Archive for the Category »Family «

Aug

I’ve know Nick all of my life – he’s my brother. I am not biased when it comes to his musical ability. He is seriously good and I’m not the only one who thinks so!

“Parnell wields the mallets with the nonchalance of mastery … virtuosity worthy of the highest praise.” – The West Australian

“Dazzling dexterity … balanced with supreme delicacy.” – The Advertiser.

Nick started his musical career by hitting empty Milo cans. He graduated to a drum kit and funnily enough, he never once drove any of our family, or neighbours, mad with his drumming. I think we all knew he had a talent, even back then.

He’s about to embark on a tour that will cover WA, SA, NSW and Victoria – look for him at a venue near you. Being a country boy, he takes his tours to the rural areas as well as the city.

Here, Nick answers some questions about being a professional muso, but before that, here’s just a bit about his tour:

Award-winning percussionist Nick Parnell is one man with 50 instruments in a high-energy performance of festive Brazilian rhythms, ethnic drums, soaring Bach and Gershwin melodies. Following a sell-out 2010 Fringe Festival season, Parnell is joined on stage by visiting US pianist Graeme Burgan for a national tour of Bach to Brazil. Opening on 10 September until 10 October, this latest tour traverses Western Australia, SA, VIC and NSW, seeing him visit both regional and metro venues.

Audience members will be entranced by tuned wine glasses, bamboo chimes, ethnic drums, woodblocks, piano and vibraphone, as they all get a serious work out. The highlight of the evening is Parnell’s interpretation of Brazilian composer and percussionist Rosauro’s 27-minute masterpiece Brazilian Rhapsody.

Parnell’s innovation and precision playing heralds him as one of a new generation of Australian musicians stepping into a glittering career as a master of percussion.

Nick Parnell

Tell us a little about yourself

Well, I’m a concert percussionst. So I hit things for living!

I grew up in country SA in Orroroo and went to boarding school in Adelaide, where I now live. But I’ve enjoyed living for short periods of time in London and Denmark. These times were all music related and gave me a real sense and direction with my percussion. I have a wife and a dog! I’m passionate about striving for excellence with my music and giving audinces all over Australia a real experience when they see one of my shows.

When did you know (and why) that you were going to make music your life?

It was about year 8 at school. I knew I loved playing music, but then I didn’t know exactly what avenue of music I would persue. I orrignally wanted to be a rock drummer, then jazz drummer but ended been a percussionist that plays a lot of classical and world music.

What instruments do you play?

I play most percussion instruments. Most of my music is actually “melodic” in nature and played on the vibraphone or marimba (which look like a xylophone but sound like a piano). But I also play all sorts of drums, gongs, cymbals, bongos etc. Some of the more unusual instruments include tuned wine glasses and bird whistles. In this coming tour (Bach to Brazil), I’m actually playing over 50 different percussion instruments!

What study have you done to get where you are?

I’ve just completed my PhD in percussion performance. So I’ve done a lot of study. But music is really a life time of study. You are always learning and refining your art. Theres no way I could learn everything about percussion in my life time.

What does a normal day for you entail?

Everyday seems to be different. Somedays I’m performing, or travelling to a performance, or taking a school workshop or in the recording studio. But most I make sure I get a few hours of practice done.

If you could chose one musician to play with, who would be it be and why?

There are so many musicians out there who are great, that I cant answer that. But my musical hero is rock guitarist “Slash”, there is just something about the way he plays that gets me…. I can’t explain it.

Who is your inspiration?

In terms of percussionists – Gary Burton (American Jazz Vibes player), Safri Duo (amazing multiple percussinist from Denmark). But I get inspired by listeneing to all sorts of music (classical , jazz, world, pop) and musicians. Right now I’m listening to Santana album that someone leant me – and its making me want to go a hit some drums!

What is your ultimate goal/challenge?

To have a complete mastery of my instruments. I’m not sure if “complete” mastery is possible, but its what I strive for.

NICK PARNELL: BACH TO BRAZIL – TOUR DETAILS

Friday 10 September Jerdacuttup , WA – Community Hall

Sunday 12 September albany , WA – Town Hall Theatre

Wednesday 15 September Bunbury , WA – Entertainment Centre

Friday 17 September dalwalliNu , WA – Town Hall

Saturday 18 September WYALKATCHEM , WA – Town Hal

Wednesday 22 September thornlie , wa – Don Russell PAC

Thursday 23 September esperance , WA - Esperance Civic Centre

Sunday 26 September MURRAY BRIDGE, SA – Christ Church Lutheran

Tuesday 28 September MELBOURNE, VIC – Melbourne Recital Centre

Wednesday 29 September WAGGA WAGGA, NSW – Riverina Conservatorium

Thursday 30 September Sydney , nsw – NSW Art Gallery

Friday 1 October ORANGE, NSW – Orange Conservatorium

Saturday 2 October Yass , NSW – Memorial Hall

Wednesday 6 October NOWRA, NSW – Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre

Friday 8 October muswellbrook, NSW – Upper Hunter Con. (School Hall)

Sunday 10 October Byron Bay, NSW – Community Centre

www.nickparnell.com

Category: Family, Guests One Comment

Jul

Silence is deafening!

Fleur

Thunderstorms are awesome things to watch – I love the power that comes with them, the electrifying excitement, the knowledge that there are some things that humans can’t control, that we just have roll with.

They sometimes bring a great deal of rain and some times, inconvenience – or at least that’s the way we see it, but is it really?

We lost our power a couple of weeks ago, only for a short time, but it was long enough for the kids to groan that there wasn’t any TV and then brighten when they realized we couldn’t get any water out of the taps, so they didn’t have to have a shower!

Once the storm and rain had passed, the silence was deafening. There wasn’t any buzz from the fluoro lights, or the motor of the fridge and deep freeze cutting in and out. No TV blaring in the background and, funnily enough, the kids weren’t fighting! By candle light they were playing games like Uno and Toot and Otto. They had to think for themselves and make their own fun!

A candle lit dinner and an early night for all of us followed!

I lived like this for about five years and never thought anything of it. When Anthony and I first started farming, the atco hut we lived in didn’t have power or a toilet (we got a toilet after about a year). We had a gas fridge and in the evenings, we would start our trusty old generator and run it for about three hours. It was just long enough to make the bread and do a couple of loads of washing. Most evenings our dinner would be by candle light and it was a very special time. We talked, laughed and planned. We concentrated on each other. It was a wonderful start to our married life.

But back to the present…

At some stage during the night the power was restored, thanks to the dedicated people willing to brave horrible conditions to fix everything. I was woken by the lights flickering back on and the bed head clock flashing with the low buzzing noise of the power making it work.

We seem to not hear most of these quiet noises – we’ve become used to them. But we certainly always hear them when they come back on.

Category: Family 2 Comments

Jul

Sheep work and holidays!

Fleur

It’s been pretty cold here lately! And it’s school holidays.

As much as the kids like to help, sometimes our jobs involve things that they just can’t do, so when we arrived at the sheep yards at 6:15am and it was bitter and frosty, the kids took exception to being involved with our farming life! (As you would, if you were dragged out of bed at 5:30am, made to eat breakfast in the car and then realised how cold it was!)

As a sweetener I sent them to collect some sticks, bark and wood and said they could have a fire while we worked. That cheered them up no end, as did the hot chocolate they found when they opened their thermos. (See! Mum isn’t all bad!)

Anthony, Shaun and I were sure that the wonderful scent of wood burning actually made us feel warmer too.

After the sun finally worked it’s magic, the humour was much better and we enjoyed watching the kids play with Rocket and kick the footy while we worked.

Category: Country Life, Family 3 Comments

Jun

ABIA Awards

Fleur

It’s been such a busy time for us recently, with seeding, sheep work and all sorts of other things on the go! It will be like this until after Christmas now with hay making, shearing and later, harvest.

We’ve been lucky enough to have good rains and everything seems to be on track for a good season.

The weather has been freezing and as you can see by this photo, the skies have been far from blue this week – although as I sit and write this, it’s shaping up for a cold but clear day!

I had a phone call from my publisher late Friday afternoon, asking if she thought I could be in Sydney by Wednesday for the ABIA awards. Red Dust is a finalist in the Newcomers/Debut section and oh, how I’d love to go – the powerhouses of the industry would be there along with the writers, the opportunities… the list goes on!

But after a hurried discussion and thoughts about what we have to do this week, I’ve been sad to decline the invitation. However, I really want to wish all of the A&U authors good luck – and there’s quite a few of them. Fellow WA author Craig Silvey is among them with his amazing book, Japser Jones.

Allen and Unwin themselves are up for the award of Publisher of the Year and I have to say after working with them for three years now, they deserve every award and accolade available. Allen and Unwin run their business thinking all their staff are ‘family’ and it shows. Everyone I have dealt with has been passionate, helpful and love what they do. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Category: Family, Photos, The Farmer's Life, The Writer's Life 2 Comments

Jun

Contentment

Fleur

I guess it could be said that living this close to the sea we have the best of both worlds. The farming with its freedom of the outdoors and the beaches.

There is something wild and solitary about our beaches that’s hard to describe.

The evening I took this photo we were the only people on the beach. The swell was roaring and the waves, even though it looks calm, were crashing into shore with a noise that’s unbelievable! The kids had to shout to make themselves heard!

The sea mist came rolling in early and by dark we could feel the dampness on our clothes. The fire kept us warm but the sea was so stirred up, all we caught was seaweed!

However, I do believe that a view such as this, a fire, company of the kids and knowing that we are going home to a farm and wide open spaces, is utter fulfilment and contentment.

Category: Family, Mother Nature One Comment

Jun

Wednesday

Fleur

The phone call came at lunch time: ‘Fleur, would you come and pick your child up, please? She’s had slight accident and needs to go to hospital.’

Enough to strike fear into the heart of any mother, let alone one that was about 10km away from her car, in a clapped out tractor, feeding out hay to cows.

‘Uh,‘ I stuttered, ‘What happened?’

‘She’s had a fall and she’s either badly sprained her ankle or it’s broken. We think the latter.’

Hell.

I must give the teacher her due. She was amazingly calm as she delivered the news, which helped put my mind at ease… Until she asked: ‘How long will you be? ’her voice quavered just slightly.

I admit, I stopped before I answered and listened intently. Nope, couldn’t hear the walls of the school being screamed down, via the phone.

‘Give me twenty five minutes.’

I looked at my hungry cows, staring at me over the gate, giving the occasional ‘feed me’ bellow. They seemed to understand they weren’t about to get fed. Not anytime soon. A 220km round trip to town, with a possible three hour wait at the hospital…

‘Sorry girls,’ I threw over my shoulder as I hurtled down the driveway, dialing hubby’s mobile phone.

‘Child number one, fallen, with a possible broken ankle,’ I report. ‘What shall I do with child number two? Can you pick him up off the bus?’

‘Take him with you,’ was the reply from the tractor – he was seeding.

Great. A “hard to entertain” child, in the hospital waiting room and, one (most likely) squawking with pain. It was just getting better and better!

I may have broken speed limit to get to school.

As I may have unlawfully used my mobile phone to phone a friend, to distract me on the drive to school. Only may have.

Walk in. There’s my poor baby lying pale faced on a camp bed, with feet in the air. My heart just about fell out of my chest.

‘Don’t think it’s broken,’ the calm registrar (also a friend) tells me. ‘She can move it. If it’s still really tender tomorrow, take her to the doctor. Ice, elevation and rest.’

Thankful for the unruffled and practical advice, (me? I’m not at all practical, unless it’s to do with farming. And if it involves my kids, I panic) we carried her out and dumped her on the back seat of the car, amidst much gasping and crying.

‘Please don’t hit the bumps, Mum,’ was requested – I did try not to, but, on gravel roads and substandard bitumen ones, well, sometimes the potholes are the size of Tasmania!

Home, and once again she was half carried and half dragged inside, dumped on the lounge (since when did my baby get to stage I couldn’t carry her?) Panadol, ice, elevation, doona, book, remote control, phone, ‘oh, and some socks please, Mum . My other foot is freezing!’ The list went on, but finally she was comfortable enough for me to go back to my hungry cows.

Get about half a kilometere down the drive and my mobile rings. ‘Mum, I need to go to the toilet and I can’t walk there.’

Back home again.

Back on the couch again.

Back to my hungry cows again.

The poor girls did finally get fed, but I almost missed the school and ended up hurtling down the drive to meet the school bus with the excruciatingly embarrassing old tractor. (‘Mum why couldn’t you come down in the John Deere?! Asked child number two.) Why indeed?

Postscript to the story:

Ankle still swollen and injured child unable to walk, the next day. Trip to Doctor netted a set of crutches and a broken foot.

Is there a moral to the story? Do not ever give a child that can’t walk a bell!

Category: Country Life, Family 3 Comments

Jun

Here’s hoping!

Fleur

I hear rainbows have magic powers! Well, here’s hoping it can fix my garden! This was our view as I took the kids to the school bus last week.

A rainbow ends on my farm… that’s got to be good. After all, they’re supposed to have a pot of gold at the end, aren’t they? I wonder what other powers they have and if there would be any chance of the glittery, shiny end of the rainbow helping the plants in my garden. Maybe if it was somewhere between the lemon tree (that seems to have a strange leaf curling disease) and the rosemary bushes (that have a white fungus/moldy looking thing on them) it might be able to make them thrive again. Or, could its magic powers be so strong, that it simply just makes me like gardening?

Most people would assume that if you’re a good farmer, you’re a good gardener. I mean, the skills follow on from each other! You would think it’s important that to be a farmer, that I was also a good gardener. We do grow crops and feed for stock and that involves gardening skills. Even the words sound similar: farmer/gardener. But nope, I think it’s safe to say that the love of gardening has bypassed me all together! My sister has it, as has my mum and Nana before her. Nana enjoyed both cooking and gardening; one of the things I remember as a child, were her beautiful white camellias growing on the verandah- a piece of paradise in a hot, arid environment.

Well, I got the cooking gene, but nothing else! My garden is doomed to be a blob of straggly plants around the house, while the paddocks flourish (when it rains) with green grass and four tonne crops!

I love nice gardens. I particularly love roses, nice lawns, Salvias and Snap Dragons. I just can’t seem to keep them alive. Within days of being home they, at worst, wither and die, at best they just look sick! And if it’s somewhere in the middle, the rabbits have eaten the tips off them. Humph!

Anthony’s favourite saying, when I bring seedlings home from town is: ‘What victims have you got this time?’

I really do seem to have my ambitions and capabilities mixed up in this case

Category: Country Life, Family, Photos 3 Comments

Jun

Another night at Thomas River

Fleur

The boss mans’ fishing adventures have been non-existent lately! Between my high-flying (and rather unusual) absences, the rainy weather (not that we’re complaining!) and getting to the busy time of year, it’s been rather difficult to make it to the beach.

However, last weekend we all made it down there. A fire, full moon and toasted marshmallows made for a fantastic night. All we were missing were the fish!

The sea has been quite stirred up over the past couple of weeks. The strong winds and rain have caused a huge swell, which in turn stirs up the seaweed and makes it hard to fish. That was what it was like the other night, so after a couple of hours of dragging seaweed, every time Anthony reeled the line in, he gave up and sat down to enjoy the moon rising over the water, the atmosphere and the kids.

Category: Family, Photos 2 Comments

Mar

The Condy Fair is on again!

Fleur

Well next Saturday is the Condingup Community Fair, aka the Condy Fair!

It’s always such a fantastic day – we have a hard working committee that makes sure that it goes off without a hitch and that there are many exciting and fun things happening.

Because the fair is held to raise money for our local school there is a huge focus on kids and families, which makes the day even more special.

This year there’s all the regulars like the Apex train, show bags, Doopa Dog, and a merry-go-round, but there is a new display! Amberland Inflatable is coming – it’s a monster of a blow-up castle! It has slides, tunnels and all sorts of things the kids will love.

The Town band is coming to serenade us, along with a Fashion Parade, by Shajo and Sass n Shique and of course, the very popular Dog High jump – as you can see from these photos, Doopa really hasn’t got much change of getting over!

The Vegie competition, that was held for the first time, last year, has caused a rivalry between many families and not to be missed.

The bar will be open in the afternoon and we are also very lucky to have Vince Garreffa – ‘The Prince of Flesh’ celebrity butcher, coming down from Perth! He’ll be demonstrating how to get specialty cuts of lamb and hold a sausage making workshop!

Of course, I’ll be there, launching Blue Skies – there is a couple of signings. One at 12:00 – 12:30pm and then again from 2:00 – 2:30pm, with a short talk at 1:45pm.

We are really hoping to see many of you at our fair.

On a house-keeping note – the winners need to be announced! Now as Nyssa said, we had a couple of mishaps with some disappearing comments, but they have all been recovered and Rochelle pulled two names out of the cake tin – we thought we’d give away two because it went on for longer than we planned! So, Carol and Rebecca are the winners of the Blue Skies giveaway and Maree is the winner of Helene Young’s Border Watch.

I’ll be giving another copy of Blue Skies this week when I’m blogging over at Lisa Heike’s blog! Will let you know when that’s on!

Can’t wait to meet a few of you at the fair this year!

Category: Books, Country Life, Family 4 Comments

Feb

There’s a snake in the house!

Fleur

There was some excitement in our house this morning! I opened the front door and in-between the screen door and wooden door was a Tiger snake. I had the kids and Rocket following me, so I tried to slam the door, hold them all back and try and control my total fear. All in one tiny moment that felt like an hour!

Stupid me, turned my back for a second to tell the kids to grab the dog, go into the kitchen and sit up on the bench while I watched the snake. I turned back and it had disappeared.

Did it go out the flyscreen door? Did it go under the freezer that is close to the front door? Did it slither into the office? I had no idea. I didn’t know if there was a snake in my house or not! Not a pleasant feeling!

I had a bit of a look a round while Rochelle flew out the of the kitchen door to get Anthony. Couldn’t see anything. Neither could Anthony, when he came back.

I fussed around getting the kids school lunches, all the while keeping an eye on the area I’d seen it last. Then I decided to have a look in the office.

I walked down quietly and stood in the doorway… Yep, there it was, sliding along the window, trying to get out. My heart just about flew through my chest. Now I don’t like snakes, but they don’t unduly upset me if they are outside. But it was the fact that it was IN MY HOUSE: that I had a problem with!

So we called the reinforcements – Anthony came to the rescue and finally, after upending the entire office, (which I now have to clean!) we found it under a filing cabinet. Needless to say that it is no longer with us!

But even as I sit at my office desk and write this blog, I am still wary. I know it’s gone, but I have my boots on and the dog locked in the laundry. The unsettling feeling of not knowing where it was, if it was even in the house and the danger that the snake presented, is still very real.

**Note, I got this photo from the internet and it was taken by John Fowler.

Category: Family, Mother Nature 6 Comments