Writers need to get out and about sometimes, otherwise our solitary profession would drive us to distraction. Plus, for a gardener like me there are too many distractions at home….such as roses! I have a ten minute walk to my village of Blackheath, and in a place
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It was a delight to see young ‘Blackheathens’ Luke and Fergus back at their lemonade stall in Soldiers’ Memorial Park this year during the Blackheath Rhododendron Festival. Apparently they made a decent profit in 2018, but I’m tipping an even better result this time around because they
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Everyone wants to be at the Rhododendron Festival. It has been our day on display for such a long time. This gorgeous local was trying to escape through a picket fence in Park Avenue. I was looking forward to seeing my friend Larraine Home in the parade
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The name New Ivanhoe Hotel is a delightful contradiction in terms. Little has changed at this Blue Mountains pub in 70 years. It’s located at 231 Great Western Highway, Blackheath. I’ve been working on my new book here recently. The pub has just the right atmosphere for
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Max the parrot’s life could have ended before it really got going. We drove into our Blue Mountains property a couple of weeks ago and almost skittled him. He was nibbling on an acorn, completely oblivious to any danger. I had to hop out and shoo him
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Editor Des has been bird watching with me for the last few months, and becoming quite the ‘twitcher’. Unfortunately he has a lot to learn, which recently led to a head injury…. and a severe knock to his confidence. It should be remembered that a male satin
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SUEPRISE SNOW……It’s weird when you wake up at the crack of dawn and open the front door to find the whole landscape has changed. Trousers might have been a sensible idea, Editor Des. What one earth! While we were sleeping the snow was quietly falling. We don’t
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Driving into our Blue Mountains property after visiting Sydney recently we almost ran over a juvenile king parrot. I had to hop out of the car and shoo him off the driveway. He was too busy with an acorn he’d found to think about the dangers of
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Where would we gardeners be without our wheelbarrows? I have early memories of being carted out in one by my older siblings. They have always provided fun for kids. I was interested to discover that the development of the wheelbarrow began in China around AD200. Chuko Liang,
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Recently my partner Rob and I enjoyed a pop-up, French themed meal at the Victory Theatre Café in Blackheath. We were joined by lots of eager locals. Many of us are sad that chef David doesn’t open regularly for dinner and hope he might change his mind!
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