SkillCycle - Photography edition date and time

The day has been locked in! Our SkillCycle photography session will be held at my house in Annerley at 11am on the 9th of June. Woohoo! Can't wait!

Here's a beautiful video to inspire you in the meantime...


My friend Maia from julia warr on Vimeo.

Skillcycle day - photography edition

Woohoo! I've managed to pin down someone willing to teach on my long awaited photography skillcycle day. I know Ed from Uni (he sits in my second office) and I'm really happy that he's on board with this. He takes some great photos (even if most of the ones I've seen are from his screen saver when he leaves his desk. Stalky...).

We'll be hosting the day at my house in May. The date is yet to be confirmed but will likely be a Sunday afternoon. I haven't decided what other skills will be demo'd on the day (anyone have anything the want to offer?) but I though it'd be nice if we all bring some food/beer (if you don't want to cook) to 'pay' Ed for his time. I hear he likes Coopers Sparkling tallies...

Ed will go through the basics of photography (aperture, shutter speed, iso) and how to get the best out of your camera. I'm hopeless with these things and I know some of you have said you're in the same boat. If you'd like to come along just give me a heads up here or on the Facebook page. Ed would like to know what cameras people are planning on bringing so he can make sure he's familiar with them beforehand.

Home Dairy

 . ricotta .

 . yoghurt .

. 'butter' .

I dream about the day I have a steady supply of fresh milk at my fingertips. I first learnt to milk a cow when I was on holiday in Chile. I have an aunty who is renowned for her fresh, white cheese. I remember her making it when I was a child and was still doing so

when I went back in 2007.  People come by the farm to pick it up, she makes and sells it daily.

Whether I ever will have my own cow, or a herd share, is yet to be revealed.  But I love the idea, even though it's quite a commitment. For the meantime I will live vicariously through books such as The Dirty Life and blogs such as Longest Acres.

I will also treasure the affordable supply of raw milk that I've been able to receive recently. This happy situation unfolded just at the time that the book Home Dairy arrived on my doorstep.

It has meant that we can master familiar recipes like Paneer and Yoghurt while experimenting with a whole bunch of other things, starting with Ricotta and 'butter' (more like whipped butter).

It is humbling to embark on such experiments and realise just how much time and milk goes in to making the final product. But you can't beat the satisfaction that accompanies this process either. Buttermilk pancakes with homemade butter, ricotta and local honey. Yes please!

 . breakfast time .

 . and I couldn't resist adding a photo of
 the eggs from our lovely ladies.

Individuality

I'm heading off to tutor a field course tomorrow. I love these trips (not just that I'm getting a week on Fraser Island), I love seeing my students get excited about research. This is one of those uni courses where people find friends and find themselves. It may seem corny but it's true. Field courses are often where science students find their passion for a system or an organism which sets them on a career path that will excite them for many years. I hear from these students after the trip that it was the first time they felt part of a group. They also realise, often for the first time, that it's ok to be different. In fact, that's what science research is about. School may have been all about fitting in, but science, that's about standing out. Like a pineapple that doesn't limit itself to growing in only one direction...

See you when I get back from Fraser with the latest SkillCycle day plans!