today

Had my first real bout of homesickness today. Tried to call home and it didn't work. Spent over an hour altogether with technical support, and still couldn't get a connection. I'll keep trying, but it wasn't until I couldn't talk to someone in California that I realized how desperately I wanted to. It made me nauseous and dizzy, and yes, I cried. Stayed in that foul mood for a while, slamming things around and cursing and just generally being very rude (good thing today is a day off and I'm home alone). But then I pulled myself together, popped in my earbuds, and half walked/half danced my way to town. Sitting in the library now, watching clips of American shows and movies on YouTube just to hear someone talk without an Australian accent. Funny how it hit me so hard when I hadn't even really been conscious of how far away everything and everyone familiar is. Oh well. I'm here now and determined to enjoy every day to the fullest. Today was actually a great day for this to happen, got to work out some of my frustration cleaning in preparation of a new WWOOFer's arrival tonight- Fabian, from Germany. Think I'll drag him back into town with me and maybe have a pint at the pub. Cheers!

the city

Made my first foray into the city (as everyone calls Sydney) on Saturday and had a blast. Ended up making friends with some German tourists on the train there, and had a delicious breakfast with them. Belgian waffles with rhubarb and mascarpone, and a watermelon-raspberry-mint juice? Almost felt like I was at Swami's! Perfect start to the day.

Amazing brekkie at Cafe Giulia

Beautiful, colorful street art

Brave New World!

So many pretty little details around the city

After saying auf wiedersehen to them, I walked down George Street to The Rocks, part of old Sydney right along the water. Took a tour around the Museum of Contemporary Art, taking in an exhibit on new, young Australian artists, and really marveling at the String Theory exhibit, focusing on Aboriginal art. Beautiful!

Really loved these following illustrations. Simple, a little spooky, definitely whimsical.

The colorful beginning of the String Theory exhibit. Amazing stuff.

Being a good tourist.

The Opera House really is beautiful with the tile, wood, and glass work. It would be a thrill to get dolled up and actually attend something here. Maybe!

The Royal Botanic Gardens were next. They really are beautiful, and HUGE. Have to go back and just spend a lazy day there, exploring and picnicking and making myself homesick for Kate Sessions.

Stumbled upon Market City, a giant indoor market in Chinatown. The basement was full of fresh fruit and veg and seafood, the next floor had vendors selling everything from UGGs to jewelry to spices and souvenirs, then two more floors of a proper mall on top of that!

And finally, right by the station, spotted this ambitiously green (at least externally) building. It was still under construction, but I already know it will be gorgeous when all those plants and vines have really had a chance to grow. Yay for urban green!

Already anxious to go back and explore some more. Definitely going to do a park day, but think my next trip will be to Bondi Beach! Stay tuned for more!

weekly poetry

Sensation

Through the blue summer days, I shall travel all the ways, 

Pricked by the ears of maize, trampling the dew:

A dreamer, I will gaze, as underfoot the coolness plays. 

I'll let the evening breeze drench my head anew.

I shall say-not a thing: I shall think-not a thing:

But an infinite love will swell in my soul,

And far off I shall go, a bohemian, 

Through Nature-as happy as if I had a girl.

-Arthur Rimbaud

lady

This is Lady, one of the dogs here at Tara Cottage. She is a beautiful champagne blonde retriever, and anything but a lady, actually. Her hobbies include running laps around the track, eating grass, relocating shoes around the house and yard willy-nilly, swimming in the river, chasing ducks, and rolling in the grass right after she's had a bath. She also loves to cuddle, and is just the sweetest girl all around. Love her!

sydney style

Guess what the hot style is in Australia, and particularly in Sydney? Southern California surfer/skater/ska! Unusually entertaining. All these Aussies strolling around sporting Rusty, Billabong, Stussy, Roxy, Etnies, DC, Vans, etc. And all the Hollister and Abercrombie! I'm constantly smiling and laughing when I see all this, and it might be part of the reason why I've been getting some strange looks. Like, whatever, dude. I take it all as a compliment. Apparently the So-Cal vibe and style is so fabulous and influential that it's reached all the way across the globe and taken over! Go Z-Boys!

Other than the surfer epidemic with the locals, there is an incredible mix of international cultures. It almost feels like walking around a theme park sometimes, with all the varied languages and styles and personalities meandering about.
In short- I love Australia. And so would you! Come visit, anytime!

picton

Picton, Wollondilly Shire, New South Wales.
Such a beautiful old town. And full of history. To start, the house I’m calling home for the moment was built in 1860, around the time the railroad came to town and started a boom. Many of the homes and buildings around here are from that period and just plain gorgeous. Lots of brick, iron scrollwork, and little Victorian touches. 
Add the sheer friendliness of everyone around and you have perfection. Being a small town, everyone knows everyone, and no one knows me. They see me around the house and immediately know I’m a WWOOFer, stopping to ask where I’m from, how I’m getting on, and to tell me “good on you”. That seems to be the standard congratulations. 
But back to the house. Worn wooden floors, narrow doors, high ceilings, exposed brickwork on the interior, fireplaces in nearly every room, and remnants of every day life that just aren’t practical anymore. The kitchen has a tiled alcove that was once a wood-burning oven, and the bathroom is actually a proper room. Enough space for a huge vanity, claw-foot tub, few extra tables, chairs, and still enough room leftover to do the Charleston. Really. Big. 
The garden out back is simply going mad with spring fever. Lettuces, kale, spinach, mustard greens, chard, leeks, pumpkin, beans, peas, artichokes, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, you name it, we’re growing it. And laying down the foundation of a no-dig garden. Look it up, permaculture is fascinating. 
Then there’s the orchard. Lemons (lots and lots), orange, several varieties of apple, grapefruit, plum, peach, pear, apricot, and macadamia nut. The blossoms are so vibrant and colorful they hardly look real. We’re using up the lemons as best we can, and I can hardly wait to see what else ripens soon. And speaking of the lemons, we’ve used them whole, and divided the zest and juice of others for different uses, but are flabbergasted as what to do with the leftover pulp. Any ideas? It would be wonderful to find something as no part of citrus can go in the giant compost pile. And do you know any strong young men who could help turn that? There’s a lot to do around here! 

The main street of town

Lemon tree going crazy

Some local fauna

The neighbor's cows. They come right up to the orchard fence and we hand feed them clover

A gazebo on the river perfect for picnics

St. Mark's, dedicated in 1850

pavlov

Meet the neighbor's dog, Pavlov. He has quickly become my favorite because he is so like our own old dog Scruffy. Tiny, ferocious, spunky, hilarious. He is a ball of energy and playfulness and makes every day more entertaining.
There are so many animals to love here, more on the rest later!

Ready to play!

Crazy eyes

Exhausted after chasing all the other dogs around 

wirrimbirra

Yesterday the girls and I went to the Wirrimbirra Wildlife Sanctuary. We took a walk among wallabies, kangaroos, and a wombat, then headed over to the dingo rescue shelter. It was amazing to just stroll around and have all the animals hopping around us.

A kangaroo having a rest

Wallabies, wallabies everywhere

So cute!

Crazy, aggressive, startling emu

And the dingos-so interesting! Their singing was amazing. We toured all their pens, learned their history, and tried our best to pronounce their Aboriginal names. They're on a par with coyotes here. Wild dogs that roam open land, hunting rabbits, foxes, and the occasional unfortunate house cat. And like coyotes, people tend to veer towards hating them. Farmers hunt them, the public fears them, and most people just don't understand them. Another misunderstood, under appreciated top predator. It really was an eye-opening experience.

And then this one Chipala...

became my best friend!

Till next time my friend