Bush Fires in Australia
Raging, out of control bush fires have been incinerating parts of Australia for some weeks now. The consequence is loss of lives, loss of animals both wild and domesticated, loss of food crops and loss of homes and businesses.
According to Bjorn Lomborg, in The Weekend Australian, February 1-2, 2020 p1 “Australia is the world’s most fire prone continent. In 1900, 11 percent of its surface burned annually. These days, 5 percent of the country burns every year.” We need to review our fire management strategies.
Little comfort for those whose lives are in upheaval due to bush fires. Many charitable institutions immediately began collecting money to assist those effected. I am always a bit wary of these big charities as those at the top earn enormous incomes in this country, but was able to donate in a direct and immediate way, elsewhere.
Local farmers from Harvey, near where I grew up, were driving eleven truck loads of donated hay, plus clothes, blankets and nappies thousands of kilometres across the Nullabor to feed surviving stock. The co-ordinator, Ms Belinda Hall, speaking on ABC WA Country Hour 18/02/2020, said , “Some of the most generous donations came from farmers and communities devastated by the 2016 Waroona-Yarloop bush fires (in Western Australia) that destroyed 160 homes and killed two people.”
This was a long journey across Australia. The cost for diesel to fill up these trucks at every service station stop was $10 000. I was able to donate to a crowd funding site to help pay for the diesel and every cent went to this cause.
For an historical overview of fires in Australia, the impact on Australia and other countries and other information, visit this informative site https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50951043
READING
As usual, I have been enjoying some library books. Unable to do many jobs in the garden due to the heat, I’ve focussed on garden design and gardens as seen by other people. I’ve already ordered this year’s tulip bulbs to remind me the weather will come and it will get cooler, ………….eventually.
The first of these books is “Gardens of Awe and Folly” by Viviane Swift, a whimsical and gorgeous record of gardens she knows well on several continents. She visits nine of her favourite gardens around the world and walks us through each, sharing the history, intention, management and individual charms of each. Her watercolour paintings highlighting the unique aspects of each garden created the most wonderful travel journal. Her depth of knowledge and passion for these gardens worldwide, was very inspiring. Loved this book!
The second book I’ve dipped into for ideas while I’m thinking about rejuvenating the garden was Adam Frost’s “How To Create Your Garden”. Suitable for smaller suburban gardens, his ideas and plans are easy to follow and to incorporate in your own space. There are three sections in the book, focusing firstly on designing, then building and finally enjoying the finished garden. Although this book is written by an English author, much of the information, especially in the design and build sections, could apply to gardens almost anywhere.
Also re-reading Graham Greene’s “The Quiet American” our bookclub book this month. First published in 1955 this novel is about the breakdown of French colonialism and the American involvement in the Vietnam War. This espionage thriller has all the elements of a ripping yarn; love and war, honesty and deception, betrayal and loyalty. I am really enjoying it and I enjoyed the film, featuring Michael Caine, too. We both like visiting Vietnam and a few years ago we stayed at the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi where some of the scenes where filmed.
I had trouble photographing this book as the cover is totally unremarkable. I always consider the covers of books when I select them but this cover has nothing to recommend it!
My husband belongs to an all male bookclub. When the convener of this bookclub was interviewed on the ABC radio yesterday, the female presenter made much of the “men only” aspect of the bookclub. This made me think about the four bookclubs I have belonged to in the past 35 years which have been “all female” but this aspect was never an issue. I don’t think it was ever mentioned . Although we often met in houses, husbands were never present. The focus on “men only” felt like a double standard on the “oh so politically correct” ABC but I think the announcer was trying to be controversial.
Last year our bookclub read “The Children Act” and last night we watched the film. Released in 2018 and staring Emma Thompson, we watched it on Netflix and thought it was a good representation of the book. Confronting moral and humanist issues played out around the lives of the judge making these decisions and her husband. Great book and film.
SUMMER FRUIT
Plums, beautiful summer stone fruit, delicious fresh and plain. To easily pop out the seed, pierce at the top, where the stem was, with a sharp knife, slice around the circumference, twist each half in opposite directions and the stone is revealed and easy to remove. Works for other stone fruit, too.
Thinking about food, did you know 9th February is Pizza Day? Traditionally an Italian dish, immigration and the returning servicemen after WW2 saw an explosion in popularity America and to a lesser degree, worldwide. It’s a very easy day to celebrate!