Petrichor, Rain, and My Washing

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anneharrison.com.au

I was walking my dog when the rain came. Early evening on a hot day, and suddenly the road is steaming. Although this must happen elsewhere, for me it is as much a part of an Australian summer as is the song of cicadas: the sheer delight of standing in the rain and getting wet as an earthy, musty smell rises from the road.

The word petrichor was termed back in 1964 by two Australian scientists studying the smells of wet weather. As one does. It is a combination of two Greek words: petra – stone – and ichor – the fluid flowing through the veins of the Greek Gods.

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Posted in: Witch Doctor Diaries \ Tagged: , ,

Stocking My Minimalist Weekender Pantry

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anneharrison.com.au

One of the best things about a weekender is arriving late on a Friday, sitting on the veranda with a glass of bubbles in hand, and watching the late afternoon light play across the hills. Surrounded by 100 acres of Australian bush, with neither phone nor television to disturb, and the electricity occasionally taken out by a passing kangaroo, it’s the perfect place to escape and recharge the soul.

Part of that serenity comes from not stressing about cooking. Simplicity is always best. With the place being only an hour from home, bringing fresh food is not a problem, plus local fruit and veggie stalls line the way. We’re lucky enough to have the Great Northern Trading Post five minutes away (complete with the oldest continual liquor licence in the colony outside of Sydney), which serves the like of grilled spatchcock or steak with pommes frites, yet it takes little effort to have the makings of meals for every time of day.

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Posted in: The Existential Witch Doctor \ Tagged: , ,

Ponderings On A Morning Drive

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DSC_0044-1024x680The bay stretches forever. Usually the water is still, disturbed only by the pelicans landing to pass their day gliding along the surface. The dark wooden poles of the oyster leases stretch through the tranquility.

Whenever I pass here on my way to work, I wonder yet again: what am I doing? Why am I not out in the sun, enjoying the play of sunlight on the water?

Even on a gloomy day, as the dark clouds roll in, or the rain sweeps across the water, the bay still beckons. Should I have time I pull over and stare over the water for a while. Aside from the peak hour cars zooming past me, there is usually no one else around. Perhaps a jogger, sometimes an elderly couple having a stroll. Continue Reading →

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