A few more pics.

I can't work out yet how to create a permanent slideshow of photos, so in the meantime here are a few more pics from today.
By the way - thanks so much to everyone who've written comments on here, joined up as a follower of the blog or posted encouraging messages on fbook. I had a small freakout this morning at what seemed like the self-imposed overcommitment of doing this January challenge, (see the Go for a Massage post still to come, which will be about self-sustainability).
For background, I'm part-way through a research Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide, after resigning from my job as a Community Campaigner with the Wilderness Society a little over a year ago. Like so many in the movement, before I quit I came a bit too close to burnout for my liking, and have been spending the subsequent year redressing the balance - falling in love, learning how to live with someone, learning how to grow veggies and putting in the occasional activist (not to mention academic!) appearance.
Not having received a scholarship for 2010, this leisurely pace is set to change for the remainder of my degree. At the same time I've started to feel ready to emerge from my balance-redressing chill-out period. Last month Copenhagen tapped me on the shoulder, and I felt a strong urge to get re-involved in the climate justice movement, sustainably of course!
Transition work and sustainable communities seemed perfect for this sort of thing. But the temptation to apply impossible standards of dedication and overwork seems to attach itself to anything vaguely smacking of environmentalism for many in the movement. I thought I'd learned how not to, but all it takes is a few sobering articles about climate change or peak oil, a modest commitment to activism here or there and suddenly you're convinced again that your smallest action or inaction is going to save the world (or abandon it to its 770ppm fate)!
I sort of felt like that a bit this morning. This world view is self-imposed, false, and must be avoided! It's not easy, but it is possible to be involved in working for a sustainable world while making your own inner peace the first priority.
I think I'm learning how to behave more like the tortoise than the hare and I do think we are going to win the race. If I come up with any tips along the way, I'll share them on here.
Anyway, I live with a very easy-going man. We reminded ourselves that "self-imposed" means that the pace is up to us. And then we got into the hills and I realised it had been so long since I went to the source of why we are doing this. That tree hug today was so good. Suzi and Maja walk up Mount Lofty regularly, and I'd love to do more walks. I'd like one of those hiking sticks too that we saw people using - apparently they take about 30% off the load (and they look hilarious).
Daydreams of long overnight hikes along the Heysen Trail, or in Tasmania...
John's ankle is fine now, and I'm looking forward to picking tomorrow's activity.
Environmentalist's Sustainability Tip #1 - go for a bushwalk!


John and Maja checking out the view during a particularly knackering stretch of the climb.



Ok it wasn't quite this big, but almost!



The bush was dry but gorgeous.



Suzi and Maja our Mt Lofty veteran guides! Thanks ladies!

21. go for bush walk

Cass, Maja, Suzana and I went for a bush walk today, up from Waterfall Gully to Mt. Lofty and back again. I love the hills. From the heavily manicured European styled part just near the waterfall you go straight into a stringy bark bushland. The wild flowers that fringed the paths were delicate and pretty. The trees were filled with the twitter and gab of birds and the sky was full of shifting clouds. Here and there you can see a blackened stump from a bushfire. The ferns in the understory are so green in the gully but you can tell this is a dry land forest. Some of the trees are very old and grand.


Cass gets support from an old friend.

It was a fine day to walk up hills as evidenced by the huge number of people out and about on the walk today. As we were climbing up we saw a lot of people running down. Running down, as we found out, was not the problem. With the momentum you got from each step it was hard not to run. It was the people who ran up the hills I admire. People were not the only creatures we met today. Skinks crossed the path from time to time and we were accompanied by beautiful dusky orange butterflies. Insects were in abundance and a passing man saw a small dark brown snake hurry into the bushes.


Here's a bug we met.

On the way back down I rolled my ankle twice. I've got rather bad ankles form an old injury or two and the track was very dry and dusty, very easy to slip or roll. I spent the last part of the walk leaning on Cassie and trying not to do it again. I think I need to invest in some hiking shoes. I've also been told about ankle straps that support the ankle and stop it from turning in a bad way.


Ouch! but there always seems to be a bench nearby.

The way we went is crossed by the Heysen Trail. The Heysen Trail goes from Cape Jervis on the Fleurieu Peninsula to Parachilna Gorge in the Flinders Ranges, 1200ks. I think it may be on a future list of things to do.
Here's the Heysen Trail web site