Red Cardinal: March 2019

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

CHRISTCHURCH

Neil Dawson 'CHALICE', Cathedral Square, Christchurch

We in Australia are incredibly shocked and saddened by the recent events in Christchurch, New Zealand.

That this deed of such horror and devastation towards fellow human beings, was perpetrated by one of our Australian citizens, one who comes from a town only a few hundred kilometres away, shakes me to the core.

We all pray for those fifty peaceful folk who were taken while at prayer last Friday, and for the survivors and families whose lives are changed forever.

These photos of Christchurch were taken when the Red Cardinals visited Christchurch in 2011, shortly before I began my blog. A month later Christchurch was devastated by an earthquake - and now that beautiful city suffers again.

Weeping willows along the Avon river which winds through the city...

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa sings the Maori love song Pokarekare Ana, with images of the beautiful country of our cousins across the Tasman Sea.

May they rest in Peace.

XXXXX

Sunday, March 17, 2019

SAINT PATRICK'S DAY

Happy St Patrick's Day, dear Readers.

Those of us with a bit of Irish ancestry like to have a little celebration..

Little Aussie had fun with the Irish trinkets on display at Ye Olde Cheap Shop...

I have been thinking of the emerald green fields of Ireland:

we loved them when we visited for our son's wedding in 2016...

In other news, the Red Cardinal Garden of Neglect has not enjoyed our brutal Summer...
Yet again, we had an all-time record breaking heat wave last week with temperatures soaring up to 40c deg.

While the flowers died, some plants are opportunists, and a large fig tree behind our front fence became much too tall for comfort..

It was time for the tree loppers...

Can you see the young man high in the tree with his chain saw?

It looks a little bare there now, but the palm tree has been freed to fan itself with glory, and the old fig tree will shoot and grow again to shelter the underplanting..

You can see the cut off stumps in the background -
it is still as high as the house!

All our herbs and potted flowers had died, so a trip to the plant nursery was in order...

Joy of joys, it started to rain yesterday, and has been raining on and off for two days! The plants are so happy..

A misty morning view for St Patrick's..

And a sweet pair of lorikeets trying to keep warm in the drizzle..

The rain has been so welcome, and I hope our parched farming lands get some as well. It has been a difficult year for our country.

I don't want to frighten you (well, maybe I do) but I met a big python on the path where I walk each day:

I crept up a bit closer to take a photo, but it realized I was there and raised and turned its head. I was startled and accidentally cropped it off the photo, before running back very quickly the way I had come!

Perhaps it is time to stop trying to take pictures of snakes...

My mother used to tell me that St Patrick struck the ground in Ireland with his stick, chasing all their snakes through to the other side of the earth:
Australia.

Thank you St Patrick...

Friday, March 8, 2019

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Happy International Women's Day, dear readers...

Let us celebrate our lives, our talents, strengths and accomplishments, and look to a future of equality and empowerment for women all around the world.

It seems a good day to share an exhibition currently showing at the Museum of Brisbane: The Designer's Guide: Easton Pearson Archive.

Brisbane designers Pamela Easton and Lydia Pearson retired in 2016, after many years at the forefront of Australian fashion, with their unique artistry, techniques, very innovative materials, and sustainable ethos.

Two hundred garments from the Archive are currently on display.

Here are some which appealed particularly to me: