KEEP YOUR TRAVEL PLANS TO YOURSELF! When my next door neighbour began to plan a once-in-a-lifetime world trip she asked if I had any advice. ‘Yes,’ I said firmly; ‘Don’t tell a soul you are going. Leave notes for friends and relatives to be posted once your
Read more →
In 1984 my darling mother Myra was suffering from the ovarian cancer that took her life. While I was visiting her in Tasmania I noticed a cheeky little frog on her bedside table. ‘He cheers me up’, she said. I could see why; he was adorable. Froggy
Read more →
In October 1949, talented young acrobat Alice Broenimann fled her Swiss Stars troupe, who were performing at the Tivoli theatre in Sydney. She had fallen out with the group’s manager, Eugene Lambart. The vivacious 18 year old hired a taxi and travelled to Blackheath, in the Blue
Read more →
Following WWII, Swiss trapese artist Eugene Lambart and his wife Fritzi formed an act with a young Norwegian strongman, Arne Selfors. They looked about for an acrobat to complete their new show and came across two young sisters in Berne. The girls’ father, Mr Broenimann was a
Read more →
This case was so bizarre that it was recalled thirty five years later. IN THE BEGINNING… On February 16 1901, the S.S. Talune was moored at the wharf in the New Zealand city of Wellington. It was ready to leave for Sydney. A young woman who had
Read more →
My inspiration for this story on the Aussie magpie was an amazing piece of free-form machine embroidery by Lynda Worthington. For someone like me who struggles to take up a hem, it was mind-blowing. There is enormous affection for magpies in Australia. They are so engaging and
Read more →
Carpets of autumn leaves are truly the Axminsters of the earth. I know there are wonderful carpets of blossom in spring, but autumn is definitely the main period for appreciating Mother Nature’s work. It’s one of the main reasons I moved from Sydney to the Blue Mountains
Read more →
Struggles around the world with the Covid19 virus have reminded us of the terrible flu epidemic that began in the final weeks of WWI. Good grief, as if there hadn’t been enough suffering! Then as now, quarantine measures were of paramount importance. There was one South Pacific
Read more →
Autumn is a busy time for the birds in our Blackheath garden. So many seeds to snack on, so many fallen leaves to scrabble about in. And I swear there are those who just know they look good against a blaze of colour. The cheeky rascal below
Read more →
STEAM POWERED PEOPLE MOVERS FOR SYDNEY We learn that the Works Department is making arrangements for the construction of a temporary tramway from the Redfern terminus to Hunter-Street, to be used by visitors to the International Exhibition. They expect to be able to get the motors from
Read more →