Given I’m lucky to get out of the state let alone travel abroad, posing for my photo for a replacement passport seemed such a frivolous thing to be doing during a COVID Pandemic. Today, my shiny new document arrived with what I consider the world’s worst passport photo but hey aren’t they all? Now I have a very expensive book with several blank pages that need filling.
I lovingly look at my old passports with pages of stamps of foreign places I have visited and the memories come flooding back. First time backpacker adventures, island escapes to the sun, trips to visit family and a three-month honeymoon on bicycle.
My new passport is good for the next 10 years so I’m hoping to get some good use out of it! Here’s to happy travels post pandemic!
Welcome to day 4 of a hard seven-day lockdown in Victoria. It is the fourth time since the COVID Pandemic started in March 2020 here in Australia. We had managed 87 days free of any new community infections, but now after several weeks of relative freedom, we are begrudgingly resigned to “here we go again”. Vaccine rollout has been slow, and still many of our most vulnerable are still waiting. Today nursing homes are back in the news, sadly, but no deaths at this stage.
I am fortunate that I live in a rural area without any cases but the way people have been moving around the state and interstate as well, it doesn’t pay to be complacent. The central state vaccine hotline for bookings has foundered under pressure, with walk-ups not allowed at most sites. I have heard that our local country town’s vaccine site is booked out until the end of the month! If you are lucky enough to have a local doctor looking after you, then you can get a jab that way. But for those of us without a local doctor, unless it is an emergency, you could take your chances and travel out-of-town to a bigger centre. Travelling to receive a COVID injection is one of the five reasons you are allowed to leave your home during this current lockdown.
My Facebook memories keep reminding me of where we were this time last year. Not too far from home, I can tell you! But here we are again in lockdown. A week ago, I was busy with many different commitments and activities, and now I am in stay-home mode. At least my husband and I got to celebrate our birthdays and wedding anniversary this year. I did manage a trip over the border to visit my Mum for Mother’s Day this month.
Although we are in a better situation than other parts of the world, constant disruption to our lives seems to be the new normal. Take care all. I’m off to listen to the latest press conference. We had five more cases overnight, which is better than double digits but still infection cases causing concern. It is anyone’s guess if this lockdown will end after seven days.
I’ve been through the desert On a horse with no name It felt good to be out of the rain In the desert, you can remember your name ‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain.
America – 1972
A significant reason for my tree change to a country property was to have space for a horse after many years break from riding. Living in a major capital city makes horse ownership difficult and expensive. So here I am almost 30 years later with a yearning to connect with an equine friend once again. I already have horse yards, a round yard, hay bales and saddlery but sadly, no horse as yet. We shifted here full-time four years ago, so time has been marching on.
This horse I am seeking is almost like searching for a unicorn – it is so elusive! Finding something that is quiet and suitable for a mature-age rider wanting to gain their confidence back involves a lot of patience and networking. I trawl websites and magazines to see what is available and in what price ranges. Once I find that horse, items to be added to the shopping list include a horse float, rugs for our cold, frosty days, and many other things.
America’s song about a horse with no name entered into my head as I thought about my search and how this nameless creature is out there somewhere. Believe it or not, growing up, my family did own a horse called No Name. We never did find her breeding background to help find her a new name. Hopefully, I won’t have to go as far as the desert to find my horse with no name or a name yet unknown!
Mother Nature is the great equalizer. You can’t get away from it.
Christopher Heyerdahl
Gazing out my office window on this glorious autumn morning, I seek inspiration for a meaningful post. Then I think about the role of nature in balancing our lives and preventing us from getting out of kilter with our natural environment. Reaching another decade milestone in my life has me battling that white noise in my brain trying to derail us on our journey. When those negative thoughts and emotions come to visit me, I find that connection to nature balances out the sea-saw. Breathe in, breath out. I got thinking about this concept of nature as a great leveller. I decided to do a search online for any related topics on this theme. As with many things, my thought was not original, but it did reinforce that idea. Victoria, where I live in Australia, has borne the brunt of bushfires in recent years. It is a reminder of the impact that such events have on our environment and our relationship to the natural world. We try to shape and conform the environment to our desires. Still, it is often usurped by Mother Nature’s unpredictable character and puts us back on our haunches. Today, there is the gentle warm sun on one’s back, the constant chirping and twittering of the birds, green grass glistening from the morning dew, and a diverse palette of autumn colours. It is a delightful vision reminding me that Mother Nature can be like a benevolent aunt that wraps her loving arms around us, offering a safe haven.
It starts when we are born; record the minute, hour, day and year of our arrival. No doubt our mothers were counting down from nine months to the ETA! Tick tock goes the clock or maybe the Smartphone these days to keep track of time for us. From feeding time to nap time, to pre-school and then off to the big school. Schedules rule our lives as parents juggle work and home life balance. As we hit adulthood, it doesn’t get any easier with trains and buses to catch, appointments to keep and promises not to be late for that all-important family event. Time is precious but rules our lives on many occasions. This month’s special milestone birthday prompted me to ponder our love-hate relationship with age and time. As you get older, it is a reminder that time may not be on your side and that I better get on with it before it’s too late. I berate myself for not getting more done during the COVID lockdown, but it was such a weird time and space for so many of us. It slowed time for us and removed those things that steal our precious time away. Maybe I should count my blessings instead of the hours and make the most of each day pursuing my passions. Instead of counting the years, I should take stock of the wisdom and knowledge I have accumulated over many years. But that birthday present of a guitar given to me by my husband ten years ago is taunting me from its spot leaning against the lounge room wall. So maybe I better book those lessons now!
Showcasing the talents of local photographer Sandra Lording which captures the behind scenes of a large working farm in the beautiful area I call home.
Sandra Lording’s Mansfield Farm Project Photography Exhibition tells the Manning family’s story through images of farming activities, landscapes and people. I spoke to Sandra about the inspiration for the project, how it played out and what she learnt.
The exhibition will be held at St Mary’s Hall, 48 Hunter Street, Mansfield on April 3-7, 2021.
What inspired the Mansfield Farm Project?
When I moved to Mansfield, Victoria, in 2017 (see Sandra Lording, Mansfield Photographer), I had little understanding about farming. Overnight, cattle or sheep appeared in previously empty paddocks, crops sprung from the ground, and the landscape was ever-changing colours. The Mansfield Farm Project was born out of a desire to educate myself about farming and to capture images to inform a wider audience.
I asked for expressions of interest and selected the cattle farm Davilak.
“Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends and family and laughter never ends.”
Unknown
How many of us thought that 2021 would be different to the previous year which was so consumed with the impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic? Here in my home state of Victoria we are currently in a snap five-day hard lockdown with Level 4 restrictions because of issues with the emergence of the UK strain believed to have come from someone in quarantine. After several weeks of doughnut days as per my previous posts we are once again confined to barracks even in regional areas where we have no cases. It came as a shock to many businesses in my rural community and many events were cancelled.
Thankfully, two hours before the announcement, I had stocked up on essentials including toilet paper. Sadly, supermarkets had to implement limits on certain items again because of panic buying. The authorities seem to have the cases under control now but with one more day to go, one can never be sure with such an infectious virus. On the eve of the lockdown, we joined good friends and neighbours for dinner and drinks. If COVID has taught us anything it is better to accept invitations when you can!
My home has certainly become my castle during COVID. I am fortunate to share it with my husband who has plenty to do keeping 25 acres under control and my much indulged cat Rambo. We are surrounded by hills and trees which attract a wide range of native birds and animals such as wombats and kangaroos. There is also plenty of black Angus cattle in our neighbouring paddocks and cows are just starting to calve.
No pandemic will ever be long enough for me to get through all the books on my shelves that are waiting to be read or to complete those craft projects started with good intentions.
I am hoping that as news breaks this week of a vaccination rollout in Australia and overseas, that while life may still be governed by COVID to a certain extent there will be a return to normal activities. That may mean sharing my home with a wider group of family and friends. May your home always be your castle not a prison.
My previous post espoused the virtues of the doughnut as a way to describe a run of COVID-free days in my home state of Victoria. Unfortunately within 30 minutes of publishing my post that situation had changed because of cases linked to NSW’s community outbreak. Thankfully, we have returned to doughnut days again in Victoria with a run of seven no new community transmissions of the virus. I was reminded over a week ago of another aspect to this popular holey snack because of an article by an economics journalist. The hole truths of the revolutionary Doughnut Economics (thenewdaily.com.au)
It is also almost a year ago since I graduated with BA in Community Development and Sustainable Development. The article was a good reminder to me about a better way of doing business that I learned from my studies. The COVID Pandemic has exposed the flaws in our over-reliance on mass consumerism. Some are still raking in the wealth while others are struggling financially, physically and emotionally to survive these “unprecedented” times. A circular economy makes so much more sense than a linear approach. Check out the video below and see what you think. I am becoming a bigger fan of the humble doughnut!
“Barawatha Auctions” January 2020 by 
