Life Images by Jill: January 2024

Monday, 29 January 2024

Australia Day - I am, You Are, We Are Australian

Friday 26 January was Australia Day -

Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and the raising of the Union Flag of Great Britain by Captain Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a small bay on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour.

In present-day Australia, the government Australia Day Council organises events that seeks to recognise the contributions of Australians to the nation, while also encouraging reflection on past wrongs including towards Indigenous Australians and also giving respect and celebrating the diversity and achievements of Australian society past and present wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Day

There has been a great deal of controvosy, discussions and protests over the last few years about whether we should be celebrating on 26 January - the indiginous people of Australia claiming it to be "Ïnvasion Day" and wanting to change the date.

I won't buy into this debate here. I am proudly fourth generation Australian on both sides of my family - both early free settlers and convicts, those who fought and died for their country, battled the Depression, cleared and farmed the land, worked hard for what we have. No matter what colour, religion, or nationality we are, we are all an important part of what makes this country a wonderful place to live. We should celebrate this.

Instead I will share of song with you, which I think says it all.

Aunt Stella Floyed, possibly at the time of Federation

I am, you are, we are all Australian.

I AM AUSTRALIAN.

(1987 - by Bruce Woodley, The Seekers and Dobe Newton, The Bushwackers)

I came from the dreamtime from the dusty red soil plains I am the ancient heart, the keeper of the flame I stood upon the rocky shore I watched the tall ships come For forty thousand years I'd been the first Australian.

I came upon the prison ship bowed down by iron chains.

.I cleared the land, endured the lash

and waited for the rains.

Great Great Grandfather James Fairhead
arrived Australia 1853

I'm a settler. I'm a farmer's wife on a dry and barren run,

A convict then a free man

I became Australian.

I'm the daughter of a digger

who sought the mother lode, The girl became a woman on the long and dusty road

I'm a child of the depression

I saw the good times come I'm a bushy, I'm a battler I am Australian

Great Grandmother & Grandfather Floyed 1887
Great Grandfather born in Australia 1858

[chorus] We are one, but we are many And from all the lands on earth we come

We share a dream and sing with one voice: I am, you are, we are Australian I am, you are, we are Australian.

I'm a teller of the stories

I'm a singer of the songs

I am Albert Namatjira I paint the ghostly gums

Great Uncle Norman Clayden, died Gallipoli, WW1

I am Clancy on his horse I'm Ned Kelly on the run I'm the one who waltzed Matilda I am Australian.

I'm the hot wind from the desert I'm the black soil of the plains I'm the mountains and the valleys I'm the drought and flooding rains.

I am the rock, I am the sky The rivers when they run The spirit of this great land I am Australian

[chorus] We are one, but we are many And from all the lands on earth we come We share a dream and sing with one voice: I am, you are, we are Australian I am, you are, we are Australian.

And below from You Tube an inspiring rendition of this song.

Monday, 15 January 2024

Chinese Lantern Festival - The Year of the Dragon - 2024

Welcome everyone to the Year of the Dragon - allbeit slightly early. But on Saturday night we visited the Chinese Lantern Festival in our International Friendship Garden.

The Lantern Festival aims to promote reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness. The holiday marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year.

Chūn Jié, in China, marks the beginning of the Spring season. The Chinese Lantern Festival ( 元宵节 Yuán Xiāo Jié ) marks the final day of these celebrations. The lanterns symbolise people letting go of the past year and welcoming the new year with good fortune.

2024 is the year of Dragon based on Chinese zodiac. It's the year of wood dragon starting from Feb.10, 2024 to Jan.28, 2025. The Dragon is the fifth in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac signs. The Years of the Dragon include 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024...

Chinese Dragon is an imaginary animal, also the only fictitious creature in the 12 zodiac animals, which is composed of 9 animals, including the body of a snake, the horns of a deer, the head of an ox, the mouth of a crocodile, the claws of an eagle, and the scales of a fish. The Dragon enjoys a very high reputation in Chinese culture and it represents auspiciousness and imperial power since ancient times.

Chinese people regard themselves as descendants of the Chinese dragon and emperors entitled themselves exclusively as the 'dragon'. It is the token of authority, dignity, honor, success, luck, and capacity. Chinese Zodiac

The personality traits of people born in the year of the dragon are: charismatic, intelligent, confident, powerful and they are naturally lucky and gifted. In everything that they do, they tend to do it to the best of their ability with high standards.

The image of the dragon dance below is from our Multi-Cultural Festival in 2020.

Part of the Lantern Festival was the Chinese Wishing Tree where we were invited to write our dreams onto red paper and hang them from the tree. Experience the tradition of hope and abundance and let the Chinese Wishing Tree grant your wishes and usher in a year filled with blessings

Chinese wishing trees, money trees, and hong bao trees are a big part of Chinese New Year festivities. People toss their red ribbons up into the wishing tree with hope that it will stick and their wish will come true for good fortune in the coming year.

Over the last few months community members and children have been making the lanterns

There was also Chinese dancing to enjoy.

And two girls made spinning light sticks and danced with them to Chinese music.

I hope you have enjoyed this little look at the Chinese Lantern Festival. It is wonderful living in a multi-cultural community. Have you been to a Chinese Festival? Perhaps you might like to tell us about it in your comments.

What sign of the Chinese Zodiac are you? I am the Goat.

Tuesday, 9 January 2024

2023 ends... and so 2024 begins..

2023 ends and so 2024 begins - but what to write? 2023, all things considered was a good year, with health, travel, art and family. I hope it was the same for you and yours, and if not, I pray that you have found a way through the troubles, and I wish you new beginnings and a better 2024.

I wonder what 2024 will bring. My hopes other than happiness and health for my family and friends is that I will do a little more art, a little more esperimenting with art, a little more committment to art, walking every day and getting fitter, not getting bogged down with socials on the internet, a little more travels to places unvisited and places to revisit, a little more socialising with friends and family, a little more committment to my photography, a little more reading, writing...and publishing....

I don't make New Year resolutions. But the world is open to lots more little mores!

But for now I went to a Gellie printing summer school workshop at the Stirling Street Arts Centre in my town last week, and I am going to another workshop "naturally printed" workshop at the end of this week. I am hoping to expand on my art this year. I would really like to do more sketching and dabble with watercolours.

Next week I go to Summer School in Albany for a 3 day advance ecoprinting course with the wonderful Penny Jewell - who I have been to two workshops with before and assisted her at a workshop here. I have been doing eco-printing for a few years now, but there is so much more to learn, and so much that I don't know.

I hope that these workshops will spark my "little more committment to my art". Perhaps I might join a local art group. My sister belongs to one where she lives which has a vibrant arts community, and I can see the benefits of it.

On Monday we took a quick trip down to Yallingup just south on Dunsborough in our stunning south west coast to visit an art exhibition by the Dunsborough Art Society which my sister is a member of. Sorry I didn't take any photos!

I am back on the committee for the Photography Group of Bunbury after a few years not on the committee - so that hopefully will spark my "little more committment to photography". In February our club is back to photograph a major triathlon - so great for practising action shots and panning.

We have not been overseas since 2018 (Covid stopped us in our tracks in January 2020 only weeks before flyng out), but we have just renewed our passports. Perhaps "a little more travel" will involve an overseas trip - who knows - nothing planned yet. More likely local trips in Western Australia this year after our epic 9 week caravanning trip to Queensland last year.

Further to our Queensland trip, I am plugging away at a photo book of that trip - to finish it is on my summer to do list. And I still have lots more to share with you from that trip.

That's all from me today. Do you have plans for 2024? Perhaps you would like to share with us in your comments.

Thank you so much for stopping by. I value your comments and look forward to hearing from you. I will try to visit your blogs in return. Have a wonderful week.

I am linking up to the link-ups below. Please click on the links to see fabulous contributions from around the world - virtual touring at its best!

Mosaic Monday @ Soul & Mind & So On

Saturdays Critters - Viewing Nature With Eileen

Inspire Me Monday

Travel Tuesday

Pictorial Tuesday

Skywatch Friday

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