• The Water Doctor’s Daughters

    The intriguing story of wealthy 19th century water-cure physician, Dr James Loftus Marsden and his children, who grew up knowing Charles Darwin and Alfred Tennyson. Two girls died in suspicious circumstances resulting in sensational trials. Available via Amazon and major Bookstores.

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  • All Along the River: Tales from the Thames

    An engaging and humorous armchair read & companion volume to more practical guide books. Both quirky and fun, it is packed with information about literary associations, local recipes, folklore and a good many murders and mysteries! Available via Amazon and major Bookstores.

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Blue Mountains – latest article

  • Kookaburra pair.
    Toffee and Taffy, a Kookaburra love story.
    A CONTINUING KOOKABURRA CONNECTION                       In June or July every  year a pair of kookaburras arrive in my garden at Blackheath, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. The rest of the time  I only see...
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History – latest article

  • Freeman triplets
    THE FREEMAN TRIPLETS
    THIS IS  THE CONCLUSION TO THE STORY TROUBLES AT THE TARANNA TIMBER MILL. In  1929, like so many other parts of the world, Tasmania was in the grip of the Great Depression.  John and Loyce ‘Grace’ Freeman from the rural community of Taranna, on  Tasman Peninsula, were...
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Humour – latest article

  • Frog and gnome at their ice picnic.
    GNOME MATTER WHERE I ROAM!
    One day  Editor Des and I were walking the famous Thames Path near London (as one does) when we stumbled upon the tiniest gnome in the universe. He was standing on a pile of golden sovereigns at Putney.   I’m afraid Editor Des  quickly scoffed the coins,...
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Travel – latest article

  • Trevor Hennock
    The Farmer’s Fairground Organ
    CLEVER HANDS CELEBRATING THE PAST When Stanley Wennock died last year aged 83, he left a special legacy. The  retired  farmer from Canberra had been able to turn his hand to almost anything. Farmers have to be multi-skilled and Stan certainly was!  Over a period of three...
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Latest Blog Posts

  • QUIET PLEASE, WRITER IN RESIDENCE!
    QUIET PLEASE, WRITER IN RESIDENCE!
    Recently a huge row broke out on a writers’ group when someone complained that people around her in a café were being too loud,   But surely a café is primarily for social interaction rather than as a solo writer’s workplace?  Admittedly I am an old lady...
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  • Editor Des loves honey.
    BEES AND A BRAVE BLACKHEATHEN BEAR
    Hello, from me….Editor Des of Blackheath. We have so many bees at our place here in the Blue Mountains. I know, because I  help my guardian Pauline Conolly look after the garden.   Or  rather she helps me…ha ha. Of course the bees are asleep now, keeping...
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  • Hungry cockatoo chick.
    CLIMATE CHANGE & A LONELY COCKATOO!
    AUTUMN GOES ALL AWRY Here in the Blue Mountains we  had an unusually  warm, dry autumn.  The fear is that this is due to global warming.  I really enjoyed the warmth, but it was confusing for our plants.  Spring bulbs were popping up before the autumn leaves...
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  • Des learning French
    PLEASE TAKE A SEAT!
    Most of my garden seats are made from ‘found materials’; concrete blocks, stumps, slabs of stone  and bits of timber I deem wide enough to sit on. My impatience when I have a notion to create a new one knows no bounds. Fortunately my aging muscles seem...
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