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If you love black cats you’ll be delighted to know there are two national days that recognize these beautiful animals: Black Cat Appreciation Day and National Black Cat Day! “Philosophy is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat. Metaphysics is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat that isn’t there. Theology is like being in a dark room and looking for a black cat that isn’t there, and shouting “I found it!” Science is like being in a dark room looking for a black cat while using a flashlight.” – Black Cat Analogy “A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.” – Groucho Marx Source alwaystheholidays.com/black-cat-quotes/

In its prime, the rocking horse raced past other toys to become an envied playroom piece of its time. It was enhanced, improved and made safer over time, with its popularity skyrocketing. Then the rocking horse all but faded away, until waves of nostalgia and a longing for this old fashioned favorite once again took root. The history of the rocking horse is one of a handcrafted wooden rocking horse, and it includes the story of two toy horses that came before it, the hobby horse and the barrel horse. During the medieval times, the hobby horse was the horse of choice. The hobby horse design featured a fake horse’s head that was attached to a long stick. Little ones would throw one leg over the stick to “get on” and gallop around with delight. The hobby horse design is still popular today, inspiring creative play and movement. During the 16th century the barrel horse came, well, barreling onto the scene, if you will. A barrel horse design featured a big round log that was supported by four legs with a handcrafted horse head. This gave kiddie riders more room to sit on than the hobby horse. It wasn’t until the 17th century that current rocking horse designs appeared in Europe, around the same time that bow rockers were invented. The specific place of origin and who exactly invented the rocking horse are unknown. Original rocking horses were made of solid wood and could tip over easily. In 1880, Philip Marqua from Cinncinnati contributed to the rocking horse with his invention of the “safety stand.” The safety stand offered a glider type base that was safer than the classic bow rockers and it also took up less space in motion. Source: www.dutchcrafters.com/blog/the-history-of-the-rocking-horse/

Have you ever wondered what became of Witton Manor, the first house ever built in Indooroopilly? Mr Rawnsley was among the first European settlers who came to Indooroopilly in 1860. He purchased land south of Witton Creek and built the first house in the area, Witton Manor, in 1861. Witton Manor was originally built on the present site of Nudgee Junior College, now Ambrose Treacy College. Indooroopilly’s steep river banks were deemed unsuitable for farming compared to other adjacent towns like St Lucia, where sugar was grown. The area was vacant for some time until Mr Rawnsley surveyed the land in 1858 and purchased his estate to build the Witton Manor. David McConnel of Cressbrook Station in the Brisbane Valley, bought Witton Manor from Rawnsley to use as a townhouse. His wife, Mary McConnel, was documented to have been concerned when they moved into Witton Manor. The McConnels routinely stayed Witton Manor and ran a stud cattle, an important industry in this side of Brisbane. However, a few years later, the McConnels sold their property to Andrew Bogle from Scotland, who helped establish the Witton Township by subdividing the land’s 5 to 30 acres for ownership. By the first decade of the 1900s, Witton Manor was linked to the Tighnabruaich estate owned by H.B. Hemming, a Sydney-born solicitor who kept to himself and didn’t mingle with Birbane’s society. Mr Hemming renamed Witton Manor to Witton House and moved the property from its original site to the Tighnabruaich grounds. The Hemmings lived in Witton House in 1920, which was a lot smaller than Tighnabruaich. But the Witton House was mainly used to display his extensive art collection. Tighnabruaich and Witton House remained with the Hemmings until the patriarch’s death in 1942. The houses were used as military facilities during the Second World War. Witton House was designated to be the sergeants’ mess, and then as a personnel depot and records office until the 1950s, when was subdivided into flats for senior Army officers. In 1967, Witton House was demolished to make way for the Witton Barracks. Source: indooroopillynews.com.au/index.php/whatever-happened-to-w...