My Life- Down Under: So very Me, I am. (Wild Mountains Volunteer Weekend Day 1)

The two hour drive to Wild Mountains is rather boring unless you have a car full of people you just met and are in a train of cars. With conversations about who you are and what drew you together this weekend, the drive goes pretty fast.

Driving up the long "driveway" the view are breathtaking. Mountains all around. You have pink skies on one side as the sun is setting and a full moon on the other side.

You can barely see the speck of the moon in the sky, but it's there and full. Breathtaking. I L.O.V.E. sunsets!

We arrive to the top of the bottom of another steep grade and are greeted by Richard and Justin who are full of hugs, smiles and jokes. Its a family and all we've done is walk out of the car.

Yep, took this car off roading...hahaha

The next short four wheel drive to the actual camp site, we meet and greet the rest of the volunteers and talk about the things we've discussed with each other over the last two hours. Introductions are short and laughing is non stop as we ascend to the top.

Dinner is ready and candles cover the outside dining area. The large tables are positioned into the shape of a triangle so we can all chat. The moon and stars are so bright it is our only real source of light. We finish dinner by a campfire and until 9:00 pm, we haven't even begun to discuss what would be in store for us this weekend.

Right now, six volunteers are playing a board game, one is playing guitar, and three are in the kitchen. Its a comfortable room temperature and I'm sitting in an over sized chair with my legs curled up to my chest.

I was warned that the pace here is almost a stand still. I was told I'd be out of my comfort zone with how slow things are completed. This statement is only partially true. I loved the laid back pace and was easily able to readjust from my fast pace of "normal" life and move into "mountain" life.

Last night I was almost asleep before we decided as a group that we wouldn't meet at 11:00 am or 4:30 am, but a small group would start cooking breakfast at 7:30 am and the rest would show up around 8:00 am ish.

We all come into the dining area one at a time. All the volunteers showing up whenever they choose sometime between 7:15 (me) and 8:30. As people come in they ask if they can assist with the making of breakfast.

Traditional ish Japanese breakfast of rice and miso soup. It was so good. Ozified by a fruit salad!

We finish breakfast and turn our attention (quite slowly) to Richard and his clipboard and Justin and his white board. As Richard tells us what we are doing for the weekend, Justin draws cute pictures.

This board is covered with projects. Getting them checked off by the end of the weekend is only a minor concern.

We all agree to start on the hardest, most labour intensive projects first and we take another 30 minutes before we think about getting ready to go. We get there the girls grab work gloves, the boys grab the machetes. We discuss risks of the day such as leeches, ticks, pythons, and falling down the side of the hill. There are grunts and swearing and encouraging phrases: "Free it up! Roll it that way! We'll save the tree and give him a bit of help. He'll do alright!" A funny comment I thought was leading one place, ends up in a different: "Save the tobacco plants! It grows quite fast and it provides lots of shade. Shade means grass won't grow!" As I walk by to take pictures (another "chore" off the board) I can hear Susan pounding away at stakes, Justin instructing the boys, "see that log over there to your left? You can have a go at that!" I hear Richard singing in a deep baritone voice a lovely melody that is soothing and relaxing on this hot day. "Come on buddy! Work with me!" as another volunteer shouts at the weeds which are difficult to pull. We work a very short hour before we have a "smoko" break. Morning tea consists of cakes and fruits, home made juice and avocado. The area in which we are working had trees planted over the last couple of years and it needed some desperate weeding. We rest in the hot sun for about a 1/2 hour before we tend to the gardens again for another hour.

Lost in a mess, there is promise of hope as the brown trees have little green buds.

What we uncover while weeding was mind blowing. In the fields were only grass, which may I add, came to above my head. I thought for sure there were no trees in this mess. One pull, tug and push would reveal small trees surrounded by a bag and three pegs. In no time, there were green bags popping up all over the side of the hill.

That's me. You don't know where to start with me. You can see bits and pieces of good, but the more you look, the more clouded it gets. Every person I meet pulls weeds away and finds new growth. Traits that were planted, but not tended to. I'm a mess in such a huge way. I know I'm finding my path, its just sometimes, I'm over run with options, decisions, and to much clutter!

Knowing we've only crossed one item off our drawing board, I assume we'll come back and start on more projects. However, lunch is ready and so we all take our good old time to eat.

After lunch, we have a lot of talking, resting, and siestas.

No worries at the pace we are going though. I am here to rest and use this weekend to separate myself from the thoughts of society and the web of boys I have found myself in. So relaxation and mindless chatter it is.

I almost forget that it is Easter weekend and I reminisce about how I spent last Easter cooking a traditional American Easter dinner for Webster and his dad while Robyn was in Africa.

The sound of the piano is the background noise for me right now. Its beautiful the music people are able to create with a few finger strokes. After we all sit around and relax we move on to several more projects.

I tilled and planted the seeds in this bed. One of three, I pray the seeds blossom!

A warm shower and some more food before dinner brings us to this next resation period of now.

The sounds of today were beautiful birds chirping, convos about removing weeds and discovering trees, compliments of beautiful smiles and philosophy.

More good souls cross my path. And everyday I remind myself to be thankful that God has created such wonderful people.

Sleep will come easily tonight as hard work is promised again tomorrow.

Right after we finished pulling weeds this morning and we were loading the truck, I said, "Oh life is good." Justin looked surprised and said, "Already? We don't usually hear people say that until Sunday when they are leaving!"

Haha-it's great to appreciate things before its over.

Ps- So Cat and Will meet me and at the end of the night, Cat discovers how scattered I am as I come to camp with sleeping bag but no pillow, a flashlight with no batteries, a camera that isn't charged, and work boots with no socks.