Back in 1900 someone wrote to The Telegraph (Brisbane) with a story demonstrating the reasoning powers of crows. A family had a pet crow plus a pet cat, and the two barely tolerated each other. One morning the cat was given a tasty treat, which the crow
Read more →Hello, this is your Christmas correspondent, Editor Des. Have you heard of a Santa’s Nice List? Well a lovely lady called Amelia at our village laundromat put one up in her front window. It’s in Wentworth Street at Blackheath. That’s in the Blue Mountains in case you
Read more →American comics, especially Archie comics, were as much a part of my Tasmanian childhood as books were. How I loved those high school pals and rivals…. Archie, Jughead, Betty, Veronica and Reggie. In pre-television days it was ‘Yankee’ comic books that introduced me to the wonder of
Read more →Cricket matches, especially Ashes series, do not usually engender goodwill between Australia and England. However, as Christmas approached in 1932, Australia made a remarkable gesture. A giant, Ashes themed cake was sent to London to be distributed to the city’s hospitals and children’s homes . It weighed
Read more →I have a single English blackbird in my Australian garden. But oh dear, what a mess he makes of my paths with his incessant scratching around for worms and insects. 😨 I have been tempted to pop him in pie. OK, let’s begin with some words
Read more →Christmas cake is best eaten when you are very hungry…. with a good, strong cup of tea. 🍵 🎄 Now this may be controversial, but I hate the addition of any sort of icing, especially that thick royal icing. You can just stud the top with almonds,
Read more →Well, I have to say that the 2005 novel The Oxford Murders may be the most irritating book I have ever read. I found it in our wonderful little Blackheath (Blue Mountains) community library in Wentworth Street. The title appealed to me because I love
Read more →I do realize that Katoomba is a long way from Paris, but we Blue Mountains residents adore croissants as much as anyone else around the world. This sulphur crested cockatoo is no different. But which ones to choose? Well don’t look at me mate, it’s entirely your
Read more →Around the world, Hollywood was a magical place in the eyes of those struggling during the Great Depression. Tasmania was no different. In 1933 the following article appeared in a Hobart publication. Starstruck young people sent in their photographs and vital statistics and dared to dream.
Read more →