Day 4 - It’s Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas!

Cathie19
Level 10
Darwin, Australia

Day 4 - It’s Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas!

Day 4 - 🎄 It’s beginning to sound a lot like Christmas! 🎄

A tropical Oz perspective: that’s indulgent and doesn’t necessarily rhyme, ‘cause I ran out of time......

...... but it’s fine! 😉🤶🏼

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🌴🌴🌴🎄🎄🎄🌴🌴🌴🎄🎄🎄🌴🌴🌴🎄🎄🎄🌴🌴🌴🎄🎄🎄🌴🌴🌴

My garden’s orchestra is beginning to warm up...

For the sun is waking, the birds are still stirring,

Low level sounds of birds are emerging.

 

Cicadas begin rubbing their wings in a low strumming,

as they ready themselves for the sun to be stunning.

They’ll soon be screaming, with high shrill excitement -

as the sun rises higher... they match it and stronger.

 

A lone green frog is croaking a call - left unanswered.

For the poor thing is just waiting for rain, making his efforts all in vain!

 

A bright Christmas beetle just flew threw the door.

Clicking and clacking it’s radar is poor.

As it lies on its back, little legs turned sky high,

I turn it around so it can get up and fly.

 

Let’s not mention flies for they’ve been less this last week.

Thank God for the rains so they began to deplete.

 

But the full and fat moon all bright in the night,

allowing no need for a torch does delight.

But the change in past tides as they rise and then fall,

leave us in fear for now mozzies appear...

so we crumble as they dart and bite at our ear.

 

Some happy plants > not happy,

as the grasshoppers chew,

I organically spray them, to be kind..... who knew?

 

Ah, the smell of the jasmine & frangipani is sweet

as it lingers on the moist hot air as I speak.

 

You can smell the wet earth and the electrical air,

as the storm in its frenzy passes by with such flare!

“Over here” that lone frog, is begging the cloud.

“But it’s not your turn!”  says the cloud with a scowl.

 

But how can this make me feel like it’s Christmas?

You question my mind, “for she’s lost it this time!”

 

Well for me at least, it’s the recipe combined:

the sounds, the smells the whole thing in tune -

the flora and fauna all doing their part;

to make this old chick, soften at heart.

 

The body is slow from heat and no sleep.

The mind all frazzled from too much to do.

The actions are wired to a brand new beat,

for AIrbnb guests are arriving, I’m feeling the heat!!

 

Sadly, Covid has been a real monster all year,

and hasn’t gone yet and it should be well feared.

But here where I sit we’ve no community transmission.

Call it luck, call it guidance, call it a blessed geographical remission.

 

But Xmas is coming in less then three weeks,

so family can travel, that makes it so sweet.

 

The planes on the tarmac are beginning to shriek, as they start up their engines, their crews and their P.P.E.

For our domestic state borders, for now, have come down,

and I can lose that sad frown. Why?

My babies and their babies are all coming to town!

 

Well at least for today, fingers crossed it’s all go,

I begin to think we might just make a Chrissy show!

 

The thunderous roar of the storms or the planes

will soon include grandchildren pounding the timber grain.

The sound as they run through the house with good cheer, is something to long for and something to fear??

 

But as I laugh and I prep and start singing a carol, there’s no end to this story or even a moral........

 

Just find the good cheer to make Xmas appear.

Be it in person or ZOOM - just don’t shut down with fear.

Stay safe, stay focussed and be your own shining light.

For soon it will be Christmas Eve and I’ll wish you goodnight!

🎄🎄🎄🎄

 

But remember:

 

With the bad and the good from 2020, all lined up raw, front and centre; 

I send love and good wishes to all in the CC forum.

 

For those who don’t celebrate Christmas, I wish you peace and good will.

 

As I get ready the broom to throw 2020 in the bin >

..... may the Christmas days ahead, bring us all love with some gin!   (🥂LOL)

 

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🌴🐸🪰🦟💨

44 Replies 44
Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Cathie19 

Cathie, I am aware of some very fine products for the removal of superfluous upper lip hair, if you would like some advice on this please send me a DM!

Loved your poetry possum, it's a dying art, the mastery of the English language, these days it seems to be reduced to angry expletives. 

I am so glad you are open for business up there again. The worst thing about being a host is having the ability to host taken away from you. You and Garry are wonderful guys, I am working on Ade to come up and stay with you! I have been offered a two for one on 'The Ghan' and I don't want to let it pass me by.

For those not familiar with 'The Ghan'.....

https://journeybeyondrail.com.au/journeys/the-ghan/

Will keep in touch and I promise we won't be prickly demanding guests.

 

Cheers........Rob

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

Oooh, The Ghan! - It's the ONE thing I most wanted to do in my many weeks & months of Australian travel (having been brought up in a train loving family) - but ex-hubby said in Australia you just don't go by train!

@Robin4 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Helen350 

Yeah Helen, it's not the Orient Express.....which we have been on (Paris to Vienna)....it's 'The Ghan' and it's a rail trip like no other on earth....apart from the 'Indian Pacific'. No expense is spared as far as mobile accommodation is concerned.

I went in a local raffle here in Mt Barker a few months ago and won one of the major prizes, a two for one return trip from Adelaide to Darwin on The Ghan valued at a bit over $3,000! I know that sounds strange but it was actually a double to Darwin with a customer option to get home! 

I have never been to Darwin although I have met two of its wonderful citizens in @Cathie19  and that great husband of hers Garry and all I can think of at the moment is working out how I can make this happen.

Trying to plan holidays with Ade is a bit like trying to coordinate the Gallipoli landings but I am determined to make it happen.

So strange, there are not many places on earth we have not been but the top end of Australia, my home country is one of them......time that changed!

 

Cheers.........Rob

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

We DID get to Darwin/Katherine & swampy boat trips off the road in between, but sadly not by the Ghan! - And mother-in-law liked boring faceless cookie cutter hotels, whereas I'd have preferred basic & rustic, an Airbnb home share, had they existed back then. (Mustn't grumble, in-laws were paying.) Flew in to Alice, for the usual excursions, on a previous trip, Oh to have arrived on the Ghan!

 

I hope the logistics of Ade's needs work out for you @Robin4 . Go for it! 

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Helen350 

Helen you have done it though, you can feel the magic of the outback. Every time I leave the city and head north my heart sings, to spend a night underground in the 5 star Desert Cave in Coober Pedy, to walk through the Valley of the Winds and Kings Canyon, God, there is nowhere better on earth!

Helen, I am going to make this work!

 

Cheers........Rob

@Robin4, @Helen350 .

 

Rob, did you and Ade ever watch the SBS “slow tv” showings of The Ghan”? We sat glued to the 3 hour version, not so much the 17 hour version! The actual journey is about 50+ hours?
Lol.....

 

By the way, don’t get a shock or surprise that The Ghan, doesn’t actually track into Darwin itself. It finishes it’s journey just south of the city, requiring transport to get into Darwin and suburbs. It is magnificent to go and see it, the length of it is amazing.

 

When the inaugural journey Alice to Darwin was added, we went to the terminus along with most of Darwin and rural areas, lining the track as a hello!

 

You can now buy the DVD if you and Ade want a taste of the journey, without being cooped up!

 

We’ve had international guests who have travelled The Ghan, but it’s out of our price range. My cousin came up on a single cabin a few years ago. It was something she and her late husband had always planned to do, so when she was coming up, she investigated and there was only a single cabin left... and sign!  😊

 

But for Garry and I, we just drive the 3000 kms, usually taking three days to avoid night driving and all the critters that can smash into the car during a night drive, at high speed. (Livestock, kangaroos, buffalo, foxes, wild pigs)

 

As an aside, I recently read a fictional novel by Judy Nunn, called The Spirit of The Ghan, which was enjoyable and did have a great feel to it.

Suzanne302
Level 10
Wilmington, NC

What a fun poem @Cathie19 ! And I love the picture!

Thanks @Suzanne302. I just thought we need to lighten our loads a bit! 🤶🏼🎄😊

Laura2484
Level 10
Ohope, New Zealand

Wow, what a poem @Cathie19 , thank you for your post and sharing your joy and wittiness to write them.

Enjoy your festive season and holidays with the ones you love.👍🏾

Take care ☀️

Glad you liked it @Laura2484. Wishing you the positivity of the season. 🎄😊

Clara116
Level 10
Pensacola, FL

@Cathie19 How lovely Cathie, thank you for that delight. What makes it so extra special is I can hear you saying/reciting your words with your gusto and charm.

You reminded me of many things I'd forgotten about this time of year and families and children, gran kids, etc. Thank you dear one.....many blessings to you both,

hugs your Clara

Dear @Clara116. Good morning sunshine!
As you are waking up to start your Sunday, I am winding down getting ready to sleep for Monday work tomorrow.  😊

 

We may be in opposing hemispheres and continents, but we do share similar climate anomalies and probably similar insects and flora! Our wet and dry seasons with short AIrbnb seasons. May you get some reprieve from the hurricanes, as our Wet Season ramps up with the low pressure system line well formed west of Australia, edging ever closer to creating our monsoon season. Northern  WA might start to see some heavy rain action later this week........

 

As for Christmas, the parents (my kids) are all conferring with one another to ensure Santa knows to bring similar stuff for all the gathering grandkids....[It’s called “COOPERATION” on Sesame Street” if I recall....]  But most importantly, letting Santa know where they will be Xmas Eve is all important. 

You would be proud of me today, I made three standard fruit cakes and one vegan fruit cake! That’s the spicy banana and walnut cakes and fruit cakes taken care of. Wrapped and frozen, all bar one!

(I’m not stupid lol...)

If no one eats them, we are going to have a nice bounty for the cyclone kit if needed! Lol... x 💝

 

 

Deborah82
Level 10
Toodyay, Australia

Oh lovely. Instantly transported me to the tropics. I’m rather envious though, you have grandies❣️ 
Sounds very much like you and yours will have a wonderful Christmas- children always seem to. Ring the joy to Christmas dont they?

Enjoy and Thank you for the lovely poetry. 

Loving the Airbnb community and it’s diversity❣️

Thanks @Deborah82 for taking the time and responding to my ditty! I’m glad you got some enjoyment from it. We are lucky to have some grandies in Darwin, but we haven’t seen the others from Canberra since January, so the anticipation is growing.

 

We were lucky to all get together for our youngest daughter’s wedding here, in July 2019. So very, very lucky they didn’t put it off to this year, as it wouldn’t have happened. Nor would the groom’s family and friends have been able to travel from America.

 

So I can’t complain......

 

I see that you enjoy writing, is there any specific type or genre? Professionally or for personal interest? It’s a great interest to have! Enjoy!

Paul1255
Level 10
London, United Kingdom

Love it @Cathie19 ! Beautifully written and a joy to read :))