November 13. Day 318. Feeding time

I'm pretty sure I know how to speak Magpie and as such I can tell you exactly what's going on in this scene I photographed near my house at Highgate Hill this morning.*

The little one is squawking about being hungry. The bemused look on the older bird is clearly "What? Again? Still?"

Feeding the family can seem like a manning the sushi train - food goes on, food goes off. Repeat. Often.

 

The catering conveyor belt. What fun (not). At least with hands we have an advantage when it comes to feeding the hatchlings. This beak-to-beak business is strictly for the birds.

But I get it Mummy Magpie. Which mother hasn't had that last tasty morsel almost snatched from her mouth? Who hasn't given away the last piece of chocolate or the last chip?

Feeding the family comes first, right? (although a secret stash of Tim Tams is totally within the rules. You can possibly adequately meet the others if you don't look after yourself, right?)

In any event, I found the devotion of the older bird to the gluttonous youngster touching. It gave me a warm inner glow right until I got home and had to start the business of breakfast for my own squawking brood. 

It's enough to make you want to take flight or seek out those Tim Tams. All's fair in love and catering.

*Note you will be very surprised to learn that I don't actually speak Magpie. You will be further stunned to discover that I know nothing about Magpies and have no idea if this is even an adult and a juvenile bird. However in the best tradition of my craft, I never let the truth get in the way of a good story. The editor's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. If the Magpie thinks it has been misrepresented it can put a complaint in writing.

November 10. Day 315. Santa Claus is coming to town

 

I suspect many of those organised types who got their letters off to Santa early were delighted that the big bloke brought their Christmas gift with him when he arrived in Brisbane this weekend. It rained, proper soaking rain.

After months of relentless dry which has seen gardens shrivel up and die and bush fires start to circle ever closer to the city, the heavens well and truly opened last night and they stayed open today.

It is of course possible that it wasn't Santa but the South African cricketers who brought the rain. Nothing is more likely to convince the heavens to open than a game of test cricket at the Gabba.

Either way I'm sure even die hard cricket fans are at some level just a teensy bit grateful to see the rain.

I'm almost certain Santa wouldn't be complaining. If you'd just arrived from the North Pole and were carrying as much body fat and heavy clothing as Mr Claus, a Christmas concert in the unforgiving Brisbane humidity to greet you might feel like a present you'd be happy to return.

The rain kept the temperature down and the crowds were thinner than in other years but the delight was clear on the faces of those who did turn up.

With My Little Pony, elves, Spiderman and of course Old Saint Nick to entertain at the annual David Jones Christmas concert, nothing was going to rain on these kids' parade.

There may have been no play at the Gabba but in the Queen Street Mall the kids seemed to think all their Christmases had come at once.

Just as well. You'd better not shout, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout, I'm telling you why, Santa Claus has come to town and is now appearing in a department store near you.

October 25. Day 299. Where there's smoke

What is it about sleeping?
If you have to get up early, instead of making the most of every delicious minute bonding with your pillow, you seem to wake up every half an hour haunted by the read out on the digital alarm clock.
This morning I got bored with that stupid game and decided the evil forces of "should I be awake yet?" had won and I would just get up and go walking.
There was a pay off.
All those hideous bush fires circling the city in recent days had left a very obvious smell of smoke in the air and where there's smoke there's often awesome sunrises and sunsets.
So for those of you who did manage to sleep in, the photo just above is what you missed.
Yes, a very attractive sunrise from Highgate Hill this morning but to tell you the truth the view of the inside of my eyelids would have suited me better.
And for sleepy heads, the good news is the sunset photographed at the top also from Highgate Hill, was even better

October 1. Day 275. I spy with my little eye...

 In light rain, the queue snaked around the Hamyyn Harris Pavilion in the Mount Gravatt Showgrounds this morning as a large crowd gathered to witness Brisbane's first annual Lego fan expo.

Those bricks which can cause no end of pain when you step or when you open your wallet to grow the collection are celebrating their 50th year in Australia this year.

If today's turnout is anything to go by the popularity of the Lego is showing no sign of waning. Certainly the exhibit passed Naia's close inspection today.

Lego is one of those great toys limited only by your imagination with an appeal that spans people of all ages. It is a strong person who can see a partially completed Lego building on a table and not be tempted to add a block.

For today's post I shall borrow from the wisdom of  Steve Klusmeyer who believes many of life's important lessons can be learned from Lego. Such as

•  Size doesn't matter. When stepped on in the dark, a 2X2 LEGO brick causes the same amount of pain as a 2X8 brick.
• All Lego men are created equal (1.5625 inches tall). What they become is limited only by imagination.
• There is strength in numbers. When the bricks stick together, great things can be accomplished.
• Playtime is important. Sometimes it doesn't matter what you are building, as long as you're having fun.
• Disaster happens. But the pieces can be put back together again.
• Every brick has a purpose. Some are made for a specific spot—most can adapt almost anywhere—but every one will fit somewhere.
• Color doesn't matter. A blue brick will fit in the same space as a red brick.
• No one is indispensable. If one brick is unavailable, another can take its place.
• It doesn't always turn out as planned. Sometimes it turns out better. If it doesn't, you can always try again."

And most of the people there today probably thought they were just seeing amazing constructions built from coloured pieces of very expensive plastic. Nope, Lego is not just child's play.

September 29. Day 273. Dazzling smile

It was all smiles at South Bank this afternoon as the large crowds began to gather for what is arguably this biggest event on the Brisbane calendar Riverfire. And no-one was supporting a bigger grin than Chris who was manning a store selling anything you could imagine that glows in the dark. Clearly my imagination isn't big enough because before today I had not envisaged a market for glow-in-the-dark teeth. As the old saying goes "Your teeth are like stars, they come out at night" and there was a twinkle in Chris's eyes to match that dazzling smile.
Truth is Chris was far from the only big kid getting ready for the Riverfire. There is something about fireworks that brings out a childlike joy in just about all of us. A few will mumble about the cost in terms of dollars and the environment but to them I say "bah humbug". You don't have to flash an LED powered smile but just today keep your mouth shut or find something else to sink your teeth into. Now let the fireworks begin.