downunder update

Once upon a time we had horse troughs like these all over the place.

We still had horses then, the baker’s daughter arrived in a horse drawn cart, as did the infrequent Bottle-O to pick up any used glass, and the even less frequent Rabbit-O with his wares. (Always buy the whole rabbit, my mother warned, you have to look at the head).

The milk was delivered by a horse too, walking slowly, pulling his van without prompting along our street. The milkman, with a little hand basket packed with bottles, stopped at every gate where we would leave notes out for him overnight. Two pints and 1/3 of cream please. And the money sitting next to yesterday’s empty bottles.

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“SURVIVORS! Amazing escape as two cling to esky!…
They drifted in the shark and crocodile-infested waters for 12 hours before staggering on to a reef 20km away near Eagle Island later that day.”
Sunday Mail Headline, 9 April 2000

“Three Townsville fishermen survived 12 hours floating at sea by ingeniously turning their Esky lid into a makeshift sail after their boat sank…”
The Courier Mail, 6 November 2007 Read the rest of this entry »

I saw a quince tree from a train window today. They grew in everyone’s yard when I was a child, next to the lemon tree, as much a part of the landcape as the Hills Hoist. Where are the quince trees of yesteryear?

If you’re lucky you can see an odd Cydonia oblonga here and there, sometimes in an older house down in the country. But I’m afraid they’re on the way out. Cooking a quince takes work and people don’t seem to fancy much of that these days.

For, although a quince looks somewhat like a pear, you can’t eat it like one until you cook it.

A quince is homely in a yellowish sort of way, and looks a little peculiar, rather bumpy and crooked but, when cooked, transforms into something just delightful. Here are a couple of classic recipes from an Australian childhood. Read the rest of this entry »

I love my Uggs. They have been imbued, over time, with a warm and tolerantly friendly persona. They hug my toes in the morning, greet me when I arrive home flustered from the city crowds, and they stand guard over me as I sleep.

The soft merino lining (see the cutaway) keep my feet warm in winter and cool in summer. What more could any foot want?

It’s often been said that “Ugg” is an abbreviation for “ugly”, but the Ugg Boot is a thing of beauty. Read the rest of this entry »

Last year a (dismal) travel ad for Australia featured the phrase “Where the bloody hell are you?” and caused raised eyebrows and gasps of shock in other parts of the world. The respectable English claimed to be the most shocked, but not in the least surprised, for they have always known that the Australian language is low class. Put it down to our rough- as- guts past. We’ve always spoken this way. Read the rest of this entry »

So you want to be part of a new fashion trend but you don’t know where to start? You’re looking for a fashion trend, it doesn’t matter which one to you, as long as you’re proactive in the Style Scene?

Then look no further. Go Australian! Here’s your handy guide to dressing like an Australian from top to toe. Read the rest of this entry »