GC, that's it. I only wish my Grandfather was still around to read your piece. Sitting on old stumps around the campfire at night amongst Shearers and Stockmen, he could tell a tale and quote Lawson and Patterson like no other.
Was still riding horses at 70, crack shot, always willing to take a Tally Ho paper from someone's hand with a stock whip (made by himself).
They were tough times but they were great times.
I suppose that's what we are all trying to relive in our travels.
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Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
Life in the bush was often hard (not that I experienced much of it) but it has a magic that attracts us city folk who have had a taste.
Among my favourite books are the 4 volumes 'Complete Works' of AB Patterson ('Singer of The Bush' & 'Song of The Pen') and Henry Lawson ('A Campfire Yarn' & 'A Fantasy Of Man'). Along side them on my study book case are 'Best of Banjo Patterson', Henry Lawson's 'Images of Australia' & two volumes of 'Frontier Country'. Completing that small set is a paperback by Banjo titled 'The Man From Snowy River & other verses'.
Every year or so I get the urge & spend many nostalgic hours reading thru them once again.
edit ..
Oops, a couple more were hiding behind a bottle of 1955 Barcoo Rot ( Muscat) that an old shooting mate, Swampy Marsh from Blackall gave me on a visit a couple of weeks before his sad death.
vis .. 'Humorous Stories of Henry Lawson', 'Henry Lawson The Master Story Teller', the other one that I have never read is 'The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry & Poetics' but it looks impressive!
I have an extensive library of Australian & NZ Bush Stories in the downstairs book cases too. With my terrible memory I can re-read them every 5 yrs or so & it's just like I have never read them before. One advantage of old age I suppose.
-- Edited by Cupie on Sunday 22nd of October 2017 11:58:19 AM