Three Saturdays in June.

 

What a month! The first half of June was all about preparing for my Semester 1 exam for Criminal Law. I felt happy with the way the exam went, in contrast to most of the semester where I felt like I was constantly behind or playing catch up. One of the joys of working full-time and studying, I suppose! Busy all around is an understatement. Here are three images that have been captured on three Saturdays in June, in three different places.

1 // Alice Springs, Northern Territory
I adore winter time in Alice Springs. The afternoons are bathed in glorious golden light and the mornings are clear and chilly. Many people assume that the desert is always hot and are surprised to hear that it becomes very cold during winter, with morning temperatures hovering around zero degrees (or below). Soup, baking, soaking up the daytime sunshine, reading under a blanket, walking in the afternoon all rugged up, riding to work and feeling the sharp air stinging my cheeks and fingers are all things I relish about this time of year.

2 // High country, Victoria
Amidst all the craziness of a busy time at work I managed to sneak a couple of days off and headed down to Victoria to visit my sister and niece. While Alice Springs winter consists of cold mornings, the sun generally makes an appearance during the day. In contrast it was nice to get a taste of cold, drizzly, misty winter in the Victorian high country. The fire was burning constantly and we warmed up during the day by going for long walks or country drives. I was there for winter solstice and we went to a bonfire night at a nearby property. It was the biggest fire I have ever seen. The sky was blanketed in stars, which gradually disappeared when the wintry mist rolled in.

3 // Darwin, Northern Territory
I had a day in Alice Springs before travelling north to Darwin for the week for work. Darwin in the dry season is infinitely more bearable than Darwin in the wet. The mornings are cooler (relatively speaking, around 17-18 degrees; people who live here actually complain about the cold!) and the air is dry and the breeze refreshing. It's still warm, around 30 degrees during the day, but minus the stifling humidity that renders you to a sweaty, lifeless mess during the wet. Yesterday we ate lunch with this view and a lovely breeze and it was rather pleasant. All the changes of climate (and the time spent in air conditioning, I suspect) have left me with yet another head cold but this time around I've managed to retain some energy.

Winter weekend stills.

This weekend was all about winter. Right on cue, the night time temperature dropped down to 3º C. Just the right time to wrap the bed in super soft flannelette sheets. I had all the best intentions of getting stuck into studying this weekend (and I did do some), but I really needed to recharge from a super busy couple of weeks.

For me, this meant getting outside into the garden. I've been a bit of a tardy gardener this year, especially since the chickens razed last year's garden to the ground! I checked the Alice Springs sowing calendar and decided I could sneak into winter by planting spinach, silverbeet, broccoli, rocket and parsley - all those delicious greens.

Other weekend highlights included tapas with a friend, sitting in a laneway lined with candelit tables, live music played by a gypsy jazz band - we really had the sense that we could be anywhere! I also caught a film, Rich Hill, as part of the Human Rights Art and Film Festival. It was a harrowing documentary set in a small town in rural America, following the lives of three teenage boys and their families amidst poverty, violence, mental illness and other challenges. It didn't give a lot of hope - maybe just a small glimmer - that the cycle of disadvantage would be broken.

1. On Saturday, I met friends at the Steiner fête, a famous school fair at the lovely campus set against the southern side of the MacDonnell Ranges. I think my inspiration to get the garden going was spurred on by the fabulous kitchen garden in the school grounds. I also picked up a vintage cashmere-wool blend coat, it's soft and warm and a real bargain - $5.
2. Boss of the chickens. This one is brazen and bolshy and will sprint around behind me, sometimes even pecking at my heels.
3. Broccoli...
4. Spinach...
5. Silverbeet.
6. Super snug winter bed. Sooooo warm. Sooooo hard to leave in the morning.
7. From the garden - eggs and mandarins in abundance.
8. The mandarins are just how I like them - more tart than sweet. 

Joining up with Em's weekly Stills link-up x

EDIT: Oh, and speaking of gardens, have a gander at the green thumbery happening over in Prue's backyard. Go on!

That golden light...

...and other things I love about Alice Springs right now:

the smell of winter and woodfires in the air

catching up over coffee and bumping into more friends

the footy spirit that brings families from communities into town to support their team

the time of year where things start to come alive

five minutes drive is all the way across town

the ever-present MacDonnell Ranges

river red gums


And of course, there are things that I don't love so much. But they're way outweighed by the warmth I feel for this place.

I hope you enjoyed your weekend, wherever you are!

The mountaintop and the minutiae.

 

After more than two years in Alice Springs, yesterday I climbed Mt Gillen for the first time. The mountain forms part of the West MacDonnell Ranges, which stretch out from Alice Springs into the rugged surrounds. It was a perfect day for a hike - the sun was shining but the morning air crisp and the breeze cool. It's a scramble to reach the top but once you're up, the views are amazing. After the recent rain, the ancient country is blanketed with the deep green of new growth. From the mountaintop, I breathed deeply and let my eyes scan outwards, outwards, until the bumpy ranges of the far horizon met the end of the sky.

As for the minutiae?

Cool air whispering around in the mornings as summer has been farewelled.

The chickens rushing out behind me in a line, one-two-three.

The excited pantings of a dog either side as we walk in the early evening.

Long weekends with no plans but lots of options.

Life feels simple right now. Beneath this simplicity is the struggle in knowing that things are simple because I have all I need. I feel thankful, but lucky beyond belief.

Change of season.

Yesterday morning started with this golden, late summer light; by evening, winter had arrived. Today was cool, hovering around 15 degrees for most of the day after a top of 19 degrees C. Whilst the more temperate climates of the southern and eastern parts of the country enjoy the seasonal transition offered by Autumn, here in Central Australia we seem to go straight from summer to winter. And then back again all too soon. I am embracing the change and welcoming the cooler weather. Winter: I am ready!

It's been five months since Peter and I began doing the Territory Tango. He's living at one end and myself, the other. He's just up the road, really; except that in real terms, there's a distance of 1,500 kilometres between us. The Northern Territory is a really, really big place. Alice Springs is far away from a lot of places. We have just spent two weeks together - me, a week in Darwin and then he, a week in Alice - a luxury as we live together, apart.

Our last book club read was Burial Rites by Hannah Kent. This was actually my choice, as we've been taking it in turns to select a book. I chose it for two reasons: it is set in Iceland and for a long time I've been fascinated by this remote island country; and secondly I heard the author interviewed a while ago on Radio National (listen here) and thought the process of forming the book was interesting. I appreciated the richly tactile and textural descriptions of the landscapes; the dim, cold interiors; the smells, sounds and touch of the characters and their environs. Kent received a seven figure advance for this, her first novel - astounding! But don't read it with this in mind. Read it for the harsh yet gentle narrative of Agnes Magnusdottir, the last woman in Iceland to be publicly executed.

Another recent read is Tracks by Robyn Davidson, the 1980 memoir of Davidson's journey walking with camels across the desert from Alice Springs to the Western Australia coast. I started reading this on a flight from Melbourne to Alice Springs and it was poignant to be reading her descriptions of 1970s Alice Springs whilst looking out of the window at the ancient (yet timeless) scorched red desert country. I thought the Alice Springs of her description was a place I wouldn't want to live - which, if you've been reading this blog for a while, is not the way I feel about this town, today. And, a spoiler - I almost sobbed out loud (this time, on a flight from Alice to Darwin) when her beloved companion, a dog called Diggity, becomes poisoned by strychnine. I won't tell you the rest. It's too hard to imagine having to do this to any animal to relieve its pain, let alone a beloved companion - a friend. The descriptions of Central Australia and the communities Davidson passes through - Areyonga, Pipalyatjara, Wingellina - are interesting and familiar. It's certainly not a comfortable read, and many aspects of this journey made me cringe. I haven't yet seen the movie - have you?

Now, I'm partway through (and quite enjoying) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt and am also going to start our next book club read, Room by Emma Donoghue. Oh - and speaking of books about Alice Springs, I heard an interview on the local ABC with a writer who used to live here, so I've ordered one of her books, written to reflect her time living here - it's called The Rest is Weight, by Jennifer Mills, who also blogs here.

So that's a bit of an update on what's been going on around here lately. What's been happening in your part of the world? Has winter arrived yet? Or summer, for that matter?

Territory traversed.

Isn't this place glorious? I'm still pinching myself that this idyllic lush, green carpeted dell is in the heart of Central Australia. We've covered some ground this Easter long weekend.

On Friday, we brunched lazily at the Roma Bar in Darwin before jumping in the car to begin the 1,500 km drive south towards Alice Springs. We didn't leave early, figuring that every man and his dog would be hitting the road. As it turned out, we needn't have worried; the roads were almost deserted and we had a clear run out of town. We didn't rush. The landscape transitioned from thick, tropical vegetation, thinning out gradually to termite country, with big skies and long, gold-coloured grasses, punctuated by trees.

We stopped in at the Hi-way Inn near Daly Waters for fuel and a loo break. A poster on the door advertised that the North Sydney Girls school orchestra would be playing a free concert there that night. The swimming pool in the caravan park tacked onto the side of the roadhouse was brimming with squealing first violinists and cellists and violists, clearly making the most of their free time before the show began. There wasn't any sign of an audience, so far; we didn't stick around to see the performance.

The sun began to set over the grassy plains and it was becoming so lovely that we pulled over to take photos. We decided to drive on to Tennant Creek, where we could stay overnight in a motel and rest our eyes. We woke before the sun came up, jumped straight in the car and were back on the road well before dawn. The sun inched above the horizon, casting red and pink and gold across the country, which was now the familiar red dirt rocky landscape of the arid centre.

Along the way, just out of Ti Tree, we approached a van on the side of the road and a couple of women, greying hair and bright, mismatched patterned skirts, waved us down. We pulled up and wound down the windows.

"Morning," they called out cheerfully. "You got any matches?"

We didn't, not even a lighter. "Sorry, we don't have any," we said.

"Ah. That's okay," said one of the women. "We want to make a cuppa tea," the other explained. "We got a flat battery."

We looked over our shoulders to the van and at the back, curled up on a canvas was an old fella, one of their husbands, presumably. We didn't have any jumper leads, either. They didn't seem bothered - someone would come along who could help - first, with the tea. Then, the van.

"It's okay, thanks for stopping," they said cheerily, waving us on our way.

And after a while, the MacDonnell Ranges drew near, carpeted by a sea of green after our recent rains in Central Australia. Then, the Alice Springs sign welcomed us home.

On Sunday, we loaded the dogs, the tucker box and swag into the car to head out for a night under the stars. We took the Ross River Highway east out of town, turning off onto a four-wheel-drive track. The photos above are where we spent a lazy evening, wandering along the riverbed, reading, relaxing and cooking over the coals. The golden sunlight through the trees was just magical. We had the grassy spot to ourselves and the silence - oh, the silence! We lay awake for ages just gazing at the stars in the inky sky, pointing out satellites and the odd shooting star.

The sun rose through a dip in the rocky outcrop surrounding our camp and we set about our morning camp chores lazily. A hot chocolate, a bacon and egg sandwich and we were on our way, the dogs tuckered out on the backseat.

A delightful long weekend spanning the length of the Northern Territory - perfect.

I hope your weekend was as wonderful as ours!

Third time's a charm.

On Sunday, it started to rain. Here in Alice Springs, when it rains like this - heavy, drenching, soaking, straight-up-and-down rain - there's one thing that everyone hopes for. Most of the year, the river is a wide, snaking bed of sand, presided over by majestic river red gums, lined with motorbike tracks and dotted with coals from campfires. There are bridges and causeways and boom gates that seem redundant for the majority of the time. More than a day or two of rain and people start to speculate; some confidently dismissive, others quietly hopeful that the rain is falling in the right places and maybe, just maybe, the Todd River will begin to flow.

There's a local myth that says that when you see the Todd River flow three times, you'll never leave Alice Springs.

On Tuesday, my ears pricked up when I overheard someone say there was water over one of the causeways. I jumped in the car and headed straight to the main bridge to see what was happening. Could this be it? There was water but it was 'run off', streaming into the river from a creek that had quickly filled with the onslaught of rain. I've been duped by this before, my hopes mercilessly dashed by the realisation that water in the river is not the same as the river flowing.

Yesterday, I left work just after 5.30pm to head to a work function. In between, I detoured to do a check of the causeways. Apparently it's 'proper' flow when all three causeways are closed and the water flows past the Telegraph Station (or something along these lines). Nothing - not yet.

Then, on my way home from the function, I saw the telltale sign of police lights flashing at the junction of the Wills Terrace causeway. The boom gates were down and the water had just started to stream over the road. This was it! I drove around to cross the main bridge and around to the northern-most causeway at Schwartz Crescent. Yep - the lights from St Philips school were glimmering, reflecting on the inky dark body of water, the Todd River. An actual river! I raced home to grab the dogs and walked them down to see the river gaining speed and crashing over the causeway, smashing torridly against the drainwater pipes on the other side.

The most glorious part of the river flowing is the next morning. All up and down the river, people come out to splash around - children paddle, dogs leap and bound through the coffee coloured water. The river is more than a flow of water. It brings rejuvenation. It refreshes the heart and soul of the place, and its people. It brings people together to watch the speed of the water - will it break the banks? - and everyone stops to have a chat as they stand on the bridge, watching this life force.

Today, I rode home from work alongside the river, water glimmering where it's usually sand. I reached the causeway and there was only one way to get across. The water sprayed up and soaked my boots - wheeeeeeeee!

The river flowed the week I moved here to Alice Springs, and a second time later that year in December 2012. So this week is the third time I've seen the Todd River flowing. Maybe I'll be here for a while, yet.

Girl Rising: The value of education.

Last Saturday, I had a major case of the crankypants. I think for the most part, it was because of a stinking hot day (for Autumn) - it was nudging 40 degrees Celsius and windy. Hot and windy sometimes makes me cranky.

I tried to tackle the cranks first of all in the kitchen. I channelled Nigella and made these ricotta hotcakes, with fresh eggs from the chooks and cooked in coconut oil. And - of course - accompanied a strong coffee. I served the hotcakes with strawberries and natural yoghurt - very yum!

But - I still had the grumps. I knew there were a couple of hours study looming so I bunked down in my little study nook, chugged the air con into gear and knocked over a couple of hours, catching up on my first two weeks of Criminal Law.

Then, in the early evening, I jumped on my shiny red bike and pedalled across the river to watch a film that well and truly elevated my mood and blew the cotton socks off the crankypants.

Girl Rising was the film and it was screened to commemorate International Women's Day. The film is about something that I am very passionate about - education. More specifically, the education of girls.

Educating girls can help to break the cycle of poverty. When girls are educated, they are more likely to marry and have children later, and when they do have children, they are more likely to send them to school. Educated women have more economic opportunities. Education improves health outcomes and overall gender equity where more women are empowered to become involved in decision and policy making processes.

From the Girl Rising website is this description:

From Academy Award-nominated director Richard E. Robbins, Girl Rising journeys around the globe to witness the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world. Viewers get to know nine unforgettable girls living in the developing world: ordinary girls who confront tremendous challenges and overcome nearly impossible odds to pursue their dreams. Prize-winning authors put the girls’ remarkable stories into words, and renowned actors give them voice.

And for me, simply sitting in the open air, surrounded by (mostly) women, watching dark clouds gathering in the sky above the outdoor cinema screen was enough to lift me out of the grumps. The film went a step further, elevating me to hope and believe that we will one day live in a world where girls and women have the same opportunities for education - and life - as men and boys.


The UN Women website is a valuable resource in the work being undertaken in developing countries around the world in gender equity and empowerment of women.

The Girl Rising film screening was held at Olive Pink Botanic Garden in Alice Springs through the efforts of the Central Australian Women's Legal Service (CAWLS) and the NT Working Women's Centre. Thanks!


EDIT: I feel like I've left this post a bit like one of those 'click to show you hate cancer' Facebook posts, i.e. a touch of slacktivism and a little self indulgence on the matter of my grumpiness. So, in the spirit of putting my money where my mouth is, here are some ways that I thought I could contribute towards creating more opportunities through education. I have committed to monthly donations to the two organisations listed below. I would encourage you to do the same, if you can - even if it's a one-off donation - or support another organisation that is working towards the goal of empowerment through education.

Indigenous Literacy Foundation 
The ILF aims to raise literacy levels and improve the lives and opportunities of Indigenous children living in remote and isolated regions. This is done by through the delivery of books and literacy resources, publishing and visits out to remote communities.  In addition, the Foundation advocates to raise community awareness of Indigenous literacy issues. Set up in 2011, the Foundation is a not-for-profit charity, without any government or major corporate funding.  It works with the support of the Australian Publishers Association, the Australian Booksellers Association and the Australian Society of Authors along with a team of ambassadors, volunteers and three full-time staff. 
www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au

UN Women Australia
The Australian National Committee for UN Women is one of 18 National Committees globally. The Australian National Committee for UN Women is an active participant in UN activities relating to gender and development and sends an annual delegation to the UN Commission on the Status of Women including supporting a youth delegate to attend each year. Their role is to raise funds to support programs which achieve gender equality and empower women; challenge attitudes which perpetuate gender inequality in Australia and globally; and engage the support of Government in achieving gender equality in partnership with UN Women.
www.unwomen.org.au   |  www.givenow.com.au/auscommitteeUNwomenv 

Alice Springs, two years on.

Well, here I am, two years on and still loving life in Alice Springs. This place of rugged ranges and red dirt, of expansive blue skies and golden light. Life here is simple yet complex. It's a place that challenges and gets under your skin.



Read my post about one year of life in Alice Springs here and there are more posts on Alice Springs life here.

Stills: Weekend pottering.

This week saw me out of action early in the piece with a head cold ; fail at baking cupcakes; talking about Barracuda at book club; and lots of the usual pottering around - one of my weekend favourite things to do.

1. Green chrysanthemums are some of my favourites.
2. And again!
3. Sunday afternoon pottering and rearranging...
4. ...moving plants around...
5. ...close up with afternoon light streaming in through the blinds.
6. Toby looking wise.
7. Saturday morning bright spots and stripes.
8. Sunday morning omelette with fresh eggs from the chooks.
9. Missy came into town for a stroll around the Sunday markets.
10. Flamingoes, of course.

I hope you have a great week ahead!

Don't forget to make a pledge for Change Day, which is this Thursday 6 March. 

Linking with Em's weekly Stills.