Glam in Wickham!

Young Peoples Theatre in Hamilton. Fostering talent.

Richard 111 (and bungy jumping) is playing in Sydney and sparked off some lines of enquiry to follow up.
The old film, with Olivier, as Richard, is very theatrical from 1955, a product of its day with a host of classic English artists of stage and screen to wonder about.  The DVD came to light at Video Ezy.
A later version, 1995, stars Ian McKellen as Richard, and looks very interesting set in Britain as a fascist state and is another who's who of actors but will remain a mystery because the borrowed disk was worn out and faulty.
Annette Bening plays Elizabeth and that brings to mind the outstanding film, American Beauty, with Bening and Kevin Spacey.
Al Pacino's  Looking For Richard   -  a masterclass -   with good reviews in the 1990s has Spacey as Buckingham. Another mystery because of the difficulty in finding a copy. That's what happens when you're twenty years too late.
(It also came to light that Spacey was in LA Confidential which was a rather good entertainment.)

A Kevin Spacey Foundation exists to support dramatic art and it funds Richard's rampage - an arts entity which spans nine countries. The current touring drama is part of the Bridge Project - a Transatlantic endeavour for co-production by British and US dramatists and devoted to producing large-scale classical theatre for international audiences and Sydney became the latest destination. .So that's what makes Spacey 'tick'.

Looks perfect from this angle.

Arcade, Newcastle. Believe it had a small indoor swimming pool once.
 Surprises lighten our way.  Salute the unplanned!

A day trip provoked surprisng disbelief and humour at the gravitas and ostentation at Westfield, dare I say Arcade, Sydney. A hub for global big name designers who prove that accessories are supreme!  Wall to wall marble. Marvel.  Minimalism.  Sinister. Christmas decor far too crass and tatty. A reality check.
Cross Castlereagh Street for a refreshing change in D J's Christmas display windows where charming puppet-like figures, of character, tell a simple Christmas story. 
Back to earth again by another bonus sight, history in the making, the 99% seen in vocal revolt, in a large Gay rights march led by two staid police horses down the slippery slope to the Government's conference in Darling harbour.  Weighty Gay marriage considerations were undermined by intersecting with a toy train-ride on a stunning day by the harbour that reflects only good times and enjoyment.
What would Putin do?

Warning.  Macabre subject ahead.
On looking at a birds nest that was blown out of a tree it revealed a little bird tangled up and trapped by its leg where it had perished.
The nest was woven out of scraps of paper, string, threads, a blue hair band and spikey leaves woven around a soft lining that looked like dandelion filaments.

If there is no obsession about keeping the lawn mown it is likely that dandelions will grow to maturity and have bright yellow flowers followed by a seed head in the form of a perfect globe.  The custom is to blow the seeds off and the number of puffs needed to blow all the seeds off will give the hour of the day.  And believe the leaves are edible in salads and dandelion tea is a brew but don't take my word for it, we all know plants can be poisonous.

Bella Vista, in Mayfield, is a unique estate in Newcastle. Old establishment on three acres. Spacious lawns, trees and gardens: pleasant but not outstanding. It acts as a wedding venue and function centre and offers accommodation. http://www.bella-vista.com.au/
Q E ll stayed there in 1954.
The estate was built in 1919 for the manager of BHP Steel Works. The manager was a Pittsburg steelmaker who pioneered the first steel making plant in Newcastle according to Bella Vista on line.
Over the years, managers, executives, royalty and important names have visited and slept over.
For some unknown reason a plaque states Bella Vista was officially opened by an MP in 1968.

Mangroves and Estuary.  Throsby Creek Carrington.
Easily the worlds greatest video! 

Saint Andrews Mayfield celebrated 150 years with a festive service and a new representation of Saint Andrew on a wall hanging.
(Tradition has it that this saint came to an unpleasant end in Greece or thereabouts.)  Today, the pipe organ was in the hands of an excellent musician. An African community participated with percussion instruments. The rector's cat joined in proceedings at one stage.

Beyond the headwaters of the might Styx, Tickhole Tunnel may be glimpsed. Yes, Tickhole. Between the stations of the suburb of Kotara and Cardiff.

At first it was decided not to add the idea that a rail crossing in the vicinity of Kotara station would be amazing and locals would find it very convenient.

Ticks, those small blood-sucking insects, are bad news for dogs and if undetected lead to an emergency dash to the vet. They can't be any good for children either.

We came under attack on our last camping sortie by ticks no bigger than a speck that delivered a whopping bite while they hung on. Oh! the great outdoors.

Lose Your Marbles in Hunter Street East. In 49 seconds.

In severe weather it is just as well to keep an eye on Styx Creek.
What if the road became impassable and suburbs were isolated by a flash flood?
Be afraid!

Some Rhode Island Reds would be feeling lucky they're not turkeys at this time of year.

Stroll along the harbour side and see roadside memorials and a ghost ship as well as the here and now.  

Swaying leaves.  That's it.  Nothing else.

Another storm over the Orica works
Koorangang Island is home to an array of large industrial undertakings. A fertilizer company took up the first lease on the Island in 1964 and was probably Greenleaf Fertilizer hence Greenleaf Road. Or was that Incitec who merged with Pivot who may include Orica or is it Hi Fert?  No, Orica is Orica and originated as ICI - so it has quite a past.
An old hand spoke of an incident of airborne pollution in the very early days that damaged the paint on the cars belonging to the workers who were given compensation payments. There was no Stockton Bridge or transport. Still no transport?  Then the 'smoke stack' was lengthened because of a persistent inversion over the area.  Over forty years on and problems continue to occur.
And the company creates the pollution.  Not the government. 

Simulacrum captured in stark reality.  Closed doors on the sabbath leave no cafe racers out on display.

The Middle kingdom has no need to feel left out of our strategies whilever they buy our coal mines and real estate whereas, for some reason, the USA, is handed over access in a type of 'window dressing' move.  Yet, today, the US President's gracious winning style almost twisted my arm.
Flattery?  Hey, the Prime minister, today, wore a different styled suit that really flattered her. I wish she would contact the governor general's terrific stylist.   

President Place.  Today's pic: a spruced-up nation notion but no spin.

Binary communications

Real men drive road trains.
A fabulous mining bonanza has overtaken the Hunter Valley as well as other regions such as McKinlay in Queensland.
Hunter rail transport is crucial so we havn't come to road transport like this yet, but who knows, there's no time to lose before potential environmental restrictions on coal mining kick in.

Details: Road Trains transport lead and zinc concentrate from BHP Cannington mine to rail loading facility at Yurbi.
Overall length 53.3 metres.  Gross weight 160 tonnes.  Prime mover Mack Titan.  Motor  600hp Cummins.
Gearbox 18 speed road ranger. 86 wheels. 4 trailers.
From ICP Craftpress. photography by David Lee.

 
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