Harvesting fruits

I have started my course at CIT. The building is old and a little underfunded, but it is clean and functional and there is some great artwork on the walls by the café. Unfortunately, there is no information to credit the artists.

 

One of our first assignments involves workplace health and safety, and we have to photograph instances of signs that might mitigate risk, and then write a report. I'll spare you the report, but I'm sure you'll find the image thrilling. You're welcome. 

And just in case you think CIT students are all methodical and serious, I'd like to assure you that they haven't changed a bit from when I was last studying in a tertiary education establishment 30-odd years ago. Again, you're welcome. 

Here's another exciting instalment in the sporadic series of Nailed It in which I make food that bears very little resemblance to the image in the recipe. This week: Ombre Gratin. 

How Ombre Gratin is supposed to look

How Ombre Gratin looked

At the weekend I walked through the Pinnacle Nature Reserve with Him Outdoors, and then we called in to Rocksalt for breakfast before heading home through the streets of Hawker past affluent homes and street libraries. 

When we got home we found a fabulous offering left on our front bench for us by a friend - a bag of fresh home-grown tomatoes from their abundant produce. I have often mentioned how I would like to grow my own fruit and vegetables - it just doesn't seem to be something I can manage to do, so I am extremely grateful for this gift of garden bounty from others. 

Weekend of Culture

Sight for Sore Eyes came to stay with us for a weekend - it was mainly for the theatre that we had lined up, but we packed in some other cultural activities too, such as the sculpture garden of the National Art Gallery, where I take all the best people for visits.

Detail from The Burghers of Calais by Auguste Rodin

The following work is new to me - it was created for the Biennale of Sydney 2012. According to their website, "Cal Lane's industrial doilies play upon juxtaposition by transforming industrial objects... The works highlight an unexpected relationship between the delicate patterns of lace, carved into an expanse of steel... The choice of lace patterns brings an additional dimension to the work, referring to ritual and religion, and hinting at lace's metaphorical capacity to both expose and conceal." In an artist statement, Cal Lane wrote, 

"I like to work as a visual devil's advocate, using contradiction as a vehicle for finding my way to an empathetic image, an image of opposition that creates a balance, as well as a clash, by comparing and contrasting ideas and materials. I am interested in pulling together industrial and domestic life as well as relationships of strong and delicate, masculine and feminine, practicality and frivolity, ornament and function. I have always been interested in embracing the very thing that repels me in order to understand it. I prefer to make sense of things, or in order to suspend (or pass) judgement."

Domesticated Turf by Cal Lane

Hill Arches by Henry Moore

Cones by Bert Flugelman

Although I have been here many times before, I have never previously been to visit the 'skyspace' by American artist, James Turrell. A 'skyspace' is a viewing chamber designed to affect the way we see the sky. Sight for Sore Eyes and I walked inside the pyramid to a pool surrounding a dome. Inside the dome are benches on which to sit while looking up at the sky through a circular opening in the roof. It's all rather discombobulating watching the patterns created by the light, clouds and water. Apparently at dusk and dawn the chamber is lit with a cycle of colours timed to interact with the changing sky. We didn't wait for either, but I will return.

 

Within without by James Turrell

From within Within without 

We also went to see the exhibition Story Time: Australian Children's Literature at the National Library of Australia. Not growing up here, I wasn't exposed to many of these books as a child, but I have seen several since and learned to love the characters. It seems to me that Aussie animals such as kangaroos, koalas, wombats and emus are uniquely suited to be the subjects of stories for children. 

Final artwork for Koala Lou, Written by Mem Fox - Pamela Lofts

We saw Shakespeare in Love at the Canberra Theatre Centre with outstanding acting, writing, direction, sets, costume, lighting, sound and every element of production done just so. I proper loved it.

"It will be alright in the end." "How will it?" "I don't know; it's a mystery."

Oh, and of course, because it's us, there was food. Here are some photos of our breakfasts from Dobinsons and Rocksalt.  

Sight for Sore Eyes with waffles

Eggs on toast (with salmon side)

Sight for Sore Eyes with Shakshuka

Rocksalt breakfasts with Corned Beef Hash in the foreground

As we walked back to the house we passed one of these cute street libraries that I like so much. 

And we rounded off her visit with drinks with friends on the patio in our back garden. Cheers! Do come again. 

Indoor and Outdoor Hobbies

We have been watching The Handmaid's Tale. So, it seems, have many other people judging by this sign outside the Gosford Anglican Church, equating repressive legislation with the fiction regime of Gilead in Margaret Atwood's tale of dystopian society. I made the cross-stitch for a friend's birthday - we watched each episode of the show and avidly discussed it - and we particularly liked the episode in which 'muffins mean yes'.

Him Outdoors got all creative with his designated night's cooking. There's a duck breast under all that. 

Another nice morning's walk for breakfast - this time through The Pinnacles to Rocksalt. 

Corned Beef Hash

Vegetable Stack

Our next puzzle begins to take shape...

And things are blooming in the garden, even though it's mid-winter. 

The tracks and trails around Black Mountain and through Aranda Bushland are perfect for biking at this time of year. 

Arts and Entertainment

I watched The Duke of Burgundy. The film was perturbing, but supplied a great example of nominative determinism.

We came to the end of Oh, What a Lovely War, so here are some photos from front and back stage, including a couple of the posters displayed on the Proscenium Arch. 

 

This sculpture appeals to me. Donated by Cuba, it is called Patria es Humanidad, meaning 'Our Country is Humanity'. Rising from its base of gravel and stone, the peg symbolises the connections, unity and solidarity of the human family. Supported by the peg is a planet where ethnicities, cultures and religions, despite their differences, merge together in the essence of our human existence.

Patria es Humanidad (Our Country is Humanity) by Nelson Dominguez Cedeno

I like this sculpture too. It is simply called Kangaroos.

Kangaroos by Jan Brown

Post-show breakfast bruschetta at Rocksalt in Hawker - feeling pretty healthy all things considered (a bottle of bubbles and three hours sleep).

Breakfast Bruschetta

In the evening I went to the Canberra Symphony Orchestra concert in the park, made free to all with the support of the ACT Government as part of the Canberra Day celebrations. We arrived early and spread out a rug, then sat watching the sunset and the bats until the music began. 

 

Calamity Sue and Me being photobombed by the Minister for the Arts and Community Events

The CSO Killer Queen Concert featured the tribute band Killer Queen Experience. They were entertaining and fairly polished - they looked the part but no one has the energy and charisma of Freddie. Everyone had a good singalong, however, and a few tears were shed during the Under Pressure video montage/ homage to David Bowie.

Mr and Mrs Lovely Bonkers

Are we having fun yet?