Lemon-pumpkin scones

I wish I had taken a photo of my own effort (the one above is from the $120 food challenge blog), but I can confirm that it was delicious! I left out the peel, as we're not fond of it. Love to hear if you liked it with the peel left in.

Find the recipe here:
http://120dollarsfoodchallenge.com/2011/06/23/sweet-treats-lemon-pumpkin-scones-2/

Easter

Religion without mysticism becomes an 'ideology' and we have too many ideologies.
- Raimon Panikkar speaking on Compass (ABC TV), 5 July 2009.

This quote from Raimon Panikkar resonates with me. My personal understanding of mysticism is of an engagement with the spiritual, with the divine or the Deity (as you know Him or Her), an experience of the 'supernatural' of faith. This does not gel entirely with its definition, but it works for me in terms of understanding why 'religion' must be a personal experience. I think this is why proselytizing does not work... without the personal experience of the divine, religion is (as Panikkar says) simply an ideology and asks us to believe without 'evidence'. Of course, for Christians 'faith is the evidence' (Hebrews 11:1, paraphrased), but for others... rejection of religion is logical and sensible for there is no 'evidence' of the things it claims. For me, that mystical experience of faith, the universe, of spirituality, of God... is what makes my beliefs meaningful to me.

Easter is the ultimate experience of the supernatural in the Christian faith. The Resurrection asks us to believe the unbelievable (see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection). Although some may argue for a symbolic resurrection (i.e. the soul, not the body of Christ came back to 'life'), the physical resurrection is they key to the Christian faith. Christ's triumph over death gives hope to all who believe.

Of course, the rituals of Easter embrace more than the Christian faith. Coming as it does from the Northern Hemisphere, the ancient rituals incorporated into the modern Easter celebration stem from celebrations of the Spring Equinox and all that Spring represents including fertility and new life. (See: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-big-question-why-do-we-celebrate-easter-and-where-did-the-bunny-come-from-443550.html) It's a little weird for us south of the Equator where winter is taking hold!

Whatever you believe, may your Easter celebrations be enjoyable!


Related links:
Easter: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter
Easter in Australia: http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/easter-in-australia
Easter traditions: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6074283.ece

Brilliant effort

This is a brilliant result and I'm pleased to have been part of it. How did I hear about it? Clearly, I'm not a crafter myself! Probably via Little Mysteries, or maybe via facebook? I've started following a number of designers and others there. Either way, the raffles and auctions encouraged me to give a bit extra than I would have otherwise. I did win a couple of auctions and I won a raffle! A gorgeous softie bunny is heading my way. How awesome!

Special thanks to Toni and Carli who were the masterminds of this (I believe). Thanks again to all who contributed, especially those who created and offered their work, but also to those who bid, who donated. At the end of the day, the total speaks volumes about how community online can work.

Raffles for flood relief...

Raffles for flood relief... check out the gorgeous crafty items up for grabs all for a $5 donation to the flood appeal. Many will ship overseas for a small fee. Perfect for presents! Gotta be in it to win it! (I figure if I don't win it I'll bookmark my favourite pages for when I am rich!) :) For the full list of raffles go to: http://tonicoward.blogspot.com/2011/01/qld-flood-auctions-raffle-list.html

Donate to the Premier's flood relief appeal here: http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

Flood crisis in Queensland

I sat up late last night following two news stories, one being the worsening flood crisis in Queensland. Premier Anna Bligh held a news conference at 10pm (AEST / 11pm AEDT) last night outlining the issues that Emergency Services (EMQ) were looking at overnight. She outlined the very serious events of the afternoon including the 'inland tsunami' in Toowoomba and how that water was making its way down the Lockyer valley. At that stage, four people had died in Toowoomba and EMQ held grave fears for those in the valley including the town of Grantham. Poor weather was hampering rescue efforts and rescue attempts would resume at first light.

The morning has revealed further devastation. We now know that at least eight people are dead and seventy more are missing with the death toll expected to rise.

Some areas have reported receiving their yearly rainfall in the last week.

Words fail in attempts to describe this disaster. 'Heartbreaking'; 'tragedy'; 'shocking'; 'unprecedented'; 'supernatural' - all have been used in press reports. Personally, I'm in a state of shock. My mind can't quite take it in!

The Toowoomba 'tsunami' comes on the heels of an ongoing flood emergency in Queensland. Some districts have been evacuated twice in the last three weeks. Some have experienced flooding for the second time in twelve months.

I've been surprised by some of the commentary surrounding the flooding though. Some people have said "well, if you live on a flood plain, what do you expect?". Certainly, many of those on the land who have been flooded before are pragmatic about these things. Yet, I feel this is quite a heartless point of view. No-one expects a 'tsunami' in their main street! The latest installment in this disaster illustrates that this is not 'just' about flooding rivers... it is a calamity that is greater than that.

I'm surprised that there has not been more commentary discussing the rains and the link with climate change. This piece by the Independent Media Centre was the only 'reasonable' discussion of the issues I could find. (Though they also quote a press release from the Socialist Alliance!). I'm not at all scientific, but my scientific friends have explained the link between increasing sea temperatures and increased rain. Not to mention the La Nina affecting eastern Australia.

On top of all this, the water has to go somewhere. When it works its way through New South Wales and the Murray-Darling Basin, what will it mean for those downstream? We await to see.

For those who wish to help, donations to the Queensland flood appeal may be made here: http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html


Related links:

http://www.cabinet.qld.gov.au/MMS/StatementDisplaySingle.aspx?id=73248 (Transcript of Premier Bligh's press conference 10pm, 10 January 2011)

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3110187.htm (Early reports from Grantham)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/11/3110285.htm (ABC news with the latest, including links to Toowoomba video and other sites)

http://www.abc.net.au/emergency/flood/ (ABC emergency site)

http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/01/11/inland-instant-tsunami-devastates-southern-qld/ (Crikey has an outstanding collection of links - including some I have listed below)

http://www.indymedia.org.au/2011/01/06/the-queensland-big-wet-big-flood-and-climate-change (Sensible look at climate change with many serious links).

http://diane-adventurebeforedementia.blogspot.com/2011/01/queenslands-floods.html (summary of flood situation, with amazing photos - especially the snake!)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/jan/03/australia-floods-queensland-map (Awesome map - try the comparison the UK link and the scale of this disaster becomes more apparent!)

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/floodrelief/flash-flood-hits-toowoomba/story-fn7ik2te-1225985113281 (Details of the flash flood in Toowoomba)

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/01/10/australia.floods/index.html?hpt=T2 (considered reporting from CNN)