First anniversaries
First anniversaries DM 1st June 2024 Traditionally, paper or cotton is given on the occasion of a first wedding anniversary. I think I gave my wife flowers – in fact, a bunch of hydrangeas, in the same colour as those that formed our wedding bouquet. Contemporary couples apparently give clocks and watches, though the logic […]
The flavour of grace
The flavour of grace DM 25th May 2024 Well there’s another thing ticked off my bucket list. A meal of Muttonbird – fresh from the southern sea and sprinkled with salt and seasoned with garlic. And the taste? Sort of sea-watery. Oily. Crispy. Not bad. Probably the same thing, though in reverse, experienced by a […]
Flim-flams & Paschal Lambs
Flim-flams & Paschal Lambs DM 18th May 2024 In the church to which I belonged as a young Christian, there was a fellow who worked as a flim-flam-man. I’m not sure if it’s a thing now, but his job was to deliver birthday greetings and other messages of congratulations, in sing-song voice, at full volume, […]
Mists and meaning
Mists and meaning DM 25th April 2024 I’ll never forget a movie scene where a Minister preached a text from the Book of James to some army boys on the eve of their departure to war. “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth […]
The Dynamo
The Dynamo DM 20th April 2024 My ninth birthday was memorable. I was supposed to get a bike light so that I could ride at night like my brothers, who got one for their ninth birthday, as did their ancestors before them. For years I looked forward to it, for this was no ordinary light […]
From the same hymn sheet
From the same hymn sheet DM 13th April 2024 I don’t know much music theory, but I dread every time a Gmaj7 appears on the score. It’s just a difficult chord to play, properly that is, with all four fingers, on all six strings. You can’t simply cheat with a G, nor G7, nor clip […]
A new Oratorio
A new Oratorio DM 6th April 2024 I’ve booked tickets to see Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah next month, and so am trying hard to get the music into my head, in order to heighten the appreciation of the live performance, and to not expose my ignorance. But it’s a struggle. It’s not as sweet as Handel’s […]
Rocks in my head
Rocks in my head DM 30th March 2024 I’m no geologist, so I don’t know the scientific name for rocks that we used to call Thunder Eggs. These marvels were found at a nature park at Mt Tamborine in Queensland, and the best ones were presented beautifully and for sale. About the size of a […]
The kiss of life
The kiss of life DM 25th March 2024 Thankfully I never had to put my mouth on the plastic dummy beside the swimming pool in order to pass the lifesaving test for my Bronze Medallion. I kept a respectable inch or two away, and simply went through the motions of – pinch nose, breath into […]
Scarecrows
Scarecrows DM 16th March 2024 I have a vague recollection of making a scarecrow when I was very young. Its proportions and fashion accessories now elude my memory, but I do remember setting up the little guardian to watch over my newly planted vegetable patch. I was reminded of such wooden-wardens when passing a local […]