Saturday 31st March, 8:30-9:30 is Earth hour and it gives us a chance to turn off the lights and do things we may not normally do. More than 2 million individuals and 2,000 businesses in Sydney took part in the First Earth hour in 2007. Earth Hour has grown to millions of people in over 5000 cities across 135 countries.
1/ Look at the stars; make a trip to the Sydney Observatory where you can look at the stars more closely and the viewing is even better when the lights go off around Sydney at 8:30. They will be running the ‘The Night sky as the Eora saw it’ program.
2/Light candles around the house, maybe in beautiful candle holders like this one by Australian sculptor Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal (1863-1931 or in makeshift candle holder like a glass jar with blue tack or plasticine to hold the candle.
3/ Sing or play music ( much to the delight of the neighbors) this porcelain piece is from the Royal Doulton studios and features a blond haired youth wearing blue trousers & a white & dark blue patterned shirt, playing a guitar, & leaning against a green tree; and was modeled by Eric J. Griffiths (head of ceramic sculpture at Royal Doulton).
4/ Tell ghosts stories maybe with glove puppets or just in the candle light. The puppet is the the work of a leading Sydney artist/designer Bim Hilder. Made in 1940s the costumes were repaired and replaced by his wife over four decades. Hilder worked predominantly as a sculptor, and had a particular interest in architecture, having worked as a builder with Walter Burley Griffin and Marian Mahoney on the development of the Sydney suburb of Castlecrag. Hilder studied etching with Sydney Long in 1928, and showed with the Australian Painter- Etchers’ Society in the late 1920s and 1930s.
5/ Have a barbie and toast marshmallows. In the time honored tradition of camping or backyard barbecues. This is a hand made toasting fork in the style of ‘making do’ from the materials around.
6/ Listen to the night. This remarkable looking device is one form of an ear trumpet, they were developed in the 17th century.
7/ Venture out to park or the wilds of your backyard and look for animals in the night, like frogs or possums.
8/ Empty our your money box and count your money by feel.
9/ Get the Ouija board out, regarded as a harmless party game unrelated to the occult until American Spiritualist Pearl Curran popularized its use as a divining tool during World War I. Its popularity has waned.
