Before I begin my tale I will point out that the photo above is what I see out my back door each day. My ocean view I refer to it as.
Climate in Australia is often extreme. We have seasons of plenty and seasons of drought, crops failing, livestock having to be sold or slaughtered.
You will often hear farmers complaining its either too wet or too dry.
When I grew up there was a famous poem called ‘Said Hanrahan.’ By John O’Brien
The poem epitomises the Australian bush culture of man’s never ending struggle against the elements. In ‘Said Hanrahan’ it was either too wet, or too dry or there was too much vegetation which meant the threat of bush fires.
As it was a constant struggle against the elements there was always the threat of failure hanging over your head.
“We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan,
In accents most forlorn,
Outside the church, ere Mass began,
One frosty Sunday morn.
The congregation stood about,
Coat-collars to the ears,
And talked of stock, and crops, and drought,
As it had done for years.
These were the topics of conversation in most country towns, floods, drought and fires. And Australians being who they are talked them with the rye humour they are known for.
In some places drought lasted for years the earth was dry and dusty and so the crows learned to fly backwards to keep the dust out of their eyes.
In another part of the country where I once lived and where for a lot of the year it was a cold place the farmers fitted their sheep with what became known a Nimity coats to protect them from the cold. It was common to hear one local say to another: “it’s so cold today it’d freeze the walls of a bark humpy.”
But drought is the biggest fear in a country as vast as Australia. Until recent times farmer relied on the rains to wet their pastures, stock thrived if the season thrived, suffered when it didn’t.
Life was incredibly difficult in the Australian bush, doubly so for the first settlers, people from northern climes whose experience of the Australian bush was nil. They learnt the hard way, some survived, many perished.
A famous Australian writer of the early twentieth century was Henry Lawson. Lawson lived in the bush and knew what it was like, his descriptions of the bush are very accurate and he detailed the struggle people had in egging out an existence in a harsh and unforgiving land.
One story has stayed with me called ‘Water them Geraniums’. In this story like many he wrote, the wife has been left to manage the farm while the husband has gone off droving cattle from one area to another and he could be away for months at a time.
The wife would be left to fend for herself, often with small children to mind as well.
In this particular story the landscape is described as being brown, dry and parched, there is a small creek some one hundred meters away from which the family get their drinking and cooking water. But as the land is dry she is careful not to waste any. In this harsh landscape she survives and outside her back door a single geranium grows. She is passionate about keeping the plant alive as it is the only bit of greenery she has growing anywhere around her. So she throws the left over tealeaves on it and anything else that can’t be recycled for their use.
It is a reminder of the struggle people had day to day to survive and make a living in the harsh Australian bush.
In more modern times farming has become much more of a science and as the photos I have attached will show the farm behind my house is very well managed and production.
This has been a small view into my Australia and how man has struggled to work with nature in this country where so often the best laid plans have come unstuck by not learning to work with our climate. In fact we have much to learn from our indigenous people about living with the climate not trying to compete against it, as we know who always wins that battle.
For mindlovemisery’s prompt Man Vs Nature at:
http://mindlovemisery.wordpress.com/2013/12/08/prompt-33-man-vs-nature/
Morpethroad 
This is a wonderful piece Michael I learned a good deal, I love the part of the crows flying backwards and the story you shared of the geranium. Before Sweden I lived in what was strangely known as a temperate rainforest, in the summer it sometimes felt like you were breathing underwater even if it wasn’t raining.
Thanks Yves, despite the climate at times being somewhat challenging it is a great place to live, as you can see I have quite a view to take in each day.
Northern Australia is like where you once lived, I’ve heard people describe it as being constantly wet from the humidity. You should come visit one one.
I would love to travel more and plan to in the future right now we are saving up for a house so I won’t be getting out much haha. Your photos are beautiful I wouldn’t mind a view like that myself, right now I live in the city and while the old buildings are very cool I will always prefer nature. I have seen some beautiful photos on Laurie and Biancas pages of Australia as well gorgeous country
I know I am very lucky to live where i do.The price I pay is that the front of my house is on a busy road. I hope you do get to buy your house, it’s a great achievement to get one. And yes this is a beautiful country, so much diversity.
I hope so too its tricky I have to have bus access because I can’t legally drive, I also need a grocery I can walk to but to afford a house it can’t be in the city (very expensive to purchase a house in the city) so we have to find just the right distance. Fingers crossed something will pop up. Diversity is wonderful
Well good luck I am sure you will find the place you desire. Are you near Malmo, I have a friend who lives there.
I am in Norrköping if you have ever heard of it haha It is 2 1/2 hours or so from Stockholm I think
No I only know of Stockholm and Malmo. Though I am a fan of Swedish crime fiction, Camilla Lacksberg in particular.
there is a lot of crime fiction in Sweden on television and in literature I doubt i could ever publish poetry here lol
I live quite close to this area I walk here often
Wow that is amazing, there are so many beautiful places in Europe. I plan to visit Lithuania one day as i have a pen friend there.One of my trips to Europe one day.
There are =) I went to an online friends wedding in Holland a few years ago
I think I’m going to need ten years to get to see all I want to see…..but a little at a time i think
I have many places I want to go. I want to go to Bhutan which may be impossible, Japan to see the temples and eat honestly lol, I want to see Southern France (I saw Paris), I want to see every continent for sure haha
Well Japan is a real possibility for me as I have a cousin living in Tokyo who has invited me over and offered to put me up so that’s a real possibility.
France is another country I want to get to,so many beautiful places there to see. Oh well one day.
What a great story and such a gorgeous view Michael. How lucky are you to have no large fences, no neighbours screaming behind you, so right our climate can be devastating. Enjoyed this my friend.
Thank you Jenny, I am lucky indeed.
Fabulous! I grew up in NSW country towns so the pictures and descriptions really take me back to those times! 🙂 🙂
Thanks Helen, it’s a lovely place to live.
Thanks for sharing a glimpse of what we don’t see up front – but – hear about.
You have a great view there Michael!
I think I will go chill out there with you & your family. Looks like a nice wide open view of just nature & nothing else.
Yes – I just invited myself over – LOL 🙂
Thanks Rosy and yes come on down.
Let me know I’ll have the spare room ready.Maybe even have it painted….now that’s made it even more tempting yes?
the image of the crow captures it perfectly well. I enjoyed getting to know your homeland!
Thanks SS, happy you enjoyed it. We are known to tell a few tall stories.
I was seated yesterday with the principle of my sons School. She had attended an executive colleagues office earlier in the day to farewell (she is retiring).
She mentioned this very poem – she did in fact recite it to him. Make parallels with the current state of the education system.
The way she described it, so very negative… because there was never enough rain, or there was too much rain and it flooded…
Our experiences are very much built on the thoughts we have and the words we speak.
#CreatingtheJourney!
P.s:Beautiful Yard!
Thanks Miss Lou, I like where I live, its always good to look out the back and see what activity is happening on the farm.
That poem is a favourite of mine so it’s good to know that others use it also, though I gather the Principal may be of my generation…..hmmmm…we remember it so well. Thanks again for reading.
I think she may be in her early 50’s. She’s a wise soul.
I saw your reference to Australia, Where about’s are you state/territory wise? Vic/NSW?
NSW
Ah! I lived in Singleton for a few years and loved it there, and travelling in the surrounds. My daughter was born in Maitland and we left a few months after that, to return to the Northern Territory.
What a small world, Maitland is where I live.