13 May 2013

sling diaries - inspiration


 


There are children of this land that have never known rain. They watch golden crops plead to the heavens for a drop of nourishment. Thunder clouds roll in and out to tease the hopeful, the hardened barely notice their presence and just get on with it. The children, freckled faced and rowdy kick balls on dusty ground and grow despite it all. They smile often.

Surfers bide their time. Legs dangle in sapphires and hair gnarls and tints under the strong hands of the sun and sea. Luminous barrels heave to life and feet snap to attention.  Above the roar of surging water there is a silence; an ethereal existence. The endless tide laps every shore of this island and calls all to its majesty. I am not above its powers.

Ancient trees creak and groan towards the sun. A canopy of jade. Jewelled frogs burrow beneath the leaf litter and all is cool. A whip bird calls and its sound echos over limb and branch and shards of sunlight catch minutiae in suspension in the air above. This breathing, dancing organism in perfect harmony with sun and rain and soil.

This is the only home I have ever known and although my boots have carried me all around this sphere of rock my heart is tethered here.  I will show my babies its magic, its menace, its raw beauty. Together we will walk in dappled light under proud trees, stoop and enquire on golden sands and immerse our bodies in streams as clear as glass. We will eat at lopsided pubs and dance with raggle taggle new friends. I will show them endangered turtle rookeries, coral reefs and cavernous gorges eroded by wind and time. Our bodies will smell of salt and sea air and our fingers will be ruddied with crimson earth. We will cloak our skin from the searing sun but it will burnish nonetheless. Our feather collection will outgrow it's vessel.

This land - harsh and intriguing , raw and magnificent. Its people - light hearted do-ers full of uncrushable spirit and laughter. Men and women overflowing with story and spark who've conquered fire and drought and flood. A closeness in kinship.

Australia - my home, my inspiration.

Steph x

Remy is snuggled in his linen Sakura Bloom Pure Baby sling in wheat.
Photos taken by my beloved.

20 comments:

  1. oh the 9th photo of remy is just perfection (as is all of them my friend.

    so very beautiful. all .. of .. it !!!
    x

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  2. I had to reread this several times...it's such a beautifully written description of how and where you live. And these photos are breathtaking. I am mesmerized by how beautifully you write and I love how the golden sun and tall grass in the photos go so perfectly with how you describe the land and it's beauty there.

    Sarah xo

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  3. What beautiful words. Truly.

    And I hope your feather collection contains a few bright yellow cockatoo crests, they were always my favourite.

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  4. Steph, my goodness. Do you think in the way you write? In poetry? I have truly never read anyone as beautiful as you. You must write a book. xxx

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  5. Absolutely beautiful Steph! My how your Remy has grown of late, his smile in the sunlight. What a beautiful place to find your inspiration, your home. We live in the most beautiful country in the world and the treasures within deserve to be explored..

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  6. Breathtaking! Your words are magical! xo

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  7. Sublime as usually. Write that book! x

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  8. Sublime as always. Write that book x

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  9. So very, very bezutiful. I love the colour of your sling as well! I'm feeling inspired...

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  10. My heart tugs reading this. I really miss "slinging" my babies. I used to wear my babies for hours xo

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  11. This post really made me go "oooooh!" out loud. I love your hair, that adorable baby, the colors, and the writing.

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  12. Oh my what a happy little boy Remy is Steph. I love that second last photo, so so cute. Beautiful photos:) xx

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  13. Beautiful. Having lived in almost every state and both Territories I to am proud to call Australia home.
    He is such a happy soul Steph. I am certain that he has his moments but his smile melts me through the screen.

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  14. Oh, Steph you look MAGNIFICENT. Such warmth, such beauty x

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  15. "its" is a possessive pronoun, not "it's"

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    1. Thanks for the pickup! That's one of my pet hates too so I'm surprised it got through. We're all human I guess. Have a nice weekend.

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  16. Oh those photos Steph, so beautiful. They make me want to go and wake my boys right now and squeeze them! But of course I won't because they are sleeping and that would interrupt my camomile tea and blog reading :) And as always I don't want your words to end. xx

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  17. Your words... breathtakingly beautiful Steph. You capture the spirit of Australia and its people so poetically. And your photos... all gorgeous!! x

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  18. such beautiful beautiful images! x

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  19. So wonderful that you are part of the sling diaries.

    Your writing is both beautiful and poetic. Feel so proud to be Australian just from reading your words...

    Ronnie xo

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Your words brighten my day! Thank-you so much for joining me on my adventure. x