Chrysanthemum moon
Ten steps beyond my studio door stands an apple tree now heavy with fruit. From time to time an apple falls with a sound that intercepts the silence. I listen, anticipating the next drop, but it is clear that the process is random. Wasps circling in the last of summer breezes celebrate the sweet decay […]
Plain old Tuesdays
Everyone has a moment. A vivid moment. And everyone remembers where we were and what we were doing at that moment. We remember all sorts of details, if the sun was shining or the rain was falling or the traffic was heavy. We remember how we felt. I remember the moment our classroom teacher told […]
September 2011 call-ups
One of the benefits extended to major league baseball players is a September call-up. Essentially, on the first of September, teams may increase their rosters from 25 players to 40 players. It gives the fans a chance to see players that have been plying the trade down on the farm. The Toronto Blue Jays have […]
Plain old Tuesdays
Everyone has a moment. A vivid moment. And everyone remembers where we were and what we were doing at that moment. We remember all sorts of details, if the sun was shining or the rain was falling or the traffic was heavy. We remember how we felt. I remember the moment our classroom teacher told […]
Kiwi vines
Perhaps it is most fitting that we explore the history of wine in New Zealand as the Rugby World Cup is taking place there presently. That being said, the origin of the New Zealand wine industry almost mirrors that of Australia. James Busby, who was instrumental in introducing vines to Australia, also brought the vine […]
Living in the post trivia era
I don’t own stock in the company, but if I did, I would have sold it at least a year ago. Actually, that’s not true. I would probably have held on to it, and then kicked myself for not having sold it: it’s down about 23 per cent over last year. I’m talking about the […]
Get on your bike and ride
Since June 5, I’ve been working hard to get back on the road and ready for the next charity bike ride. The problem is, I’ve got a bit of post-trauma bikecrash- stress going on and the next fundraiser is rapidly approaching. At this point, I’m afraid to say, I’ve been able to make more excuses […]
A walk on the wild side
Along the gravelled Benway Road, low-lying fields are shaved and sullen; east and west of here the way of the old steel rail runs into the landscape. In times past, at the spot where I now stand, the train halted daily, morning and late afternoon, to deliver or collect teacher and students that attended the […]
Sparkling delight
In 1833, James Busby, known as the father of the Australian wine industry, returned from studying winemaking and vine growing in France and Spain. He brought cuttings of French and Spanish vines, which he planted in his vineyards in the Hunter Valley. As with all new plantings, the early days were fraught with difficulties due […]
Belleville Bulls 2011/2012
You will need a program to follow the exploits of the Belleville Bulls at the beginning of this season. The personnel have changed radically, for a variety of reasons. There has been a significant injection of new blood, undoubtedly for the better. The last couple of years have been trying for the Bulls, and expectations […]