MOMENTS OF PEACE

“We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another.” - Lucretius

A quarter of the year is already over! How time flies and how our lives seem to rush, like the station lights seen from a speeding express train as it flits by in the underground. The city never sleeps and the cars never stop, more of them every day, every night. Clock hands flit around the dial as though they are on fast forward.

Time to sit back and spend some time slowing down and seeking serenity this Saturday night… Here is a wonderful song from the great Italian singer-songwriter, Franco Battiato. It is his “Ombra Della Luce” (The Shadow of Light).

Rescue me from opposing forces,

At night in my sleep when I’m not aware,

When my path is uncertain,

And never leave me,

Never let me down…

This post is part of the Saturday Sareenity meme.

FOOD FRIDAY - APPLE BUTTERSCOTCH TART

“Autumn’s the mellow time.” - William Allingham

We have had a lovely autumn day, fine and warm, sunny and very pleasant. The people in the street seemed relaxed, happy that it was Friday. This evening it’s still very mild but as the sun goes down the temperature also falls, ensuring that we have a cool night that will make for a good sleep. We are enjoying the bounties of Autumn: The last well-ripened tomatoes, grapes, apples, plums and other stone fruit, new season’s nuts. What better way to celebrate the autumn weather and the harvest than with an Apple Butterscotch Tart?

Apple Butterscotch Tart

Ingredients

3 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup golden syrup

30g butter

1⁄3 cup plain flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

10 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 tsp caster sugar

Method

Grease a 20cm springform pan. Cut 1 sheet of pastry into 4 strips, lengthways. Place a strip along each edge of second pastry sheet, pressing lightly to join, to make one large square. Ease prepared pastry into pan, pressing into base. Trim edges. Prick pastry with fork and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place brown sugar, golden syrup and butter in a large saucepan. Stir on low heat until melted and smooth. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Place flour and spices in a large bowl. Add apple, toss to coat. Add to syrup. Stir to coat.

Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are just tender.

Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Line shell with non-stick baking paper. Fill with rice or pie shells. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove rice (or shells) and paper, bake for a further 5 minutes.

Spoon apples into pastry shell. Using a 4 cm round cutter, cut about 30 rounds from remaining pastry. Starting from the outside edge of the pie, arrange rounds, overlapping slightly, over apple filling. Brush pastry lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle over caster sugar. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden and crisp. Serve the apple tart in wedges with vanilla ice-cream.

Bon Appétit!

This post is part of the Food Friday meme.

ANOTHER CASE OF CANCER...

“If you’re going through hell, keep going.” - Winston Churchill

 I had some rather bad news again today, as another friend of mine was just diagnosed with cancer. I guess this is to be expected in my age group as most cancers tend to cluster around middle age at the time of diagnosis. The most cancers are diagnosed in individuals around the age of 55 years. As most of my friends and colleagues are approaching this age, it is to be expected that some of them will be unlucky enough to develop a cancer. This is especially true living in a country like Australia where, 1 in 2 Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85. Cancer is a leading cause of illness and death in Australia: An estimated 114,000 new cases of cancer were diagnosed in Australia in 2010 and more than 43,000 people are estimated to have died from cancer in 2010. Nearly 15,000 more people die each year from cancer than 30 years ago, this is due mainly to population growth and ageing.

However, the good news is that the death rate from cancer (number of deaths per 100,000 people) has fallen by 16%. More than 60% of cancer patients will survive for more than five years after diagnosis. The survival rate for many common cancers has increased by 30 per cent in the past two decades. This is due to earlier and more accurate diagnosis, better forms of treatment and increased supportive and adjunctive care for patients.

The most common cancers in Australia (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, which are very common and easily cured) are cancers of the prostate, colorectal (bowel), breast, melanoma and lung cancer. Around 434,000 people are treated for one or more non-melanoma skin cancers, with 448 people dying in 2007. Cancer costs more than $3.8 billion in direct health system costs (7.2%). $378 million was spent on cancer research in 2000-01, 22% of all health research expenditure in Australia.

As far the individual is concerned of course, these statistics are of little importance and the foremost thought in the sufferer’s mind is: “I have cancer and it might kill me”. A large part of the management of cancer patients has to centre around educating them about their disease and mitigating the fear that they feel. Nowadays, many cancers can be completely cured provided they are diagnosed early and treated appropriately at this early stage.

One of the more common forms of cancer, breast carcinoma, has shown a remarkable improvement in its prognosis over the last 20-30 years. A breast cancer patient’s prognosis depends on the type and stage of cancer as well as their age and general health at the time of diagnosis. If the cancer is limited to the breast, 98% of patients will be alive five years after diagnosis (this figure excludes those who die from other diseases or causes). If the cancer has spread to the regional lymph nodes the five year relative survival drops to 83%. These survival rates are considerably better than the survival rates of some other non-cancerous diseases (for example, Hepatitis C).

I talked to my friend and provided as much support as I could. I encouraged and motivated as much as possible, but most importantly I listened. Allowing a person to unload is often all that need be done in order to lift the burden they carry and to comfort the person. I shall meet my friend face-to-face of course, over the next couple days and be there to give as much reassurance and solace as possible…

THE GREAT CANON

“Of all acts of man repentance is the most divine. The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.” - Thomas Carlyle

This week, the Greek Orthodox faithful are celebrating the fifth week of Lent, and the liturgical services are reaching their peak in terms of their length and their injunctions to the faithful to repent and ensure the salvation of their soul. Today is the liturgy of the Mégas Kanón (Μέγας Κανών), or “Great Canon”, which is chanted in churches in the vespers of the Wednesday. The Great Canon was composed by St Andrew of Crete and is also known as the Canon of Repentance, as it is a lengthy penitential canon composed in the seventh century AD.

The Great Canon is so called as it consisted originally of 250 troparia, the number of the verses of the nine odes of the Bible. St Andrew wrote a troparion for each verse. Usually Canons have around 30 troparia, about four troparia for each ode. In later times, other hymnologists added to the Great Canon in honour of St Andrew and St Mary the Egyptian, so that today the Great Canon comprises 280 troparia.

The Great Canon is outstanding in its extremely broad use of images and subjects taken both from the Old and New Testaments. As the Canon progresses, the congregation encounters many biblical examples of sin and repentance. The Bible speaks of some individuals in a positive light, and about others in a negative one: The penitents are expected to emulate the positive examples of sanctity and repentance, and to learn from and avoid the negative examples of sin, fallen nature and pride. However, one of the most notable aspects of the Canon is that it attempts to portray the Biblical images in a very personal way easily approachable by every penitent. The Canon is written in such a way that the faithful can find it easy to identify themselves with many people and events found in the Bible.

St Andrew has composed this long Canon such that each one of us is prepared for death. It is in a form of a long and mournful dialogue with his soul. He considers death and sees that the Day of Judgment is fast approaching. He considers his past life, all his deeds, good and bad and the acknowledgment of his sins overwhelms him. The consideration of his life when compared with the personages of the Bible find it lacking in the qualities and actions of the good, and he identifies more with the sinners and the bad. He feels immense guilt and wishes of redemption in order to be able to stand in front of his maker. The only option for him is to repent and be genuinely penitent over his past sins. The last part of the Canon is a heart-felt conversation of the sinner with his blemished soul, where he calls upon it to rise from the blackness and be awakened from its sleep:

My soul, my soul, arise!

Why are you sleeping?

The end is drawing near,

And you will be confounded.

Awake, then, and be watchful,

That Christ our God may spare you,

He Who is present everywhere

And fills all things.

The full text of the Great Canon in English can be found here..

VALE, JIM STYNES

“Death is a part of all our lives. Whether we like it or not, it is bound to happen. Instead of avoiding thinking about it, it is better to understand its meaning. We all have the same body, the same human flesh, and therefore we will all die. There is a big difference, of course, between natural death and accidental death, but basically death will come sooner or later. If from the beginning your attitude is ‘Yes, death is part of our lives’, then it may be easier to face.” - Dalai Lama

Today I had a meeting in the City and right after it I chanced upon the State Funeral of Jim Stynes. This was happening in St Paul’s Cathedral and the police had cordoned off the intersection, stopping all traffic and putting in barriers to manage the large crowd of mourners who had assembled there. It was a solemn and quiet occasion, with the crowds looking genuinely involved and distressed. It was something difficult to ignore and it was even more difficult not to become involved in it. Even tourists who had no idea who Jim Stynes was, stood and watched with interest. I had three people (two with American accents) ask me whose funeral it was. Fortunately, I had my pocket camera with me and I was able to take some photographs of the event, which you can find posted on my photography blog here.

James "Jim" Stynes (Jimbo) OAM (born 23 April 1966) was an Irish former professional Australian Rules footballer who was more recently a businessman, philanthropist, writer, youth worker, qualified teacher and Chairman of Melbourne Football Club since 2008. Jim Stynes was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2009 and demonstrated great courage by fighting his cancer ever since, and inspired others to do the same.

Born in Dublin, Stynes was brought from Ireland to Australia in the mid 1980s as part of a Ron Barassi inspired program to recruit Irish footballers for the Melbourne Football Club. Described as “Australia’s most successful sporting experiment”, he played his first senior game in 1987 and retired 264 games later in 1998. Jim Stynes devoted his life to helping young Australians. In 1994, he co-founded The Reach Foundation with film director Paul Currie. The Reach Foundation is a non-profit, non-denominational organisation which is committed to supporting young people between 8 -18 years. The aim of Reach is to support young people on their journey to find their own truth, and to follow their dreams.

Reach achieves this by creating a “safe space” for groups of young people to develop trust, openness and the freedom to express their concerns, perceptions, fears and aspirations and to recognise that they are not alone. Reach and Stynes worked together to encourage teenagers to realise their potential and discover their purpose through being made to feel valued and special in a positive and supportive learning environment. Stynes’ professional interest in human behaviour and youth initiative programs over the past 16 years took him all over Australia, America and Ireland.

Jim has received numerous awards for his work with Reach and in the community including Melbournian of the Year (2010), Order of Australia and Churchill Fellowship (2007), and Victorian of the Year (2001 and 2003). On the football field, Stynes entire AFL career was played with the Melbourne Football Club as a ruckman. He is an official legend of the club, being a member of its Team of the Century. His honours include the 1991 Brownlow Medal and four Melbourne Football Club Best & Fairest awards (1991, 1994, 1995, 1997), equalling the club record. His most extraordinary achievement was playing an AFL record-breaking 244 consecutive games between Round 17 1987 and Round 4 1998. Jim was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2003.

In 2004, Stynes’ business life led him with business partner and friend Hugh Ellis to form Pelican and Penguin Childcare. Childcare was a great fit for Jim who saw a unique opportunity when he became concerned over the quality of care provided by some of the larger childcare chains. Beginning with one childcare centre, the pair expanded their business throughout Victoria and Queensland. In September 2010, the inspirational “Every Heart Beats True - The Jim Stynes Story” was released premiering on Channel Nine nationally. The documentary communicated Stynes’ remarkable story.

On 2^nd July 2009, Stynes informed the public in a press conference that he had developed cancer. A lump in his back was shown to be melanoma and tests revealed that his cancer had metastasised. He made it clear that he was not stepping down from his role as President of the Melbourne Football Club but instead was taking a break to seek treatment. On 4^th April 2010 it was revealed that his condition had worsened and three days later he had surgery for brain metastases. Stynes continued to work during his treatment and participated in the filming of a television documentary about his life and his battle with cancer. Stynes died at his St Kilda home on 20^th March 2012, aged 45. He will be cremated, and his ashes scattered at a “treasured spot” he chose before he died. Stynes tackled his cancer in the same courageous manner that he handled all other major challenges in his life. He dealt with the debilitating treatments with fortitude and forbearance and as well as dealing with his own disease, he inspired other sufferers with cancer to fight with all their strength.

Melbourne Football Club players, wearing the club blazers that Stynes had presented to them only days before he died, formed a guard of honour as the hearse drove down Swanston St. In a ceremony that celebrated Stynes’ life, tears mixed with laughter as family and friends remembered the man who came from Ireland as a teenager and left his mark on AFL. The crowd applauded as the hearse was driven to the MCG, where a private wake will be held for family and friends in the Jim Stynes room.

The following poem was read during the funeral service and is fitting for a man who gave so much to so many and inspired even more with his full and fulfilling life. Vale, Jim Stynes…

Do not Stand at my Grave and Weep

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.

I am the diamond glints on snow.

I am the sunlight on ripened grain.

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there. I do not sleep.

Do not stand at my grave and cry;

I am not there. I did not die.

Mary Elizabeth Frye – 1932

MOVIE MONDAY - RED DOG

“The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven, not man’s” - Mark Twain

Last weekend we watched the 2011 Australian movie, “Red Dog” directed by Kriv Stenders and starring Josh Lucas, Rachael Taylor and Keisha Castle-Hughes. The film is based on a true story. Louis de Bernières first wrote a novel based on this story and this was adapted by Daniel Taplitz into the screenplay of the film. The film is basically a feel-good, entertaining feature that has some moments of poignancy. Ultimately, one would call it an offbeat romantic comedy set in the 1970s in Western Australia’s dry and red Pilbara district where iron ore is mined around the town of Dampier.

The plot revolves around episodes in flashback about how a stray dog (“Red Dog”) stays in the mining town and changes the lives of everyone. It starts off when a trucker drives into town and stops at a bar for a cold beer. He finds the bar deserted and in a back room two men holding a dog down, with a third man about to pull the trigger. He is startled and intervenes, putting the men’s plans askew. They all sit down for a beer and slowly and episodically we learn the story of Red Dog, as the townsfolk come into the bar to pay tribute to the dog.

Directed in a no-nonsense, tongue in cheek way by Kriv Stenders, the film has lots of quirky characters and funny situations, without really being forced or contrived. Unlike the Hollywood dog-story-potboiler, “Red Dog” goes against most genre conventions and surprises pleasantly, even the most jaded viewer. There is pathos to provide emotional depth, but the rough and tumble lifestyle of the miners always grounds the viewer into the earthy humour that is such a characteristic of the Australian character, even in the direst adversity.

There is a romantic sub-plot and this occurs between the two leads, John (Josh Lucas) and Nancy (Rachael Taylor) – the American drifter who settles in his mining bus-driving job and the upcoming career woman who starts at the bottom as a secretary. Red Dog adopts John as his owner and this forms the crux of the plot as the various characters negotiate the vicissitudes of fortune. All actors played well, even the ones with the small supporting roles and one could sense that both cast and crew had lots of fun making this film. But “Koko” who plays Red Dog is the real star of the movie and he deserves every bone he was given (and every steak he stole)!

The film explores the themes of loyalty, friendship, isolation, community, love and hardship. It is a wonderful family movie that entertains, amuses and tugs at the heartstrings in turn. It has the qualities of a good, old Australian “yarn” – a story related to one’s friends, which invariably is supposed to be a true-blue story, but which nevertheless is embellished more or less according to the skills of the storyteller. And this is what the film is about, an Australian yarn. Although Red Dog existed (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Dog_(Pilbara)), there is no doubt that the story has been peppered liberally with stuff of legend and invented anecdote. A good author has to construct some sort of narrative around the facts and for a movie, the plot has to adhere to certain cinematic conventions. “Red Dog” is not a documentary, it’s a movie, and highly entertaining one at that. Go watch it!

ART SUNDAY - JAN DE HEEM

“Some partake of the bounty of the Lord’s favour, which never runs out, while others receive only a handful. Some sit upon thrones as kings, and enjoy constant pleasures, while others must beg for charity.” - Sri Guru Granth Sahib

 For Art Sunday today I am continuing the autumnal theme with a superb painting by Jan Davidszoon De Heem (1606-1684). He was the most important and influential of Dutch still life painters from about 1640 onwards. The painting here, “Still life with Fruit” (ca 1645) is representative of this artist and belongs to an iconographic style called Pronkstilleven (“sumptuous still life”), which he invented. It soon became very popular with the affluent merchants and aristocrats who reveled in the Netherlands’ trading bonanza in the Dutch East Indies. Many of the prosperous middle classes could afford the luxuries of life depicted in these paintings, and their homes were decorated with exotica and expensive furniture and draperies, as well as beautiful oil paintings that were produced in abundance by the many artists of the time.

This popular style of painting enlivened the rooms of many a Dutch home and underlined the owners’ wealth, if there were any doubt in the visitors’ mind. De Heem’s technical brilliance gives the work a seductive realism and the sumptuous scene makes one’s mouth water. Excepting the unseasonal cherries (but what painter could resist putting them in for effect?) all of the luscious fruits depicted are from the rich harvest of Autumn. This is a truly magnificent still life of the time, where the bounty of the earth and the generosity of providence are duly celebrated.

De Heem’s remarkable talent had gained him a considerable reputation and he was very well off himself. He could hardly satisfy the demand of the public for his work. His sons worked together with him in his workshop on the commissions for new paintings. He retouched their work and put his signature on the paintings. Apart from his three sons, he had several apprentices: Michiel Verstylen, Alexander Coosemans, Thomas de Klerck, Lenaert Rougghe, Theodor Aenvanck, Andries Benedetti, Elias van den Broeck, Jacob Marrel, Hendrik Schoock and Abraham Mignon who continued his work.

This painting can be admired in the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.

AUTUMN SONG

“Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.” - William Cullen Bryant

As the leaves turn to gold, as the weather cools, as the days get shorter, as the sun weakens, as night gets longer and darker, you know autumn is arriving.
 
As your heart beats less strongly, as your skin shows more wrinkles, as your hair shows more white than black, as your steps begin to lose their spring, you know autumn is here.
 
As fruit mellows, as new wine is made, as the fire crackles in the hearth, as laughter echoes in the contentment of harvest, autumn smiles and brings with it rich gifts.
 
As you sit reflecting on a life full and eventful, as you remember old loves, friends who came and went, as you recollect a lifetime's richness and fulfilment, you know autumn has touched you...

Here is a beautiful piece celebrating Autumn by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. "October" from "The Seasons", arranged for chamber orchestra and played by the Chamber orchestra "Province", conducted by Igor Lerman.

FOOD FRIDAY - PUMPKIN RISOTTO

“Rice is born in water and must die in wine.” - Italian Proverb

We have had a real Autumn day in Melbourne today. The temperature barely managed to climb up to 17˚C, but the wind around made it feel more like 14˚C. We had some sunshine, but mainly a cloudy day, which led to quite a bit of rain in the afternoon. Apparently there was a light dusting of snow up in the mountains also. When I got home this evening it was quite dismal and I was glad the lights and the heater were on. There was also a delicious smell of pumpkin roasting in the oven! The dish we had was perfect for the weather…

Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients

900g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 1cm cubes

1/2 cup olive oil

900ml vegetable stock

1 large onion, chopped

3 celery stalks, very finely chopped

1 cup arborio rice

2 threads of saffron

2/3 cup white wine

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to garnish

1/2 tsp ground dried sage leaves

2 tbsps grated parmesan, plus extra to serve

Salt and pepper to taste

Method  

• Preheat the oven to 220°C.Put the pumpkin cubes in an even layer on a large baking tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.  
• Roast for 15 minutes, then remove and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, tossing well to coat each piece. Roast for a further 15 minutes until cooked and golden.   
• Place stock in a saucepan and keep at a simmer over low heat.   
• Heat another two tablespoons of oil in a large heavy-based pan over low heat. Add onion and stir for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add celery and cook for 1 minute, then add rice and cook for a further minute, stirring to coat the grains with oil. Increase heat to medium-low, add the wine and cook until absorbed.   
• Add stock a ladleful at a time, allowing each to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue for 15 minutes or until rice is cooked. Add the saffron and stir well. Add lemon juice, pumpkin and parsley.  
• Season, then stir in parmesan.Serve with shavings of parmesan, a dusting of sage powder and extra parsley.

WORLD WATER DAY 2012

“Water is life’s mater and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water.” - Albert Szent-Györgyi

World Water Day is held every year on March 22 and focusses attention on the importance of the availability of clean, safe, reliably sourced freshwater for all people, and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. World Water Day has been observed since 1993 when the United Nations General Assembly declared 22 March as World Day for Water. This day was first formally proposed in Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Observance began in 1993 and has grown significantly ever since.

In order for the general public to show support (especially so in Western countries), it is that people not use their taps throughout the whole day. This shows in a very real way what people in some developing countries have to face on a daily basis, where water is a precious resource and no tap water is available.

The UN and its member nations devote this day to implementing UN recommendations and promoting specific activities within their countries regarding the world’s water resources. Each year, one of various UN agencies involved in water issues takes the lead in promoting and coordinating international activities for World Water Day. Since its inception in 2003, UN-Water has been responsible for selecting the theme, messages and lead UN agency for the World Day for Water.

The theme for 2012 is “Water and Food Security”. There are 7 billion people to feed on the planet today and another 2 billion are expected to join by 2050. Statistics say that each of us consumes from 2 to 4 litres of water every day, however most of the water we ‘drink’ is embedded in the food we eat: Producing 1 kilo of beef for example consumes 15,000 litres of water while 1 kilo of wheat ’drinks up’ 1,500 litres. Food production is inextricably linked with water and some foods are extremely demanding in terms of the water need to produce them. Eating food that is sustainably produced will also conserve water resources.

A billion people in the world already live in chronic hunger with extremely limited water sources. Freshwater resources are under pressure worldwide and the climate change we are experiencing is also playing havoc with both our food production and management of water resources. We cannot pretend the problem is ‘elsewhere’ – it is with us here and now, and being experienced in almost all countries around the world.

Drought is still the most significant problem throughout the world. Drought ranks as the single most common cause of severe food shortages in developing countries. Drought caused more deaths during the last century than any other natural disaster, and Asia and Africa rank first among continents in the number of people directly affected. All human activities use water: Drinking, cooking, washing, but also and mostly, for producing food, paper, clothes, etc.

Water scarcity already affects every continent and more than 40% of the people on our planet. By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water stressed conditions. The lack of water limits farmers’ ability to produce enough food to eat or earn a living. South Asia, East Asia and the Middle East for example are already close to their resources limits, and their population is still growing.

Coping with population growth and ensuring access to nutritious food and adequate freshwater supplies for everyone calls for a series of actions we can all help with: 

• Eat a more environmentally friendly and sustainable diet; it’s healthier for you too! 
• Consume less water-intensive products.  
• Reduce the shameful food wastage: 30% of the food produced worldwide is never eaten and the water used to produce it is definitively lost. 
• Produce more food, of better quality, with 
less water. 
• Do not encourage the bottled water industry where safe, clean drinking water is available on tap. 
• Recycle water as much as possible in the home and garden.

NAWRUZ

“Turn yourself not away from three best things: Good Thought, Good Word, and Good Deed.” - Zoroaster

Nowrūz (Persian, meaning “[The] New Day”) is the name of the Iranian New Year and the corresponding traditional celebrations according to the traditional Persian calendar. Nowruz is also widely referred to as the “Persian New Year”. Nowruz is celebrated and observed by Iranian peoples and has spread to many other parts of the world, including parts of Central Asia, Caucasus, South Asia, Northwestern China, India, the Crimea and some groups in the Balkans.

Nowruz marks the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs around March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. As well as being a Zoroastrian holiday and having significance amongst the Zoroastrian ancestors of modern Iranians, the same time is celebrated in parts of the South Asian sub-continent as the new year.

The moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator and equalises night and day is calculated exactly every year and Iranian families gather together to observe the rituals. Originally being a Zoroastrian festival, and the holiest of them all, Nowruz is believed to have been invented by Zoroaster himself, although there is no clear date of origin. Since the Achaemenid era the official year has begun with the New Day when the Sun leaves the zodiac of Pisces and enters the zodiacal sign of Aries, signifying the Spring Equinox. The Jewish festival of Purim is probably adopted from the Persian New Year. It is also a holy day for Sufis, Ismailis, Alawites, Alevis, and adherents of the Bahá'í Faith.

The term Nowruz in writing, first appeared in Persian records in the 2nd century AD, but it was also an important day during the time of the Achaemenids (ca 548–330 BC), where kings from different nations under the Persian empire used to bring gifts to the Emperor, also called King of Kings (Shahanshah), of Persia on Nowruz. The significance of Nowruz in the Achaemenid empire was such that the great Persian king Cambyses II’s appointment as the king of Babylon was legitimised only after his participation in the New Year Festival (Nowruz).

The UN’s General Assembly in 2010 recognised the International Day of Nowruz, describing it a spring festival of Persian origin which has been celebrated for over 3,000 years. During the meeting of The Inter-governmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage of the United Nations, held between 28 September – 2 October 2009 in Abu Dhabi, Nowrūz was officially registered on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

EQUINOX

 “Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower” - Albert Camus

Today is the Equinox – Vernal in the Northern Hemisphere, Autumnal in the Southern. Officially, on an astronomical basis, tomorrow is the first day of Spring in the North and the first day of Autumn in the South.
 

An equinox occurs twice a year (around 20 March and 22 September), when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the centre of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth’s equator. The term equinox can also be used in a broader sense, meaning the date when such a passage happens. The name “equinox” is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day have approximately equal length.

“…My love loves so much

All the bright hues of autumn

The big cool drops of rain.

The scent of wet earth,

The ripe berries

The taste of sweet young wine…”

MOVIE MONDAY - THE KITE RUNNER

“Friends show their love - in times of trouble, not in happiness” - Euripides

At the weekend we watched a film of a book we had read in the past, and about which I blogged. It is the novel “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, who was born in 1965 in Kabul, the Afghani capital. His father was a diplomat with the Afghan Foreign Ministry and his mother taught Farsi and History at a large high school in Kabul. They relocated to Paris in 1976 but when they were ready to return to Kabul in 1980, Afghanistan had witnessed a bloody communist coup and the invasion of the Soviet army.

The 2007 Marc Forster movie “The Kite Runner” starring Khalid Abdalla, Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada and Atossa Leoni is a good adaptation of the novel, with an excellent screenplay by David Benioff. The film has an authentic atmosphere and the recreation of Kabul before and after the Soviet invasion is convincing and compelling. Director Mark Forster wanted to make the film as authentic as possible and insisted on filming Afghani characters speaking in Dari (with English subtitles). Iran and Afghanistan share a language (called Farsi in Iran and Dari in Afghanistan – which is essentially the same language, but the accent is very different). The scenes shot in California are in English mainly.

The action of most of the film takes place in Afghanistan, with later scenes in the USA. In the 1970’s in Afghanistan, the Pashtun boy Amir and the Hazara boy Hassan, are friends. Hassan is the most loyal friend of the two, but Hassan is also the son of Amir’s Hazara servant Ali. The two boys are raised together in Amir’s father’s house, playing and flying kites competitively on the streets of a peaceful Kabul. Amir feels that his father blames him for the death of his mother during his birth, and also that his father loves and prefers Hassan to him. This is a misconception of Amir’s, as his father is fair and good-hearted. By contrast, Amir feels a great respect for his father's best friend Rahim Khan, who supports his intention to become a writer.

After Amir wins a competition of kite flying, Hassan runs to bring a kite to Amir, but he is beaten and raped by the brutal older boy, Assef. Amir witness the assault but does nothing to help the loyal Hassan. This episode convinces Amir that he must get rid of Hassan and on the day after his birthday party, Amir hides his new watch in Hassan’s bed to frame the boy as a thief and force his father to fire Ali. His plan is successful insofar as Ali resigns and leaves with Hassan, but Kabul is about to become a very different place, and Amir and his father must leave Afghanistan as refugees, fleeing to the USA. Amir’s life in California is upset when Rahim Khan makes a startling revelation and implores Amir to return to Afghanistan in order to make good former wrongs.

The film is acted extremely well and many of the Afghani players are not professional actors, but nevertheless act very well, giving the film authenticity and in parts an almost documentary-like feel. Although the film is mainly shot in China, Kabul is recreated realistically and the vivid descriptions in the novel have been transferred well to the screen. Although the 128 minutes of the film leave out details in the novel (which is inevitable), the film retains the immediacy and poignancy of the book, making for a very engaging and emotionally compelling movie.

The main theme of the film is Amir’s redemption. Amir as a child commits an act that is cowardly and atrocious, but as a man he redeems himself with courage and daring, putting his own life at risk in order to correct some of the errors of the past. Amir’s father who had his own demons to fight, did teach Amir how to behave honourably, and Amir’s matured character draws upon his father’s sense of justice and fairness in order to act with determination and bravery.

The film was quite controversial when it was released because of two reasons – one being a concern about the child actors and the possible psychological damage that may have been wrought during the making of the film and, two about the politics of Afghanistan and the repercussions that it may have had with the Taliban, who are depicted as soulless monsters in the film. The child actors are wonderful and the even the scene of violence depicted is done sensitively and handled with great aplomb by the director. In terms of the depiction of the Taliban, I think watching the news and seeing documentaries about Afghanistan is infinitely more shocking and gives an even more stark picture of the changes in this country over the last thirty years or so…

We recommend this film highly and of course if you can read the novel, it is well worth reading.

ART SUNDAY - MARGARET McWETHY

“Just looking at light and its effects on objects. That is what the Impressionism did, the Impressionists did, in finding ways to paint that.” – Joseph J. Rishel

For Art Sunday today, a contemporary USA neoimpressionist painter, Margaret McWethy. She is an artist with a lifelong interest in art and the natural world. She paints scenes full of light and life that surround her, following the rhythms of the seasons and the changes in nature over the passage of the year. Margaret studied art history and biology at Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, United States.

Since she graduated she has sought master teachers who can pass on more of the magic and mystery of their art to her. Margaret’s technique has benefitted from sessions with master colourist, Henry Hensche and portrait artist Cedric Egeli. The skills and discipline needed to express Margaret’s view of nature have been honed by these associations. The pursuit of knowledge to enhance her “seeing” of the world has become an ongoing journey for Margaret.

Margaret’s background in the sciences tends to make her approach a blend of the analytical and intuitive. “I like the idea of reducing things to parts to see how they work, then reconstructing and editing. Not with the object of reducing things to formulas but to reach some real understanding with which one can then begin to create. I always like exploring the small landscape of the still life. I enjoy the intimacy of the relationships.”

Margaret, a native of Maryland, now lives and paints in Massachusetts. She teaches painting the Impressionist Still Life locally. She is a featured artist in the publications, Painting the Impressionist Landscape by Lois Griffel, Capturing Radiant Color in Oils by Susan Sarbeck, Painting the Impressionist Watercolor by Lee Boynton and is a charter member of the New England Plein Air Painters. Her work hangs in private collections in the United States and Europe.

The painting above, Peaches and Garlic highlights Margaret’s proficient use of colour, studied composition and good handling of light in a classic, formal still life. The forms are rendered competently and the patches of light and shadow, transparency and opacity, dullness and shininess are playfully counterpointed. This is an artwork that is accessible and easily appreciated by most people and one that most would like enough to hang on their wall in order to look upon it for a length of time. Although the style is derivative and not wildly original, the handling of the paint is done with consummate confidence and the artist’s manner is facile and full of joy.

More of her art can be found on her website: http://margaretmcwethy.com/

ST PATRICK'S DAY 2012

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures” - Irish Sayings

St Patrick’s Day is a popular observance in Australia to honour Irish culture and commemorate the foremost of Ireland’s patron saints, St Patrick. Many Australians remember the Irish settlement and culture on St Patrick’s Day. The Irish were among the first Europeans to settle in Australia. They comprised a portion of the convict settlement population in the late 1700s. More than 300,000 other Irish settlers (not convicts) migrated to Australia between 1840 and 1914. Many Irish immigrants came to Australia to escape famine in their homeland. About 30 percent of Australians are believed to have some Irish ancestry today.  One way of preserving Irish traditions and customs in Australia is celebrating St Patrick’s Day each year.

St Patrick (ca AD 387–461) died on March 17. He worked as a missionary in Ireland and it is traditionally believed that he banished “snakes” from the country although the term may have referred to druids or pagan worshippers. Little is known of Patrick's early life, though it is known that he was born in Roman Britain in the fourth century, into a wealthy Romano-British family. His father and grandfather were deacons in the Christian church. At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken captive to Ireland as a slave. It is believed he was held somewhere on the west coast of Ireland, possibly Mayo, but the exact location is unknown. According to his Confession, he was told by God in a dream to flee from captivity to the coast, where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to be a priest.

In 432, he again said that he was called back to Ireland, though as a bishop, to Christianise the Irish from their native polytheism. Irish folklore tells that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to the Irish people. After nearly thirty years of evangelism, he died on 17 March 461, and according to tradition, was buried at Downpatrick. Although there were other more successful missions to Ireland from Rome, Patrick endured as the principal champion of Irish Christianity and is held in esteem in the Irish church.

On St Patrick’s Day in Australia, some businesses, clubs and other organisations hold St Patrick’s Day breakfasts and lunches where lucky door prizes are given and Irish food and drinks are served. Many pubs, particularly Irish pubs, hold St Patrick’s Day parties in the evenings, where local bands play Irish music and beer dyed green is served.

St Patrick Day parades are held in cities such as Sydney and Brisbane. These parades feature people dressed in traditional Irish costumes, or at least in green. Floats displaying the Irish flag or other Irish symbols like the shamrock and the harp feature prominently. Some people dress as leprechauns while others wear green wigs. Many Irish associations and historical societies hold events that give people the chance to learn about the history of Irish immigration and settlement in Australia.

Here is a beautiful Irish Lullaby to finish off the day…