A Advertisement on the side of a Building - typical Aussie humour
Another market to go to. “You have to go to Channon Market” said Rita, “It is very well known and is great”. She was game, so she decided to go. It would be a bit of a drive but she had their car and she thought she’d make a road trip out it. Take the doggies too. There’s an idea. Kill many birds with one stone. So to speak. She didn’t want to actually kill any birds. The birds in Australia are just lovely. The sounds they make. The well known Kookaburra does sound like its laughing, but she had not seen any of them yet – just heard them. Then there was another one that she had been hearing regularly since house sitting. She heard it mostly in the morning. It made the sound of a whip cracking, a “whoop” of sorts. Somewhat eerie, but she had heard that sound before on wildlife documentaries that covered rainforests. So was/is it a bird?
A most interesting thing growing in the tree - yes that is real
But her mind is a wandering, back on track, where was she. Ah yes, going to the Channon Market. Another market. Besides, she had developed some training manuals for the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets so why not check out markets in other countries. Markets and Farmers’ Markets (not always the same you know) are a growing sector these days as people are getting fed up with the Walmarts, Targets, Woolworths and other mega stores that get in the way of the little people knowing where their food comes from. Cut out the middle man and buy directly from the producer. Better for both the buyer and the seller. Besides, who needs lettuce in the winter? Really, we should be eating seasonally. Such spoiled people we are that we want all foods of all types available all year long. Bad for the diet and health. Lettuce from Chile in December in Canada. Something can’t be right about that!
The sign speaks for itself - Channon Market
It took a bit for her to find her way to Channon getting lost a little bit going through Lismore. But she did get there. She almost couldn’t check out the market because no dogs were allowed not even to remain in the car in the parking lot. So she drove up the road and found a shady spot for the dogs and parked. However, given how hot it was getting, she did not want to leave them in there for long. So she quickly hoofed it back to take a quick run around the market. For this reason she did not get a chance to really absorb the feel. But with her quick walk through she could see and sense its incredible hippiness. Yup – this area was the centre of the throw back to the hippy era. It was afterall in the centre of the rainbow region. Lots of hippy kind of goods for sale. In fact almost too much. Lots of the same sort of stuff, tie dye, crystals, soaps (which it seems most hippies don’t like to use), alternative stuff, you know. It didn’t feel that original but it could have been her mood. She liked Eumundi better. But why is that that lots of hippies don’t like to shower? I don’t understand how being free of conforms means not being clean?
Making fresh cane juice.
But there were some neat things going on. Fresh cane juice was being made. There are a lot of cane plantations in Australia. These two guys had a mega size juicer and fresh cane and one guy was getting the cane ready with a large machete well the other dude juiced it. There was candle making, weaving, face painting, tarot cards etc… Yup pretty free spirit kind of stuff. But she was not in the mood to linger and the continuous wafts of body odour made her nose crinkle. Also she was in one of those moods where lingering at any particular booth was making her feel sorry for the vendor because she didn’t want to buy anything and they had so much to sell. Time to go. Time to go for a hike.
Quick shot of the people milling about at the market
Must be nice having the use of a car for a while and a swimming pool -how I envy you. I guess you are kept pretty busy with the dogs and cat!!!
Market must have been interesting and a little different.
No cat, just dogs, fish, chickens and plants. Yes, the car is a great gift given that they are a bit out of town. I would have had to rent one otherwise.
How come you are writing in the ‘third person’ (is that correct – maybe not!!!)
In the words of Tim Minchin, “He knows his music lacks depth, but it just can’t be helped. He doesn’t have anything interesting to say, so he writes about himself. But he doesn’t want to seem self-obsessed so he writes in third person, in an attempt to seem more rock n’ roll, but he suspects its not working …” Also Jane Austin influence.
So now I know – I think!!!
Ya know, I kinda feel the same way with the hippie wannabies. What defines the hippies anyway? Isn’t that era over? What kills me is the underlying idea of individuality, yet they are so similar anyway; dreads, smell, pot, raggy cotton/hemp clothing, misshaped wool sweaters… Anyway, I use to want to be a hippie, now I don’t get it. Hmmmm….
Never did want to be a hippy although I had some people on Gabriola think I was one because I built a straw house. Shows how much they knew about me and for that matter, hippies.
I find the third person interesting and I think it is appropriate when writing for people you may not be personally friends with. If this is your goal for writing professionally, I applaud you.
Well when you read Jane Austin or listen to Tim Minchin, I like the way it sounds and like you say, I think it makes it more universal. Just a change up as otherwise it is just another blog sounding like a diary or travelogue.