Monday, July 29, 2024

TINY TIM MAKES NORTHERN TERRITORY HORTICULTURAL HISTORY/ EAST TIMOR DISPLAY / KAMALA HARRIS WIN OMEN

 To the accompaniment   of  deafening trumpets, the town crier today  announced  that  the puny pumpkin grown by agronomist Robert Wesley-Smith  actually won the  giant   melon  section  at the Royal Darwin Show  and   he  has been   awarded  the  $500  first prize !!!!!!!!

Champion  pumpkin, named Mari.

 Admittedly  it was the only  pumpkin  entered in  the   contest  and officially  weighed in at a mere 53.85 kilos , well  short of  his rough  estimate of   "about 80" .  A  woman in  Katherine  recently  grew  a pumpkin which weighed 240 kilos. 

Wes says he   feels  somewhat embarrassed by  his win , but that is the way the pumpkin scone  crumbles . However , he  is  going  to donate  $100 of  the prize money  to  the  Horticultural  Hall .   

Another  100 bucks   will go  to  a  friend , Lurdes  Pereira  , a member of  Darwin's  Timorese  comunity, who  went to the showground in  her  car to take delivery of  the winning melon . 

A  well- built helper , from the Philippines,  is said to have  picked  up the melon , held  it   above his  head  , like Atlas   holding up the world , and  then placed it in  her  car. It  is  hoped  that  a  photo of  the  weight  lifting   will  be  provided  .

The  champion melon is destined  to  be included in a special  exhibition  in Darwin next month  highlighting the East  Timor struggle for freedom in which Wesley-Smith  and  his twin brothers, Peter and Martin, played  a  big part, all three awarded  the  Order of  Timor Leste , in Dili .  

Furthermore , it is intended  that many of  Wes's  large  collection of  East  Timor  campaign  T-shirts , about 30,  will  be  displayed  along  with  the victorious   pumpkin. 

Wes  has had a  long involvement with the American political  system . He took  Jimmy  Carter, Henry Kissinger  and others  to task over East   Timor . In recent times he donated small amounts to  the  Democratic Party. It is possible that some of  the remainder of the   pumpkin  prize money  could  be  sent  to   Kamala's election  kitty. 

(Pumpkin, Timor, Kamala )