November is haiku month for me.
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Rusalka at the Sydney Opera House
Did you know that the Sydney Opera House (in Australia) is a UNESCO World Heritage site? It is located on Bennelong Point overlooking Sydney Harbour and is known, among other things, for its “unparalleled design and construction.” UNESCO, in case you don’t know what all those initials stand for, is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. The idea is that sites included as World Heritage Sites are meant to be protected by participating countries, in hopes of preserving their unique and wondrous qualities.
Some other UNESCO World Heritage sites are the pyramids, the Acropolis, temples in the Angkor area in Cambodia, Pisa, the Colosseum, and there are many others.
Danish designer, Jorn Utzon, won the international competition for the design of the Sydney Opera House in 1957, but the construction of the building had many problems, not necessarily his fault.
Those sail-like structures, when seen from a different angle, are a bit like scoops or ears. Made of concrete, they, alone, would be a challenge to build. The building is supported by 588 concrete piers, sunk as much as 82 feet below sea level. The specs are amazing and if you’re interested in finding out more, check out Sydney Opera House on Wikipedia.
The Sydney Opera House was not completed until 1973. On October 20th of that year, it was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth ll.
My friend who provided this photo, taken from one of the ferries in Sydney Harbour, attended a recent performance of Antonin Dvorak’s opera Rusalka. I immediately thought of one of my favourite arias of that opera, The Song to the Moon, but my version had a singer from many days gone by performing it. In this recent presentation, the soprano who sang that aria was Nicole Car. If you would like to hear her sing, please check out this youtube link. I hope you enjoy it. I did.
Amazing Nature
If you want a close up look at how beautiful nature is, especially in places few people look, you must check out David’s post. Great photography, and very readable information.
Lightning, Thunder, and Rain … at Last!
I know it’s been dry and you want it to rain,
But I saw a flash in the sky,
You tell me it’s safe and it won’t cause me pain,
But take me inside where it’s dry.
I heard a loud boom and a rumbling growl,
It sounds pretty scary to me,
I’m trying my best not to let loose and howl,
To be what you want me to be.
What flashes of light and that fierce rumbling boom,
My courage is fading so fast,
Let’s sit on the couch, just move over, make room,
We’ll snuggle until it is past.
Where is She?
Has anyone seen Anneli? She hasn’t posted anything for quite a few days. Is she okay? I’ve been keeping my eyes open for her in between pecking for bugs, but I haven’t seen a glimpse of her. Anyone…?
I don’t know what’s going on,
Anneli seems to be gone.
I keep on looking out for her,
Time to make a post I’m sure.
It isn’t like her to neglect,
All us birds, but what the heck,
Soon she’ll get it all together,
She’s just hiding from the weather.
Okay, okay, I’m here! It’s just that I’ve been up to the proverbial eyeballs lately, and I’m very busy with copy-editing, but I’ll be back soon. Meanwhile, hang in there, and please don’t kill that tree with all your pecking.
Talk to you soon!
Anneli
Jacqui Murray: Laws Of Nature
I was leaving a comment when this post accidentally reblogged to Wordsfromanneli, but once it did that, I didn’t mind a bit because some people may have missed a previous post about this wonderful book. If you missed hearing about it, you now have another chance to check it out. You won’t be sorry if you do.
Anyone who buys this book will be happy they did. The rest will be sorry to miss out on such a great adventure. I loved reading all of Jacqui’s book. Don’t miss out!
Although Jacqui Murray’s Laws of Nature (Book 2 of The Dawn of Humanity Trilogy) is a work of fiction it is based on intense research on pre-historic times. In her non-fiction introduction Jacqui Murray sites how scientists decoded the clues which were “encased in the rocks, soil, and the few surviving artifacts of her kind.”
Relying on multidisciplined scientists: paleobotanists studied plant seed, paleoanthropologists examined the condition of teeth and calcification of skeletons, Paleontologists examined the tools created during that period 2 million years ago and other paleo scientists studied the rocks, soil, the climate. All offering to Jacqui Murray a foundation for her fiction.
Of the many different scientists Jacqui Murray mentions two: Dr. Lev Vygotsky whose research was based on the means of communication – body language, hand gestures, facial expressions. Dr. Levi Leonard and Conant’s research based on the concept of counting.
In this book of the trilogy…
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The White Stuff
“Eh? Orson? What’s that you said?” That Oregon junco knows everything that’s going on around here.
It's a chilly wind today, My fur coat is on to stay, I'm so happy to be warm, With the temps below the norm.
“If you’d pay attention, Lincoln, you’d know there’s been a big change in the weather.” Him and his big fur coat. He probably hasn’t even noticed. But just look at Emma. She’s still trying to figure it out too.
Look now, Lincoln! See the ground, See the flakes fall all around? Food will be more precious though, Covered as it is with snow.
“Sheesh! This is just like in the movies where Bambi says, ‘Mother, what’s all that white stuff?’ and she says, with her soft, stunned voice, like some naive housewife out of a 50s sitcom, ‘Why … it’s snow!'”
Emma snarfs in deep, long sniffs, White stuff gives off special whiffs, Did a raccoon pass by here? Did a rabbit scratch his ear? Licking, tasting flakes of snow. Tries to bite it, where'd it go? Funny flakes of wetness fall, On her head and over all. Emma gives her coat a shake, Leaving just one lonely flake, Sitting on her pointy nose, Then into the house she goes.
Western Tiger Swallowtail
I wore down my camera battery with all the zooming and unzooming, hoping this guy would hold still. But he had so many flowers to visit, he couldn’t make up his mind which one to rest on for more than a second or two. His name is Papilio Rutulus and although he’s a western tiger swallowtail butterfly, it seems that something has swallowed his tail.
Could it be a hungry bird
Who thought he’d eat him? How absurd.
Nothing tasty on these wings,
Not a bit that nourishment brings.
Maybe branches beat his back
On the piece he now does lack.
In the wind the twigs can whip
Snapping blows, and wings can rip.
Whatsoever happened here,
I’m so sorry, my poor dear.
Glad it doesn’t change your flight
As you flutter out of sight.
wordsfromanneli 