Australia of the Present and the Future

Australia a home for all people, but looking for peace within with some of its first people.

Travelling overseas we find out what others truly think of us, and sometimes it might shock us to know we are seen as a racist nation when we think of all nations within our nation.

Small country towns have made a place for all peoples, and striven hard to attract, employ and make sure they feel at home in their new homes far from their birthlands.

But there is a space for coming together for all peoples, and despite the debates many make a place for friendship with all peoples, first in this land, latest in this land. The land does not discriminate but offers up its surface for all to walk on, and its beauty for all to enjoy.

And there are those who serve quietly and humbly – thinking of others before themselves. They are ever searching for the happiness of others, and in that is their own. They show all of us how to be and inspire us to rethink who we are as Australians, as world citizens.

And the youth will make a new future, reach out across all boundaries and take up our cultures within culture and meld it into something we don’t yet fully know, or let’s hope so because no person, no cultures, no culture can reach perfection and understanding is the beginning of the journey for perfection. It’s alright to have a good laugh along the way. Joy makes us think more clearly – make our futures more dearly.

My wonder for today – Australians, and the Australia that could be.

(c) June Perkins

This was posted in my wonder a day for January Challenge. You can see the rest of this challenge as it unfolds at  Pearlz Dreaming

Blog challenge at Pearlz Dreaming

We are so lucky to have so much at our door step. This beach is a bit changed in shape since cyclone Yasi but it’s coming back ! Much harder for the people who had houses near it, with many of them having to leave.

I wonder how they are doing? I know how some of them are, and even though they have left they are strong, thriving and have good memories of days at the beach.

What is the most beautiful thing at your doorstep?

Please feel free to post a link in the comments section of this post to a photograph, or a post on this topic.

(c) June Perkins all rights reserved.

You can see the rest of this challenge as it unfolds at  Pearlz Dreaming

Power of Music

Guitar Power Series - June Perkins, all rights reserved

I have been playing with some of my photographs – and am currently working on a series about guitars and gardens.  Above is a recent collage which has been then digitised into a poster.

Below is one dedicated to a fine young guitarist I know.  I am still working on this one, and am adding further touches to it.   It’s almost there.  I love playing with photographs in digital programs.  It’s amazing what happens when perched at the computer thinking about the images and bringing them together in new ways.

Power of Muses .. (c) June Perkins

 

 (c) June Perkins, all rights reserved.

 

Reviews

Click on this link to read June’s Aftermath Blogs

Hi June, and thanks for this post, it raises something that I’ve thought about a lot – why is it that we are so reluctant to accept help?

It can be really confronting to accept the help of others, but we all know how great it feels to help someone who’s in need. It seems to me that sometimes the bravest thing we can do is to let people know how we’re going and allow other people to help us – although you’re right, it can be very hard to do for lots of different reasons, and equally uncomfortable to offer help, even when we really want to. You’ve opened up a big topic here June! Thanks for sharing your story.

-Cath Dwyer, ABC Open Producer on ‘Ute Angels’ Aftermath ABC open guest blog.

Go June! You’re a wonderful writer and storyteller. Your energy motivates and inspires me in my work and I really appreciate how much attention you pay to every detail of the Aftermath project. Thank you!

Miranda, ABCopen Producer

Very insightful and touching June. Thanks for sharing some of the complex and contradictory feelings you and your family experienced. Angels in shorts and T-shirts… love it!

-Shelley, Cairns. on ‘Ute Angels’

June, I can feel the joy coming through the screen, you must have all loved this creative experience! Thank you for this post

- Monica, Soul Food Blogger

Maintaining the creative impulse most certainly helps us survive the worst of events. This is an inspirational post June.

– Heather Blakey on ‘Hope Roof’ Aftermath ABC open.

A beautiful article, June, you really do get to the “heart” of the matter and you’re blessed to live in such a caring community. After hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans people went in and restored family photographs for some of the inhabitants who had lost everything. It was poignant and heartwarming to see the looks on their faces as they were given back just a bit of their past. It’s so good to read a positive story about decent people. Keep up the great work!

-Porch Sitter, Soul Food Blogger, on ‘Heart Strands Hidden in the Cassowary Coast’ Aftermath ABC open.

Thank you for this wonderful insight into the strength and struggles of people recovering from Yasi. And so beautifully written! I look forward to reading more of ‘Aftermath’.

-Meg, Book Creator’s Circle and Junk Wave, on ‘Tupperware Houses’ Aftermath ABC open.

June, I’m so pleased you’re working on a series of articles about Yasi. This is a worldwide experience and your insights will bring knowledge to folks who don’t live in cyclone or hurricane zones, as well as comfort and hope to those who’ve experienced the fear and damage. I’ll be looking forward to your next article.

-Barbara Banta on ‘Tupperware Houses’ Aftermath, ABC Open.

Your commitment to documenting the aftermath of Yasi is remarkable. Through your words and images we can gain an understanding the struggles, recovery and resilience, both personally and in your community. With so many natural disasters are happening…I believe our mother earth may be vying for our attention. Thank you June for teaching and showing us how to work and heal together.

-Jani , Photo Journalist and activist, United States, on ‘Tupperware Houses’ Aftermath, ABC Open

You’ve picked a wonderful writer to do these posts. Not only did she experience it all but she writes with heart!

-Tammy (Agrigirl) United States, on ‘Tupperware Houses’ Aftermath, ABC Open

I can’t stop reading your blog June … you have such a talent .. and a beautiful soul. I’m hooked! It’s like being a kid in a candy store but with a sense of calm. Cx

-Carolyn Bofinger, Teacher and photographer, on ‘Pearlz Dreaming’ blog

Your writing is so beautiful, it comes from the heart and gives comfort to the reader. I wish that everyone in the whole world could read and absorb your written thoughts, and look at and into your amazing images, especially during this season of so many natural disasters. Thank you for sharing your thoughts from the heart.

-Vi, on ‘Pearlz Dreaming’ post.

June – Your touching story of Yasi and the five guitars struck a chord with me. Easy access to good music is high on my list of requirements for quality of life. For the past 30 years or so ABC Classical FM has been a constant in my life at home. I had an aerial attached to the roof to achieve decent reception. Yasi twisted and tossed that aerial to the ground. Late yesterday it was replaced. Today I find myself smiling broadly to the music as I perform the routine tasks.

-Pam Galeano, Children’s Author, on ‘Legend of Five Guitars’, Aftermath, ABC Open.

What a wonderful story June and what inspiration for your children I remember Phil Emmanuel from early Goldrush days and sounds like he is still that genuinely lovely talented human being!

Dijanne, on ‘Legend of Five Guitars’, Aftermath, ABC Open.

This is one post that I wish all people of the world could read, June. There are people like you described that react the same whether it be a cyclone or someone going through infertility. Some of it hurts and is now helpful while some you just want everyone to know how helpful they are. I like the silent angels myself. They do what they do from their hearts without any ulterior motives.

After 911 there were so many in the US who bonded…whether out of fear or whatever. But there were also those who decided to chalk their problems up to anyone Muslim. Our neighbor was Muslim. He hung a flag outside and we neighbours were ready to defend his life if it came to that. The sad thing is that when all is well and done, those that weren’t personally touched by the tragedy (and some who were) have forgotten.

You, my dear June, are an angel. Your intentions are true and heartfelt. I have shared your posts with friends and they were so happy to hear about the cyclone and after effects first hand. Thank you from all of us for sharing your story. It helps us remember that no matter which country we live, we are all the same.

-Sally, on ‘Ute, towel and washing, Angels and; the dark side of cyclones’, Pearlz Dreaming post.

This is so beautiful and so true, June. I loved reading it; it gave me peace and hope. I love heavy metal music, and I love the moments of quiet the musicians offer, like Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters. It is kind of an anthem for me, as I think of my family.
To you and yours, hope and beauty in abundance.

-Gail ‘Angels, Blessings, Sunlight and the Aerodynamics of Optimism’ in ‘Pearlz Dreaming’ post.

Lovely report June. I think the people of Tully can be pleased with their roving reporter

-Paulien Bats on ‘on ‘A Prince, Cassowary Gift and Handshakes of Optimism’ – Facebook post/Pearlz Dreaming post.

What a beautiful account. Thanks so much, June. I saw you on SBS news briefly. So excited! What a bright hot day, though. Glad there was ice-cream!

- Jo Grimmer- on ‘A Prince, Cassowary Gift and Handshakes of Optimism’ – Facebook post/Pearlz Dreaming post.

I see you writing a syndicated column or something that a number of newspapers (or their on-line equivalents!)

-Paul Gerard, on ‘A Prince, Cassowary Gift and Handshakes of Optimism’ – Facebook post/Pearlz Dreaming post.

Great piece of writing & pics to go with it – can feel the warmth!!

-Noel Broomhall, on ‘A Prince, Cassowary Gift and Handshakes of Optimism’ – Facebook post/Pearlz Dreaming post.

Your words touch my heart. Yesterday a friend taught me a new word “weltschmerz”. It’s a German word that means world sadness. I hear it in your poem. Thank you for expressing it so beautifully.

-Suzanne on ‘Moving beyond the wounds’ Pearlz Dreaming post.

It’s great to have such a strong group of contributors who are so willing to share their experiences with the rest of the country.

Sonya Gee, ABC open producer on Aftermath bloggers on Aftermath ABC open.

You are . . . a tower of wisdom. You have taken from the destruction of a storm the gifts it had to offer, and there were gifts, so well hidden that only a chosen few would discover them. Thank you for this speaking to me/to us from your soul. I was spell bound by your words and the depth of vision they presented.

-Vi on ‘Farewells, meeting old age, lessons of a quail and the wayland song…’ on Pearlz Dreaming post.

Great post June … blogging is a fantastic tool to just document life and love and everything that encompasses it. I’d like to think someone, somewhere got something out of each post I write but in the end, I know that I definitely do in writing each one, so that is what counts. Your posts are always so insightful and inspiring. Your storytelling, brilliant. ABC open is so amazing in being people together and providing opportunities for real people to tell real stories. Well done gorgeous. I’ll always enjoy reading your words. Always. Cx

–Carolyn Bofinger, Photographer and Blogger

To read the work commented on here click on this link Discovering

Wow! June this is fantastic! What amazing work from both you and Sheridan.

On Discovering, Stephanie, Artist, On Discovering, curator Ontario

Thank you June for this beautiful and generous gift. Will share it with my contacts.

- On Discovering, Joanna, Writer, Australia

Staggeringly beautiful June … such wonderful, wonderful work … thank
you for sharing with us.

- On Discovering, Jill, Textile Artist, United Kingdom

I am at a loss for words. Your images are so beautiful they bring tears to my eyes. It is obvious that you are one with the world that you photograph and write about. Your vision comes from your heart and even deeper than that, your soul. Thank you for sharing your work with us.

I really liked “Palm Fronds”…that was at the beginning. “Fireside Dreams” was so thought provoking and was probably my favorite. But then there was “Mirroring” it represented such delicacy and “Being Birdsong” was really beautiful.

-On Discovering, Vi, Poet, student of digital arts, Arizona

I love the e-book. Wonderful poems and pictures. Lovely!

-Jane Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, USA

Beautiful production in total. Wonderful to realize people in Australia share similar values.. Professor Arnold’s insight linking USA’s Rachel Carson and Jeffers from the turn of the century to 1960’s confirms a continuing value.. June’s photographic work and poems are exquisite. On Discovering, J Webb, medical professions, Sacramento, California

Stunning presentation. Shows nature is powerful. Reminds me of the fires here and how we became strugglers and then gained respect for the power of earthquakes and fires. Also, every parent, school, church that works with children would benefit from this e-book. Parents being there as children learn and then the child’s work is outstanding as well. A different world, different perspective, shared values.

- On Discovering Rachel, nurse, Chico, California

Exquisite work – great presentation. Have looked at it several times. Shared with colleagues. Very special.

- On Discovering, Marian, artist, Indianapolis, USA

Your presentation was exceptional, inspirational.

-Letizia de Roza, Book Creator’s Circle, on Talk to BCC.

On Video Storytelling

Great record of the good work of good people in great communities. And well done June with the video making – I am curating the ABC Open “Aftermath” content that you contributed this video to and I have watched you just get better and better. abc.net.au/open —ABC Open North Coast NSW, On Back on Track video

Wonderful video June! So good to see people working toward making a better world! ~YES~ pass it on!!!~ Sending Love and Good vibes from California…

Jani Murphy, Photographer and Photojournalist, On Operation Angel documentary

Wow! What a touching blog and video. I can see in the video footage how moved Jacqueline also was by being welcomed by you all up in Queensland recently. I am proud to be part of the Operation Angel team with Jacqueline and the amazing people in VIC who have impacted on the community’s lives after the floods and cyclones earlier this year. We cared enough to help, we were driven to help, and so much support came from our social communities online and contacts who mobilised immediately when we called out for tools, undies, mozzie nets, the lot. Helping our fellow queenslanders was a pleasure because people wanted to give more, and more, and more. I have such faith in the human spirit. Thank you for being strong and getting through this!

—Sarah Allen – social media outreach for Operation Angel – On Operation Angel documentary

That’s really inspiring. Well done. Great combo of stills and video interviews. Good overall shaping and editing from beginning to the end. The music goes well with the stills and the background video etc.—austories on Operation Angel documentary

Mentoring

June has been a mentor,teacher and inspiration to many of us post cyclone Yasi down here in the Tully, Mission Beach El Arish, Silkwood Kurramine areas, encouraging us to write to heal the shock, giving us openings to share the stories with others and in her unique way being just a good friend. All the writers in our area are now under one umbrella. It’s evolving into Licuala WinQ.

from Kate Campbell-Lloyd

 

WORKS REFERRED TO

June’s Aftermath Blogs

Discovering

ABC radio cover my video blogging

Circle of Recovery

I’ve been posting mainly on my Pearlz Dreaming site and at ABCopen Aftermath’s project.So here is a repost from Pearlz Dreaming – just to keep subscribers here up to date.

Circle of Life - By June Perkins

Recently my family went to visit Edmund Kennedy National Park. Like so much else around us it has been ravaged by Cyclone Yasi and is showing scars.

The scars include stinking dead fish on the beach – and trees alternating between neatly piled to chaotically strewn around depending on where they are in relation to the access road.

My children rolled hoops along the beach as I thought about the circle of nature’s distruction and renewal, the circle of life, a circle of weather patterns and a circle of recovery.

Looking forward I could see that the national parks would recover and that it would take ongoing patience to see a beauty in their stark branches which allow one to see the sky so clearly.

The day before our trip to Edmund Kennedy my eldest son presented a personal knowledge pursuit project on physics of guitar. He was so nervous. Yet he had enjoyed the study of the year and his control of his time immensely. He likes to know everything about his guitars and spend a lot of time with them. I have a photograph of him playing his guitar the day after the cyclone as he walks down the road outside our house. I will always remember him playing it in the candlelight as the storm began to build up.

I wrote a post for abcopen about guitars and their part in our cyclone experience Legend of Five Guitars but the funny thing is we now have more guitars, as a friend Omid gave a bass to my eldest son (which was also used in his PKP project.)

Galeanos - by June

Early this week I went to visit Pam and Joe Galeano to do some more work on the video story series I am doing on them. Pam took me for a drive around their property. We had a great time looking through her old albums too. This bought up so many more stories.

I think Pam and Joe could write a very interesting memoirs but they are pretty modest people.

As we drove to the very end part where they have a little patch of rainforest she related how usually there were thicky leafy overhangs from the canopy that cross over the road and in a high 4wd they would crash into you.

However now there is no canopy. I looked up to the sky and could see the tufts of green on the end of peeled trees and – it was then that Joe’s words from earlier in the day came to me.

”nature will recover, it always does – it’s people that mourn when it is damaged.”

Although he does think Yasi was a particularly tough cyclone and it make take many human years for that recovery to fully show itself to locals.

Thinking of photography I know I like to take portraits of people that come with a story. I admire people who can do weddings and families that they don’t know and can build an easy rapport with the people involved quickly.

Yet for me intimate storytelling photography which requires longer to pull off holds special appeal. I like to know that story behind the face I photograph and to have the time to hear it, retell it and convey it with an image.

Interesting faces which say something in every crease or twinkle of the eyes, or locations where the people usually reside (not studios) then hold special appeal.

I took several pictures of Pam and Joe in their country – environment and was very happy with quite a few of them.

My circles of recovery come from conversations that lead to these photographic moments – and writing them reminds me of how far myself and others have come.

I was delighted to learn one friend yesterday finally had her roof back, but sad to learn another has to wait until January 2012. Other friends are having watershed years where special amazing things are happening. They take on new jobs and challenges and have already been able to leave Yasi behind. Yet not everyone can.

I’ve been having interesting facebook chats on the recovery process too. Thanks to all those who take the time to chat and understand that some of us still need to unpack the recovery process.

Yesterday we had an amazing end of year surprise – we won the Christmas shopping vouchers that all the small businesses sponsor with the Tully Times. You fill out a form everytime you shop with a local business and go into the Christmas draw – it is an amazing prize.

It’s such a variety of vouchers – the butchers, bakery, seafood, photographic stuff, and the uniform shop and hairdressers. Amazing as I have been cutting the whole family’s hair to save money. I wonder who will use that voucher. It could be me?

Another surprise was having a blog with ABCopen make it onto another abc site for North Queensland. Originally it was featured here and of course the video is on vimeo.

I love making mini documentaries and taking photographs that tell stories – it feels like a vocation. Now I need to find more stories and more teams of people to work with. Heck maybe even a career path. Time for ebook and documentary bootcamps!

(c) Words and Images June Perkins, all rights reserved.

Heading for Yungaburra Book Fair

Photo Credit: June Perkins 'Yungaburra - Curtain Fig Tree'

Yungaburra is well known for it’s Folk Festival, and amazing curtain fig tree, but is also the home of a Book Fair.

This Saturday, 10th of September from 10am – 4pm book creators, book lovers, readers, writers and the general public will gather to listen to talks, and peruse the books particularly from North Queensland Authors.

Licuala Writers will be there to share and sell their first ever anthology, Under One Sky, recently released in the Aftermath of Cyclone Yasi.

I look forward to the weekend and reporting back how it goes and will let you know about some of the other writers I met!  I better take some money with me to buy some books.

Perhaps I’ll pop by and visit that awesome curtain fig tree again as it’s mighty, memorable and could figure in future stories I write!

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved

Portrait time with ABCopen

Leandro visits Tully, photos by June Perkins

For someone who normally likes to take, rather than be in pictures, having a portrait done is a tad scary. I’ve been asked to do this by ABC for their annual report, where they are featuring some of their guest bloggers ‘engaging the community in conversations,’ and sharing more about the ABCopen project.

I needn’t have worried because Leandro Palacio, a newly appointed ABCopen producer, who resides in Cairns, puts me immediately at ease. He is so new his page on ABCopen is about to go up and isn’t there yet.

Leandro is from Argentinia originally and most recently lived in Melbourne for ten years. He has made the move to Cairns with his young family and is really enthusiastic about working for the ABC. He is about to make a trip to Cape York. I am sure we will read a blog or see a video of the work he does up there soon.

He has had an interesting life, and you can probably tell I forgot my photograph was being taken and instead began preparing a blog on the visit through an informal interview. I had already asked Leandro if I could do a blog on having the portrait done. He was happy for me to do that.

He liked the spot I had chosen for the photograph – Alligator’s Nest – but like everyone visiting wondered about that name. The true story is on the sign and it’s all to do with some local history. Maybe next time you visit Tully you might like to look it up. It is not because there are Alligators there.

Mystery? Tell me why you think it’s called that? Maybe you can give a creative answer and see how close you get.  Do that before researching the truth.

Recently heritage trail signs went up all over Tully. I might walk around and try and find them all, I have found quite a few and we do read them and they help us to know the history of the area better. It is helpful that they are on location and you can learn history as you walk.

I learnt how to use the self timer on my camera with some assistance from Leandro. I have recently purchased a new camera and am still learning how to use it. The ABCopen producers do a workshops to skill the community up and Leandro has especially run these for young people in his past occupations. He has taught video skills too.

It is exciting to think of the ABCopen producers inspiring a generation of new and young film makers and photographers who may have had a spark lit in a regional community workshop.

I am certain from Leandro’s easy going manner, obvious listening skills, and gentleness that he is going to do a wonderful job for the ABC and out in the community. I am sure that Mick Bromage his Townsville Counterpart is going to have a great time having another producer in North Queensland!

Leandro tells me that all the ABC open producers recently met each other, they had some training and visited QANDA, and got a chance to bond as a nationwide time. I think some of them are going to go on and do great things.

Keep a look out for them in your local community and do go and visit this exciting project of the ABC to see how you can get involved and ‘join the conversation.’

VISIT   ABCopen Project.

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved, words and image.

Leandro - portrait of the portrait taker - by June Perkins

Day in the Life of a blogger

Me thinking about so many trees gone - self portrait

So what is the typical day in the life of a blogger?  Like all writers bloggers are looking for inspiration.  They may write the day up they have just had, or a special memory day from several weeks ago, or even further back.

I have found a new pattern to my blogging with ABCopen because now I am approaching it in a way that means I have to be briefer, work with only one image, and place relevant links within the post and underneath.

I tend to hurl a draft down quickly and then let it sit for a few days, whilst I think what was the goal of that blog I was writing.  Sometimes the blogs come naturally, easily- and other times I am casting around for an idea that will get to the heart of what the recovery process is like in North Queensland.

The goal is always about resilience, courage and joy, and yet the path to those qualities may be complicated, and have up and down moments.  I want to convey all that but ultimately uplift people to heal even more.

Once a blog is complete – the next phase is ‘conversation’ about the topic of the blog with the public.   Whilst this conversation is going on I am already one, two or even three blog topics ahead.

I am gathering information from life, news, truth, rumour, conversation, photographs and the special way writers and artists have of being in the world.

Every now and then special events come along, but even if they don’t I have to dig deep to find something of relevance to blog. I realise that a lot of journeys we take are internal not just external.  Sometimes you can blog about that.

To follow the journey of recovery and resilience as I blog it, do go and visit the following

AFTERMATH

There are also some amazing people there, some very new to blogging, who are sharing their experience as well.  I like to visit them to make comments and converse with them about how they are going. Why not do that too!  Bloggers blog to engage in conversations and be part of the world.

(c) June Perkins

Song Trails in the Cassowary Coast Part 2: Making A Song

Hoping to hear from all the songtrailers out there continuing their song-writing journeys!

This article has been published in the Critical Mass Blog.

Please leave comments on that blog, as well as here.   I am sure Queensland Music Festival and Tutors want to know what you thought of the workshops if you were there.

Written by: June Perkins      Date: 29 July 2011

To make a song – guitar, keyboard, people, words – Courtesy June Perkins

I can’t believe I had never heard of Song Trails before this year.  Vanessa Bromley who runs our local Tully music shop and Evolve told me it was coming through Cassowary Coast and asked if I wanted to be put on an ‘expressions of interest’ list.

It wasn’t definite the trail would be heading our way so she was drumming up interest.  I said, ‘Sure why not? Count me in!’ Then later I heard from our Cassowary Arts Officer, Kath Barnett- all systems go!

I have written poetry since I was eight and completed four years in classical guitar training over twenty years ago.  Since that time I have never neglected my guitar although I have  played mostly popular and folk tunes to amuse the kids and myself.

The poetry has been going well and I have published a few pieces and co-edited an anthology for the Licuala Writers of the Cassowary Coast called  Under One Sky, but it is only recently that I began to write songs.  The main catalysts for my song writing efforts were shifting from city to small country town living, as well as wanting to add music to our group’s public prose and poetry readings.

Cassowary Coast, our home since 2006, is super wet and a complex place when you dig under its surface.   Now, we have had the dubious experience of being through two severe cyclones and living in their aftermath.  We’re in a fertile place for experience that inspires words and music- as well as being great for growing sugar cane and bananas.

The concept of Song Trails intrigued me when I found out more about it – just how were forty people with four talented song writers, going to create songs in four hours? When we arrived and found out that we only had one hour and thirty minutes of the time for the song creation, and production I was mildly terrified.  Can you really co-write a song in such a short amount of time with people you might not even know?

As I explained in Muso Intros the workshop artists first introduced themselves and ran an informal panel to put us at ease before we got down to song making.  We were then asked to immediately put into practice some of the principles they had shared with us.  We moved into our song- writing groups: two groups of twenty, with two artists to lead us.  I found myself in Peter Farnan and Leah Flannagan’s group.

Peter and Leah say ‘go with the flow’ – courtesy June Perkins

Our first exercise was two minutes of automatic writing on the key word ‘Ahead.’  We were asked to put down anything that came into our head.   We were ‘free-writing.’

Participants Freewriting – Courtesy June Perkins

Then people volunteered to read their productions – and words flowed from our pages to our mouths, to the group, to butcher paper and white board.  Farnan asked us to read slowly and stopped us at phrases or key words that sprung out at him.  We ended up with a group set of phrases and key words to work with.

Song in progress, courtesy June Perkins.

He noticed in our words – time shifting, a sense of loss, references to bed and associations with beds like mattresses  (perhaps because it rhymed with ahead) and interesting phrases like:

‘Everytime I think of flowers I wanna make fires’

This ended up being our chorus.

We were asked what key, ‘major or minor?’  We went for minor.  Farnan began to play chords on the keyboard and turned to Flannagan every now and then for her input, ‘what do you think here?’   Flannagan hummed a melody as he played more chord combinations.

As our chorus solidified people wanting a song compass asked, ‘Are you going to tell us basic song structure?’

Farnan urged everyone to go with the flow, explaining that ‘this song is organic and its structure will emerge in the process of doing.’   We went with the flow.

Our group song ended up with: a chorus, two verses, a bridge, a guitar solo and a gospel feel, through this surprising process.

As we added in the ideas from the group, and explored the snippets we had ‘automatically written’ we stripped away unnecessary words, and repetition, to make the lines scan better for the song and seem more mysterious.  As we did this new phrases came into being and made their way into our song.

At one stage our song was heading for Bob Dylan territory and then gothic, Black Sabbath day style – gravestones were in danger of appearing, perhaps the influence of some of the musical tastes in our group, but another element wanted some light – something positive and less bleak (although Farnan felt the words did not have to be read as bleak). Flannagan encouraged our efforts to balance the song, and so a mattress to protect (from one of our automatic writers) began to appear in the lyrics. Song writing can be a real ying and yang gig I’ve since concluded.

We sang the chorus with Farnan accompanying us on keyboard (he is a brilliant pianist), as we thought about whether the lines flowed into each other well enough.  Finally the discussion lead to verses that seemed to work.  The skeleton of our song came into a fully fleshed being.

Our song seemed to speak to me personally of the anger of being in a cyclone, and then recovering to win the day.  Maybe our automatic writing had unearthed something we needed to speak about, but we had not set out with a specific idea to do this.

I am not sure what it said to others so I hope they will respond to this blog.

Later we got together with the other group facilitated by Rebecca Barnard and Robert Forster, and shared our song, and they revealed theirs – a heart-warming  and cheery song with food at its centre from “Mama’s Kitchen,”  which I think will be shared on the live stream as well.

Robert and Rebecca sharing their group’s song – courtesy June Perkins

Our group formed a spontaneous Cassowary Recovery choir to sing to the other song writers.   We were inspired and maybe even healed  by the process of composing and belting out a gospel rhythm song expressing so much of what we have been through on the Cassowary Coast.

We closed the whole Song Trails evening with a brief sharing of our own songs.  I wish we had more time as there was so much talent in the room from our local area; it would have been good to  get to know them as individuals and maybe hear more of  our panel’s thoughts on our local song-writing efforts, but there just wasn’t time. Our guest artists were apologetic about this and gave us a few sentences or sang along enthusiastically.

Local Band – sharing their work – courtesy June Perkins (more at my flickr space)

Still the group unity in creating and the joy in performing that new work is really what Song Trails seems to be about; we can follow each other up.

Song Trails has inspired me to seek out talented musicians and singers to collaborate with and to keep working on my song writing skills.  You can follow my continuing song writing efforts and progression if you like on Gumbootspearlz youtube.

Why not share your comments about being in a song trails workshop?

Especially those of Hugenden; I heard your song last night at the Song Trails concert in Innisfail and cannot get it out of my head!  Neither can anyone in my family.  It is so beautiful and to think you got that all from the word “chill”, sends chills down my spine.

I’d love to hear from other Song Trailers on the critical mass or my Unity’s Garden Site.  It feels like we are one big family now.

**

You can visit catch June at Aftermath’s ABC’s Open Project.   She  has a song “Rain is All there is” for you to comment on if you want to help her in her song writing journey.  For more photos of the workshop visit Gumbootspearlz flickr.

READING UNITY’S GARDEN

To Experience the Garden

1. READ: Look at the sample pictures and words.
2. RESPOND: Leave your response(Really think about your feedback, what does a picture, poem sample make you feel, and why – why did you stop to view it- I would love to know.)
3. WHY BUY: Which ones would you buy if they were for sale and why?  If you want to leave an pre-order/request please do.  Buying is supporting me to continue my work, projects and this blog.  This is my market research, any feedback appreciated.
4. ACTION: Support an ideal through your own actions,  maybe develop a project big or small, with others or by yourself (but reaching out to others). Let me know about it!
5. SUPPORT A PROJECT: To support any of the projects I am working on make a donation or buy a product when my shop is set up. Soon I’ll be setting up paypal and you can contribute to any of these that you like.   Some are community oriented and others are for my own development as an artist.

So there you have it, that’s how to engage with this blog.   Read, view, reflect, respond, action, support and then repeat – and the author will truly appreciate your efforts!

You can  no longer view my old blogs, kept 2006- 2010 – but I will publish samples here.

 

The Muse is Working overtime

'Cane Dreaming' (c) June Perkins all rights reserved, working on a series on this theme.

Sometimes there are days where enough ideas for a decade of art are unleashed.  I figure it’s important to write it all down, so that when the dry spells of creativity set in, there it is the written vision of all the stories, poems, photo collages and so on that I want to do. This is my treasure trove for the future.

Another way to tame the muse when she is going crazy and giving one ideas for poems and photographs in the middle of the night, or super early morning, is to briefly get up, write her whisperings, or shout outs, down and then go back to blissful sleep.  The idea will percolate, enter into one’s dreams and a little reminder is sitting there for a morning writing session.

Now time lines are important at some stage or ideas remain just that IDEAS and the creation of those ideas into real art works, stories, and performances is the work of the artist.  The niggling muse will have a good giggle at keeping artist’s awake and seeing them achieve nothing.

Protecting and nurturing ideas – knowing who to trust to collaborate on an idea, and who will just take your idea and run with it without letting you be part of the process these are also important things to know.  And then there are ideas that the world has simultaneously, because – there time has come.

Think of any ideas like that?

We need to share ideas so many people can focus on making them reality. Ideas empower and passing them on it important, or where would science and many other fields be today.  If only some science research for instance was less competitive, if all the scientists in the world could truly work together and compete less, to achieve their outcomes quicker.

Where does this leave the struggling artist full of ideas and writing and creating for their supper?  Ah I’ll think on that another day………………. for now I am enjoying thinking about my ‘dreaming in the cane’ series. (to be continued)

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved, words and image.

In Search of Signature Style

A signature style is the calling card of every writer/artist.  It allows you to know that person’s work in an instant.  I have been working extremely to refine a signature style that is arty, poetic, ranging from the abstract to the real -inspired by the real and striving for a mystical understanding of the real. It has been a time where I have found myself in the flow of images  and words and witnessed a  river of dialogue between those words and images.

Here are two examples of new work- shown in a small resolution here.  The rest will be at my exhibitions to come.  I do so look forward to people’s responses to the work when it is presented as a whole.  Furthermore I search for realist images that inspire in my local environment and move between the real and dreamy.

(c) June Perkins, words and images, all rights reserved

Early Bird Photos

Early Bird Photo 1 (c) all rights reserved June Perkins

So my journey to take bird photos begins. I have purchased a new lens; it was on super special, so I went ahead and bought it!

I have now begun to learn more about birds (reading the magazines in the library) and how to take pictures of them.

Last week I read up on sunbirds and found out they do not like making their nests all the time. If they build one well they will return to it again and again. They bind the twigs and leaves together with cobwebs. Well done spiders for supplying such excellent binding material. I had the bounty of watching a sunbird nest. I was able to get close enough to take photos with my non telescopic lens, but it’s better now I can be further away. I am looking forward to the nesting episodes!!

It is amazing how quickly they flee when people, and dogs are around. Not that we have a dog, but the other day in a small town up the road I walked down the street with my kids from their music lesson; it was pandemonium. Dog after dog at each house; they all barked like an alarm bell to say ‘do not let the human take ANY bird pictures!’.

First lesson, go into actual nature, not a small country town riddled with hounds of the baskervilles to take pictures.

Now I have also realised its time to pull out the bird sites/books and identify birds I don’t know but which my lens captures. This is certainly going to be educational. If you know the above bird let me know ! I am actually not sure what it is, but he or she does look very sweet!

This one was not taken at the busy small town with overactive pooches, but sitting on my front porch, quietly focusing on its tree. As for the eagle in the kauri pines out the back of my house, that is certainly my next project and it might take a lot of afternoon tree gazing!

Second lesson, bird pictures take persistance and patience.

I wrote a poem a couple of years ago, now being published entitled -The Grumpy Fisherman, I am reading it at the launch of the Tropical Writer’s Anthology in a week- must practice. Now I am thinking of a new poem, The Grumpy Photographer, all about my bird watching/photographing expeditions, which will I suspect not be into too many human neighbourhoods!

(c) June Perkins all rights reserved.

Loving the birds and thinking about ‘Imitation of Life’

A Kingfisher…….. (c) June Perkins all rights reserved

So a typical conversation with two of my friends will cover what we have been up to with our cameras.

‘I was out trying to take a bird picture today but they were so skittish, must learn to sit for a while in the same spot until they get used to me, ‘ my friend sighs.
I offer this: ‘Yes, the way to go I station myself on my porch and it’s a good level for bird pictures. I’d like a bird hide though.’
‘Argh changing lens can be a pain.  I really must get up earlier.’ My friend really wants a good bird picture.
‘Yeah I have telescopic days and days with my other lens’

This is then followed at some stage by us switching to discuss representations of race in movies, like Imitation of Life. The other evening I started watching this movie about an African lady who is thrown out on the streets with her daughter, and is taken in by a budding actress, blonde eyes and hairs, (Lana Turner).  They both have daughters.  The movie then explores a whole range of issues, race, sexism, perils and challenges for the child who has multiple backgrounds and rejects their ‘blackness.’ It was frustrating because today it is not really going far enough, but in its time  (1959) what a RADICAL FILM!

Then today I found out that a friend, who is Torres Strait background, was made to watch it by her mum.  She remembers weeping through it at the girl who is African American mixed with ‘white’ rejecting her mum and not really accepting her until the end when she was DEAD! We talked about the learnings of the film, and the majesty of the African American friend, Annie, who is like a queen in death, with so many people touched by her life,  all unknown by her blondie friend who doesn’t remember her ‘having any friends.’

I will talk about this film again at some depth, but it really had me both intrigued and frustrated, and screams REMAKE!  Although such films are also interesting documentations of where we were then and where we are now.

I love some of the conversations I have with my closest friends.  We then spoke a little about the scene where the little girl of multiple backgrounds doesn’t like the black doll! She rejects it and wants the blondie doll.

Anyway typically such deep conversations are followed with a return to a discussion of lighter things, and the latest issues with our art, not to mention leaking rooves.

I really love being with my friends and discussing life, art and representation! They really do inspire me!

I have to end this post with one of my favourite recent bird pictures, a really fat and happy spring bird!

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved.

A cute and fat bird, full of the bounty of spring! I have to find out what kind of bird- hmm time to search for my bird guide!

(c) all rights reserved June Perkins

Heading to Fruition

Experiments in digital play- working with mangroves

Life has been so busy and attention to my blogging posts has had to take a backseat, but here I am back at the blog thinking what should I share so MUCH has been happening.

So October-December is when many plans come to fruition. The cyberskilling workshop for Tropical Writer’s Festival is all planned, just have to prepare my images and practice the talk  out loud. Crucial to time these things!

The collaborative/ play workshop creation of PhoenX is happening as well in October. Will be interesting to see how this experiment works out at the Yungaburra festival. Working on drama is different from other forms of writing, apart from film, as the actors take a piece and transform it. This project was even more so, as we prepared research and scenes which were then transformed by a process of thematic fusion.  It’s difficult to describe so I will probably interview Owen for the blog, as this brainchild of his is best explained in his words.

As for personal projects a book is off being considered at a publishers – I am waiting for them to get back to me, and thinking about where else to send it, and receive support for it. It’s the story of Fred Murray and I have researched it and written it up into a book for illustration. I’ve also drafted a series of books of poetry for parents, children and teachers, for sharing all I learnt when I took workshops in schools and the writing that resulted from that time, as well as a few pieces in response to parenting situations like grumpy children who don’t want to take their shoes off before bed!

My novel which I started in Nanowrimo is waiting for me over the summer. I have begun research for it, and unpacking my first unplanned draft, but it is a challenge to find time for my own writing, at least for a few more weeks,  as our writing group finishes an anthology we are to publish.

It’s almost proofing and printing time, and at present working on the launch and publicity plans.  It’s been a big learning curve to be a book maker, but I am enjoying it with all its challenges and moments of reward!

In terms of images I have been doing lots of experiments with black and white.  Not ready to share any here yet, they are going to feature in my book of poetry for kids, which Paulien Bats is illustrating.

Despite all the busyness  I still stop and have a good old sing!  I’ve written a new song, which I love, and hope others will too.  I am going to sing it at the launch if it’s ready.

I’ve been on school holidays with the kids and I’ve written about that mostly on my Pearlz Dreaming blog. You can also find out about our wonderful new pets, two cute guinea pigs who are the best pets ever! And as for next year, definitely making more time to write as I have several ideas and will have finished many of these projects.

Somewhere amongst all of this also supposed to organise to exhibit some photographs.  I think I need a 28 hour day!  As for reading I have a stack of books from the library on writing, grammer and authors.  I might even review some of them at some stage!

Cover of the anthology

(c) Sal Badcock on cover all rights reserved.

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved, words and images.

Rotations of Risk in Rehearsal

Writers of Out of the Box

Finally all of the writers were in one garage. We were seeing the script come to life in the able hands of the actors who had done some work to make it feasible for them as a stage piece.

‘You can be a dentist?’- Actors in Rehearsal

The most engaging aspect of the rehearsal was seeing how the boxes were used. They were easily and quickly transformed to become mountain, dentist chair, taxi – and it was fun to watch the performers go through their paces, altering the world before us in the time it takes to stack boxes. It will be worth watching what our workshoppers do with the same set of boxes (they used to be used on prawn trawlers), they are as versatile as Owen hoped. A warm orange colour against the black backdrop they fire up the actors and the script. Now a script exploring a theme has to walk a fine line between the thematic concerns and working in performance. An audience wants to work out what to think themselves, but at the same time a social discourse theatre wants them to see several aspects of the theme.

‘You can be an astronaut?- Actors in Rehearsal’

I don’t want to say too much more- and let too much out of the box. We run the workshop this weekend at Yungaburra Festival. Looking forward to the whole event! Maybe I will see some of my blog readers there. It really is a festival time of year. It will be my first time at Yungaburra, and I do hope there is a let up in the RAIN!!!

 

(c) all rights reserved words and images June Perkins

Learning to Photograph Birds in Flight

All of the following pictures were taken at Cairns Tropical Zoo. My daughter’s school won an environmental award, and part of the prize was the whole class were able to make this trip! A few lucky parents were able to go along as well. Here are some of my efforts at the Bird Show. This was by far my favourite show.

We heard lots of stories about the birds from our Kiwi (New Zealand) Bird Man!  The wedge-tailed eagle flew just above everyone’s heads.  A few of the kids squealed when this happened.

My top tips for photographing a bird in flight

1)Use continuous shot mode

2) Go to a zoo to practice (ie bird show)

3) Adhere to all the rules, like sitting still (as you can with a camera clicking away in your hands).

4) Don’t give up even if that bird is really FAST!

It was awesome being up so close to them and see their wings in action! Capturing the details on the feather was helpful to understanding the structure of their wings.

I’ll write more about this zoo trip on my other blog, but from a creative point of view I loved trying out capturing birds in flight.  It was tricky but fun.  The show was limited in time as well and patience of the birds with the spectators was a factor as well.

Wedgetailed Eagle in Action

Owl in action

(c) June Perkins all rights reserved,  please note you can’t photograph for commercial purpose at the zoo without prior written consent.  These pics are just for personal practice.

Announcing New E-Book- in ‘Out of Australia

Links

http://www.glades-globalenterpriseinnovation.com/CnCNews.html

http://www.outofaustralia.net.au/

Guardians of our Pets

Animals floating in the QLDs’ flood, stock and chickens, those images are so powerful. But there are so many animals sheltering and escaping.

This bedraggled kookaburra I captured one day in several days of rain up here in the North of QLD tells the story of all those other animals, both domestic and wild. Whilst people are the priority at present so many people are taking their pets with them, caring for them, and attached to and worried for them.

My son always brings his guinea pigs upstairs in thunderstorms – he thinks of them first. To all those pets affected by the storm, and all those native animals and others out there, hope you too find nature settles down a bit soon.

Well done to all those who helped with evacuation at the RSPCAs and I hope all the people, especially children who could, have their beloved pets with them.

(c) all words and images June Perkins.

Bird Quests

I took this photo of Rainbow Lorikeet just a couple of days ago after mowing the lawn.  I am trying to photograph the birds I see around here, eating, flying, socialising with other birds – and if pertinent interacting with humans.  Who knows what I may find on the bird quests!  Observing our garden shows lots of interactions – birds nesting and protecting their young from much larger birds with utter fearlessness!!

(c) all rights reserved

Birds and storms

Butterflies, and birds that usually hide in the rainforest of bush seem to appear when there are cyclones and storms looming. Have you noticed this?

I’ve observed this.  Some people think it’s because they are clever and trying to find somewhere safe.

We had large flocks of Ulysses Butterflies after Cyclone Larry.   We seem to see them before and after thunderstorms as well.

Today I noticed a bird I had not seen before in the garden.  I didn’t have a chance to photograph it.  It was a yellow-green colour and the size of a sunbird.  I will check my bird book to try to identify it.  I wondered if it was escaping from a storm.

Our sunbirds have stopped nesting at the back.  Their nest waits for them to return and add to it again.  Hopefully the wagtails won’t smash it to bits.  They did that with the last nest in our yard.

I was really happy with the above photograph of my beloved sunbirds feeding in the trees.  I was actually following around a Cairns Wing Butterfly when the opportunity to photograph this presented itself.  I still want to work on the wings-  sometimes the blur is effective and other time it would be good to have a clear and sharp focus.

(c) Words and Images, June Perkins

As I emerged

Today I came out of my chrysalis of lying low. I did know I was kind of cocooned in the responsibility of setting up a new household and trying hard to recover from a bout of flu. I haven’t been the only one, lots of people have been sick, or had sick kids and family.

As I emerged I saw so much rubbish had been removed. So no more bookcases and rooves in middle of roads. And piles of mattresses and household stuff spilling onto streets — nowhere to be seen. It feels good not to see this anymore!

However the rooves are like plastic tupperware for kids, orange, and blue, yellow and wet, wet, wet. And everywhere I look something else is missing– gone – building, natural creation, and there are a few for sale signs even on houses without rooves–people too tired to rebuild. The main street of Tully fishing shop has a whole section next to it missing, the Retravision has relocated and what is left is dripping and smashed.

Several trees from Mitchell Park appear to have gone, especially a big one that I clearly remember when we first came to live here. Whole buildings are demolished. But let’s see the people now. People make a town more than the buildings.

I visited the post office to send off some of our anthologies. It was safe and sound. I went to the photoshop, and had a chat with Helen. I found out they lost the roof of their house just around the corner of where we have been moved too. The floor was a bit patchwork, but the shop is not too bad. I was happy to give her the anthology and she was so appreciative of it.

She like many others, has said “please let me know when the launch is on, we need celebrations in the community.” She is such a warm and charming person, and very supportive of people writing, and doing other things in the community.

I went to visit a gift shop of a family we know in Tully and got involved in a conversation on books, writing, reading, and community. It was quite a chat. People are all emerging from some sort of dream of what life was to a life of what is important and simplified.

As I think about yesterday where a good writing friend visited, and yarned, I am reminded of what is important in life. We celebrate survival yet we long to do more than survive. We are searching for some kind of meaning, some kind of light and a light of community.

Yet on the other hand physical challenges continue, and flooding starts up and roads are cut. Arteries to other experiences, friends, places are limited- in a physical sense. Can’t get out and see things in our whole area, but locked into properties and towns with road closures.

Yet opening out, can the coocoon of the human heart create places where we write, connect, dream, sing, paint, repair what we can, and begin to rebuild our way to the sunlight that is coming.

This is such an interesting time for me as I fast in preparation for the Baha’i new year. I am thinking about all these physical challenges, reflecting, preparing for a new year. The world around me is stripped bare, we can see all the houses, the insides of the houses – the skeletons of people’s hopes and dreams, stripped back for rebuilding. They are away from their homes, sharing spaces with other families and friends.

This afternoon I visited another creative friend and her little one. It was a time to reflect and rejoice on dreams we have for our own creative endeavours. The need to create spaces, maybe they are cocoons and shelters, from which we fly out to see all the beauty around us. I felt cocooned in a different way – cocooned in love, which gives one the power to heal.

It is time to reach out and find the colours of community spirit shining and kaelidescopic, varied and changing, refining themselves into new patterns.

Last cyclone I saw butterflies afterwards, but this time I see dragonflies, returning green, mountain mists, and hear her song– the song of the mountain singing her regreening.

(c) All rights reserved Images and Words June Perkins, must gain permission to republish elsewhere.

—————First published in PEARLZ DREAMING

Healing Via the Garden

I am thinking about why I called this website Unity’s Garden.

I know some of my most central writing and photographic themes are unity, harmony, nature and tropical gardens.

I have developed a  strong love of plants and birds that was not with me in childhood, despite my mother always loving and nurturing her garden and giving us delicious raspberries, banana passionfruit, corn and beans.

It is probably time I joined the local gardening club, and went on nature walks with naturalists.  It is time to start a herb garden and put out nectar for the butterflies on little plates.

Is it ever too late to start developing knowledge of anything? I like to think not.  How about you?

The things I love most about gardens are:

1.  The potential diversity of flowers.

2. The reflection of the identity of the originator of the garden.

3. The wildlife a good garden attracts.

4. The reminder of the story The Secret Garden a magic healing garden.

5. The way what you can photograph changes with the weather- droplets on hibiscus, morning light, evening light, . particular bugs on particular plants.

6. The musicality of many botanical names.

7.  The bugs and butterflies who love them.

8. Collecting flowers with my daughter, taking care to not damage the budding ones.

9. Meditation and contemplation spots like garden seats.

10.  They inspire writing, dreaming, sleeping and waking.

 

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved.

Healthy Environments

So today a friend on facebook said that a green tree frog is a barometer of a healthy environment.  ‘I love green tree frogs,’ said another whose profile picture was her face peering out from a tree frog cut out that you stand in at a zoo.   Another commented how his wife paints them in watercolour.   Whilst a fellow soul fooder said how much she missed ‘rain you can’t hear over.’ Green tree frogs are such a part of the tropical environments with their endless rain, and rainforest.

It’s amazing how these cute little frogs who appear to be smiling all the time bring such joy and such happy comments.  I am delighted, or should I say tickled green, that we have them at our new house and it’s comforting to know they are around after the cyclone.

At the chemist they have been handing out boost your immune system tablets for free.  Blackmores donated them in their support of the recovery efforts.  A couple of weeks ago it was phone up on the morning to get into the doctors, or a long wait at the hospital and you needed to be practically dying.  In such situations most of us choose to tough out our flus.

So today it seems fitting to reflect on healthy environments.

1) Where social, emotional and spiritual well being  of each person are taken care of.

2) Where nature is healthy and its native creatures and plants are doing well.

3) Where people have time for appreciating beauty.

4) Where people have the capacity to have a deep happiness no matter what is happening around them.

5)Where the world, it’s people, and environments are healthy

 

So many lessons from our little green tree frog.  They will forever remind me of all that is healthy whenever they smile and grip onto the wall.

 

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved, word and image.

New Horizons

So exciting things are on the horizon for this blogger! Watch this space for announcements as I enter the realms of more guest blogging in other spaces. I will be writing more about my area for those of you who have been following my yasi story, and branching out to embrace stories of North Queensland. Now I move into the realm of ‘recovery and resilience’ and becoming a community storyteller. More to be revealed in the coming month. I won’t be abandoning my own blog of course, but continue telling my stories here as well.

So where did it all begin. This blog began as a letter home to families and friends about life in the north, and has taken on a life of its own. It has traced my online trekking and making new contacts in the cyberspace, and it has charted my growing passion for photography and reflection on education.

Now my interests are firmly multimedia, and working across art forms of writing, photography, songwriting and storytelling. I feel I am heading in the direction I have always meant to, but I do hope at some point some financial renumeration might be in store as I don’t want to end up and impoverished writer living on the breadline. My dear hubby makes sure that I keep above board and the family can make it through this time. They are my main sponsors in life, God love them!

Sadly everything has blown up this week though. Demolition city! The tv blew up, our computer blew up, my camera blew up (and we all know how tragic that is when you love photography), our amp is in for replacement and repairs, and a pair of favourite sandals gave up life! So it will be time for repairs., renewal and a visit to the shops. No we are not insured, but I think sometime in the next two weeks we will be.

On the bright side, no television means silence to work and read in, and less time wasting. I could do without television I think, besides we can do a lot on line with the remaining computer – please don’t blow up computer.

I have found some blog quests for myself:

1- Continue writing Haiku for Japan and find a way to send them there.

2- Find out about ebooking and ereaders and share this quest!

3- Work on some manuscripts/ebooks for release early next year

4- Begin to master the short story art form

I also have a large white board and notice board to begin the long job of reorganising my workspace and office.

Someone jokingly said to me that I might end up with white boards all over the house. That could be true, but I will try and contain my energy in just one,

My motto for this month — simplify, focus, achieve…

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved

3 ironies in the Yasi recovery process

I have been pursuing the theme of irony. It is ironic that the above bulldozer/tractor, which could be so useful in the clean up after Cyclone Yasi, is useless other than as decoration, and it’s a wonder it didn’t take off during the cyclone!

It is amazing that the motto below survived in the highschool grounds, when the roof was flying around and relocating itself.   So what if half the classes are held in demountables and the middle of school just got flattened.

And lastly a poignant one, here is the shadow of a survivor tree cast where there was once a tree.  Location, Mitchell Park, where many an Anzac Parade day takes place.

I am sure there will be many more ironies to observe.  Another one which I haven’t photographed is the making of  people who were once acquaintances into close friends, who will soon be parted.  It is now so sad to see so many people go when they have been so kind and supportive in the recovery process.  However, like this tree, they will cast their caring shadow behind them on all those they have connected with in their lives here.  Compassion’s seedlings will grow, if people want them to, into a forest of resilience.

(c) June Perkins, words and images. All rights reserved.

Announcing Guest Blogging Spot

The light was great for photos today! I found these trees captivating. Just letting know those of you who visit this blog that I am honoured to be about to begin Guest Blogging for ABC Open. To read more on … Continue reading →

Footsteps of Love

Photo Credit: June Perkins

Every now and then I like to add just a few words to an image.  This is a recent example.  I shared this on my tumblr page a week ago.  Sometimes I will reflect on the words and image to either create more in the series, or to compose a poem or story.  Here is the beginning of my mind map on this topic.  I wonder what will come out of it as I mull over it the next few days. Maybe something to inspire my next guest blogs for the ABC Aftermath project.

Footsteps to follow

Footsteps to courage

Footsteps to resilience

Footsteps young

Footsteps old

Footsteps of mystery

Loud footsteps

Soft footsteps

Allegro footsteps

Silent footsteps

Memory Footsteps

Recovery footsteps

(c) June Perkins, all rights reserved.

Electric Guitars, Umbrellas, Cricketing Legends and Bouncing Back

This post was published after the  Yasi Bounce Back Concert back in April 2011.  In June Phil Emmanuel returned to Tully.  You can find out more about why and what happened on my upcoming ABC open guest blogs (the return … Continue reading →

Song Trails in the Cassowary Coast Part 1: Muso Intros

 I am rapt to be guest blogging for Critical Mass.  How fantastic to be part of this project capturing the Queensland Music Festival, as it happens with keen music and cultural appreciators, participants and reviewers from around Queensland.  Thanks  to … Continue reading →

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