Check out Joanne's ear-to-ear smile. You bet she loved her Queensland, Australia rainforest home/writer's office.
The toilet (Dunny) was about 30 meters away from the shed/home. Joanne left one wall off so while on the dunny she could take in the wonderful view. Showering required boiling hot water on the campfire and pouring it into this solar bag. The dunny and makeshift shower had to do her for the first 3 years that Joanne was there. But, much to everyone's surprise... She LOVED roughing it.
Joanne did so much writing at that patio table. The view set her mind in absolute serenity - nice and clear... ready to write.
What a view from Joanne's covered patio that was attached to her shed/home. No wonder she didn't have a second of Writer's Block.
Her dear Irish friend who talked her into writing the trilogy spent 18 mos hand carving her Family's Totem. All the timber came from her Place of Peace. She had so much fun painting it.
Joanne's Cherokee-Irish-German-American frontiers' blood and her Filipino jungle's blood sure pumped all through her as soon as she stepped onto Place of Peace. Living without electricity and plumbing for the first 3 years was wonderful! As far as a 'toilet' - well you know that saying "Do bears sh___ in the woods?" And for bathing, the creek was great during the hot summer months. Other seasons it was 'marine baths' on the patio using a plastic basin and water boiled on the campfire. Yes! She LOVED living that way!
Even her gardens personified how humanity is like "flowers from one garden - united in diversity."
Living in an Australian rainforest really inspired Joanne to 'paint ' with words.
Here is something she wrote describing the view as she strolls from the main gate to her shed/home -
The sunrise awakens, peeking through the majestic Pine, Cypress and Gum trees. Within minutes it will premiere in its orange splendor.
The maestro, Mother Earth, begins a ‘New Morning’s Symphony’ stirring the sunrise. First the little ones – Willy Wagtails, Finches and Whip Birds’ pianissimo chirps and shrills gently beckon. And then the larger ones – Crows, Kookaburras and Cockatoos’ pizzicato caws, laughter and screeches demand. In the distance, the waves’ allegrezza adds such cheer to this ‘New Morning’s Symphony.’
The music cues the mist and frost, “Time for you to leave.”
And so begins yet another very brisk Queensland winter’s day.
The rugged, winding red clay track ends at Joanne’s secret sanctuary – a duplicate of ‘Jurassic Park.’ Massive luminous-green Birds’ Nest Ferns snuggle the many Alexander, Golden Cane and Fan Palm trees.
Salvias and Impatiens imbued red, white and blue, splash splendid color through the lush greenery. Did the planter do this intentionally? ‘Red,’ after all, symbolizes ‘Wisdom in wounding’ for the Cherokees. ‘White’ represents ‘Purity of thought.’ in the minds of Humanity. And ‘Blue’ symbolizes ‘Communication’ for anyone seeking Spirituality.
Interesting… the colors she chose – red, white and blue. Could she be American?
The Roses truly stand out, as tale-tale signs that someone has added his or her own flair; planting something that is not native in this part of Queensland.
And then, in a blink-of-an-eye, appears this make-shift hobble. It is made of corrugated metal, and painted Kelly Green - as if trying to blend in with all the greenery.
Copyright Joanne E. Galliher, 2016 - Even nearly 2 decades after leaving those 25 acres, Joanne still sees it in her mind and heart's eye.
There are hundreds of Red Cedar trees at Place of Peace. Joanne sold some to these guys so she could pay for the trilogy's first launch. It was interesting to watch them use their portable mill.
Joanne's Wilderness Writing Office and Home
There wasn't any TV the 1st three years at her rainforest abode because there wasn't any installed electricity then. And, Joanne didn't miss it at all.
And once you got to the end of her 2-mile dirt driveway so full of rainforest beauty... There 'She' was--- Joanne's shed/home/writer's office, named 'Place of Peace.'
Scroll back up to the Menu to find out lots more.
You bet it was quiet! It was almost a 2- mile hike from the main gate down to Joanne's shed/home. Of course she had to name those 25 acres Place of Peace. She had so much fun gathering and then mortaring creek rocks to make her campfire. That was used evenings at least 99% of the time.
At 51 she made a career change. She figured she may as well share her daily workouts with women who ranged from 50 - 85. She exercised right along with them. So, having five one-hour classes/day, She got her fittest. The class was called 'Joey's Ever Fit.'
Joanne didn't even mind it when she spent a full day clearing a 2-mile trench so after 3 years without a landline phone, cable for that could be laid. She may have been 50 but she felt like 20. That's what living out bush does.
The last 100 plus pages of Eagles of the Rainbow Forever Volume 3 are filled with true stories of Joanne's kinship with the flora and fauna around her at Place of Peace. And there are some scary and hilarious times as well... on those 25 glorious Australian rainforest acres.
Joanne just had to admire the starry nights so naturally she cut a big square for a window right at the head of her bed.