I couldn’t resist taking a photo of Goofy sitting in a Palermo shop window. Italians call this adorable but frustrating Disney character ‘Pippo’. In addition to sharing similar names, I have a real soft spot for Pippo as he is perennially distracted and disaster-prone – but somehow everything… Read More ›
My last post (here) explained that millions of bogong moths pass through Canberra each spring. The moths fly at night and become confused by the city’s lights that make them think that the sun is rising. As a result, the… Read More ›
Anyone who read my last post about wild dog, dingo, emu and rabbit-proof fences in Australia, will hopefully appreciate the humour in my favourite TV commercial that encourages parents to invest in an Internet connection to help their kids with… Read More ›
I consider myself fortunate to have learnt English as my ‘parent tongue’ – but it can make you very lazy when when most of what you look for on the Internet is published in English and so many other people… Read More ›
When I visited the Royal Botanic Gardens at Cranbourne (on the outskirts of Melbourne) recently, I was struck by the numerous road signs along the entrance route that implored drivers to slow down for snakes, wallabies, lizards, bandicoots and people…. Read More ›
A good friend of mine, Brendo, donates his time each December to spread Christmas cheer and glad tidings across the region. He bolts an armchair and two dining room chairs to the tray of a ute, dons his Santa suit,… Read More ›
I was amused when a friend gave me a snow dome as a souvenir from Broken Hill years ago. I have never been there myself but I doubted whether it had ever snowed in the ‘Capital of the Outback’. This… Read More ›
On reading a post about political correctness this morning, I felt compelled to share a fabulous PC version of ‘Waltzing Matilda’ – Australia’s national song – performed by Shortis & Simpson. For a more traditional version, I recommend true blue Aussie Slim Dusty’s version… Read More ›
There are reports this week that DNA analysis has identified a genetic match between two ‘yeti hair’ samples from the Western Himalayas and Bhutan and the jawbone of an ancient Nordic polar bear.* This follows hot on the heels of discoveries involving… Read More ›
Sustainability soapbox 