“It’ll Shine when it Shines”

A Day in the Life …

Eyes and Ears stilled with fresh brew of coffee in hand.

Silence as the sky starts shedding its coat of velvet night. Bird twitter, hesitant and isolated at first as if individual birds didn’t want to false start the heralding of daylight.

Gradually and then abruptly the bird calls of dawn unite in their herald crescendo.

Grey to subtle pink and then white smudge of air-brushed clouds thinly conceal the first rays brushing the far hills.

Coffee still in hand but only lightly sipped as eyes and ears feast to nourish the awakened soul. The air tastes fresh, a light skin chill that invigorates.

I read the News today …

• Trump kidnaps Venezuala President and at least 100 people are killed in the process.

• Trump threatens Greenland
• Trump threatens Cuba
• Trump threatens Columbia
• Trump threatens Iran
• Trump threatens Mexico
• Trump states that “Windmills are Losers”. (Gee, a mind that despises an inanimate object)
• Trump pulls out of 66 Global treaties, many of them aimed at uplifting the poor and disenfranchised.

A Day in the Life …

A cool south westerly wind breaks the after dawn stillness, a mere leaf rustle at first with the sound akin to the early bird chatter as if saying “let me sing too”. Too soon the tree crowns bend under a brief gusty onslaught only to back off in concert with the quietening bird song.

The wind is enough to send a spent Camellia bloom and sundry leaves “a tumbling tumbleweed” across the weathered concrete patio.

I watch captivated by the bounce, roll and float of these dead objects. Their trajectory as if predicated in chaos theory.

I read the News today …

• Putin yet again launched Cruise missiles and hundreds of bomb drones at Kiev killing civilians, destroying homes and power infrastructure.

• Russian media does its own calculations on the enlisted war dead and cannot escape the hard statistics of roughly 1.2 Million of their own bloodied and dead.

A Day in the Life …

Mid morning, Eucalyptus heavy peppermint scent drifting down the valleys from the mountain above. Standing on the firm dirt track looking up at the tree giants above, it is surreal to think that 58 years ago it was all on brutal fire. Reflexively the mind casts back to that frightened nine year old child completely bewildered and traumatised.

It doesn’t last long as the track before us demands we focus on forever forward and uphill towards the still unknown delights of Little Annie Falls …

I read the News today …

• 37 year old Renee Nicole Good was shot dead at point blank range by ICE agent in Minneapolis. Her crime? To try and drive away from a tense situation.
• Those in Government label the dead woman an extreme leftist domestic terrorist attempting to kill the officer with her car. (They all seriously need to go to Specsavers and undertake psychiatric evaluation for severe psychotic delusional disorders)
• When asked for his observation regarding the killing, Joe Rogan stated – “Are we going Gestapo?”

A Day in the Life …

I stop, looking up the incline marked by perfectly placed sandstone bush rock steps slowly winding up and disappearing over the ridge line. Imagining finding and placing those rocks resulted in a satisfied memory of dry rock jobs in the past. A deep love I have of that particular art.

Steps done with the lungs not satisfied by the amount of air absorbed. Yet another reminder to stop the nicotine intake. Stopping is always worth it in places like this. Is impossible not to sweep the vision down the slopes to the deep azure blue of the reservoir dam below flanked by shade filled lawns.

I read the News today …

• In the wake of the Bondi mass terror killings the Australian Government announced it is introducing revised Anti-Hate laws.
• Firmly in the sights is “Hizbut Ut-Tahrir” group already designated as Terror organisation in Indonesia, Pakistan, United Kingdom and several. Other Countries.
• A dishonourable mention goes to the “Nationalist Socialist Network”, the front for Australia’s neo Nazi network which will also be declared under the revised laws.

A Day in the Life …

Little Annie Falls should be re-named “where did Little Annie Falls Go”, as narry a drop of water presents to eyes and ears. It doesn’t matter as we never really had this destination in mind when starting out. Preferred the feet to head out and see what happens.

A zig-zag track appears to be heading in the right direction back to the car and twenty minutes later we are back overlooking the reservoir.

It was certainly a case of the journey and not the destination that matters, with the mind cleansed and stilled from nature’s embrace.

I read the News today …

• Iran: with at least 2,500 (some estimates at 12,000) people killed so far in ongoing protests against the ruling Mullahs.
• Trump ramps up the war rhetoric against the Iranian regime. (It makes a cynic wonder if all that Trump the Peacemaker stuff is just another smokescreen for grabbing more oil resources. Those in Iran hoping for his intervention – beware of what you ask for)
• In Gaza, Hamas continued hunting down and executing apparent Israeli sympathisers.
• Israeli jets bomb parts of Gaza near Refugee camps.
• Since the Gaza ceasefire the Palestinians Authority advises that 449 people have died and over 1,246 injured with the vast majority being civilians.

A Day in the Life …

Tonight’s the night of my debut singing at the Country and Western Club of Southern Tasmania, a Club that my father has performed at for many years. Can I maintain his rigorous standard of the consummate professional?

It is just one song, easy rhythm and one that I love.

I do my roadie thing unpacking Dad’s guitar and lead, placing them on the guitar stand stage left. Am about to head back to the table, stop and cast the eyes out and a bit startled to view almost a full house. The nerves rev up a notch.

Dad heads up to stage to take his place as rhythm guitar player along with drummer, bass player and lead guitarist. Tonight there is an additional rhythm player as well. The band kicks into their intro and away they go.

With a sense of horror I realise that I am the fourth guest singer and we are already halfway through the second.

Aghhh, my time has come and to stage I go handing out copies of the music full in the knowledge that none apart from Dad have played let alone heard of the song before.

A dodgy start, with one of the players hitting the wrong chords, but sing through I do with the band settling in behind my increasingly steady vocals. I dare a look out over the audience with the dance floor almost full and smiling faces and generous applause at the end.

Shine I did.

I read the News today …

No I didn’t, instead viewing the video of last night. Even though the sound isn’t great it sounded ok and I looked fantastic (maybe a bit biased).

Casting the eyes out the window watching the slowly moving Altocumulus clouds reminded me that the here and now is what matters and not the headlines from places and people far away.

To selectively quote from “It’ll Shine when it Shines” by the Ozark Mountain Daredevils :

“But like my Mama said – you only live till you’re dead ……. But like my Daddy said – It’s in your heart and not your head …. But it’ll Shine when it Shines, you might think I’m wasting time, but I’m just a good ole Boy that’s learnt to wait”.

Waiting for what happens next in the headlines of 2026?

I for one will not be holding my breath in dreaded anticipation.

Instead, I will be anticipating that early morning birdsong and perhaps working on learning another song or two.