Selling out

This beautiful scene was much more common in the Otways than it is today. Foreign investors chose this view for a $1000 a night hotel with valet parking.
Typically though , the wealthy investors were ignoring what made the scene so special -Grass and Agriculture.

It hasn't been an easy week  for me . Like Bob Katter I get depressed when  people don't listen - I mean really listen -( especially the new breed of worriers from the city) . They patronise us , our people , the country and its children. They can't see the beauty for the trees,  and before long,  that's all they will have. They don't really listen to the real issues of looking after the bush  and the people there.
Feel for Bob and the 3 amigos trying to get a grip on the opportunity they have to influence our future ; What a workload and a responsibility they have. With all that power ,we know it is possible for any one of us  to be distracted- (Wanting to change the constitution- wild claims about who owns the land?  - Leviticus 25:23)  .  Bob mentioned "God given"  opportunity - well , noone else could have organised him to be heard like he  has been .I  pray for them,  that they get the priorities for the country right ,and don't get distracted any further .

My concerns this week have been more concrete and local . On the weekend I met a farmer friend who owns some of the most beautiful land in the country( Just like the bit pictured)  and he's now just selling it off piece by piece to the very wealthy .He has never had a lot of cash, single most of his life  his profile is like that one pictured here. All my hard work in the area to keep it attractive and with public benefit "externalities" is clearly under threat.
The paradox of rural life is that its "poverty" keeps a beauty that the rich may treasure,  but in keeping it for themselves - destroy . The once so beautiful - gone never to return .That reality should break your heart too, because it was only a few years ago it was your country to enjoy too !
His actions  are a real symbol of what Australia has come too - selling our soul out the rich and the apparently " more succesful" .
Rural people never get a return to capital easily. The city girl may love the idea of being a farmer's wife but - if she only knew what the demands were,  she would understand why my rich handsome friend had no best friend for most of his life ( very common ). This blind ignorance and arrogance from the city creates much mental illness out here. Instead of being respected for being the salt of the earth as they once were  , the new generation of young farmers  get guilt ( not sound sustainability questions) projected on them  with quiet contempt from "Wow aren't we clever" city people . "We really know how to get the most out of life"; Extracting the very last drop for themselves and their causes  .They might vote green but are they really thinking green like we have to ? .  Those whose focus is on extracting the last drop would not last out here - Their preoccupation  with Alan Kohlers' curves and route to success - that  1% or so that separates them from the Jones next door who only get 11% return to their capital . I won't tell you what farmers all round the world get . Unless of course you really want to know.
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That constant flood of cowshsh

How many of you you know just what it takes to get the pure white stuff into a sealed container . How many of you know just what other dangerous and disturbing things are flowing around you as you seek to provide this wealth of glory to our world - the basis for all the flavor and the fancy on Celebrity Chef , but worth only 20 cents- if you are lucky .
I've just spent 5 hours ( 4pm to 9pm yesterday ) milking over 200 cows on my own  . It had  been a quite a few years since I had last done it, but  I was still surprised to find myself in a state of shock afterwards . . All that white with brown and yella flowing together -  it was a huge constant challenge to keep em apart !
Strangely, despite the constant flood of manure and urine hitting the working desk , young son Jimmy and I agreed , at the very end , ( this is important because it was highly stressful for those 300 minutes) ......it was fun .( he constantly washed the stuff away and herded the mob)

After the marathon hours of torture in the pits,  I was very tired. On the way home we had to turn back to return a tiny black kitten who had found its way into the car. Cats get a free ride on a dairy farm,  and they clearly know how,  at an early age,  to get lots of em. Even though I had collected 200000 cups of coffee's worth of milk for someone else, the cats had clearly got more than their share too.; They do well .Can't help thinking cats know something we don't.

Nearly home ,who should pull up behind us, though , as we pulled out of Mackas for tea ,  just before 10pm , and want to know "why my the lights on my trailer ,now full of cowsh, weren't working."
Was the trailer registered?. "where was the label "? "Your licence Sir "?,

Jimmy later describes to his mother how I had this incomprehensible conversation with the police officer ( news to me at the time) .  Jimmy thought the Policeman just gave up in the finish. I on the other hand thought I'd told him this and then went on to that .... when I clearly told him nothing . Half a dozen half finished sentences interrupted by a whole lot of irrelevant facts later , others knew I was failing as I tried to restrain my anger and grief at my big Angus tea going cold and our cones melting in out laps . Something about going to Phillip Island was mentioned eh? Some might even say,  - for Modi ..."incomprehensible? "sounds normal !
I thought I had  explained that i just fixed the detachable lights up ( which i had ) but had left them off for this trip.( minor matter of new bolts needed to stop it rattling ). "so where was the number plate and the label ?'I wasn't going to tell him I actually had 3 number plates off being" repaired ' at that very moment! I has explained NOTHING .
Can you ever explain your excuses? Should you try? Maybe I should have said the actual old faded lights still on the trailer broke when my son backed the trailer up onto the platform in his first driving lesson on the farm ( he couldn't reach the clutcheh!0. A fact, but not a relevant fact as farm loving trailers need the detachable kind of lights.( not the faded set that sit there and never work when you want them to!!)
SO , I made very little sense according to the highly intelligent young man who sat beside me the whole time ..At the end , I tried to say thank you to the police officer after he deliberated long within his flashing blue and red lighted local advertisement of my sins, and then unexpectedly didn't offer me a ticket , or points off ( wow and i thought policing in the country ...the sort where you learn respect for authority...was dead!).
Jimmy thought he was going to ask "what sort of drugs I was on;" What is it Sir ...some new form of crack? My passenger was sure infact that he was going to , at least........ breath test me
Not a good look------- but its not every day we try to do the impossible ....is it ?
Thats the country for you !

We have seen a few good movies lately. How about you ? - worthwatching.blogspot.com
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