Friday, May 15, 2009

It's been a B..... of a Day

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Today has been a B..... of a day.

It all began with butts...



Just look at the size of this butt.

"Does my butt look big in this forest?"
Certainly does, the biggest I have ever seen.




One whopping great butt




When my children were in Year 10 at high school, about 16 years of age , they each in turn spent an entire month with the school classes of that year at a camp in the town of Black Butt.

Black Butt is colourfully named after the remnants of forest when a fire has raged its way through.

The Outdoor education camp was called Googa, and there they cooked, cleaned, washed for themselves and learned orienteering, survival skills, abseiling, horse riding, gardening and maintenance work, high ropes courses, camped out for a few days unsupervised and even completed solo 24 periods out in the bush. They were also encouraged to meditate, journal and to create entertainment for themselves.


Image from Googa Outdoor Education Centre


The goals of the educational retreat are for the students to better understand their relationship to the physical and biological world within which they live; to develop initiative and self reliance; to develop a sense of co-operation, interdependence and community spirit as well as self expression; and to deepen their spiritual lives.

The month long camp had a profound effect on all of the children. There is a total ban on junk food, mobile phones, no TV or electronics at all and only one family visit over the time spent away. They learn how to write letters and some of those letters, bemoaning deprivation and hard work, complaining of homesickness and distasteful cooking now belong in my treasure archive. The Googa experience was an invaluable and indelible part of my children's school education.




Look what is growing on the back of the enormous butt...
monstrous carbuncles!



curly yellow carbuncle fungi



and burnt pancake dinner- plate sized carbuncles




From butts the day progressed to Boots

This clay caked pair of my Beloved's Boots
have been leaning against the garage door
for a few days drying out




They have repeatedly beckoned me
to snap them and tired of their constant badgering
I finally acquiesced




Not content with one photographic memento
of their time sloshing around on a wet building site,
they jumped around the driveway
out to the sunny nature strip



and nestled alongside the ginger plants
under the Golden Canes




While berating the bouncing Boots
I brought the garbage bin in from the road side
and spied at the neighbour's driveway
a bountiful, blooming Bougainvillea



Of the most vibrant hue of red
and you probably wouldn't believe me
if I told you
that this variety of bougainvillea is called Mrs Butt,
so I won't because Mrs Butt is more crimson in colour

and you will doubt me when I tell you
that the owner of the home goes by the name of Butt,
which, cross my heart, he does...


(I myself am a little bemused at this point
as I have only just thought of those last two Butts
whilst writing this page.)



Yep, it sure has been
a B of a day




Beautiful,

Bewitching,

and just simply ...


Bonzer


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32 comments:

  1. What a magnificent post! Instructive, I didn't know that butt also meant that. You mixed a bit of history with personal experience, your children visiting the forest. And you gave us all a lesson in 'double entendre', one of my favourite types of humour. And you have to be very careful when using it because you are a step away from grossness upon which I frown totally. Your post has lightened up this damp morning in which I am filling out a mock grant application for presentation to the head of the school. Now back to work, a bit more energetic after those beautiful photos and witty commentary. So, here's me, butting out now :-)!

    Greetings from London.

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  2. Ha ha ha, your B day sounds like you had such fun! But goodness gracious, those butts are truly magnificent!
    :-)

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  3. Hi Mr erudite Cuban,

    I have just been thinking about the word butt, which can mean:

    1. the thicker end of a tool or weapon
    2. an abbreviation of buttocks
    3. an abbreviation of buttress (which some of the forest trees do have)
    4. a mound behind a target
    5. an object of ridicule

    and wondering which meaning is most appropriate. It seems as if they can all fit this situation.

    Incidentally 'Butt' is used less often here in Au than 'bum' for that part of the anatomy we sit on. It is becoming more popular as it sounds less offensive.

    Thank you for your kind words and good luck with the b....mock application.

    Happy Days

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  4. Hello Priya,

    I did have fun and the delightful part was the way the post unfolded. I truly did not think about the name of the bougainvillea or the neighbour until I got right down to that last photo.

    Happy Days

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  5. Those butts are indeed magnificent,:O)
    By the by,I have PC problems again,had to clean it and reinstall everything,answer to your email is comming,give me some time(been buisy on my balkony,Im dead).Greetings from rainy Holland

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  6. Just got back from work and thought I would check out your blog before making dinner...
    Lo and behold!

    Brilliant Blog! Beautiful Bougainvillea!
    But Butt for a name is a Bit Bemoaning...

    Wish I could attend that one month camp!

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  7. We have Blackbutt Reserve here in Newcastle.

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  8. Aleksandra,

    My computer need a clean out too, things are going wrong....
    Take care

    Happy days

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  9. Thanks for this great post Delwyn...you are funny!

    xxx Mona

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  10. Tulsa,
    You could become the butt of a joke do you think?

    The kids wanted to go back and do it all over again once they returned from camp.

    Happy days

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  11. Rinkly Rimes,
    Hello there,
    ah, so we probably have lots of black butts in this land of fire and gum trees.

    Happy days

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  12. Mona
    I was just this very minute wondering how you are,
    Have you recovered from the multiple cake eating...

    I am happy to amuse...

    Happy days

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  13. Natalie,
    well done!
    Happy days

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  14. What an inspired and inspiring post, Delwyn! I love the idea behind the outdoor camp--I would like to send my own kids to something like that one day.

    Gorgeous flowers--red is one of my favorite colors.

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  15. Bravo! (And can you imagine growing up with the surname Butt?)

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  16. that's a magnificient post and wonderful clicks!!!Gorgeous flowers around!

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  17. Jelica,
    I would have to say that the outdoor camp was the best part of their education as far as learning both independence and community.
    Happy days

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  18. Meri,

    Hello there,
    It would be a real b..... (rhymes with mugger)

    Happy days

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  19. This cheered me up, butting right against my funny bone the entire time.

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  20. Aruna,
    a very warm welcome to you on this gorgeous sunny Sat morning,
    Thank you for your comments - we love chats here...

    Your have a very delicious looking blog...
    I'll be over for morning tea...
    Happy days

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  21. Rosaria,

    that's great, I'm so glad you didn't tell me to butt off...

    Now I must get my butt off the seat and into the Saturday morning chores...

    Happy days

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  22. Many many years ago I pulled down a huge Bougainvillea which held up the deck on my parents house. I remember well, being scratched and spiked by the thorns on the Bougainvillea which was beginning to sort of strangle the house like a giant anaconda snake. I always thought it was a pity that we didn't just severely prune rather than pull it out because when it was in full bloom it was absolutely stunning and vibrant and added such a lot of colour to the environment.

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  23. And by the way - there is theraphy to be had for your butt fetish, but speaking as a man it is a far better thing to endure and put up with this fetish than endure the rigours of a cure, butt not everyone would agree with that.

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  24. Alden,
    Bougs as we refer to them, are not known for their friendliness...but they are as you say exceptionally attractive.

    Happy days

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  25. Alden,

    for that last piece of intimate advice I could feel very Belittled and tell you to B...... off

    But I wouldn't do that, I shall remain Bemused because you are a Bestest friend!

    Happy Days

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  26. Hmmmmm, you could have told me to bugger off, but what actually impressed me was the fact that you didn't mention that I had spelt therapy incorrectly - what can I say to except - 'there butt for the grace of God go I.'

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  27. Alden -
    you are such a silly B.......Butt Benign...

    so I didn't Berate you for your Bad spelling....

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  28. Magnificent post -
    great butts! :-)

    Would you believe that I also butted (excuse the pun) into the forest yesterday? Need to somehow find the fime to blog about it, scenes from behind the official Schönbrunn, deep forests and idyllic manmade places.

    I love peonies - stay tuned for more pictures from the Alpine Garden, it is full of wonders right now.

    Happy weekend,
    merisi

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  29. Hi Merisi,
    I am so enjoying your city and flower posts and look forward to your very different forest.

    Happy Days

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  30. Loved visiting and seeing your lovely photos. Beautiful. Had to read post after post.

    Alyzabeth's Mommy for Eight Months

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  31. Hi Alyson and Ford,

    Welcome,
    Thanks for dropping by and for your kind words.
    Happy Days

    ReplyDelete

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