Have you ever thought...

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Just thinking...

Have you ever given much thought
to the kinds of relationships
that you are forging here
in the blog world


The connections that we are making
daily
with what I call disembodied people
the way that we share our stories
and join with others around the globe...











Do you look for certain things
in a blogger
as you would in a friend
-perhaps a similar value system
or a similar outlook on life



Are some bloggers
destined to become friends
others acquaintances
and others still
ships passing in the night










Do you expect anything
from the blog relationships
that you have made
Do you wish for certain things
in these connections

I read many many blogs
but do not always comment
What makes you comment
on some and not others











One of Abraham Maslow's
fundamental human needs
is that of belonging
of connecting,
another is that of self esteem-
feeling valued and worthwhile


Do your blogging relationships
help you to meet those needs
or do blogging relationships
by virtue of being two dimensional
seem shallow and superficial
leaving you feeling needy,
disconnected...

Bonnie's post of 23/8
stimulated a thoughtful discussion
On re-reading the post
the following day
I summarised some of the comments
made by her readers
and submitted it to Bonnie
who suggested I might like
to post the summary

Bonnie reveals in her blog
that what she is looking for is
truth,
responsibility
and depth,
and that she realised
if she was wanting to receive these qualities
then she must also be prepared
to give them too...



Bonnie says
to be real and meaningful
we need to take a risk
to share our fears and vulnerabilities
- to be authentic










here then is my comment to Bonnie:

This has been a great discussion and after re-reading it again this morning and reading all the wonderful comments a few words and ideas seem to stand out.

Firstly, blogging is a new way of connecting with others and we have to let it do what it does best in the way it does it and not expect it to be any other way...


Second, to feel connected with others we like to feel they are being real, genuine and sincere.
And therefore that is also what we need to offer them. We need to be authentic.


Thirdly, blog friends are not real friends so we cannot have the same expectations of them that we do of our real friends


Fourthly, some will disappear and we will never know why..


Fifthly, we can flow with the process and let it grow into what it can best be


Sixth, respect for others is just as important here as in real life, and we must hold the disclosures of others with respect and feel honoured that we are the recipients of that sharing


Seven, empathy and understanding and kindness cannot ever be overestimated...


Eight, sometimes we post a powerful story which attracts much interest and comment, other times we will post a regular entry but it would still be nice to have our efforts acknowledged because any posting does take time and thought and effort...


Nine, some people we meet we would sincerely love to know them as friends, some as acquaintances, and some as ships in the night, just passing by...there will be a range of connections as there are in the real world


And ten, above all else, we are learning more about ourselves through this medium and that must be good...

I know that Julie in Denmark
and Bee in the UK
have hosted blog camps
I wonder how much richer
these blogging relationships are
now that the campers have met
and shared in the real world

What do you look for
in a blogging relationship
Do you think that we expect too much
from blogging friends,
or are you happy to accept
and enjoy the company
that is offered in this way
through this medium





How satisfying do you find
these connections...

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Testing...Testing...

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Testing the new Camera...

Rainbow Lorikeet in the Grevillea




The day finally arrived
when I took delivery
of my new camera
Oh Happy Days...

Grevillea in the park in my street




I have been reading the manual
slowly
absorbing bit by bit

Honeyeater in Pink grevillea




the potential of this
wonderful piece of technology

and then I wander
around the street

by the river's edge

and snap away...


a great egret
ardea alba
all white
and elegant
but with a low pitched
rattling croak...

testing

catching a magpie
fighting the blustery breeze
to stay aloft
in the casuarina tree










I test the distance
over which
I can capture a clear shot
Across my river
about 60 metres
I can see
the Brahminy Kite nest

with a resident in view









and resting kites
come into focus

and when Harold and Maude
return at bath time

I am poised and ready

The pansies put up with
another macro session

the bromeliad

and poinsettia oblige

while Harold
has had enough -
No more posing for today
photo shoot is over...

and for Marion
I capture a rare Dragonfly
in my neck of the woods,
and see with great excitement
that he has diamonds
on the tips of his wings

I climb up and over
the Noosa Hill
with camera in my hand
a lot heavier
than a little happy snapper

but I am rewarded

by the glow
of the sinking sun

and even a turkey
that appears
under the pandanus tree

Today
I learn
that I have
a super Macro setting

and as I sit
in the warm sun
on the deck
I snap at what I think
is a sparrow
on the neighbour's jetty
and am surprised
that my new camera
tells me otherwise



oh what wondrous new vision
I have been given...


I think
I am going to get
much pleasure
from my new camera



What do you think...



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Crab Walk

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Crab walking...

I took myself
down to the river
for my daily constitutional
to tease out
those tricky little tendons
and ligaments
around my ankle

and came across
a young man loading
many crates
of these red-orange beauties
into his van

only a few crabbing boats
and prawn trawlers
come into the river
the bar is too shallow and dangerous
to foster a fishing industry base
on the river foreshore

these are Spanner Crabs,
which are found
on the east and West coasts
of Australia,

with the scientific name
of Ranina Ranina







Photo from rawfish.com.au




they take their name from their first legs
which are spanner (wrench) shaped
while the others are flattened
and have numerous short bristles


Unlike other crabs
who move sideways
the Spanner Crab
moves forwards and backwards

The crabs are found in sandy bays
in intertidal waters
to a depth of 100 metres
They eat worms, fish, crustacea,
molluscs and sea urchins
and are often found where there is prawn fishery
suggesting that they also eat the discards
from the trawl as part of their diet

Turtles in turn feed on Sand Crabs

Most crabs are exported
to East Asia, particularly Taiwan
They weigh 900gms
and the carapace measures 150mm

The pigeons
have also got food on the brain

and battle
with a large crust of bread

I wander on
looking at the colours
of the hire boats
at this time of day

and thinking of crab

and my stroll ends at the red
of the giant Terminalia Tree
which are found
all around the shores
of the islands of Hawaii





and I still think of crab...





Photo from spannercrabsnoosa.com



This is the lovely couple
who have the spanner crab stall
at the Farmers' Market




Crab Stuffed Avocado Salad

Ingredients:


3/4 lb (340 g) lump crabmeat, or cooked shrimp, chopped if large
1/4 cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh Italian parsley, tarragon or dill
Salt and pepper to taste
6 oz (165 g) mixed salad greens
1/2 cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
Lemon wedges
Drizzle of olive oil
2 large firm, ripe avocados



Method:


Pick through the crabmeat for cartilage, setting aside a few legs to garnish the plates.

Gently fold together the crabmeat (or shrimp), mayonnaise, lemon juice and parsley.
Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Distribute the salad greens among dinner plates and top with the cucumber slices.
Drizzle some lemon juice over the greens, then drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits, then carefully remove the peel.
Place a half avocado on each bed of greens and pile crab salad in each cavity.

Garnish the plates with the reserved crab legs.




Delicious




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Daffodil Walk

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Chasing Daffodils in Hagley Park...

We can't leave Christchurch
without seeing daffodils
and while it is very early
for spring flowers
we stop the car along the river
to check the blossom
and spy our first daffies

and a cherry blossom

and then another

the sign reminds us
that tomorrow
we have an early 3.15 am start
to get to the airport in time
for our 6am flight...

but the daisies
in the grass cheer us

and the ivy cladded tree
waves it's arms in glee

so we drive on into Hagley Park
to chase down the daffodils

that rise out of the woodlands

and spread yellow cheer
across the grassy river banks

but there is no sign of daffodils...

and so we stop
to look at camellias

of fire engine red

and flowers
bursting from the cold soil
underneath the trees

an icy looking rhododenron

and cross the footbridge
we haven't given up hope...

and there
so quietly

creeping imperceptibly
from damp loose soil

the daffodils
have arrived

Oh Happy days...

The chill is creeping through my jacket
the sun has slipped away
the day is nearly over,
and this peppermint candy camellia
reminds me
not to forget

to buy some Jaffas

and some Pineapple chunks
to take back to my family
across the other side,
the warmer side,
of the Tasman Sea...





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