Bearhands and I have a terrible Valentine's Day record. Even if we try to forget our first V Day together, our celebrations have never quite turned out as planned. Our first year on the farm, I set a table out in the back paddock, to the spot where the mountains line up. My plan was to watch the sunset, then dine by candlelight under a chandelier of stars. We didn't even make sunset before the ...
Gardening
Happy Birthday David
Today is David's 35th birthday. Or was David's 35th birthday. I can't decide which is the right way to say it. It's the sixth birthday we've marked without him. On the first birthday, just five months after the accident, Bearhands suggested we get out of the house and have a round of golf. He's an ideas man, my husband. Since then, every year we've played nine holes of golf for the ...
what’s in your box?
I noticed the smoke about this time yesterday. It was hanging around the farm, so I went to investigate. The smoke was high, so I got back in the kitchen, busily cooking dinner before I went to the Primary Info night at school. Driving out I noticed the big smoke plume north of the farm. Our normally pretty peaceful road was busy. The fire had cut the highway, so drivers were finding ...
the most Aussie rocky road ever
It's a big call, isn't it? The most Aussie rocky road ever? I have a reputation for making Aussie desserts; about this time of year I start fielding questions from friends and family about when I'm making our Australia Day pavlova. But this year we're going camping, so I've come up with a more portable, but no less Australian, Australia Day dessert. Really it's just an excuse to combine all ...
fit for purpose: jellyfish + my ill-timed body image epiphany
I can tell you exactly where I was when I had my great body image epiphany. I was standing on the white sand of Wathumba Creek (not in the creek, mind you, there’s irukandji jellyfish on that side of Fraser Island at Christmas). The weather was beautiful and the sea like a millpond. I’d spent the morning being Bearhands’ deckhand. Hanging off the front of the tinny, using my ...
your favourite posts of 2016
Word around the traps is that 2016 hasn't been kind to many of you. I had that year in 2011. It started when our good friend Anthony died suddenly in January and worsened with the loss of our beloved David in September. In fact, the only redeeming event for 2011 was the birth of the Little Sister. She was a welcome bright light in a very dark time. 2011 is now my benchmark for bad years, so ...