Eve's Salad perfect for ANZAC Day



Pomegranates and figs in Tuscany

 

Warm fig and pomegranate salad

This ticked all the boxes for me when I took it along to a friend’s ANZAC Day BBQ , which actually turned out to be a fabulous dinner party!! Luckily I had chosen an elegant salad rather than “Diggers Delight”.

OK, so why did it tick the boxes, you ask?

· The pomegranate dressing has an interesting flavour due to my new 'must-have in the frig’, Pomegratate Molasses. ("Molasses… Molasses… it's icky-sticky goo, Molasses… Molasses… it al-ways stick -to -you"). No, this is not your usual molasses. It adds a complex but not too sweet flavour to many dishes.

Pomegranate seeds add an interesting crunch as each little seed explodes in your mouth.

· The warmed figs – I love figs in every form and have happy memories when G and Istole them from an ancient tree in the garden of a long deserted villa. They were firm, sweet and were warmed by the Tuscan sun; I felt like Eve. Perhaps Adam and Eve ate a fig and not an apple which makes sense since they were wearing fig leaves. So the BBQ’d warmed figs hit a high note with me.

Here it is... for 4 servings

Eve's salad

4 large ripe figs cut in half . Brush or spray cut side with olive oil. 1 pomegranate - cut in half. With a citrus juicer, juice one half to yield 1 tbsp juice after removing some of the seeds to retain with seeds from other half.
70g goats cheese or Danish feta crumbled

Dressing
Combine 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil with 2 tsp pomegranate molasses, 1 tbsp pomegranate juice and a squeeze of lemon juice
Season with salt & cracked pepper

To serve Combine 50g rocket leaves with a handful of basil. Just before serving, warm the figs through , cut side down, on a BBQ. Add figs

and cheese. Drizzle with dressing and scatter with pomegranate seeds

It would be great to receive your feedback or suggestions. Click on "0 comments". You can choose 'anonymous' from the drop down menu if you don't have a google account. Or send an email - mosmanmeanders@gmail.com
 

"My time must be spent doing my work" Ruth Burgess

'Meandering around Mosman'  today involved spending time with Ruth Burgess at Mosman Art Gallery. 

With the  Mosman Art Gallery backdrop of a lifetime of images from her backyard forest, expressed through Ruth's  woodblock prints - she guided us through how it was done. 




Mosman  Art Gallery - 
Ruth Burgess - Artist  

 

 

 

Hand of the printmaker

 

 

Material of the artist




Woodcut with paint applied

 

 

The final woodcut - three block, printed on Japanese paper



Interpretation of  forest 

For a long time I have lived in this forest,  

symbolic inspiration of the printmaker
to express the landscape's power and energy.
Forest canopy and its understory
insects, birds, moon, distant sky, wind
create chaotic order; an  enigma of illusion.

 Meditative Zen-like  process
equalises wood, ink, paper, tools
with the imagery and hand of artist.
There is no formula; you are not alone
wood and paper work with you,

ink the servant of the woodcut.

 

'My time must be spent doing my work'  Ruth Burgess 

Poem from Ruth's words - Claire Mitchell

 

 

 

 



Shopping in Mosman - the right length for skinny jeans?

Hi there

 "I shop therefore I am" - a new twist on an old saying.  And of course the first item we need is a pair of well fitting black jeans to kickstart the season.  In Mosman we have an enviable variety of boutiques which showcase a well chosen selection of the best designs - not always the most expensive.
So today, I found a great pair of semi skinny, not too low rise and in a fabric that kind of keeps you in.

 A few years ago, I visited my friend  R, who owns a beautiful store 'Shop at Next Door' which stocks an extensive range of jeans with fabulous tops and accessories.  I  learnt the ins and outs of how to wear skinny jeans - with boots of course but also with killer heels, flats and flip flops. R says that the worst mistake you can make when taking up jeans is to make them too short - flared jeans need to be almost to the ground but skinny jeans are a little tricky to get right. Have them as long as you can make them without cupping the bottoms too much; a certain amount of cupping however is necessary for the look and with summer jeans you can fold up the bottoms for a casual look.


This is what she says on her site http://www.shopatnextdoor.com/ - click on Jean Scene at bottom of Home Page.


'No, you do not have to be skinny to wear skinny jeans. It's all about how you wear them that makes the difference. Going into a Wisconsin winter, we all know how great it is to throw on your favorite skinny jeans with a pair of boots and a big oversized sweater. It's the one time that living in the frozen tundra makes fashion fun as well as practical. But thankfully that is all behind us for another seven months or so. So now what? Well a picture is worth a thousand words. Wear skinny jeans with killer heels, your favorite flats, barefoot if the moment is right and of course your favorite flip flops. You can wear a skinny jean scrunched around your ankle or cuffed for a casual look. That solves some of the length issues, which is nice for us as well as you. Of course we'll always shorten them for you if need be.'


I'm off now to take up some jeans - because they're usually too  long for me.  I learnt from R how to do a professional job but am under threat of dire consequence if I devulge the secret. Sorry!
Claire
By the way - if you want some tasty food ideas that will help you to be able to fit into your jeans go to www.fitinyourjeanscuisine.com
 

Ruth Burgess is a star

 Hi there
Make sure you see this exhibition.
I'm passionate about it because it's not only amazing from a exhibition of her works, but also from the physical process which leads to the producing of these works.
Claire

Ruth Burgess: From the Forest - 30 years of woodcuts and wood engravings

Saturday 16 March – Sunday 19 May 2013

From the forest celebrates the art and life of Ruth Burgess, who has had a career spanning three decades and is widely regarded as a leading force in Australian printmaking as an artist, teacher and mentor. With her home and studio immersed in a verdant rainforest in Turramurra on Sydney’s northshore, the enduring themes evident within her work are the spirituality and the immediacy of her bush environment and the interconnectedness of man and nature.
Ruth Burgess’s first visit to China in 1988 proved an artistic and spiritual revelation and her life and practice has been profoundly influenced by China’s paintings, calligraphy and Buddhism ever since. While her artworks share many of the aesthetic qualities of Chinese and Japanese woodcut traditions, Burgess’s works have a distinctly Australian sensibility and a visual iconography developed through living with such proximity to the Australian bush, its flora and fauna.
Ruth Burgess’s art practice stands apart from her peers through her intensely original, distinctive and compelling woodcuts and the palpable sense of unfettered energy they contain. Together the artworks in this exhibition reveal the artist’s continuing journey through landscape, figuration and abstraction and the marriage of process and material in her work.

 

Great support for Balmoral Burn

There are many organised activities around Mosman but what always amazes me is how many people participate in or support them. 

The next major sporting fundraiser is the Balmoral Burn and anyone who has walked up Awaba Street can imagine the burn that running up this very significant hill would incur.  The start line is at the bottom of Awaba Street, Balmoral. The course is 420 metre straight up Awaba Street hill. There is a race category for everyone!
See you there (but as a supporter only!)
Claire

From the Mosman Daily

 

Enjoy foreshore walks this Easter

Enjoy foreshore walks this Easter - Photo  - Christopher Maait

With the glorious Easter  weather, why would anyone not be out enjoying our foreshores?  We suggest you arm yourself with a copy of Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours and treat yourself to beautiful harbour walks,  connecting sites to rich history and cultural background insights.

 

Then when you've built up an appetite, drop into a local cafe for coffee or a snack, or prepare beforehand with your own picnic using recipes from the book.

Enjoy the moment.

Claire

 

 

 

Dark Chocolate Easter eggs are good health news

Have you heard the good news about dark chocolate?

Summarised from Ease Easter Guilt": go for dark chocolate - Nicola Conville, Sunday Telegraph 24/3/13
Easter promises calorific overindulgence but according to studies by researchers from Monash University, the choice of dark chocolate offers significant health benefits, including improvement of blood flow and a "feel good" factor.
It's a healthier option, especially since with a 70 per cent cocoa component, dark chocolate generally contains less added sugar and fat than milk chocolate, with other studies stressing it be part of a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise.

Sounds like great news to me!

Happy Easter to you all.
Claire  - lover of dark chocolate
ps - in 'Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours' on Page 90, Coco Chocolate - Sydney Chocolate School, at Middle Head,  have submitted a fabulous recipe for Chilli chocolate figs. These are to die for.


It would be great to receive your feedback or suggestions. Click on "0 comments". You can choose 'anonymous' from the drop down menu if you don't have a google account. Or send an email -
mosmanmeanders@gmail.com

$120,000 raised by Balmoral Swim!

What a fantastic effort!   
Claire
Article - Mosman Daily 21/3/13

Photo - Claire

 

 

Photos - David Swift 

 

Balmoral Swim - relish the moment!

Hi there
What a great day - the photos say it all!
Overheard from "We can beat cancer" participants - "Relish the moment - can you believe you are here doing it?  Be proud because you are amazing."
Makes me wish I was doing it too.  Claire

 

 

 

Navy presence at Balmoral Swim

 

Balmoral Swim is a fabulous spectacle

It's a fabulous spectacle well worth attending.  See you there.

Balmoral Swim
The annual Balmoral Swim is on March17 to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Institute Australia. The 250m junior swim will start at 9-30am and the 1km main event race kicks off at lOam. To register visit:- www.balmoralswim.com.au

Balmoral Swim History

The Balmoral Swim was initiated within the Mosman community as a “Swim for Cancer”. Funds have been raised since 1990 to benefit targeted cancer-related charities:

• the Cancer Council;
• Camp Quality;
• Tsunami charities in 2005 and,
• CCIA.

The CCIA has been the beneficiary of funds raised since 2006. CCIA is the only independent medical research institute in Australia dedicated to research into the causes, better treatment, prevention, and cure of childhood cancer.
The event has been organised since 2005 by the locally-based Balmoral Beach Club and a number of community members who founded the swim. All members of the committee are volunteers, as are the many helpers on race day.
The local council, Mosman Municipal Council, has actively encouraged and supported the swim as a feature in the local calendar.
The Balmoral Swim committee encourges community participation. The locally based Navy at HMAS Penguin contribute by helping to lay the course and assist with safety on the day. The local Scouts group (1st Balmoral Sea Scouts) helps with a sausage sizzle and many local business support the event.
In 2010 the swim was awarded the Benefactors Award in recognition of outstanding support for the CCIA . This award belongs to the community of swimmers and volunteers who have supported the event every year.
 

Fennel and Orange Salad

 

The following recipe has a special significance to me since I was served this refreshing dish in Tuscany.
Italy loves citrus and this dish is by Alvina who served it with Walnut Pesto Pasta, followed by Poached Figs and homemade icecream.
Baby fennel from Mosman providores is at its best at present.

Fennel and Orange Salad

Serves 6
1 bunch rocket or curly endive leaves
1 small fennel bulb
3 oranges, peeled and segmented
1 red onion, sliced
20 black olives
Orange Dressing
3 1/2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh fennel leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp orange rind, grated
1/2 tsp sugar
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place rocket or endive on a large platter. Arrange fennel, oranges, onion and olives attractively. To make the orange dressing, place ingredients in a screw top bottle and shake to combine. Pour over salad and serve immediately.
(http://www.timeintuscany.com/)

 

Has my heart been taught to whisper, ‘You belong to Sydney-Side.’

"But the city set in jewels rose before me from ‘The Shore.’"
Photo - Christopher Maait - Mosman Meanders

 

Sydney-Side

Where's the steward?—Bar-room steward? Berth? Oh, any berth will do—

I have left a three-pound billet just to come along with you.

Brighter shines the Star of Rovers on a world that’s growing wide,

But I think I’d give a kingdom for a glimpse of Sydney-Side.

 

Run of rocky shelves at sunrise, with their base on ocean’s bed;

Homes of Coogee, homes of Bondi, and the lighthouse on South Head.

For in loneliness and hardship—and with just a touch of pride—

Has my heart been taught to whisper, ‘You belong to Sydney-Side.’

Oh, there never dawned a morning, in the long and lonely days,

But I thought I saw the ferries streaming out across the bays—

And as fresh and fair in fancy did the picture rise again

As the sunrise flushed the city from Woollahra to Balmain:

And the sunny water frothing round the liners black and red,

And the coastal schooners working by the loom of Bradley’s Head;

And the whistles and the sirens that re-echo far and wide—

All the life and light and beauty that belong to Sydney-Side.

And the dreary cloud-line never veiled the end of one day more,

But the city set in jewels rose before me from ‘The Shore.’

Round the sea-world shine the beacons of a thousand ports o’ call,

But the harbour-lights of Sydney are the grandest of them all!

Toiling out beyond Coolgardie—heart and back and spirit broke,

Where the Rover’s Star gleams redly in the desert by the ‘soak’—

But says one mate to the other, ‘Brace your lip and do not fret,

We will laugh on trains and ’buses—Sydney’s in the same place yet.’

Working in the South in winter, to the waist in dripping fern,

Where the local spirit hungers for each ‘saxpence’ that we earn—

We can stand it for a season, for our world is growing wide,

And they all are friends and strangers who belong to Sydney-Side.

‘T’other-siders! T’other-siders!’ Yet we wake the dusty dead;

It is we that send the backward province fifty years ahead;

We it is that ‘trim’ Australia—making narrow country wide—

Yet we’re always T’other-siders till we sail for Sydney-side.

Henry Lawson

The Bonny Port of Sydney - Henry Lawson

 




As the harbour lights of Sydney
As we see them from the Shore
Photo - Christopher Maait from 'Mosman Meanders'
 





The Bonny Port of Sydney

The lovely Port of Sydney
Lies laughing to the sky,
The bonny Port of Sydney,
Where the ships of nations lie.
You shall never see such beauty,
Though you sail the wide world o’er,
As the sunny Port of Sydney,
As we see it from the Shore.
The shades of night are falling
On many ports of call,
But the harbour lights of Sydney
Are the grandest of them all;
Such a city set in jewels
Has ne’er been seen before
As the harbour lights of Sydney
As we see them from the Shore.

I must sail for gloomy London,
Where there are no harbour lights,
Where no sun is seen in winter,
And there are no starry nights;
And the bonny port of Sydney—
I may never see it more,
But I’ll always dream about it
As we view it from North Shore.

Henry Lawson :

"Joyous" Skinny dip at Mosman

Mosman Daily  - Feb 21, 2013

 

Mosman man wins ultimate award in cimematography

From the Mosman Daily -  Feb 21   2013

Walnut Pesto thrives in Tuscan Mosman

Alvina's Bell at Podernuovo is calling me to lunch - happy memories!

Pesto is a favourite subject of mine.  This year, in my Mosman garden, one punnet of basil planted here and there, yielded constant harvest of a favourite, most aromatic herb.  

Traditionally Pesto  is made with pinenuts - perhaps they were plentiful in Italy but they still had to be super labour intensive!  Have you seen the way they have to extract each little precious pinenut.   An alternative is Walnut Pesto which evolved from the need to find ways to use the walnuts which drop from the old walnut trees on the property.  For family meals and for variation, I use a variety of nuts eg almonds and herbs for pesto - such as parsley & coriander.

We worked in the fields with Umberto, doing what needed to be done - digging out stones, picking grapes, making wine etc. 

I cut the lavender and rosemary back before winter - I had helped to plant it a few years ago but since everything grows so quickly it needed cutting back.

Alvina's bell is a suspended bronze bell which she rings when lunch is ready. She has tended the vegetable garden, harvested its bounty, applied her endless creativity, and the call of the bell means that a delightful lunch awaits. We eat, exchange experiences of the morning, make plans for the evening meal (everything revolves around food of course) then retire to our villa for siesta - maybe to doze or perhaps to read the current novel which was being circulated.

Alvina's Walnut Pesto Pasta (to be served with tomorrow's Fennel and Orange Salad)
Serves 4
400g (13oz) cappellini or angel hair pasta - sea salt and black pepper to taste
Pasta comes in different shapes and sizes like angel hair or capellini, fettuccini, fusilli, linguini, macaroni, spaghetti, etc. Capellini or angel hair pasta are long strands of pasta that are commonly used with light sauces.
Pesto
Large bunch fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 large handful chopped walnuts
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Shred basil leaves and place in a blender with crushed garlic, walnuts and about 2 tblsp olive oil. Puree until smooth and then add the parmesan cheese and a little more oil.

Place pasta into boiling water with salt and cook for around 15 mins or until el dente which means firm to bite.
Pour over the drained pasta and garnish with fresh basil. Add a few more chopped walnuts and parmesan to taste.

http://www.timeintuscany.com/

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email

mosmanmeanders@gmail.com

 

          

Pre Mosman Meanders Photo Field Day


A beautiful day of 'lightwriting' on a field trip at Bradley's Head, Mosman, Australia, with photographer Christopher Maait.  Thanks Chris for your expertise and guidance at the Mosman Community College- and in helping me to feel confident and aware re taking better photos; (as I hope you will agree from viewing the video below.)


Chris - Yes I know, I focused on the background
instead of on you.

Cheers Claire
ps - this was before we started the book - see how much younger you look!

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Or email   mosmanmeanders@gmail.com
 

 

Mango Magic





Mango magic

This dish was served to us by Alvina and Umberto www.timeintuscany.com , not in Tuscany but here in Sydney when mangoes were at their best. In true Tuscan style, fruits and vegetables in season are used in an amazing variety of simply delicious dishes.

For the mango jelly
makes 4 servings

2 ripe mangoes - peeled and cut
¼ cup caster sugar
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup water
1 tbsp gelatine powder
2 tbsp hot water
macadamia pralines - crushed

Place mango, sugar, lime juice and water into the jug of a blender and blend until smooth.
Strain the mango mixture through a sieve into a saucepan. Place it over medium heat and cook, stirring, until it’s heated through and the sugar is melted.
Place the gelatine powder into a small bowl, add the hot water and whisk well until the gelatine dissolves.
Add the gelatine mixture to the mango mixture and stir to combine. Divide the mixture into individual wetted moulds, cover and place into the fridge for 3-4 hours until set.

To serve, arrange slices of cut mango on plates, dip moulds in hot water and invert to release the jelly. Serve with icecream or Greek yoghurt if desired and sprinkle with crushed macadamia praline.



www.timeintuscany.com

It would be great to receive your feedback or suggestions. Click on "0 comments". You can choose 'anonymous' from the drop down menu if you don't have a google account. Or send an email - clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au

A taste of Mosman flavour

Hi Mosman Lovers
A huge thanks to Emma Page from Mosman Daily for your great article re Mosman Meanders in the Mosman Daily. You really captured the essence of the book.
Here is the link http://digitaledition.mosmandaily.com.au/#folio=21
I really liked the way the camera was in soft focus!
Cheers Claire

Mangoes - King of Fruits - Choosing & cutting

How to choose and cut a mango

The best way by far is to simply eat the mango after cutting it expertly as shown below. Recipes to follow.





Mango - Childers Queensland Australia

During our Northern foreshore  meanders - in mid January

it was so dry the grass was crunchy beneath my feet.

Two weeks later the area is in flood. Shades of Dorothea Mackellar
My Country

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!



Mangoes - Noosaville Markets

Is it ripe? You can't always judge the ripeness by colour as they come in many hues depending on variety. The best flavored fruit have a yellow tinge when ripe; however, color may be red, yellow, green, orange or any combination.

Ripeness of mangoes can be determined by either smelling or by gently squeezing. A ripe mango will have a full, fruity aroma emitting from the stem end and can be considered ready to eat when slightly soft to the touch and yielding to gentle pressure, like a ripe peach.

Cutting a Mango can be a slimy, slippery challenge. The best way to go about it is to start first with a ripe, but still firm fruit. If the mango is too ripe, it will be a mushy mess, and hard to cut into pieces, though easy enough to scoop out for pulp.

Cubes

Holding the mango with one hand, stand it on its end, stem side down. With a sharp knife in your other hand, cut from the top of the mango, down one side of the pit. Then repeat with the other side. You should end up with three pieces - two halves, and a middle section that includes the pit.

Take a mango half and use a knife to make lengthwise and crosswise cuts in it, but try not to cut through the peel. Using your fingers on the skin side, raise the fruit cubes into eating or cutting position. Simply serve and eat the fruit or for a salad peel off the segments with your fingers. Or use a small paring knife to cut away the pieces from the peel.
Take the mango piece with the pit, lay it flat on the cutting board. Use a paring knife to cut out the pit and remove the peel. Some simply eat this section holding it over the sink as you eat.

For easy slices cut off cheeks as above then slice lengthways

Or using a sharp thin-bladed knife, cut off both ends of the fruit. Place fruit on flat end and cut away peel from top to bottom along curvature of the fruit.Cut fruit into slices by carving lengthwise along the pit.

Nutrition - They are high in fiber and antioxidants and are rich in Vitamin A, C, E, B6 and potassium. They have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers and promote heart health and lower blood pressure.

It would be great to receive your feedback or suggestions. Click on "0 comments". You can choose 'anonymous' from the drop down menu if you don't have a google account. Or send an email - mosmanmeanders@gmail.com


 

Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours is a great gift for Mothers' Day

 We were very happy to be included in the best seller list.  Hope you
enjoyed the walks during your holiday.  We would love to have your feedback re the walks.
Consider  buying  Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours as a gift  for Mum - she'll love the walks, history and of course the recipes.  Or take her on one of the walks, on Mothers Day ending up at one of the cafes.

 

Vision is a sight to see

SMH article  - 2/1/13

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/activity/great-outdoors/grand-vision-is-a-sight-to-see-20130101-2c3xl.html#ixzz2GoKdKbwV



Mosman Foreshore

In 2006, the navy opened up the grounds of HMAS Penguin, allowing the completion of the walk from Chowder Bay across Georges Heights to Middle Head, and down to Balmoral beach.

It is now possible to walk all the way from Cremorne to the Spit, mostly on bush tracks.

The trail stretches for 10 kilometres and takes in some of the most stunning vantage points for Sydney Harbour. But as local author Claire Mitchell details in her new book about the walk, Mosman Meanders and Foreshore Flavours, there is much more to the walk than just heart-stopping vistas.

Mosman might be home to lawyers and bankers these days, but in the 1860s it drew a more bohemian crowd. From the early 1860s, several pleasure grounds were established on the foreshore of Mosman that attracted big weekend crowds. They arrived by boat at dusk to dance, drink and stroll through themed walks, ride carousels, or play skittles and other games.

The first of these was at Cremorne Point and by all accounts its "Ball Masques", illuminated by 5000 lamps and Chinese lanterns, were spectacular. But, by 1862, the event had turned into the Victorian equivalent of a rave party, judging by the description in the Herald:

"Its Ball Masque by moonlight were scenes of licence and vulgarity – the larrikin element too much to the fore."

Fairyland at Clifton Gardens, the most popular, opened in 1863 and Balmoral Gardens boasted a 24-metre roofed dance floor.

The foreshore of Mosman also attracted artists and writers, who rowed across from the city to set up camp in the bush where they could relax and paint en plein air.

Artists Julian Ashton, Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton and cartoonist Livingston Hopkins of the Bulletin congregated at these all-male camps.

The most famous was at Balmoral and is marked with a plaque.

Another, Curlew Camp, was at Sirius Cove and is marked by a faded inscription in a rock, which is dated 1890.

By the 1870s, the military had claimed part of Middle Head, Bradleys Head and Georges Heights to protect Sydney from the Russians. Stone fortifications, gun emplacements and tunnels can still be explored at Bradleys Head, though other fortifications at Georges Heights are off limits.

Legislation passed in 1903 allowing public bathing led to the construction of swimming enclosures at Balmoral and Clifton Gardens.

The final stretch of the walk from Chowder Bay to Balmoral Beach was opened in 2006, when the navy provided access through HMAS Penguin. There is a spectacular staircase through an angophora forest to Balmoral Beach.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/activity/great-outdoors/grand-vision-is-a-sight-to-see-20130101-2c3xl.html#ixzz2GoKdKbwV

To his fellow sinners - Give yourself a show: New Years Eve

Mosman Meanders & foreshore flavours

features a few of Henry Lawson's poems - one of which is Mosman Bay.  He has to have been the most prolific Australian poet with his down to earth comments on so many subjects - it makes one think that perhaps his language of thought was "verse".   Here's one on New Year's Eve - to his fellow sinners.

 

Give yourself a Show: New Year's Eve

TO my fellow sinners all, who, in hope and doubt,
Through the Commonwealth to-night watch the Old Year out,
New Year’s Resolutions are jerry-built I know,
But I want to say to you, “Give yourselves a show”.

You who drink for drinking’s sake, love for lust alone,
Thinking heaven is a myth and the world your own—
Dancing gaily down to hell in the devil’s dance—
This I have to say to you: “Give your souls a chance”.

You who drink because of shame that you think will last,
Or because of wrong done you—trouble in the past—
“Nothing left to live for now,” you will say, I know;
But you have your own self yet, give that self a show!

You who want all things on earth—money, love, and fame
Having the advantage of worldly place or name—
You who have more than you want, even than you know,
In the glorious New Year give someone else a show.

You, the mischief-makers all, who in secret glee
Love to tell the villainies of a scamp like me;
There are things he’ll never tell—things you’ll never know—
Look into your own lives first—give the man a show.

You, the politician, who, for jealousy or gold,
Or for mean ambition, sell, or see your country sold,
Pandering to the hollow crowd, toadying to the low,
For shame’s sake banish selfishness—give your land a show.

Henry Lawson

New Year Reflections

Wishing you all a happy & successful New Year

New Year "Reflections from my garden" video is below

To view or add comment, click on No comments at bottom of page - you can comment as 'anonomous' on the dropdown menu; or send an email - mosmanmeanders@gmail.com