Biodiversity Bear

Having registered a new graphic design business name I've been really busy for weeks but I'm not getting wealthier because it's all voluntary. As well as doing some quick colour and title changes for my partner's music books (having done the initial artwork as well), I have been 'flat out like a lizard drinking' - designing posters and a logo for a group who are against prescribed burning - at least in the way it is currently being conducted in this state. 

It's a delicate subject in a fire prone country in the context of global warming but the nub of the issue is that prescribed burns carried out by the Dept. of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (they change their name every couple of years and this one is a real joke) are 'hot', ill-timed, frequent and uninformed. They destroy habitat and fauna which aren't recovering. The group - which I will write about more later - isn't against 'cool' burns as long as they are informed, guided and carried out according to traditional Aboriginal land management practices that have been developed over millennia. We think the government have no bloody idea and are basically wrecking the joint to cover their own arses. Dropping incendiary fire bombs into heritage wilderness is insane. They understand nothing of the complex relationships between bioturbators (e.g. bandicoots, mardos and numbats) and ecological systems that depend on each other and, if managed correctly, obviate the 'need' to burn the crap out of the bush.

As a result of this involvement I decided to resurrect Munted Bear for a good cause. As you can see, he's started his own group. 

This is my new logo. People who know me think it is very appropriate. I chose the name because it matches my eccentric madness, but also because we have been swimming in the pristine turquoise waters of Madfish Bay a lot lately. The surf everywhere has been rubbish and overrun by tourists. I'll blog about Madfish Bay another time.

Images: Author.

Aussie 'Christmas'

The Australian bush is beautiful - mostly in a harsh sort of way. Despite popular myth, not every creature or plant is out to kill you - though many might try in self defence. In the spirit of Christmas I'm posting the Aussie version of a 'Christmas Tree'. It's botanical name is nuytsia floribunda. Indigenous people call it the mooojar or kaanya* tree and treat it with great respect because it is associated with the souls of the dead.

‘When I die I shall go through the sea to Kurannup where all my moorurtung (relations) will be waiting on the shore for me, waiting with meat and drink for me…Kurannup is the home of my dead people and I must go to them, and my kaan-ya must be free to rest on the kaan-ya tree (Nuytsia floribunda) before it journeys through the sea. Since Nyitting (cold) times (long time ago) all Bibbulmun kaan-ya have rested on this tree on their way to Kurannup; and I have never broken a branch or flower, or sat under the shade of the tree because it is the kaan-ya tree only winnaitch (forbidden, sacred).’ (Noongar informant Joobaitch, see Bates in Bridge 1992: 14)

‘No living Bibbulmun* ever sheltered or rested beneath the shade of the tree of souls; no flower or bud or leaf of the tree was ever touched by child or adult; no game that took shelter beneath it was ever disturbed.’ (Bates 1938 in Bridge 1992: 153)

'The Swan River Aborigines say that an evil being, called Nyowalong, wanders about in the night-time, in the Banksia forests, collecting the gum of the Nuytsia floribunda, which he puts into bags hanging all round his body. They assert that he is like an old man walking about in half-sitting attitude, and carrying a wanna, or yam-stick, and that he utters a short, sharp screech at every step. I enquired why they never speared him; but they were indignant at the idea and replied – “One might as well try to spear a grass tree, he is so surrounded with gum bags”. Although they eat the gum which exudes from the acacias, hakeas, and other trees, they never touch the Nuytsia gum; for, were they to do so, they say Nyowalong would certainly do them some secret injury; but the fact is, it is not an edible gum – they make a virtue of necessity.”'  (Chauncy 1878: 267-268)

The Aussie Christmas tree is hemiparasitic and only grows in Western Australia. It just happens to flower around Christmas time (in Noongar Birak season) and maybe that's why Europeans claimed it for their own celebrations. There are several flowering close to us but we don't have any on our 5 acres.

I'm not a Christian and I don't buy into the commercial hype so Christmas day for me is really about getting together in the bush or at the beach with my partner and a couple of close friends. And while we are on the subject of beaches and quintessential Aussie icons - here's a photo of a joey (kangaroo) chillin' at Bremer Bay 400km east of us.

Whatever your beliefs and wherever you are in the world, I hope you are blessed in whichever way you choose to be during this year's summer Solstice. 

*kaanya refers to the 'recently departed souls of the dead'
*Bibbulmun refers to one of several clans that live 'next door' to the Menang, inside the Noongar nation in the SW of WA.
Quotes courtesy of Anthropology from the Shed
Photo of tree: Dougall Topping Photography
Photo of kangaroo: Alice Reddington Photography

More on Bandicoots

This short video explains a bit more about bandicoots and how they have adapted to us (or not). The comment about blackberries and weeds clarified why they might actually do OK in feral built up areas with adjoining scrub. 

It's sad but bandicoots now need us to survive. I'm doing my best to help them and instead of building a bungalow as shown in the previous bandicoot video, I decided to use the natural materials I gathered tidying up an area. Instead of relocating the small branches and scrubby foliage, I piled it strategically against an existing tree in the same spot. There's not much point posting a photo because it is too well camouflaged. I'm going to do this wherever I can.

I am also allowing some of the bracken to grow right down to the edge of the drive in places to make it easier for these little guys to make it across the open space, until the native vegetation fills in and I can remove some of the bracken. And here's an example of how regulatory systems don't give a rat's arse about preserving wildlife. We are required to maintain a minimum 6 metre wide cleared access route along our driveway, and 6 metre wide firebreaks around the entire property. It's well known, or should be by now, that bandicoots are very reluctant to cross a space wider than 5 metres without cover. Males looking for a mate in the breeding season are forced to do the kamikaze run across our 2 lane highways which are more like 15 metres across. I regularly see them running like hell, nose down without looking. It's almost like they shut their eyes and just go for it. Tragically many are hit by cars.

Humans! As Lou Reed would say: stick a fork in their arse and turn them over. They're done.

Christmas Meme

 

Captain Scratchy does it again.

Digital Dogs

One of my work colleagues asked me if I could copy a style of digital photo manipulation to create 3 portraits of her family pooches who had crossed over the rainbow bridge. I adjusted contrast and saturation, and applied a Filter in Photoshop to get the effect above. That was the easy part. Each dog had to be separated from its background and some bits redrawn because detail can be lost when you apply that particular Filter. The client wanted a navy blue background but I talked her out of it because the dog pictured here would have been lost, and all the backgrounds had to be the same.

Here are 'before' and 'after' images of Bootz. This is the original photo.

And this is Bootz after I had made my initial adjustments, cut him out and applied the Filter. I suggested this as a background but the client wanted the blue *ho hum*. I find this the most difficult aspect of graphic design work but I am better at it than I was. As a young person I wouldn't have been able to compromise my aesthetics, but I am glad I can now because I like doing these jobs.

You can see in the image below that Bootz's cute nose and endearing expression was lost when the Filter was applied, so this is me redrawing it. I think it was necessary to replace this detail (while maintaining the style of the Filter) to capture Bootz's 'essential character'. Like a lot of little dogs, I believe he was quite a character.

The image below is a mockup of all 3 on a wall in frames. It was my idea to add the ground and shadows because they needed something to 'sit' on.

Some were easier than others to cut out and manipulate and it took me about 6 hours do the lot. Of course I can't charge what my time was really worth because like a lot of graphic design work, there is a limit to what you can ask for. And I charged 'mate's rates' anyway. My artist friend thought I should have charged a lot more but it's easy to price yourself out of the market. This work is additional to my teaching work which pays the bills, and small jobs like this help me get through the 6 week summer break without pay. 

Students often ask me what a painting is worth ie how much should they charge. I say: 'it's worth what someone will pay'. Unfortunately the arts don't pay well unless you have a high profile or are brilliant at marketing yourself. It is a ridiculously competitive field where many will do it for 'love' just to get themselves 'out there' and the general public have absolutely no idea how much knowledge and skill is required to create even a simple artwork well. It's very frustrating at times but it goes with the territory - though I still ask people how they think they'd fare if they tried to get their car fixed for $20 an hour, or even better - for free! Because yes, when you are an artist people ask you ALL the time to do stuff for free. Well hey - you do it for love anyway don't you?

In the end I'm content with the overall outcome. The client is very happy and I have another dog to digitise for another work colleague. It's not 'original' work - it doesn't compromise my intellectual property rights because it's basically a technical job, though many aesthetic decisions have to be made and drawing skill is required.

'Justine'

 

I've been meaning to post this for a while - it's another on the 'Commute' playlist I listen to on my 45 minute drive to work. Only one of the Australian Stone twins this time - Julia sans her brother Angus.

I've never been to California but this is the predictably pop culture image I hold of it. Most of it is probably nothing like this but one is allowed to have unrealistic expectations of far off places. Hell knows heaps of people have overly romantic views of Australia. I know they do because I hear what they say about this country and many people want to emigrate here. Of course the reality of any country is much more complex.

In the absence of harsh reality it's comforting to fantasise that there are beautiful places where love triumphs, the climate is perfect and life is carefree. 

Bandicoot Bungalows

 

We have Southern Brown Bandicoots on our 5 acres. We don't see them much but every so often I spot some digging activity and I know they've been here. Apparently 1 bandicoot needs 8 acres on which to roam. Given the amount of development and clearing it's a wonder they have survived at all this close to town.

Like all native animals, bandicoots are a critical part of the ecosystem. When I find the information I am looking for I will do another post about their role in fire management - yes, fire management! 

We do so many things so badly in this country. Ever since Europeans arrived we set out to systematically destroy the natural systems that operated for tens of thousands of years under Aboriginal care. My heart aches when I see habitat destroyed and native animals lying dead on the side of the road. I love this country. I really do love the bush, the beaches and all who live there. I get where Aboriginal people are coming from. I'm trying to preserve as much of our 5 acres in its natural form as I can - I am trying to restore the original bush - before bracken and Tea-tree took over. I want to pass it on to others if I have the opportunity.

Even though we have areas for bandicoots to hide and do their thing, there are other areas we have had to clear to build a house and maintain firebreaks. So I'm going to build some Banidicoot Bungalows in strategic spots to make sure they have somewhere to hide when the feral cats and foxes are trying to hunt them down. If you want to know what a Bandicoot Bungalow is - watch the short video.

Bandicoot image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_brown_bandicoot

Irrepressible

 

This digital painting of mine expresses how I feel about life on planet Earth. Might triumphs over right and the guy with the most money and the biggest gun wins. Yet there is something in the human spirit that is irrepressible - even when the odds are stacked against it. 

This photo (which I don't have a reference for) - makes me think there are still some things worth believing in and fighting for. I love this guy. If I were on the street this is probably something I would do. God bless him and his doggy friends.

The Game

                                 'Draw a stop sign and place something/someone in front of it'.

This is the last couple of art therapy techniques for now. Turns out I don't even need to submit these drawings to pass the unit. There is a test and some case studies to comment on which I have pretty much completed. The guiding questions for this exercise are:

• What did you place in front of the stop sign? 
• How does it relate to your life? 
• Does the item hurt you or help you?
• How long has it been there? 
• What are you doing to keep it there or take it away?

Once again the symbolism is opaque/obscure and I don't actually know what this one means either. But as I write I'm thinking - maybe it does make some sense in the context of my life at the moment.

I'm taking a risk here because I work for the government and I'm not supposed to say anything about my job. But what I'm about to say doesn't threaten prison security one little bit so maybe I don't give a flying fuck. This year has been terrible for many, possibly most, people and we are all emotionally exhausted. COVID hasn't directly affected our small part of the world but it has affected us indirectly in the west of Australia because of the economic fallout and the logistics of managing the virus, to varying degrees. 

For example earlier in the year my class size was cut in half to maintain COVID distancing - even though we had no cases in the prison system. There was also an unrelated OHS issue that forced me to teach in a room unfit for purpose. As a result my 'completion rates' are down and things like that affect our funding.  I work my arse off in that job. I work 2 x 7 hour days and get paid for 10 hours but I tolerate that because I love my work and the actual hourly rate is good. However, I'm supposed to get a certain number of students through per X amount of dollars I get paid, which means that through no fault of mine, my completion rates have been down. It's absolute bullshit - the REAL outcomes I achieve in my job aren't taken into account because they can't be measured. This is where we get into 'qualitative vs quantitative' territory and because the 'game' is set up in favour of the latter, quantity wins over quality EVERY damn time. The bean counters run the entire world and THAT'S turned out really well hasn't it?

I found out this week that in 2021 my teaching hours may be cut from 10 to 7.5 a week. I can barely pay my bills on 10 hours so losing 2.5 hours will make a difference. The reduction in my hours isn't a direct result of my lower completions this year but the decision to cut our budget is the result of a mean-spirited neo-liberal federal government whose favourite mantra is: 'if you HAVE a go, you'll GET a go'. WTF? Yeh, on a level playing field maybe.....

I'm gutted - and not just because of the money. I'm gutted because it will be the fifth government teaching job in which I have lost hours or entire contracts because of budget cuts. I feel obsolete - that I am once again being taken out of the game through no fault of my own. It's easy for others to say it is no reflection on my worth - they may be right but it certainly doesn't feel like that. 

Coming back from a surf today it occurred to me that at some point in my life, I joined 'the game'. As a younger artist I didn't care about it because I knew from the start that the game was bullshit. So now, when I'm being forced out of the game, I'm wondering why I even care - given that I never used to. I know more than ever that the game is bullshit - but I've lost faith. I used to believe that if I lost one job, something better would turn up - and it often did. But as an older person, an older woman too - in a culture in which women in my age bracket are the most insecure and at risk financially - I'm finding it impossible to stick to my mantra.

I will leave you with the last of my art therapy images. This one is 'Draw a seed and something growing out of it e.g. a fruit tree, idea or something you want for the future' and here are the guiding questions, which I have no clear answers for at the moment either:

• Tell me what is growing out of the seed?
• How long will it take to grow?
• What can you do to help it grow well?
• Is it something worth waiting for?

Images: Author. Hand drawn. Artline pen, texta and coloured pencil.

A Bit of Slide

I've been meaning to post this one for a while. It's on the 'Commute' play list I have compiled for my 50 minute drive to work. Enjoy the slide guitar - I love it.

Art Therapy Images

'Draw someone, something or a place that makes you feel safe'

My art therapy course finishes in a couple of weeks so I've ramped up trialling the techniques. I am enjoying making art purely for the fun of it, something that gets a bit lost in a long career. As I mentioned before, not having to worry about outcomes is liberating.

I'll spare you the indepth analyses, mainly because I haven't done them yet.

'Peering through the window'

This was a bit of a surprise. I worked intuitively and I don't know yet what it actually means.

'Draw something with your non-dominant hand'

This one is a view of my room looking out to the bush and it's my favourite. It took me ages because I faithfully coloured it all in with my left hand as well.

I also received my '250 Art Therapy Techniques' book in the mail and haven't had time to look at that either! I don't 'do' Christmas but things always get crazy busy this time of the year.

'Level of Concern'

 

Ok this is a bit random but I like to think I'm still open minded (occasionally). I was researching answers for my online Art Therapy course test. I've missed quite a few tutorials and therefore critical information. One question includes the phrase 'level of concern' which I haven't come across in an official capacity before. I thought I knew what it meant but I know it's important to understand the context, so I Googled it.

Annoyingly at first the screen was hijacked by a musical group I'd never heard of, even though I specifically entered 'level of concern: define'. After a couple of attempts I gave up and decided to listen to the song. I was pleasantly surprised. It's a bit electronic which I don't always love, but it's catchy and topical because it was written and performed during a COVID lockdown somewhere (I don't know where these guys live). I know musicians have been forced to be creative about how they record songs and this technique has been common this year.

The group is called '21 Pilots' and here are the poignant COVID relevant lyrics:

Panic on the brain, world has gone insane
Things are starting to get heavy, mm
I can't help but think I haven't felt this way
Since I asked you to go steady

Wonderin', would you be, my little quarantine?
Or is this the way it ends?

'Cause I told you my level of concern
But you walked by like you never heard
And you could bring down my level of concern
Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay

Panic on the brain, Michael's gone insane
Julie starts to make me nervous
I don't really care what they would say
I'm asking you to stay
My bunker underneath the surface

Wonderin', would you be, my little quarantine?
Or is this the way it ends?

'Cause I told you my level of concern
But you walked by like you never heard
And you could bring down my level of concern
Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay, yeah

Tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay, yeah
Tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay

Bring down my level of concern
Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay, yeah

'Cause I told you my level of concern
But you walked by like you never heard
You could bring down my level of concern
Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay

I need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay
Need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay
I need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay
Need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay
Need you now
I need you now

'Cause I told you my level of concern
But you walked by like you never heard
And you could bring down my level of concern
Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay, yeah

Tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay, yeah
Tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay

You could bring down my level of concern
Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay, yeah
In a world, where you could just lie to me
And I'd be okay, we'll be okay
(My level of concern) we're gonna be okay
(Just need you to tell me we're alright, tell me we're okay)
(I need you)

'The Figure Within' 2

This is a development of 'The Figure Within' art therapy technique I am working with for the art therapy course I am doing. There is a direct relationship between this image and the other 2 posts here and here. I may do a post on the whole process, from drawing 1 to 3 but for now, this is my analysis of this one (though it won't fully make sense without the other analyses):

'This drawing tells me that I am ’breathing in the Unconscious’ (because the sea is my symbol for it). I have long periods when I am cut off from my inner world – the practicalities of life get in the way. I know this is happening when I don’t remember my dreams. I haven’t been remembering them for quite a while but started to again when I began the art therapy course.

As well as reconnecting me with the Unconscious the drawing is an affirmation to listen to my own advice – as if doing the drawing will encourage me to commit to doing the meditation. I deliberately went back to complete the drawing of myself over the magazine printout because I have found that the act of ‘doing’ is important in the process.

I like how the paper cutout has wrinkled under the Posca pen and that you can see the edges of the magazine cutout underneath. I also like how the sea is visible through the mouth because it is physically impossible and this dissonance forces the mind into uncomfortable but more creative territory'.

Suffice to say I know what all of this means and it is helpful which confirms that art is a powerfully insightful tool if you know how to use it. If anyone reading this is interested in trying some of the techniques let me know. They are very gentle and don't require artistic talent or know-how. In fact it's possibly easier if you aren't an artist - because you can be authentic without having to grapple with that part of the artistic psyche that expects things to look good! 

Image: Author. Posca pen and ballpoint over magazine printout.

Important Trivia

Things seem to be moving along now - maybe slowly - but still faster than the glacial pace of most of this year. I think 2021 will bring a fair amount of change to our lives. The signs are already there. Some good, some not so good.

The pic above is from my Instagram account. I posted it because I sold some more of my 'take the piss' parody 'tourist' cards. The one that sells the most is the one you can see top left (and top right) - a male and a female superhero in the main street of our small town. As if. I don't like tourism but I figure if I have to put up with the damn tourists I may as well make some money out of them (I need a laughing emoji here). I don't actually make much money - but I enjoy being subversive and I love the digital illustration part. Maybe I should get this one on a t-shirt. By the way, this has nothing to do with the change I referred to - at least I don't think so. But this next pic does.

This is the logo I designed for my partner's piano teaching business - Play Piano Now. There are various permutations - this one is for a t-shirt. Robin is still lecturing at TAFE but has started thinking about when he might reduce his 2 days to 1, or chuck it in altogether. It didn't take him long to get 9 students so if he wanted to teach full time I think he could. He is a classically trained guitarist but retrained in the 'Simply Music' method which doesn't teach music reading until later. Robin is really enjoying teaching music again - especially the kids.

The next area of change could be my job. The education department at the prison where I work has had a 20% budget cut and several lecturers have lost hours. Cuts are based to an extent on student numbers and because art is so popular, I have managed to retain most of my hours. I'll be working 2 or 1.5 days next year. Either way it's demoralising watching my colleagues lose work and the education centre, that was buzzing along in 2019, succumb to yet more bullshit economic rationalism. And this from a supposed left-wing state government too. The left has no real power in this country. Politics is ruled by centrists or the right-wing, mostly the latter. It's hideous. If we get another 4 years of 'Scot-of-the-Right' I don't know what I'll do. 

In the meantime life goes on and our little dog Hermyne (I know that's not how you spell it, but it's how we spell it) gets older and more frail. 

This is her grace in her night attire - though the nappy is precautionary because she has never actually used it. She turns 17 next April - if she makes it that far. We love her to bits and hope she goes in her sleep so we don't have to make that awful decision. I don't think she'll make it through 2021 so that may be another area of change.

Next year I'll continue studying for the Cert. IV in Mental Health to make myself more employable. It's stuff I'm pretty familar and comfortable with - having worked with mentally unwell people in the past, lectured at TAFE where mental health issues are always present, worked with community groups and delivered art workshops. Of course I've also worked in my current job in the prison for 4.5 years and very recent stats. indicate that 59% of inmates have mental health issues. Artists are supposed to be mad so it's familar territory - though from my position as a social 'outsider', I actually think I am pretty sane. It's the way the world operates that is nuts - the systems we live with and have to function within. Pure insanity.

I am still doing the 'Art Therapy Skillset' online course and loving it. Here's another 'Draw yourself in a body of water' drawing. This was from a dream I had after I drew the first one (you'll find it here in a previous post). The 'voice' said: 'Dive deep and breathe'. I thought that was pretty useful advice, though I'm not sure what it means - yet......

This is how art works - I'm used to it. I've been working like this for years and forgotten how much I enjoy it, having had a long break after finishing my thesis in 2013. I'll be interested to see where this course goes - it's only short but it has reminded me that I used to be in 'therapy' constantly! I think that's why I had such a long break - after decades of it I was emotionally exhausted.

I'm curious about what the Year of the Ox will mean to me, to my country, to the world. Of course dates are arbitrary but like most people, I really want to draw a line under 2020. I don't think I've ever been so exhausted coping with everything that has happened this year. But it 'ain't over yet.....

'Bye Bye Donny'

Following in the tradition of The New Dharma Bums, here's an Aussie Friday music contribution in honour of the worst president in the history of the United States.

'The Figure Within'

I'm doing an 8 week art therapy skillset course online. My partner found it in a random online search and I am very grateful because it is filling in some gaps for me. As with all therapy education (I believe this is so in psychology too), you need to be 'in therapy' yourself - which means I have to experience the exercises I'm learning about. 

This one is called 'The Figure Within'. You have to: 'draw yourself in any body of water'  (it can be a bath or a stream) and answer some associated questions. This is supposed to reveal how you are feeling. I'm a bit surprised this came out because if you'd asked me yesterday when I did it, as we watched the US election results unfold, I would have said I was a bit anxious about life in general. But I know there is a calm core of me somewhere in there and maybe that's what this tapped into.

I've been facilitating art 'therapy' for decades - I've just never had any formal education. I've worked with all sorts of people - from the mentally ill to youth, community groups and Aboriginal people. It's pretty simple yet also very complicated - but I know one thing for sure. Art heals the soul. I don't do art therapy in any obvious way, but over many years of using it myself (inadvertently at first), I have become reasonably adept at reading images and reading people. I love it. 

Image: Author. Pen and watercolour.

Bad Loser

Image: Author. Digital collage with digital illustration.

 

Reminder to Self

Meme: Author. Adapted from Tara Bach's meme.

 

Too Little, Too Much

For most of 2020 I have felt stuck and stagnant - like things are about to change in my life in some biggish ways but not quite yet, and that I have a whole of shit to wade through before I am released into the light. My game plan has been to focus on getting through the year with my sanity intact which has meant putting one foot in front of the other, taking a deep breath often and saying to myself: just deal with what's in front of you right now.

It's November and I've made it this far but I'm so, so tired. I've posted this image before but I'm sharing it again because I've been too tired to do any new artwork and well, it's perfect anyway.

2020 has proven to be what I thought it would be. And it started with a bang - when COVID hit at exactly the same time the Chinese new year began and we moved into the Year of the Rat. I've mentioned before that I'm a Rat, this year starting an entirely new 12 year x 5 cycle back to the beginning year of my birth. This is BIG. I knew we were all in for a tumultuous time. The Rat is the first in the Chinese astrological cycle so 2020 signals a new start on a world scale too. I'm mercurial at the best of times and the Rat in Chinese mythology means drastic change, especially as this is a Metal year - think cutting, slashing and the fact that the only thing that usually alters metal is intense heat or force. 

Change is painful and we've had a lot of pain this year, but don't assume it will be over at midnight 2020. The Chinese calendar is based on lunar rather than solar cycles so it doesn't change until 12 February 2021. There's a way to go yet but I am expecting a different year and according to astrologers, one of hard work, discipline, loyalty and consolidation as we slide into the Year of the Metal Ox (the good news might be that it is in its Yin form). The Ox stands for patriarchy, righteousness and tradition - which is probably why I tend to have combative relationships with male Oxen. Any consolidation of the patriarchy makes me very nervous but I am hoping this institution is in its death throes and 2021 will be its last ditch effort to control things before they engineer their own demise. I think we may all need the slow plodding determination of the Ox to get us through 2021 but at least things should calm down a bit (she writes hopefully).

As for me - I tend to trust fate when it comes to my own. I've learnt that trying to make changes when the universe isn't on the same page simply ends in tears and frustration. This year, as I put one foot in front of the other, I've been watching for signs. Lately they have been coming thick and fast. Nothing major - just confirmation that paths I have stepped tentatively upon this year might just be the right ones. There have been serendipitous meetings and findings and when I am able to process these, I will expand further. 

Suffice to say for now I think life will take a very different turn next year. When I'm feeling confident that's exciting, when I'm not it's terrifying. The secret is to respond to both terror and excitement with equanimity, which is a lot easier said than done.

Image: Author. Original concept, hand drawn and digitally coloured.

Year of the Metal Ox in 2021

'Kaleidoscope'

This is 'Kaleidoscope' - an original song written and performed by Clay Western - one of our young locals. Clay is a gorgeous young man who we met as a grommet surfer at our local break. He was always polite out in the surf and genuinely happy to talk to the 'old farts' - which is a bit rare because we are not in his league as a surfer and a lot of youngsters don't even acknowledge our existence! 

Clay has since left our small town and is performing in various places throughout the country. This is my favourite song of his. Clay has definitely got the indie-surf vibe going on - reverb and all.

Here's some more info from Triple J 'Unearthed' and Spotify:

'Since easing his way in to city life in 2019, Clay Western is becoming a favourite among the Western Australian music scene. 

After seeing the release of his debut EP ‘Holiday Dream’, Clay has gone on to play headline shows at some acclaimed Perth music venues as well as playing alongside some of WAs finest acts, including The Money War and Dulcie.

“Stuff comes together if you just back yourself,” Western notes, and indeed it’s since been proven. At the age of 16 he supported indie-surf-gypsies Caravãna Sun in Denmark, striking up a friendship with guitarist/vocalist, Luke Carra.

With Carra producing and Ian Pritchett (The Beautiful Girls/Angus & Julia Stone) engineering, that EP, Holiday Dream, was released in January, 2019, and set Western on a path forward marked by both commitment and learning'.

It's so easy to be a grumpy old person who doesn't relate to the next couple of generations, but when I meet people like Clay I am reassured about the future.

A Small Life 2

One of the locals that move through our bush block on a regular basis.The best part about our bush block is the multitude of reptiles, birds and mammals that live here too. I'm pretty clear that it's their home and I'm just sharing it with them. We try to maintain as much natural bush as we can for our fellow species and restrict our activities mostly to the house pad.

Another treasure from the Tip Shop.

When I'm not tending veggies I'm filling up bird baths and rehabilitating several areas that have suffered over the years - I think because of the change in climate. Bracken has taken over and pioneer species that loved the acidic peaty soil are being replaced by eucalypts. My approach is to observe how Nature is coping and help things along - which often means leaving bracken to shade young native plants and removing them later so the original endemic species have room to grow.

This year the old soak held water and we had to remove all of the fruit trees we had planted there, thinking the water table had dropped so it wouldn't hold water any more. Rookie error. We also realised the soil was way too acidic and that's why the fruit trees weren't thriving. It has been lovely to have this small body of water because it supported hundreds of tiny frogs, 2 families of ducks and herons. It dried up last week and we may not see water in it for another 10-20 years.

Last summer's spoils. Can't wait for the basil to get going again. (I didn't bake the bread)

The river mouth - where the river spills into the huge Wilson Inlet. A fair way from our place. 

Our local break on a small day.

The 55 km winter drive to work - mostly through farmland and bush - colours of the south coast winter.

Winter Sunday drive.

Summer is nearly here and it's warm enough to take bush showers again. My partner picked up the old trolley from the Tip Shop so we can move it around. Outside showers are so refreshing in summer and tend to be shorter so we use water more efficiently (and it waters the bush).

A Small Life

This is a very old photo of me - maybe 30 years ago. I was at a family get together and my smartarse brother was taking photos of me to prove I was 'argumentative' and not as nice as people seemed to think. Well hell I could have told them that myself. Anyway - this was taken when I used to drink alcohol and cared enough to try and look a bit more glamorous than I care to now. 

Because I work in a prison I am very protective of my anonymity. Although I would say 'hi' to them on the 'outside', I don't want ex-criminal-students knowing where I live. You won't find out much about me on Facebook and I cancelled my LinkedIn account because it seemed an obvious way to allow people to steal my identity. This group of photos has been carefully selected - no photos of the shed we live in or anything that could identify the property - but hopefully enough to give my blog friends some insight into my small life.  

When we were building our current home we stayed on a 6 acre property in a tiny cottage with a caravan parked alongside to provide the kitchen. It was a lovely time. The landlady was horse mad and we became good friends.

This was taken on the inside of the small cottage. Our little black poodle is watching the news broadcast.

But she likes watching cartoons too. This was taken in the new place.

Eventually we put the old caravan up for sale and couldn't believe the response! Who knew 'retro caravans' (this one was a 1970s vintage) were such a thing? Apparently they are very sought after and my partner was juggling many interested parties until some guy drove all the way from Esperance (about 800km away) to pay cash, sight unseen. It was a bit sad to see it go but the sale funded the shipping container we bought to use as a shed.

Watching the bobcat smash down small trees and bush on our new block was traumatic. I was in tears. But the fire guidelines are very strict in this country - especially since we've had wildfires on the east coast.

This was taken last summer and I am dreading this year's fire season.

Our first job on the new block was to bury our little dog Hamish. He was Mynee's brother. I hoped like hell he could hang on until we took ownership of the property. It was touch and go because he was very sick but he died shortly after we got the deeds. There was no way I was going to leave him behind or bury him on someone else's land. I still remember the day we loaded up the wheelbarrow (there were no pathways or roads in) with his limp little body on his bed, his favourite toys and the shovel and marched them along the firebreak to the spot I had chosen.

We got the main structure done by the builder and fitted it out in plywood like this ourselves. We had a limited budget because we didn't want to borrow from the bank - both of us are too old for mortgages and my job is too insecure.

This is the room I fitted out myself. It's my room and I love it. I bought the retro wardrobe for $30, built it in and added the storage area above. I also did all the wall frames and lining for the room, the floor and built the floor to ceiling bookcase. We kept costs down by doing things ourselves and recycling, but we didn't skimp on things like double-glazing which has made such a difference to heating the place in winter.

The owner of the property we stayed on while we were building was doing a lot of clearing and reno so we salvaged things like these really old bricks and jarrah fence posts - which I spent hours digging out. 

Even the interior was furnished with recycled things like the table ($15) and glasses from the Op Shop and Tip Shop. I always wanted to use artificial grass instead of carpet (which I think is very unhealthy) and you can see it here. It looks rough but it works and if it gets grubby - I can take it outside and hose it down.

I hate the look of modern electrical appliances so much I found this old TV casing at the Tip Shop for $30, bought a new, small flat screen TV and combined the 2. My friend thinks I'm insane but I love it - especially as the old  TV was used in the Aussie surfing, coming of age movie 'Breath' before it was dumped at the tip. 

I loved the TV and my room so much I did a drawing of them.

Next time I will share a few remaining photos I had intended to include here but think the post would be too long.