Haiku (esque)

The mosquito did not
bite me
when I was asleep

Here at the bottom of this cliff
white butterflies
and flowers

Such an explosion
on the dam
a very small bird

The skirt I wore
when I was thin
fits again

White and scattered
summer birds are calling
who will drive them off

How good it was
to view the moon
without poetry

Pre-Occupations

1.How to move camellia bushes and hydrangeas.
2.What's for dessert - when we seem to be giving up dairy, wheat, sugar and fruit

3.The headless stick figure shadow I throw at sunrise matches the rock art up at Mt Lawson.

4.Achieving 5.5volts on the electric fence between Near Bottom Hemps and Far Bottom Hemps.

5.That big article in The Weekend Australian full of gag inducing generalisations about pre-colonisation culture on this continent. That the author may have a point or two, but how words fail me in response.

6.Almost fail. My husband reckons that we are living our way back into dreamtime, keeping a foot in "Australia" and a foot in......

7.The header breaks down. Father and son lose a spear in the part of the river that starts to get deep.
8. Adidas lycra things

9.A two piece ensemble made from separated overalls. Would you belive me if I told you it looks very smart?

10.A pallet of cotton nurse's uniforms decomposing in Bill The Toole's hangar.

11.How to get the grass off the clay tennis court without spraying it.

12.What to wear once the grass is off the clay tennis court - 1930's blue and white would be lovely, but I keep having 1980's fluro fantasies. This is not allowed.

13.A battle/relationship/death slow dance with a Telecommunications Business Centre. I don't know whether to yarn bomb them or pursue their hint that they have a position available for me back in the office. Or is it just midsummer madness.

14.Finally realising that even decaffinated coffee renders me incoherent.

15.Not getting wistful about the days when my housemate opened a cafe in the front room and we sucked on that coffee machine like manic cherubim on the madonna.

16.Getting through a day without shouting.

17.The transparent red/orange/black/white cotton geometric body shirt and maxi pleated skirt that Tallangatta Op shop granted me two days ago. How it blazes.

18.White flesh peaches on the rack.

19.Cash. We had quite a bit in a sock and it was fun while it lasted. Would like some more. Liquid is the new credit.

20.Trust The Hunch.

Nannini Handbag, December 2011

When life goes wild, it's hard to know where to start. Sometimes I start with:

Nannini Black and Grey Handbag contents:

Duracell torch
Blackberry circa 2007 (because I fumble like a caveman over touchscreens)
Iphone 4 (because I've lost my cybershot again)
Car and powerpoint chargers
Needle and Thread
Black lighter
Opinel camp kitchen knife
Eden organics deodorant
$1400 in cash
Hooker's phone number
Graduated string of ebony beads (would like this in pearl one day)
Grinding stone from Argadargada Station (500km NW Alice Springs) to fit a ladies hand
$10 in loose change
Dodge Challenger matchbox car (my husband's favourite)
Straps cut from seams in pale blue overalls
2 elastic hair ties
Tear drop shaped cameo earrings
Flora by Gucci (tester that came with towels in a wedding present)
Jade ring
1 Rhinestone earring
Red alert lipstick by Australis
Map of the Quality Resort Siesta Motel, Lavington NSW (there are cacti, pancake machines and saunas here)
5 medical bill receipts
Fan (gold)
Blue Hermes wallet (fake)
Woodland Birds Identification Brochure.

That does not sum up just what has been going on lately, but the clues are there.

four firsts

first made from scratch garment sold (hand stitched, dress lengths to come)

first new product in a while (leather)

Joe's first catch

first bowl of roses from the big garden

Lemon Aid

1. We had upset stomachs until the lemon tree dropped an over-loaded branch and we re-discovered the alkalizing properties in this magic fruit.
3.I'm raising a poddy calf. It didn't bawl for milk at the front door this morning. I found it nibbling strange wilted leaves under the carport. Tomorrow, I'll bring it a latte to go with the tobbacco.
4.I cancelled the last proposed stunt. Selling failed writing attempts at a writer's festival seemed like a good gag, but the masochistic thrill of it has worn right off.
5.I have exchanged art and writing for gardening and chasing cows. That's it. No more. Never again.
6.This has been said before.

Latest Stunt

Check out my latest stunt HERE.

Yes, pictures of blossoms will follow. And the 7 and a half thousand trees we've been planting.

xx CJH

Running around....

I've been running around a bit lately, and great changes are afoot.

The making has started again, along with living loving gardening and farming.

Beware. Shots of bursting blossom follow soon.

Love in the meantime.

Mrs CJ Houston.

mwah.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

The present from Pen makes herself at home.

We haven't caught a mouse in two days. And the sewing machine is back!

Electricity rising = billy on the open fire. Billy on the open fire = discovering the sturdy iron bar that will hold the pots. Anthony Bourdain on TV = fascinating with fire cooking. I roasted a whole butternut in the ashbed. Good it was too.

The flowers will come from our gardens

Postcard from inside a wedding machine

I went to a shop called Flowers Naturally. I could smell real flowers, but I couldn't find them. Room after room of towering plastic constructions, table drapings, $230 plastic posies, perfect daze. I left.

My mother, the page boy, the bridesmaid and I went for a ceremonial dress fitting in Wodonga. The dressmaker was trapped by an ash cloud in Darwin.

We went to see the photographer. His shop had been turned into a tattoo parlour. He was not there.

The hair and make-up interview was great. The woman knew exactly what I wanted. Then she rolled her eyes and looked a bit frightened. I have seen similar looks in first -calving heifers. I did not stay to watch her bump descend.

Our musician has gone off to make a documentary about permaculture in remote aboriginal communities. Dad rose to the challenge of downloading some music. Mum stopped him just before he sent his bank details to an obscure russian website. Dad reckons she sounded like a banshee as she did this.