Friday, November 28, 2008

I've re -found my Creative Energy


This is the farm I am looking after for 10 days. The first 2 days were filled with rain, nearly constantly. A really good excuse to watch a few DVD's while I get some work done.
I had made these two crocheted, over sized hats and fulled them down in the washing machine. The first one, made before I'd deciphered the 'weird' pattern was still too large to ever be a hat, so earmarked it for a bag. But they have sat unfinished for ages!
Now, here in a 'new space', and on my own, I have a 'freedom' I haven't known for what seems, like years !


This is one of my temporary work stations


Also I was not able to be online for those two days, until I worked out the ways of using the house computer so look what I have been doing instead.....
























This is one side of my freeform needle felting, which I have no idea as yet, what it is going to end up as/ If by a miracle, I get it finished into something, or close to, I will give it to a talented local musician, who turns 21 tomorrow. Something stylish for her to wear or carry as she travels the world's music venues. Lokk out for Camilla Hadgkins, the eldest of 7 kids who along with Dad Bob make up The Perch Creek Family Jug Band.
Camilla won a scholarship, years ago and went down to Sytdney to study at The Conservatorium. High School, She used to busk with her Harp, made by father Bob, at all the local markets and had her first CD out at 15, or so ! They're having a big party over the weekend with bands playing and lots of freeform music !


















And this is The Pinacle, which towers up behind the house. It's a peninsula of land, that sweeps down from the Border Ranges, the western rim of the Caldera. The track down across and up to the tip is very narrow in places, and they have even semi-closed the track now, I think. Haven't been out on it for years. My partner and I used to camp further back along the rim at Black Butt Lookout. our most favorite breakfast balcony in the Life of a Nomad! The sun came out today ! but there are thunderstorms predicted for tomorrow. Went out mushrooming again this afternoon Mmmmm, mushroom omlette for tea!

'Welcome to Country', Party at Hanging Rock Hall




Finally I have time to write this up.

November 22nd we headed of to the wonderful community made, stone and wood hall, to help brother Michael set up the Chai Tent, for a community party put on to invite some 'new friends to be' from the Mulli Mulli Community, somewhere west of here, in the Kyogle Shire.
Put on with the help of a grant, which enabled the Mulli Mulli people to bring a school bus of kids and teenagers,and a few cars wirh some of the elders, the one and a half hour journey, and paid for food and drinks for them, ably cooked on the BBQ and in the kitchen by the men and women of the Bush Fire Brigade and Hall Committee.

It was a wild and windy day


and the flags and tent were buffeted. and flapped with gusto. but held up ! And the promised Thunderstorm was never seen ...?
I was a wonderful day of two communities coming together and sharing music and dance and cups of Sovereign Tea and Chai !

Local singer song writer Loren, played around sunset, singing about community. I couldn't resist his awesome words, and danced the stories out, for all to see. ( an impromptu performance, as I was, for a long while, the only one dancing, and my style is movement and mime based.)
It made up for two recently missed, cafe concerts he has played, ( I was just saving up for the right venue, Somewhere with lots of space to dance in, on grass!)
My crook hip paid heavily that night as I tried to sleep, rolling round trying to get comfy !

After dark the fire lantern 'Phoenix was placed in it's stand, on the centrally laid fire, (Beautifully built by the 'Fireys',who had their truck on hand for any firey emergencies).
With a north wind, blowing hot all day, it was not, the ideal day to light a fire, but with sunset, the winds dropped back, to a balmy evening, so Fire Ceremony lighting was approved ! Yaay !




Lewis Walker, of the Bundjulung, spoke and played the traditional Welcome to Country, then played, to the Phoenix as the flames took hold, and an awesome sight it was, as the Spirit of the Phoenix was released, to be reborn in us all, in the Spirit of New Friendships !


But the final parting was very moving, as Lewis farewells the Spirit of the Phoenix !



Can you 'see' the 'spirit' leaving the fire .......

There was music and dance in the hall til midnight, with the wondeful 8 person line up 'CBD Dub Collective', and music and dance, out round the fire, til the wee small hours, of a quieter nature. May there be more such gaterings and coming together of community !

( and may there be 'better communication about what time thiings start, an order and a program, known in advance. The Elders and young Mulli Mullians left too early, as they'd arrived at the advertised time, of noon as we had beleived too, that the official 'Welcome to Country was to be held then.)

Monday, November 17, 2008

Etsy DUST Gift Guide


Have you seen the New etsyDUSTer's Gift Guide ? You can browse for gifts by category. There are 12 items shown per shop with more to be seen within each. Check it out here
http://www.dustteam.com/admin/gift_guide.php

And for the Month of November we have the DUST (Down Under Street Team) Oceans and Islands Sale
http://www.etsy.com/search_results.php?search_type=tag_title_all&search_query=%22dust+team+sale%22

Monday, November 10, 2008

Welcome Back Benny Zable

Well the day started out looking pretty wet and miserable, but with all our positive intent, we lifted the cloud and a beautiful cool day was had by the few who braved the ominous early rain.
Benny is back from his 3 months in America, all 'abuzz' with Obama, and his adventures over there.
The Chai Tent was 'up and at em' early ! with Michael and Ots there at 6.30, the tent was up, the flags were up, the Chai was ready, before 9.30 ! (lately it's been getting later and later, with one thing or another).
When we got there, all was ready, and I didn't have to do a thing, except put up my stall, which was nice and small, just a display and an outing for 'the hats'.
Just as well too, as my energy is quite low at the moment, with another heavy flow.

Here's Benny, getting his tight neck and shoulders worked on, receiving a much needed massage from our resident 'pop-in' masseurs, Branwen and QJ. Branwen is wearing her newly remade Gumnut Pixie Antenna to the Universe.



Later when the drummers started up, Benny climbed his Barrels and created a spontaneous piece of theatre, the energies gathered and built up, and later when it was very 'high', I entered into the dance, and physically, psychically, and ritually gathered in the combined energy, and sent it with full intent, down to our Brothers and Sisters,(Forest Defenders), in Southern Tasmania, who are in great need of support !
I received several SMS messages the night before from Rissah, back down in Tassie, living in the heart of Geeveston, (Gateway to the Southern Forests), saying she is living in a War Zone, amid unprecedented violence, she has to take great care going to the shop, and she Doesn't Go Out At Night !
People at the market had heard on the news, something about severe beatings and car bombings ???Not sure what's been going on fully, but it dosen't sound good. Tasmanian Loggers have been watching and learning from their mainland peers and subverting to violence. Not good !!!





Who 'Nose' what's going on ????




Long after the market stalls have packed up and gone home, they party on at The Chai Tent, as we pack up.



At this time of year we are graced with the beauty of the Jacaranda Trees, not indigenous to Australia, and now classified as a 'weed' here in Northern Rivers region. But oh so nice ! I just Love Jacarandas, they fill me with yummy-ness, the colour grabs me every time I see it. Soon I shall make a painting featuring them. Here at The Channon, there is this magnificent tree, and yesterday it was spectacular! Last year the November market was canceled due to heavy rains, so we missed seeing it's glory, but yesterday late afternoon, the light was wonderful.





It's a long job as everything needs to be washed and certain pots and pans have to be packed into the OLD trailer first. The order of packing is due to loading the trailer right, for the weight distribution. So it is not until 10.30 ish that we are packed and ready to leave. Sometimes a bit earlier, many times a lot later.

Usually we have music nearly all the way to the van doors being closed !! One day the 'Dream' is, to have a new purpose designed trailer, built to enable a much better functioning system. Michael gets very 'stressed ' at times with the inadequacies of the current trailer, and would so dearly love to build his design.
It would make taking the Chai Tent to functions such as The Tent Embassy in Canberra for Sovereignty Day, a much more feasible proposition !
Anyone feel like being a Benefactor, or do you know of someone who needs a good 'Community' effort to support

Saturday, November 8, 2008

About DUST sheet for DUSTer's

Here is a sheet for interested DUSTer's to copy and print on the back of Anna aka Petit Palais' sheet on About Etsy flyer, if I can work out how to attach it or link it. Here's hoping....... I will be away all tomorrow at The Channon Market, leave early get home round midnight, long, long day, but lots of fun serving chai, washing cups and dancing to the drums (little bit only for these injured bones).

Don't think this has worked, but will post it and see if it corrects itself.

No it didn't like all the html text at the beginning so I kept deleting every thing it didn't like which was the Dust banner and then squashed the two long flyers into one repeated list, I'll have to learn how to share it with you all.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Panorama Update



The horizon has appeared at last ! Early stages yet, just blocking in the basic colours, but it's good to see it appearing out of the white-out !

Click Here to see the next instalment.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

The Paint starts to flow Finally

Well after a couple of weeks of just looking at my preliminary sketches, I finally put brush to palette and canvas. Have been feeling very tired of late, with no energy to feel inspiration.The heat and humidity of the sub-tropical build up, which was early again, has sapped my little available energy.
So yesterday I got going. Learning to use acrylics will take me a while on a canvas of this size, makes me want to use oils, just to have a longer working time,before the paint dries. At least for the broad areas like the sky, it's hard to get the colour down and achieve the right graduation from dark to light or vice versa. Lucky we have some wonderful clouds to paint in it's fore-sky, in this region. I am often taking photos of the amazing formations I see as we drive around the caldera.

Will have to do a canvas of sky, with the wispy clouds I wanted in this one, painted them out as they need more room to properly fit in a sky, along with the lower altitude heavier clouds .




But slowly I'm getting there. Can't start the rest til I get the sky almost right. Feeling happy with the clouds. Might have to just feature the Thunder-head clouds that we've been seeing lately.