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I wonder….

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DSC_0279

Look around you carefully
I wonder what you see
I wonder do you hear the sounds
of silence as you breathe

Do you hear your heart beat
the blood flow through your veins
the thoughts that tumble softly down
like a gentle summer rain

Do the winds unsettle you
Do clouds darken your days
Do you love the sweet caress
of the suns warm rays

Are there thoughts within your mind
that you wish you could share
or do you prefer to keep them
safe and secure there

Do memories often taunt you
from a past that’s brought you pain
sneaking up unexpectedly
to raise their ugly heads again

Or maybe thoughts of pleasure
with a warmth all of their own
wrap themselves around you heart
their words written in stone

Do you hear the whispers
blowing across the lands
of hope and love and promises
drifting through the sand

The senses tell us stories
without uttering a word
be present in this moment
and within all will be heard

Trish Johnston 17th July 2016

 

Rising heat

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wild dog hill
Heat rises up in waves
from the rich red ground
shimmering, dancing, teasing
there’s no one around

Leaves hang almost motionless
just a subtle waver
a gentle breath of air
sensually savoured

The earth she has the rhythm
of the oldest dance of time
pulsating then resting
in natures sweetest rhyme

From her we draw our passion
as she drives us ever on
’til our hunger is sated
the last shuddering breath gone

Trish Johnston 13th March 2016

Hollow Log

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2013-12-29 11.00.51

I sit here on a hollow log
once a majestic tree
at peace with my surroundings
I close my eyes and breathe

Her scent fills my body
sating the hunger within
the trees, the grass, the flowers
the earth from which they spring

I feel the spirits lift me
I’m a body no more
my soul has been set free
allowing me to soar

I see all the creatures
both the big and the small
going about their daily lives
I hear their distant calls

The trees whisper their secrets
I hang on every word
at one with all of nature
I have so much to learn

I see her true beauty
different stages different zones
many levels within
Maiden Mother Crone

I soak in her essence
allow it to integrate
the wisdom that she offers
in gratitude I take

I return now to my hollow log
at peace and so alive
ever grateful for healing
Mother Nature provides.

Trish Johnston 14th June 2015

Sacrificial Love

Sacrificial Love

Some feel they must make sacrifices
to allow love into their lives
to give up part of themselves
their dreams and their desires

To some it is a challenge
to open up their hearts
and let another in
to walk beside them on their path

They fear that in surrendering
to the emotions which they feel
they must give more of themselves
than they care to reveal

They fear they will be stifled
a loss of freedom long held dear
instead of being open to sharing
the joy, desire, pain and tears

Love is not a sacrifice
for it enriches beyond measure
when we give our heart
and share all of life’s pleasures

Trish Johnston 6th April 2014

Toast to Australia

Toast to Australia

Lamb chops on the barbie
Throw some prawns on too
Sit back and have a coldie
What does our day mean to you?
Is it all about tradition
The thongs and hat and zinc
The joking Aussie ocker
There’s more to it I think
We have a blessed existence
In this land we call our own
Although there’s great confusion
With all the different time zones
We have every season
On any given day
Be sure to pack accordingly
Before you go away
We are a friendly nation
Or so the others think
Pull up a stump and chat
And we’ll shout another drink
We don’t go chasing kangaroos
Up the city streets
And koalas are not really bears
That’s all tongue in cheek
We have the galahs and cockatoos
With their rowdy rawkus cries
And of course we have the feathered ones
Who clutter up our skies
We have every sport imaginable
Cricket, rugby, league, AFL
Bowls, tennis, Iron man
Far too many to tell
We also have our culture
The arts, entertainment grand
Reflections of the character
Of this wonderful land
So crack the top off a cold one
Pour a glass of wine
Let’s drink a toast to Australia
The greatest country we can find…

Trish Johnston 26th January 2011

Rest and rejuvenation – Clare Valley

Rest and rejuvenation – Clare Valley

Rest and rejuvenation – Clare Valley.

“I think you need to spend some time resting to give yourself a chance to recover. Now how long shall I write the certificate for?” I sat there a little stunned, staring speechlessly at my doctor. Me? A sick certificate? Time off work? “Ah, is that really necessary?” I asked. The rather dry response was “Well, my dear, if you want to get on top of this before it gets any more on top of you I would suggest that it is necessary. You will have medication that will quite possibly make you drowsy and even less able to concentrate than you can now. Yes, I think it is necessary.”

Of course, it could not have come at a worse time in relation to my work but then ill health does not usually choose a convenient time, does it? While I felt extremely guilty (why I am not sure) about not being at work I certainly felt unwell enough to justify a lot of sleep in the first 36 hours I was home.

Another thing that it had a huge impact on is that I was all set to go camping again this weekend. I already had my shopping taken care of and was planning on bringing the tent and the rest of the camping gear up from the shed during the week so that I could have the car packed and ready to go when I finished work on Friday afternoon. Now, I may be quite strong minded and stubborn but I am not silly enough to go camping on my own when I am not well. How disappointing! I had such a wonderful time during my maiden solo trip at Christmas time and I was expecting more of the same again this long weekend.

Not to be out smarted I sat down and did some research into accommodation close by. Wow! I expected that it would not be cheap being a long weekend but I didn’t expect the prices that I found, nor did I expect to have to book for the whole weekend. I can understand that the industry has to make their money when they can but I am rather naïve in these things.

Okay, time to rethink again. What options did I have… the only one that made any sense was to go before the weekend and get the cheaper rate. There was only one night but at least it was something. Once my mind was made up I searched around for a reasonably priced place in the Clare Valley. For those of you who don’t know the Clare Valley is a beautiful area full of world famous wineries.

I booked a room online at the Clare Valley Motel and threw some bits and pieces into a bag, most importantly my camera and accessories. Though it is not a long drive to Clare I knew that I might need to rest along the way so I was prepared for a longer than usual trip and of course, with my camera in tow time really meant nothing to me anyway.

I love the vision that one sees with when looking for a photo opportunity. Never before have I seen as much detail as since investing in a decent camera. With the convenience of being able to delete the duds at no expense the freedom one has with a digital camera is wonderful.

Upon arrival in Clare, after many stops along the way I checked in to the motel and was very pleasantly surprised with just how nice it was, especially considering the room was at the low end of the price scale for the area. Eagerly I set off into the town proper with my camera. Oh, what a treat the beautiful old buildings in so many South Australian towns are! So much heritage preserved, one can feel the history opening up before them as their eyes rest on these magnificent structures. Not all of them are huge but they all have such wonderful character. I can just stroll through them for hours. As with most small towns the locals were friendly and welcoming also.

None more so than the bricklayer and his off siders who greeted me when I stuck my nose into The Taminga Hotel. “Come in, love. We won’t bite you” called the man at the end of the bar. Hair and beard as white as snow but I think he had lived a pretty hard life and his looks could have been a bit deceiving. There were only the 3 of them in the bar. He assured me that they were just a bunch of brickies enjoying a beer at the end of the day and that they had only just knocked off. They all chuckled when I said that I felt much safer knowing that they had not had enough to drink yet to get out of hand. “What do you do for work, love?” I hesitated, then said “I’m a Site Administrator/Document Controller for a company in Adelaide.” One of the offsiders said “Can you put that in plain English for us?” The bearded one said “Ah, so you have more qualifications than all of us put together! An intelligent one!” I had to chuckle to myself at the misapprehension some people live under. I ordered myself a soft drink and sat and chatted with these three characters. I discovered why the older one wears a beard too… It is obviously to catch his teeth when they fall from his mouth.

Let me explain… we were sitting talking happily, I noticed as we talked that he only had one front tooth in his top gum, the other 5 or so were missing. As he talked, and he was pretty good at it and had an opinion of everything, I could not believe my eyes when the one remaining tooth fell into his beard. Without even faltering he plucked the tooth from his beard, popped it into his pocket and continued to share with me his views on the youth of today and how to ‘fix’ them. I would not have believed what I had actually seen if one of the young guys didn’t have a chuckle and look at me with a cheeky grin on his face. I guess it must be something that happens from time to time!

I finished up my drink and bid farewell to the brickies and set off to find somewhere to buy dinner to take back to my room. The motel offered food but I wanted to spend a little more time wandering around town. 30 minutes later armed with a terrific smelling pizza I returned to my motel for dinner.
After dinner I decided that I would take a stroll. Not really the smartest move, by the time I arrived back at my motel room I was feeling like a wrung out dish cloth.

Why is it that when you are away from your own bed it is so difficult to sleep? I had 4 pillows and 3 cushions to choose from and not one of them was to my liking. Talk about a princess! My head was throbbing, my ears aching, my eye so inflamed that I thought it was going to burst and I still couldn’t get to sleep. Turn the air conditioner off, ah the silence, that is better. Now I am hot. Wreck the bed so I am just under the sheet. Just about to doze off and the people from the unit next door arrive. I listen to them take their gear inside. Thankfully the rooms are good enough that I didn’t have to listen to their conversation once they were inside. Oh come on! Do you really have to shower now? Ah quiet at last. Now the light from the clock radio was irritating me. I put my book on top of it to cover it. Oh, I know so well what it is like for a child to be over tired, every little thing an irritation. I toss and I turn, each time I roll over the room spins crazily ARGHHHH! Just go to bloody sleep, woman! Eventually the medication kicked in and I drifted off to sleep.

Ahhh the bliss of waking this morning to the sound of rain on the roof. Not the best for taking photos but the rain is so badly needed everywhere that one could not possibly complain. After breakfast in town at a lovely little café I eventually started to make my way back to the city, stopping frequently for photos just to enjoy watching some sheep in a paddock or the clouds moving across the sky. Grateful for to be in a position to be able to get out and enjoy some of these finer things in life, the simple, the ordinary and the very beautiful; this country so many take for granted which really is the most wonderful and incredible place to live.

A Mother’s Energy

A Mother's Energy

I sat quietly in meditation, my intention to send love and healing to all those who are suffering at this time. My focus not particularly on any one person but on the vibration of the injured souls throughout the world. The music in the background was not familiar to me, it was mainly piano which is not the usual music to which I meditate, if indeed I have any. The piece was hauntingly beautiful starting out very gently, soothing me, taking me inside myself to that place where I go before I can release the infinite energy from within. I felt that wonderfully familiar calm flow through me, erupting softly, the energy flowing from it in many beautiful pastel shades, mauves, pinks, crimsons, pale but vibrant blues and greens, yellows; gold and silver. I felt myself leave my physical presence, a familiar feeling where I am removed from what is happening but still aware of every sensation, every touch, every sound. As the music washed over and around me it carried the beautiful multi-coloured energy along with it in healing waves, rolling and swirling all around. It was being drawn mainly in one direction, off across a distance immeasurable in the human scale. I knew, without conscious thought who it was seeking. There, sitting upon a rock, an elbow resting on one knee, the hand rubbing his stubbled chin, cigarette in hand. The other hand resting on the knee dangling off the edge of the rock before him. At first glance the man looked peaceful, at home but then as the energy drew closer his appearance became more clear. The eyes were hollow with little life, the face which once had known laughter was now drawn with worry and fatigue, the shoulders striving to maintain a position of pride slightly hunched and a little concave. A mere shell of the vibrant man that had once been.

As I watched the energy draw closer and closer to the man the music built into a minor crescendo. From out of nowhere the sound of a sudden storm erupted. The man sat and watched the energy descending on him, disinterested and seemingly unaffected. It was almost as though he had been through this all before to no avail. His shield of pain and disillusionment had never been penetrated. Lightning flashed and as it did I felt another presence formulating in the energy. The mans eyes widened as he too saw the beautiful apparition. The energy was female, of the earth, of the Universe. The most powerful of energies, that of the essence of the Mother. As the man struggled to hold his battered and beaten energy in tact more lightning flashed, seemingly from the Mother energies heart. It enveloped everything before it, the man, the rock, the country side and me. The feeling of the most profound love overcame me as I felt my energy being lifted further still by this magnificent presence. The man reached toward the presence tentatively as though afraid she would vanish into thin air. Rain, soft gentle and healing fell gently upon the earth, upon the man. As I watched, my energy surrounding him in a loving cocoon the Mother presence laid one hand upon his cheek, gently soothing. He winced as though he were going to pull away and then his sad demeanour crumpled. Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the rain on his cheeks. The presence caught the tears but not the rain, in her other hand. Each time her hand filled with tears she cast them all around on to the barren land. As each tear was absorbed into the earth the soil around the man became fertile and tiny green shoots sprung forth. The tears washed the shadows from the man’s eyes until they were sparkling and full of life just as the land around him was awakening. Before long the swirling colourful energy was totally absorbed by this new environment. Birds of all colours flittered in nearby trees, wild flowers carpeted the desert floor. Crickets sounded gleefully, chirping joyfully at the abundance of life.

As the music mellowed once again the presence began to fade. She touched both of the man’s cheeks and kissed his forehead, then rested her hands upon his chest. The energy which held her presence so strongly flowed rapidly through the man, giving him sustenance. As I watched, the presence dwindled into a mere wisp of colour. The man stood proudly, full of wonder at the energy flowing through him, knowing that though the energy was no longer visible to him, she is forever with him, within him, keeping him strong, urging him to live and enjoy the flame of life she has reignited within him. The man turned and smiled at me, right into my soul, off in the distance I heard a lion roar……

Spear Creek… all good things must come to an end. Par 10

Spear Creek… all good things must come to an end. Par 10

Well, it would appear that the fault was more serious than first thought. I was up and showering yet again at about 5.45am after not a lot of sleep at all. Very unpleasant to wake with my hair plastered to my skin feeling wet enough for me to think I had already had a shower. I decided there and then that it was time for me to move on. The predicted heat wave was upon us and without air-conditioning in my room my sense of adventure was being tested to the full.

By the time Sharon came and saw me at about 8am to say that word had been received that it could be 11am or better before power is restored I was already almost completely packed up. She encouraged me to move on as she assured me that it was only going to get hotter and there would be no respite. At least she and Graham have a generator which they can run and use their air conditioning. As we stood and chatted the last of the vans from the camping area trundled past us; it seemed that I was not the only one looking for cooler climes.

I felt it was rather a sad way to leave my little haven. I would much have preferred to leave with an ache within because of having to leave it behind although it was nice to have been able to make the choice with a positive outcome to look forward to… at this stage the positive outcome may only have been a trip in the air conditioning in my car but anything was better than the prospect of another day in the heat with no respite.

After yet another cold shower I finished off my packing, which I might say went extremely well considering that I had bought a new sizable esky. I was a little concerned that when it came time I may not have been able to fit everything in again but by then the ice had melted away to just iced water and the esky could be used as storage for all those bits and pieces that you seem to accumulate which don’t have a home.

I snapped off a couple more shots of Spear Creek and once again sent a thought of thanks to my friend for suggesting it to me as I drove over to the office to settle up my rent for the past 6 nights. Oh, of course! There is no power and so there are not electronic payment options and who, in this day and age carries cash on them? No worries, Sharon is happy it take my details and charge my credit card when the power eventually comes back on. She is also very generous in discounting last night by over 50% because of the lack of air-conditioning. Good old country hospitality.

As I drive out with the dust billowing behind me I wonder where to from here. Do I go Melrose, one of my favourite places in South Australia for a night or two, or maybe even stop at the Mt Remarkable National Park and see if there is a camping space available there. I head in to Port Augusta to grab a quick bite to eat and contemplate my options. It is such a relief to be driving on the rough road and have no rattles accompanying me.

After a quick Macca’s breakfast I set off again. Mt Remarkable National Park seemed like a good option to me, if a relatively cool spot is available. As I drove, very careful to stick to the speed limit after receiving my first ever speeding ticket on my way out to Port Augusta the previous week, I relived the past week in my mind. How fortunate am I to have the ability to just pack up and do as I chose to do, at least while I am on leave from work anyway. Wouldn’t it be heaven if I could live somewhere out in the country again and spend my time writing and taking photographs? Something to aim for in the future. As I approach the turn off to the National Park I see a hand written sign stuck under the road sign saying that due to the extreme conditions the Mt Remarkable National Park was closed. Well, the decision has been made for me. Adelaide, here I come.
As I drive through Lochiel I stop to photograph the salt lakes there. It is disappointing that they are not bright pink or mauve as they often are when I drive past but they are still worthy of a picture anyway. Further on down the road I see dust swirling through the air. The wind is blowing hard and the top soil of the recently worked paddocks was being blown goodness only knows where. I did not stop to photograph it unfortunately, I wish now that I had.

As one adventure drew to a close I knew in my heart that there would be more to come. I have my tent and the rest of the gear required now to camp whenever I can get away from work. I have made a promise to myself that I will get out of the city and find other areas where I can experience the solitude of the country side. Now that I have taken the first step so much opens up before me. With a light and easy sense of freedom I head back to my suburban life, knowing that now I have taken the first step in a new and exciting journey.

Thank you for joining me in my experience. I look forward to sharing many more with you in the future. My friend assures me that there is another place which I will love even more… stay tuned, hopefully I can share it with you also.

Camping in Nature…

Camping in Nature…

I dream of going camping
Of laying gazing at the stars
Searching for hidden treasures
Maybe Jupiter and Mars

Maybe the moon will be shining
Illuminating the night
Silvery hues on Mother Nature
What a wondrous sight

I love to gaze into a campfire
Transfixed by leaping flames
Drawing strength from its beauty
Ever respectful all the same

To feel the velvet warmth
Of the night air envelop me
As a sweet delicate lover
Whose embrace comforts me

I would love to have the company
Of one who sees natures as I see
Though I will go alone
If none choose to accompany me

I do not fear the darkness
For I’ve discovered it’s my friend
It embraces me wholeheartedly
Like a long lost friend

I so love Mother Nature
In both darkness and in light
Her beauty constantly astounds me
In her essence I delight

She offers me strength to draw on
Asking nothing in return
But for me to appreciate her
And not her beauty spurn

I never take for granted
The wonder of my surrounds
For it’s in constant transformation
In sight and touch and sound

Airborne creatures I watch in wonder
Wishing I too could fly
Into the wild blue yonder
Floating gliding serenely by

I love the bugs and lizards
The ants and all their friends
Though I prefer they stay in territory
And not in my bed

I hope one day soon I can go camping
To satisfy this yen
And maybe I will feel
More balanced and tranquil then.

Trish Johnston 2nd March 2011

Spear Creek… Solitude and Nature. Part 3.

2013-12-27 10.18.5127th December 2013

After a rather sleepless night it was lovely to wake up and find that by some stroke of luck the bulk of my tent is in the shade of trunk of ‘my’ tree. The wind continued to blow until around 9.30am and kept it nice and cool so I took the chance to read and doze. When I was up and about I decided to take a stroll along the gully near the camp site.

Once again I was struck by the ancient feel of the land and trees. So many beautiful things to photograph. As I wandered along snapping happily I spotted a grey kangaroos tail laying out across the trail I was on. I continued on until I saw the rest of him, he was happily munching away on something by a small shrub. He raised his head and looked at me with a rather baleful stare, as if he were wishing me far away. The poor things must get sick and tired of humans invading their space. I snapped a few shots of him and then moved a little closer. Remaining very aware that this is indeed an wild animal at home in his environment, something we must never take for granted. I have heard the horror stories of what ‘roos can do with their powerful hind legs and I have no intentions of having those kinds of tales of my own to share. Once he let me take a closer photo and then bounded off away from me and along with him his mate, who had been laying down in the shade of a pepperina tree right beside where I stood. To say I was very startled would be a gross understatement. So much for being careful about getting too close to a wild animal. What was very interesting though was that something of that size can lay under the weeping leaves of a tree and go unnoticed. It does make one wonder how many other ‘things’ lay unobserved.

I continued on feeling pretty pleased with myself, enjoying the sunshine on my shoulders, trickles of perspiration rolling down my back…charming I know, but I have to tell it like it is. Sensibly I did have my back pack, mostly to carry alternative lenses for my camera but I also thought to put a water bottle in there as well. After wearing it for a while on a day as hot as yesterday I can now understand why you often see students with them lung over one shoulder; they do get quite hot after a while. Of course, my level of extreme UNfitness could contribute to the heavier than usual perspiration also. I really must do more of this!

My next walking companion was a lovely red kangaroo. Not the biggest that I have seen but quite large and muscular and strong looking. This one was far more aware of my approach and not so happy to pose for any candid shots, neither was his mate who followed closely on his tail as he bounded off ahead of me.

Once back at camp even a ham and tomato sandwich with an ice cold beer seemed like gourmet food. If I keep this up I will be able to take on Master Chef no problems!

After some quiet time with a book the noise of a vehicle told of the arrival of the caretakers. The lady raised her hand in greeting left me to myself. Solitude had been restored…..

To be continued…..