Monday 13 April 2015

the solace of the arid lands

last week i took some time away from the whirled 
and headed northward to the Observatory
where a most satisfactory collection is slowly on the increase
 encompassing contributions from the UK, the USA, Denmark and Spain
as well as from across the length and breadth of the wide brown land
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there's still time to join in the solace project 
or
if you prefer, create your own. i'm happy to share the idea.
grateful to those who have sent pieces, thank you.
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people have been enquiring whether they may come and assist with the installation. 
the short answer is simply, no. 
the Observatory can only accommodate two persons, 
has no electricity or running water (meaning no showers or food cooling either)
cooking is done with an old wood stove
sparingly burning twigs to heat the kettle for tea
and while there is a pit toilet, it is not available to the public as 
when it fills i shall have to dig a fresh one and 
that's not a thought that fills me with delight. 

solace will be installed at the southern mid-winter solstice 
and (i hope) be available for viewing from June 23
it will remain in place indefinitely. 
i will document it photographically through various weathers and as promised, collate the images (together with the poem formed from all of your words) into a book.

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the sunrises and sunsets here are equally beautiful
the view of the stars at night is unequalled 
(and nigh on impossible to capture with a batfone)
the arid lands are a perfect place for clearing thoughts
(the Dog decided that my clearing needed further intervention)
it's good to travel with a friend.




on the way home we stopped at the Arid Lands Botanic Gardens
to see how 'elegy' was faring

after which certain wee dog washed the dust of the desert off
with a swim at the top end of Spencer Gulf









16 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your beautiful country and your dog, too. I’ve never been to Australia but I feel like I know it a little bit now. Watching the solace project with interest as I was one of the very early contributors. Cheers, Luvswool

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    1. i haven't opened the parcels yet...planning the big reveal in one great flurry in June!

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  2. Wonderful! Looking forward to the big reveal :)

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  3. I have my solace parcel sitting here addressed ready to go (I have wanted to pop a little something else inside --- but *life* seems to be getting in the way of my plans!) ....

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  4. dear India glad to know my piece to solar has arrived , thank you , this area seems to bee so speciel as Aus are so i have to come , but here are not public admission i think , Kubbi dear one are now grown up dog and your pictures all lovely

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    1. Visitors to the solace installation will be most welcome Bodil, and it will be open 24 hours of the day it's just that I can't offer facilities at the Observatory. The motel at the Andamooka Post Office is very comfortable though :-)

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  5. thank you India we are writing as if it was just around the corner and which one , you could not knew i am thinking of year 2016 very must planning before leaving for AUS , hope the exhibition are there still , i write down the name of the place Anda mooka

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  6. Amazing colors ... and glad to see my envelope arrived

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  7. I don't know how in the world you can resist opening them - I'd have ripped those parcels to shreds by now to see all the lovelies within !!

    And on that note, may I send out a gentle *nudge* to folks who are contributing that I'd like to add their links over on my blog? I've got a little list going - 'Solace project' tab under header - where links to the pennants/flags already made [or still under construction] can be found in one spot ... I thought it would be fun, for sharing inspiration and for encouragement to others to join in. Feel free to email me at sweetpeapath [dot] gmail [dot] com and I will add your link right away.

    [thanks India, for thumbs-up to post nudge, much appreciated ;>]

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    1. trying to keep the lovelies safe...have them hanging in a big bag in the centre of the main room to keep them out of reach of marauding rodents and am looking forward to the joy of extracting them one by one in June, taking pictures and writing down the words as they unfold...

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  8. x fingers eyes and toes that you will make the Solace book available as a pdf so I can afford it!

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  9. Thank you for the opportunity to be involved India, I sent my envelope off on Friday

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  10. Thank you for the opportunity to be involved India, I sent my envelope on Friday

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  11. I sent mine today, I was going to do 2 but a fall off a ladder left me unable to stitch for a couple of weeks and hence the lateness posting one quite late. It's only coming from a little way up the track in the Tweed Valley, and in a (paper) post-haste envelope, so I think it will be there soonish. I haven't blogged it yet, but would be happy for Sweetpea to link when I do.

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