Lake Burrumbeet is about fifteen minute west of Ballarat. I have never seen it dry but it does get quite low in a really bad year. But it was hot today – above 30 C ( 85 F ) and someone got a little rain. And a group had been out fishing and was wanting to get in before it got too dark. But I … Continue reading Lake Burrumbeet.

This is just a reminder that my story about the German Occupation of the Channel Islands is now on mydyadic.wordpress.com . The first three episodes has already been posted. If you haven’t read it yet then make sure you start at the beginning. What happened on the only part of British territory that was surrendered to the Germans is something that needs telling. It was … Continue reading The Green Lizard

Don’t we all grab our cameras when the sun is setting through clouds. Of course if you must be somewhere else 100 kms away you needs must take the shot even if the sun is a tad too high in the sky. The sun was intent upon spot lighting the container ships as they headed down the bay. And a couple hastening home to beat … Continue reading Sunshine

As I mentioned earlier I have decided to publish my little book in serial form on mydyadic.wordpress.com If you want to be advised then you should go there and follow. The book is about 70,000 words and although I usually try to keep to 700 or 800 words this may not always be appropriate. For example the first episode is approximately 2000 and then episode … Continue reading Book Serial

This is not going to be pleasant. Seriously. In my post about naming places I chose at random the name Konongwootong. When I say random I mean there are hundreds of aboriginal names and this stood out as being very obviously aboriginal. You will understand how fortuitous it was in a minute or two. I did not recognize the name although it is very near … Continue reading Konongwootong – a very bad post

I posted this on mydyadic.wordpress .com under the heading of Functional Fixedness and because only a very few of you saw it over there I think it would be wise to repost it here. Functional FixednessIsn’t that a strange expression! It implies that, if a knife’s function is to cut something then the implication is that you can’t lick peanut butter off it. That would … Continue reading FYIO

Yesterday John Knifton posted a story about the naming of streets in English towns and he referred specifically to Nottingham. It intrigued me, as it may intrigue you, and so I set out to look at some street names in Ballarat and a little farther out of town to the naming of towns and villages. This is the link to John’s post. In Australia in … Continue reading The naming of things

“Why,” you ask, “all this talk of deserts?” Are my deserts Ophelia’s nunnery? Maybe subconsciously that is where I began. Hamlet wants Ophelia in a convent so she will be safe. No. That wasn’t it. He wants her to be kept from having children. Hamlet is defeated and betrayed by friends and enemies alike. If Ophelia has children there will just be more to betray … Continue reading Get Thee to A Desert #4

A ship in a harbour is safe – but that is not what ships are built for. There was a fluttering of flags at the masthead. Not a dramatic change of direction but a definite need to trim the sails. I’ve been blowing a bit about comments and I went so far – although some of you didn’t notice – to threaten pulling the plugs … Continue reading A King from the Desert.