Sad days

I’ve just spent the past half hour trying to upload a photo onto this post but didnt’ succeed. I’ve only ever managed to do it once. I’m feeling a bit frustrated because we have lots of wondeful photos but can’t seem to share them. Probably should talk to Ryan.

Any way, I was going to say that is now nearly a week since Mil, Martin and Nina left us. Day to day life without them is just not the same. I keep finding toys or books or things Nina loved to play with and bursting into tears. I keep looking over to their cabin in the evening and there is darkness most of the time. An era has come to an end and at the moment all I feel is an big empty hole here. We have another family moving in next year and that should be good but it won’t be the same. The nice thing is that after they flew off last Sunday, our aborignal neighbours, John and Mallie invited us over in the evening. We turned up and amzingly Mallie had prepared this wonderful meal. She had set up a  table outside with a table cloth and had cheese and biscuits and olives and sundreid tomaotes and good wine, and she had made vegie soup and pasta and garlic bread and there was cheesecake for desert. I was so touched. She had put in a lot of effort and prepared food she knew we liked. I was feeling so miserable and that meal cheered me up no end. She said she had promised Mil she would look after us and she did.  Those acts make so much difference. I think we can soldier on here.

A land of extremes

As  I write this a storm is slowly receding into the distance. It’s been all thunder and lightening and heavy rain for the past hour. And less than a week ago we were fighting fires just on the other side of Honeymoon Gap.  I didn’t do much but Keith and a few locals managed to prevent the fire buring on the other side of the mountain from coming over into our valley. When you live remote you find out that the fire officials don’t do a lot for you and you have to do it yourself. After this down pour I doubt there’s a spark any where near us.

It’s certainly a place of extremes out here. The last couple of weeks Alice has been covered in a smoke haze and the setting sun each night is a bright red. Not long ago there was so much rain and everything was so green and the rivers kept running. We get drought and abundance and then fire. And it’s all so in your face. Not to mention the frost only stopped about a month ago. And as soon as they stop the insects start building up. I just hope we dont’ get another mouse plague.  It’s not always comfortable but you can’t just forget the environment around you here. ANd there is alwys so much beauty. Even walking among the black fire ravaged bush with a red fire ball of setting sun is so dramatic.

We had a bunch of astrologers staying here a couple of weeks ago and they had these incredible telescopes to see the stars with. Despite the smoke in the sky at the time, we could see stars looking like such jewels through these telescopes. It’s always good to contemplate the stars. Keeps a good perspective on things. With a name like Stella, how could I do otherwise.

Fire and music

As usual, it’s been ages since I wote a post. I often have the thought, “Oh, I should blog that” but then life keeps going and it passes me by. Any way, we had a big day here at Honeymoon Gap yesterday so I thought I should blog it before that gets away from me too.  The day started a bit smoky as it has done for the past week because there have been fires nearby in the National Park.  They have been doing a lot of controlled burning to bring the grass down before summer, but unfortunately it got out of hand in a few places. Fortunately it has not been too catastrophic and the fires have mainly stayed at ground level, sparing the trees. The air is pretty hazy in the morning but clears as the day warms up. Any way, after yesterday our recently refurbished big octagonal room is now well and truly christened. In the day we had Magrida’s 9th birthday party and had a pretty ruthelss game of musical chairs, which was great fun. In the evening the amazing  Anna (one of our wonderful young people staying on the property) organised a music evening. She and her partner set the room up with cushions, couches and candles and created the best vibe and invited in some of the local musicans to perform, including a small choir. I’d say about 70 people came, from babies to grandparents, and a bunch of aboriginal people too. It was a pretty magical night. And everyone really helped out with all the work so it wasn’t too stressful at all.

turning 60 (odd part)

I am conscious of how our odd community has had a penchant for decamping to odd parts of the world inspired by odd visions and dreams. Whilst this odd behaviour has brought about some interesting and broadening outcomes it has challenged our ability to frequently meet as odd bods. So it was with some happiness that many odd bods were able to get together. There was also some sadness around the reality that its almost impossible to achieve 100% geographical proximate oddity in no small part because of the living out of odd visions or hallucinations in odd places on the globe.

However it was amazing how good it was to have all these odd folk together to play for nearly a week together. So whilst for me it wasn’t a birthday celebration as such it was wonderful to stuff around, oddly knowing that because I was momentously turning 60 people applied extra effort to the proceedings. So thank you all and one. It was one of the very very excellent weeks of my life. As a result I am planning to turn 60 again next year to see if we can come up with another odd ball scheme of fun. Or maybe someone else can turn something odd.

Month of Music

Well, it feels as though the past month has been totally filled with music for us. It started with the big wedding at our place which was a very musical event becasue most of the bride’s family are musos. Then Keith and I went to see Paul Kelly for part of his A-Z concerts he is touring the country with. He sings all his songs in alpahabetical order. We caught F-L. We kept encoring for M but he kept that for the next night. Paul is one of those great musos (like Neil Murray) who regularly come to Alice. Then there was Byron Bay Blues and Roots. I won’t say a lot about that as others already have and, to be honest, it didn’t all really come together that well for me. At music festivals there are too many decisions (when to go in, who to see, whether to stand or sit, whether to hang with others or go it alone) and I felt I kept making the wrong ones. Any way, there were some special moments - Gurrumul, Buffy St Marie, Kate Miller Heidke, Elvis Costello. But probably the most fun I had was dancing with Jem, Gem and Gassan to Raul someone-or-other,  a latin singer who was described as a combination of Roy Orbison and Los Lobos. Unfortunately for me, Bob Dylan’s performance was a non event as I was too far back and the bugger wouldn’t allow the screens to be used and he didn’t sound that good an you probably had to be a die hard fan really. After Byron we went to Sydney for a couple of days and saw Eric Bibb in the Blackheath Community Hall with Jem and Gem. That was a special night. There was this big hall, like any church hall, packed with tables and chairs. It was BYO food and drink – a  night of nibbles extrordinaire! The things the people at our table brought put our nibbles to shame. And Eric was amazing. He has such a wonderful spirit! It was the best vibe. And it was so comfortable to be able to sit and eat and drink and listen to music and be able to see the performer… unlike Byron where you had to choose which of these options you would go for. And then this week was the grand finale! We saw the Soweto Gospel choir here in Alice performing with Asante Sana, our local African style choir, and the choirs from 2 aboriginal commuunities. It was all wonderful. The vibrancy, colour and energy of the Soweto choir was something you just can’t describe. But the most moving part was when, at the end, all the choirs came together on stage to sing 2 songs together. I cried. There were all these shy community aborignal women up there with these totally out there Africans amongst the other choir filled with many people I know, and there was so much joy in it all. One older aborigianl woman on a stick was in the centre of it all and couldn’t stop beaming. It was such healing to my spirit after coming back to a hectic week and having a cold. Another nice little thing was that Keith is normally in Asante Sana but because of all the work he had to do for the wedding and going to Byron, he could not make the practices so he missed out this year. I was worried it would be a bit sad for him not being on stage witht he choir. Any way, we wound up sitting in the third row, right next to Ted Eagan, who normally stood beside Keith singing in the choir in the tenors. Ted told Keith he had missed out too because he had been away performing in various music festivals, as he still does (although not in Byron). Any way, Ted and Keith both knew the last couple of songs form previous years and could sing along together withthe choirs and feel part of it. It was kind of nice. But the main message is to all of you in Sydney – make sure you see this choir!! They are amazing! They dance as much as sing… and they do it with so much energy and passion and dignity and joy. Jane, Hannah would love it!!!

turning 60 (part 1)

Turning 60 is a weird thing. Its like is this when you start thinking about what you did in life rather than what you are going to do? If I’m really lucky 2/3 of my life is gone and I’d have to be lucky to be that lucky. Its all a bit frightening to be frank. The last day of my fifties however made me reflect on the joys of my pre 60’s and provided some spiritual insights.

The location: Byron Bay Blues Festival 2011 where Bob Dylan came to town and where I chose to enter the final third……. (Hopefully). It was Bob Dylan amongst many others who taught me to love and respect the blues. Indeed more generally music. He also influenced my communal values and beliefs along with the Church. For me the Blues comes from a voice of ordinary people about ordinary but often challenging things. Structurally simple but at its best spiritually complex. It reminds me of the psalms in that it names the struggles but rejoices in the possibility of redemption.

This day at Blues Fest started off with Trombone Shorty. A muscular man with startling talent, and an equal serving of male brashness. Somehow this celebration of blues testosterone was what kicked me to life. Sort of like: Who says blues is a bit old hat.

Taking things to the other end the Blind Boys of Alabama. They are a bunch of old Blind Guys who sing gospel music. Whilst they have been fairly successful musically it wouldnt have really mattered what they played. They were just great fun. I love the way music can be beautiful, brash, raw, complex, simple. Think of an adjective and music can take you there.

The spiritual highlight was BB King. A man who has played the blues all his life and at 85 he’s still doing it. He has lived through a sort of Blues drought over the last 30 years (where Blues has been seen as a bit unsophisticated) but has just kept doing what he loves. The tent was absolutely packed maybe 8000 people. His performance was fragile but no one left. People quickly realised we were here to honour a spiritual elder. His every faltering riff was cheered. Some would say he should have given up before he embarrassed himself. For me and so many other people it was nothing of the sort. Keep at it till you cant. I cried. Here was a man who has kept the faith through the dark years and here we stood together, people who love music, old and young, to honour him and what he stands for. Without wanting to push the association too far he reminds me a little of Nelson Mandela. He is another man who kept his faith in the future of an impossible dream in the face of overwhelming evidence against any likelihood of the success of that vision. He too just kept going refusing to accept no as an answer. Funny but BB also looked a bit like Nelson.

I could have gone home totally satisfied but no there was still more: the steak knives. These two Mexicans with a couple of nylon string guitars took the stage and for the next hour and a half shifted the earth off its axis. Rodgrigo Y Gabriela. I don’t think I could even categorise what the music Maybe Rock Flamenco would be closest. It was one of those rare times where I just didn’t want it to end.

Well that night was a spiritual gift to me. One of my richest Bluesfest experiences with enough encouragement to think the 60’s can be what I make them until I no longer can. However a warning: I’ll be getting worse not better.

Whitegums wedding

Oh good. I’ve found myself again. For a while I thought I would be forever Keith in blog world. I dont’ remember agreeing to giving up my identlty when we got married.

Thought I should update on moves here at Whitegums. Main news is that our lovely big glass octagonal room is now finished… all painted, carpetted and windows fixed and clean. It looks fantastic with its views to the Gap and the mountains. We needed a deadline to get it all done and a big wedding provided that deadline. Last Saturday there were 172 peoeple here for a wedding. And amazingly (given Keith’s and my record with weddings!) it was perfect weather and everything went really well. It’s just that Keith and I have been working our butts off for the last month. I should also mention that Mil, Martin, Libby and Ryan helped out enormously! Mil and Libby cleaned out all the mice and their droppings from the retreat hut where the newly weds spent their first night, and Martin and Ryan did a huge amount of the grass cutting. And then there was the painting! Libby, Keith and I did a lot of that! We made the place look absolutely fantastic! It’ll probably never look so good again. And then came the wedding event manager extrordinaire to attend to all the prettying up. When she had me scrubbing the white rocks that were part of the table decorations, I did feel things were going just a tad far .  The couple got married in Honeymoon Gap and then walked across the road to our place for the reception and the table decorations looked terrific. Absolutely everyone commented on how clean the rocks were.  The Lutheran pastor conducted the service. He was a cool dude with a ponytail who spoke about love and St Francis, the hippy. The bride’s brother heads up Alice’s big band (“Dr Strangeways”) so we had a pretty musical evening. I even danced for a while before totally collapsing after allthe rock scrubbing. Then the next day I got to wash up about 800 glasses. Any way, it’s done. It hasn’t taken Alice Springs long to know that the room is now up and going. We have already had 2 requests for people to run silent meditation retreats here. The “silent” sounds good. And no more weddings! I now feel I can go back to my life that seems to have been put on hold for this wedding. I am reading a great book called “The Case for God.” I should write about that another time when I have managed to read it all in some peace and quiet on my verandah.

River front property

Well, a lot of the rain has even made it to the centre. This weekend our place boasts river frontage. I felt a bit like I was on holidays. We could pop over to the river for a swim when we felt like it. And Nina really liked it. I hadn’t had a lot of success enticing Nina into water but she loved it this weekend. She really loves sitting in the water on the sand and putting fistfuls of sand into her mouth. I guess it’s not so unpleasant when you don’t have teeth. And I also hopped on Keith’s surfski and paddled down the creek (managing not to get run over at the intersection with the road). That was heaps cool. Everyone in Alice seemed to be out enjoying the water in the creeks and rivers. It was great to see. It’s been a lovely weekend and a good break.

crossing the road

alice springs is a dangerous place. there is a location near where we live where vehicles run through te intersection of larapinta drive and row creek at ridiculous speeds. trucks fly by not looking out for traffic coming the other way. there should be traffic lights but they havent been prioritised.

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thankfully ryan is a careful paddler and waits for a gap in the traffic

Hot in the centre

I’m not sure if I have mentioned that it is really hot here in Alice. Every day over 40 degrees, no night minimum below 25 degrees, and even the pool never goes below 30 degrees, so I even get hot swimming my laps.  It’s hot! We managed to keep our cool on Australia Day and find a canyon where the water was actually cold. It was also incredibly beautiful. Much needed refreshment. We went with a few wonderful people, including Ryan, who has now arrived to stay for a bit. Must have rocks in his head to move to Alice this time of year. Any way, it’s nice to have him and Libby around.

Work’s been challenging with me bumping up big time with the failure of mental health workers to take into acount the impact of trauma on people’s mental health. Any way, that’s a whole big story keeping me awake on some of these hot nights.