Food

There was a medium sized black and white bird foraging for food beside the fountain. There are lots of black and white birds of all sizes – as ubiquitous as yellow pea flowers in the Australian bush and as hard for me to figure out which is which, even though they are obviously different. I am pretty sure this is a Magpie-lark also known as a Peewee (Grallina cyanoleuca)


Norman Lindsay was a writer as well as an artist, and quite famous for his illustrated children’s book The Magic Pudding.

Words to walk with:
From The Magic Pudding by Norman Lindsay. Bunyip Bluegum the Koala leaves home because he can't stand the sight of his uncle's whiskers in the soup any more.

“He found a great many things to see, such as dandelions, and ants and traction engines, and bolting horses and furniture being removed, besides being kept busy raising his hat and passing the time of day with people on the road, for he was a very well-bred young fellow, polite in his manners, graceful in his attitudes and able to converse on a great variety of subjects, having read all the best Australian poets.

Unfortunately, in the hurry of leaving home, he had forgotten to provide himself with food, and at lunch time found himself attacked by pangs of hunger.

“Dear me”, he said, “I feel quite faint. I had no idea one’s stomach was so important. I have everything I require, except food: but without food everything is rather less than nothing.

“I’ve got a stick to walk with.
I’ve got a mind to think with.
I’ve got a voice to talk with.
I’ve got an eye to wink with
I’ve got lots of teeth to eat with,
A brand new hat to bow with,
A pair of fists to beat with,
A rage to have a row with.
No joy it brings
To have indeed a lot of things
One does not need.
Observe my doleful-plight.
For here I am without a crumb
To satisfy a raging tum
O what an oversight.”