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Sunday, 28 April 2024

Anzac Day 2024


"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."
Lest We Forget

The 'Ode of Remembrance' comes from the poem "For the Fallen", written by Laurence Binyon.

These words are spoken at war memorials - the big and the small - all across Australia and New Zealand, and around the world at Gallipoli in Turkey, France, New Guinea and many other places on Anzac Day - 25th April - the anniversary of the dawn landing at Gallipoli in 1915 - the day that we have set aside to remember those who lost their lives or have come home damaged from war. 

I believe it is Australia's most important national day. 


Every year we go to the Dawn Service to remember two family members who we have never met but who are part of the reason we live in the freedom of Australian as we do. 

Norman Clayden - my great uncle who was killed at Gallipoli on 27th April 1915, just two days after the beach landing - aged 19 - no known grave.
As well as his name on the Lone Pine memoral at Gallipoli, and the Perth War Memorial in Western Australia, we last year found his name on the memorial at Pingelly in the Western Australia wheatbelt, from where he enlisted. He looks so proud in his uniform this photo.


And my husband's uncle Richard Ramsden who died in a prisoner of war camp in Myanmar (Burma) on 29th October 1943 in World War 2 - aged 23 - buried at Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Mynanma - a place where his family have never been able to visit. We only just recently learnt about some of what he might have gone through as a wounded and sick captured soldier who was forced to work.


Two young men cut down in their prime. What a waste. With the wars still going on around the world, it is obvious we have learnt nothing.
We are grateful to the people who look after these resting places far across the oceans.


I have shared some of this before in different ways -

Anzac Day 2022

Anxac Day 2019 - Field of Lights, Albany

Remote Anzac Sunrise Reminders - 2023

Gallipoli and Anzac Day 2021

Thank you so much for stopping by. Do you have an Anzac Day commemoration where you live? Is there someone you remember on that day?

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!

at 8 comments:

Monday, 22 April 2024

Australian Dragon Boats and Dardanup Art Trail

 Hi everyone. I hope you are yours are doing well. 

Last week was a big week in our family with the Australian National Dragon Boat Championship Titles at Champion Lakes in Perth, Western Australia over 5 days 17-21 April, and the annual Dardanup Art Spectacular and Art Trail over the weekend of 20-21 April with the opening and awards night of the exhibition on Friday night. 

Our two sons were competing in the Dragon Boat raqcing and we went up to support them on Wednesday and Thursday. Our family has been involved in dragon boating since the summer of 1989-90, and we are members of a small regional club, the Forza Dragon Boat Club. Our club took out a swag of medals at the WA State Dragon Boat Titles a month ago, but it is a whole new experience and bigger challenge for Western Australian clubs to compete against the bigger Eastern states clubs, so unfortunately Forza didn't bring home any medals.

However they improved on their times, and on the last day of racing made the semi-finals in the Mixed 20's and Open Premier Division categories

We had eleven Forza paddlers competing with the WA State team on Friday, and they all won medals, albeit not gold, but a fantastic effort for a small club. Congratulations must go to all club members, paddlers, management and coaching team, especially our head coach and sweep, Paul Harrison. 



Unfortunately my husband and I had to come home on Thursday afternoon because my husband had some university work to do on Friday morning and we had to set up for the Dardanup Art Trail on Friday afternoon for the art trail over the weekend. I was there with all my usual - photography and botanical eco-prints on paper and cloth. I had a good weekend sales wise and it is always great to speak to all the people who come through. 

I was so excited to win the Photography section theme prize for the theme "Reflection" on Friday night.  We had to write a description of our image - This is what I wrote -  As we gaze out the window during our work day in the city we see reflections of our office windows in the windows of other buildings. Perhaps others are looking out at their reflections too. We are hemmed in by the buildings and the demands of work and economics, and feel we cannot escape. However over time the path-lines of our life will continually evolve, blur and change.

They say that winners are grinners and it was certainly true on Friday night at the Dardanup Art Spectacular art awards. Photography Group of Bunbury (of which I am a member) did exceptionally well. Judged by Sarah Henderson - Winner open photography - Jodie Deeley with Äutumn Tree; Winner Reflection theme - Jill Harrison with Reflecting Life; Highly Commended Open - Trevor Spivey with The Rose Hotel Corner; Highly Commened Reflection theme - ex member Chris Smith with Reflections on a Rainy Day. Honourable Mentions went to Glenys Hough, Chris de Blank, Trevor Spivey, Debbie Schramm, and Lina Coe. An Honourable Mention also went to Jill's Grandson Owen Harrison in the Secondary student division for his Rockpool Underwater Wonderland. You can see a list of all exhibition winners here - 2024 Dardanup art Spectacular winners

I want to thank everyone involved for their support over the weekend of the Dardanup Art Trail. Jenny Spokes and the Dardanup Art Spectacular & Art Trail committee for all your hard work putting together such a fabulous art exhibition and art trail. Father Wayne from the Dardanup Catholic church for allowing us to use the rooms again at the old Dardanup Convent, and Lisa for getting the space ready so brilliantly for us on Friday. Sarah Henderson for awarding me first prize in the photography theme "Reflections" division of the Art Exibition. The person who bought my red canna photo on the opening night of the exhibition - enjoy! The "convent girls" - Christine Blowfield, Sandra and Sylvia Nysten, (we have been exhibiting together I think 4 years now), Gemma Mangano (congrats again Gemma on winning the Portrait prize) and Cynthia Dix - you all make our space a great place to be for the weekend. My husband Rod for his continued support of me, my work and assisting me over the weekend - I couldn't do it without him. All the wonderful people who visited us over the weekend, chatted, encouraged, and loved my art enough to purchase from me - thankyou so much. You all help artists continue with their work. And who could have asked for much better weather! Glorious.


Unfortunately I didn't take many photos over the weekend so here are a couple from last year


It was a big week. Now for the clean up and pack away and I think spend some down time. And catch up on writing I need to do. 

You might also like:

Doodling on botanical eco-prints

Forza dragon boat club - 30 years and on!

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

Until then, enjoy your day... it won't be back. 
at 9 comments:

Monday, 8 April 2024

Walking songs - walk paths near by to where I live

Hi everyone. I hope you and yours are dong well. So the Tree Street Art Safari is done and dusted, and now I am in preparation for the Dardanup Art Trail on the 20-21 April. I wish to thank my wonderful hosts in Banksia Street for the Tree Street Art Safari where I have been exhibiting for 4 or 5 years. They are amazing and so generous to me. Thankyou! Thankyou also to everyone who visited or made purchases. It was lovely to meet and chat with you. Thankyou everyone.

If you missed it you can see some of what I do here - Doodling on Botanical Contact Eco Prints. I also do photography and lots of other things! 

It is early Autumn here and we are desperate for rain. It hasn't rained in our area since last September or October. It surely must come soon. Trees, some hundreds of years old, are dyeing - they are calling it "forest collapse". An ecological disaster. So awful. 

In between getting ready for these two art trails we try to go for a walk most mornings. We are lucky to have some great walks near where we live. Here are just a few. There are others we choose depending on the weather, and a few a little further away especially during wildflower season. Summer walk in Manea Reserve. You can read more by going to the links to my past posts. 

You might even see a kangaroo! 

Pram friendly walking path, Millbridge

Paperbark Cathedral Walk, Leschenault Estuary

A walk by the water , Leschenault Inlet, Bunbury

Where the Pelicans Meet

On the radio a couple of weeks ago they were asking for suggestions of walking songs. There are hundreds. Here are just a few, and down below a list I found on the net. 

Walk Right Back - Anne Murray

I Walk the Line - Johnny Cash

Walking on Sunshine - Katrina and the Waves

Moon Walk - Michael Jackson

These boots are made for walking - Nancy Sinatra

Walk Like an Egypian - The Bangles

Walk Right In - The Rooftop Singers

You'll Never Walk Alone - Gerry and the Pacemakers 

The Walk - The Beatles 

spinditty - 100 best songs with walk in the title

And a little summer sunset stroll down by the Estuary about 1 kilometre from home. We are so lucky to have so many walks close to home. 


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. Do you have some favourite walks close to home? Perhaps you would like to tell us about them in your comments. 

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!
   

at 16 comments: