Word of the Day
Thanks to the members who commented on last week’s “Word of the Day” segment. Perhaps you have you had an opportunity to call someone an “oxymoron”, just to check their response..
This week, I came across a really crazy word, when reading “Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew’d” by Alan Bradley.
It is the word “monosyllabic”. Isn’t that silly, using a five syllable word to describe a word with only one syllable? It even makes “sesquipedalian” sound sensible.
But did anyone pick up on the brinded cat? (Brinded: adjective - brown or grey streaked or patched with a darker colour - Collins English Dictionary.)
Had you known that it would be soon followed by
“Double, double, toil and trouble; 
Fire, burn; and caldron, bubble”
you would have twigged it came from Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”.
“Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,”
“Filet of a fenny snake.”? This could mean a snake from a fen, aka a bog, but it also could be Indian Turnip, which was also known as “snake meat” and grew in bogs and damp places. “Eye of newt” is black mustard seed.
You can read more about “The Meanings Behind These (In)Famous Potion Ingredients” HERE
All good stuff!
Photo: Three Witches, MacBeth, by James Henry Nixon, British Museum (1831) - via Wikipedia
Remembering Margaret Sutherland
Cheryl Pisterman reminds us that Friends of the Auburn Tower Inc presents a concert in honour of Australian composer Margaret Sutherland AO OBE, featuring highlights of her chamber music repertoire. It will be held in the superb acoustics of Auburn Uniting Church, where her father-in-law was minister from 1916 - 1919.
Featured artists include Syrah Torii, mezzo srano; Lily Tamir-Regev, Clarinet; Chris Nankervis, piano; Geoffrey Urquhart, organ; and compere Jillian Graham.
Following the musical programme, there will be a reception in the Hall, where copies of Dr Graham's new biography of Sutherland, Inner Song, will be available for purchase and signing by the author.
Ticket price includes printed programme and reception. Proceeds to the Friends' Church Roof appeal, and to the Lyceum Club Melbourne's Margaret Sutherland Bursary Fund. The Concert is generously sponsored by the Vera Moore Foundation and the Robert Salzer Foundation.
Sunday 14 April 2024 at 5:00pm Bookings via TryBooking on https://www.trybooking.com/CPEZY
On to Conference
DG Ron Payne
sent us the Conference information brochure providing us with all we need to know about the conference - from the schedule of events to suggestions for the Club Friday Night dinners, playing golf, and much more. This brochure serves as a guide to what promises to be an exceptional gathering of Rotarians from across our district.
DG Ron encourages us to take a moment to review the information brochure. If you haven’t yet booked, consider joining us for what is sure to be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Your involvement will not only contribute to the success of our district but will also provide you with valuable insights and connections that can further enhance your Rotary journey.
If you have any questions or require further information, you can email d9800conference@gmail.com Let's 'Gather on the Goldfields' and make the District 9800 Bendigo Conference 2024 an unforgettable memory of Rotary excellence.
Fine and Mellow
No visit to the Australian Jazz Museum next week, but we can treat you to a peek into the life of Billie Holiday.
This old film now ha
s a new sound-track. In 1957, Billie Holiday made a television recording of her song ‘Fine and Mellow’ with an all-star backing band that included her friends Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Vic Dickenson, Roy Eldridge and Gerry Mulligan. Four jazz musicians and the author of ‘With Billie’ added a new dimension to this historic footage, using the prism of that historic kinescope to examine the singer’s life and legacy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FayYknm6Us
Less musical but more morbid readers may prefer to watch how she was arrested on her deathbed, aged 44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mULChaH1nDQ
Your Feedback
Did I thank members for their comments on last week’s Bulletin?
Okay. I lied.
We got no comments at all, although two members often e-mail us a comment.
There is a space at the foot of most articles where you may add a comment for others to read: why don’t you write and tell us how much you are enjoying the proliferation of high-resolution images we have this year?
Hello? Anyone there?
