DUST STORM

I am watching now as a dust storm comes across from the West. The wonders of Facebook had already let me know that it had hit Copmanhurst and now its here. Izzy went walking in it but I am INSIDE tille it passes. Now that’s eerie. The  sky yellows and a darkness comes.

Best go shut some windows. The airports are shut. Sydney is RED.

Out the back	The Farm across the way
Izzy trying to outrun the Dust.	The Blue Sun.
Same farm across the way	Our sheds and House out the back.
Now, our latest visitors arrive through the dust. They’re a blessing. The flock of sheep from 2 doors down. Our lawnmower done broke down so these guys are welcome.

NOVELS OF THE 1812 WAR

Ellen Derek

Really hard to find novels on the subject. I only found 2: Voyage to Honor: a historical novel:the War of 1812 by Robert H. Fowler; Beyond the Thunder-of-the-Waters: a novel of the War of 1812 by Janice Doyle Collins

MONDAY IN SEPTEMBER

WHITE ROSE TRADING COMPANY

I have always had a fondness for MONDAYS – perhaps because its rarely been the start of a working week for me. I like this Monday , which has the blessings of a Northern Rivers Spring. Tweeting birds and sunshine with a fresh edge to the day. Fond memories, though unprocessed as yet, of the weekend and pleasant prospects to contemplate.

That doesn’t entirely neutralise the enemy within, if enemy it is, who would paint the days grey for me. It does, however, help.

I often need to consciously programme myself out of the deception of misery. I find it easier to do on a Spring Monday in September than in the middle of a Winter. Yesterday at the Wide River Cafe, the general complaint was of the Heat. As for me, the hot setting suits my broken emotional thermostat.
Another way in which I keep Acedia at Bay is the Wandering Reflection. Particularly appropriate in this month which completes the first 6 decades. A Wandering Photographic Reflection. Yesterday at the Opening of the Wide River Cafe Breezeway, Andrew Hegedus interrupted his service of home cooked food and fine coffee, to join Izzy and KSM on stage. Andrew vibrates with energy and vision and has been a  Good Friend to us here on the Clarence. With my own inclination to Morbidity, I do well with the company of the kindly and the vibrant.	Andrew with Karl Mullan from Busby Flat.
Sunday lunch has become a Tradition for us. A walk West along Coldstream Street, across the Pacific Highway and into the Village. I often intend to keep going until the River and maybe lunch at Ulmarra Pub , but inevitably turn left into WIDE RIVER and as of yesterday that seems to be official. Izzy is “ Entertainment Manager” as of this week. That means 4 hours of fun and music and the Good Cafe Vibes which he thrives on and which do me no harm at all.	Leanne – master of the banana smoothie.
I had time to talk to Robin Bryant yesterday as well.  That’s Rob talking to Robyn and Mereki. I have often seen him at WIDE RIVER and SHELLBOUND which is Robyn’s shop across the Breezeway, but hadn’t had the luxury of a real talk till yesterday.  That arose from Jenni’s telling me that 11OCTOBER was to be the first WIDE RIVER FESTIVAL, right here in ULMARRA with stalls, music and MUCH MORE. That was a good thing to hear. I had been looking forwards to the RIVER FESTIVAL. There are signs on the Pacific Highway telling the North South Traffic that its on in September but recently I discovered that factional feuding and disputations had caused it to fade away. No, I am delighted to announce that there WILL be a Festival. In OCTOBER, one week before my birthday, 2 weeks before Jacaranda Festival, 4 weeks after Debbie’s 50th Birthday and one week after Bellingen’s Global Carnival. And it will be THE WIDE RIVER FESTIVAL.	ROB, ROBYN AND MEREKI in the new Breezeway.    MEREKI, IZZY and ROBYN
I told Rob I had been hoping for a Festival and I also told him I was from Bellingen. He laughed at that. “Festivals !” said he, “Bellingen. Festival for this. Festival for that. “  That’s us alrighty. Right back to early 1970s. And October sees the GLOBAL CARNIVAL.  My girl lives in the next street in North Bellingen as we once did. Be that as it may, WIDE RIVER FESTIVAL IS ON ! I wonder whether they will let us bring the little red car.
All businesses involved in the WIDE RIVER FESTIVAL this year are Indigenous Owned. Rob is the Mobile Umbrella for the other 4 Businesses.  JTD MERCHANDISE. Gumbaynggirr Country and Language covers an area of the North Coast of New South Wales Australia between the Nambucca River in the south and around the mid Clarence River in the north. There are several dialects of Gumbaynggirr Language. My own hometown, URUNGA, is right smack in the middle and its nice to be back from the far reaches of the Tweed. Beautiful the Tweed is but its good to be Home.	The train south from Urunga.
Rob was telling me that he  does the Markets and the festivals for all the companies. He will have a stall next week at GLOBAL CARNIVAL. Then the following one is the WIDE RIVER FESTIVAL at the Cafe in Ulmarra. He ‘gets around’. I have the 5 business cards right here with me and the net addresses. Take a look at these.
SHELLBOUND is Robyn’s shop.  I have laybyed and paid off a black top for my 60th and have a swirling full length skirt  tucked away at the moment. Robyn first opened in Casino and now has this branch down here in Ulmarra.  On her card she lists: NEW CLOTHING INCENSE SOAPS OILS INCENSE HOLDERS SHOULDER BAGS CUSHION COVERS PASSPORT BAGS PURSES WOODEN PRODUCTS	WOODEN BOXES PAPER PRODUCTS MIRROR LIGHTER COVERS JEWELLLERY JEWELLERY BOXES BRACELETS BELLS RESIN RINGS

SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND LIVE MUSIC

	The couple on the left take the honour of being the first  to experience the new ULMARRA ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE, as Andrew and Izzy like to call the Breezeway between SHELLBOUND and WIDE RIVER.  Today saw the first Live Music on Sundays. Izzy invited Karl and Shaz (KSM) down for the day from BUSBY FLAT and off we went.
	Just last Monday we were watching as Andrew , Robyn, Brett and Sandy bent their backs to the paving and today it was ready with umbrellas and stage. All in place for one of the sweetest little performing areas on the Northern Rivers.
I am finding the walk into 60 years of age to be rather odd.  I don’t think I ever had plans or a vision for this age.

LIVE MUSIC TODAY AT WIDE RIVER

ANDREW HEGEDUS, IZZY FOREAL AND KSM.

SPRINGTIME ON THE CLARENCE

Life remains hectic for me on the Clarence.  I yearn at time for more Eremitic days and on others I simply gather in the breadth and depth of these experiences.

FOR SUNDAY IN TUCABIA FOLLOW THIS LINK.

http://whiterosetrading.ning.com/photo/albums/squatters-rest-markets-tucabia 

The expectation this morning was that Phil the Sax Player would be coming for  rehearsals in the music room. Didn’t  best please me because I had visions of SQUATTER’S REST Markets at TUCABIA on my mind and the 3 garage sales I know are on there today. A Sunday at that. One of them is at Eileen’s Place opp the Tucabia Store. I don’t know who Eileen is but I still want to go to the garage Sale. The Clarence is the Home of the Garage sale.
After some calm negotiation, Phill was relocated to a slightly later time slot and we headed East to Tucabia and SQUATTERS REST. I had not been there before. Izzy has done two music nights there and as part of my habitual information gathering, I knew a good deal about it. Weather is perfect. Springtime on the North Coast. Tucabia is app 10 kms from Ulmarra along a winding back road through paddocks and alongside wetlands. The Rest Markets – well, precisely what I was hoping for. Under gum trees. I scored a $100 pair of Dianna Ferrari shoes, new for $7. I bought home made soaps – made from goats milk and perfumed with essential oils. For $20, add a chopping table with knives for the kitchen and I am well pleased.
Then throw in a little gem of a museum and the day is fulfilling all the promise of a country Sunday. Squatters has a wee village of Collecteds. I am struggling to find the words for it. It was if I could almost smell and touch the eagle’s wings of Uncle Jim in Laurieton in some barely recalled childhood time.

PASTA AND PEDAL

KEEP YOUR EYE OUT FOR THE WANDERING MINSTREL.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Grafton/56684417223

SPRINGTIME ON THE CLARENCE

 

As part of my Clarence lifestyle, I am involved in a  group which meets in the CWA rooms in Grafton.  Everything is as it should be in the CWA Rooms. Picture of the Queen. Piano. Books. Recipes. Paintings of Flowers. I find a good deal of comfort in the CWA Rooms.
We took a drive West the other day. Out to Jackadgery along the Gwydir Highway and then back into town and out along the Armidale Road to Nymboida. General scouting trip it was.  Jackadgery is just across the Mann River Bridge and about 50 kms from Grafton.
Its difficult to picture the rivers in flood. I am glad I was here for the May floods. The signs I once presumed were useless and placed in obviously dry lands, I now know to be valid, needed and realistic as is this bridge over the Mann. The debris from a few months back is still there , down the banks.
I found the self-composting toilets an interesting experience as well. I hadn’t realised how daring an expedition they were until this sign about gases.
The Gwydir was closed last year. Interesting concept. I saw a sign when I was driving along the Pacific Highway. GWYDIR HIGHWAY CLOSED. That’s the main road they’re talking about. Up to Glen Innes.  Where’s the spirit that build the Old Glen Innes Road through the ROCK. Be that as it may, the short drive was pleasurable. Jackadgery still has a store and caravan park. I was thinking about the communities which were once out there and wondering about the ones which exist now – unseen to the casual traveller.
We came back into town, speculating and theorising on villages and village stores. Almost into Grafton South itself, we came across this vegie patch. RING THE BELL ! said the sign. For broccoli and silver beet and other delicacies.
We then took the Armidale Road out through Coutts Crossing to Nymboida. I was inclined to visit the Coaching Inn – with some trepidation. Reason being – I haven’t heard anyone locally mention it casually in conversation. Hadn’t heard anyone saying – ‘that was a good night at the Coaching Inn’. No “ That’s an interesting museum they have there at the Coaching Inn.”.  The internet advertising and the Tourist Pamphlets tell me its good , but I lean towards  the ‘overheard in casual conversation’ recommendations. As we approached Nymboida, Izzy had his nose on track for COFFEE. I am not a coffee freak but he is and the Jackadgery Instant hadn’t satisfied the craving at all. The signs as we approached Nymboida  were leading him on like Hansel and Gretel through the woods.  In fact, he refused to continue to the Coaching Inn until he had stopped at the End of The Signs for Coffee. We took one wrong turning past the brightly coloured hall but fairly easily located the ST JOHNS COFFEE STOP. HIs assessment was accurate. The St Johns Convenience Store has been operating 5 weeks. Stocking the basic groceries as well as an outdoor courtyard with good eating. There was a lineup of people for meals and goods. Atmosphere was excellent. Another diner recognised the long lost Zarsoff and the Cocky spend the whole meal chatting to Iz and sharing his food. We spent time talking with a young couple from St John’s River, further south, and Greg the Waitperson perfected our meals.
We then proceeded to COACHING INN. Asked about the Museum of Interesting things and were informed that it had been opened that morning for a coachload of tourists but was now SHUT and wouldn’t open again till Wednesday or later – maybe. Hmm ! Instinct serving me correctly again.  One’ overheard conversation’ we had caught a snippet of in Grafton had said that the COACHING INN “ had been a happening place – ONCE. “. It was not happening for me the other day despite the view and my obsessive curiosity about the history of places. Noone was opening the door to a pair of locals. Noone greeted or chatted and the sign in the main bar which said “ HIPPIES USE SIDE DOOR” with the obvious lack of said side door was a trifle unnerving for two people with a long haired background.
I shall go return to St John’s Convenience Store but will need some convincing to revisit the COACHING INN – I rather fear that it has become a ‘VENUE’.

JACKADGERY AND NYMBOIDA

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REFLECTING THE CONTENT OF THE NELLIBELL49 SITES. LYNNE SANDERS-BRAITHWAITE LYNNE BELL SANDERS TRACING HER ANCESTRY MELINDA KENDALL : HER LIFE AND WRITINGS 19th-century Australian writer, pioneer, teacher. The site of the rambling research of Mr Knox’s offsider. izzy foreal – unofficially PETER KNOX – A FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION FOREAL ENTERPRISES NORTHERN BELLES A NORTHERN RIVERS CALENDAR SILVER THREADS AND GOLDEN NEEDLES WORDS AND PICTURES, WANDA, JUST MIGHT FIX THIS HEART OF MINE. SIT. LOOK. READ. THINK. BRUCE SANDERS 2/3 PIONEER BATTALION 2 AIF: A SOLDIER’S LETTERS HOME LIZZY FOREAL about the electronic quill OF DRUNKS AND DRUG ADDICTS THE OLD PROVERBIAL RECOVERY THE OLD PROVERBIAL RECOVERY THROUGH ANCIENT EYES