Australia. A country. A continent. A land of pristine beaches and merciless deserts, adorable koala bears and murderous great white sharks. The sixth largest country in the world, with but 21 million inhabitants. Closer to Asia than any other continent, so close that many “pop over” to Bali for the weekend, yet bearing virtually no resemblance to Asia whatever. And as comedian Victor Borge put it, “When it’s midnight in Australia, nobody knows what time it is anywhere else.” To most people, Australia is a land of mystery, danger and majestic beauty. All who have been there come back astonished at the number of things they didn’t know existed before going there, and those that decide to stay there rarely look back. That’s why it goes without saying that this unique continent more than deserves its own day. Right mate?
Australia Day is celebrated annually on January 26th, as that marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at New South Wales as well as the raising of the flag of Great Britain at that location. In present-day Australia, however, celebrations focus much less on the arrival of the aforementioned ships, and instead concentrate more on the diverse society and landscape of the nation. Many community and family events are organised, as well as various celebrations welcoming new immigrants. Australia is a relatively young country, as federation occurred just over 100 years ago in 1901, so it was not until 1935 that Australia Day was actually celebrated. Due to the rapid decline of the indigenous population after the arrival of British ships on Australia’s shores, some prefer to call this holiday “Invasion Day” as a way of remembering the many that died from various diseases in the 18th and 19th centuries.
One of the easiest ways to go about celebrating this day would be to read about this county’s fascinating history. Originally meant to be a penal colony, this country has developed at lightening speed over the years to become one of the wealthiest countries in the world, also ranking extremely high for quality of health and education. In fact, Australia is considered to be one of the top 3 countries to live. All of that in just over 100 years? They have to be doing something right! Read and find out what their secret to happiness is. If you prefer cooking and eating to reading about history and politics, you’re in luck, as authentic Australian foods are among the most interesting foods in the world. The indigenous bushfoods consumed by the native Australians, combined with the both European and Asian influences make Australia’s cuisine unique. Australia is also the 4th largest wine exporter in the world, so if fine wine is your passion, you’re sure to find an Australian wine to suit your tastes. Due to the surrounding oceans, seafood is also plentiful.
All in all, few holidays could be as fun, delicious and educational all at the same time than Australia Day. So get celebrating!
thanks for more unusual clouds and storm pics, barbara
Word of the Day
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| Definition: | (noun) A person regarded as mentally dull. | ||
| Synonyms: | dolt, pillock, poor fish, pudding head | ||
| Usage: | David was always a quiet, orderly boy and for a long time was thought by the people of Winesburg to be something of a dullard. | ||
Idiom of the Day
hot desking— The act or practice of sharing desks or workstations between employees in an office so as to cut down on the amount of office space required. |
History
Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss Premieres (1911)
Still regularly performed, Der Rosenkavalier is one of the most acclaimed comic operas of Richard Strauss, the leading composer of romantic opera in the early 20th century. It is loosely based on the works of Molière and Louvet de Couvrai and tells the story of the shifting romantic attachments of four principal characters.
Paul Leonard Newman (1925)
| Newman was an American actor who captured the darker, less heroic aspects of his best-remembered roles, such as those in The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and The Sting. After eight nominations, he finally won an Academy Award for The Color of Money in 1986. In 1982, he launched his "Newman's Own" line of food products, donating the profits to various charitable causes. |
Douglas MacArthur Day
Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964), five-star general and supreme commander of the Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific during World War II, was born on this day in Little Rock, Arkansas. After the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, it was MacArthur who supervised the surrender ceremony in Tokyo. He directed the demobilization of Japanese military forces and the drafting of a new constitution. His birthday is observed in his home state of Arkansas, where he is widely remembered as one of the state's most famous sons.
Wolf-Sized Otters Prowled Prehistoric China
| World, meet Siamogale melilutra. S. melilutra was an otter. A really, really big otter. It weighed about 110 pounds and grew to be the size of a wolf. |
READ MORE: Wolf-sized otters prowled prehistoric China |
1784 - In a letter to his daughter, Benjamin Franklin expressed unhappiness over the eagle as the symbol of America. He wanted the symbol to be the turkey.
1837 - Michigan became the 26th state to join the United States.
1875 - George F. Green patented the electric dental drill for sawing, filing, dressing and polishing teeth.
1905 - The Cullinan diamond, at 3,106.75 carats, was found by Captain Wells at the Premier Mine, near Pretoria, South Africa.
1911 - Inventor Glenn H. Curtiss flew the first successful seaplane.
1934 - The Apollo Theatre opened in New York City.
1940 - In Rockford, IL, Frank Sinatra made his first public appearance with the Tommy Dorsey band at the Coronado Theater.
1961 - U.S. President John F. Kennedy appointed Dr. Janet G. Travell as the first woman to be the "personal physician to the President".
1970 - Australia's first rock festival ended. The Ourimbah Rock Festival had begun the previous day.
1979 - The ‘Gizmo’ guitar synthesizer was first demonstrated.
1988 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "Phantom of the Opera" opened at Broadway's Majestic Theater.
2010 - It was announced that James Cameron's movie "Avatar" had become the highest-grossing film worldwide.
DAILY SQU-EEK
If You Were Born Today, January 2
As strong as you are at business and practical matters, you have a philosophical bent and love learning and sharing what you know with others. You are very personable and extroverted for the most part, enjoying good company and good conversation. Financial success is likely with both your people skills and your executive ability. You are active and a true individualist. Others readily follow your cause. You age gracefully, truly growing more and more comfortable in your skin. Famous people born today: Ellen DeGeneres, Eddie Van Halen, Eartha Kitt, Paul Newman, Gene Siskel, Wayne Gretzky.
READERS INFO
thanks for these neat pieces of information, jane (part 1)The moon moves about two inches away from the Earth each year.
Glass takes one million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite amount of times!
Your tongue is the only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end.
If you stop getting thirsty , you need to drink more water. When a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off.
Zero is the only number that cannot be represented by Roman numerals.
Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers.
The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot heal itself.
In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage. Catching it meant she accepted.
Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
The Swine Flu vaccine in 1976 caused more death and illness than the disease it was intended to prevent.
Pictures of the day
Elizabeth Smith-Stanley, Countess of Derby (1753–1797) was the eldest daughter of the 6th Duke of Hamilton; she married the 12th Earl of Derby in 1774. Popular among society, she became involved in a scandal when she engaged in a very public affair with the 3rd Duke of Dorset. She eventually separated from her husband, becoming effectively exiled from society, especially after it was learned that she would not be marrying the Duke. Lady Derby moved abroad, only returning once her husband attracted embarrassing press attention for his relationship with the actress Elizabeth Farren, whom he married soon after Lady Derby's death.
THIS IS WHAT THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOUSE
IN THE U.S.A. LOOKS LIKE
The $250 million Bel Air estate comes with a $30M car
collection, 7 full-time staff (prepaid), helicopter and more
knit
thanks, Rae
knit, 3 - 24 mths
thanks, Lisa
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Jacquard Baby Sweater pattern by Yarnplaza.com
Jacquard Baby Sweater - This charming sweater of Phildar keeps your little one comfortable and warm in winter. By using Phil Randonnées and the colour c...
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Preview by Yahoo
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thanks, Adele
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I-Cord Panache Scarflette
Double-knit drawstrings give this free pattern a pretty, ruffled look. Its shape is reminiscent of Elizabethan-era fashion with a modern twist. This pretty scarf...
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thanks, Emily
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Manny the Monkey pattern by Melissa Duckworth
Manny is always ready for adventure, whether it’s swinging from a tree or reading his favorite book. He’s perfect for your little one to tug around with her, a...
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Preview by Yahoo
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crochet
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Joyful Afghan Square pattern by Tamara Kelly
This pattern was designed with the 2016 Moogly Afghan Crochet Along in mind - but you don’t have to participate in the CAL to make this pattern! It would be beautif...
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Preview by Yahoo
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thanks, Doris
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Sac Reims pattern by Thali Créations
Mon sac en granny cathédrale est terminé, je lui ai donné le nom de la Cathédrale qui me l’a inspiré Reims.
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Hut's Paradise pattern by Hut's Crochet
My desire is to create a lovely new project, which is described with the folowing thought: THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE.
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crochet
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Preview by Yahoo
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thanks, Nicki
Textured Heart Kitchen Set
RECIPE
thanks, shelley
CROCKPOT RECIPE
SWEETS
thanks, Sandy
Grant’s Two-Ingredient Coconut Macaroons -
2 ingredients
rachaelrayshow
Ingredients
1 14-ounce can dulce de leche *see note
1 14-ounce bag sweetened shredded coconut
1 14-ounce bag sweetened shredded coconut
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix together dulce de leche and sweetened shredded coconut. Using a spoon, scoop mounds of coconut evenly into a 6-cup muffin tin. Place the tin into the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. *Note: If you can’t find dulce de leche, place an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour in enough water to cover the can with at least 1/2 inch of water. Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Once cooked, remove the can from the water and cool completely before opening it.
ADULT COLORING
CRAFTS
DIY Lace Doily Bowl
free people
What you need: doilies, fabric stiffener (I found this at A.C. Moore), and a bowl. Choose a bowl that will allow you to drape the doily over the bottom of to create a bowl shape.
If you have a bowl and doilies already and don’t want to purchase fabric stiffener, you can make your own! Just mix equal parts white glue and water.
This DIY is as easy as 1,2,3: Turn your bowl upside down, soak the doily in fabric stiffener, and drape the doily on the bottom of the bowl.
Use your fingers to smooth the doily over the bowl, removing any wrinkles and pushing out excess fabric stiffener. Leave it on the bowl overnight to allow it to dry and harden.
Experiment with different shapes and sizes! In the morning, your lace bowls will be ready for use.
thanks, Jacky
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Paper heart baskets - Kidspot
These baskets can a little tricky to make but are certainly worth the patience and effort. And when you’ve finished making your pretty basket, you can fill it with ...
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Preview by Yahoo
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Pinscher Dogs Jigsaw Puzzle
Believe it or not, there are 7 horses hidden in this painting. Can you spot them all?
don't look yet - answer below
answer:
Begin on the left side of the painting. Two horses are hidden in the greenery that borders the picture. Of course, the most evident and captivating white stallion is found in the center of the painting in clear view. Check out the clouds on the left side and you will see yet another horse.
Moving to the right of the canvas, notice a horse’s head. If you are having difficulty, locate the sunbeam that makes up the right eye of the horse. In the same area of greenery, you can just make out the shape of an upside down horse head. Finally, the waves beating up against the rocks on the beach appear like a horse running through the ocean.
Picasso’s Self-Portraits from 15 Years Old to 90 Year Old
twistedsifter
Pablo Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential artists of the 20th century. He is known for co-founding the Cubist movement, the invention of assemblage, the co-invention of collage, and for the wide variety of styles that he helped develop and explore. [source]
Picasso was exceptionally prolific throughout his long lifetime. The total number of artworks he produced has been estimated at 50,000; comprising 1,885 paintings, 1,228 sculptures, 2,880 ceramics, roughly 12,000 drawings, many thousands of prints, and numerous tapestries and rugs.
Of those thousands of paintings were a number of self-portraits through the years that often reflected the various periods of his artistic career. Below you can find 14 self-portraits from ages 15 – 90.
15 Years Old (1896)
18 Years Old (1900)
20 Years Old (1901)

24 Years Old (1906)
25 Years Old (1907)
35 Years Old (1917)
56 Years Old (1938)
83 Years Old (1965)
85 Years Old (1966)
89 Years Old (1971)
90 Years Old (June 28, 1972)
90 Years Old (June 30, 1972)
90 Years Old (July 2, 1972)
90 Years Old (July 3, 1972)
Pablo Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973)
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