Rained Out - from an island in the Hunter Valley

March 30 2025

From an island in the Hunter Valley

SOIL SISTER - KYLIE WOODHAM

MAR 30, 2025

Hello friends,

I am writing from an island in the Hunter Valley.

With massive rain falls on Friday and Saturday, the meandering creek we cross daily to travel to town turned into something more akin to a pulsating river.

Our landlord assessed the scene by tractor and reported back to us by phone not to attempt the crossing.

We concurred.

Stranded.

Thank you very much nature.

Just what we needed after hectic moves over the past months.

The joy of not needing to be anywhere or do anything.

We’ll starve Mr 16 said.

We’ll survive I replied.

A 5kg bag of organic flour, yeast and water made bread.

Last year’s pumpkins turned into soup.

The bottom drawer of the fridge - a vegetable curry.

We watched movies.

We walked to examine the creek and lay stones to measure its rise and fall.

We played pooh sticks, watching how fast the current sent sticks bobbing along the current.

I pulled weeds in the garden and piled on to the compost heap to be.

I finally made the fermented hot chilli sauce with the gifted garlic and chilli sitting in the back of the fridge.

And then on Sunday morning, Mr 20 arrived back on the other side of the creek.

We walked through the settled creek and made sure the driveway hadn’t been washed away.

He drove through the creek safely.

Our island was no more.