26 February 2018
Smell-Feast
noun
Say you’ve laid out a big dinner for some invited guests. Knock knock, someone at the door. Oh, look. It’s an uninvited guest, and they’re expecting to have a slice or two of that fine roast beast on the table. This freeloader is known as a smell-feast. They probably didn’t bring a bottle of wine, either.
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Today’s quote
Research is formalized curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose.
– Zora Neale Hurston
On this day
26 February 1829 – birth of Levi Strauss, German-born, American clothing manufacturer. Most notable for Levi jeans. Died 26 September 1902.
26 February 1887 – birth of José Paronella in Catalonia, northern Spain. In 1913, Paronella travelled to Innisfail, Queensland, to establish himself before bringing his fiance, Matilda, over to join him. Eleven years later he returned for her, only to find that she’d married someone else. José was determined to return to Australia with a wife, so proposed to Matilda’s younger sister, Margarita, and the couple travelled to Australia 12 months later. José purchased 5 hectares (13 acres) of land at Mena Creek where the couple commenced building their dream home, which ended up being a regal Catalan-style castle. They planted more than 7,000 trees around the property and in 1933, built North Queensland’s first hydro-electric plant to power the property. They built a 47 step stair case, tennis courts, a pavilion with turret-topped balconies, a movie theatre which they transformed into a ball-room with live bands that people from surrounding areas could enjoy for dances, a museum that housed collections of coins, pistols, dolls, timbers and keepsakes. He also excavated a tunnel through a small hill on the property. It was never completed, but he had intended on it becoming a ‘tunnel of love’.José died on 23 August 1948. He and Margarita had two children. Margarita died in 1967. In 1979 the castle was ravaged by fire, leaving on the walls and turrets standing. In 1986, the park was further damaged from Cyclone Winifred. In 1993, the park was partially restored. The park again suffered damage in 2006 when Cyclone Larry struck. In 2009, the hydro-electric plant was rebuilt. Today, visitors can tour the grounds and walk through what would have been the ‘tunnel of love’, which is now inhabited by ghost bats. The property is heritage-listed and a fascinating and spectacular part of North Queensland’s history.
26 February 1928 – birth of Fats Domino, American rhythm and blues, and rock and roll musician. He sold more than 5 million records and had 35 U.S.A. Top 40 hits. His songs included Blueberry Hill, When My Dreamboat Comes Home, Whole Lotta Loving.
26 February 1932 – birth of Johnny Cash, American singer and musician. Cash was considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Hits included Folsom Prison Blues, Ring of Fire, Get Rhythm, I Walk the Line, A Boy Named Sue. Died 12 September 2003.
26 February 1945 – birth of Peter Brock, Australian car racing legend. Died 8 September 2006.