Coming to you from Pomborneit North, Victoria. Population 48.
Pomborneit is nearby with a population of 73.
Pomborneit East has 42 inhabitants.
There are more sheep and cows and magpies and cockatoos then humanity. Very few public buildings were built in this rural area and dairy farming and other farming make up what happens here.
A conspicuous feature of the farms is the stone walls that substitute for paddock fences, formed by clearing the stones to the perimeters and skilfully built as dry stone walling. An unfortunate feature of the walls has been their suitability as a protective overlay for rabbit warrens, unless the foundations are sunk in a trench. (https://www.victorianplaces.com.au/pomborneit)
The traditional custodians of the Colac Otway region are the Gulidjan and Gadubanud peoples. I hope to dig a little deeper into the First Nation history of this land as I spend time on it.
https://open.qobuz.com/album/ja8sk4i5sd2hb-This is the Qobuz Playlist….Ditch Spotify!
Here on the dormant volcanic plains are many lakes. Some that I will visit as the days go by. There are also the Dry Stone Walls and Rabbit Walls of the area. Dry stone walls were used to delineate property and to keep out rabbits. Metal was expensive and a combination of timber post with wire was almost impossible to construct in the stony western plains. Dry stone walls came to the fore. The basalt plains needed clearing for farming and stones were the solution for economical wind-and-fire-proof fencing.(https://visitgreatoceanroad.org.au/)
My home/housesit is a property called Lakeside. It’s 76 HA (188 acres) and is a beautiful country estate. This federation-style home, with a turret, was built in 1905. Leadlight windows, beautiful, tiled floors and woodwork, this house has some bones and some history in it. I feel blessed to be able to look after Jazz, the 14-year-old kelpie, and spend time in nature.
Oh yeah and this place is filled with AMAZING Artwork…here is one example:
Camperdown (Pop.3354) is about 15 minutes away and probably has all the services I will need while I am here. Colac (Pop.13,000) has more to offer but is almost 30 minutes away. I stopped in Colac on the way here from Melbourne for a few things, but since I arrived 2 days ago, I have only left the property to exercise my legs.
I am taking this time to recalibrate from the city, meditate, do some yoga and exercise and poke around this area, not too far from the Great Ocean Road. The Autumnal Equinox will take place on Saturday, the 21st of March at 1:46 AM. Day and night become equal, light and darkness; this is a time for self-care. Things out of balance can become level and spending time in nature soothes the soul and allows me to empty my basket to metaphorically reap the harvest of this season. As you know, I am no farmer.
At the moment, I am well into the third day of my 5-day fast. Already, I feel more relaxed and calmer, sinking into the moment and the plants, flowers, and earth around me. To be honest with you, I always take a moment to honour the change of seasons, but this is the first time in a while I have had some time to ease into it in this way. It feels very right and necessary this year.
This past year of politics and the evil regime in America has clogged my brain and clouded my vision. This media onslaught has infected my psyche and left me feeling angry at what is happening to my former homeland and other countries around the world impacted by the Orange DicKtator. I pay attention because it is historic and is shaping the world into something we all need to be aware of. But, my time spent watching one man say the same lies over and over again, has to stop for now.
I think I will wait until accountability happens. For the crimes committed in concentration camps in America and the streets of Minnesota and for starting an illegal war. The Epstein Files bang around my head, and it’s nice not to hear about them, but my heart breaks for the hundreds of victims who watch a government lie. I believe that when the truth is revealed, the world will be floored by what these people have been up to. I don’t want to sound like a conspiracy theorist, but when something is covered up for decades, it seems obvious to me that even someone from the Royal Family….oh, that already happened.
But you know, I wonder with all the lies coming out of his Cabinet and the Pumpkin Pie Hole of Donnie, that maybe they know something that we don’t. Like, the world is coming to a conclusion faster than anyone but the elites know and that they can do anything without going to jail. Sorry, I slipped into a fasting-conspiracy hole….
Yes, there are hearings I will miss watching, journalists I love viewing and hearing, and the late-night bashing of Trump by Kimmel/Meyers/Colbert that are part of my fasting right now. Things move so fast that we are bombarded with data each day like never before, so taking a pure break is the only way to remain sane.
This beautiful heaven of ours, Earth, is here for us to enjoy, but most of all to cherish and protect. Environmental laws are being replaced by more drilling, and although there is hope that some governments will take a stand to respect Mother Earth, it really has to be a global agreement. I don’t see that in my Tarot Cards.
As we approach our Equinox around the world, some heading to Spring, and here we go to Autumn, I hope you can get outside, touch the earth and say a prayer for all the beings. We are all one.
Right now, I am going to see if I can say hello to one of the resident koalas in a tree down the drive.
Peace.
Postscript: Margi Prideaux, an environmental activist here in Australia, recently sent out a newsletter that brought this article by George Monbiot to my attention. it may not be light reading, but it illustrates where we are headed with right wing policies and the environment. As I sit in nature, it is good to ponder on the state of the planet we should all love the most.
Climate science denial, which had almost vanished a few years ago, has now returned with a vengeance. Environmental scientists and campaigners are bombarded with claims that they are stooges, shills, communists, murderers and paedophiles. (Monbiot/Guardian)
(Note-All pics mine…except Beach shot and 2001))
Did you know that if you go to www.outsidemyinside.com, you can read all of my writings….some published here….some not.
That was truly beautiful writing, Paul. And it is amazing there.
💕
Pattie