Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: water

  • Everything is Water

    Everything is Water

    Having grown up by a river in Queensland and having spent many happy hours as a boy exploring this environment, it is no wonder that Simon Cleary felt the call of the water. He realizes that his desire is to walk the length of the river from its source to its mouth, to learn all he can and experience its many changes.  The Brisbane River has been in his dreams for a long time, until, after much planning he sets off.

    Because there is no visible path along the length of the River, Simon realises that he will need help to make the walk take shape. He is joined by a Jagera man working to preserve cultural heritage, a professor who specialises in sustainable water, a naturalist brother, his sister and a son.

    He was also joined by a Flood engineer and a journalist. In this way he would gain fresh perspectives about the river and uncover more mysteries about it and the surrounds. Some sections of the river would need to be travelled by canoe.

    Each day at the end of the walk, Simon carefully noted all that he had seen. He also included stories that the Jagera man told him and information from the other members of the group. He describes the wonderful feeling of lying back at night to the sounds of the river and looking at the vast sky above.

    At first the travel is relatively simple, but as the group gets closer to the mouth of the river many obstacles block their path. They backtrack often.

    Everything is Water is a journey of wonder and thrilling moments which concludes with the disappearance of the river into the ocean. This is truly a joyous story and one that will inspire and fascinate lovers of water.

  • The Seven

    The Seven

    Yuwonderie’s wealth is directly attributed to the irrigation of what was dry, arid pastureland. The families, known as The Seven are responsible for the innovative approach to greening this once fickle farming land, amassing great wealth and power.

    Lording it over people of the township, built along Victorian era guidelines with a certain perfection of style still very much apparent, these seven founding families continue to reap the rewards of their canny ancestors. They are untouchable, powerful and have over the last Century had members of their own in Politics at the highest levels, and established several large companies to further ensure the wealth remains within their circle of influence.

    When one of their own is found to have been murdered Nell Buchannan and Ivan Lucic are sent to investigate. The investigation has to be kept discreet, handled without alerting the media. Plentiful resources have been made available to get the case closed as soon as possible.

    As the investigation crawls along the reason for the murder still remains elusive, none of the threads leading to anything substantial. When Nell is knocked unconscious, Alice Figtree is stabbed and the former office of Athol Hasluck is torched the stakes rise.

    The Seven peels back the layers of a town that has been built on water rights, managed by the first settlement families who have over time covered up their dirty past. As Lucic and Buchannan slowly try to piece together why a quiet accountant was murdered, it would seem that there is a link, or possible link to an unsolved murder that took place there more than 40 years ago.

    Throughout the story there are the beautiful letters from Bessie to her mother telling of her life with the Titchfields, which gives a depth of history and perspective to the fledgling irrigation scheme, as well as establishing the power base that was built back in the early years of post-World War One.

    Water rights, money laundering and greed form the basis of the story. The Seven starts slowly setting the scene with care, before burgeoning into a fast paced narrative that once again captivates, forcing the pages to be turned with rapidity in an attempt to discover who did commit murder!

    Complex and historic The Seven is slightly different to Chris Hammers previous books as the sense of history, which still relates to current day water trading and political opacity, tends to be paramount, the murder simply the vehicle to link several other intriguing storyline lines together.

  • Dead in the Water

    Dead in the Water

    A very angry book about our greatest environmental catastrophe. . . the death of the Murray-Darling Basin

    The subtitle of Dead in the Water states this is a ‘very angry book’, which is totally correct as, by the end of the first three chapters the very real sense of anger, frustration and an almost total sense of despair is present which becomes a powerful combination, as page after page is devoured relating to the tragedy of the Murray Darling Basin and the death of the once mighty Murray River.

    Dead in the Water is also book which could very easily see a lawsuit or two take place, as Richard Beasley clearly sets out in his pages, everything in the book has been placed under the eagle eyes of a barrage of legal experts, and rightly so, because if even half of what is on the page is true, that would be horrific enough, but everything that is in the book is so tragically true.

    This does not bode well for a once mighty river system, a river system poetry has been written about, movies made on and about, writ large in the history of First Nation people and recent ‘Australians’ as a powerful, life giving force.

    But what happens when this life giving force becomes far, far less than it ever was, due to the callous disregard by the very people who owe their income, sense of identity and lifestyle to this very river; the graziers, food producers, cotton growers and politician to name a few; it dies!

    Clouding the facts and the issue, in a very big cloud are the Politicians, on all side of the political spectrum, who do truly appear to believe that the people of Australia are really stupid, which they are not; they are just battered, bruised and exhausted by the constant obfuscation (the action of making something obscure, unclear, or unintelligible) of facts when it comes to the Murray Darling Basin, along with the issues of Environmental and Climate change.

    Presented year after year for more years than most would like to admit, so called facts about the death or rather the non-death of the mighty Murray, the destruction of wetlands, the salting up of the once gloriously rich Coorong eco system, vital to the health of the Murray are trotted out:  scientific reports deliberately misconstrued and antics, such as the blatant burning of The Murray Darling  Basin Plan , The Guide to the Proposed Basin Plan (The Guide),  has seen a plan full of workable solutions with real scientific fact and figures denigrated.

    As soon as The Guide was released the lobbyists commenced action. Read chapter three. If it is the only chapter you read, it is powerful, amongst other powerful chapters and probably just about says it all….. This plan is now almost as dead as the dinosaur which is a tragedy.

    Richard Beasley makes a very good case, speaking out loud and clear about the absolute disrespect a once mighty river system is receiving, the environmental effects that follow and of course Climate Change. A very recent cataclysmic event, in 2019, the death of thousands of fish, is one most Australians were aware of, which was directly attributed to lack of oxygen in the river due to several causes.

    Essentially, Dead in the Water is a book that MUST be read, discussed and read again. It is a book that will leave a real anger, a genuine sense of frustration, as well as a far clearer understanding of the utter disregard for the Murray River.

    Provocative, outrageous and almost satirical, if it wasn’t so terribly true, this is a wake-up call for Australian’s everywhere to take a stand, take note and read clearly between the lines, to discover what is not being said about the lack of health relating to the Murray Darling Basin and the waters that need to flow to bring it back to robust good health.

    Richard Beasley is a Senior Counsel at the New South Wales Bar. He was the Senior Counsel Assisting at the Murray-Darling Royal Commission, established by the South Australian Weatherill Government in 2018 and conducted by Commissioner Bret Walker SC.

  • Waltz of Life

    Waltz of Life

    Pianist composer Sydney Stevens has captured something very special in her work Waltz of Life made up of tracks created over many years, each piece composed in relation to life events which inspired the need to be written as a tribute and a memory to this event. She has dedicated this work to World Peace in the hope that each and every one can find peace in their own heart, which will ultimately lead to World Peace.

    The opening track and album title Waltz of Life was composed in 2016 as she was reflecting on the fragility of life, how fleeting it a can be and the need to end each day with grace. Joined by Keiko Araki on violin and Pansy Chang on Cello, the work is sweeping, with a richness that is all enveloping.

    A lovely piece of bits and pieces is Gatherings and, as gatherings in general terms are composed of many diverse peoples, so too is this piece created from diversity, each instrument joining together with the common thread of piano to ‘gather’  with  the intent to live the in moment, enjoy the ability to create joy and happiness through music.

    Your New Wings, a piece of note, was created after the passing of her mother, the inspiration coming to her as she was driving through the Columbia River Gorge; the vison of her Mothers strong spirit soaring with new wings, free in the purity of a new dimension. Once again she is joined by Aranki and Chang as they segue gently through the emotions to capture the purity of the joy, sadness and freedom of a spirit soaring, swooping and delighting in splendid innocence.

    The final and fitting piece is Waltz of Life Reprise to complete the circle created as the very essence of love, hope, joy and acceptance come together to form a beginning and an end: a refuge, if only for hour to simply take time to take time, to live in the moment, to be remind that life is fleeting and therefore should be lived with grace and kindness.

    Waltz of Life is an absolutely charming collection of contemporary music which will both appeal and delight.

  • Wahu Skim N Hoop Pool Game

    Wahu Skim N Hoop Pool Game

    If you are looking for a game to keep your children occupied in the pool this summer, this is it. Skim n Hoop is a colourful, inflatable, sturdy toy with the ability to be converted into many activities. The dimensions are 150 cm long 144cm high and 86 cm wide. Once the plastic has been inflated it serves as a focal point for throwing the ball.

    There are two basketball hoops, three circular targets, and a detachable net on the back. A ball is included. The structure floats on the water and the aim is to get the ball into the hoops or into the targets. On the back side, the net is placed so the balls can be thrown over it. A small repair kit is also included.

    We tested this game at a public pool for a pool party. It seemed that younger children were less interested, but 5 year old’s and up enjoyed the challenge. The older children soon mastered the whole idea and it seems that playing in teams was the popular way to go. At this time, we only had the one ball supplied, and several lighter balls. The heavier ball was more easily thrown and aimed. Having the game as a focal point in the pool was popular.

    An air pump is needed to inflate this device, and a selection of balls would be helpful for all children to participate. There was a great deal of interest by the children when the toy arrived, and the older children stayed the longest.

  • Memories of Water and Light

    Memories of Water and Light

    The music of Scott Cossu fails to fit into any one specific category and so to that end, his works fits squarely to into what could be considered as Orphan Music or music that is fresh, vibrant and is absolutely and without doubt outside standard definitions.

    This is underpinned once again with his latest album Memories of Water and Light, dedicated to growing older, to appreciating as never before the healing powers of water and light in life. Throughout the collection there is a little bit of many styles of music, all drawn from his very eclectic musical background, a background built on an absolute love of music.

    With reviewing it is typical to attempt to describe several of the pieces as stand-alone tracks. On Memories of Water and Light to attempt to do this would be nothing short of madness, as each of the pieces is an amazing and wonderful blend of melodies, created from the sensitive blending of Cossu on piano, Holly Reeves on ‘cello and long-time friend and guitarist Van Manakas on guitar, flowing seamlessly, creating an appealing diversity.

    Early studies in the field of Ethnomusicology saw Cossu develop his individual style of world music, blending his love of Jazz and Classical music with Andean, African and Asian influences, which still holds true in this latest series of compositions.

    Several of the pieces were written for a specific purpose; the romantic Wedding Lanterns was created for his beloved daughters’ marriage. Ascending Angles, as the titles infers, is in memory of the many musicians and friends who have passed over recent years. Cerulean Eyes is for his life partner and wife Debbi.

    Ten tracks, ten gems and ten glorious pieces that offer something new and fresh filled with love, joy, hope, peace and reflection exquisitely presented each time Memories of Water and Light is enjoyed.

     

  • The Man in the Water

    The Man in the Water

    What would a young rural teenager do if he found a body floating in a lake? David Burton spins this scenario into a captivating, page turning teen’s novel.

    Shaun, the protagonist, lives in a declining rural mining town in Queensland and is the son of a single parent. He finds the body which later disappears. By being determined to discover the answer to the questions of who, what, when and why of this finding, Shaun uncovers some of the unspoken problems within his community. He and his friend, Will become the detectives in this fascinating story of mystery and crime. Their sleuthing, interfering and snooping places them into some dangerous situations, which highlight the darker side of their town.

    ‘The Man in the Water’ is a fast paced novel, which keeps the reader guessing until the final pages; the twist at the end was quite unpredictable. The author exposes the reader to the underlying issues of suicide, mental health, and the impact of ‘fly in/ fly out’ workers on the well-being of small rural towns.

    Mid teen will find this an easy holiday read, which provides the reader with clues to solve the mystery of ‘the man in the water’.

  • The Memory Pool: Australian stories of summer, sun and swimming

    The Memory Pool: Australian stories of summer, sun and swimming

    Maybe it’s in your DNA, or a learned behaviour, or a Star Sign, but there is definitely a group of people who just love the water and being in it. For those people, The Memory Pool is a dynamic collection of short stories that is so Australian, and so exciting to read, one cannot put it down. The stories evoke all the senses so much that you cannot help but reflect on your own encounters as a kid in a pool when you were growing up.

    Reading the stories of many personal experiences with swimming pools, the reader sees similarities in the storytellers’ recollections. The wonderful sense of the water enveloping the body, and the solitary peace while under the water is remembered. All of the stories are told as the recollections of a child. I’m sure if you asked for similar thoughts of a picnic or show day, the sensory and contented experiences would not be so clearly remembered.

    One story tells of swimming in a pool in Darwin during a rain storm and how the rain looked from under the water. Another tells of the challenges the children set themselves each visit to the pool. The stories never mention bullying, but tell about healthy competition and creativity in coming up with new games.

    The first jump into the cool waters, and how that felt on your skin was a common feeling. The swimming lessons held in the pool had some less than caring teachers. One teacher had a broom handle and if you came to the edge of the pool for a rest, he would push you off. Freedom to play and be solitary or one of a crowd seemed to be most important to all the children.

    Therese Spruhan has divided the sections very cleverly. She has stories from Suburban Pools, Bay Pools, Sea Pools, and Building Pools. These stories cover all states in Australia, and that strong love for the water and the personal peace it brings is common to all. The familiarity for the body in being almost weightless in water is not forgotten. Also, the fitness and skills that were almost accidentally built up as the kids played, were put to good account as many of them took part in competition swimming.

    The heat, the pool turnstile, the blue of the water, the shock of the cold on your hot body, the peace and serenity under the water…Ahhhh! Yes, these are indeed sensation to remember forever.

  • Visions & Emotions

    Visions & Emotions

    There are very few musicians that can contribute much of their skill to their Aunt Mable, but such is the case for Aleksandra Takala as her Aunt Mable, who took her to see ‘Hair’ back in the day, gave her an old player piano which did not even have the full 88 keys.

    Piano lessons followed at $6.00 per lesson from a lady with a great love of the classics, which at the end of the year under her tuition saw Takala composing her first song.  She was 25 years old when she was given that piano, had already some sad experience with life and love, and was beginning to commence a journey into the world of music that was to become her passion

    That diverse background growing up is reflected in her music as she firmly believes that no matter what comes along in life, it never too late to begin something new.

    Each of the songs has a back story such as World Traveller, written in tribute to her mother who finally got to live her dream of travelling outside of the States to such places as China, India and the Amazon River.

    Passing Clouds is unashamedly at 10 minute song written in the studio where there are no clocks to remind of the passing of time, a place where freedom to let the music flow is as the passing of clouds in the sky, blown into new shapes and formations by unseen and heard winds.

    A rather funky, ‘tongue-in-cheek’ tribute to the hurry up society of modern holiday makers is Road Trip (Hurry Up & Slow Down)which is a little something of which we are all guilty, on a so called leisurely holiday. Ah, the plans we all do make!

    Groundwater is a dainty song reminiscent of the waltz, where it is very easy to relax into a time that was slower, more peaceful. It is a stately piece rich in strings, which was written to accompany a set of lyrics penned for Takala’s local choir, reflective of a commune in the forest, a campfire, with night fog slowly drifting in, winding around the base of the trees, settling along the ground; mystical and mysterious.

    A Caribbean orchestra heralds in the final piece on this rather unusual, but very enjoyable collection of songs with Moonlight over Havana, a place rich in history, romantic liaisons and culture. A rich full moon, the exotic, atmosphere, of the tropics at night, the romance of a couple swaying together deeply in love, have been carefully and skilfully woven into the captivating finale.

    In this her debut album, Takala has chosen to share her immense talent and many of her family stories, to create the tapestry that is Visons and Emotions. Different, enjoyable, intriguing and full bodied, Aleksandra Takala’s music covers a wide and diverse range of genres which offers something for everyone.