Spring is definitely here – the sunshine is warm, the wildlife and landscapes are throwing off winter chill and revitalising, and it’s been a good week. Here’s a brief recap:
Sunday a week ago – a long drive with G: up to Guyra, across on back roads through to Bundarra (where the two places which might have had food for lunch don’t on a Sunday), up to Inverell (late lunch at McCafe, ‘cos there’s not much opened there on Sunday, either), then to Tingha (where a football final had attracted a crowd from around the district, including hundreds of vehicles), and then back roads to Armidale, then home.
Tuesday: G surprised me with a present – a new iPod nano. I’m amazed all over again at how much functionality can be packed into such a tiny gadget. This even has a video camera, and takes remarkably good images for its size. It’s also got many extras, such as an alarm, an FM radio, a voice memo function, games, pedometer – oh, and it plays music, too 🙂
During the week: gorgeous spring weather; a couple of trips into town; some beautiful knitting books I’d ordered arrived; good writing progress on Book 3; and afternoon walks with the dogs.
Wednesday/Thursday – arranged a trip to Sydney for this coming week, complete with a library appearance (more info shortly!), a romance readers lunch, and lunch with my publisher.
Friday: I accepted an offer from my publisher for a new two-book contract 🙂 The paperwork still has to be finalised, but barring major natural disasters or global financial meltdowns occurring in the meantime and wiping out businesses, everything should be signed soon. So, I’ll be focused on writing for the next 18 months!
Saturday: I did a heap of clearing out in the yarn/fibre cupboard. The stash has, in recent years, overflowed beyond the cupboard door, so I got ruthless and tossed a heap of old fleeces that I will never spin – some to become mulch/compost, others to give away. I’m sorting the knitting and weaving yarns into boxes, which isn’t all done yet, but is well underway – hence, I have a sense of achievement, and may soon be able to actually sit at my looms again and weave some of the stash 🙂 (The rhythmic motions of weaving are good thinking time for writing…)
Yesterday (Sunday): A great day out with our friends, Bob & Kerry, and Don, a National Park Ranger, to an area of Oxley Wild Rivers National Park accessible only on a management track (or on foot, but you’d have to be both mad and fit!). Bob’s writing a history of land use in the area, and so we were looking for the location of old stock yards and a hut shown on an 1890’s map. I’ll do a separate post with pictures and videos of the trip.
In the meantime, here’s a few photos from the past week or so:
Hardenbergia flowering on the fence of the dog run
Afternoon light on neighbour's paddock
And a gratuitous cute dog photo:
Tansy and Ted
(Ted recently had a thorough wash – but probably won’t stay white for long!)
Bronwyn. What wonderful news. Just knowing I’ll be able to experience at least three more of your beautiful creations puts a shine on the future. —- My Father read ‘Dark Country,’ his father’s day present. He’s singing your praises and has even stored ‘you’ in the shelf where he keeps his set of Louis L’Amour westerns, don’t laugh it’s quite a privilege at his place. He thinks they’re all novels worth read again and again. — He reminded me he’d read another story about Dungirri, which he thinks he might find and put in the special ‘western’ shelf as well and he looks forward to your third ‘Dungirri;’ as I do. —- I’ll be interested to see his reaction to reading a story set in the upper Macleay area. He worked in those parts for many years, years ago. —- It’s a beautiful area and sounds like a wonderful place to hatch a plot.
Hope your Ultimo gig goes off well (lucky Sydneysiders/readers). —– Eric
PS: ‘Afternoon light on neighbour’s paddock’ — Is that ‘our’ tree?
Hi Eric! It’s great to hear that your father enjoyed Dark Country so much! And to be shelved with the revered L’Amour is indeed an honour 🙂
Interesting to hear that he worked in the upper Macleay area – I may have to pick his brains! It is a beautiful area, but also rugged and wild – and yes, a great place to hatch a plot or three, and plenty of places to hide bodies! Theoretically speaking, of course….
No, it’s not ‘our’ tree in the paddock photo. The actual tree is on the ‘back’ road to our place, about ten kilometres away. I passed it the other day – it’s still there, although the drought has stressed it, and a branch is looking somewhat fragile. I’ll take another photo of it next time I drive that way!
Eric, you can tell your father that I was browsing in Dymocks today and there was a two-in-one Louis L’Amour book on special, so since I don’t think I’ve ever read one, I bought it. I quite liked the few pages that I flicked through in the shop before I bought it. Haven’t got any further with it yet, but I’m looking forward to reading more!
Bronwyn, I shall tell my father he may be converted Bronwyn Parry. It will put a spring in his step. — He’s eighty-eight now and still manages to live quite independently in his own place, something he values (we value). He also has (a mild case of) late on set Dementia, which is still manageable. I see my roll as supporting him by providing interesting, and stimulating external input. Hence where your novels, and a few other people’s, find a place to generate discussion over a coffee or beer and counter lunch. However, mystery, relationship (never titled Romantic) reading seems to be catching on, which is a (small) worry. I created a ‘monster’ by taking with him on a trip with me to a remote mine a few years ago. I thought he’d be pleased to see the end of the dust, etc. —- I’ve enclosed a link to his log map; it’s his work in progress. —– http://www.eahare.com/billstrips — This is just outback he doesn’t include trips near the coast or to the cities. I’m regularly asked where my plans might take ‘us’ with a look of longing in his eyes.
He (my Father) was raised in the Oxley region and became an Ambulance Officer after the 1939-45 war. He spent a lot of time at Wauchope and also Macksville, which was a sub-station of Kempsey. This was back when they needed to be quite resourceful and effectively rescued injured people with what was available in the community. Generally the logging industry worked inwards from the coast so he spent a lot of time up in them there hills. I also had uncles who were forestry and others who were logging men based around Wauchope; but time has thinned them out.
Is it the location of Youdale hut what your friend is searching for? —–
Has he ever thought to approach the local indigenous people, on the coast side? I believe they’re the Dainggatti people. Their historians would have a lot of information, as the gorges region was the location of a number of horrific massacres.
I seem to remember a story about quite a number of indigenous people loosing their life violently over a lady being abducted. I’m sure Youdale hut got a mention to identify the location for the story. —- But I’m no reference source. Just a small boy born in Wauchope who seems to be able to recall things heard by aging cedar cutters who also liked to recall stories. —- I’m rambling (sorry). —- Eric