seismic gas vents in Turkey...

Seismic gas vents associated with a tectonic fault zone explain the deadly 'Gate to Hell' in Hierapolis, Turkey. https://t.co/mBVva99t58 pic.twitter.com/bHmbNGfYaA

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 30, 2021

Vegemite from Melbourne...

I am shocked... I knew that Vegemite was an Australian icon, but had no idea that Vegemite was born in Melbourne in 1922...
Vegemite on buttered toast is a staple for me when I need a kick start to my hunger habits...or lack of them... https://t.co/l3njTmTnUC

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 30, 2021

rock and wobble...

Black swans walk on land with a whole lot of rock and wobble...
That swimming grace morphs into asymmetric galumphing...
Stunning photo... https://t.co/ZjZRPLoU4a

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 30, 2021

furball's vet visit...

PASSING THOUGHT: Vet visit a concern...Furball's tests inconclusive...She needs to stay for a few hours for re-tests... Someone once said that you don't get delivered more than you can handle... Well, this 1st week of holidays is pushing my boundaries...So much to face head-on...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 29, 2021

vet dramas...

morning colours
engraved with
the dramas of
enticing a furball
to the vet #tanka

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 29, 2021

a legacy...

PASSING THOUGHT: Incredible how a significant other in my life, who once relentlessly drained my energy, seems now to have left me a legacy. Never have I stood so firm against the injustice of ageism + bullying. Never have I acted so confidently and persistently to right wrongs.

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 29, 2021

ice cream friendship...

A grand moment when earth and sky come together in friendship...
Amazing the power of an ice cream cone... https://t.co/NvorIDC5xP

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 29, 2021

Puffing Billy...

A Victorian icon...
If old Puffing Billy can keep puffing along, so can I... https://t.co/P23BsBgAFN

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 29, 2021

post 'the jab'...

PASSING THOUGHT: Post 'the jab' today...
Feeling remarkably fine...Lots of water as prescribed...
However, the nervous jitters, kindly provided by a flashmob of 'what if's', persist in invading my space...
'Keep walking' I keep saying...'Keep walking'...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 29, 2021

vintage boots and shoes sign...

A sign with symbolic, teasing mystery...
A quiet nod to legendary 'Puss in Boots'?
That may explain the furball, but the elfin human?
Did the 7 dwarves favour boots? https://t.co/DQxPFyPNpV

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 28, 2021

exotic dream...

exotic dream
drunk on the scents of
trees and sea salts
and big open skies
hangover welcome #tanka

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 28, 2021

we make a great team...

WARNING: Cuteness overload...
We make a great team... https://t.co/4Ey346aMJd

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 28, 2021

regal dignity...

This emu has such regal dignity...
A sense of determined purpose...
You see the world...
I am the world... https://t.co/xYATacQKqH

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 28, 2021

'jab' day tomorrow...

PASSING THOUGHT: It's my 'jab' day tomorrow...
I admit that I have a few butterflies or 2 esp as it is the AZ version...
My 'keep walking' mantra is certainly getting a 'healthy' workout these days... pic.twitter.com/7F1K7q2JPm

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 28, 2021

farewell to a chair...

Great to find some good news on the Twitter roll. Smiling at the chair taking a centre stage farewell. O so symbolic of our long-anticipated return of Dan. But I have to say it. The gorgeous one in this photo is your little furball, quietly accepting accolades in the wings.

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 27, 2021

O wow...A message that packs a 'happy punch' right to the heart+draws a tear or two...You guys are simply amazing...You draw Victorians in as a family, giving everyone hope and strength...We are grateful...Please take care from Monday forward...both of you...We are with you...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 27, 2021

I don't want to adult today...

pic.twitter.com/1JO4cuLuDy

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 27, 2021

malicious variables...

PASSING THOUGHT: My fluid plans for retirement are under rising threat. Nothing like the surprise of malicious variables. I won't give up. Slight detour. The safety net of a .6 teaching load for next year (less than .8 this year) is becoming rather attractive. Must soldier on.

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 26, 2021

outside tonight...

outside tonight, just now, and the southern sky is clear and bright.

and I was standing in the garden for a spell, considering the moon and June.

and it occurred to me there in the silver coldness that I'd stood in the same place before, dumb to possibilities of the world...

— Tim Mallon (@PatMalo85776814) June 26, 2021

Perhaps, in my case, I would have said: 'dumb and maybe numb to possibilities of the world.' 

lockdown advice to Sydney...

Lockdown offers opportunities...For the writers/walkers among you, chalk some positive micropoetry on the footpath or drop poetry in letterboxes...Then there is a sense of purpose and achievement and goodwill in your day...Amazing how thinking of others uplifts the soul...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 26, 2021

And, for a change of pace and a wry smile, an SBS host and presenter begins his Sydney lockdown in style... 

Day one of #SydneyLockdown he slashes open his finger & needs a tetanus shot. Cool cool cool. pic.twitter.com/MKyYxPO8UT

— Marc Fennell (@MarcFennell) June 27, 2021

a sign of signs...

A sign of signs...
Powerful graphic in the outback of South Australia... https://t.co/4ZqGHHzYFr

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 26, 2021

blotched...

blotched
border-locked
holidays
winter escapes
unravel #tanka

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 26, 2021

bleary light...

bleary light
of a rainy dawn
reflections
on my road
shine #tanka

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 25, 2021

feral cat + willie wagtail...

A rare sight...
An Aussie willie wagtail harassing a feral cat roaming the wilds outside of Tennant Creek, NT.https://t.co/OY4CHGAC8Z pic.twitter.com/548nHorLJs

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 24, 2021

disappearing Dead Sea...

The Dead Sea is disappearing, leaving behind a landscape shattered by sinkholes. In the past 4 decades, over 6,000 sinkholes have appeared along the Israeli side of the Dead Sea, making large sections of the coast too dangerous to enter. https://t.co/VBI5yD9n0J

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 23, 2021

ugly face of ageism persists...

PASSING THOUGHT: Just a reaction to my day...Sad when age is an undermining factor in a person's value...Sad when stereotypical preconceptions simply cannot be overturned...I was asked 'By the way, how old are you?'...I responded smiling 'I'm a little older than you'...Felt good. pic.twitter.com/JbBnYmkGAg

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 22, 2021

from Peninsula Vet Care, Dromana...

SURPRISE! Delightful card today from Dromana team at Peninsula Vet Care thanking my little furball + me for gifting a cat cage...'We will pay it forward'... pic.twitter.com/7D5YfxT7jA

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 22, 2021

Apart from adoring the image on the front of the Australian card, loved the informative detail on the back.

Pickle, a young hare, is being hand raised after a lawn mowing incident. Gentle-natured and affectionate, two weeks after these photos were taken, he still felt the call of the wild tickling his whiskers. These pictures don't show how truly beautiful his eyes and fur are. 

painters and portraits...

painters and
portraits
convoluted
dialogue of
wish and will #tanka https://t.co/2EONsQt8WD

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 20, 2021

Monday morning silhouettes...

Monday morning
silhouettes and
mists
blindly searching for
the restart button #tanka pic.twitter.com/B7LKKIr60t

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 20, 2021

signs of Temora...

Can't believe seeing this post right after my posting thoughts on 'new journeys'. A sign? For the little town of Temora, NSW is my destination, my new life...Further, Barnes died in the year of my birth...The signs keep coming...
(OK...The spelling below is a little hmmmm) https://t.co/Ks0VPiUxUo

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 20, 2021

Trove details 

leaving signs I was here...

PASSING THOUGHT: Upending my life is becoming very real...Regularly, I see myself in a new place, eking out a new life...Many ideas rattling round. Leave some sign... Little haiku signs on coastal walkways maybe...Little signs in my garden that some of my spirit is still here...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 20, 2021

Alice Springs sign...

Love the earthy 'goodness' of this sign...
It mirrors and melts into the landscape... https://t.co/1q9CqKaUuU

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 20, 2021

in praise of nerds and geeks...

PASSING THOUGHT: Broken dreams seem to be the hallmark of recent times, stricken with pandemic fallout...
But look more closely...
Nerds+geeks are flourishing...appreciated...even admired...as I have never seen before...
Set your nerd/geek within free...
It is time to be cool... pic.twitter.com/QW9Y125NGq

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 19, 2021

The fictional Harry Potter and Sheldon Cooper of 'Big Bang Theory' are appealing, successful role models...

In fact, Jim Parsons, in real life, is an appealing role model...He took his first PhD at 16 years of age...  

priceless breath...

priceless breath
urban hustle
shaken
stirred
broken #tanka pic.twitter.com/ymQxwUcAfg

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 19, 2021

smiling light...

horizons glow in
smiling light
the sea
greets me as
a long lost friend#tanka
📷A view of Port Phillip Bay this morning from Dromana beach pic.twitter.com/LAwFsVwZra

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 19, 2021

winter moods...

winter moods
whispers
of light
defy
crowding clouds #tanka pic.twitter.com/ytxRuDg57z

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 18, 2021

Mastermind final...

Adored the show tonight, Marc. The bonus card for viewers was seeing the quirky personalities of contestants. You drew them out well. Great to see that the show was not just all about being a winner. The huff, the puff and the humour of the process played an entertaining role.

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 18, 2021

evening light...evening beach...

evening light
evening beach
time to free
the sands
in the hourglass #tanka https://t.co/PZ3tWqE54d

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 18, 2021

from weeds to art...

Weeds have a quirky sense of humour?
Chalk street art by David Zinn...
Most of his creatures appear on sidewalks in Michigan, but many have surfaced as far away as subway platforms in Manhattan, village squares in Sweden and street corners in Taiwan.https://t.co/tQI8QAzrPQ pic.twitter.com/XCMqEQWmVT

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 18, 2021

crocheted sea urchins...

Artists Crochet Giant Sea Urchin Installations That Interact with Their Surroundings. They represent part of the Light Marina Bay Festival in Singapore. https://t.co/3T6BeFRoct via @mymodernmetes

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 18, 2021

outback reserve...

Great to see that reserves are not just focused on coastal reserves. Langidoon+Metford stations=60,000 hectares - purchased by NSW government to create a new outback reserve, 65km east of Broken Hill. https://t.co/PreTzdOXgA

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 17, 2021

ebb and flow...

ebb and flow
data strapped
goals and outcomes #senryu

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 16, 2021

a day's vibes...

the gentle gaze
of a loving furball
recasts
a day's bad vibes
as good vibes#tanka

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 16, 2021

return to school...

return to school
climbing out of
bleak yesterdays
with sticky
little feet #tanka
NOTE: Apologies to Kenneth Slessor

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 14, 2021

lockdown blues...

I sympathise...I've struggled with a little furball, stressed by ongoing loud construction at my neighbour's. I too have struggled with it from early light up to 7pm...trying to continue remote learning. Only in the last few days has there been relief thanks to storm and rain...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 14, 2021

Nindigully Pub...

Nindigully Pub, Queensland's oldest hotel, on banks of Moonie River, has an incredible history...The license was issued in 1864 after operating as shearer's accommodation for the Nindigully Station. From late 1800s, the Nindigilly Pub was a Cobb and Co coach change over station. https://t.co/n4PJhgLS58

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 14, 2021

a stroll in the slow lane...

So pleased to find a weird for the day... Love this...
A gentle stroll in the slow lane with a friend...a tortoise... https://t.co/rFVDL9byJu

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 14, 2021

Victoria's wild storm aftermath...

Buildings have collapsed. Power lines down and alight. Trees down on moving cars. 2,051 without power Mt Dandy alone. Trees blocking access on Tourist Rd. Absolute chaos in the Valley and Dandenong Ranges this evening. All before 11pm! Winds not expected to ease until midday. pic.twitter.com/ruABpzQ21H

— Taylah Eastwell (@taylah_eastwell) June 9, 2021

The Dandenongs = Nature's wonderland...the world stunning drives through magical magical bushland + the world of William Ricketts Sanctuary...This devastation from wild storm is unbelievable...A massive clean-up involved...Wishing all those involved strength, patience and hope... https://t.co/DRzKhM5Frn

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 14, 2021

Power, phone, internet likely to be out til at least Friday but a relief centre with a generator has been set up in Olinda - roads are likely to stay cut off so it is good to know we can go somewhere to recharge our phones, get a hot shower, get some information.

— Emma Nicholls (@hsyresearch) June 13, 2021

Power, phone, internet likely to be out til at least Friday but a relief centre with a generator has been set up in Olinda - roads are likely to stay cut off so it is good to know we can go somewhere to recharge our phones, get a hot shower, get some information.

— Emma Nicholls (@hsyresearch) June 13, 2021

Road out to ferntree gully is the only one partially open from olinda, but many power lines down over it, swerving around branches, mudslides, one lane in parts, unstable embankments- very dangerous and I imagine will need to be closed again.

— Emma Nicholls (@hsyresearch) June 13, 2021

All of the generators have sold out at Bunnings located near the Dandenongs. They are the new toilet paper 🧻

— Liz Hicks (@LizHcks) June 13, 2021

I can tell you it was a wild night in the Dandenongs. The SES has received 4,500 requests to 9am. 245,000 homes and businesses affected by power outages.

— Jeremy (@jez99) June 10, 2021

Community caring, support and innovation in a time of crisis can be so amazing...
It's the little things that matter SO much... https://t.co/GG8DzXtNVP

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 14, 2021

constants and variables...

many memories ago
I believed
in constants
now I trust
variables #tanka pic.twitter.com/2R18d1MZDW

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 13, 2021

trusting a new journey...

Slowly...very slowly...
I am trusting that a lifestyle change for me is an absolute healthy necessity...
Times are not what they were in my life...
New horizons in a few months seem to beckon more urgently... https://t.co/FQxh7n2lv9

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 13, 2021

little furball in peace and dream mode...

My little furball is not into marking student assessments...
She has other ideas...
Maybe later...maybe later... pic.twitter.com/sDNjGdA71c

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 12, 2021

morning weather gods...

morning weather gods
tell me
nothing to see
out here
just keep marking #tanka pic.twitter.com/2P6pBNiN4x

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 12, 2021

chocolate binge...

What a grand idea...
Usually lots of chocolate is my standby when I have mountains of student marking to do...
This sounds like the ultimate alternative...
It's on the menu today...
I have smooth peanut butter...Now to get Kit-Kats...
Marking is a little less daunting...😊😀😊 https://t.co/BP6BkabssY

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 12, 2021

sand tufas...

These sand tufas almost looks like delicate lace towers...
They are mainly located at Navy Beach, the south end of Mono Lake in California's Eastern Sierra. https://t.co/oNvhzRp236

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 12, 2021

white phone box...

Love seeing evidence of anti stereotypes...
No 'British red' phone boxes in Hull...
In fact, I am very surprised to find phone boxes still around at all...
Some, in my world, have been converted to wi-fi hotspots...If they exist that is... https://t.co/dMjtzhirNk

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 11, 2021

closed doors...

closed doors
intimidating
mystery of
locked in or
locked out #tanka https://t.co/Qs26l5nKeY

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 11, 2021

vet for my furball...

Vet this morning for my little furball suffering anxiety from neighbour's extensive building construction/destruction. I was anxious...about transporting her...Not a great experience trying to get her into a carrier... But my $15 'el cheapo' shoulder cat bag worked a treat... pic.twitter.com/qZwP4juaQV

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 11, 2021

from up there, is the world more beautiful?....

And this photo + the question capture the magic connections we should all seek...unbridled by political or social leanings...
Just be in the moment...and seek more... https://t.co/rt3mJvbTjw

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

elephant sculpture of tyres...

An enchanting weird for the day...
An elephant sculpture...of tyres...
Love all the textured effects of the tyre treads...
Villu Jaanisoo was born in Estonia but lives in Finland...
Jaanisoo has made some environmental sculptures in the Baltic region + internationally, incl.USA. https://t.co/LOO7KFAOWe

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

birdwatcher sign...

First time I have ever seen a sign supporting birdwatchers...North Queensland...
Perhaps there should be more around in bushland attracting tourists...in all states... https://t.co/FDUW5LggSt

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

lace art...

Amazing work from this Hungarian artist...To be able to create figurative lace figures is quite a skill...
The ethereal pieces often portray traditional women’s work in the garden or countryside or portray women as introspective and resting, showing their connection with nature. https://t.co/wxWAnZX5kL

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

damage control...

I am feeling so fortunate... My little Dromana world on the Mornington Peninsula seems to have been in a bubble overnight...Areas around damaged, but we just mainly had debris from autumn leaves and bark...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

I don't think I have ever viewed a whole state in damage control like this...
I am so grateful that I seemed to avoid the worst in Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula...
Just some flickering power this morning + lots of autumn debris... https://t.co/bSNAJGcmKI

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

patterned moth...

Amazing patterned moth on my loungeroom carpet...Dromana Hills... pic.twitter.com/jwQIyoWb8W

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

sign for a sign...

My wry smile for the day... a sign for sign... https://t.co/NIIUVh70ks

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

3MBS...no signal...

3MBS - no signal today? After high winds in Melbourne last night? Just getting a moaning buzz... pic.twitter.com/nv9GzYU2lb

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 9, 2021

Finally found a Facebook message from 3MBS...
Due to the severe weather we’ve experienced in the last 24 hours there are technical issues at our Mt Dandenong transmitter. You can still listen on our digital channel, 3MBS Digital, or via iHeart Radiohttps://t.co/UaQqVwtddH pic.twitter.com/aX7RcgKRVn

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 10, 2021

symphony of night winds...

symphony
of night winds
warps into
a cymbals
concerto #tanka

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 9, 2021

Byjantic Man...

Byjantic Man, a sculpture standing on plains near Moulamein, NSW, was made by artist Trevor Flinn using hand-forged iron long bolts from a dismantled bridge that once spanned the local Byjantic Creek+old telephone wire.https://t.co/Y4zFK9wtrV
📷Neil Murray pic.twitter.com/PpXuTwlANf

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 9, 2021

uphill waterfall...

Melbourne winds are howling tonight.
I offer my cobwebs as a gift...
But there is a rare event happening...at the Twelve Apostles by Victoria's Great Ocean Road......
An uphill waterfall...https://t.co/DPsSeaVMiK

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 9, 2021

weird nesting nook...

I needed a weird today...Great lockdown distraction, even if there is a not-so-subtle hint of a crossroads...
That's about me right now...Should I retire earlier than planned? https://t.co/vvBS4kwlPY

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 9, 2021

cuteness to soften a rugged day...

Some cuteness to soften a rugged day...
This 'I love you' could mean so much to so many... https://t.co/3XZ8VIlpHN

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 9, 2021

space tourism...

space tourism
brief
weightless
escape
for the wealthy #tanka
SpaceX, has 2 tourist launches planned to orbit Earth. First scheduled September 2021, funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman. The other, planned for 2022, organized by Axiom Space. Trips will cost $55 million. pic.twitter.com/XHdjjgDrMt

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 8, 2021

largest gold rock specimen...

World's largest-known gold rock specimen, King Henry, is on display after being sold to the Perth Mint for $3 million.
King Henry was discovered on Father's Day 2018 about 500 metres below the surface at the Beta Hunt mine near Kambalda in WA goldfields.https://t.co/bXgoiZCnQc

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 8, 2021

School of the Air...

It's now 70 years since Alice Springs NT School of the Air's first broadcast to outback children-June 8, 1951.
The school has nearly 100 students enrolled this year, spread out in a broadcast area spanning 1.3 million https://t.co/PbU4SV7Ew0.https://t.co/TqK1WEbGLe

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 8, 2021

time passing...

time passing
rolled by
the cycling seasons
tallied by
the ticking clock #tanka pic.twitter.com/qLATyxnn1j

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 7, 2021

birdfeeder rejection...

birdfeeder
essential
rejected by
the destruction of
construction #tanka
📷Neighbour's birdfeeder, once on their verandah, now parked on wire construction fence. pic.twitter.com/kEzYwseNhb

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 6, 2021

wind warning for Monday...

Interesting how the winds predicted to skirt the Bellarine Peninsula, on the west of Port Phillip Bay, but slam the Mornington Peninsula on the opposite side, the east of the bay.

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 6, 2021

confronting...

A confronting, heart-breaking image. For those who need hard-core evidence of how humans impact wildlife, this MUST be it. I can never forget 100's of cockatoos bombarding construction vehicles when land was cleared at Cranbourne. Pine trees were cut down. Hitchcock movie style.

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 6, 2021

motivation stirred...

morning skies
beauty stirs
slow motivation#haiku

📷My Dromana Hills morning needed a sound jab of Nature's healing pic.twitter.com/S8TV3OkljI

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 5, 2021

and only through my tears...

And only through my tears
did I find my smile https://t.co/TQhK9GZSgI

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 5, 2021

gentle protective hug...

Love the gentle 'hug' of the hands...as if protecting the aura of the tree...
A beautifully symbolic sculpture...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 5, 2021

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole...

On those odd days, when I need some special healing, this is one of my treasured healing songs...
Aloha ka manini by Israel Kamakaiwo`olehttps://t.co/7usG7Co14E

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 5, 2021

And this is another...

art on a water tower...

Art on a water tower, Heywood sw Victoria...
And what a story behind the art...
Some 102 years since the 5 Lovett brothers asked for a forbidden beer.
Once scorned, for being black, these Lake Condah Mission, WWI fighting men of Budj Bim now soar high. https://t.co/5qmYu5sRfW

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 5, 2021

The Heywood water tower story (in my last tweet) offers only a glimpse into the Lake Condah Mission.
There is far more to the background story of the Lovett brothers.
Intriguing, shocking, humbling reading...
The lost souls of Condah who joined the Anzacs https://t.co/5V2k34IvoE

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 5, 2021

Condah – like many little rural places around Australia – barely exists now beyond a pub and a public hall, a lonely cemetery and a scattering of dwellings and farmsteads. In 1915 there was a general store, a bank, post office, three functioning churches – Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian – a state school, a cheese and butter factory and the old Green Hills Hotel. 

Down the track a few kilometres and encircled by forest was another village entirely: the Lake Condah Aboriginal Mission. Here, the lava flow from nearby Mt Eccles – Budj Bim, or Little Head to the original inhabitants – and the wetlands within and around the stones, had supported one of Australia's most remarkable Indigenous peoples for thousands of years.

word salad...

word salad
political bites
sans nutrition #haiku pic.twitter.com/xeJmKNbXOr

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 5, 2021

fogbow or white rainbow...

I have learnt something new and wonderful this morning...a fog bow or white rainbow...
I feel some poetry may emerge from this...
Gorgeous photos...

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 5, 2021

world of a pandemic art teacher...

I thought that I had very strange issues with remote teaching...
This is sad but hilarious...
A 'must-read' for all teachers+anyone interested in what it means 2 be a pandemic 2021 teacher.
The Absurdities of Teaching Art During a Pandemic https://t.co/ZyGzH4JMDn via @NewYorker

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 4, 2021

pitfall in the middle of nowhere...

I guess it is good to know someone is thoughtfully warning you of a pitfall in the middle of nowhere...
But that is bizarre... northern SA? Northern Territory?

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 4, 2021

the chosen one...

What a gorgeous feeling to be 'the chosen one'...
A win-win for human and animal... https://t.co/268lCkKwFi

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 4, 2021

half-human...

Tantalising piece of art...
Think half-human- a satyr-famed for music, lechery+a love of wine. Or it could be Pan, a human w. goat horns+a goat's legs from the waist down.
Or a mermaid?
And yet, unique?
Alex Aka Akhine, French artist b.1973, works in Paris+ lives in Saint-Ouen. https://t.co/XR7nuQtlBK

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 4, 2021

a line is a line...

There are many expressions that mention a line:

*crossing or not crossing them
*walking them
*putting your life on them

And I remember the clothes line at the old house...

...And here is my mother and I, below it, in the soft sun, smiling, way back down the line...

— Tim Mallon (@PatMalo85776814) June 4, 2021

powered escalation...

any swift
powered
escalation
is prone to
a limited lifespan #tanka https://t.co/9G1YJB3Pi6

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 4, 2021

beneath the bridge...

beneath the bridge
from here to there
churning thoughts
and brooding eyes
lurk #tanka https://t.co/LCetZHSDGI

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 3, 2021

in the darkness...

Each night, in the darkness, there is something in the backyard that aggrieves my dog.

His discontent is written in the stiffness of his body.

It is there, in his quick eyes as he leaps off the verandah, into the blackness...

His atavistic intent is terrible, and lovely.

— Tim Mallon (@PatMalo85776814) June 3, 2021

Interesting that I wrote the tanka below, just 13 days ago, on May 21st about my little furball.  

winter's night
my little furball
in the unlit doorway
calls forlornly
to the darkness #tanka

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) May 21, 2021

dancing in the rain...

PASSING THOUGHT: I've been doing quite a great deal of dancing over the last 2 years...I should be well practised... https://t.co/94JIEPpEFc

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 3, 2021

spuddle...

Spot on...This is my day today in a nutshell...In lockdown, but working since c.5:30am, changing Year 10 English curriculum now lockdown will last 7 more days. Exams scrapped. New assessments. Must be organised to alert 2 co-teachers+students of plan. Teaching remotely too. https://t.co/qeapDK4Mtu

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 3, 2021

exams cancelled under lockdown...

PASSING THOUGHT: Lockdown update - My school, late this afternoon, cancelled all Years 7-10 exams (due to be done next week). I expect my Year 10 English will convert into a single summative task due end of term + submitted online. Marking 5 large classes in a short time is 😒

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 2, 2021

a walk at dusk...

Often, especially in the winter time,
I like to go for a walk at dusk.
Everything is gentle.

From the houses come dollops of sound, smell, colour
and life.

And in the softness of it all
I see my mother once more,

caught between day and night,
smiling at me in the easy light.

— Tim Mallon (@PatMalo85776814) June 2, 2021

shot in the dark...

For some, the morning has broken with a shot in the dark...
Amazing moment in Broken Hill, west NSW... https://t.co/bWT44OvzbG

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 1, 2021

tree shadows...

a tree of life
fleeting shadows
deftly etch
the fine webs of
alternate beauty #tanka https://t.co/91wl8oppaa

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 1, 2021

not procrastination but...

NOTE TO SELF: OK...So you're feeling flat in this lockdown 4. Hopes of catching up on marking while in remote learning have utterly dissipated. Just can't face it. How about early tomorrow morning, mark 5 papers...go outside+ watch the birds...then do another 5. Ease in... 🙏

— Gemma Wiseman - on Bunurong land, Kulin Nation (@AuraGem) June 1, 2021