International Travel -- Keeping My Fingers Crossed!

My husband, Adrian Kosky, and I have been commuting between the U.S.A. and Australia since 2012, and we are preparing to travel from Australia to America again this week.

I know it is a privilege and a blessing to have the ability (legally and physically) to travel like we do. We have worked hard at following all the rules and regulations of our home countries, in wanting to maintain relationships and businesses that span two continents. We pay taxes in both countries -- with two different fiscal year calendars to deal with -- and we manage most of our business, tax, and residency requirements on our own, seeking help from professionals (i.e. accountants, attorneys, and realtors) when necessary. (Managing things ourselves, without hiring others to do certain detail work, saves money and helps us afford the lifestyle we have.)

A couple of years ago, Adrian filled-out and submitted the forms to the American government to achieve his "green card," or permanent resident, status. We did not then and do not now have specialised help regarding immigration laws. 

The American immigration procedures have been difficult for my husband and stressful for both of us, but we have followed all the instructions given to us by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS"). In September 2014, Adrian received his two-year green card approving his permanent residency. As I understand it, he is awaiting the next level of immigration status to be approved, that being a ten-year green card. I also understand that there is some delay in his actually receiving that new card, because the USCIS is about a year behind in their process/approval. 

There is a website for green card applicants to check the status of their applications online. Unfortunately, the information provided on the website regarding Adrian's status, doesn't give me too much comfort, as Adrian and I prepare to enter the United States together on our upcoming trip back to Clarksdale, Mississippi. It just states that he has a green card. Although it has been more than two years, he hasn't received his renewed green card. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and praying that all goes well at the United States border, as we go through customs. 

In the past couple of weeks, we have heard stories about Australians being denied entry into the U.S.A., even though they have had a good history traveling to and from America for over ten years. One of those stories relates to a friend of ours who has helped Clarksdale tremendously for over a decade. The VISA waiver program that allowed our friend to travel to America, has not been approved for an upcoming trip to Clarksdale. I don't understand all the legal details about immigration, but I think goodwill should be encouraged, supported, embraced, and promoted on a worldwide level. Stories of people with good intentions (combined with histories of good works) being denied entry to America are disheartening for me as an American citizen.  

I wish all people could easily travel all over the world, if that's what they wish.

I wish any country would want my husband and myself to travel to visit it; I wish that we could do that and that we would be welcomed with friendship, wherever we go. Likewise, whether we are in Australia or America, I wish we could host people from all over the world, sharing friendship, music, art, food, fun, and laughter. (Okay, maybe we could share work with people from all over the world, wherever we are, too….if we have to.)

To keep myself from being too worried about what might go wrong during our international travel this week, I'm sharing some photos and videos below. These memories make me smile and help me want to keep moving forward, living life with my hubby, the way we do, in two countries and on two continents.

When Adrian received his green card in the mail, I got excited and accidentally filmed sideways!

In 2014, Adrian sang a little song in celebration of his permanent residency in the U.S.A.

I have hope and faith that everything will go well on our trip to the United States this week. (I don't think there is any reason that Adrian should be denied entry at the border.) The decision is up to the actual border patrol personnel to judge whether Adrian is approved to enter the U.S.A., even though he has been issued a green card and is a permanent resident. So, I'm hoping the immigration agents will see him as I do: all cute, cuddly, and full of gentle goodness, working hard to peacefully enjoy life with his American wife.

Our "Plan B" if the worst happens and Adrian is not allowed to enter the U.S.: We will go right back to Daylesford, Victoria, Australia, and do our best to continue enjoying life together.

Taking Road Trips and Making Music -- A Few of My Favourite Things!!

I have just returned from a wonderful weekend away in Portland, Victoria, with my husband. We took a little road trip to visit friends and family, and we took a few instruments to play along the way. It was great fun! We just got back, and I'm ready to go out on the road again, any day now, as I'm always looking to share more musical moments. Until then, I'll do some laundry and a bit of blogging about where I've been.

Whenever I am out, I like to check-in to my location using the Swarm/Foursquare app on my iPhone. I was able to do quite a bit of that, while Adrian was doing the real driving and Miss Jelly Bean was in her backseat-driver position. Whilst on this four-day road trip, I recorded over 30 check-ins on Swarm! Checking-in on Swarm is just a silly little pastime that I use to entertain myself and to create conversation with friends online and in the real world. If I check-in enough times in a location, I can become a "mayor" of that location. Woohoooo!

I've never before been interested in politics or much competition, but Swarm is a game that has gotten my attention -- I like being the mayor (of several cities)! (Please note the crown on my head in my profile pictures in the Swarm screen shot I'm sharing here.)


By playing the game of Swarm, [in my mind] I am helping communities get attention, using the internet to verify activity and life wherever I am; and, sometimes, I even become a winner via multiple mayorships or by earning virtual coins just by being myself -- a virtual busy body.

There is a practical reason for me to play the Swarm game, though. I have a little problem remembering where I have been and what I have done, without recording these things in some sort of journal. So, my check-ins create my journal and help me remember things -- like this lovely old bakery in Dunkeld, Victoria.

The Old Bakery Wild Plum Cafe in Dunkeld, Victoria

The Old Bakery Wild Plum Cafe, Dunkeld, Victoria

I have my bakery photos now, and my check-in is recorded on Swarm…..so, I'm happy to know that I can find this place again, the next time I go out on the road to Portland.

Portland! It is such a beautiful city. I'm enjoying my reflection of this road trip.

What was my first impression of Portland on this trip? I was impressed by Portland's friendliness and generosity! Good on ya, Portland! FREE food and drink! Yes!! Happy Australia Day to me!!!

Of course, the beautiful City of Portland has a lot to be proud of and, besides getting photos of free food, there are plenty of picturesque scenes for tourists like me to collect for our Facebook photo albums (see the beautiful sea below)…...but…..friendly people handing out free sausages and cold beverages to anyone who desires it -- that's one of the most attractive things in the world, I reckon.

The Bridgewater Blow Holes -- Near Portland

My friend's backyard -- a gorgeous Portland seascape.

Portland waterfront -- early evening

Whilst visiting Portland, I enjoyed a couple of side trips: to Bridgewater Bay and to Port Fairy. I'll save those Portland side-trip pics for a separate post on this blog.

Before I close this blog entry, I'll share my pics of the lovely lunch spot in Linton that Adrian and I found on our way back to Daylesford -- Wares, Plants 'n' Things Cafe. It was a pleasure to find this spot in a small country town to enjoy lunch outside with Miss Jelly Bean. Our pup was treated as special as we were, with her water delivered to our picnic table.  Jelly got a special doggie-biscuit hand-out  -- real-world-poodle-luxury on a road trip -- and the toasted sandwiches were delicious and delivered to Adrian and me by the owner, beautiful! I imagine we'll be back!

Driving from Daylesford to Portland and back makes for a lovely little road trip. Very enjoyable (as far as the scenery, people, and food go), it is, indeed. I'm looking forward to my next road trip to Portland, Victoria, Australia!

Six Months Here, After Six Months There

Adrian and I have just returned to Daylesford, Victoria, Australia, after a six-month stay in the U.S.A. We will be in Australia until late March 2017. At that time we will return to The Holy Moly in Clarksdale, Mississippi, before the Juke Joint Festival.

While we're in Australia, we'll be running the business of Tasma House and Gardens, as we have for the past six years. 

It's good to be back with Miss Jelly Bean!

Family Life Goes On

I recently returned from a trip to Kentucky and Ohio. I enjoyed a Memorial Day weekend trip with my parents and my husband. My sister and her husband also made the trip, and it was lovely to spend time with my family, away from the day-to-day worries of revitalisation work here at The Holy Moly in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

The last time I made the Kentucky trip was by myself in 2008, before my move to Australia. So, it was a pleasure to have my parents and my husband with me this time.

I have missed my Kentucky family. A lot has changed. I miss the family members who have died since I last visited, but it was good to see the new ones and reunite with others!

It must have been around 2005 or 2006 when I went to visit my Aunt in Ohio. I'm not sure how long it has been, but it was good to be in her home again. Simple family life, sometimes it is hard to manage, but it is one of the best things in this world, and I always thank God for it.

My family's Memorial Day weekend traditions take us back to cemeteries in Kentucky, where we reminisce, cry, and laugh.

I often feel sad that I don't know much about my heritage, but I am thankful to have this Kentucky-connection with my roots -- knowing where my parents got married, where my grandparents and great-grandparents are buried, and where my cousins are being raised today -- what a blessing that is!

It was a pleasure to meet the newest member of my family, little Bentley! He looks just like my Uncle Harold Hale, and he's a treasure -- such a pleasure to be around. I am thrilled that I got to meet Bentley and his big brother, Briley! I now have a couple more reasons to be thankful for this lifestyle that allows me to come and go back and forth from Australia to America.

Alex and Kevin

I'm so happy for my daughter and her fiancé!  They recently became engaged. I love them both and wish them all the happiness in the world.

Meanwhile, in Australia….

I've enjoyed the past few months here in Australia, and I look forward to returning to the U.S.A. in a couple of weeks.

Time seems to move slowly here in Oz, but that is a beautiful thing.

I have spent some time doing a bit of artwork. Keeping things simple, I have been painting with water colour pencils on A4 water-colour paper. I use iPhoto and Comic Life to manipulate photographs of my paintings. Most of the time, my paintings are based on birds and animals that I have personally photographed in Australia.

Here are a few of my latest pieces of art:

Cockatoo Landing in Tasma Gardens

Magpie on the Wibbly-Wobbly Wall

Backyard Wallaby

Curious Kangaroo

I'm not sure what I will do with these little paintings. I just like painting them.

Also, I've been knitting! My friend, Jacqui Olver, taught me to knit, and I have had plenty of time to make a few things! It's a new hobby for me, and I love it.  I have had time to make a couple of scarves for Adrian. I don't know when he will be needing to bundle up for cold weather, but he's ready, whether it's cold or not! My hubby is such a good sport, to model these things for me in the middle of an Australian summer!

My little Jelly Bean and I even have matching scarves, thanks to free knitting patterns on Pinterest! We're ready for the cold weather, too!

I suppose Adrian and I will need to aim for being in Australia in winter 2017, so we can bundle up with Miss Jelly Bean!

A Life of Randomnymity

In my last post, I wrote about enjoying unexpected free time, before leaving Clarksdale, Mississippi, to return to Daylesford, Victoria.

For some reason, I don't consider any time in Australia as "free time." Although my activities here are often random, I consider that all my time here is time to enjoy life and be happy. 

As I write this, I realize that I'm ashamed of myself for not having the same frame of mind when I'm in the U.S.A. Perhaps, in the past, I haven't thought of life in America as my choice, as I was born there. At this moment, I'm regretting any lack of appreciation of life anywhere at any time, and hope that my attitude will be better, the next time I'm there in my Mississippi home. I will be there by choice, as I have been here in Australia by choice. 

I don't know if I will actually have "free time," the next time I'm at The Holy Moly; but, hopefully, my attitude will be the same there as it is here -- thinking that all my time is time to enjoy life and be happy. 

I feel guilty when I realise that I have not been counting blessings!

Anyway, returning to my present thoughts of living in the moment, every moment, here's a bit about what I have been thinking about since returning to Tasma House two weeks ago.

(Random thoughts, I have them all the time. I guess they have become routine.)

In the spirit of randomness, I snapped an iPhone photo of two magpies in the garden a couple of days ago. I almost trashed the photo, because, of course, the photograph wasn't necessary; but something about the beauty of the moment, made me save the picture and think about it. 

A moment of inspiration on Table Hill rd.

I didn't think too long, before I picked up my pencil and started drawing in my sketchpad. I didn't really like the drawing, at first; but I wanted to be busy and happy with something to do.

It crossed my mind to make a musical poster
for the Table Hill band out of my magpie drawing,
but it wasn't really needed.

Sometimes, I can stress myself out by worrying about the details of a drawing, until I remember that I am just drawing, because I want to draw.

Worrying about the details in drawing this brick driveway
could drive me crazy!

So, I drew a few bricks in the incredibly detailed landscape and decided it was time to randomly do something else. I played with my picture in iPhoto and Comic Life and found happiness in creating this digital piece of art. I was happy with my decision to stop worrying about the bricks and just enjoyed the memory of a magpie that randomly inspired me to make art.