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19burstraat · 3 months

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when existence or when hope is gone : soc jane austen / regency au

"And have you made this entire call without once vexing or offending poor Miss Ghafa?” Captain Rietveld looked coolly at him. Inej bent her head over her sewing to hide her smiling, since she was not sure she would not laugh outright. She had not thought that Wylan would deliberately provoke the Captain, but perhaps his deference to his father did not reach anyone else. “I am sure that is not for me to decide,” said the Captain, “But I own I have been perfectly well behaved.” “Does he lie, Miss Ghafa?” “No— he has been quite tolerable company,” said Inej. “If not quite a perfect gentleman.” “You wound me, Miss Ghafa.” “I suspect I do not, Captain.”

contextual and explanatory notes about regency literary and social conventions are below the cut if you have questions during/after reading! plus some trivia for fun :)

The redacting of certain place names (—shire, — Street) is accurate to lots of old novels, where you will see it from time to time. I think it was a deliberate omission to avoid libel accusations if they accidentally invoked somewhere or someone real, or to also avoid confusing people if it contradicted real life. I used it here both to mimic the style, and also because that way didn't have to pick streets or regions lol.

The 'cut direct' was a social nuke and Kaz has balls of steel for using it on an older man who is his social superior 💀 if you very deliberately stared at and then blanked a previous acquaintance who had greeted you, it severed a relationship or acquaintance forever and could also make people turn on the person being cut. Pekka could have challenged him to a duel for it, but sensibly I think he saw the lapse in logic in giving a pistol to a soldier who holds you responsible for his brother's death and letting him shoot at you

A reticule is one of those dumb tiny handbags that regency ladies had

Governesses were in a uniquely vulnerable position. Not genteel enough for the family while not technically a servant, they tended to be isolated. While they were ofc not comparable to what Inej canonically goes through, many were abused by the families they worked for, rivalled the mothers for their children's affection, and some were harassed and abused by husbands or male visitors. There's a reason Jane Fairfax does not want to be one in Emma.

The navy lists are a publication that, unsurprisingly, list all the men, their ranks, and their ships currently trundling around on campaign. Kaz checks them to see who is still alive and to backseat drive campaigns (what's new!) and Wylan waits on tenterhooks for him to find Jesper. Which he always does because he was already looking for him.

Married couples did not tend to call one another by their given names, at least not in company; Nina and Matthias do it because they have a fond disrespect for one another. Or Nina does anyway and it's rubbed off on Matthias.

Although Kaz and Inej are comparatively very young, twenty six is pushing it for the 'marriageability' of young women; Anne Elliot was twenty seven and was considered to have lost the 'bloom' of her youth, so she is being bourne down upon a bit.

The money concerns in Persuasion— landed gentry losing money and soldiers becoming 'new' money in the war via prize money, but still being looked down upon by the old nobility— are kinda reflected through Kaz and Jesper.

(to be so honest I do not quite understand how the regency economy worked but I figured that like, no one else reading this does either, unless ur a regency specialist. if you are, sorry. how's academia?)

I think we're actually not quite yet at the peak of the 'scandal sheet' Bridgerton-Lady-Whistledown craze, but I couldn't possibly deprive Kaz and Inej of their fishmarket wife gossip habit in any universe.

I also hate Lord Byron. Next!

Nina, Matthias, and Inej are not at the Wesper wedding because regency weddings were super tiny affairs that only had v close / local family and friends at them

I think the circumstances of Kaz and Jordie having been minor landed gentry having to join the navy out of necessity may be a bit of a stretch but... Well I had to think of something to replicate Kaz's backstory with. The easier solution would have been for them to marry rich but I can see Jordie thinking that trying to marry Kaz 'Cut Direct' Rietveld off to a Duchess might be a bit tough

A trousseau was the collection of clothes that women bought before they were married; it was an expected thing, to send brides off with new clothes. Nina and Mrs Ghafa (and Jesper) are a lot more interested in this than poor Inej is lol.

The made up house names are entirely inside jokes with myself. Geldings references horses but is actually a play on the Geldstraat, Crawley means 'clearing frequented by crows', Stavewell is a play on the Stave where Tante Heleen and the Menagerie are, and I think Trasselwood is fairly obvious lol.

#the edit's wonky ik. shhhh #six of crows #soc #soc fic #my fics #kanej #six of crows fic #my post #austen au

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dabbamallangyirren · 14 days

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NDIS Services Providers in Ballina

The Byron Bay Shire is a popular tourist destination bordered by stunning beaches on one side and mountains and rainforest on the other. It is home to many people with autism and intellectual disability.

The National Disability Insurance Agency has called for stricter regulation of disability services after an ABC Four Corners investigation revealed “sickening” practices by some providers. This includes the use of seclusion, chemical restraint and physical restraint. To know more about NDIS Services Providers Ballina, visit the Dabba Mallangyirren website or call 0403856995.

Based in three Northern NSW locations on Bundjalung Country, Dabba Mallangyirren provides integrated disability support. They help participants connect with their community, explore their artistic side, and make big plans for the future.

They offer a range of residential and community services including social and recreation supports, community participation, and transport assistance. They also provide specialised accommodation options for people with high physical support needs. Their Summerland Farm in Alstonville is a popular tourism attraction and a great employment opportunity for people with disabilities.

They also have a team of passionate support staff, who work in flexible shifts including days, evenings, and sleepover shifts. Their service offerings include preplanning support, NDIS Support Coordination and Allied Health support for participants with an active Agency, Plan or self-managed plan.

Dabba Mallangyirren is an organisation that places its clients, students and families first. Their team provides support services including day and community participation programs, as well as a school offering independent special education. They also offer overnight residential care and behaviour support through the Child Safe Scheme. This is known as Specialised Substitute Residential Care and can be funded through the NDIS or privately paid for by parents.

Their staff have excellent one-on-one communication and planning skills, and are able to work with participants to develop comprehensive plans that meet their needs. They can also help participants navigate the NDIS and manage their budgets, claims and invoices.

Their specialised services include behavioural support, positive behaviour support and community access. They are a great choice for people who need to live away from home.

Dabba Mallangyirren provides a range of specialised services including behavioural support and community connection. They also have a strong focus on Aboriginal health and work closely with Bunjum Aboriginal Corporation, Bullinah Aboriginal Health Service, and Jali Aboriginal Land Council.

The organisation offers a range of social support options, including the AFTER SCHOOL CLUB which hosts group activities on Wednesday afternoons. This program is a great opportunity for participants to interact with others and develop skills such as turn taking, sequencing, and building trust.

Northcott’s CEO Liz Forsyth joined Ballina customers and staff yesterday for the official opening of their new office on River Street. The event also saw Ms Forsyth launch the Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan to local staff and customers.

An NDIS Local Area Coordinator (LAC) helps participants understand the NDIS and access community support services. They also help them create a care plan that fits their needs and goals. They may conduct group workshops on the NDIS or have one-on-one conversations with people who are interested in the scheme.

The NDIS website explains that LACs are NDIS partner organisations funded by the NDIA to handle planning meetings in a particular geographical region. They will engage with a person to learn more about their current situation, supports and goals to guide the creation of an elaborate NDIS management plan. However, they cannot approve the plan because an NDIA representative must do this.

The LAC will also help implement the plan and provide assistance throughout the duration of a person’s NDIS plan. They will also check in with participants to see if their plans are working and undertake a plan review when necessary.

Providing in home and community support services, Children and Family Centres has a range of social and recreational supports. These include assisting participants to visit friends and relatives, participate in hobbies and social/recreational activities, and help with personal care. They also provide a range of housing options, including the new state-of-the-art independent living homes, which meet the NDIS’ ‘robust’ and ‘high physical support’ criteria. To know more about NDIS Services Providers Ballina, visit the Dabba Mallangyirren website or call 0403856995.

They also offer a range of behavioural supports, which can help participants manage their challenging behaviours. This can involve training for providers and workers on Positive Behaviour Support, which uses a person-centred approach to promote self-advocacy and independence. They can also assist with a range of NDIS planning activities, including developing comprehensive plan ideas and managing budgets and claims. They can also support participants with behavioural and physical challenges by implementing a plan of intervention and strategies.

#disability services provider ballina #aboriginal lismore #disability lismore #disability services provider #ndis services #disability services ballina #ndis services ballina #disability services lismore #ndis lismore #disability services #NDIS services #ndis services providers #NDIS services providers #NDIS services Ballina #NDIS services providers Ballina

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qnewslgbtiqa · 2 months

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Reprieve for locals in fight to save Byron Bay nude beach

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/reprieve-for-locals-in-fight-to-save-byron-bay-nude-beach/

Reprieve for locals in fight to save Byron Bay nude beach

TLocals fighting to save a nude beach near Byron Bay have won a few months’ reprieve, with a looming shutdown pushed back until late June.

Tyagarah Beach was first designated a nudist bathing spot in 1998. At the time, Byron Shire Council officially declared the spot “clothing optional”.

But in a huge twist last year, a land survey revealed NSW Parks and Wildlife Service (NWPS) was the managing authority of the 800m stretch of shoreline, not the council.

In December, the NPWS told the Council it didn’t support the beach because its clothing-optional status “isn’t consistent with the values the reserve is managed under”.

Outraged locals petitioned and protested to save the beach. Last week, 150 naturists staged a naked protest on the beach (above) against the decision.

Last week, Byron Shire Council discussed the issue at a meeting. Councillors agreed their 1998 decision was redundant and Tyagarah Beach’s future was out of their hands.

Revoking the clothing-optional status would mean bathers who go nude would risk fines of up to $1100.

However, the council meeting heard that NPWS are delaying the shutdown for months to allow more community consultation.

The beach’s “clothing-optional” signage was to be removed by April 8. But there’s now a new deadline of June 30.

Greens councillor Duncan Dey told the meeting he supported nude bathing and Tyagarah Beach. He said locals had won the reprieve by speaking out.

“[NWPS] have agreed that they have to consult. It’s a good thing and the community has achieved that,” he said.

Local naturists campaign to save Tyagarah Beach

President of Byron Naturists, Bradley Benham, is glad to see the “abrupt and unilateral decision” to revoke Tyagarah’s clothing optional status paused.

“Openness, communication, and procedural fairness have been lacking until now,” he said.

Bradley said losing the region’s only clothing-optional beach over a “bureaucratic technicality” was devastating.

“This is the only legal nude beach for the people of the Northern Rivers,” he said.

“If Tyagarah goes, our nearest legal nude beach will be over six hours away, in Nelson Bay.

“It’s absurd that dog owners and their pets would then have five designated beaches in the Shire, while nudists and skinny-dippers would have none.”

Bradley said the Byron Naturists want “constructive, evidence-based discussions” with NSW Parks and Wildlife Service about Tyagarah’s future.

Read also:

Locals are fighting to save Byron Bay nude beach

Support in Noosa to finally legalise unofficial nude beach

The war of the dick togs: our Greatest Moral Battle

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

#northern rivers

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intercreativepudlo · 4 months

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On intercultural sensitivity.

Reading through Bennet's article on the developmental approach to increasing intercultural sensitivity lead me to consider my own trajectory in relation to it.

My attitude to cultural difference has been generally very open throughout my adult life and so culture shock is not something I experienced much. The way I normally experience cultural difference is lead chiefly by curiosity, I generally accept difference as an integral part of the experience of other cultures therefore I never really feel shocked. Rather I tend to observe and learn. In my life so far, I visited many different countries. I also lived in a few different countries, and in most of those countries, I travelled well outside the established tourist circuit to places where regular people lived and faced life challenges that were regular to them.

Because of this, it was strange to me when I last visited my hometown, Kraków, the place I grew up in and still identify with, still call home at least some of the time. I experienced something that, upon my return to Australia, I could only describe to people as a culture shock. I wasn't sure what it was. Was it the weather? I travelled there during the most miserable part of the year, coming from the end of Australian summer straight into late winter slosh. Was it the people? The way they dressed, all dark, all rugged up? Or the way they talked, the language and the new phrases that weren't really used when I grew up here, because of course the culture has changed? Was it what they talked about? It was the beginning of the war right next door, in Ukraine. Everyone felt this heavy reality, refugees waited outside the Ukrainian consulate every day.

The last time I visited was prior to the pandemic. The pandemic has worn the people down too. I spent it in the Byron Shire, where complaints about state control were voiced loudly, of course, but most of the time, all it meant was fewer people at the beach. I mean, compared to basically everywhere else, we barely even felt it. All around Europe, the pandemic was a much different experience.

I still felt at home among my friends but somehow being out in public felt like I was indeed in a different country, which I was, of course. I don't know why I was even expecting to feel at home the way I had felt so many times before.

I have now been an emigrant for 16 years. I visited home many times throughout that time and lived there for a few months at a time between stints in other countries. I've lived in Australia continuously for over 8 of those years. I think it's safe to assume that something about my habitus has shifted. I developed a feel for a different game and suddenly the old game felt somewhat alien. Perhaps because there was no longer an old game - the Kraków I left was not the same place I came to visit. Somehow, this was harder for me to accept and engage with than visiting places I've never been to, meeting people I've never met, learning about cultures I didn't know anything about.

Here's a gif of the kind of winter I remembered:

Now, I remember that when I first started travelling outside my own country, despite being generally open minded, I still tended to look for similarities to my own culture and understanding of the world. I came from a majority Catholic country and it wasn't hard to find traces of Catholic influence in many of the places I visited. There was a sort of universalism that came with it - I mean, it is ingrained deeply within a Catholic understanding of the world. Reading through Bennett's article, I would place my initial attitude somewhere around 'Minimization' on the scale of development of intercultural sensitivity with 'transcendent universalism' being the unconscious default (Bennett, p.184). I looked for commonalities, points of sameness, treating points of difference as a sort of curious quirkiness that made it all the more fun. But in the end, to get along, my instinct dictated to focus on things we had in common.

But that is one way to never truly be enriched by someone else's perspective or cultural knowledge. Experiencing other cultures only within a sort of reassuring comfort that, in the end, we are all the same, assuming that whatever it is that we have in common is what matters most because they have it in common with us, emphasises the primacy of our own cultural perspective and is linked to the assumption of its superiority. And this assumption is deeply ingrained in many people from a European background. I have had many conversations (arguments) about this with my own mother.

When considering this, I always remember the 2003 lecture by the late Richard C. Lewontin, an evolutionary biologist, entitled 'Does culture evolve?' delivered at the Santa Fe Institute in which he systematically dismantles the idea that there exists any kind of hierarchy of cultures.

It is fascinating really just how much we assume that in order to communicate, to connect with others truly, we must somehow agree on 'universal values and principles' (Bennett, p.184), we must look for points of sameness. I have now found that not to be the case at all. Most people are capable of connecting, communicating, and respecting each other despite our differences. We are only stuck seeing things our way until we decide to try something different. And we are all capable of this, because neuroplasticity is a real thing with which we are all blessed.

I can't really recall at which point of exposure to other cultures and different people this began to change for me. But I do remember realising it had happened. It was in the context of living in a country made up of immigrants coming from a wide variety of cultures, many so very different to my own set of cultures, a place where the first people here had been here for 80,000+ years and whose culture with all its richness still lives today. Considering this made me realise that I loved this country with all its different people and I loved that we're not all the same, that there was so much we could learn from each other. Cultural diversity makes our world a fascinating place to live in where you never stop learning, where you never stop expanding your understanding. In a world like this one, I don't know how anyone can ever be bored.

References:

Bennett, M. J. (1986). A developmental approach to training for intercultural sensitivity. International Journal of Intercultural Relations 10, 179-196.

Does Culture Evolve? (n.d.). www.youtube.com. Retrieved December 13, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEUoqmeO5hs

Ramsey, G. (20 April, 2023). Pierre Bourdieu & Habitus (Sociology): Definition & Examples. Simply Sociology.

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bebalanced222 · 6 months

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Winter 2021 - The Laura Quinkan Indigenous Dance Festival

May 2021 to September 2021

When I sold my home in Mullumbimby and moved north, all my craniosacral clients were devastated. I told them: “Don’t worry - I shall return every May and September and give sessions and visit my grandchildren. I will email you when I know I am coming!” This was my first trip back since moving to Ravenshoe, and I was pretty much fully booked before I my arrival! I worked from Living Yoga Sanga, in Mullumbimby for 2.5 days a week for 4 weeks, and I was busy!

Notice regarding Covid-19 Vaccine at Living Yoga Sanga

All the practitioners met to discuss recent issues arising from the Covid Vaccine, and this notice was put up for all users of the space. It became a point of contention amongst the general public at the time, but a year on as I write this it has been proven to be true. I think we acted in a prudent and timely way.

The first few days I stayed with my son Jay and his little family, and first thing on my agenda was to purchase a new car. I had kept a modest sum aside when I sold my house, and now was the time. With Jay’s help I found a 2013 model RAV4 with low kilometres on the clock. As much as I loved driving the Purgeot, she was a 2004 model and her days were numbered.

The second week I stayed with my ex-neighbour Kumari. Not much had changed in the compound (as we used to call it) and I was relieved to see my favourite trees were still standing. Kumari tells me the new owners are lovely people, however we missed our close friendship, the many cups of tea, our hand holding through the inevitable trials and tribulations of family life. It is hard when friends move away.

The next week I moved up to Kittani to my friend Anne’s home - you remember her from the previous blog when she helped me settle into my new home in Ravenshoe. Friends like that are gold! We have such fun together - long chats, fine food, sharing and caring. While I was there Anne made a killer batch of Hot Chilli Sauce, harvested from her garden. And yes, I got to bring a bottle home to Ravenshoe! Thanks Anne.

A killer batch of Hot Chilli Sauce

During my final week I am the honoured guest of my long time friend Susanna in her rather gorgeous AirBnB apartment with the to-die-for view of the stunning sweep of Byron Bay from the Cape all the way north to the Tweed. I was pinching myself! On the 26th of that month Anne came over to watch the Full Moon Lunar eclipse from my little apartment. Grant and Susanna joined us for champagne and nibbles.

What a surprise! On the same day my granddaughter Emily was featured on the front page of the Cairns Post, showcasing apprentices and debunking the men only image! She is a star (mind you I am a bit biased)!

After finishing my work at Living Yoga Sanga I stayed in Byron Bay for one more week, treating myself to some sessions and some ME time.

The last weekend I spent with Jay and Holly and the kiddies, and proceeded to finish a gardening job I had started when I arrived - turning their front garden into a welcoming space for the kids to play, cutting back bamboo grass, weeding and mulching. It was a satisfying project because I was imagining my grandchildren playing in that space.

I left Byron on the 7th of June, loaded up with my favourite foods from 2Die4 Live Foods, jars of Mullumbimby Honey, Aldi buys (there are no Aldi stores north of Rockhampton), Source Bulk Foods whole foods, BrookFarm products and more - all things I cannot purchase in Ravenshoe. Byron Shire is the home to many awesome businesses leading the way in the alternate “slow food” scene. It’s a happening place, but it was time for me to leave. The new car travelled like a dream.

Memories to take with me:

It was a slow trip back up the coast, stopping off to see family and friends on the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, and giving cranio sessions! I more or less retraced my steps, stopping overnight in Rockhampton and Bowen.

The view from my room at Whitsunday Sands Resort, Bowen

Bowen is one of the very few places along the entire Queensland coastline where you can simply walk off the beach and plunge into a magical marine wonderland on the fringe reef. At Horseshoe Bay I discovered a novel art installation: underwater sculptures! Just 2.5 metres down, snorkelers can explore Bywa, a 3.2 metre high underwater sculpture of concrete and steel that forms part of the Whitsundays Ngaro Underwater Marine sculpture trail.

Indigenous artist Brian Robinson's Bywa sculpture tells the story of Bywa or Waterspout in Kala Lagaw Ya language from the western Islands in the Torres Strait. According to mythology waterspouts are the vessels that carry marine animals up into the heavens for the spirits and ancestors to feed on. Waterspouts are a rare natural phenomenon. A closer look at Bywa reveals it is rich with marine animals common to Bowen waters - Turtle, Coral trout, Mangrove jack, Trevally, Parrotfish, Surgeonfish, Butterflyfish, Sergeant major, Tropical rock lobster, Stingray, Epaulette shark and Wobbegong shark.

The team at Reef Ecologic monitor the interactions of marine life with the artwork, and reef life is beginning to encrust the sculpture. Juvenile cardinal fish were seen using the artwork as a refuge.

Late afternoon light show by Mother Nature:

I arrived home in Ravenshoe on the 13th of June, just in time for the rapid arrival earth side of Jack Michael Bowden on the 17th, my second great grandchild and second child to Brad and Ash, sister to Evie!

Brad and Ash live in Weipa, but because it is a remote community, the Health Department do not allow the mothers to birth their babies there. They are flown down to Cairns to wait out the last few weeks. Having family relatively close is good for them and great for us! It allows for lots of bonding time.

Rachael and Scott’s family have been sponsors of the Malanda Agricultural Show for ever and it is a must attend event in their calendar. Held the last weekend of June, little Evie loved the baby animal enclosure.

Sadly, just a few days later, Scott’s grandmother, Nana McVicar, died on the 29th June after a long illness. She had said her good byes and she died peacefully surrounded by her family. She was one of the last of the early pioneers who carved out a life for themselves in the Far North, nearly a century ago.

The Laura Quinkan Indigenous Dance Festival 2-4 July, 2021

The Laura Quinkan Indigenous Dance Festival is a 3 day camping festival, Celebrating Culture and Recognizing History

Dance troupes from across the Cape York and the Torres Strait will gather in the small community of Laura to showcase stories through dance routines, sharing history and uniting as one.

The township of Laura is the central meeting place for people from the Cape York, as well as being home to Australia’s most significant collection of rock art, it hosts another internationally recognised celebration of Aboriginal culture, the Laura Quinkan Indigenous Dance Festival.

The dance festival grounds at Laura occupy the site of a very old, traditional Bora ground. It’s a respected and sacred site. Here, people from different communities located across the Cape York Peninsula come together to celebrate with music, dance, singing and cultural performances.

The Laura Quinkan Indigenous Dance Festival is the time where families old and new meet, exchange, rejuvenate and pass on knowledge and history.

https://lauraquinkanfestival.com.au

I received a surprise phone call from my daughter-in-law on Friday morning, inviting me to the Laura Dance Festival, saying they had a free ticket and accommodation for me there. Rio Tinto are a major sponsor of the festival, and due to Covid restrictions a number of staff from interstate were unable to attend. I just had to get myself there! My three grandsons were there while mum and dad were busy on the Rio Tinto stall. I think it helped to have the extra pair of hands!!! Yay! I am the lucky one! Laura is a 4 hour drive north east of Ravenshoe, so I set off early Saturday morning, to witness an incredible spectacle. Let the pictures tell the story.

After a busy (20 cranio clients as well as my quarterly BAS clients) and social July (Laura Dance Festival, family gathering for Nana McVicar’s wake, Aaron, Janine and the kids calling through on their way home to Weipa, water divining to sink a bore, the Freedom Marches in Cairns and Kuranda), I headed back to Weipa to celebrate Aaron’s birthday, and maybe have a well earned rest.

Weipa: 29/7/21 to 19/8/21

“A rest” you think!!! Very funny! First there was the relocation of Beau’s nursery, and the repotting of numerous palms. Beau just turned 9 a few weeks earlier and he seems to have an entrepreneurial bent, so I was keen to support him making a go of this idea. I enjoyed the challenge, and I think Aaron and Janine were relieved to get some back-up.

And of course the boys are back at school so I am doing the school drop off and pick-up. It creates a certain routine for the day and week - footy practice on Tuesdays and game on Thursdays, Evie’s playgroup Wednesdays, coffee at the Community Centre with Ash on Friday mornings, school lunches, what’s for dinner? Oh no, Zeus has got out again!!! But I love it!

The day I arrived Janine asks me: Do you know how to make a Nappy Cake?

Me: No! What is a Nappy Cake? (I must be showing my age!)

Granddaughter-in-law Denica is about to fly out to Cairns to await the birth of her first baby, and Janine has realised no-one has organised a baby shower for her. So tonight is the night! A quick trip to the shopping centre while Aaron whips up a few salads - these guys are a team!

The Nappy Cake! Well done Janine!

There is no rest for the wicked around here! Aaron is the President of the Weipa Fishing Classic and all year the committee have been having meetings to ensure this signature event goes ahead smoothly. The Weipa Fishing Classic is Cape York’s premier and most exciting fishing competition, with local and interstate anglers competing for a record prize pool of more than $200,000. So tonight is very important - the committee is coming over to taste test an array of wines to choose for the event! Jeez - lucky they have me here! (ha ha ha)

Of course the evening started with Aaron’s signature dish:

Yep - they are ginormous rock oysters from Tasmania! Aaron shows me how it is done - easy!

Happy Birthday Aaron!

16/8/21 Declan Bowden born

19/8/21: Visit Mark & Denica in CNS - meet Declan

23-27 Sept: Micky Memorial Ride - next blog post

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uwewullfen · 1 year

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Greetings Friends,⁠ ⁠ Mullumbimby is an Australian town in the Byron Shire in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. It promotes itself as "The Biggest Little Town in Australia". The town lies at the foot of Mount Chincogan in the Brunswick Valley about 9 kilometres by road from the coast. ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ #byronbay #australia #goldcoast #byron #brisbane #ballina #byronbaylife #love #northernrivers #lennoxhead #bangalow #mullumbimby #nsw #beach #sydney #travel #lismore #surf #visitbyronbay #photography #byronshire #northernnsw #byronlife #handmade #visitnsw #nature #ocean #brunswickheads #uwe_foto (at Mullumbimby) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cof9gQ6LH8q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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pestagon · 1 year

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Amalgamated Pest Control Ballina

Located in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Ballina is the gateway to Byron Bay. This small town is home to a large urban population and the local government area consists of Ballina Shire. A pest control company can help rid your property of these nasties.

The most obvious choice is to call a local company. You might want to get an estimate from a pest control company near you. In Ballina, you can call Amalgamated Pest Control Ballina on the phone or visit their website. Located on Westerman Street, the company has a lot to offer the home owner or apartment dweller. Whether you need a quick fix for your gnarled spiders or you need to get rid of a termite infestation, they've got your back.

They even have a few enticing offers to get your home or office looking its best. With a free pre-purchase termite inspection, you can be confident that your house will be a tad less icky. They'll also give you a free copy of their pest management guide. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, you can rest assured that your home or office is in the right hands.

The small t is a local family run business with a lot of history and experience to boot. They are the best in the business when it comes to pest control in the Lismore area. They also have an impressive list of reviews from customers who have entrusted their homes and businesses to the company's expert technicians. For more information, you can check out their website, visit their Facebook page, or contact them directly. Their number is (02) 9412 9888. They also have the best prices around. If you're looking to get rid of a Ballina termite infestation, you've come to the right place. Whether you are looking for a quick fix or a long term solution, the Amalgamated Pest Control Ballina has you covered. Getting a free estimate is the best way to get started.

Pest-A-Gon is 100% Australian owned and operated. Over 35 years of industry experience. Proudly servicing all suburbs in and around the Far North Coast and Northern Rivers areas.

#flick pest control ballina #active pest control ballina #amalgamated pest control ballina #pest control ballina nsw #pest control Mullumbimby #pest control east ballina #byron bay pest control #pest control byron bay #sanctuary pest control byron bay #amalgamated pest control byron bay #lighthouse pest control byron bay #pest control byron bay nsw

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thejosh1980 · 3 years

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So Alone...

Today I had the first day completely alone in 5 months.

Now think about that for a moment... When was the last time in 2020 you had real alone time???

At least as far back as 5 months I haven't had a space to myself, no quiet, no one around to disturb me (or support me for that matter). I have been in the constant presence of someone else.

I can appreciate many families who have had a similar experience if they've been in a COVID lockdown for many months, like in Victoria. In fact, I am sure even without a full lockdown, just having the various restrictions in place, home office and schools closed, many couples, parents and children are together 99% of the time, all day, every day, inside the house.

Of course, on the flip side, you have those who live alone, and may have had too much time alone (indoors) in 2020. Too much time to ponder the worries and woes of the pandemic and lockdowns without companionship. Even those who say they really just prefer their own company, may realize how important the hustle and bustle of the local main street walkers is, or that one coffee friend they do like to meet with.

Either scenario, what a change it's been to our lives. How are you doin' with it all?

Alex and I were pretty much cheek to cheek from mid March until late May when the first lock down in Germany was on. However, in that time, I still had my studio to go to, to hang out, play some guitar, write a song... That was my alone time... My “me” time.... My focus time....

From mid July until early December, we've been inseparable... And not by choice either...

We had the international move to prepare for and once we were ready, we ended up staying with her family for 2 months until we could arrange flights.

She has a wonderful, but big, family...

There was always someone around in the house, not to mention this was not my space. I was a guest, in a guest bedroom, with guest towels... We were always on the edge, at the ready in case a flight become available, and so while I love her family and appreciate their support, it was tough on someone like me, who enjoys being alone regularly, with my thoughts.

While being a guest, I was getting out from time to time, going to a friend locally for a visit or just walking the dogs for an hour or two... But I still had to come home to a full house.

Once we got to Australia, we had to quarantine in Adelaide. I couldn't have asked for a better quarantine partner. Alex was great... Any “issues”, we'd talk it through. No stress... But we were still within 3 meters of each other for 2 solid weeks... No chance to leave... No chance to just breathe...

Then we finally got to mum's, and moved in... We are here, living at the other end of the house in the unused bedrooms. We have our own space as such, but it's still mum's house...

I am used to regular hours alone each day... To do my thing, to worry about my stuff, to focus on what I need to do... When people are around I am distracted... I am often disturbed... I am cautious.. I worry... It's just the way it goes...

Until Alex got a job!

Last Thursday, mum AND Alex both went to work!!! Oh my! I had the house to myself...

Now don't you start thinking I was dancing around the pool naked or watchin' YouPorn all day... Nope... I was working on my to do list... Doing washing, Alex's visa, some cleaning, preparing Christmas Cards, and looking into finding work here...

But I got to do that alone, in my own time, my own way. And damn it felt good!

I felt something I hadn't felt in a long time... I don't quite know what it was... Maybe, just maybe, it was the first time I didn't feel like I had to think about someone else for a minute.

It felt like a little weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt that my mental health benefited a lot from that time for me (Just as a lot of folks living alone may benefit from meeting a friendly face after many months living with restrictions).

When I stopped drinking, I learnt I had to look out for myself. My mental health became the utmost importance to me. I may have come across selfish, but that was because I had to put my needs first... I would leave a party if I was uncomfortable, no more would I drink to hide my discomfort... I learned to say no.

I love my wife, she's amazing and we get along great... I realize that ever since we landed down under I have put pressure on myself to protect and take care of her. I almost forgot that she is a full grown adult, she has lived in more countries than I have and experienced a lot in her life, which means she is well prepared for whatever this new coastal country lifestyle that is Byron Shire, Australia throws at her. And if not, I trust she'll talk to me about it..

She's becoming more and more independent here... The more she does, the more I'll be comfortable, proud of her and ready to find and follow my own path...

Last Thursday, I didn't have to worry about her for a while and I could focus on me again...

Thanks for reading,

Josh

#byron bay #time alone #me time #personal growth #looking out for you #relationship #relationships #couple goals

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listening-through-the-lens · 3 years

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Amanda Shires, Bluesfest 2014 #amandashires #jasonisbellandthe400unit #bluesfestbyronbay #listeningthroughthelens (at Byron Bay, New South Wales) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIpjSxFB4BK/?igshid=1a1ck8hrskw0a

#amandashires #jasonisbellandthe400unit #bluesfestbyronbay #listeningthroughthelens

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dabbamallangyirren · 1 month

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NDIS Services Providers Ballina

NDIS services providers Ballina provide a range of supports including accommodation, community programs and support coordination. They are dedicated to delivering quality care and value.

The Byron Bay Shire is a region of beautiful beaches, rainforest and mountains in Far North NSW. It is a popular tourist destination and has many NDIS participants. To know more about NDIS Services Providers Ballina, visit the Dabba Mallangyirren website or call 0403856995.

The Byron Bay, Ballina and Lismore shires are home to around 970 NDIS participants. This number is expected to grow significantly over the next few years. Several groups are working to bring people with disability together in these communities.

The NDIS offers a wide range of support services, including planning, pre-planning, and support coordination. These services are designed to help you navigate the system and build your capacity. They also provide advocacy support and community connections.

BudgetNet is a registered NDIS provider that specialises in plan management. Their team of professionals can provide personalised service that suits your needs. They can also assist with implementing and monitoring your NDIS funds.

IBISWorld provides enterprise profiles for thousands of leading organizations across Australia and New Zealand. Our profiles include financial ratios and growth data, as well as detailed information on the ultimate parent company, largest shareholders and major industry sectors. You can also compare financial performance with peers in your industry or geographic region.

Dabba Mallangyirren provides a wide range of NDIS services including Support Coordination, Plan Management and Therapy Services. Its team of highly trained and experienced professionals strive to empower people with disability to live a rich and full life by building connections, community and social inclusion. Their customers’ individual needs and goals are at the centre of everything they do.

The Byron Bay Shire is bordered by beautiful beaches on one side and mountains and rainforest on the other. It is a popular tourist destination and home to many NDIS participants. The shire has a population of 31,556 and includes the towns of Bangalow, Newrybar (shared with Ballina), Mullumbimby, Brunswick Heads, Ocean Shores, Federal and Booyong.

A new NDIS Mind-Life Hub has been developed by Bridges Health & Community Care Ltd to help reduce stigma and improve understanding of the specific needs, resources and service options for people who experience psychosocial disability. The project is funded by the NDIS.

The Byron Bay Shire is home to a number of local and national NDIS services providers. Whether you require accommodation, assistance with daily living activities or more complex support needs like catheter and bowel care, there is a service to help.

Byron Bay is an oceanside destination surrounded by beaches and rainforest. The region is also home to a smaller disability community, which makes working in the area challenging but rewarding. Several groups are working on social groups for participants to combat the issue of isolation.

Dabba Mallangyirren is a leading provider of integrated support for people with disability. Previously known as the Cerebral Palsy League, they recently refreshed their brand to reflect their new focus on inclusiveness and choice. They offer a range of supports, including specialised behaviour support and residential care. They also provide training, advocacy and family support. They have a dedicated team of qualified and experienced staff. Their team has extensive knowledge of the NDIS and can assist you with plan management, pre-planning and other support needs.

Dabba Mallangyirren has been providing support to people with disabilities in the Ballina region for over 50 years. They started out as a special school, offering independent Special Education to students from age 4 to 18. They now offer NDIS disability supports and operate Ballina’s only independent day program.

Their NDIS disability support services include personal care, assistance with daily activities, community access, respite and lifestyle supports. They also provide positive behaviour support, which is a person-centred framework for supporting people with challenging behaviors. To know more about NDIS Services Providers Ballina, visit the Dabba Mallangyirren website or call 0403856995.

They also offer overnight residential care under the Child Safe Scheme, which provides behaviour support and accommodation for 3 or more nights away from your home. This can be for bowel or catheter care, personal care and support to get out of the house and enjoy social/recreational activities. These services can be paid for using the plan management funding category. They can also help you with your NDIS budgeting and planning needs.

#aboriginal lismore #disability services provider ballina #disability services provider #disability services ballina #disability services lismore #ndis services ballina #ndis services #disability services #disability lismore #ndis lismore #NDIS services #ndis services providers #NDIS services providers #NDIS services Ballina #NDIS services providers Ballina

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a-dinosaur-a-day · 5 years

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Byronosaurus jaffei

By Ripley Cook

Etymology: Byron’s Reptile

First Described By: Norell, Makovicky, & Clark, 2000

Classification: Dinosauromorpha, Dinosauriformes, Dracohors, Dinosauria, Saurischia, Eusaurischia, Theropoda, Neotheropoda, Averostra, Tetanurae, Orionides, Avetheropoda, Coelurosauria, Tyrannoraptora, Maniraptoriformes, Maniraptora, Pennaraptora, Paraves, Eumaniraptora, Troodontidae, Troodontinae

Status: Extinct

Time and Place: Between 78 and 75 million years ago, in the Campanian of the Late Cretaceous

Byronosaurus is known from the Ukhaa Tolgod of the Djadokhta Formation in Mongolia

Physical Description: Byronosaurus was a Troodontid, a type of slender almost-bird with the same sickle-shaped claws as the famous Raptors, but much smaller and built more for trapping food than strategic stabbing. Like other members of the group, Byronosaurus was fairly small, slender, with large wings and skinny legs 0 it only reached about 1.5 meters in length, and 50 centimeters in height, weighing only 4 kilograms. It had a long, narrow snout attached to a decently sized neck. Its tail was also long, ending in a tail fan. Like other Troodontids, it had very closely-spaced together teeth, and a lot of them to boot. These were non-serrated teeth, which is weird for a Troodontid. It was also extremely intelligent - Troodontids had some of the larger brains for their body size of dinosaurs at the time. It would have been very fluffy indeed. We also have babies of Byronosaurus, which were either just hatched or about to hatch; they had big eyes, like most babies, and in general “cute” features.

By Michael B. H., CC BY-SA 3.0

Diet: Byronosaurus would have fed on a variety of small animals such as mammals, lizards, and baby dinosaurs.

Behavior: Byronosaurus would have been a fairly active and skittish animal, attempting to dodge predators and larger dinosaurs while still finding food. It probably would have ducked in between and around shrubs and other brittle desert plants, looking for its prey. It then could have darted into the brush, grabbed the food, and pinned it down using its feet. It probably didn’t engage much in raptor-prey-restraint flapping, though it could have if it needed to; though it likely did engage in wing-assisted-inclined-running, using powerful flaps and its light weight to run up vertical surfaces such as cliffs. It probably used its wings and tail fan for display, fluffing them out and extending them to talk to other Byronosaurus. They also would have looked distinctly different from other feathery dinosaurs in the area, using color and patterns to stand out amongst their cousins. As a desert animal, it also probably would have tried to conserve its energy wherever it could, hiding in places of shade. Byronosaurus took care of its young, and its possible that they did so in family groups.

By José Carlos Cortés

Ecosystem: The Djadochta Formation was an arid desert, with red sand and dirt for miles around. This red coloration of the ground gave it the famous name “Flaming Cliffs,” and probably would have made most dinosaurs in the area actually quite red themselves, in order to blend in. Freshwater here was present - enough to have freshwater-adapted animals - but rare, only taking the form of oases and arroyos. No plant fossils are known, but they would have likely been dry shrubs and other arid-adapted plants. Here, Byronosaurus shared its environment with an innumerable variety of dinosaurs - ankylosaurs like Pinacosaurus, ceratopsians like Protoceratops, Alvarezsaurs like Kol and Shuvuuia, Oviraptorosaurs like Citipati and Khaan, Dromaeosaurs like Halszkaraptor and Velociraptor and Acheroraptor, other Troodontids like Almas, Opposite Birds like Gobipteryx, and True Birds like Apsaravis. Non-dinosaurs were present in droves too - there were Crocodylomorphs like Shamosuchus and Zaraasuchus, lizards aplenty from Slavoia to Isodontosaurus to Parmeosaurus to Mimeosaurus to Adamisaurus, turtles like Zangerlia, and a lot of small mammals like Deltatheridium and Maelestes and Zalambdalestes and Bulganbaatar and Kryptobaatar. Ultimately, lizards grew like weeds in the Djadochta, and would have been the primary source of food for Byronosaurus. Interesting enough, Byronosaurus may have had its eggs stolen and eaten by - or it parasitized the nests of - Citipati.

Other: Byronosaurus is one of many theropods known from the Djadokhta Formation, a place that is weirdly theropod heavy (and, at that, fluffy theropod heavy). It is known from multiple specimens, and is closely related to the Troodontines of North America.

~ By Meig Dickson

Sources under the Cut

Bever, G.S. and Norell, M.A. (2009). "The perinate skull of Byronosaurus (Troodontidae) with observations on the cranial ontogeny of paravian theropods." American Museum Novitates, 3657: 51.

Cau, A.; Beyrand, V.; Voeten, D.; Fernandez, V.; Tafforeau, P.; Stein, K.; Barsbold, R.; Tsogtbaatar, K.; Currie, P.; Godefroit, P. (2017). "Synchrotron scanning reveals amphibious ecomorphology in a new clade of bird-like dinosaurs". Nature.

Chinzorig Tsogtbaatar; Yoshitsugu Kobayashi; Tsogtbaatar Khishigjav; Philip J. Currie; Mahito Watabe; Barsbold Rinchen (2017). "First Ornithomimid (Theropoda, Ornithomimosauria) from the Upper Cretaceous Djadokhta Formation of Tögrögiin Shiree, Mongolia". Scientific Reports. 7: Article number 5835.

Clarke, Julia A., Norell, Mark A. (2002). "The morphology and phylogenetic position of Apsaravis ukhaana from the Late Cretaceous of Mongolia". American Museum Novitates, No. 3387, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY.

Godefroit, Pascal; Currie, Philip J.; Li, Hong; Shang, Chang Yong; Dong, Zhi-ming (2008). "A new species of Velociraptor (Dinosauria: Dromaeosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of northern China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 28 (2): 432–438.

Hartman, S., M. Mortimer, W. R. Wahl, D. R. Lomax, J. Lippincott, D. M. Lovelace. 2019. A new paravian dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of North America supports a late acquisition of avian flight. PeerJ: e7247.

Junchang Lü; Li Xu; Yongqing Liu; Xingliao Zhang; Songhai Jia & Qiang Ji (2010). "A new troodontid (Theropoda: Troodontidae) from the Late Cretaceous of central China, and the radiation of Asian troodontids". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 55 (3): 381–388.

Ksepka, Daniel T.; Norell, Mark A. (2004). "Ornithomimosauria cranial material from Ukhaa Tolgod (Omnogov, Mongolia)". American Museum Novitates. 3448: 1–4.

Longrich, Nicholas R.; Philip J. Currie; Dong Zhi-Ming (2010). "A new oviraptorid (Dinosauria: Theropoda) from the Upper Cretaceous of Bayan Mandahu, Inner Mongolia". Palaeontology. 53 (5): 945–960.

Makovicky, P.J.; Norell, M.A.; Clark, J.M.; Rowe, T.E. (2003). "Osteology and relationships of Byronosaurus jaffei (Theropoda: Troodontidae)". American Museum Novitates. 3402: 1–32.

Mackovicky, Peter J.; Norell, Mark A. (2004). "Troodontidae". In Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; Osmólska, Halszka (eds.). The Dinosauria (2nd ed.). Berkeley: University of California Press. pp. 184–195.

Montague, R. (2006). "Estimates of body size and geological time of origin for 612 dinosaur genera (Saurischia, Ornithischia)". Florida Scientist. 69 (4): 243–257.

Norell, Mark A.; Clark, James M.; Dashzeveg, Demberelyin; Barsbold, Rhinchen; Chiappe, Luis M.; Davidson, Amy R.; McKenna, Malcolm C.; Perle, Altangerel; Novacek, Michael J. (November 4, 1994). "A theropod dinosaur embryo and the affinities of the Flaming Cliffs dinosaur eggs". Science. 266 (5186): 779–782.

Norell, M.A.; Clark, J.M.; Turner, A.H.; Makovicky, P.J.; Barsbold, R.; Rowe, T. (2006). "A new dromaeosaurid theropod from Ukhaa Tolgod (Omnogov, Mongolia)". American Museum Novitates. 3545: 1–51.

Norell, M.A., Makovicky, P.J. & Clark, J.M., 2000, "A new troodontid theropod from Ukhaa Tolgod, Mongolia", Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 20(1): 7-11

Novacek, M.J., Norell, M.A, McKenna, M.C. and Clark, J.M, 1994, "Fossils of the Flaming Cliffs", Scientific American 271(6), 60-69

Pei, R.; Norell, M.A.; Barta, D.E; Bever, G.S.; Pittman, M.; Xu, Xing (2017). "Osteology of a New Late Cretaceous Troodontid Specimen from Ukhaa Tolgod, Ömnögovi Aimag, Mongolia". American Museum Novitates (3889): 1–47

Tsuihiji, T.; Barsbold, R.; Watabe, M.; Tsogtbaatar, K.; Chinzorig, T.; Fujiyama, Y.; Suzuki, S. (2014). "An exquisitely preserved troodontid theropod with new information on the palatal structure from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia". Naturwissenschaften. 101: 131–142.

Turner, A.H.; Nesbitt, S.J.; Norell, M.A. (2009). "A Large Alvarezsaurid from the Cretaceous of Mongolia". American Museum Novitates. 3648: 1–14.

Varricchio, D.J.; Barta, D.E. (2015). "Revisiting Sabath's "Larger Avian Eggs" from the Gobi Cretaceous". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 60 (1): 11–25.

Weishampel, David B.; Dodson, Peter; and Osmólska, Halszka (eds.): The Dinosauria, 2nd, Berkeley: University of California Press. 861 pp.

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go2harsha-blog · 5 years

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Celebrating Woodstock - Part 1

With the 50th anniversary of the Woodstock festival round the corner, Harsha Prabhu looks back to visiting the US for the 40th anniversary

A Fairy Tale of New York

Parrots for Peace, Ecofest, Central Park, NYC, Oct 2009. Pic: Hans Lovejoy

Blog 1 on the Rainbow Dreaming US tour, covering NYC and Ecofest. Rainbow Dreaming is a photodocumentary on the alternative culture of the rainbow region of NSW, Australia. The curators were invited to set up the exhibit for the Woodstock 40th. See more at http://www.rainbowdreaming.org

Which Woodstock?

“Don’t even bother about coming to Woodstock for the festival in August,” said Nathan Koening, our host at the Woodstock Museum. “It’s mostly expensive hype. Come in October, when the weather is better and there will be more Woodstock-related events to celebrate the Woodstock legacy. And you can set up the Rainbow Dreaming exhibit.”

Woodstock Museum, Saugerties, NY, October 2009. Pic: Emi Iizuka

The Woodstock Museum were partners in setting up the historic Nimbin-Woodstock Connection in the mid-nineties, a rainbow bridge linking the alternative communities of Nimbin in north eastern New South Wales, Australia, with the whole hippie tradition of Woodstock. We had sealed the relationship by sending the Woodstock Museum an earlier exhibit from Nimbin, called Some Children of the Dream.

It’s now some fifteen years down the track. Walking down the main strip in Byron Bay I spy Hans Lovejoy sitting in a cafe, sipping on a latte. Hans, musician and journalist for the Byron Shire Echo, was in-between assignments.

“Fancy a trip to Woodstock?” I asked him.

“Which Woodstock?” he asked, undoubtedly knowing there were many: Woodstock, the town; the original Woodstock festival in 1969, which was held some 100 kms away; and the many, commemorative events down the years, held wherever the required permits could be obtained and the producers and sponsors lined up with the dollars.

“Not the festival,” I replied, “It’s a celebration of the Woodstock legacy.”

“Why not,” he said.

Lords of the Material Universe

The first signs were auspicious.

At Brisbane airport, waiting to catch the flight out to LA, we bumped into Elizabeth Thorpe and Debbie Lee. Elizabeth and her partner Ray, proprietors of Happy High Herbs, were the principal sponsors of Rainbow Dreaming and Lee, artist and designer, is an old connection from Nimbin. Elizabeth and Lee were headed for USA to open Happy High’s first US store, in Arizona. And Hans and myself were headed for New York, bringing with us the stories and pictures of life in the rainbow region.

From the plane, the New York nightscape glowed and flickered like some gigantic circuit board. “The lords of the material universe have nice real estate here”, said Hans. Towers of ivory, streets of gold. Would the lords be kind to us? Would they let me in, with my Indian passport?

At immigration, there was a blip: Had my passport ever been stolen? Why was it registered as Australian? The question in my head went something like: So this is what it feels to be at the mercy of dodgy databanks and the mood of the assessment officer. But it turned out ok. After a few questions, Officer Pena waived me through.

Did I have anything to declare, the customs man asked? Don’t touch my bag if you please, I have a haversack full of rainbow dreams, I mused to myself.

At the airport, the smiling face of Benny Zable, waiving a rainbow flag, greeted us. Benny, Nimbin’s ambassador to Woodstock, was the kingpin in the rainbow bridge to Woodstock and beyond. Benny had arranged for us to stay in Brooklyn, at the studio of Traci Mann, a New York tap dancer.

Disoriented by jet lag, Hans had left his laptop on the airport bus. That first night, with the El roaring past our window, we fell into a troubled sleep, woken by the clatter of the El and the cries of children at the daycare centre below.

Through a Glass

Our first pilgrimage in New York was to the Yippie Museum in Greenwich Village. The Village was the bohemian hangout par excellence in the sixties. It still has a funky, if gentrified, look. Jazz bars and restaurants dot the streets.

The Yippie Museum resembles the Nimbin Museum, with a stage for performances. One night, we caught some fine performance poetry. It’s the headquarters of New York’s hemp legalization campaign. They knew about Nimbin. They were also involved with a global linkup of cities for 2010.

1st Oct saw the launch of Mark Roselle’s book “Tree Spiker”. Mark Roselle is the founder of Rainforest Action Network. He’s also the man who infiltrated a Nevada test site. The day was also Benny’s birthday, Benny, an agent provocateur with his rainbow flags. The Yippie Museum was a happening place, true to its name of promoting green(sic) issues through direct action.

It took us a while to work out what ‘uptown’ and ‘downtown’ meant in the subway, but we had worked it out by the time we left New York!

Hans slipped out one night for a dose of jazz; the girls went on a harbour cruise; Benny was beavering away at the Ecofest office. My jet lag meant that I saw the city as if through a glass darkly. One image remains: a black, immaculately dressed saxplayer, doing “In a Sentimantl Mood” in the subway at 50th St.

Ecofest

Ecofest, Central Park, NYC, Oct 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

The Ecofest office, off Broadway, was a hive of activity, presided over by Nanci Callahan, queen bee and director/producer of New York’s signature ecological fair, now in it’s 21st year.

We walked to Central Park to check out the site for this year’s Ecofest, passing Strawberry Fields and ‘Imagine’, the mosaic tribute to John Lennon. On park benches huddled New York’s homeless, shrouded in grey, under the shadows of the tall towers ringing the park. The Dakota apartments where Lennon had been shot were across the street. “Yoko Ono pays for the maintenance of this section of the park and the homeless are permitted to sleep here,” Benny explained. I thought of our homeless in Byron, chased from bus shelters, their beach humpies a mark for rangers. In this instance, New York seemed to have a heart.

Sunday 4th Oct was a fine day. The Ecofest site began to fill up with vedors and exhibitors, including the latest hybrid cars from Toyota and Ford.

Rainbow Dreaming at Ecofest, Central Park, NYC, Oct 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

We had been assigned the outer wall of the conference tent to set up the Rainbow Dreaming exhibit. Space restrictions meant only half the exhibit could be accommodated. We punched holes into the exhibition panels and strung them out on twine like washing on a line. It worked! Sayaka Nakao, Rina Terasaki and Saya Minami, our Japanese friends from Byron Bay, who had flown in the previous day via Tokyo to help with the exhibition tour, assisted us in this improvisatory task. Ever enthusiastic, our petite helpers were worth their weight in gold. Hans and I would have struggled to manage the show on our own.

Over 25,000 visitors streamed through Ecofest that day and, as we were positioned at the entrance, many of these stopped by to check the exhibit. Among these was Nirmala, Gina Lakosta’s daughter, who was in New York to perform a burlesque show, under the stage name La Viola Vixen. Another was a couple from Goonengerry, amazed to stumble upon a slice of life from the rainbow region in the heart of New York.

Tap dancers, including the amazing Mabel Lee, Traci Manns’s former teacher, all of 80; soul singers; stiletto heeled models strutting eco fashions; Rick Ulfik from We the World, the global peace network; Parrots for Peace from the Amazon rainforest; ending with a sing along with the legendary Pete Seeger, 90 years old and still singing his peace and environmental anthems.

Jam session, Central Park, NYC, Oct 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

The sun shone down on Benny Zable’s rainbow flags; children fed ducks in the pond; whole families happily picnicked under the trees; frisbees flew in the air. Catching the last of the sunset, the tall towers seemed to shower us with riches and green fields became fields of gold.

The evening ended with drumming. Three drum circles – Cuban, Haitian and African – rang out in the Park. The moon was full and so were our hearts.

Postscript: Hans’ laptop, lost on our first night, was returned to him by the New York City Transport Authority on our last morning in New York, in a fairy tale ending to our stay in the Big Apple!

Van Gets Ripped, or The Long Sleep of Unreason

Blog 2 on the Rainbow Dreaming US tour, taking in New York’s 13th Harvest Festival & Freedom Rally, Hancock, NY; and Woodstock Museum, Saugerties, NY.

Ma & Pa Woodstock, NY Harvest Fest & Freedom Rally, Camp Minglewood, Hancock, October 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

New York Harvest Fest & Freedom Rally

Marijuana legalisation activists and their supporters on the East coast were to meet at Camp Minglewood in the Catskills, a couple of hours north of New York, for the Harvest Festival & Freedom Rally, on 9 Oct.

Rainbow Dreaming crew at New York Harvest Fest & Freedom Rally, October 2009

It was an opportunity too good to be missed. Our hosts from the Woodstock Museum, Shelli Lipton and Nathan Koenig, had booked us a spot at the Festival. They had also booked us into a bunkhouse, with 10 bunk beds. By now we had mushroomed to a party of 10.

It wasn’t pot, but potties that preoccupied us the three days we were there. The toilets were blocked. Much time and energy was spent agonizing over the situation and negotiating the portaloos well before the happy horde that had descended on the Camp trashed them every morning.

Harvest Fest, the child of Hemp activist and performance poet Rob Robinson, was now in its thirteenth year. The legal situation with pot in the US is complex and confusing. Some states (California) allow the medical use of marijuana. Others will bust you for possessing rolling papers. The talk at the Camp was all about the bust of a long-time hemp activist, who had been caught with a whole lot of pot that he was bringing to the festival. Regardless, the pot was plentiful.

Camp Minglewood, Hancock, October 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

From pot to politics. I met Kurt Shotko, a member of the Greens party. Kurt was of the opinion that the Republicans and Democrats were cut from the same cloth, manufactured by big business. “Look at what Obama’s doing in Afghanistan. He’s sending more Americans to die there. We need an alternative to the main players. We’ve got to wake up to the reality that the American dream has been a nightmare for a lot of Americans and for the rest of the world, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have been asleep for too long. We need a revival of common sense. Only a massive program of self education is going to do it.”

Then he quoted from the Populist Program, published in 1892: “They propose to sacrifice our homes, lives and children on the altar of mammon; to destroy the multitude in order to secure corruption funds for the millionaires.”

1892! The sleep of unreason had been a long one.

But Kurt was hopeful of the next generation. That’s why he set up camp at festivals across the US. And that’s partly why we were there too.

Benny Zable in front of archival pic from Rainbow Dreaming, NY Harvest Fest & Freedom Rally, Camp Minglewood, Hancock, October 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

The Rainbow Dreaming exhibit was attached to a wall in the main music hall. Thus many, mostly young, punters got to see the exhibit. This was where The Wailers played on Saturday. I caught the Wailers when they played in Byron and I’m happy to report that they are still wailing away.

But what struck me most about the music at Harvest Fest was the pervasive influence of the Grateful Dead, the legendary sixties psychedelic band from San Francisco. From Cabinet, an established US indi band that played the main stage, to camp fire songs at 4 am, the Dead were everywhere, on so many t shirts and stickers, in so many riffs and improvisatory moments, as a psychedelic glint in so many eyes.

George Clinton & Funkedelic, NY Harvest Fest & Freedom Rally, Camp Minglewood, Hancock, October 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

I spoke with Jane, an artist from New York, who had a stall selling Dead memorabilia. She had grown up in San Francisco and was still a Deadhead. Her eyes misted when she spoke of Jerry Garcia: “You could see so much love pouring out of him. It was a love affair that lasted and lasted and it’s still going strong even when he’s gone.”

Minglewood Moment: across from the festival site, two lovers sit on the steps of a boat ramp. The dying sun paints purple tints on the tops of the maple and elm; waterfowl break the surface of the lake. A band is playing the Dead’s “China Cat Sunflower.”

Woodstock: The Town that Time Forgot

In Rip Van Winkle, Washington Irving’s story, a man who wanders off into the Catskill Mountains, meets some rather strange companions who serve up a suspiciously heady brew, and falls asleep under a tree. When he wakes up, he finds that some 20 years have gone by and his world has changed.

Woodstoock, October 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

The town of Catskill is 30 minutes away from Woodstock. Some 40 years have gone by after the infamous Woodstock festival of 1969. And the world has changed since those heady days. But walking around Woodstock, the town that gave a name to the festival, (which happened in the neighbouring town of Bethel, some 100 kms away), you could be forgiven for believing that it’s still in the thrall of those halcyon days of hippiedom.

Woodstoock, October 2009. Pic: Emi iizuka

Our first port of call was the Woodstock Town Board meeting that night. Benny Zable, Nimbin’s ambassador to Woodstock, presented letters from Nimbin and the crew made a presentation on the Rainbow Dreaming exhibit and its relevance to the whole Woodstock legacy.

The meet was dominated by a spirited discussion over rezoning issues, something very familiar to us on the north coast. Would Woodstock go the way of other small towns and be besieged by rampant development, or would it stay true to its alternative legacy?

That night we also visited the Bearsville Cultural Centre (set up by Albert Grossman, one-time manager of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and The Band) and Alchemia Café to catch some live music, including a spirited set by Adam, a young musician we had met at the Byron market drum circle!

Guided around by Benny, on our very first day in Woodstock, we met some representatives of Woodstock’s hippie past: Jogger John, the local village savant, who used to jog everywhere, but, due to his advanced age is now is on a bike; Day A, the village barber, who runs a soup kitchen for the Rainbow Family in town; Grandpa and Grandma Woodstock, an elderly couple, dressed the part, almost town mascots. Woodstock itself is full of funky cafes and art galleries. Turn a corner and spy a Zen garden, complete with waterfall and pergola.

Peace Pole, Woodstock, October 2009. Pic: Emi Iizuka

In the centre of Woodstock town is the village green and the peace pole, with peace messages in several languages. We bumped into Fr John, a priest and peace activist. When he heard that two of our crew, Sayaka Nakao and Rina Terasaki, were from Tokyo, he beamed at them and said: “ Let’s set up a peace link between Woodstock and Tokyo. All it takes is five people. Five is the magic number. Can you find five friends in Tokyo who may be interested?”

Hippie Church, Woodstock, October 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

Fr John also runs the Hippie Church, on the hill overlooking Woodstock. This was the very church where Bob Dylan was rumoured to have married the love of his life, Sarah, his sad eyed lady of the lowlands. The church wears the patina of age, its icons fading in the dim, dank light streaming through stained glass windows.

Path to Buddhist monastery, Woodstock, October 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

In stark contrast is the Buddhist monastery next door. Set up in 1975, the monastery is linked to the 10th century Tibetan Kagyu lineage. Its halls are huge and lushly decorated with tankas, its massive Buddha is gold-painted, its prayer lamps cast a beatific glow on meditating monks and visitors; its gift shop bulges with merchandise, all a tribute to Buddhism’s growing influence in the new world.

Prophesy

The next morning, my very first snowflakes, fine and feathery.

It was too cold to venture out. Emi Iizuka and Simeon Michaels, both from Byron, had joined us in Woodstock. We were toasty warm at the Woodstock Museum, hosted by Shelli and Nathan.

Under the tutelage of Shelli, the sacred Indian corn was brought out and inspected. Purple, yellow, orange, red and black, this was authentic Hopi corn. The girls played with the corn silk, good for medicinal tea and dress ups, fake moustaches and beards. They were transformed into imaginary characters, magical beings, the warrior princesses of Genghis Khan, dressed as men to pass unnoticed amidst the ripening corn. Shelli makes beautiful corn necklaces, a craft she learnt from Rainbow Weaver, a Mohawk Clan Mother.

Padmasambhava, Buddhist monastery, Woodstock, October 2009. Pic: Emi Iizuka

Nathan spoke about the connection between the Hopi and the Tibetans. “Padmasambhava, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, said: When the iron bird flies and the horses run on wheels the Tibetans will be scattered over the face of the earth and the dharma will come to the land of the red man.”

Nathan went on: “The Hopi’s felt that this might have something to do with the dharma coming to the US. They have prophesies too. After the swastika and the sun, there would be another force, symbolized by the colour red. This force will wear a red cloak or red cap. Spiritual wisdom will come from the East. This spirituality must spread. If that does not take root, others with the red symbol will invade from the West and crawl over the land in one day. The Hopis think this could be the ‘red’ Chinese.” 

“When the Tibetan Karmapa visited Hopiland in 1974, he said: We must have know each other before; your features, ceremonies and way of life are similar to our own. When we bought Hopis to the monastery in Woodstock in 1979, the two cultures again recognized each other, and the Hopis said that the Tibetans may very well be the long lost brother who left them at the beginning of time and went to the other side of the earth to balance the earth spiritually.” Said Shelli: “When the shit hits the fan, we won’t survive unless we cooperate with each other. That’s also what the Hopi prophecies speak of. The Hopis are known as the ‘peaceful ones’.”

While we spoke of prophecies, outside, in the gathering gloom, Tiago Guimaraes, a Brazilian artist, was busy carving out a statue of a man with a guitar, the quintessential hippie hitchhiker, his hand raised, his fingers flashing the peace sign.

Elliot Landy’s book on Woodstock

The Rainbow Dreaming opening at the Woodstock Museum on Sat 17 Oct was a modest yet sweet affair: local musos were in attendance and we joined the members of the Woodstock drum circle in a bongothon.

Rainbow Dreaming crew with Elliot Landy, Woodstock Museum, October 2009. Pic: Hans Lovejoy

The highlight of the evening was meeting Elliot Landy, the famous Woodstock photographer. Elliot was all praise for the exhibit, gave away signed copies of his book to all the crew and offered to help us find a publisher for a book on the exhibition. (Sadly, I was to leave my copy on the street in San Francisco while moving house.)

The Last Hippie, Woodstock Museum, October 2009. Pic: Harsha Prabhu

The last act of the day was raising the sculpture of the hippie hitchhiker and placing him on his pedestal: a symbol of Woodstock’s hippie past and a pointer to its uncertain future as a cultural pilgrimage centre.

Woodstock Earth, after the drum circle, October, 2009. Pic: Simeon Michaels

On our last evening in Woodstock, we participated in the Woodstock Earth drum circle. Some 30 drummers were gathered in the backyard at Day A’s house. In summer, the drummers gather at the village green and spill out onto the road. As the sound of the drums rose over the autumn dusk, we were again reminded of how lucky we were with our vibrant culture of communal drumming and dancing in the rainbow region.

Last days in New York: the Bangladeshi cigarette sellers; the African rickshaw pullers in Central Park; the old men and women carting large bundles of recyclable cans and bottles; the man in Times Square offering to sell me a 15 carat gold ring or Obama condoms.

While the crew went shopping and sightseeing I wandered back to Central Park. More than the statue of Liberty, than Ground Zero, than the suicide gulches and canyons of Wall Street, I was drawn to the spot with the Imagine mosaic and tribute to John Lennon. Park benches line the walkway, each with its dedication. I sat there, amidst the touros and derros, as the shadows lengthened.

Then I saw these lines from Dylan Thomas, carved on a park bench: “Though lovers be lost love shall not; And death shall have no dominion.”

Celebrating Woodstock - Part 2 on San Francisco’s Westfest and the Beats to follow. Please check my blog...

by Harsha Prabhu

Rainbow Dreaming crew at Magic Mountain, Woodstock, October 2009

NOTE: An edited version of A Fairy Tale of New York was published in the Byron Shire Echo, October 2009. While the words and sentiments in the blogs are my own, this project has been a community cultural initiative, helped along by many hands, hearts and minds. Many thanks are due.

First up, Benny Zable, Shelli Lipton & Nathan Koening for setting up the Nimbin Woodstock Connection and the sister village link between the two communities. I would like to acknowledge the help and guidance offered by the Rainbow Dreaming crew – Benny Zable, Hans Lovejoy, Saya Minami, Sayaka Nakao, Rina Terasaki, Emi Iizuka & Simeon Michaels – on this amazing journey to the US. Thanks to our hosts in the US, including Traci Mann & Nanci Callahan in NYC; Rob Robinson at Harvestfest; Shelli Lipton & Nathan Koenig at Woodstock Museum; and Douglas Kolberg & Boots Hughston at Westfest. Thanks to our principal sponsor Happy High Herbs and our media sponsors Byron Shire Echo & Bay FM. Thanks to all those who donated to the community chest to make this project possible, including all the artist and performers from the rainbow region who helped raise funds for the US tour. And a big thank you to all the freaky people of the rainbow region, who are the inspiration for this project. And the writers and photographers who so generously donated their work. This project was auspiced by Byron Community & Cultural Centre, assisted by Lismore Regional Gallery and supported by Byron Neighbourhood Resource Centre and Mullumbimby & District Neighbourhood Centre. Rainbow Dreaming was curated & produced by Harsha Prabhu & Graeme Batterbury for the Rainbow Collective. More on Rainbow Dreaming, including how to get a copy of the book, at: www.rainbowdreaming.org

#woodstock #woodstock festival #newyork #woodstockmuseum #nimbin #byronbay #photography #hopi #rainbowregion #padmasambhava #ecofest #cannabislawreform #elliotlandy #hemp #woodstockanniversary

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