What are your plans for the spring equinox?

[Maia]

The only ones worse than hippies, for patchouli, are goths. Sometimes I think they bathe in the stuff. I went through my own, mercifully brief, goth phase, when I was 18. Without the patchouli.

I sort of did go goth, my girlfriend was full blown at times, would put purple lipstick on etc and we would go to a goth nightclub called The Proscenium. Awesome music, never any trouble and they always let me in for free. The owner Enzo was an oldish fella, a lawyer I think and rumoured to be into some weird stuff, probably weirder than what the Pagans get up to

He gave me a copy of his book (just checked my bookcase - The Poussin Enigma - Enzo Fardone) yes, based on the French artist. It made me laugh one evening when he was on the news because he was taking whoever published Dan Browns book The Davinci Code - or maybe Dan Brown himself for plagiarism, apparently he had submitted his book to the publisher earlier and there are similarities.

Actually I did read the Davinci Code and really enjoyed it - I know many scoff at it, but it was good read for me. I didn't read The Poussin Enigma! I read the first few pages and realised it was rather poorly written. And for any that scoff at the start of my book Alpha Two, a friend of mine that reads EVERYTHING, read both his book and mine and made a point that mine was far more skilfully crafted. In fact, the only person that has criticised the opening pages was promethean (tit). The professional editor that went over my book wasn't particularly familiar with the cyberpunk genre, so I lent her a copy of William Gibson's Neuromancer. She preferred the characters and story of my book! So f'k u prom!!

Neuromancer is a really difficult read - borderline poetic and very abstract at times. I found i'd have to re-read a passage rather often. Belinda put me on to Dickens' Great Expectations this morning. Loving it so far, and far easier to comprehend than Neuromancer. I go on about Neuromancer because the author Gibson is the holy man that cyberpunks consider the messiah of cyberpunk! Johnny Mnemonic another classic that Keanu Reeves played the protagonist Johnny in the film adaptation. There have been some attempts to turn Neuromancer into a film, but I don't think anyone can ever admit to understanding the entire story!

I digress, oh yes stinky hippies...ewe..

If it was about Poussin, and similar to The Da Vinci Code, then I'm guessing it was based on the same source material, namely, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln, who proposed that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had descendants, and that there's a secret society, called the Priory of Sion, protecting these descendants to this day, of which Poussin was a member, along with a whole load of other famous people. A complete fantasy, of course, but presented as fact. Its authors sued Dan Brown for plagiarism, which is odd, if it was supposed to be a historical work. As for The Da Vinci Code, a good read, for sure, but I preferred Angels and Demons. Dan Brown has a trick of setting his entire story within a space of 24 hours, which makes a very fast paced read.

I think my own goth phase was inspired by the sudden freedom, after leaving school, to wear exactly what I wanted. A lot of the local Pagans were into it, too.

[attofishpi]

If it was about Poussin, and similar to The Da Vinci Code, then I'm guessing it was based on the same source material, namely, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln, who proposed that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had descendants, and that there's a secret society, called the Priory of Sion, protecting these descendants to this day, of which Poussin was a member, along with a whole load of other famous people. A complete fantasy, of course, but presented as fact. Its authors sued Dan Brown for plagiarism, which is odd, if it was supposed to be a historical work. As for The Da Vinci Code, a good read, for sure, but I preferred Angels and Demons. Dan Brown has a trick of setting his entire story within a space of 24 hours, which makes a very fast paced read.

You are probably correct about the same source material. On a trip to UK around the time of reading Da Vinci Code, I had picked up a book at Adelaide airport called The Hiram Key by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas - I didn't twig when I bought it at the shop and sat to have a read that it was about Freemasonry - this scrawny fellow sat right next to me. He had weird symbols tattooed along his fingers and hands and started talking about Freemasonry. What an idiot I am, the book cover said it all. This chap started telling me how deep down the rabbit hole he had gone with the masons, and lost his family etc.. This kinda shocked me because many family members of mine in UK are in the "secret society" - little do they know, nothing is secret, but i digress, again. The non fiction book was a really good read and talks about the Roslin Chapel in Scotland and many things that Dan Brown mentioned in Da Vinci Code. Funny thing was, myself and two friends on that holiday had done some hiking in Scotland and were heading down the East side of Scotland around 11pm trying to find somewhere to sleep for the night. The Edinburgh tattoo was on, we couldn't get any accommodation. We would take turns at going into a pub and asking if they had a room! Well, we pulled up at this pub and it looked like a disco was going on inside and through the window we could see the place was heaving (as they say). It was the drivers turn to go in, but he chickened out, so in I went.
My GOD, the Scotsmen were massive playing pool right next to my destination, the bar girl, as I struggled not to stand on anyone's feet or reveal my English accent - I might have to put my best Ozzi accent on actually! I stepped past this monolith of a man and he says to me "Ay, are ya gonna buy the lassy a drink?" - probably wanted me to buy his girlfriend a drink. What does atto do - "Sorry maaate, on holiday from Orstralia, just tryan to find somewhere to sleep for the night, in a real hurry." Immediately I turned to the lady behind the bar and asked her if there was any rooms. "You'll have to ask the manager."
"Oh, where is he?"
"He's the DJ"

OMG - completely the opposite side of the bar area. I walked out jumped back in the car as my adrenaline started to settle. Getting back to Da Vinci Code/Hiram Key - we passed a sign pointing to a small country road "Roslin Chapel" - I said to the bloke driving, let's turn down there it's in a book I am reading - he refused. We all ended up sleeping in the car in carpark somewhere.

I read Angels and Demons - i keep surprising myself that actually I have read a fair amount of fiction. That's the one with the anti-matter from memory - loved it too.

[Maia]

If it was about Poussin, and similar to The Da Vinci Code, then I'm guessing it was based on the same source material, namely, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln, who proposed that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had descendants, and that there's a secret society, called the Priory of Sion, protecting these descendants to this day, of which Poussin was a member, along with a whole load of other famous people. A complete fantasy, of course, but presented as fact. Its authors sued Dan Brown for plagiarism, which is odd, if it was supposed to be a historical work. As for The Da Vinci Code, a good read, for sure, but I preferred Angels and Demons. Dan Brown has a trick of setting his entire story within a space of 24 hours, which makes a very fast paced read.

You are probably correct about the same source material. On a trip to UK around the time of reading Da Vinci Code, I had picked up a book at Adelaide airport called The Hiram Key by Christopher Knight and Robert Lomas - I didn't twig when I bought it at the shop and sat to have a read that it was about Freemasonry - this scrawny fellow sat right next to me. He had weird symbols tattooed along his fingers and hands and started talking about Freemasonry. What an idiot I am, the book cover said it all. This chap started telling me how deep down the rabbit hole he had gone with the masons, and lost his family etc.. This kinda shocked me because many family members of mine in UK are in the "secret society" - little do they know, nothing is secret, but i digress, again. The non fiction book was a really good read and talks about the Roslin Chapel in Scotland and many things that Dan Brown mentioned in Da Vinci Code. Funny thing was, myself and two friends on that holiday had done some hiking in Scotland and were heading down the East side of Scotland around 11pm trying to find somewhere to sleep for the night. The Edinburgh tattoo was on, we couldn't get any accommodation. We would take turns at going into a pub and asking if they had a room! Well, we pulled up at this pub and it looked like a disco was going on inside and through the window we could see the place was heaving (as they say). It was the drivers turn to go in, but he chickened out, so in I went.
My GOD, the Scotsmen were massive playing pool right next to my destination, the bar girl, as I struggled not to stand on anyone's feet or reveal my English accent - I might have to put my best Ozzi accent on actually! I stepped past this monolith of a man and he says to me "Ay, are ya gonna buy the lassy a drink?" - probably wanted me to buy his girlfriend a drink. What does atto do - "Sorry maaate, on holiday from Orstralia, just tryan to find somewhere to sleep for the night, in a real hurry." Immediately I turned to the lady behind the bar and asked her if there was any rooms. "You'll have to ask the manager."
"Oh, where is he?"
"He's the DJ"

OMG - completely the opposite side of the bar area. I walked out jumped back in the car as my adrenaline started to settle. Getting back to Da Vinci Code/Hiram Key - we passed a sign pointing to a small country road "Roslin Chapel" - I said to the bloke driving, let's turn down there it's in a book I am reading - he refused. We all ended up sleeping in the car in carpark somewhere.

I read Angels and Demons - i keep surprising myself that actually I have read a fair amount of fiction. That's the one with the anti-matter from memory - loved it too.

I've read The Hiram Key, though to be honest, I can't really remember much about it. There's a thriving sub-genre of books "exposing" the Freemasons, and some that link them back to the whole Priory of Sion thing, too. There's a type of Freemasonry called Co-Masonry that allows women to join, and I was even considering it myself, at one stage, around the same time that I joined a Wiccan coven, but it turned out that I needn't have bothered, as Wicca uses the same basic rituals, and is, in fact, derived from it, since Gerald Gardner, the founder of Wicca, was a Mason.

Rosslyn Chapel definitely sounds like an interesting place, from everything I've read. I've never even been to Scotland, though I'd very much like to.

[attofishpi]

I've read The Hiram Key, though to be honest, I can't really remember much about it. There's a thriving sub-genre of books "exposing" the Freemasons, and some that link them back to the whole Priory of Sion thing, too. There's a type of Freemasonry called Co-Masonry that allows women to join, and I was even considering it myself, at one stage, around the same time that I joined a Wiccan coven, but it turned out that I needn't have bothered, as Wicca uses the same basic rituals, and is, in fact, derived from it, since Gerald Gardner, the founder of Wicca, was a Mason.

Well, after that rather odd chap with the symbols tattooed all over him had told me how much Freemasonry had taken over his life, I decided to ask one of my Uncle's that's a member about it. He said that to most of them it's just a social thing where they get together, have a few beers and raise some money for various charities.

I also was considering joining here in Adelaide, I even got the required police clearance. I attended a guided tour of the main lodge on North Terrace, an impressive, very large and imposing building. Part way through the tour we were in this room and the tour guide (a brother, lol) made us all inspect a painting of some revered local mason. He asked us to see if we could spot the error in the painting, he insisted people rarely notice it so not to worry. Well, I picked it straight away because I made the same cockup on one of my paintings (yet to be finished). The bloke clasping his right arm with his left hand had five fingers and a thumb! To be honest, I think I will also leave the cockup in my painting..

I was quite amazed at what a crap hole the main South Australian lodge was - to untidy, junk all over the place. Then we were offered cheese and wine - crap wine, plain old cheddar cheese. Maybe that was all a test, lol, but I just think it's all rather tacky and to be honest, beyond learning some sacred geometry stuff (I love Randal Carlson talking on such matters on utube), beyond that and especially relating to GOD - I'd be surprised if they have comprehension to the level I have with any secrets to reveal - arrogant of me I know, but wow, the stuff i am aware of with that intelligence.

Rosslyn Chapel definitely sounds like an interesting place, from everything I've read. I've never even been to Scotland, though I'd very much like to.

Yes, I saw a doco on the Chapel some years back. The caretakers were rather overwhelmed with the tourist numbers since Da Vinci Code. I've never seen the inside of a church or chapel with anything like the inside of Roslyn - intricate carvings abound every pillar it seemed. Lots of odd stuff to consider in some abstract way. I definitely would like to go there.

Scotland is breath-taking to look at when driving through the valleys and mountains all around. When I was doing a really shitty tech support job with screaming customers way back in dial-up days i'd occasionally go to a website with photos of the Scottish highlands, and of course the Lake District, this would have such a calming affect on me. From your POV, yes the fresh air, smell of the heaths and sounds of that cool wind whistling through the vista - i'm shit at this! I bet you have lots of friends that know how to describe things for you though - I guess Pagans would be pretty good for that!

[Maia]

I've read The Hiram Key, though to be honest, I can't really remember much about it. There's a thriving sub-genre of books "exposing" the Freemasons, and some that link them back to the whole Priory of Sion thing, too. There's a type of Freemasonry called Co-Masonry that allows women to join, and I was even considering it myself, at one stage, around the same time that I joined a Wiccan coven, but it turned out that I needn't have bothered, as Wicca uses the same basic rituals, and is, in fact, derived from it, since Gerald Gardner, the founder of Wicca, was a Mason.

Well, after that rather odd chap with the symbols tattooed all over him had told me how much Freemasonry had taken over his life, I decided to ask one of my Uncle's that's a member about it. He said that to most of them it's just a social thing where they get together, have a few beers and raise some money for various charities.

I also was considering joining here in Adelaide, I even got the required police clearance. I attended a guided tour of the main lodge on North Terrace, an impressive, very large and imposing building. Part way through the tour we were in this room and the tour guide (a brother, lol) made us all inspect a painting of some revered local mason. He asked us to see if we could spot the error in the painting, he insisted people rarely notice it so not to worry. Well, I picked it straight away because I made the same cockup on one of my paintings (yet to be finished). The bloke clasping his right arm with his left hand had five fingers and a thumb! To be honest, I think I will also leave the cockup in my painting..

I was quite amazed at what a crap hole the main South Australian lodge was - to untidy, junk all over the place. Then we were offered cheese and wine - crap wine, plain old cheddar cheese. Maybe that was all a test, lol, but I just think it's all rather tacky and to be honest, beyond learning some sacred geometry stuff (I love Randal Carlson talking on such matters on utube), beyond that and especially relating to GOD - I'd be surprised if they have comprehension to the level I have with any secrets to reveal - arrogant of me I know, but wow, the stuff i am aware of with that intelligence.

Rosslyn Chapel definitely sounds like an interesting place, from everything I've read. I've never even been to Scotland, though I'd very much like to.

Yes, I saw a doco on the Chapel some years back. The caretakers were rather overwhelmed with the tourist numbers since Da Vinci Code. I've never seen the inside of a church or chapel with anything like the inside of Roslyn - intricate carvings abound every pillar it seemed. Lots of odd stuff to consider in some abstract way. I definitely would like to go there.

Scotland is breath-taking to look at when driving through the valleys and mountains all around. When I was doing a really shitty tech support job with screaming customers way back in dial-up days i'd occasionally go to a website with photos of the Scottish highlands, and of course the Lake District, this would have such a calming affect on me. From your POV, yes the fresh air, smell of the heaths and sounds of that cool wind whistling through the vista - i'm shit at this! I bet you have lots of friends that know how to describe things for you though - I guess Pagans would be pretty good for that!

That's another thing that put me off the Co-Masons, namely, that they hold all their rituals indoors. Never once do they ever do them out in nature. They had a lodge in a building that they shared with the Theosophical Society, and showed us round at one point, though it did nothing for me. There was a whiff of incense, of the sort they use in church, but, just like churches, it seemed a cold and lifeless place, to me. At least with the coven they often held their meetings outdoors, though by no means always.

I'd love to visit the Scottish Highlands. I'm pretty familiar with North Wales, having been camping there quite a few times, and it's very mountainous, but I imagine the Highlands are far more so.

[attofishpi]

That's another thing that put me off the Co-Masons, namely, that they hold all their rituals indoors. Never once do they ever do them out in nature. They had a lodge in a building that they shared with the Theosophical Society, and showed us round at one point, though it did nothing for me. There was a whiff of incense, of the sort they use in church, but, just like churches, it seemed a cold and lifeless place, to me. At least with the coven they often held their meetings outdoors, though by no means always.

I'd love to visit the Scottish Highlands. I'm pretty familiar with North Wales, having been camping there quite a few times, and it's very mountainous, but I imagine the Highlands are far more so.

My parents took my Mums brother, my sister and I to Wales when I was about four. Beautiful, and when we saw the Welsh flag, Mum insisted that we keep our eyes open for the dragons. Nothing beats the British Isles imo.

We stayed on a farm but in a caravan on the property. The son, Keanu *again that name!, a young lad, son of the farmer, had made a motorised cart out of a lawn mower engine I think but the cool thing was it was all built on the frame of a steel bed..he and my Uncle would tear around the paddocks on it and I was so angry because they wouldn't let me have a go. Probably sensible

[Maia]

That's another thing that put me off the Co-Masons, namely, that they hold all their rituals indoors. Never once do they ever do them out in nature. They had a lodge in a building that they shared with the Theosophical Society, and showed us round at one point, though it did nothing for me. There was a whiff of incense, of the sort they use in church, but, just like churches, it seemed a cold and lifeless place, to me. At least with the coven they often held their meetings outdoors, though by no means always.

I'd love to visit the Scottish Highlands. I'm pretty familiar with North Wales, having been camping there quite a few times, and it's very mountainous, but I imagine the Highlands are far more so.

My parents took my Mums brother, my sister and I to Wales when I was about four. Beautiful, and when we saw the Welsh flag, Mum insisted that we keep our eyes open for the dragons. Nothing beats the British Isles imo.

We stayed on a farm but in a caravan on the property. The son, Keanu *again that name!, a young lad, son of the farmer, had made a motorised cart out of a lawn mower engine I think but the cool thing was it was all built on the frame of a steel bed..he and my Uncle would tear around the paddocks on it and I was so angry because they wouldn't let me have a go. Probably sensible

They have a beautiful, musical language, too. North Wales is still majority Welsh-speaking, though everyone can also speak English, of course, which comes in handy, when you're travelling through the area. I say everyone, but I was once served by a girl in a cafe, who sounded like she was in her teens, who seemed to have trouble understanding English, but was undoubtedly a Welsh speaker, as she spoke it to other people.

[attofishpi]

That's another thing that put me off the Co-Masons, namely, that they hold all their rituals indoors. Never once do they ever do them out in nature. They had a lodge in a building that they shared with the Theosophical Society, and showed us round at one point, though it did nothing for me. There was a whiff of incense, of the sort they use in church, but, just like churches, it seemed a cold and lifeless place, to me. At least with the coven they often held their meetings outdoors, though by no means always.

I'd love to visit the Scottish Highlands. I'm pretty familiar with North Wales, having been camping there quite a few times, and it's very mountainous, but I imagine the Highlands are far more so.

My parents took my Mums brother, my sister and I to Wales when I was about four. Beautiful, and when we saw the Welsh flag, Mum insisted that we keep our eyes open for the dragons. Nothing beats the British Isles imo.

We stayed on a farm but in a caravan on the property. The son, Keanu *again that name!, a young lad, son of the farmer, had made a motorised cart out of a lawn mower engine I think but the cool thing was it was all built on the frame of a steel bed..he and my Uncle would tear around the paddocks on it and I was so angry because they wouldn't let me have a go. Probably sensible

They have a beautiful, musical language, too. North Wales is still majority Welsh-speaking, though everyone can also speak English, of course, which comes in handy, when you're travelling through the area. I say everyone, but I was once served by a girl in a cafe, who sounded like she was in her teens, who seemed to have trouble understanding English, but was undoubtedly a Welsh speaker, as she spoke it to other people.

I love the Welsh accent when they speak English and I also love hearing them speak Welsh. Don't get me started on their use of the alphabet though!

Your story regarding the the young girl that had difficulty speaking English for some reason reminds me of a very different story a friend of mine, Eddy told me. I used to work with Eddy and one day he said to me that if the world fell apart, that I was the only person in the office that he would allow to come out and live off of the land in some old farmhouse he owned way north of Adelaide, far out in the outback scrub - he's a prepper. I never did ask why..but he was a crazy awesome man and I told him he'd have to teach me how to use firearms. He'd take his son hunting for kangaroo and feral goats, not wasting any of the meat and teaching his son how to skin and prepare etc..

Getting back to the story he told me that sort of reminds me of the Welsh youngster. He told me of his Uncle that had a property far North but just across the border into New South Wales. Miles from anywhere it sounded like. He and his uncle were far out away from the property and they came across a very young aboriginal girl. They went to talk to her hoping to help her, but all her replies were in some form of Aboriginal dialect and it was clear she needed no help. The point Eddy made to me was that their location would be like being in the centre of England where the equivalent in every distance to the coast would be considered pretty much unpopulated, apart from some Aboriginals that would appear from time to time. This girl didn't speak a word of English, and Eddy was probably the first 'white' man she'd encountered!

[Maia]

My parents took my Mums brother, my sister and I to Wales when I was about four. Beautiful, and when we saw the Welsh flag, Mum insisted that we keep our eyes open for the dragons. Nothing beats the British Isles imo.

We stayed on a farm but in a caravan on the property. The son, Keanu *again that name!, a young lad, son of the farmer, had made a motorised cart out of a lawn mower engine I think but the cool thing was it was all built on the frame of a steel bed..he and my Uncle would tear around the paddocks on it and I was so angry because they wouldn't let me have a go. Probably sensible

They have a beautiful, musical language, too. North Wales is still majority Welsh-speaking, though everyone can also speak English, of course, which comes in handy, when you're travelling through the area. I say everyone, but I was once served by a girl in a cafe, who sounded like she was in her teens, who seemed to have trouble understanding English, but was undoubtedly a Welsh speaker, as she spoke it to other people.

I love the Welsh accent when they speak English and I also love hearing them speak Welsh. Don't get me started on their use of the alphabet though!

Your story regarding the the young girl that had difficulty speaking English for some reason reminds me of a very different story a friend of mine, Eddy told me. I used to work with Eddy and one day he said to me that if the world fell apart, that I was the only person in the office that he would allow to come out and live off of the land in some old farmhouse he owned way north of Adelaide, far out in the outback scrub - he's a prepper. I never did ask why..but he was a crazy awesome man and I told him he'd have to teach me how to use firearms. He'd take his son hunting for kangaroo and feral goats, not wasting any of the meat and teaching his son how to skin and prepare etc..

Getting back to the story he told me that sort of reminds me of the Welsh youngster. He told me of his Uncle that had a property far North but just across the border into New South Wales. Miles from anywhere it sounded like. He and his uncle were far out away from the property and they came across a very young aboriginal girl. They went to talk to her hoping to help her, but all her replies were in some form of Aboriginal dialect and it was clear she needed no help. The point Eddy made to me was that their location would be like being in the centre of England where the equivalent in every distance to the coast would be considered pretty much unpopulated, apart from some Aboriginals that would appear from time to time. This girl didn't speak a word of English, and Eddy was probably the first 'white' man she'd encountered!

It must be quite odd living in a land that was, until so very recently, home to a completely different, and alien, culture and people. Fascinating, in many ways, especially when it comes to learning about how they held the land as sacred, and the ways that they expressed this fact, such as their myths, legends and stories, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it, to be honest. I like the feeling of being rooted in the land, my own land, that is, with ancestors stretching back into the mists of time, and hopefully, one day, descendants, too.

I'm not as familiar with the myths and legends of Australian Aborigines as perhaps I should be, but I remember, when I was little, reading a story about a creature called a bunyip. Having just Googled it, though, a bunyip is not at all what I remember from the story. In the story, as far as I can recall, it was quite a sad creature, not scary or dangerous.

[accelafine]

They have a beautiful, musical language, too. North Wales is still majority Welsh-speaking, though everyone can also speak English, of course, which comes in handy, when you're travelling through the area. I say everyone, but I was once served by a girl in a cafe, who sounded like she was in her teens, who seemed to have trouble understanding English, but was undoubtedly a Welsh speaker, as she spoke it to other people.

I love the Welsh accent when they speak English and I also love hearing them speak Welsh. Don't get me started on their use of the alphabet though!

Your story regarding the the young girl that had difficulty speaking English for some reason reminds me of a very different story a friend of mine, Eddy told me. I used to work with Eddy and one day he said to me that if the world fell apart, that I was the only person in the office that he would allow to come out and live off of the land in some old farmhouse he owned way north of Adelaide, far out in the outback scrub - he's a prepper. I never did ask why..but he was a crazy awesome man and I told him he'd have to teach me how to use firearms. He'd take his son hunting for kangaroo and feral goats, not wasting any of the meat and teaching his son how to skin and prepare etc..

Getting back to the story he told me that sort of reminds me of the Welsh youngster. He told me of his Uncle that had a property far North but just across the border into New South Wales. Miles from anywhere it sounded like. He and his uncle were far out away from the property and they came across a very young aboriginal girl. They went to talk to her hoping to help her, but all her replies were in some form of Aboriginal dialect and it was clear she needed no help. The point Eddy made to me was that their location would be like being in the centre of England where the equivalent in every distance to the coast would be considered pretty much unpopulated, apart from some Aboriginals that would appear from time to time. This girl didn't speak a word of English, and Eddy was probably the first 'white' man she'd encountered!

It must be quite odd living in a land that was, until so very recently, home to a completely different, and alien, culture and people. Fascinating, in many ways, especially when it comes to learning about how they held the land as sacred, and the ways that they expressed this fact, such as their myths, legends and stories, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it, to be honest. I like the feeling of being rooted in the land, my own land, that is, with ancestors stretching back into the mists of time, and hopefully, one day, descendants, too.

I'm not as familiar with the myths and legends of Australian Aborigines as perhaps I should be, but I remember, when I was little, reading a story about a creature called a bunyip. Having just Googled it, though, a bunyip is not at all what I remember from the story. In the story, as far as I can recall, it was quite a sad creature, not scary or dangerous.

Probably just another creature that humans have made extinct and then maligned afterwards.

[Maia]

I love the Welsh accent when they speak English and I also love hearing them speak Welsh. Don't get me started on their use of the alphabet though!

Your story regarding the the young girl that had difficulty speaking English for some reason reminds me of a very different story a friend of mine, Eddy told me. I used to work with Eddy and one day he said to me that if the world fell apart, that I was the only person in the office that he would allow to come out and live off of the land in some old farmhouse he owned way north of Adelaide, far out in the outback scrub - he's a prepper. I never did ask why..but he was a crazy awesome man and I told him he'd have to teach me how to use firearms. He'd take his son hunting for kangaroo and feral goats, not wasting any of the meat and teaching his son how to skin and prepare etc..

Getting back to the story he told me that sort of reminds me of the Welsh youngster. He told me of his Uncle that had a property far North but just across the border into New South Wales. Miles from anywhere it sounded like. He and his uncle were far out away from the property and they came across a very young aboriginal girl. They went to talk to her hoping to help her, but all her replies were in some form of Aboriginal dialect and it was clear she needed no help. The point Eddy made to me was that their location would be like being in the centre of England where the equivalent in every distance to the coast would be considered pretty much unpopulated, apart from some Aboriginals that would appear from time to time. This girl didn't speak a word of English, and Eddy was probably the first 'white' man she'd encountered!

It must be quite odd living in a land that was, until so very recently, home to a completely different, and alien, culture and people. Fascinating, in many ways, especially when it comes to learning about how they held the land as sacred, and the ways that they expressed this fact, such as their myths, legends and stories, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it, to be honest. I like the feeling of being rooted in the land, my own land, that is, with ancestors stretching back into the mists of time, and hopefully, one day, descendants, too.

I'm not as familiar with the myths and legends of Australian Aborigines as perhaps I should be, but I remember, when I was little, reading a story about a creature called a bunyip. Having just Googled it, though, a bunyip is not at all what I remember from the story. In the story, as far as I can recall, it was quite a sad creature, not scary or dangerous.

Probably just another creature that humans have made extinct and then maligned afterwards.

It could well be. Just reading about it, now, it appears to have favoured swamps and marshy areas.

[attofishpi]

It must be quite odd living in a land that was, until so very recently, home to a completely different, and alien, culture and people. Fascinating, in many ways, especially when it comes to learning about how they held the land as sacred, and the ways that they expressed this fact, such as their myths, legends and stories, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it, to be honest.

Absolutely. Some years ago at the end of the Christmas day around 11pm I decided to jump in the car and head north to Alice Springs with the intent of eventually going to Uluru. Not sure if you ever read the thread I wrote whilst travelling..

It was a snap decision, me and Donnie hopped in the the car and I asked google for directions to Alice Springs 1,534 km. There is so much I can talk about that very long trip..but Uluru, wow.

The stories of the Aboriginals that were already local to that massive anomaly in the dead centre of Australia, the heart of Australia, truly the spiritual heart of Aborigines, but I go a little further to consider it a spiritual place for all mankind. I think everyone should make a pilgrimage to it, especially Pagans.
I walked one of the trails and at the end were two young ladies, they were a tad hippy (I don't mind too much the female version) and we sat together...........honestly the majesty of what I can only compare to a natural version of a Cathedral...we had a few words, and we did all tear up. The travel brochures etc.. simply cannot capture the significance of this place.

There are placards along the trails explaining the significance of various aspects of Uluru, certainly which allow us to comprehend how the Aboriginals feel about the place. I am glad that walking over it is banned. I totally respect the local Aborigines in their insistence that it IS sacred, not to be trampled upon like any old part of the Earth.

I like the feeling of being rooted in the land, my own land, that is, with ancestors stretching back into the mists of time, and hopefully, one day, descendants, too.

I understand that. I consider myself a child of the chaos of the cosmos, a descendent of planet Earth, that is my home any part of it. In saying that, absolutely and again, there is something so special about the British Isles. A painting I did named "Ancasta" reflects, in my opinion, something uniquely important about those fair isles.

Later in May I'd like to discuss, and will test Jaws upon my site - but will keep that off forum. I have some ideas that I think could make art sites sing a better tune per those without sight. Prejudging JAWS, but I will test it out in May.

I'm not as familiar with the myths and legends of Australian Aborigines as perhaps I should be, but I remember, when I was little, reading a story about a creature called a bunyip. Having just Googled it, though, a bunyip is not at all what I remember from the story. In the story, as far as I can recall, it was quite a sad creature, not scary or dangerous.

It just made me laugh, because I thought - hang on, the Easter Bunyip is scary and dangerous!?

Well, no Australians at Easter rather than considering the Easter bunny, they promote the Easter bilby!

From google:
In Australia, instead of the Easter Bunny, many people celebrate the Easter Bilby, a native marsupial, as a symbol of conservation and to raise awareness about endangered species.

Oh My God - I just googles the bunyip. All these years I thought it was a living creature similar to the Bilby!


From google:
In Australian Aboriginal folklore, a bunyip is a legendary, amphibious monster said to inhabit swamps, billabongs, and waterholes, often described as a malevolent creature that preys on humans.

..well, they do say you learn something new every day. That was a big surprise for me too..

[Maia]

It must be quite odd living in a land that was, until so very recently, home to a completely different, and alien, culture and people. Fascinating, in many ways, especially when it comes to learning about how they held the land as sacred, and the ways that they expressed this fact, such as their myths, legends and stories, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it, to be honest.

Absolutely. Some years ago at the end of the Christmas day around 11pm I decided to jump in the car and head north to Alice Springs with the intent of eventually going to Uluru. Not sure if you ever read the thread I wrote whilst travelling..

It was a snap decision, me and Donnie hopped in the the car and I asked google for directions to Alice Springs 1,534 km. There is so much I can talk about that very long trip..but Uluru, wow.

The stories of the Aboriginals that were already local to that massive anomaly in the dead centre of Australia, the heart of Australia, truly the spiritual heart of Aborigines, but I go a little further to consider it a spiritual place for all mankind. I think everyone should make a pilgrimage to it, especially Pagans.
I walked one of the trails and at the end were two young ladies, they were a tad hippy (I don't mind too much the female version) and we sat together...........honestly the majesty of what I can only compare to a natural version of a Cathedral...we had a few words, and we did all tear up. The travel brochures etc.. simply cannot capture the significance of this place.

There are placards along the trails explaining the significance of various aspects of Uluru, certainly which allow us to comprehend how the Aboriginals feel about the place. I am glad that walking over it is banned. I totally respect the local Aborigines in their insistence that it IS sacred, not to be trampled upon like any old part of the Earth.

I like the feeling of being rooted in the land, my own land, that is, with ancestors stretching back into the mists of time, and hopefully, one day, descendants, too.

I understand that. I consider myself a child of the chaos of the cosmos, a descendent of planet Earth, that is my home any part of it. In saying that, absolutely and again, there is something so special about the British Isles. A painting I did named "Ancasta" reflects, in my opinion, something uniquely important about those fair isles.

Later in May I'd like to discuss, and will test Jaws upon my site - but will keep that off forum. I have some ideas that I think could make art sites sing a better tune per those without sight. Prejudging JAWS, but I will test it out in May.

I'm not as familiar with the myths and legends of Australian Aborigines as perhaps I should be, but I remember, when I was little, reading a story about a creature called a bunyip. Having just Googled it, though, a bunyip is not at all what I remember from the story. In the story, as far as I can recall, it was quite a sad creature, not scary or dangerous.

It just made me laugh, because I thought - hang on, the Easter Bunyip is scary and dangerous!?

Well, no Australians at Easter rather than considering the Easter bunny, they promote the Easter bilby!

From google:
In Australia, instead of the Easter Bunny, many people celebrate the Easter Bilby, a native marsupial, as a symbol of conservation and to raise awareness about endangered species.

Oh My God - I just googles the bunyip. All these years I thought it was a living creature similar to the Bilby!


From google:
In Australian Aboriginal folklore, a bunyip is a legendary, amphibious monster said to inhabit swamps, billabongs, and waterholes, often described as a malevolent creature that preys on humans.

..well, they do say you learn something new every day. That was a big surprise for me too..

I imagine that Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is indeed a very special place. A place of great power. Perhaps a bit like Glastonbury Tor, or other such sacred hills, such as the Wrekin in Shropshire, which is slightly more local to me than Glastonbury, or even the Malverns, which I know very well. I would indeed like to visit Uluru one day, and, indeed, Australia in general. The sheer size of Australia is mind-boggling. I really don't fancy the flight, though, being a tad claustrophobic. Getting to Canada, another enormously big place, was bad enough, eight hours cooped up inside the plane.

I'd be interested to hear your ideas about JAWS and accessing art sites. I was checking out some AI sites recently and their descriptions of images. Presumably, this is only going to get better, and probably very quickly, too, given how AI suddenly seems to be everywhere. Please feel free to email me, if you don't want to discuss it on the forum.

[attofishpi]

It must be quite odd living in a land that was, until so very recently, home to a completely different, and alien, culture and people. Fascinating, in many ways, especially when it comes to learning about how they held the land as sacred, and the ways that they expressed this fact, such as their myths, legends and stories, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about it, to be honest.

Absolutely. Some years ago at the end of the Christmas day around 11pm I decided to jump in the car and head north to Alice Springs with the intent of eventually going to Uluru. Not sure if you ever read the thread I wrote whilst travelling..

It was a snap decision, me and Donnie hopped in the the car and I asked google for directions to Alice Springs 1,534 km. There is so much I can talk about that very long trip..but Uluru, wow.

The stories of the Aboriginals that were already local to that massive anomaly in the dead centre of Australia, the heart of Australia, truly the spiritual heart of Aborigines, but I go a little further to consider it a spiritual place for all mankind. I think everyone should make a pilgrimage to it, especially Pagans.
I walked one of the trails and at the end were two young ladies, they were a tad hippy (I don't mind too much the female version) and we sat together...........honestly the majesty of what I can only compare to a natural version of a Cathedral...we had a few words, and we did all tear up. The travel brochures etc.. simply cannot capture the significance of this place.

There are placards along the trails explaining the significance of various aspects of Uluru, certainly which allow us to comprehend how the Aboriginals feel about the place. I am glad that walking over it is banned. I totally respect the local Aborigines in their insistence that it IS sacred, not to be trampled upon like any old part of the Earth.

I like the feeling of being rooted in the land, my own land, that is, with ancestors stretching back into the mists of time, and hopefully, one day, descendants, too.

I understand that. I consider myself a child of the chaos of the cosmos, a descendent of planet Earth, that is my home any part of it. In saying that, absolutely and again, there is something so special about the British Isles. A painting I did named "Ancasta" reflects, in my opinion, something uniquely important about those fair isles.

Later in May I'd like to discuss, and will test Jaws upon my site - but will keep that off forum. I have some ideas that I think could make art sites sing a better tune per those without sight. Prejudging JAWS, but I will test it out in May.

I'm not as familiar with the myths and legends of Australian Aborigines as perhaps I should be, but I remember, when I was little, reading a story about a creature called a bunyip. Having just Googled it, though, a bunyip is not at all what I remember from the story. In the story, as far as I can recall, it was quite a sad creature, not scary or dangerous.

It just made me laugh, because I thought - hang on, the Easter Bunyip is scary and dangerous!?

Well, no Australians at Easter rather than considering the Easter bunny, they promote the Easter bilby!

From google:
In Australia, instead of the Easter Bunny, many people celebrate the Easter Bilby, a native marsupial, as a symbol of conservation and to raise awareness about endangered species.

Oh My God - I just googles the bunyip. All these years I thought it was a living creature similar to the Bilby!


From google:
In Australian Aboriginal folklore, a bunyip is a legendary, amphibious monster said to inhabit swamps, billabongs, and waterholes, often described as a malevolent creature that preys on humans.

..well, they do say you learn something new every day. That was a big surprise for me too..

I imagine that Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is indeed a very special place. A place of great power. Perhaps a bit like Glastonbury Tor, or other such sacred hills, such as the Wrekin in Shropshire, which is slightly more local to me than Glastonbury, or even the Malverns, which I know very well. I would indeed like to visit Uluru one day, and, indeed, Australia in general. The sheer size of Australia is mind-boggling. I really don't fancy the flight, though, being a tad claustrophobic. Getting to Canada, another enormously big place, was bad enough, eight hours cooped up inside the plane.

Canada is larger than Australia, my Uncle over from England really enjoyed pointing that out to the Ozzies..it surprised me too - he travels to Canada mostly during winter to be with his Canadian girlfriend, lol. He's my mothers brother, eleven years my senior that travelled to Wales when I was four, he's hilarious - well, he laughs along with my sense of humour so that's just dandy.

Also, I know you love the winter so best if you do make the pilgrimage to Uluru that it be after April and before October..lots of lovely warm sunshine, just not extreme outside of those dates.

I'd be interested to hear your ideas about JAWS and accessing art sites. I was checking out some AI sites recently and their descriptions of images. Presumably, this is only going to get better, and probably very quickly, too, given how AI suddenly seems to be everywhere. Please feel free to email me, if you don't want to discuss it on the forum.

Thanks Maia, I will do that.

I can't imagine how you traverse this site using JAWS.

I will email you soon for suggestions and what I have in mind. I've got a lot of time spare on holiday during April for a friends wedding in Philippines - almost the entire month, so would be nice to keep focused on something.

[Maia]

Absolutely. Some years ago at the end of the Christmas day around 11pm I decided to jump in the car and head north to Alice Springs with the intent of eventually going to Uluru. Not sure if you ever read the thread I wrote whilst travelling..

It was a snap decision, me and Donnie hopped in the the car and I asked google for directions to Alice Springs 1,534 km. There is so much I can talk about that very long trip..but Uluru, wow.

The stories of the Aboriginals that were already local to that massive anomaly in the dead centre of Australia, the heart of Australia, truly the spiritual heart of Aborigines, but I go a little further to consider it a spiritual place for all mankind. I think everyone should make a pilgrimage to it, especially Pagans.
I walked one of the trails and at the end were two young ladies, they were a tad hippy (I don't mind too much the female version) and we sat together...........honestly the majesty of what I can only compare to a natural version of a Cathedral...we had a few words, and we did all tear up. The travel brochures etc.. simply cannot capture the significance of this place.

There are placards along the trails explaining the significance of various aspects of Uluru, certainly which allow us to comprehend how the Aboriginals feel about the place. I am glad that walking over it is banned. I totally respect the local Aborigines in their insistence that it IS sacred, not to be trampled upon like any old part of the Earth.



I understand that. I consider myself a child of the chaos of the cosmos, a descendent of planet Earth, that is my home any part of it. In saying that, absolutely and again, there is something so special about the British Isles. A painting I did named "Ancasta" reflects, in my opinion, something uniquely important about those fair isles.

Later in May I'd like to discuss, and will test Jaws upon my site - but will keep that off forum. I have some ideas that I think could make art sites sing a better tune per those without sight. Prejudging JAWS, but I will test it out in May.




It just made me laugh, because I thought - hang on, the Easter Bunyip is scary and dangerous!?

Well, no Australians at Easter rather than considering the Easter bunny, they promote the Easter bilby!

From google:
In Australia, instead of the Easter Bunny, many people celebrate the Easter Bilby, a native marsupial, as a symbol of conservation and to raise awareness about endangered species.

Oh My God - I just googles the bunyip. All these years I thought it was a living creature similar to the Bilby!


From google:
In Australian Aboriginal folklore, a bunyip is a legendary, amphibious monster said to inhabit swamps, billabongs, and waterholes, often described as a malevolent creature that preys on humans.

..well, they do say you learn something new every day. That was a big surprise for me too..

I imagine that Uluru, or Ayers Rock, is indeed a very special place. A place of great power. Perhaps a bit like Glastonbury Tor, or other such sacred hills, such as the Wrekin in Shropshire, which is slightly more local to me than Glastonbury, or even the Malverns, which I know very well. I would indeed like to visit Uluru one day, and, indeed, Australia in general. The sheer size of Australia is mind-boggling. I really don't fancy the flight, though, being a tad claustrophobic. Getting to Canada, another enormously big place, was bad enough, eight hours cooped up inside the plane.

Canada is larger than Australia, my Uncle over from England really enjoyed pointing that out to the Ozzies..it surprised me too - he travels to Canada mostly during winter to be with his Canadian girlfriend, lol. He's my mothers brother, eleven years my senior that travelled to Wales when I was four, he's hilarious - well, he laughs along with my sense of humour so that's just dandy.

Also, I know you love the winter so best if you do make the pilgrimage to Uluru that it be after April and before October..lots of lovely warm sunshine, just not extreme outside of those dates.

I'd be interested to hear your ideas about JAWS and accessing art sites. I was checking out some AI sites recently and their descriptions of images. Presumably, this is only going to get better, and probably very quickly, too, given how AI suddenly seems to be everywhere. Please feel free to email me, if you don't want to discuss it on the forum.

Thanks Maia, I will do that.

I can't imagine how you traverse this site using JAWS.

I will email you soon for suggestions and what I have in mind. I've got a lot of time spare on holiday during April for a friends wedding in Philippines - almost the entire month, so would be nice to keep focused on something.

Yes, I like the winter, but not when it's windy or wet. I'd heard that Canada was supposed to be cold, but it wasn't when I was there. Definitely not the first time, anyway. In fact, it was really hot. Surpassed only, a few years later, when I went to Israel. That was almost literally unbearable, especially in Eilat.

I've been using screen readers since primary school, so it's just second nature.

For AI image descriptions, you might want to check out ChatGPT or Grok, for example. There are others, but I haven't tried them yet. Indeed, the latest versions of JAWS have it, too.