Women in special dress. They loved it and we did too.  It was difficult to grasp the name, was possibly Uyghur tradition.

Funeral in Christchurch Cathedral Newcastle.
  Margaret Henry has died. She was a very active worker and advocate for the city and its people.

  What would she have thought about the fact that the new  Minister of Defence is a female?

                                                                                                                                              

   Turkish Delight or  Turk Lokumu - giving rest to the throat.

  Take two saucepans. In the first one place 4 cups caster sugar, 11/2 cups dark grape juice and juice of 2 lemons or limes.

Boil till soft ball stage.  Remove from the heat.

  In the next saucepan place 1 cup cornflower and 1/2 cup grape juice.  Stir to a paste, add 2 more cups of grape juice.  Simmer on a low heat till thick, stirring

all the time. Pour the hot syrup into the thick cornflour mixture stirring all the time.

  Simmer on a very very low heat for about an hour.  Stir every now and then.  It will get very thick almost solid at the end.

  When sure it is really really thick and your arm hurts remove it off the heat and add 2 tablespoons rose water.  Pour into a greased tray.  Leave uncovered 3 hours.

  Lightly oil a knife and cut into squares or do this - mix 3/4 cup of icing sugar, not icing sugar mix, and 1/4 cup cornflour and roll each piece in this.  Store in air tight

cool place - not fridge.  Keeps 1-4 weeks.

 Alasdair Fraser, Scotland's premier fiddler and Californian cellist Natalie Hass were outstanding duo at National Folk Festival, Canberra with 112 groups or individual performers from the four corners. Non stop.
 And Gordie Mackeeman and his Rhythm Boys from Prince Edward Island were blistering as they say.
 Authentic folk music, world music and lots in between, dance, choral and instrumental workshops, bush poetry, Australian folk, Anzac tributes, then alternative fashions, trinkets, foods were the abundant market stalls. Camping at the site is popular and extensive. 
 Next year marks 50 years and organizers are gearing up for four days always at Easter.
 Weather is warm to rather chilly with a little snow arriving this morning somewhere on a local hill top, they say.

Morris dancing.
Festival poets have been known to parody the dancers. Wonder why?

Morris dancing and a prancing steed.
National Folk Festival.

Here's a nice book, almost corny, sprinkled with Aussie sayings. Although shirtfront or chin wag are not among them!
 Santa is in the sky in a rusty old ute pulled by eight mighty roos. 

...Now, Kylie! Now, Kirsty!
Now, Shazza and Shane!...
On, Bazza and Wayne!
Park up on that water tank,
Grab a quick drink,
I'll scoot down the gum tree.
Be back in a wink!
 

Y Morrison, K Niland An Aussie night before Christmas.Scholastic Press Lindfield 2005

 

From September 1944

Inspired by the Pasha B - in a street in Wickham , aground in a forest with details.
This morning, ABC radio played the wonderful hit, Vespers for the Blessed Virgin by Monterverdi. Hear a good version on utube.
What is left to inspire a composer these days? Old beliefs are out. What will they glory about or strive to reach the heights of expression? Some say its all been done. Thats it.     

On the beachfront at Port are found very lovely tributes, graffti and memorials.  Words about unforgettable holidays, many year after year, caravaning and camping and annual reunions.   That's Port Macquarie. Will the beachside caravan parks be retained in perpetuity? Let's hope so!

Melbourne Cup Day,  Horse power and Raymond Loewy - who is today marked by Google who shows us a rakish steam locomotive designed by Loewy.
An old paper clipping found tucked away by a relative is of the then biggest and most powerful locomotive in the world completed at the Schenectady works of the Northern Pacific Railway, America. "It will develop 6000 horse power, and with tender will weigh approximately 1,100,000 lbs." On checking the 'net it could be said that this loco is a 2 8 8 4, with those two sets of eight driving wheels, possibly a Yellowstone type and Northern Pacific was the first to order one in 1928. Seemingly built by ALCO connected with New York Central rail. Rail was hugh and soon traversed most of America. Imagine the classic syle of vintage rail cars some of which had interiors also designed by Loewy. Another loco, Big Boy is a 4 8 8 4 with Union Pacific and must be well known and restored examples may be seen. Just imagine a behemoth 2 10 10 2 type of 1913. The last of such big examples of locos were probably built in Russia as late as 1955. Mallet, a Swiss engineer, developed the amazing articulated aspects where the first set of driving wheels were free to enable the loco to drive around curves. Yesterday, I came across what seems to be the same train as the photo in a baby's first picture book.   

 Would these make it into Vogue September edition or is it about rugging up this autumn or is it the vintage jump suit, it's hard to tell the difference.

 Is a Guinness Pub phoney?

Something like a Neo-Howard future. 
Frequently the Libs refer to Howard's way.
Long ago, yet it is still frightful.
Is that our future?  Is that about as stirring as the Libs get?


In contrast, the 'dining room' in the hotel in Maitland was probably original with upholstered tapestry seating, wrought iron features and elegant coloured light fittings which the camera does not do justice too.

'Good bye Porpoise Spit' as Muloombinda, just visible under sea tow, off Nobbys Beach, leaves for other shores. It is a floating dock.
Leaves Newcastle on the edge of the de-skilling cliff.
 One last look, often things under tow sink or beach themselves. Our old ferries didn't get far before they came to grief off South West Rocks.
Real video of the departure can be seen on The Herald on line. I avoided the whole scene.

Next, a Hunter Street hot bread shop looks spick and span.  Not this time - which is unusual.  Is it true that Viet migrants are successful  in bakery shops became of the French traditions they saw in their home land.

Next, tribaltravel.com.au are responsible for the daggy camper van often seen driven by backpackers.  A rival for the original Wicked vans?

Next, who's hiding and reading behind the Christmas tree?  That's Christmas 2012 from Newcastle. Peace!

During the morning, these youngsters enjoyed receiving their end of year awards. From there, in contrast, to the evening when, during a ceremony, all children were remembered in prayer especially those who had lost their lives in the school in the US.

From Christmas in Word and Song with nine lessons come the words from a very traditional hymn:
...God is love, and he, enfolding
All the world in one embrace,
With unfailing grasp is holding
Every child of every race.
And when human hearts are breaking
Under sorrow's iron rod,
Then they find that selfsame aching
Deep within the heart of God...

Short fur is incorporated into this design.

Bilum or string bags made by people in PNG.  Often carried resting on the back and suspended from the forehead by the strap to act as a carrier for an infant or to hold a heavy load of vegies or maybe carry bui plant and lime to chew as a mouthful stained red.
The culture of PNG is one in touch with 'the spirits' which are used to explicate many incidents. 
Stories of rampaging superbugs are reported in our media, for instance around the serious problem of TB so maybe sharmans would be as good as any cure. TB is endemic in PNG and Indonesia and is infectious. Some form of preventative treatment is available.

  Awaiting photographs. 

People at Sydney Airport. Slide show. 35 seconds.

If you went to reside in another country would you give up your heritage?  Some Aussie ex-pats never venture far into use of a local language or out of their comfort zone. (Granted, language is a difficult task).  Others are the opposite and are early adopters.
So many of us just don't get it. 'Newcomers to Australia, should be just like us' etc etc. 'Speak English, don't form into groups''.
What is hoped for, in my estimation, is that newcomers will abide by our laws and have some measure of good will towards this country.
What's the problem? It is not unusual for any of us to have weaker degrees of allegiance and have various opinions as to the worth of local endeavours.  And no one is expected to give up their heritage. Around here, we are all entitled to have our own beliefs and customs. 
At the same time, one does wonder about correctness and watering down, of our very few established Christmas customs. Does it diminish us?  I can see the point, but, like I've said, I am still stuck in the eighteenth century and must adjust.
But, let's have full-on celebrations and acknowledge the full range of customs in a significant manner.
  

Kuta Lines Surfshop, Redhead, where a local legend keeps shop in a unique building using recycled timber from old Lee Wharf on Newcastle Harbour. Large beams, sandstone blocks and other large pieces have found a place there as well as surf-inspired art works and a collection of surfboards from down through the decades.

Kuta Lines surfing goods have gone global after small beginnings in the seventies when two surfing brothers from Newcastle visited Bali and were impressed by traditional Balinese textiles and asked for a few clothes to be made and then worn back here.  When other people asked about these it led to the start of the business which involved Balinese workers.
The work of Tony Brown and Kuta is recorded in the National Gallery in Canberra and describes how hooded 'Streaky' jumpers used fabric developed in Indonesia.  Traditional ikat weaving and dying techniques were adapted to create a fleecy, heavier weight fabric that would keep surfers warm on cold southern beaches. Streakies came in many colours and became something of a cult fashion item on and off the beach.
It is said that the art of traditional textiles, in Indonesia, is in decline because it is very labour intensive and time consuming and modern conventional textile workshops have taken over and Kuta fashions are still made there.

National Museum, Canberra.

Cow hide. Classic posters advertising Akubra Hats.  Stick to Akubra Hats!  See or buy on line at http://www.akubra.com.au/  Copies made in China are not the real McCoy.  Rabbit's fur goes into the manufacture of the felt hats and the fur is even imported when local supplies are low.  Rabbits are largly eradicated.  They were in plague proportions once as a result of their introduction to our shores.