Oh, the places I'll go!

Man, what to write about when nothing's been happening?

I could tell you about the rainy weather we've been having - seems
like it follows me everywhere! I came to Australia for a second
summer, but it's been more like winter everywhere I go. I wonder if I
really do have such a pull as to change the weather? I've got good
supporting evidence:)

I could tell you about the wonderful people I'm staying with here at
Heaven in the Hills. "Welcome to Heaven," said Carol, a red-haired
snake who towers over me and is quickly taking the place of my own
mother, who owns and runs the place. Andy is the resident handyman, a
rooster as well, and the nicest English bloke you could meet. They
call me Annie here - I asked to be called that - and what a strange
thing to hear Annie instead of Anchen! It's a bit of an identity
crisis, an ego-bind, hearing this name and calling it my own. I think
this may be a fleeting experiment, but we'll see. It's challenging,
for sure.

I could tell you about the place I'm staying at. Heaven in the Hills
is four self-containted cottages for people or groups to come and
chill out. Fortunately for me, everything's been done already and
Carol's selling the place so she can go somewhere and have her own
retreat. Meanwhile, it's a beautiful bush property on a hill with a
view toward the coast, lots of leeches (I took an angst-filled walk
yesterday and found four, no, six leeches on me and my clothes. They
still disgust me), bromeliads and epiphytes on the trees, wallabies
hopping over the grass, and tons of potential for...more efficiency.

I could tell you where I'm at. No longer in Cairns or anywhere near
there, since it's having record floods and nobody wants a wwoofer to
hang about in their house, I headed (flew, there was no ground
transport) to Brisbane and wanted to spend some time in Crystal
Waters, the permaculture village. I've ended up in Maleny, a center
for alternative living. You can tell just by walking down the
mainstreet - it's called Maple St, no Main st. here! There's a coop
and an IGA right on the main road, and sign posted here and there
saying "We won't shop there" referring to the Woolworth's that just
got put in. People object to Woolies here like they object to Walmart
in the States. The area is beautiful, and February is supposed to be
the hottest month, but I've yet to see that. I swear, I've had about
four hot days in all of Australia! I have a strong feeling I could
just spend the rest of my time here, cooking (there's a walk-in
fridge!) and doing qigong in the yoga room downstairs. It's pretty
ideal...

But there's so much more! Who knows who else I'll meet? The people
make the journey!

WET! and Ironic

Last week I left the wonderland of Tasmania for the unknown of
Queensland, went from temperate rainforest to the tropics in the
middle of a flood. Ironically, the only way it appears I'll be able to
get out of here for the next month is to fly...Julianne (my host) did
write to tell me I was better off staying where I was, but it was too
late; I'd booked the ticket for the third time and made up my mind. I
can always come back, I consoled myself.

I've been in Queensland what, four days, and it's rained. Torrential
downpours and gentle drizzle, a good soaking rain and the kind that
just won't stop - they've all passed through, and no doubt I'll see
them again. Fortunately, Ravenshoe (pronounced raven's hoe) seems to
be getting the light end of the storms, so we were able to do some
weeding in Julianne's amazing garden, wherein I learned how to avoid
the nests of black ants I disturbed as I unearthed weeds from around
plants. Their bite isn't so bad - it's like being knocked on the ankle
with a rock, and then it's gone. You have to watch out for the ones
with the golden bums - they hurt for ages. They're also about an inch
long and solitary, so it's easier to spot them and then stay out of
their way.

Other thing I learned about floods: turtles will crawl out of the
streams and wedge themselves into cracks high up in the riverbanks
when there's going to be a flood. Seems like they don't want to be
washed away. Also, Butcher birds (there must be another name for
them!) will sing when it's going to be sunny, as will Kookaburras, but
they tend to be pranksters, so you can't trust them. We've had
kookaburras laughing this morning, and the rain's holding off. I even
saw a shadow!

I'm staying at a former permaculture nursery in Ravenshoe, with
Julianne and her mother (who's also visiting), Lynn. They've both been
pretty much housebound for the last two weeks, and you can tell it's
wearing on them. They've started going for drives in the rain and
washing the ceiling with a mop. But, they're both very nice
ladies,Lynn being an Australian and American citizen, so we can talk
about Costco together, and Julianne has an amazing store of plant and
herbal knowledge she shares easily and without judgement of my vast
ignorance. When she's not here, she and her partner, Rob, teach
permaculture and bamboo workshops in East Timor, which just got its
independence in 1999 or so. Bamboo can save the world, is what she
told me. It has about 1000 uses and another 500 ornamental uses, it
grows fast (you can harvest it every year once it's established) and
it's strong.

I've been meeting people quite frequently who throw around sentences
like, "save the world."

It usually has to do with permaculture.

PERMACULTURE

Permanent Culture.

Make sustainability a part of your culture.

It seems every permie keeps chooks, and thus has mountains of eggs. I
get the feeling that there's only so many eggs you want to eat, and
then it's a matter of using them somehow, giving them away, hiding
them, who knows. Julianne has about 15-20 chooks and we just got a
rooster the other night. When we weed, it all goes into the chook pen.
By the time we were done weeding the chooks had a green bed inside and
outside, and more on the way. Once you start weeding, it's hard to
stop. It's like vacuuming - such an easy way to see a difference, the
satisfaction is more fun than the discomfort of kneeling or squatting
in awkward positions.

I learned that if you store eggs pointy side down, they last longer.
Pointy-side up, the yolks stick to the side.

I learned some insider's tips on playing scrabble. Did you know that
CH is a word? As is em, en, da - it's amazing what passes for a word.
I'm hoping we play again, so some of this will stick.

Julianne's strongly suggesting I get out while I still can, as the
weather looks to be the same rain for the next month. That means
flying.

I've just been enjoying being warm, walking barefoot on soft ground,
listening to the rain in all its melodies, looking at the gorgeous
tropical plants, learning what a sweet potato looks like and about the
many uses of bamboo, walking barefoot outside (did I mention how
amazing this feels?) listening to the birds, looking at and learning
about unfamiliar, exotic plants, tasting tropical fruits like the abui
and tamarillo, and never needing to put on more than a long-sleeved
shirt. Oh, the tropics! Why do you have to be so wet?