Gatchamania.net - Print: Happy Australia Day

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Posted by Madilayn on 26-01-2011 at 08:17:

Happy Australia Day

Green whimped out and said I had to start this thread.

Happy Australia Day. The Aussies on the board want to let you know that we live in the greatest country in the world, and commisserate with those who don't live here.

One of the most iconic poems about Australia is "My Country" by Dorothea Stuart MacKellar.

The love of field and coppice,
Of green and shaded lanes.
Of ordered woods and gardens
Is running in your veins,
Strong love of grey-blue distance
Brown streams and soft dim skies
I know but cannot share it,
My love is otherwise.

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror -
The wide brown land for me!

A stark white ring-barked forest
All tragic to the moon,
The sapphire-misted mountains,
The hot gold hush of noon.
Green tangle of the brushes,
Where lithe lianas coil,
And orchids deck the tree-tops
And ferns the warm dark soil.

Core of my heart, my country!
Her pitiless blue sky,
When sick at heart, around us,
We see the cattle die -
But then the grey clouds gather,
And we can bless again
The drumming of an army,
The steady, soaking rain.

Core of my heart, my country!
Land of the Rainbow Gold,
For flood and fire and famine,
She pays us back threefold -
Over the thirsty paddocks,
Watch, after many days,
The filmy veil of greenness
That thickens as we gaze.

An opal-hearted country,
A wilful, lavish land -
All you who have not loved her,
You will not understand -
Though earth holds many splendours,
Wherever I may die,
I know to what brown country
My homing thoughts will fly.

Dorothea Mackellar

You can learn more about her at the official Dorothea MacKellar website

__________________

"When I'm old, I don't want them to say of me, "She's so charming." I want them to say, "Be careful, I think she's armed." -G. Stoddart

Posted by Madilayn on 26-01-2011 at 08:21:

Oh - and if you want to hear a song that most Aussies love and consider almost a spirit of Austrlaia, here is the video

"Sounds of Then" by Gangajang

and (one of my absolute faves)

"Solid Rock" by Goanna

__________________

"When I'm old, I don't want them to say of me, "She's so charming." I want them to say, "Be careful, I think she's armed." -G. Stoddart

Posted by green on 26-01-2011 at 08:32:

Pfft, did not wimp out...just suggested you do it! LOL

For my own offerings.... our National Anthem - sung the way it should be...

Advance Australia Fair

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Posted by gatchamarie on 26-01-2011 at 08:53:

Happy Australia Day to all my Aussie friends!

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Posted by Springie on 26-01-2011 at 10:36:

Much love to my Aussie friends! Happy Australia Day!

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Posted by Garnet on 26-01-2011 at 10:44:

Happy Australia Day, to all of you from the Land Down Under.

That poem is really cool. I'll have to check out the videos when I have more time.

Australia is still on my list of places I'd love to visit. Smile

Posted by littlewolf on 26-01-2011 at 12:54:

It was an amazing day
Aussie flags everywere, on beach towls, cloths and body decorations with the music cranked, work today was a blast, best Australia day (since the last)

ps its wonderful to see so many flags attached to peoples cars, (on the highway and in car parks, more than last year)

Happy Australia Day , everyone
Icehouse - Great Southern Land
John Williams -True Blue
John Williams - And the Band played Waltzing Matilda
Home among the Gum trees (with the hand signs as you sing it)
Men at Work - Land Down Under
Cold Chisel
Rolf Harris (yes I said it , it's out there)

http://www.apra-amcos.com.au/APRAAwards/MusicAwards/History/2001Top30Songs.aspx

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Posted by clouddancer on 26-01-2011 at 13:36:

Have a great day, or I hope you had one maybe you are watching Fireworks now, to all our Aussie friends!

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Posted by RIgirl on 26-01-2011 at 14:17:

Happy Australia Day to all those Down Under, whose great country gave us (among other wonderful things) koala bears, kangaroos, boomerangs, and Tim Tams!

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"It is a rare man that is taken for what he truly is...We are not always what we seem, and hardly ever what we dream...." Peter S. Beagle

Posted by gatchamarie on 26-01-2011 at 15:17:

quote:

Originally posted by RIgirl
... and Tim Tams!

Oh ... especially for those!!!!!

__________________
To be or not to be a gatchamaniac - that's the dilemma!

Posted by Transmute Jun on 26-01-2011 at 15:29:

I hope everyone celebrating had a wonderful day!

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Posted by AllentownDarkWater on 26-01-2011 at 16:12:

Happy Australia Day to my friends in Australia!

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Posted by clouddancer on 26-01-2011 at 16:26:

I am still looking for these mysterious Tim tams I hear so much about.

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Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

Posted by Crescent_Moon on 26-01-2011 at 16:36:

They're not shit : )

Tim tam ad

Posted by lborgia88 on 26-01-2011 at 21:19:

Happy Australia Day!

Thanks for the poetry and the links to the songs -I'd not heard any of them before and it's so interesting to see what makes up another country's shared patriotic cultural heritage.

I've seen Tim Tams in stores in the U.S., but I'm not sure if they were the real thing (imported) or if some U.S. company has bought the rights to make them here and use the "Tim Tam" name.

Posted by Madilayn on 26-01-2011 at 21:36:

I believe that Pepperidge Farm has the license to make Tim Tams in the us (RIgirl bought some at one of their outlets - was it Pepperidge Farm??)

Anyway - if her reaction was anything to go by, they are the same that we Aussies know.

Of course, they won't be exactly the same - but that just means we can tease you even more with them....

__________________

"When I'm old, I don't want them to say of me, "She's so charming." I want them to say, "Be careful, I think she's armed." -G. Stoddart

Posted by RIgirl on 26-01-2011 at 21:58:

Yes, that's right, Maddy. It was Pepperidge Farm. Even said "Australia's favorite cookie" on the package.

As for being the same or not, judging by the commercial link that Crescent Moon posted, they look exactly the same...

__________________
"It is a rare man that is taken for what he truly is...We are not always what we seem, and hardly ever what we dream...." Peter S. Beagle

Posted by clouddancer on 26-01-2011 at 22:18:

Hmmm, I will have to see if I can locate any Pepperidge Farm products here in Canada. And then if they do offer the Tim Tams.

So far I have begun to suspect they are as mythical as the Loch Ness Monster and Big Foot.

__________________
Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

Posted by Ebonyswanne on 26-01-2011 at 23:42:

Hi all, I'm a little late but Happy Australia Day!!!

We went to a BBQ and braved the hot day, set up a wading pool under the shade for the kids splash in and keep cool...and of course I made a Pavlova for desserts!

Awe Maddy... i love that poem.

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Posted by Garnet on 27-01-2011 at 01:14:

I'm still looking for the Tim Tams too. I think I'm going to have to look at a more upscale store than I normally shop at.