This one is for the people back home. These are lollies made as Witchity Grubs. Now is a Witchity Grub a thing native to New Zealand or is a Witchity Grub an internationally located insect? And what is the definition of insect exactly? Do they need 6 legs to be an insect? Are spiders insects? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insects. According to Wikipedia an insect has 3 pair of matching legs, so a spider with 8 legs cannot be an insect then. And what is a Witchity Grub aside for an icky grubby things that I often heard of but don't ever recall seeing in my childhood. Let's find out: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchetty_Grub. So they are known in Australia and they eat wood and are an important part of the diet in central Australia. Interesting. Here in the big city, they are made of sugar and don't do much nutritiously for you, but taste dam fine according to the shop assistant where I took this photo. Long Live the Witchity Grub.
SUGARBEE XX 01/06/13
A big red rose of colour, scent, love, joy, beauty and peace. What does a rose mean for you? When were you given your first rose? I was age 12 and Tom, my Nana's friend grew them in his garden, he gave me my first rose. If you have never been given a rose, you can share in my first rose. Close your eyes and imagine the rose, it was red like the one above, not in full bloom yet so it lasted longer, it had been picked from a bush in the front yard and it smelt like heaven, as roses do. Inhale that scent, make the rose you, for imagination is a beautiful thing and I would love for you to have your first rose. Roses come in a range of colours, maybe the scent differs between the varieties of roses, and Wikipedia has an interesting entry on roses, not so much about roses, more about where you find them, in art, film, food etc. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roses. If you Google Roses you get a multitude of business listings for florists and then looking further actual rose information comes up, such as roses have been around for 32 million years, different colours of roses represent different things and the number of roses given relate to the amount you are loved. 1 rose = love at first sight, 36 = I will cherish our romantic moments, 108 = marry me, and 999 = eternal love, ain't that sweet.
SUGARBEE XX 31/05/13
This little birdy watches you from afar. This little birdy watches everything. He says nothing to no one, all he does is watch so it seems. But really what's happening is something quite different. This little birdy is watching and learning all day and all night long. He is watching everything and everyone. He has learnt so much in the 25 years he has sat above the doorway of a shop selling what I can't remember in a place I have no memory of. But he is Bill, Bill Bluebird and if you sit very still and wait patiently, he will see you and wink. And then if you ask him a question, Bill will tell you the answer in a most exciting way, because to be quite frank, there is a very high chance Bill will know the answer. You see in 25 years, Bill has seen and heard people run, walk, sing and talk, converse and release emotion; tell secrets, stop and stretch. Bill has seen who they hang out with, he knows who is connected to who and how, He sees what the people purchase, eat and wear and from this he can tell much about who really is who, who is real, who pretends, who hides behind a facade of a personality they wish they could be, and who runs like the wind or dances in the street. He has seen kindness and cruelty and heard more than 100 languages in his time. Bill is fluent in 7 languages after 25 years for there are 7 languages in his neighbourhood, and Bill can tell you things about at least another 10 languages he has quite often heard. Bill is a silent one, Bill is a clever one, Bill knows much and that makes Bill a very special bird.
SUGARBEE XX 30/05/13
Well it won't be going for a ride today or any day I imagine as it is covered in flowers. I think it would still be possible to ride this bike, maybe a slow stroll through parklands, not on busy city roads. This bike is officially street decoration dressed up as an advert for a local business a couple of doors away from where it is parked. In Melbourne it is not uncommon to see these bikes parked up, cheerful and chirpy, singing their sweet floral songs to those who pass by. It is usually florists, vintage dress shops, or therapist offices, who opt to use the floral bike as a means to advertise, and sometimes there are no flowers, maybe it is an old spruced up "ladies" bicycle with a cane basket on the front. And in a city like Melbourne where so many people choose to ride, it's a natural extension in thought to use these bikes to let people know where your business is. It is one more thing that makes me smile in the city I live in and love.
SUGARBEE XX 29/05/13
We were in class and the guest lecturer brought sweeties to keep us attentive and what a nice gesture that was. The class was about craft, a social activity, so sweeties was more than appropriate and everyone loved it. I ate my share, and some, which that was fine as there were plenty to go around, plus the fact that it was before my no sugar days, a strict routine I am on at the moment. And during a wee break, while everyone chatted excitedly about what they were learning and their lives in general at the point in time, I took a series of photos of the sweetie with coffee cups until I was happy with one (see photo above). When the event was over, all done and dusted and home James we have gone, I messaged the guest lecturer to say thanks very much from all of us, we were delighted and thrilled with your presentation and effort and feel richer for the experience. The guest lecturer was thrilled at my sweet thank-you and I like to call that a win-win situation, the best type of situations. I recommend creating win-win situations as often as you can, it feels excellent and often involves big smiles all round.
SUGARBEE XX 28/05/13
Meet a fish without a name, but a big personality all the same. This fish is at the Melbourne Aquarium and the photo was taken on a simple camera phone. It feels like there is no glass between the fish and I, it feels as if I am in the same environment as the fish, and seeing how you cannot see the water, it is quite possible to imagine the shared environment. What a big mouth the fish has! What type of fish it is, I cannot tell you. I wonder what its vision is like; how long it lives and I wonder how deep it normally swims and how fast it can go. We say fish live in schools. Does that apply to all fish or just most of them? Is this fish edible and if so do they sustainably fish this fish? What would it taste like? I feel like fish for dinner, maybe I will visit my favourite Japanese restaurant and have raw fish, a favourite of mine. This fish has my mind whirling with if's, what's and maybes. And I bet you a golden dollar this fish is oblivious to the entire conversation I am having on my blog, even though he, The Fish is the star.
SUGARBEE XX 27/05/13
This little dog waits and waits and waits like all good little dogs do. This little dog sits and stands and turns around then sits and stands again, and waits and waits and waits for his master to return. This little dog is not tied up, so either this little dog is a very good reliable little dog or his master does not intend on being long. This little dog is fiercely loyal though for it was not in the least interested in pats, not even a look my way. I hope when the master returned, the master was kind and generous with some treats for this little dog, for this little dog deserves it. And that is the story of this little dog!
SUGARBEE XX 26/05/13
This pipeline used to run to a tiny salt plant near Pt Cook, Melbourne. Not far from where all the houses have been or are being built, there is a path that connects this newest neighbourhood with the long path that winds itself through parkland, bushes and beach front all the way to Altona. And somewhere on the path, there is a bridge across the swampy parts, and if you are tricky you can slip under the bridge to a disused pathway that takes you out over the salty swampy lands to the ocean edge. And along this disused path you find the pipeline to nowhere in the photo above. I have no idea of how long ago this little salt plant was retired, it sure is locked up now. It was the size of a teeny tiny house, cute in structure, unliveable in design. The water came in this pipeline, the salt was removed at the salt plant, and the water was released out the other side. The whole set up reminds me of the books I read at primary school about the waterways in Holland, with water wheels and dykes. That was a long time ago, only the visual impressions remain of those books I read. I could have spend time climbing on and around the pipes and the salt plant building, but the whole thing was covered in a layer of salt, thick, crusty, old and it just felt creepy, so I took photos of the area, called out to my friend and we left the area for the next adventurer to discover.
SUGARBEE XX 25/05/13
I love this shot because of the colours, the lighting, the angles and the yellow lines that mess up all I see in front of me, yet strangely hold it together at the same time. I guess having two buildings in the photo adds to the impression you get of skyward, a visual effect causing your eyes to naturally climb. This photo was taken around 4.30pm one afternoon recently from Southern Cross Train Station in Melbourne. What if I had taken a photo of the glass building alone against that dynamic sky? This makes me feel like Batman is hiding out somewhere and if I sit very still; he might just come up and offer me a peanut butter sandwich. Maybe it is the yellow that makes me think of peanut butter, who knows? Did the architect intend for people to visualize interesting things upon seeing the yellow lines? Or was it a case of just making the building stand out? What do the yellow lines make you think of? Are we looking at an office or a residential tower? Would you like this as your address? I wouldn't mind I suppose, having no other details, aside from basic location knowledge. I have no idea of what the building is like inside. Have they put as much thought into the interiors as they did the exterior? Take the yellow away and the building suddenly looks bland and flat. But when all is said and done, I think the balconies on the horizontally stripped building next door look far more inviting so maybe I'll live there instead.
SUGARBEE XX 24/05/13
This is a colourful wall of painted bricks, a dream wall, a pick a colour for the day and smile when you see that colour throughout the day wall, a wall that might tell a thousand tales if it could, a wall of wonder and from memory it was a decent sized painted part of the wall, I think the whole side of a shop, or an office, or a design studio. I spotted it on the way to dinner with friends, I lagged behind to take a photo and had to run to catch up, but I am glad I did for I very much like this photo. I suppose you could take a trip to the nearest oversized hardware shop, grab one of each colour paint chart (don't get too involved in the many shades of any one colour) bring them home, cut them to a uniform and small size, shuffle them up and put them in a little box. You will then have your own colour box, where you can reach in and grab a colour and when you see that colour that day, you smile. The way I see this, you suddenly have lots of reasons to smile all day, it will give you more positive associations with the colour than you previously had and it increases awareness of your environment. It is important to be aware and interact with your environment. That is one of the reasons I take photos, I love the details in life. And on that note, the reason I choose not to wear headphones when I am out and about, firstly because I care about my hearing, and secondly I want to hear the sounds around me. I want to see and hear all I can, I want to be part of things, not locked in my own little world, I want to talk to strangers, and hear the birds sing. Ted.com has an excellent talk on how to improve your listening skills http://www.ted.com/talks/julian_treasure_5_ways_to_listen_better.html I hope there is something wonderful in there for you. I'm choosing golden yellow tonight; it is late so I shall smile when I see golden yellow in my dreams.
SUGARBEE XX 23/05/13
Street names can be somewhat fantastic. Imagine having Wisewould as your
surname? If you were smart, you would make a name like Wisewould work
for you in a multitude of ways. When someone asked you if you would do something in particular, you could simply reply "Mr wisewould" and be done with the whole conversation. Where on earth did Wisewould come from? For Melburnians, I have included this link to where Melbourne street names originated: http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbourne_details.php?id=7228 . And for something else of interest, I found all about street names http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Street_or_road_name including that a street name is also called an odonym. What other street names out there are of note? Have you ever lived on a street with a difficult to say or spell street name? Have you ever lived on a street where you loved the street name? I once lived near the intersection of Eastwood and Bond streets, and I would regularly have tough guy and secret agent daydreams as I rode past the intersection. And not far away there was the intersection of Wild and High Streets. And then in Melbourne city are the 4 parallel streets in order of King, William, Queen, Elizabeth which is all too fabulous really. I have lived in many houses in my life and if I tried, I could maybe compile a list of all the street names. Actually I wish I had a photo of each of my bedrooms, or one part of the house, like the front door or letterbox.
SUGARBEE XX 22/05/13
A view that makes me want to take a long trip out of town to the other side, for two reasons. One to go for a long drive and secondly to see what is on the other side of the journey. Not strictly being able to remember where this is photo was taken means I have no idea where I might end up. I know this photo is taken in Melbourne, but I cannot tell the suburb, the direction or the day it was taken. All I know is that it looks like it is about to rain. That may or may not have been a problem, I am choosing to remember it was not a problem, and everything turned out fine and along the way I found 567 things that made me smile. Step into the photo and take your own journey, to you don't know where for two reasons. One to go for a long drive and secondly to see what is on the other side of the journey.
SUGARBEE XX 21/05/13
If only I was the size of a small elf, I would climb up those big fluffy ears and grab myself a fine ride on Puppy. You are witness to a dog in the library and this is yet another awesome thing I love about the city I live in. I don't know the reason why the dog was in the library or if any of the staff noticed him, but that he/she was there, everyone cool with it was the most awesome thing. No one battered an eyebrow. In Melbourne you can take your pets on the train. I often see dogs going for a ride on the trains, it makes me smile. It is partly because I love dogs so much, I can connect with any dog and they love me. I often connect with a dog no one other than the owner does. I want a dog, I want a medium to large dog, a smart dog, a dog I can take for long walks in the bush, on the beach, through the city streets, but most of all a dog I can take on trains. I would go on train rides for more than an hour and I would build a little platform for the dog so he could see out the window. My dog would be an intelligent, inquisitive, trained, and a big healthy ball of awesome. He and me out and about exploring. One day, one day, and in the mean time, life will keep showing me excellent dog to smile at the world over.
SUGARBEE XX 20/05/13
Another example of packaging I like. It was rice, basmati rice to be precise that came inside this bag. Side point, that last sentence rhymes which is kinda cool. Random rhyme is a wonderful thing. And what a wonderful tiger they have chosen for their brand of rice. Don't you love the way his front left paw is lifted up the tiniest bit, a gentle pose, almost as if he is testing the ground before committing to a step, not 100% sure of what lies ahead. He is white with red stripes, on the hunt for something in the left corner. Maybe he is hungry, maybe he is in love, or maybe he is just bored and is looking out for a little excitement. Who knows but the tiger himself? It strongly reminds me of the following link, for the short film Graffitiger. I strongly recommend you take the time to watch this little movie, it is pure love in action. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgCP_8wDw68 Hope you like it, it's time to sleep now, I think I am going to dream about tigers!
SUGARBEE XX 19/05/13
I love this, then someone disapproving pulled it off the wall then someone awesome stuck it right back up there again. This little wall has a on going issue with off again, on again, which saddens me as an artist/art lover but which is also all good because that translates into an ever changing display of art upon the wall. There was once a piece with a kneeling girl whose long hair became the engaging and spreading branches of a tree, rather superb in a lot of ways. Above the earth is sad, it suffers humanity which is somewhat understandable when you consider all factors regarding humanity upon the earth. At first glance I read the sun as a comforter, and then viewed again I saw a sense of humour, a statement quite obvious. The sun will warm up the earth because the sun is one big sphere of heat. The humour they make of science nowadays on the Internet is fun and its fun because it's funny, but it also teaches us a lot. Here I am referring to Science Cat Meme, and chemical formula's played out. Let me find a link for you: http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/chemistry-cat. Now if you ask me Chemistry Cat is great, and even better now I just found out his proper name. Art, expression, playing with words, theatre, dance, and parades etc etc etc, let it roll, let it live the world over. Humanity has so much to offer, so much beauty in expression, I want to be exposed to this as much as I can in life, for I want the earth in the photo above to celebrate its humanity, and no longer be sad.
SUGARBEE XX 18/05/13
It is true; Fried Dace is a darn tasty meal. I came across it checking out the shelves of an Asian supermarket and never looked back. I can safely say there is always at least one can waiting consumption in my kitchen cupboard. How do I explain the taste? That is something like this: a combination of salty, fishy, fried, tasty, textured, delicious and intriguing. Almost like salty candy. The interesting thing for me is Fried Dace comes in a number of different flavours, here beancurd stick being the flavour of choice for dinner that night. Delicious, inexpensive and convenience, it was perfect at the time and is perfect anytime I open a can of it. Fried Dace even has its own Facebook page, fascination what people use social media for isn't it. Have I sold you on the experience yet? Maybe these people can: http://tastyislandhawaii.com/2009/09/25/fried-dace-with-salted-black-beans/.That's not my intention, rather to say that I love trying new foods whenever I can. I wouldn't call myself a foodie, but I do rather love to eat, I suppose as most of us do. I'm ever grateful that I have a meal each day too. And on that note, with a little thank-you on the tip of my tongue, I shall say good-bye now, it is time for dinner, any guesses what is on my plate tonight?
SUGARBEE XX 17/05/13
Gemma Correll designed and made this tote bag and you can find her excellent and super cute works here: http://www.gemmacorrell.com/ It is worth a look just to see how easy to use she has made the front page of her website, with colour and clarity the page you want to go to lights up as you hover you mouse over it, and that is a far cry from many websites. I particularly like the Pattern page, found in the Portfolio page. I think it would suit me to wake up to a whole wall of patterned Gemma Correll work, my mind would explode in excitement before I even got to the breakfast table, imagination kicking in full bore, like WOW, THIS IS YOUR DAY, GET UP AND GO GET IT! But she is inspiration for me also, a little bit of a get better organised dear and start drawing a whole lot more, for my art doesn't get to see the daylight quite as much as I should let it, I should really put aside a chunk of time each day and draw a whole lot more. I was drawing a lot for a while, things got in the way :( Never mind, it was time well spent, but like the handstand I stated I would master within a year, I shall achieve this new goal too. I have started handstand practise and it is quite scary, one needs strong arms most definitely. Well must dash, a handstand to practise now and you must visit Gemma website, ahhh the life we lead.
SUGARBEE XX 16/05/13
Meet the Bendigo Bunny, a rather large rabbit at over 6ft tall from memory. I remember thinking he would be fun to climb, but wearing heels that day meant I didn't climb the bunny and perhaps that was a better decision anyhow. The Bendigo Bunny sits behind the Bendigo Art Gallery, a very impressive art gallery and worth the 2 hour trip on a train from Melbourne. Behind and to the left of where I took this photo is a tall climbing tower, many steps up, a look out over the town of many churches. For a small country town, Bendigo has a high number of churches, old and large. One intersection has a church on each corner, including the Catholic Cathedral. There is a lot of history in this town, and that is one of the things that make the Bendigo Art Gallery so special, it is a very modern place to be, almost surreal and simply wonderful at the same time. If you get the chance, I recommend a visit, then tea and scones in an old coffee lounge close by, just to mix it up a little. But whatever you choose to do, remember the Bendigo Bunny would love you to say hi.
SUGARBEE XX 15/03/15
Couples that play together, stay together is how the saying goes. Well not all is truth in sayings for we soon enough fell apart. Looking back it is probably best; we had very different paths to tread. But in those happy days we did fun stuff like spending time building Nano Block toys. These are miniature building blocks, of Japanese design and make. Here is the link to the Australian website http://nanoblock.com.au/. These blocks come in a tiny resealable bag in a configuration of one particular thing, as you can see above. We built a guitar and a panda bear. Very conveniently, they give you extra bits, an excellent design move, especially when you consider the smallest of the blocks is 4mm x 4mm, a single block. This is a patience development toy, required good finger dexterity and careful attention to the instructions. It is the kind of toy that once you have completed it, you are not likely to break it down and rebuild, you have already won the challenge and the finished object becomes a trophy to display. I'm very pleased to see Nano Blocks are now selling deluxe sets where you build a castle. Schloss Neuschwanstein Deluxe is the link to the castle, it is sold out, worth a look at, and likely to be the forerunner of many deluxe sets. This makes me very excited, but at $299 a castle, I probably won't be building it this summer anyhow. Well one never knows.
SUGARBEE XX 14/05/13
Who puts their hands up for a dip in the red balloon bath? Doesn't it look rather inviting, or like me to you see 100 ginormous Jaffa's. Do you know what a Jaffa is? Apparently not all the world had the same sweet childhood I did, I had to roll down to the 22nd line of Google image search to find something barely resembling the Jaffa I talk of, and even then it was a nut encased in a very thin Jaffa shell. Here is a link in case you don't know what a Jaffa is, farm7.staticflickr.com/6202/6107894800_0cd62ef0c9_z.jpg enjoy :) This display of balloons was found in a gallery of window art found in the underground shopping arcade that lies under Flinders Street in Melbourne. The art changes reasonably regularly and is quite fascinating, some pieces unusual but all making you stop and question something in life. Fascinating is one word to describe what is on show. I remember when I first saw the red balloons, I thought it was like the red balloon in The Red Balloon had finally found all his friends and it was the happiest moment in a long time. http://vimeo.com/56413807 This is one beautiful film and I'm very happy to link it in for you. May all your days be as bright as the one pictured above.
SUGARBEE XX 13/05/13
Isn't weather wonderful, I love the wildness of weather when it gets wild and the many expressions that weather has. The wind blows wild, the rain comes down hard and you shiver at the force. The sun shines bright and the air is still, all in one day, changes, changes, changes, keeping you on your toes, engaging your senses and affecting your mood. It's great if you can love all weather, even the brrr brrr chilly chilly cold days, for then there is always something to smile at. The photo above was taken at the far end of Altona beach, where if you wander off track you come across wide dark sands that provide a playground for dirt bikes (the motor kind) and mountain bikes, and the swirling patterns of their tyre tracks laid into the sand, a memory of fun washed fresh each day by wind and I assume a light tide that washes over the wetlands surrounding the area. If you look at the photo to the left you will see a wide circling mark, but what I love most about this area is the sense of separation you get so far from the city, an isolation, an aloneness, a distance that seems for a moment in time impossible to cover. So many feelings and impressions in a day, that is the stuff to keep the doctor away.
SUGARBEE XX 12/05/13
And if I could remember the name of the movie . . . but I remember the movie well enough and this photo was taken with the pause button in action, (a practised skill to get just the right moment of a movie) and my phone camera shooting away. The result is a captured memory, a beautiful moment in time, a little piece of fascination expressing the joy in the simplest things. How much wonder do bubbles bring to children? How much wonder do bubbles bring to me? I have at home a few little bubble blowing wands, and one of my favourite ones is a giant bubble wand, that makes bubbles more than a foot in length. I have to say "one of my favourites" because like so much in life, I can't settle for one of anything, I see the beauty in too much around me. And so one of my other favourites is a bubble wand, tiny enough to fit in a small pocket, that blows long lasting bubbles and if you let them float for a second, they set and are possible to catch them in your hands.. Things that float and fly and roll, these are some of the many things that make me smile :) I will blow a long lasting bubble and catch it for you soon, with my camera and feature it on Sugar Bee's Sweet Take On Things in the near future.
SUGARBEE XX 11/05/13
Late today with my post and my biggest apologies for that, yesterday got away from me and sometimes it's impossible to avoid. But back to the post, and might I introduce you to a cute character whose name I do not know and who might not have a name even. So I will call him Chris for Mr. Christmas Tree. He is the guard to the tiniest home I know, for he sits at the doorway of what is nothing more than a hole in the wall, and in this hole in the wall lives a well known and long term resident of Melbourne's homeless community. Pete. I found him in passing one day as I rode down an laneway as I regularly do, getting to know Melbourne with it's incredible structure of laneway living with shops, cafes, business, but many containing no more than building back entrances. And this is one of the laneways Pete lives in. Points to him for creativity, he has enough space to sit up, but not stand up, and for two people to comfortably lie down side by side. Pete has set up his home with some crates for shelving and otherwise is surrounded only by the bare essentials of life. It makes me think all we take for granted and what homeless people live without. Forget the fridge, washing machine, bed, clean clothes every day, a cupboard full of food, a TV or any electricity, so knock out warmth and night light while you are at it. It's a hard life, but it is a life many end up walking like Pete and just like Pete many always have a smile for you, who always have a hello for you, and who just like Pete are as valuable as you or me.
SUGARBEE XX 10/5/13
How cute is that? These two tied up together and waiting patiently for their master. They were good dogs too, not an ounce of trouble, quietly sitting and waiting for as long as it took. I didn't get their names, I didn't get to pat them, for I had past them before it clicked that they were two dogs and not just one as I strolled on by. I must have been in a hurry for I took a photo and then carried on my way. Where was I going? I have no idea. What was I up to? I have no idea. When did all this occur? About 5 months ago if memory serves me right. And I think that is all there is to say about this one.
SUGARBEE XX 09/05/13
I wonder which King and Queen lived here. Perhaps it was just a property extension all the way from England so the King and Queen might come out to Australia and still have somewhere to feel regal and fancy? Whatever it's origins, this is a mighty fine shelter, perhaps a bus stop from days gone by, a guard house at the entrance to the Zoo, or well I'm not so sure what else it might be. It is situated in Royal Park, a stone's throw from the Zoo entrance, so maybe that is the best guess. It is however somewhat unusual but on the right property, it would look incredible at the entrance. I would like to see it with a red velvet curtain, the perfect stage for a Punch & Judy show. Alas this is not to be, this week anyhow, and I suspect now all it does is sit and wait for nothing, likely no one shelters inside, no wedding photos are taken around it, no grand parties held within it. Oh well, never mind, I may have to make fancy jam sandwiches and a pot of tea there one day, dress up and have a right royal regal lunch just for fun.
SUGARBEE XX 08/05/13
In a neighbourhood called Newport there is an underpass that carries you from the railway station under a busy road and safely to the other side. Along the way you come across a wall of delight, a wall where they constructed some mighty big tools into the walls of the underpass. These tools are roughly 6 foot tall and in my mind, they are wonderful. I can imagine how a child would thrill at the sight each time they ran past the giant tools, the thoughts that would decorate the fantasy channels all children have, the dreams of what they could build, without any thought that the tools are stuck to the wall dampening their dreams. Children are wonderful like that, we all were once too, and some of us are ever so lucky to have retained that childhood imagination as we aged, only exploring it further instead of replacing it with fear and the boundaries the way so many sadly do. I say be free to let your imagination run wild, have incredible conversations with yourself, see the rabbits jump 60 feet high instead of stuck in a cage, have races at the supermarket with other trolley pushes, swim out to that island when you are splashing in the white wash and laugh laugh laugh all day long. And if you ever find yourself doubting your imagination, close your eyes for a short moment in time and remember in a very cute part of the world there are giant tools waiting to build things.
SUGARBEE XX 07/05/13
Melbourne is a city of street art, it is everywhere and it is celebrated. It is graffiti, it is murals, it is stencil art, and most of all it is creative beauty. It also takes the form of the above image titled Dream Machine. It is advertising a blog I can no longer read the address for, but that does not matter so much for I saw so much beauty in this one image that I have celebrated it for a few years now. The image appears to be child and grandchild riding a train to who knows where and who knows when except themselves and possibly the photographer. Perhaps I love the image for I feel like the little girl whenever I ride trains, there is simply too much to captivate my mind and delight my eyes, a world dancing by, busy, preoccupied and therefore free to view. It is up to me how I interpret what I see, to dress the images in front of me in joy and create adventures for the characters in my play. It reminds me of the day I past a builder loading equipment into this truck, I commented with words I no longer remember, his reply was "No, they might sue me!" and I saw were 1000 Japanese girls named Sumi ran right across the road right in front of me. Imagination is a beautiful thing and given a little encouragement will blossom for you like a tulip field in spring.
SUGARBEE XX 06/05/13
In a shop across the ocean lies a window full of mystic, full of joyous laughter and delight selling apple pies on the side. Well the apple pie thing is my take on the matter, but even so in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, a few wee eons ago I took this photos and have forever since delighted in the story it is telling. Firstly let's clear up any confusion and admit this is two photos stitched together and the two parts represent either side of the doorway into a fantastic full of surprises dressing wonderful shop. I have always called my photo "The children from the city and their cousins from the country." It was made possible by the simply fabulous mind who dressed the shop window, and that someone was someone with style, an understanding of colour arrangement and the fierceness to stand tall in their work and tell the world this is how they feel today and that is all there is to the matter. Now for the sad part of the story, I have no idea which shop it was, I do not hold a memory of seeing the shop since, the display will most certainly have changed and saddest of all, I never ventured inside the store at anytime ever. Imagine all the incredible things I never saw, held between my fingers, or ran into the dressing room to play dress up. Never mind, I have seen plenty of cool since and I am sure there is more to come.
SUGARBEE XX 05/05/13
Here is a winter look I love. I love the colours, the warmth upon my feet, the practical played out so if I have to run, I can. And where would I run to? I would run to the NASA landing pad. I would wait for just the right moment and when the coast was clear, I would sneak a ride onto that big beautiful spaceship, find a place to hide and sit very still, very very still, breathe a bit and wait again for the eventual lift off. I think I will be fine for I have been studying to be an astronaut all my life, studying on the internet, in quiet moments alone at home. By now I know a lot and I've even made a super space pack with built in helmet to take along. For now I'll sit and wait and wait some more, until the moment comes, and then I'll simply stand up and run all the way to NASA, excited knowing a dream is about to be fulfilled. Most excellent.
SUGARBEE XX 04/05/13
And what do we have here? We have a trolley full of butternuts, a root vegetable related to the pumpkin, sweet and delicious and full of nutritious goodness. I could assume these butternuts were on their way to the soup pot, seeing as they are sitting in a laneway full of food outlets in Centre Place, Melbourne City. And I wonder how many butternuts there are in the trolley, where they came from and indeed where they were grown. Today's world means they may be local or silly enough all the way from China. Why does the world ship food around the world when local economy makes so much more sense? Stop me now before I go on a rampage about deforestation, and how we can fix it, proven, yet not adopted practice for what reasons? So back to the butternut, humble in the trolley, saying nothing but saying plenty to me, about colour, balance, weight and distribution, and the trolley diligently doing its job, saying nothing, but teaching me about physics, rotation, push and pull relationships and strength bearing. All this I see, but more than that I see poetry in motion, the trolley standing still in time, alone, amused, and on the way to paradise.
SUGARBEE XX 03/05/13
This is my bridge to nowhere. Of course it leads somewhere, but when things get on top of me a little too much, I like to come here, sit quietly and stare out into nowhere and suddenly all my problems seem small and insignificant. It is very soothing, it is relaxing, and puts things into perspective. Then when I am feeling better and if I still have time, this becomes my bridge to everywhere, and I think about all the places that exist at the other end of the bridge, all the places I can visit if I walk the short minute it takes to reach the other side. There lay city's made of candy canes, or places of peace or shopping arcades where everything is free or places where I know everyone. Each time it is a different adventure, stretching my imagination further, and each time I like to come away having learnt something new about myself. Do you have a bridge to nowhere?
SUGARBEE XX 02/05/13
Mum, can we have noodles for dinner please please please? Because I know of a shop that sells nothing but noodles. Lots of noodles, many flavours, many brands, and not much else. Cheap cheap at $2 a pop. Hmmm interesting, and I wonder what percentage of the world eats noodles every meal. I love flat rice noodles if I eat at Thai restaurants, but opt for rice in a Japanese restaurant. Do I have a favourite food from around the world, well no I don't and I don't because I try to find value in most things. I mean everywhere is good in its own way and maybe that is a delicious and naive view of the world, but it's a view I intent to stay faithful to forever. I caught a bus across the Australian outback once, half the passengers were bored, but the rest of us were fascinated by the seemingly endless shades of red in front of us. And I guess it is the same fascination in life that captivates my attention when I see one shop selling only seemingly endless varieties of noodle. I find this intriguing, interesting, fascinating, amusing, entertaining, exciting, captivating, and ever so slightly delusional. Because in the end if you are lucky enough to have all the basics covered the rest of life is just attitude, otherwise termed point of view, and if seasoned with positivity and toasted with gratitude, then everything tends to be A-OK.
SUGARBEE XX 01/05/13
