Rainbow Valley

Rainbow Valley

Well the weather has been for lack of a better word, extreme. While it rained so much when we first arrived that I actually saw the Todd River flow, there has now been no rain for over 150 days – we just beat the all time record for days with no rain.  I keep hearing different things from the locals, but so far no rain could mean either more or fewer snakes in summer, and not sure what it means for flies – either way, no rain means more wild fires so not good!  Spring started a few weeks ago and we have gone from the most beautiful weather to a few days at 100F degrees, spring apparently lasts a week here!  Yesterday was absolutely beautiful with a high of only 81F and because the morning was so nice and cool we had the doors open around the house; that of course would be when the wind picked up and created a quick red sand storm – within minutes all the floors and furniture were covered in a layer of red sand!  Like I said, extreme!

Class 2 getting ready to sing.

The boys have just entered a two week break from school, with their term ending with a spring festival at school.  The school backs up to the mountain range, which provided a beautiful backdrop for our picnic sunset.  Each class performed for the parents and we were treated to string instruments, recorders, singing and dancing.  The boys have been so happy at their new school, they love it.

The "posers" at Rainbow Valley

We were scheduled to go camping this weekend with our neighbors, my first time, but plans changed when Dillon became sick on Friday night.  Our wonderful Aussie neighbors decided we could have a camp out on our front patio Saturday night instead, so we cooked ribs and potatoes over the fire so we could all get the feeling of “camp food” – our own little version of “camping light”.  We then of course headed inside to sleep in our nice cozy beds.

On Sunday, with everyone feeling better we decided to drive out to Rainbow Valley – an 80k drive.  Rainbow Valley is part of the James Range Mountains; the area is comprised of scenic sandstone bluffs and cliffs surrounded by the beautiful, very soft, red sand.  They have a unique shape that was created by weathering and erosion.  The scenery was amazing and the kids loved running and climbing over all the rocks.  We took the walk to Mushroom rock, the rock with the big hole, a beautiful sight!  On the drive into Rainbow Valley there were fields of a wild blue flower, we could not help but be reminded of the beautiful Texas bluebonnets.

My Sam Moon hat has come in handy here!

Jake loves to climb and then pose for the picture.

The blue wild flowers.

Mushroom Rock

Golf anyone?

The kids playing while I shop for art.

A few items I purchased.

I was very excited to see that there was going to be an art show in town, there would be about 20 of the regions art centers that would be represented there.  Throughout the outback you will find art centers where the artists from that area go to complete their projects.  Each center appears to have a distinctive style when it comes to Aboriginal art.  I could not believe the amount of art I was able to look through!  There was one table that really caught my eye, the art center was from the Santa Teresa area, about an hour out of Alice Springs - of all the styles of artwork I have seen to date this seems to be what I am most attracted to.  The bowl and small plate represent artwork from this area and now that I know where to go, I think we will pay a visit to the gallery in Santa Teresa!

Jessie's Gap

Climbing up the rocks.

After the art show we headed to Jessie’s Gap for a picnic with friends.  A beautiful day for a picnic but I honestly believe there is a direct correlation between the distance away from Alice and the amount of flies around. Now that the boys have become true “outback” kids, being outside means climbing as high as you can on the rocks until your mother can no longer take it and yells for you to come down, and be careful!

Team Doc in the Box and are winning buggys.

The costumes for the tournament were hilarious!

One of the best things I have done since arriving here was the golf day on Friday, I was lucky enough to be asked to play with an amazing group of ladies.  Please keep in mind when I say golf tournament I really mean drinking, laughing and hitting the ball a few times.  The buggy was decorated to represent team "Docs in the Box" and I am happy to report we won for most creative decorations. We played the front nine which was perfect  because one of our group lives between holes 3 and 4.  We very smartly used our arrival on that hole as an opportunity for a bathroom break, a quick picnic and one or two tequila shots.  Another hole had a group of men with shots and a dartboard, if you missed the board you had to do a shot, if you hit the board the number you landed on decided what club to use for the tee off – I think we had to use the putter!  If all the shots were not bad enough, the drink cart made its rounds offering free beer and vodka cruisers.  JD was pleasantly surprised at our condition upon his arrival at the golf club, I am pretty sure the fireman’s sausage sizzle is what helped to soak up the tequila!  All money raised for this event went to a local charity that helps Alice Springs families with cancer – we were happy to help!

This would be after the tequila.

Saturday night was a picnic event for families; they had a bounce house and swings for the 30 plus kids that were there.  I think the boys would say that the highlight of the evening would be watching a movie outside under the stars but for me it was the visit from Rex the snake guy.  Rex shows up at various events and talks with everyone about the snakes and reptiles in the area.  I guess now that I have seen Rex about 6 times I put my “brave badge” on this time and I held a snake – yes you read that correctly – I had a giant boa constrictor wrapped around my neck.  Just so that you know I have not completely flipped my lid, Rex was right next to me holding the other half – just in case I had a freak out.  In the outback for 8 months and I held a snake, let’s just say I am proud of myself!

Rex and I, and that big snake!

Spring has sprung

We did not take this trail! Keep walking little ones...

Entering the chasm.

Today is the Australian Father’s day so we celebrated by going for a nice walk this morning with another American family.  We headed out to Stanley’s Chasm again, though this time the weather was perfect – we have just entered the spring season here and the weather is incredible.  If you follow the blog you might remember this was where I swallowed my first fly, so thank you Heather for bringing fly repellent – worked like a charm.  We had seen recently in a local Chinese restaurant that the boys were born in the year of the monkey and they have really taken that to heart, they now think they need to climb every tree and large rock formation they see.

The climbing monkeys.

The Burlesque show.

Last night we had a wonderful date night and went to see a show at the local arts theater called Caravan Burlesque.  We honestly were not quite sure what to expect but when the opening act was what we thought to be a man doing a striptease only to be surprised by the naked breasts, we knew we were in for a show.  You could not help but think that this show would have never taken place back in the USA due to the extreme amount of full frontal nudity.  The show ended with 2 Abba songs and the entire audience of 500 on their feet, dancing. Great Night.

Straight hair.

As I mentioned earlier we are in the first few days of spring here, we are hoping the spring season will bring us some much needed rain – it has not rained here in 4 months!  For the last 2 months I have been wearing my hair straight due to the complete lack of humidity, not the best weather for those of us with natural curly hair!  The funny thing is Friday night JD and I were both awakened from the sound of rain on the roof, but as we mentioned it to others throughout the day no one else was aware of any rain.  I had begun to get that, “I must be nuts” feeling, but then Dillon said he had heard it also.  Saturday night we heard the same noise so I jumped up to see for myself if it was raining, turns out a sprinkler head had broken and the water was shooting on to the roof – so still no rain, and none in the forecast!

This weekend was also the end of the soccer season; the boys have played very well in spite of playing on a team with mostly 3^rd graders.  They have enjoyed it but we are glad to be moving on to the next sport, basketball.

The Drinking, not Sinking crew

Last weekend there was a golf tournament put on by the Rec. Association for J.D.’s work, J.D, played on a team called “Drinking, not Sinking” and they lived up to their name.  I volunteered and worked selling raffle tickets on a par 3 hole, with 23 teams of mostly blokes coming through it made for a fun day.  It was our first time on the golf course, we are hoping to get out there more often.  J.D.  was very lucky during the raffle, he won a family membership to the local tennis club and a gift certificate to the local video store – if you are wondering I had nothing to do with the raffle, I just sold tickets.

Swags by the fire

This what he looked like day 2

A few weeks ago the boys went on their first camping trip, it was a school class trip and they spent 2 nights out at Simpson’s Gap.  J.D. joined them for the first night just to be sure they would be OK with camping, the kids all slept in swags (a swag is defined as an Australian bedroll, it is canvas sewn together with a foam insert, you can put either a sleeping bag or bedding inside, then there is a flap on the top end to fold over your face while you are sleeping).  It was a very cold night at 26 degrees F., but between the fire and the layers of clothes they did great.  On the camp there was a talk by a local ranger showing them how to track the wildlife, they were also visited by a group of aboriginal women who taught them traditional crafts and cooked up a “bush” lunch that included kangaroo tail.  Dillon said he spit his out behind a tree!  The boys loved camping and after 3 days I picked up two of the dirtiest boys I had ever seen from school, they were smiling from ear to ear.

Learning how to track wild animals.