The Transformative Powers of Herbal Tea

Herbal tea has always been celebrated as possessing medicinal qualities that help with many illnesses, from fighting off a virus to stopping nausea and vomiting. What to look for and what to avoid Some fruit teas contain synthetic ingredients. These additives don’t taste as good as the real thing, and they have no real therapeuticContinue reading “The Transformative Powers of Herbal Tea”

The excluded, the ignored, the silenced and the invisible ones

Hey you, I know you. The girl or boy who tried to speak, but whom nobody heard. From age zero to age 18 and beyond. Yeah you! I can see you and I know you. Although there’s nobody oppressing you now Or denying your right to exist The importance of your voice Or the sacrednessContinue reading “The excluded, the ignored, the silenced and the invisible ones”

Ancient word of the day: Hedgehog

The ancient word for today is hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus. In the Middle Ages, writers didn’t make reference to hedgehogs, but to urchins. This term for the spiky diminuitive animal is still favoured in some English dialects. We still have the lingering remnants of this etymology in the form of sea urchin, which is literally aContinue reading “Ancient word of the day: Hedgehog”

Welcome to a strange and forgotten alien world: Socotra

Looking like a cross between a surreal computer game and an alien planet, Socotra is a relatively unexplored and remote island off the coast of Arabian Peninsula. It’s a sparkling diamond of natural diversity and rugged wildness, with over 700 endemic species of flora and fauna. Only a small number of countries have more endemicContinue reading “Welcome to a strange and forgotten alien world: Socotra”

All About Māori Kite Making

There are 17 types of Māori kites. Traditionally made from strong timber framing like manuka wood they were woven with flax and the paper and bark of the mulberry plant until the plant went virtually extinct. Birdman kites have a powerful symbolism for all Māori iwi including for my own, Ngaī Tamanuhiri and Ngā Puhi.Continue reading “All About Māori Kite Making”

10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet 187

The mind replays what the heart wants to heal Iconoclast and Rebel Peaches opens up her mind on Amoeba’s channel One of the most singular and outre artists in the world Peaches visits the Amoeba shop and picks out her fav albums and films. This was interesting because she has some pretty wild choices includingContinue reading “10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet 187”

Gig review: Massive Attack at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 11th August, 2026

Gig review: Massive Attack at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne 11th August, timeless iconoclasts and rebels deliver once-in-a-lifetime magic 2026 #music #triphop #review #musicreview #music #MassiveAttack #Melbourne #events

Quirky insights into lost worlds: Ex Libris book plates

Passionate devotees of books from throughout history share a common thread with all of us modern-day bibiophiles, they longed to celebrate their books and mark their ownership with an Ex Libris book plate. Ever since Pharaonic Egypt, marking one’s ownership of a book has been a thing. Ex Libris bookplates are more than the stamped or printed marks denoting ownership. They represent the taste, values of their owner, how they saw themselves and the aesthetic styles of the eras when they were made.

10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet 186

Excellent channel Lina’s Thobe explains the importance of Palestinian Tatreez Palestinian tatreez isn’t “just embroidery.” For centuries, it’s been a visual language — carrying the names of villages, the colors of seasons, and the stories of displacement and survival. In this video, I share how one humble stitch became a way to map a homeland,Continue reading “10 Interesting Things I Found on the Internet 186”

Travel: The Beautiful Terrace Windows of Triana, Sevilla

Back in 2010 during a particularly sweltering summer, I visited Andalucia and soaked in the beautiful architecture in Sevilla. The best way to see all of the charming neighbourhoods and historic monuments was going the tourist routes with an open-top bus. This also afforded me excellent views onto all of the terrace houses with theirContinue reading “Travel: The Beautiful Terrace Windows of Triana, Sevilla”