Inreresting from the above source - Vegetable and fruit carving is an old tradition and exists across the world. Gourds were the first plant that was domesticated for its carving potential some 10,000 years ago, and among other things, they were also carved to serve as lanterns. The Maori were the first people to carve gourds into lanterns 700 years ago.Why do we carve and display the jack o' lantern at Halloween?
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
It's an Irish story of an endless journey between two worlds...https://t.co/TMbxe3XNxp via @IcySedgwick
Saturday, 31 October 2020
jack o' lanterns...
wildlife on the wild side...
Getting up close to nature can get a tad close to the really wild side...Great to watch in awe from behind my screen... https://t.co/tRd42Wg13b
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
blue tit...
I have never seen such a beautifully 'plumed' bird as this...Incredible... https://t.co/fhAIZwTppx
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
striking pose...
Apart from the magnificent pose, the wonderful variation of patterns on the feathers is also magnificent...What a photo! https://t.co/pgJ8BQcznx
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
here's looking at you, kid...
'Here's looking at you, kid' ... or 'watching you'... or 'watch it'... Whatever you think applies...Love this.... https://t.co/gevpiEyUZf
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
supercell over Sydney...
Such a dynamic image...and ironic...Dramatic power suggested by the large roll of cloud and people leisurely watching or ignoring... https://t.co/kGwLWmXC66
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
petrol comments...
Pulled into the servo and forgot where the petrol cap release button was located!!
— Maree Burgess (@mareeb55) October 31, 2020
I sat in my car for a good 20 seconds the other day when I pulled in to the petrol station. Trying to remember what to do. π
— Sally Heppleston (@mamaofhope) October 31, 2020
For me, it was the first time I'd filled the car since Feb!
— Rachel Connor (@remi_bz) October 31, 2020
I am hearing lots of flat car batteries when people get back in to drive.
— Peace & Harmony (@p3ace_harmony) October 31, 2020
To explain these strange comments...Melbourne can now travel 25km and dine in restaurants and visit a range of shops...We are opening...
a dumpster...
This is an incredible statement put into action by a country outside of the U.S. 26% of Germans view the U.S. favorably.
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
Madame Tussauds in Berlin dumps Trump into a dumpster ahead of Election Day https://t.co/06tMalaPBb
a little political humour...a little...
Can't help it...π€£π€£π€£The possibilities ... Sometimes, political humour can be fun humour... Sometimes... https://t.co/UFBmQXF5Ug
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
No, unlike the Scumster, I believe he’ll spend some quality time with Catherine and the kids, as opposed to someone parading them in front of the cameras, for some very cheap opportunist political points. Guess who might do that?
— π§A Quiet Type π© π© (@chrisamason) October 30, 2020
If he built a chicken coop or a cubby they'd (a) be the right size, (b) be built properly & (c) he wouldn't brag about it.
— Caz (@AltoCarol) October 30, 2020
Is he going to call his chooks Rachael, Alex and Peta?
— Jetsman (@robertjet260) October 30, 2020
π±π±ππππππ¦πΊπ¦πΊπ¦πΊπ¦πΊ#IStandWithDan.
— John Robertson (@JohnRob16933826) October 30, 2020
Enjoy your off day Premier π
You sure as Hell earned it.
Thank you.
surprise visit and gratitude...
PASSING THOUGHT: GRATITUDE - Teacher friend paid a surprise visit...flowers + special tea...a little company on the verandah...I feel so very fortunate having some caring people around, helping me to survive tragedy last year followed by remote learning challenges this year...π pic.twitter.com/RkuG5qJfs2
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 31, 2020
morning mystery...
Morning mystery... My distant neighbour...standing on his raised pool deck...high powered hose,+rather loud generator... Watering? Cleaning the deck? But there seems to be more focus on the tops of his neighbour's trees+his neighbour's shed roof...Overflow from cleaning the deck? pic.twitter.com/IBoTjlpony
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
weather report with bling...
Rarely do I post weather reports... But this one was a 'hit' with me...A little creative license and punch go a long way to give some 'bling' to the ordinary format...
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
'fat tornado'...'a few whales learnt to fly'... ππππ
❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/qIyD8nCi2q
World Teachers' Day...a day late...
A day late perhaps... But I have been searching for some unique comment on what is so special about being a teacher... This is the very reason why I have not retired from high school teaching... yet... https://t.co/nuGrenAawE
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
orange rose...
A single rose waking to the shadows of morning light has a special magic... pic.twitter.com/FnAuj8ywEc
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
earthly sun rays...
Each spring, this burst of 'earthly sun rays' emerges in a neighbour's garden... Each year, the burst becomes stronger... Always enchanting... pic.twitter.com/Ccjrl0ol5F
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
morning mischief...
Someone has a little mischief in mind this morning... My neighbour's furball, Chloe, likes to visit (annoy) my little furball... But the sight of me on the verandah tends to be a deterrent... However, Chloe is patient... She knows that I will disappear eventually... pic.twitter.com/hP8wxpLO32
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
flower magic for Halloween...
Saturday morning...Halloween... And Melbourne skies are intensely debating today's moods... Meanwhile, light gets a brief? chance to have a little magical play... pic.twitter.com/5beItwukgE
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
Halloween spirit and the news...
The darker side of the Halloween spirit could easily be a daily, addictive 'must-connect' feature... if we allow it to be... https://t.co/AgcdYDiDhd
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
Friday, 30 October 2020
jetty museum...
Such amazing presence in this minimalist design. It suits the purpose of the interior. The touch of the corrugated rusty feature wall behind the boat completes the atmosphere. https://t.co/8zAXbNmqQX
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
pillars and patches of fluid colour...
Pillars and patches of fluid colour enchant this simple moment of a silhouetted man, his umbrella and a plain fence in the rain...So beautiful... https://t.co/jYy7Dmr777
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
things I can do when I'm stuck...
This is a very wise young world citizen...Sounds so simple and logical, yet we world-savvy adults may be inclined to forget such simple, doable answers... https://t.co/EglnoJRtwm
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
late Friday afternoon sails...
So lovely to see the late-Friday-afternoon tradition of white sails on the bay again...At last... pic.twitter.com/Br83L2leQY
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
These boats may race at times, but the late Friday afternoon tradition is set by the Safety Beach Yacht Club...The yachts just seem to hang together round Dromana and Safety Beach......The sails seem to celebrate the weekend...
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
And now, at 7:00pm, the sails are gathering for the home journey to the Safety Beach Yacht Club... pic.twitter.com/GLaz9KsnDO
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
And while I watched white sails on the bay, a little feathered friend watched me... pic.twitter.com/4MQWXav7bE
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
stalking heat...
stalking heat of
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
hell-bent fires
yesterday's
plastic Camelot is
melting #tanka
A Perfect Moment...
Rebecca Vincent's engaging art -'A Perfect Moment'. The original was a monotype - a unique printed painting. I use rollers and dabbers to spread out the ink then make marks with a cloth and other tools. I incorporate textured materials by impressing inked up wallpaper and fabric. https://t.co/rtZFmnJZAq
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 30, 2020
Thursday, 29 October 2020
Weltschmerz...
Aaaah...‘Weltschmerz’... What a brilliant word... I know of no English equivalent...It even sounds like a grand voice for the meaning ... O what a word for the world right now... https://t.co/DlYD23Nle5
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 29, 2020
afternoon perch...
afternoon perch
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 29, 2020
every day
sea and big sky
are still living
every day#tanka pic.twitter.com/Pj3UILK8Nh
happiness - the music within...
This is what happiness is really all about...It's feeling the music within...and dancing... https://t.co/KM3UNrARiQ
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 29, 2020
Wednesday, 28 October 2020
coincidences...
Coincidences can have remarkable outcomes...Who knows how apparently loose threads may suddenly be woven together... https://t.co/6mpLdCjNtU pic.twitter.com/Dkn2YQbuSi
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 28, 2020
Tuesday, 27 October 2020
'new' reef...
This is so exciting...The reef, about 150 kms south of Cape York's tip on Queensland's east coast, is estimated to be 20 million years old at its deepest part. Since 1995, 1/2 the corals on the Great Barrier Reef have died - coral bleaching. May we protect the reef carefully... https://t.co/AmYC2ad95R pic.twitter.com/WRQoZ4pbvs
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 27, 2020
a real super hero...
No words do justice to describing the grand but humble and 'human' leadership of this man...This is what a real super hero looks like and how he acts... https://t.co/1g9o5mxgdI
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 26, 2020
a visual of zero cases...
Love this visual interpretation of data for 27.10 (re-enforcing yesterday's Donut Day) ...This is a positive, 'tasty' wave we all embrace... https://t.co/uXN82m8D1T
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 26, 2020
P.S. And today has been named 'Double Donut Day' - no new cases or deaths for 2 days in Victoria...
my early morning smile...
My early morning smile... Aaah the challenges of life go on... https://t.co/96EDEaxhge
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 26, 2020
what eased restrictions change? for me...
So glad to find others feel the same way as I do...I have no intention of going near shopping malls or inside restaurants in the near future. I even hesitate about outdoor restaurants...still quite close + passers-by. The only thing that changes is going for longer, masked walks.
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 26, 2020
Monday, 26 October 2020
especially rainy...
Today was an especially rainy day.
— Tim Mallon (@PatMalo85776814) October 26, 2020
I felt it murmuring on my hair during a scurrying essay from building to car.
I heard it thrum upon the tin roof, like a ship's engine.
It was emphatic, tense, part of a great story of sea and sky.
Today was an especially rainy day.
a ruined tweet = great news...
August 2 - DM's original tweet:
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 26, 2020
11am = not terrible
After 12pm = bad
Wearing a suit = real bad news
Sports jacket = moderately bad news
Northface jumper = it's the weekend
Wearing a suit on the weekend after 12pm = shit's fucked
***And this ruined tweet = brilliant news https://t.co/IOQqs9Ugv7
He’s seen it, for sure. It’s a deliberate response to YOU. Doubly doubly sure
— Lilian Darmono (@liliandarmono) October 26, 2020
100% knew about this. He’s playing chess and wer are all playing checkers
— Tim (@thunderwilson23) October 26, 2020
Covid normal is just beginning...
PASSING THOUGHT: The excitement of the day...for Victorians anyways...is cooling down for me...Now I think about it, I still will avoid shopping malls, keep to small shopping areas and just walk the less travelled byways...I daren't react too quickly... It's still Covid normal...
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 26, 2020
Google acknowledges donuts today...
Just to celebrate the day ... pic.twitter.com/rY6nG62Yl8
— Dr Behrooz Hassani-M (@behrooz_hm) October 26, 2020
a toast...
And notice Dan has selected a Melbourne whisky... Here's a premier who does not celebrate politics or self, but those who walked the walk with him... It's definitely a great Donut Day for Melburnians, for Victorians... https://t.co/XgP1eTLyup
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 26, 2020
Melbourne's fantastic news...
This on the back of the outbreak and the massive testing blitz... can't wait to hear Morrison's praise and congratulations today. Oh no wait, I meant can't wait to hear Hunt talk about how our contact tracing isn't up to par with NSW while Morrison goes to Bunnings.
— Jugzilla (@jugzilla_vi) October 25, 2020
Kind of feels like Vic just won another premiership. Fantastic. ππ
— Michael Tindley (@mickeyj2020) October 25, 2020
Who needs a grand final when you can have zero cases of coronavirus.
— Edie (@edie_le) October 25, 2020
Replace the calamari with cheezels, but otherwise this. https://t.co/4N8IegFsjK
— Michael L (@wtb_Michael) October 25, 2020
When nothing is everything! https://t.co/qVL0gKGKVo
— Ambulance Victoria (@AmbulanceVic) October 25, 2020
Zero, zero π€ Victoria, Melburnians, you are magnificent. #ThanksDan And a giant open-ended fork you to everyone who’s made this incredibly difficult time even more difficult pic.twitter.com/amSN2s5l1L
— Fiona Wood π· (@f_i_o_n_a_w_) October 25, 2020
The most beautiful thing on Twitter today https://t.co/f3rFZeQPLt
— Angela Savage (@angsavage) October 25, 2020
very first question to Daniel Andrews at his presser, after announcing easing of VIC restrictions: "is what you're saying, that we can finally get back on the beers?"
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) October 26, 2020
Andrews: "I don't know that I'll be drinking a beer tonight. I might go a little higher up the shelf." #auspol pic.twitter.com/8z8scPrcr4
+ many noted that Dan wore a North Face jacket - on a Monday. That was inspiring.
Said I'd go a little higher up the shelf. Here's to you, Victoria. pic.twitter.com/JbsbmUxmoZ
— Dan Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) October 26, 2020
AND NOTE, Dan has selected a Melbourne whisky...Love how Melbourne's crazy weather plays a vital part in the production of this whisky...
Daydreaming about heading back out there on Wednesday pic.twitter.com/vg7JxwwGDj
— anna spooky-ryan (@annaspargoryan) October 26, 2020
Victorians naming today donut day is the most truly beautiful Australian things i have seen in years.
— DomoFacetious (@FacetiousDomo) October 26, 2020
This shows the true Australian spirit, not pissing and moaning about being oppressed.
Take one for the team and get on with things with a smile and laugh.
Look what I just arrived home to. Well done Victoria. What an amazing State we live in and what an amazing achievement by all. Thank you. π©πΊ pic.twitter.com/Kv3vPKwiF5
— π© Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) October 26, 2020
NOTE the subtle addition of a donut to Brett Sutton's profile name...Good one...
+ 8th November, intrastate restrictions on Melbourne lifted...
Sunday, 25 October 2020
beauty of the jacaranda...
If you seek the meaning of life, the purpose of life, here it is in its natural, free to all glory...All Mother Nature asks in return is to be valued, appreciated, protected...And therein lies our purpose, our meaning... https://t.co/HFUJeq6JAK
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 25, 2020
pinchfart...
The urge to swear is rather close to the surface, today... But this word provides a rather neat suspension bridge between 'being polite' and a more explosive expletive...Now...Who fits this bill...politician#1, politician#2, politician#3, policitian#4, etc... https://t.co/66W70inyCk
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 25, 2020
Mother Nature offers survival...
Melbournians are simply so appreciative of Nature's outdoors...no matter the weather... All part of the survival kit... https://t.co/7sB6bzykIw
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 25, 2020
a walk with Nature...
So I went for another walk in Plenty Gorge Park today. I’d only intended to be there for a couple of hours but I got carried away and ended up walking along Plenty River from Middle Gorge Station on the Mernda Line to Greensborough Station on the Hurstbridge Line - about 5 hours.
— Harry Saddler (@MondayStory) October 25, 2020
Anyway enough of the preamble, let’s have some photos! Here’s Blue Lake, living up to its name. Blue Lake and Yellow Gums Picnic Ground we’re busier than I’d ever seen them - loads of people. pic.twitter.com/6LxwwzlnyX
— Harry Saddler (@MondayStory) October 25, 2020
wobbly weather...
NOTE TO SELF: It may be wobbly weather today, so dig up some gratitude. I'm grateful for today's call of over-caution rather than under-caution. I'm grateful for power, to hear music. I'm grateful for sea and sky outside my window. I'm grateful for strength to keep walking. pic.twitter.com/wXKeJrMTf7
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 25, 2020
Some days, the emotional struggles can be harder...A little bit of challenging news, and somehow, the pile- up of dark emotions rises significantly...The logic is elusive...as is the core reason...It's like an accumulation of growing questions, growing fears of the world outside...and growing urges to hibernate long beyond winter dimensions...Sleep patterns are fractured...Common sense seems not so common...Procrastination is on a wild spree of madness...In those times, it's best to call on another self...the one who seems immovable, unshakeable, surreal...the one who holds the reins...and humbly ask that one for a sign...of a better universe...
Daniel Andrews says it's "not safe" to ease VIC rules today - but says the November 1 timetable to relax restrictions is still on track, and hopes to make some announcements as early as Tuesday#auspol @TheNewDailyAu https://t.co/f19mLoodet
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) October 25, 2020
Good on #DanielAndrews for keeping the strategy cautious. its infinitely better to open up when you know what cases are around then with potential unknowns. The virus dgaf about how bored you are of lockdown.
— Kieran (@CautiousKieran) October 25, 2020
Daniel Andrews says it's "not safe" to ease VIC rules today - but says the November 1 timetable to relax restrictions is still on track, and hopes to make some announcements as early as Tuesday#auspol @TheNewDailyAu https://t.co/f19mLoodet
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) October 25, 2020
I like many am upset at postponed easing today. But from a medical/pandemic point of view, it’s the correct decision.
— Dr Peter Morris π· (@drpete00) October 25, 2020
Yes there’s ongoing issues with contact tracing, communication, risk of HCW that need fixing.
But sticking to dates, not data, is dangerous.#AusPol #SpringSt
Sweden is currently at 11k cases with some days bringing in over 1k new cases per day. Sweden has a similar population density as inner Melbourne. Sweden has 58 deaths per 100k to Australia's 3.6 per 100k. #DanielAndrews #IStandWithDan
— Naviques (@Naviquel) October 25, 2020
morning moods...
morning moods
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
a little bit of sunshine
a little rain
and a few echoes of
night music #tanka
babble of the races...
And the day beat on, and Old Amos told me of horses and trainers and bookmakers and all that...
— Tim Mallon (@PatMalo85776814) October 24, 2020
And his rough hands gripped the tin mug and his pale eyes looked out across the hills, across the years...
And I know he was thinking about her...
And so was I.
I love the lingering scents of slower days in slower places in Tim's narratives...Just being in the reflective moment can effectively nourish all that we are and can be... https://t.co/zIUdWjshEY
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
Saturday, 24 October 2020
Phil Greenwood's 'Amber Light'...
Subtle tones of mist and shadow bathed in highlights of gentle amber... There's a melancholic peace in this vision of stillness... https://t.co/JsUa3O5DLv
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
Ellen Shannon headstone...
I definitely seem to be on track for finding the weirdest of the weird these days...Well...At least it keeps me amused and occupied... https://t.co/ZHAgDnI7PB
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
This headstone is in Girard Cemetery, Pennsylvania???? (See note below)
The fire occurred at Shannon’s workplace, the Girard Hotel, which still stands on the northeast corner of Rice Avenue and East Main Street.https://t.co/4G0Wo6vNmb Roderick Foster Danforth was the inventor and manufacturer of Danforth's Non Exploding Fluid, which killed and maimed numerous people over two decades, as it was, in fact, very highly explosive.
— David Lowe (@Dizcorp) December 15, 2017
and advised that fire insurance policies be made void if the product were found on premises. One account from St. Joseph, Missouri in 1875 reads:
— David Lowe (@Dizcorp) December 15, 2017
In Nova Scotia, Danforth's Fluid is immortalized on the headstone of Ellen Shannon, "who was fatally burned March 21, 1879, by the explosion of a lamp filled with R. E. Danforth's [sic] Non-Explosive Burning Fluid".
— David Lowe (@Dizcorp) December 15, 2017
and by 1882 had settled in Washington, DC. In that year he patented a "Vapor Stove", an improvement, so claimed the application, upon his earlier stoves.
— David Lowe (@Dizcorp) December 15, 2017
Apparently unmoved by the tragic legacy of his products, he last appeared in the Washington city directory as an inventor in 1891, the year of his death. The cause of his death is not known.
— David Lowe (@Dizcorp) December 15, 2017
*NOTE 1 - Source HERE
In the 1960s an older, broken stone with the same wording was replaced by the current one by Girard historian Hazel Kibler, who died in 1973 at age 89, said Stephanie Wincik, past president of the West County Historical Society. Wincik, 61, said Kibler wanted to preserve Girard’s past, even the strange stuff. “She was very interested in all these weird things in history,” Wincik said. “She would think (the epitaph) was cool.” The Shannon headstone is interesting, but R.E. Danforth’s non-explosive burning fuel might have been flat-out dangerous. According to the La Crosse (Wisconsin) Tribune, there is evidence that R.E. Danforth’s stuff might have been the cause of a fire — also in 1870 — that destroyed the War Eagle steamship. At least six died when the vessel burned and sunk where it was docked just north of La Crosse on the Black River.
*NOTE 2: I have found 2 different places for this headstone -
2. Nova Scotia ( Twitter above)
and a little child shall lead them...
Never underestimate the contributions of children...They can lead in most unexpected ways... https://t.co/ZJAPI9xcNL
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
a bandicoot?...
To add a little more strangeness in these strange times... In evening light, I just sighted what I believe was a golden brown bandicoot, taking a hasty stroll by the side of my 'urban peninsula' house...Neighbour's dog barked and bandicoot scooted...Too fast for a photoshoot...
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
desert smoke tree...
Desert smoke tree...mainly found in desert washes in California...https://t.co/0xJduTWQdy pic.twitter.com/lsSgVbLAc2
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
Prue Lewarne...
Prue Lewarne's nightly SBS U.S. reports add tone and presence to the news. Beautifully spoken, Prue's classy, thoughtful, informative presentation clearly identifies the context of current U.S. news. Very watchable. https://t.co/xNjPXFn61R
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
'Rams'...
Isn't strange how you can even get a 'gut feeling' about a film... You just know you will love it before you've seen it...2 adored, home-grown actors out there in the country...A grand escape from the pandemic flood...Sounds so good...'Where there's a wool there's a way'... https://t.co/h8NOvRUlcq pic.twitter.com/lOvLTHf762
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
beyond grey rains...
beyond grey rains
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
chirpy flashes
of rosella reds
praise
a burst of sunlight #tanka
another stormy scene...
Another storm riddled image... These scenes represent dramas of wonder... https://t.co/xvlERNQlxB
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
nature's sounding brass unlocked...
Broken Hill's nature world certainly knows how the turn on the 'sounding brass band unlocked' drama...Rather spectacular... https://t.co/613ZziPqD2
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
to phone or not to phone...
Amazing answer from a teen...One + only reason I've a phone- in the last 12 months- is my landline finally refused to work...I simply don't like the idea of someone or anyone 'keeping tabs' on me...Now I use the excuse that my phone's charging or leave it behind when I go out...
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
procrastination is a tempting heaven...
NOTE TO SELF: Procrastination may be a tempting heaven in the short term, but, in the long-term, it may be the short cut to hell - delayed but inevitable. pic.twitter.com/3PzFAnd7Y4
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
AFL Grand Final...
Don't follow AFL, but that doesn't mean I don't respect that AFL is a passion for many. The Gabba, Queensland may be thunderstorm struck. Melbourne weather looks wet + windy. And strangely, so far, unlike last few days, no helicopters over my peninsula. Strange Grand Final day. https://t.co/pqat0usDzg
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 24, 2020
And then there were two.
— USAFL (@USAFL1997) October 17, 2020
Cats. Lions. Saturday.#AFLGrandFinal pic.twitter.com/XUMtxxmSjW
I still haven’t decided who to barrack for π ππ #AFLGrandFinal #AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/0nLuKI3Z1A
— Mikaela Maree Whitton (@missmwhitton_) October 24, 2020
That was close! Severe thunderstorms almost ruined tonight's AFL Grand Final in Brisbane.
— Weatherzone (@weatherzone) October 24, 2020
Full story at https://t.co/Sdu2VqTZel pic.twitter.com/SLz3ejJu61
3QT.
— AFL Nation (@AFLNation) October 24, 2020
The Tigers lead by 2 points.
It's the same margin they led by at 3QT in the 1967 Grand Final against the Cats.#AFLTigersCats #AFLFinals
First time Richmond has won consecutive VFL/AFL Grand Finals since 1973-74
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) October 24, 2020
First time Richmond has won a Grand Final after trailing at half-time since 1921
Dustin Martin becomes the 1st player to win 3 Norm Smith Medals#AFLGF #GoTiges ππ― #AFLTigersCats #AFLFinals #AFL
A number of tweeters remarked on Richmond Tigers being part of the guard of honour when Gary Ablett left the field for the last time...Respect for a great player, regardless of club...
Dont ever question the Tiges culture in the spoils of glory respect is shown to a AFL great
— Nat (@natasem150) October 24, 2020
seasonal workers from Vanuatu...
After 2 weeks in hotel quarantine, 162 seasonal workers from Vanuatu begin work at Northern Territory mango farms. Workers earn up to $25/hour on Australian farms — about 9 times the $2.70 minimum Vanuatu wage. https://t.co/OdinoXrxLo
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
Vanuatu is a country with no cases of COVID19
— Matt Brann (@MattBrannRURAL) October 12, 2020
Why can't these workers quarantine on farm? Or like travellers from #NZ not have to quarantine at all?
NTGov says this is a FedGov decision... the FedGov say it's the NTGov's decision.
Someone is wrongπ€ 2/2
outback beauty...
Is there a more glorious, uplifting sight? ... Big sky, big plain of earth offering a clear view of a defined, lengthy horizon... https://t.co/3UELesiHdt
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
outdoor urban spaces...
Is this a great time to re-think outdoor urban spaces?...Reduce the machines and give people space? https://t.co/61hrVi6JOK pic.twitter.com/bSImCKKl3y
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
enigmatic rain in north-west NSW...
Here is rain at its enigmatic, ambivalent best...Since the beginning of spring, most centres in the typically dry, far north-west of NSW - incl. Tibooburra - have had more rain than coastal centres around Sydney.https://t.co/d6nZRAHdVD via @thelandnews
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
rain has an ambivalent face...
Rain has an ambivalent face...rain the nurturer and rain the destroyer...It all depends on the need and the circumstance...Too little is a sign of need and too much is a sign of destruction... Life indeed is a balancing act... https://t.co/epSQgv3Ne5
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
new morning bathed in misty rain...
new morning
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
bathed in misty rain
a saggy chair
masquerades as
a future birdbath #tanka pic.twitter.com/WWFiiGWmZP
children's illustrator...
Stunning watercolours by children's author+illustrator Pamela Allen. Adelaide's Patch Theatre Company created 3 theatrical performances from a selection of her books. 1st illustrator to win Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award in 2 consecutive years https://t.co/JQoc7NDZCF
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
rooftop coummunity gardens...
Not all community gardens are at ground level. This is a rooftop version. Sydney's Matthew Talbot Hostel helps the homelessness. Next door, Ozanam Learning Centre provides offers skills. Connecting the two Woolloomooloo iconic services is this rooftop garden. https://t.co/hh7LIxE33L
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
when urban areas mirror rural worlds...
Urban areas need not be divorced from rural worlds...It's possible to cultivate mini versions...I knew of one community garden in Melbourne's Blackburn area, land near the Monash freeway...But why not many+varied...Organic produce in urban areas can foster organic connections... https://t.co/mUGU99btl0 pic.twitter.com/mNnckjDFEY
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
Friday, 23 October 2020
scene freeze of outback drama...
So much drama condensed in a scene of heavy looming sky over a broad expanse of outback plain and a solitary prime mover demanding focal attention. https://t.co/KLgdm0gNza
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
That’s why he’s parked up on the hard stuff πππ¦πΊ
— Eric (Rick) Britton (@rick_mayor) October 23, 2020
He was in a hurry to get there π€£πππ¦πΊ pic.twitter.com/q1ygO5vfO0
— Eric (Rick) Britton (@rick_mayor) October 23, 2020
role models...
Role models...a precious commodity with boundless benefits... https://t.co/8uoNC0GAm8
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
congestion crisis?...
Apparently, painter and date are correct. But the painting is not a pandemic reference. It represents problems related to urban traffic and suggests mechanisms to reduce the traffic congestion crisis. But still, it could easily have a double meaning now. https://t.co/wxiNsxBFzj https://t.co/i2vWblRqSJ
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
Even the word 'congestion' can be applied to traffic and breathing issues...
caterpillar unicorn?...
Creepy crawlies are not usually my thing...My first reaction usually is SHIVER with goosebumps... But this little one is really fascinating... There are many kinds of unicorns in the woods it seems... https://t.co/cLb4BZyLPi
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
Wind from the Sea
Love this image for its emotional and thoughtful energy...partially open window, partially drawn blind, a partial glimpse of the sea...but there is enough sea breeze to send the curtains spinning into a dance...And the colour tone is like parchment...a past moment preserved... https://t.co/7Oah2uApMQ
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
Perhaps Andrew Wyeth's most famous painting is 'Christina's World'...
a little furball, a book, a page + writing...
Adore the quote... + adore Christine Ellger's image. I relate closely to both... https://t.co/zS1LMFXCDm
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
aboriginal tunnels for water...
It appears that Australian aboriginals 'channelled and filtered their water, covering it to avoid contamination and evaporation. They also created wells and tunnel reservoirs.' Tunnels accessed groundwater. Ants led them to subterranean reservoirs.https://t.co/bwEyr7yrDL.
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
I'm not downplaying their extensive genius in using water . That the conditions of aquifers in Australia were perhaps the reason that there were no extensive dug wells . Many of the ancient people had wells . Their agriculture system was magnificent . Yet the dug wells and wheel?
— zenrainman (@zenrainman) October 23, 2020
True all that. Correlation is not causation. Not disputing any of what you say . Just commenting on a possible link between wells and wheels . Last December I travelled extensively across Oz to find this link. Could not.
— zenrainman (@zenrainman) October 23, 2020
Vishwanath Srikantaiah, 53, is a water activist and has been working in the space for over 27 years. Mr. Vishwanath is also a columnist for The Hindu, who writes weekly columns about water preservation. A Civil Engineer, and Urban & Regional Planner by profession, he has worked with HUDCO(Housing and Urban Development Corporation) for 14 years. Vishwanath or popularly known as @zenrainman, started a club while he was in HUDCO. “We started a small group called the rainwater club in 1994. We used to collect documents and information about rainwater harvesting and put it up on public domain.”Agree with the construct of 'progress'. One 'suit' does not 'suit' all. 'We didn’t have the wheel. We bypassed it. It didn’t suit our needs...We also lived without the associated range of problems of industry, pollution and heavy labour.' https://t.co/MtgTafTLK3
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 23, 2020
MY FINAL COMMENT: The only geographical area and civilization NOT to have extensive dug wells is the original people of Australia. Incidentally they did not have the wheel too. Is the well and the wheel connected? - zenrainman
The hypothetical connection between wells and the wheel is a rather questionable one. What qualifies as a well - naturally found between rocks (surely this must have some value in an arid zone), hand-scooped or dug with tools? The aboriginal concept of a well is often aligned with water tunnels. And, as Aboriginal had no need for a wheel, the whole hypothesis seems to stumble away from any possibility of validity. Further, wells were not even necessary to provide for crops. Perennnial crops, such as kangaroo grass, did not need ploughing and did not generate a loss of topsoil. Just random rain was enough for the crop. No need for irrigation. Finally, what does this hypothesis hope to achieve? One civilisation is more advanced than another? One civilisation progresses faster than another? Surely, comparing water management skills of different societies would have more value, improving modern society's water management understanding.
FIRST MACHINE: The first known reference to a machine dates to the ancient Near East circa 5000 BC, when it was first used in a simple balance scale, a lever. In ancient Egypt circa 4400 BC, a foot pedal was used for the earliest horizontal frame loom. In Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) circa 3000 BC, the shadouf, a crane-like device that uses a lever mechanism, was invented for irrigation. In ancient Egypt technology, workmen used the lever to move and uplift obelisks weighing more than 100 tons. Archimedes referred to the lever in the 3rd C B.C. So a connection between the wheel and water seems even more remote, the closest being a shadouf.
political abyss v. a garden...
I can feel myself slip-sliding toward the political abyss...The open chasm is a magnet...I must refrain from contaminating my Twitter timeline with political tirades...self-defeating+pointless...So, new life in my neighbour's garden + I'll return to my 'Sarum' world for awhile... pic.twitter.com/6LmIHV3qjm
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
few words...many meanings...
So love the clipped 'label' on so many of this tweeter's timeline photos. The labels are loaded, challenging connections between words and often unusual image. https://t.co/7CZmS3Z3Ur
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
David Milner...folk hero...
Uh, wow. Cannot begin to describe how strange being online is at the moment. https://t.co/QkX504WpuO
— David Milner (@DaveMilbo) October 22, 2020
Melbourne's David Milner has risen above 'voice of the people' these days...A humble, honest, 'keep trying' hero... And wow do we need such a rare species in these manic waves of 2020... https://t.co/cnczY7Tsng
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
ON TRACK...
And this grand news proves that there is far more to the number '1' than the stereotypical concepts of 'first' and 'One is the loneliest number...'. This very special '1', we Melburnians hope symbolises 'last'. This '1' is the key to opening the door AWAY from loneliness...πππ https://t.co/ct9zHspvdl pic.twitter.com/WbkKl2ei3m
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
Halloween in older Ireland...
Halloween in older Ireland...Yes...The impression of a skeletal face, carved from a turnip, is indeed quite intimidating...Very mummified... https://t.co/DBH0vdiic8
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
addicted to learning and soul connections...
Addicted to learning and soul connections... I live and breathe for both... But also must include the sheer pleasure I get from supporting high school students - both in their learning + mental/spiritual wellbeing...The students give my life purpose and meaning...
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
a chat with Emily D?...
While not strictly labelled 'philosopher', it can't be denied that Emily Dickenson's poetry has a strong undercurrent of philosophy. So I would choose Emily Dickenson. I can imagine she would be a little reticent, but, as I am a little socially shy too, I think we could connect.
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
Thursday, 22 October 2020
indigenous farming...
This is simply amazing...The incredible possibility of perennial crops... saving the loss of topsoil. Kangaroo grass has massive root systems to hold the soil and draw up water. Even in dry areas, seasonal rain is enough. The advantages are endless. Consider indigenous farming. https://t.co/M3IgPz6h0E
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
Podcast - includes podcast transcript + slides + further links
Lotus Diagram of WWI treaties...
This Lotus Diagram represents a valuable, organised insight into post-WWI treaty confusions. The colour coding is a bonus. Well done. https://t.co/GYvWkNnA9z
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
power to the squishy...
Nature power... Don't underestimate the squishy...They have hidden, super-power talents... https://t.co/L64zlL0ODv
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
outback gifts...
Sandy earths, grasses and passing bright flowers are an enchanting gift of our Australian outback... https://t.co/0l2dpniXnP
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
embarrassing...
Many many moons ago...1st boyfriend...Watched him leave my home... sighing love sighs, of course, + waving...walking backwards...tripped...keeled backwards into a spiky cactus plant in a pot...Sat there laughing...No I didn't...I screamed...Boyfriend raced back to remove spikes..
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
lawsuits...
Very sad to see the barrage of lawsuits claiming 'business poor', yet ignoring the overseas evidence of what happens in pandemic times when businesses given 'thumbs up' too swiftly. The law's not fashioned to acknowledge the extreme conditions of a pandemic. The law doesn't fit.
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
'An Artist of the Floating World'...
Love this p.180 quote - “Sensei, it is my belief that in such troubled times as these, artists must learn to value something more tangible than those pleasurable things that disappear with the morning light." https://t.co/TDOil9u3Rs pic.twitter.com/DaAP6p1hZK
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
soggy rainbow lorikeet...
This gorgeous, soggy personality resembles an upmarket feather duster... A stunner... https://t.co/iLVsd5mtrI
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
move along crocodile...with love...
Move along crocodile...with love! 5 metre, 800kg crocodile-Krakatoa, moved safely to Billabong Sanctuary, Townsville. Soulmate Madonna went too. Because of previous lovesickness - Krakatoa is said to have gone 8 months sans food after 1st partner died! https://t.co/n4ymJ4gtsM
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
connecting languages and cultures...
What a grand idea to keep all language alive by connecting cultures via words and thereby enhancing appreciative understanding... https://t.co/wi7o6nSkxu
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
fireman's spiral...
I always thought that the fireman's spiral was for shimmying down fast (via the rails) when called out to a fire. An interesting one... https://t.co/SHhr3PXANG
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
100 year old prophecy?...
100 year old prophecy? Artist? But an answer is elusive. All I could find was: 'At the end of the 19th century, postcards drawn by various European artists predicting scenes from the future were hidden inside cigarette packs and chocolate boxes.' https://t.co/IZtlq4X8Ai https://t.co/j65JoRQ5QO
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
lone worker's yellow helmet...
I think this is good news... People working...construction happening...no grey storm clouds and not too cold... But I am more drawn to the image's foreground - lone worker's yellow helmet, on the 'ground', meditating in some dreamland... https://t.co/QrffBr64e2
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 22, 2020
helicopter influx?...
Helicopters...There seems to be a significant influx of helicopters trolling my Mornington Peninsula lately...More than a little unsettling...(Image taken moments ago)...Yet I thought the drones and helicopters were not to be out and about till this weekend's AFL grand final... pic.twitter.com/rxcHZwLknu
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
And already another helicopter appears, from and heading to a different direction... pic.twitter.com/sioNpHd7pB
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
And another...This one circling... pic.twitter.com/3V6SBXQxnZ
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
old Martin Place?...
Even though it's a number of years since I was last in Sydney, I am quite sure that this is Martin Place...The building on the right - I remember crossing the road in all its sombre dignity...The left I barely recognise...
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
slow post...
Somehow, this version of 'slow post' looks so romantic. A few weeks ago, received notification that Australia Post would be delivering only twice a week...I am quite certain that claim has been bent to once a week...at best...Mail from a few km away takes days to be delivered... https://t.co/of6r31dbuN
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
Twitter voice of the people...
Twitter 2020 is fast becoming 'the voice of the people'. If politicians really want to get in touch with the people - their mood, their context, their issues + challenges - then it would be advantagous to scroll the Twitter universe regularly. But maybe one glance + they hide...
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
2020 mantra?...
This image could easily symbolise a mantra... 'Let's cop 2020 on the chin, mask up, sunnies on and get out there'... (social distancing of course)...https://t.co/moaP4frFZs pic.twitter.com/qwSJWjFfzP
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
Pavilion of the Enlightened...
Visual geometrical purity. Pavilion of the Enlightened in Thailand...The Pavilion of the Enlightened symbolizes the story of 500 monks, from different cultural backgrounds, who attained Nirvana. https://t.co/sUtxe8hnlW pic.twitter.com/kdRqofxHQm
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
Wednesday, 21 October 2020
Rainbow bee-eater...
Rainbow bee-eater - today at White Hills, 4km north-west of Bendigo, Victoia. At first glance, this bird may resemble a kingfisher. The female digs a tunnel (up to 1 metre) in a sandy cliff face or eroded riverbank + creates a nesting chamber for 3-7 eggs.https://t.co/txvJxx9S1Y pic.twitter.com/9YuIJy30hG
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
Tennant Creek sign...
This Tennant Creek sign, in the Northern Territory, has such a delightful, appealing subtitle...Can't help but think of Mark Knopfler's soulful 'Golden Heart'... pic.twitter.com/kdfSwQNOXZ
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
Alice Springs sign...
I'll admit, I'm drawn to this article for the shapely, creative sign...But information's great too
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
Awesome Australian Road Trip: Tennant Creek To Alice Springs https://t.co/txUP2nMrPl via @Australia Work & Travel Magazine - What's On Aus, Cheap Tours & Accommodation
fluffed up morning...
My dove friends were back today, enjoying their favourite verandah post... This one was quite comfortably fluffed up... pic.twitter.com/mY4uuYVak9
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
pretty morning skies before grey...
I loved this sky this morning in the Dromana Hills...I appreciated it even more when I found out that these skies are going to be elusive for a number of days...More grey and chilly weather ahead... Where's spring? pic.twitter.com/mRedJmO70l
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 21, 2020
bayard...
I guess there is another brilliant thought of the day...What a great word...BAYARD...I think of a wolf baying to the moon (for sound only)... The wolf has far more innate intelligence than some humans to whom this term may aptly apply...OOO the connections I can make... π€£π€£π€£ https://t.co/FtdK2I4JCa
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 20, 2020
where do i fit?...
Brilliant thought of the day...Worth a smile or even a chuckle... https://t.co/TOwScWW1OO
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 20, 2020
Tuesday, 20 October 2020
forsloth...
FORSLOTH - a word with a wonderful 'slow-boat-to-China', 'slow TV' feel...(Sakte-tv [Norwegian for 'Slow-TV'] was named Word of the Year in Norway in 2013)...There's a lot to be said for 'climbing out of yesterday with sticky little feet'... Time to smell the roses... maybe... https://t.co/AHjzHNP4hJ
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 20, 2020
The Shot...
Never, till 2020, have I looked closely at the cogs grinding our political machine. But 2020 = any old political trusts binned + voices (David Milner) in unexpected places respected. He brings empathetic, commonsense hope to a political wasteland + praise only for deserving ones. https://t.co/7qy0bF2FeT pic.twitter.com/AUWMN0DQWv
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 20, 2020
front grass tamed into lawn...
My front grass has been tamed into lawn...Even through a smudgy window, it looks wonderful out there... The poor guy has been here an hour already, and still not finished mowing...The back garden grass could easily pass as a healthy crop...I hope the ride-on doesn't break down... pic.twitter.com/twt0xK9TLy
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 20, 2020
in praise of mowing...
O what a mess!...NO!... It's the most beautiful sight I have seen in a long long time of lockdown...My grass, at last, is getting mowed! I keep running outside to check it's real...It's a grand day... pic.twitter.com/C1rF9W1Cpw
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 20, 2020
wall of songlines...
This site at Gracevale Station, is an hour outside of Aramac, remote western Queensland.
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 19, 2020
The almost 9,000 hectares of land was returned to the local Iningai people's custodianship in 2019.
"The wall [200 metres] houses what we call the university teaching wall of our songlines," https://t.co/yqNFZhjs6P pic.twitter.com/LNClDENPKm
shrew-shrew train...
And the tiny shrew caboose came last... huffing and puffing... https://t.co/y3QLoZZK7c pic.twitter.com/gC4D2f36Cc
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 19, 2020
Monday, 19 October 2020
celebration/birthday thoughts...
I've never been comfortable with a celebration of me in the limelight... birthday or any other reason... It doesn't seem right, somehow... Re birthday, I prefer to simply do something different...go somewhere new...maybe experience something new out of my comfort zone...Progress?
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 19, 2020
Uluru has RAIN...
Uluru has RAIN! More rainfall in the last 24 hours than over a total of seven months!
— Gemma Wiseman (@AuraGem) October 19, 2020
Bernadette Fedec: 'That would mean the creek by the sacred birthing place would be full! How spiritual it would be. Uluru is being cleansed.'https://t.co/Z6sOBtEUun pic.twitter.com/EFaoYujvJE
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