Wildlife Wednesday - cuttlefish

 I love scuba diving and snorkelling, and my new book, Deep Diving, has quite a few scenes in it to share my passion.

One of my favourite creatures underwater is the Cuttlefish. And I don't think I put one in Deep Diving - oh, gosh, must check now!

Cuttlefish look a bit like squid or octopus but they're a bit boxier, more inquisitive and lots more fun.

The first time I fell in love with cuttlefish was when I was diving with friends on the south coast of NSW (when I lived inland) and this cuttlefish floated out to check us out. They kind of appear like on a wave as they undulate through the water. One of my friends is a dive instructor and all round unflappable - the kind of person you want to dive with! He took out his regulator (the air giver) and pulsed it near the cuttlefish. Seriously, you could see the cuttlefish writhe in pleasure. So he sat there, taking the occasional puff of air and shooting bubbles over this very appreciative cuttlie, who then hugged his forearm with his tentacles (not in a nasty way, but as thanks). It was the most magical thing. And right there, I fell in love with cuttlefish.

I don't have any pictures of them underwater, just this small cuttlefish 'bone' washed up on the beach. But the Australian Museum website has great pictures and a video link (it's an awesome video!). You can check it out here.

The cuttlefish 'bone' found on the beach is actually the internal shell of the cuttlefish. And if you have birds, they love eating them.

Sunday Story - Burial Rites

I had the absolute pleasure of reading Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. I'd read a lot of accolades for this book, and often (in my mind) the book doesn't live up to it BUT in this case, Burial Rites deserves all the accolades and more.

The book is haunting, beautiful, poignant and terrible all at once. The story is so absorbing that I lost myself in it. I lost the magic of the words, the thrill of the gorgeous writing - because the story became engrossing and the view of Iceland enthralling.

I've read that Hannah Kent went to Iceland as an exchange student where she heard of the tale of the last woman executed in Iceland, Agnes Magnúsdóttir, and was captivated by it. And so began her study. Hannah Kent's love for Iceland, and her empathy for Agnes, truly shines through in the story.

Agnes is incredibly dignified and so accepting of her fate that it's very difficult not to fall in love with the character Hannah Kent has created.

I always get confused by a historical fiction based on fact because it is so easy to believe everything in the book. And reading the amount of research done for this novel, I'd like to believe every word as truth.

This is a beautiful book. Don't miss reading it.

Phallic Friday - Lust

The days are whipping by at the moment,as Friday has coming storming upon me, let me take the chance to introduce you to...

LUST OBJECTS

The Naughty Ninjas (a collaborative author blog of which I am a part)  have sourced some truly kooky things. You can find them here: http://www.naughtyninjas.net/the-daily-ninja/

There are normal things like t-shirts and underpants, but always with a twist - like the underpants come in a a little round tin, like lip balm! There's art - created while having sex, of course. And there are things that defy belief - like a pole dancer alarm clock!

So, treat yourself to a lust object. Even if you don't buy, they're certainly worth a look and a chuckle!!

And Rhyll 'the lady' Biest, one of my regular visitors and a Naughty Ninja, is the usual source of these objects and other strange phenomena!

Wildlife Wednesday - mangroves

I'm a huge fan of mangroves. Mangroves grow in the rivers and estauries of coastal Australia, but not where there's surf. There's a huge expanse of riverine areas in which mangroves can grow, but often they're knocked down to enhance the view for people, which usually leads to river degradation, erosion, and other problems. They're a vital part of the estuarine/riverine environment.

I grew up in Sydney, but we lived near a creek that ran into the Parramatta River. When I was a kid, there was still space to run around and it was safe to do that. So I spent a bit of time in the magical mangroves, getting my feet swallowed by stinking mud, climbing in the trees, racing around the space.

And my Dad's family are fishermen - not as for work, but for pleasure. And as I grew older and was allowed to go fishing, I learned that the mangroves were breeding and feeding grounds for fish.

Then in 1988, the bicentenary year for Australia, in my mangrove playground a giant park was created to preserve the mangroves and educate people about them (that wasn't the main aim, but for me it was the most important feature). I was at Uni, so I volunteered at the park as a sort of work experience. I learned so much about mangroves. I helped take kids on trips into the mangroves where we did bark rubbing, scooped the water with nets to find small fish. I helped in the education unit where we had fish tanks to show kids what grew in estuaries and mangroves - fish, shrimp, seahorses, hermit crabs, etc. - we had a touch table of sand and shells, sea urchins, mangrove seeds, leaves. It was a dream job. If you're in Sydney, pop into Bicentennial Park at Homebush Bay (oh, it's right near the RWA conference location!)

Then in 1988-89, I went to the Daintree and did some scientific work in the tropical magroves. Some of that work I included in The Virginity Mission. I loved it, but unlike Mac, I didn't get a job up there!

I'll share a bit of the strangeness of mangroves -

• the seeds are round, fat disks that float and travel to new places on tidal movements, then they germinate and turn into a small seedling (like the picture), which try to take root and colonise another area
• they grow in really salty conditions and the plants get rid of the salt by excreting it out the back of their leaves. Have a look next time, you might see white crystals, or if you're game, have a lick and taste the salt!
• plant roots need air to breathe, but mangroves spend a lot of time under water (as the tide comes in and goes out). Underneath mangrove plants, you'll often see little sticks poking up from the ground, these are called pneumatophores, and breathe for the plant, helping get oxygen to the roots
• there are different species of mangrove trees, but all can tolerate salty and water logged conditions in their own way
• tropical mangroves have amazing roots structures which can be like trees themselves

If you want to know more about mangroves, try this website for MangroveWatch