Uprooting the non-natives

Check out these big machines clearing the non natives for the new rainforest in my front yard bush care project.
They are noisy as hell but I don't mind as they are clearing the way for a little bit of paradise.
These guys were really impressed by how much we had done with only hand saws.
Council wont cover us for power tools.
I always admired the foresight of people who planted amazing gardens knowing only their grandchildren would enjoy them.
Coz trees take a long time to grow.
In 100 years this will be a rain forest Natures God willing.
I won't be here then but I probably wont be here in a few months.
The landlord in gunna sell this old place and they we build 20 town houses here.
It a very big block.
That means no more "Lodge" studio down the back with roaring log fires making music and playing guitars.
It was built in the 1920's and was the only cottage in the area.
Heres a snap.

At least the new people will have a rain forest to enjoy.
If they stick around for a while.

Love is in the ear

Spring is almost here.
I know that because the first flower of jasmine popped open yesterday.
It smells amazing.
Loaded with memories.
When I was a teenager I used to come up to Sydney from Canberra.
Canberra is very cold in the winter, ice and fog and layers of clothes, and I used to come up to Sydney and think it was a tropical paradise.
A real city with trendy punks, legendary live venues and exotic jasmine perfume. The stuff don't grow in Canberra.
A lot of stuff doesn't grow in Canberra -not back in those days anyway.
Sydney was a different place back then.
It wasn't yet an international city.
There was squats full of artists,cheap rent and a hint of danger and neglect -in other words a perfect city for a coming of age.
squatting is almost extinct in Sydney now but it was big back in the eighties.
There are laws about the use of disused property especially government property and you basically had to find an empty building and move in.
Sometimes the owner didn't mind too much as it meant someone was looking after the place.
I had friends who squatted in a huge old pub on William street, they used to have these famous parties and all sorts of people used to turn up. Artists, musicians, models and designers, street people and wayward youths, dealers and derelicts.
They didn't even charge a door fee.
I can see their faces and zany haircuts and I wonder what they are all doing now.
Some are dead and some are working for the man doing very well no doubt.
I wish them well through time and space.
Thanks for those parties.