In a time long ago, there were two giants who both wanted to be in charge of all the people in the villages and on the farms and of all the creatures in the forests and on the plains.  Only one of the giants could be the boss.  They used to decide the issue by fighting over it, but things had changed. (more…)

SAD, CFS, IBS, ADD, ADHD, ASD, CVD, BCC^*, DVT^*… some of the acronyms of modern health and its challenges.  Are they increasing in prevalence because of changing diets and changes in agricultural practices or are they a passing fad, a fashion? (more…)

Living in a community is a complex undertaking.  It involves a balancing of private and public concerns.  There are some issues that are of concern to the community as a whole and some that are purely private. (more…)

I lie on the damp earth under a multi-hued canopy.  Sunlight plays around and over me, as do the many insects.  My clothing, derived form earth-sucking plants, again soaks moisture from the ground, but I can draw no physical nourishment from this. (more…)

I love the changing seasons we experience in Melbourne.  I like change.  Change brings challenges and keeps me alert and alive. (more…)

Reading is not always a pleasurable pursuit.  Recently I have been working through a number of books which are not entertaining but certainly worth the effort.  In fact, they are important books and the reading of them can lead to positive changes in our society. (more…)

“Bang! Pht-pht.”   Silence.  “Bang! Pht-pht.”   The dogs are trying out the new dog flap in the back door.  The last one was translucent and this one is clear, so it’s a new experience.  They follow each other in and out several times to make sure, then they get on with other dog games, like destroying a cardboard box. (more…)

Breastfeeding welcomed here.  A simple, small sticker on the door of a café, letting mothers know that they are not going to be harassed if they show a bit of flesh.  Across the road, at another café, four young women are sitting around a table in intimate discussion.  They are leaning forward, their breasts almost falling out of their tops.  And, by the way, breastfeeding is not welcome in this café. (more…)

Happy Birthday to this blog.  One year ago tomorrow I wrote the first ‘From the Kitchen’ and this blog was born. (more…)

The earth is cloud-hidden and the sky a range of blues.  Yes, I’m flying again.  It seems to be a new habit, writing while travelling.

Certainly, viewing the earth from the perspective of 35 000 feet makes a difference when thinking about things.  This may be why people sit on top of mountains to meditate.  Of course, one can meditate anywhere, but being able to sit with eyes open and see a large part of the earth’s surface spread out below automatically gives a different quality to the meditation.
Hurtling through the air in a closed container is also not the same as floating and gliding suspended from a paraglider.  Paragliding, or hang-gliding, forces a more intimate relationship with the atmosphere – the air currents and thermals.  There is immediacy, as there is with sailing. (more…)