I squished bananas

The current trend of up-cycling is booming where you can recycle and re-purpose all manner of things back into usefulness. This can apply to clothes, crockery or carpets, but what about food. If we leave food too long, it will spoil. I’ve found a use for those bananas in the fruit bowl that are a little bit old. Freeze them! Just put them in the freezer, skin and all – they will go black, but they are perfectly preserved in their natural skin.

Thaw when needed. Once completely thawed, the top stalk tears away easily and you can just squeeze the banana like a zooper dooper to release the mush from inside through the opening in the top. This is the perfect consistency for baking banana muffins. Now the old bananas have a new lease on life in these mini muffins with cream cheese frosting. So the challenge is set! Look in your fruit bowl or open your fridge. See what you can find to be recycled into something new.

I touched hope

The Cancer Council Relay for Life was held over the weekend (and other weekends in other parts of the country). It is a fun time to join with your friends and community to raise money to fight cancer. The walkers in the relay were adorned with “Hope Lives Here” on purple shirts; a welcome note of encouragement for all. They carried a baton of sorts – ours was a doll, but there were cowboy hats, dinosaur bones and an assortment of other imaginative totems. We walked for 18 hours in relay. The communal spirit lifting us to keep going, along with some good tunes and decadent food.

At the conclusion, the oval was well trampled and we were weary, but proud of our achievement. Bringing hope to an endeavor is the best tool in the box. So when faced with a difficult situation, the first thing to grab is hope. Keep the light of hope burning for any challenge you face.

I feel Aussie

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  Photo by Jean Papillon from Pexels

Celebrate Aussie-ness. We are more than “meat pies and Holden cars”, more than Vegemite and prawns on the barbie. Yesterday was Australia Day; tomorrow we celebrate the public holiday; so today reflect on what makes us uniquely Australian.

Such as – Our beaches,
Our passion of all sports,
Thongs and zinc cream,
Our vast open spaces,
Our love of giving it a go,
Welcoming new cultures.

Our early poets who tried to capture our pioneering spirit, like Banjo Paterson or Henry Lawson. A more recent Australia, filled with the diversity of what we have adopted as our own – everybody’s welcome.

For me it’s our access to fresh food throughout the year. This wide brown land covers tropical and temperate areas, producing all varieties of cereals, fruits and vegetables, as well as red and white meats and all manner of dairy products. This vast offering allows recipes from around the world to succeed. Our growing love and sophistication with food has made Australia a food destination in the eyes of the world. Enjoy something special today.

I felt spring

Wake up! Crawl out of your winter cave. It is September. The blossom trees are blossoming , the wattle trees are wattling and the tulip trees are tulip-ing. If nothing else, this weekend is a floral demonstration of the coming of spring. Lighter days and amenable temperatures are leading the way of the inevitable change in the season. There is a chorus of other blooms as well. Daffodils, camellias and azaleas are all competing for our attention. Daffodils and Jonquils, single or multi-headed, colour hues from white to yellow, are erupting from the ground. Camellias are bursting out into all manner of colour palates and floral constructions from their steadfast dark green glossy presence. Azaleas are quietly displaying their wares in muted tones in the under-story of garden beds.

There may be some frosty nights and your breath may be visible in the early hours, but take heart that the riot of colour is heralding warmer and longer days to come. So plan to get up earlier each day to make the most of the coming season.

I felt literary

The WillyLitFest was held this weekend against a tumult of avid readers and writers at the Williamstown Town Hall. The sessions were parallel and hour long, with a thirty minute break between each. The rise and fall of the cacophony of humanity as it eagerly sought the next venue denoted the breaks. The symphony of moving bodies was a sight to behold for those of us who are people watchers, but the gold came from the sessions where speakers shared without reservation what it is to be a writer and part of the literary fraternity.

This festival had modest beginnings and counts itself 15 years old now. It has grown in size and support and proudly represents the western suburbs. The community outreach is extensive and inclusive and makes you feel a part of something substantial. This year’s theme “from little things” is both suggestive and provocative. All endeavors have the ability to be great given a little attention. We should all take up this challenge to begin small and see where we end up.

Home

I touched the sky

The last vestiges of beautiful weather are to be enjoyed. I promised myself one last swim in the ocean before the cooler weather descends. The gentle waves at the surf beach are a feature of a morning swim before the wind and tides pick up. The breaking waves, stacking upon each other, stage the cold water in steps up your legs until it reaches your waist where it bobbles up and down tickling you incessantly. At this point you are forced to dive under and acclimatize your whole body at once, then break the surface giggling and gasping for air. The rude shock doesn’t last for long and then the weightless fun begins beyond the breaking waves.

Floating and drifting in the quite of the morning is peaceful, taking the opportunity to appreciate the view out to sea as well as the scenery back towards land. All the hills and trees look like you could reach out and touch them. You could almost play with the clouds between your outstretched fingers as you float looking up at the sky. These moments of fantasy are to be reveled in as they relax both the mind and the body. I will miss these early morning swims until the next turning of the earth around the sun.

I feel festive

The start of a new year finds us layered in a residual happiness from the Christmas/New Year festivities that should be nurtured and sustained. The downtime over this period lets us unwind and relax and gain perspective. This time of year is also heart-warming with renewal of old friendships and catching up with close friends and family. We get the opportunity to do non-routine things; whether it is a lazy breakfast with friends, baking festive foods, reading a book in bed or as simple as a relaxing walk along the beach.

I caught up with a couple of old friends for coffee. Three hours later we were still chatting in depth. It was refreshing to hear what they had been up to over the year as well as the escapades of other mutual friends. These snippets of conversation expand your immediate world that tends to narrow with the demands of life. We need to broaden our attention and keep a rich perspective, so savor your festive season bliss as long as possible.

I felt softness

Another confession.
Our furry feline friends do bring joy and a softness to our hearts. They can be mad-cap and throw a crazy-appleton: bolting from one place to another for no apparent reason. Common sense and logic play no part in this mayhem. They can be indifferent and ignore all your advances regardless of treats or cuddles (what did you do?). They can play like kittens with the curiosity that a forgotten shopping bag can bring, or the dangling end of a belt that sees all your clothes pulled off their hangers, landing in an unceremonious pile at the bottom of your wardrobe. But they can also be affectionate and loyal. They sneak onto your lap while you’re watching TV, or rub against your legs when you’re in the kitchen (because your sole purpose at the bench is food preparation for them – or so they think). They absorb and reflect you mood, but mostly they simply hangout, happy just to be with you.

So enjoy today, this International Cat Day
https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/international-cat-day/

Our feline friends don’t get much recognition, so today is their day. Give them a cuddle and appreciate your special connection with another living soul.

Just hanging out together.

I felt cold

Canberra in Winter is a daily eclectic mix of temperatures. When we landed the pilot said “Welcome to Canberra, where the local time is 8.35am, and it is currently -6^oC outside.” Knowing Canberra as I do, I had brought with me a coat, scarf and gloves, but I was questioning whether a beanie would have also been warranted. The trade-off is that during Winter in Canberra the skies are generally clear and the midday hours are spectacular and warm, requiring the need to peel off layers that are required at the start of the day.

Exiting the airport, the bracing chill was numbing my cheeks, making me rethink the beanie option to a balaclava. Wouldn’t that make a scene – Canberra visitors in ski masks. The visitors would be rather conspicuous whilst the locals that are used to the weather simply dress in suits. It feels good to snuggle within warm clothing, with a bracing nip on your cheeks for contrast. Go outside and feel the weather, rather than just observe it from inside your home, office or car. Feel alive.

I felt fresh

I took a stroll down to the beach. The light breeze was fresh, straight off the southern ocean. The vista vast, the scenery splendid and the sand underfoot familiar. Where were the people? I know it’s winter and not analogous to a beach visit, but a winter seascape has a lot to offer. The solitude of the beach, the continuous and hypnotic roll of the waves, and the cool brisk breeze to make you feel alive. Today was ideal as the gusty southerly wind had even taken pause for the serenity of the moment. The low clouds threatened and created a picturesque moment, framing the distant Eagle’s Nest promontory. I even poked a digit in the retreating tide (only brave enough for that digit to be my finger – too chilly for toes 🙂

The moment was broken when those burdened clouds began to drop their moisture, but this too was a treat. The light moisture sprinkling my face, the determined dash back to shelter and the squelch of the sand from running feet, all got my heart pumping and cheeks flushed. It reinforced that life is beautiful and serendipitous moments can be fleeting. Make sure you enjoy them all!