White lines and balls in the air
I feel like I am being split about ten different ways at the moment.
One part of me is trying to do the normal Mum things: school lunches and routine, extra-curricular drives, post-schoolday debriefs, tending gravel-rashed knees and general attention where required.
One part of me is trying to be a business partner: paying bills, doing books, organising marketing for our business, handling some cattle for showing, coordinating the weekly jobs & phone calls.
One part of me is trying to help organise a major event: a task requiring a gazillion phone calls, emails, designs and re-designs and lots of meetings. And quite a bit of road-time…
One part of me is trying to be a wife: if anyone can properly describe that role for me I’d be most grateful. I am lucky my hubs is reasonably understanding of my other roles.
The sister/daughter/friend part of me is just hoping everyone gives me a little leeway at the moment.
And one part of wants to blog.
While this last item is the one that might seem the least-vital to the success of the juggling act of my life, it is in fact kinda central. I’ve often mentioned how blogging is my therapy. It keeps me on an even keel – not because I need the applause (although I have to say it does give me a buzz to know others enjoy my photos and posts) but because it helps me stay focussed on the simple, clear, GOOD things in my life. I love this place – BB’s corner of cyberspace. I need it.
My posts might be a bit sporadic between here and May (when our major event is taking place) but be certain I shall touch base when I can, to share an image or a moment which mattered in my day or my week. The tone may change slightly as I get to focus less on our bush setting, but I promise it will be mostly positive and won’t be boring (at least not to me).
Here are a couple of images from my yesterday afternoon. When a million things were cluttering my head, vying for attention, and my kids were sleeping peacefully in the back of a car after being dragged to a number of event-related locations.
This view never fails to take my breath away.
It’s about half an hour from Rockhampton and I always hear the words ‘GOD’s OWN COUNTRY’ in my head when I look at it.
In another twenty minutes I see a crop in full-bloom (the correct term is probably ‘head’ but I am no crop farmer, so I will stick with the more poetic term!).
This view an hour further on – a plateau which inspired the ABC radio series ‘Blue Hills’. Anyone remember this series?
Even when roadwork stopped our road trip momentarily, I took a deep breath and remembered how FABULOUS it is that our roads are being repaired (finally) after the damage wrought by the floods of Christmas 2010. (Anyone else notice a flurry in roadworks as an election looms? Or is that just the cynical journo in me trying to burst forth?).
I love that the navigator in our car shows the road being travelled as purple*.
Ours AREN’t purple in real life.
Here is the beginning of our red road to home.
The one which causes enormous angst with the fine red dust which infiltrates ever crevice of one’s vehicle. But also the one which shows off the surrounding green of our current abundance of grass better than any other hue…
I hope I never stop getting a kick from grass so prolific that hides fencelines from the naked eye…
Oceans of verde. Rough ribbons of red gravel.
Hope this finds your juggling act relatively under control.
🙂
BB
*Especially when I arrived home to find Fleur McDonald’s Purple Roads in my red cream-can mailbox! Hoping I get time to enjoy it properly…
14 Comments
jeanie
Welcome back again – my juggling is far closer to home – but in case it keeps you awake, you do just fine on the juggle that mentions me.
jeanie´s last blog post ..Disaster Quiche
jeanie
Oh – and in regard to your husband’s dragmarks to Brisbane in an upcoming weekend – couldn’t another campdraft widow sub for him?
jeanie´s last blog post ..Disaster Quiche
BB
Noooooo. It’s our ‘date night’. A VERY rare thing!
Lynda M O
Happy Weekend busy gal… I’ll dedicate one of my naps each weekend to you and your efforts over the next several months.
Your grasslands stand ripe and fecund waving in the sun.
Leenie
I’m glad you grabbed a few minutes to let us in the north see green and dirt. Warms me right up. Hope the rains I hear about in Queensland don’t mess up things too bad for you and your neighbors. I especially love the sun-through-the-tree photo.
Maybe some of your navigation problem comes from DRIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. Oh yeah, things are backwards down under~~~or are we backwards here?
Leenie´s last blog post ..SNOW DAY
Ann Britton
I’m hearing you loud and clear, so many blogs in my head, half done on paper, but as you say the other parts of me seem to be needing me more and I have NO kids at home, unless you count one big kid that is only half handy at the moment, that is a blog on its own. I really do hope all your parts come together as I’m sure they will, thanks for sharing you have brightened my day no end, Ann
Ann Britton´s last blog post ..Life, Internet, Challenges, Benefits, Blogging
Kate
I love seeing your part of the world, BB~ Here in the states, we have the Blue Ridge Mountains. And I hope you never stop getting that kick that comes from grass so prolific that it hides fence lines from the naked eye!
Kate´s last blog post ..Summer in the light, and winter in the shade
debby
I am always glad for a glimpse of your world. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again…You are doing great things right now, and we will wait patiently. We know that there will be a story on the other side of this, and that story will be worth the wait.
Drag marks to date night. Lord. That sounds familiar, all right.
debby´s last blog post ..Today, but not at the Tractor Supply
constance
Hmmm….
You mentioned “Camp Drafting” ; is that akin to the stateside sport of ‘team penning?’ A test of cowboys and cowhorses in sorting cattle in shortest amount of time?
I greatly enjoy your attention to the blog as you write beautifully, photograph with attention to detail, and your effort gives me a glimpse of the other side of the world, the other season that we are currently not enjoying, and in general it provides a reminder of time spent where the language was the same but not totally the same.
The disappearing fence line was so unlike the part of Australia where we lived for a time that it took my breath away.
Keep on keeping on — your work on all fronts MATTERS.
Kelly
Nothing beats the “road home”. Lovely set of shots here, BB.
Kelly´s last blog post ..Shadow Shot Sunday #71
bushbelles
Loved your pics. Blogging is my therapy amidst the daily grind as well. Life gets busier and busier and the weeks go by so fast that its hard to find time to just be. Hope you get some peaceful times this week. Bushbelles xo
bushbelles´s last blog post ..Loving our Governor General
Fleur McDonald
Good Lord and I thought I was busy. I think you are incredible – your blogging is like my writing. We need it.
Fleur McDonald´s last blog post ..Nothing but love…
JENNY TALIA
Great pics BB (as always) At least you’re juggling my friend
I seem to have lost my balls altogether. Whoops.
x
JENNY TALIA´s last blog post ..fuck it up friday (repeat)
Bush Babe
Jen, if you ever lose your balls we are all stuffed! 🙂
Fleur, you write PROPERLY. No contest!
bushbelles, thanks. Glad someone understands…
Kelly, you are always so kind.
constance, THANKYOU! A link to campdrafting here (yes a LITTLe like team penning): bushbabeofoz.com/2008/04/14/campdrafting-the-fence-sitters-guide/
Debby, thanks for the reassurance. Still gobsmacked/stoked how you guys keep coming back for more.
Kate, makes me think of the song ‘Country Roads’… “Blue Ridge Mountains, Shanandoah River (sp?)”
Ann – loved your last blog. Drought brings out the best and worst, doesn’t it?
Leenie – I tried your method of driving. Totally unnatural! 😉
Linda – you DO that. Will ask for interest though!
🙂