A bit of trivia
Early travellers heading for the goldfields met here because fresh water was available in the lagoon. Burke and Wills camped here on their fateful journey to cross Australia.


Today's quote: No matter how high a bird flies, it has to come down for water ~ Old American
proverb.

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