In a now famous reference to Queen Elizabeth; ‘I did but see her passing by, and yet I’ll love her until I die.’ Prime Minister of Australia R.M. Menzies. (1963) Early in February 1954, a group of WWI diggers travelled down to Sydney to see the young
Read more →I can’t say that I like spiders, but I have become quite fascinated with the ones I see in my garden here in the Blue Mountains. Of course most of them I don’t actually see….only their intricate webs. People on an Australian spider ID site told me the
Read more →Mrs Edna Wood came into our lives several years ago, after an acacia tree was felled. Right from the outset she had a penchant for hats, especially with extravagant floral trimmings. We live in the beautiful Blue Mountains, where rhododendrons and camellias provided her with an unlimited
Read more →Specimens of of the Australian native Banksia serrata were collected by Sir Joseph Banks in 1770 and later named for him. They are funny, gnarled trees that look ancient long before their time (rather like weather beaten Australian gardeners). Serrata refers to the tough, saw edged leaves; Their knobbled
Read more →A favourite shrub in my woodland garden is the spikey Australian native shrub Lambertia Formosa. It was once known as the honey flower, but today is more usually called Mountain Devil. It is related to the proteas. The shrubs grow to about 2 metres. They are great
Read more →WELL HELLO AUNTY JACK! The Blue Mountains town of Katoomba has always been a bit retro, so what better place to open a 1950’s themed restaurant/café? Aunty Jacks in Katoomba Street is sheer bliss for Baby Boomers like me, who grew up playing the juke box
Read more →It’s easy to forget just how concerned ordinary Australians were for their safety during World War II. This was not without reason, given the bombing of Darwin and the arrival of Japanese midget submarines in Sydney Harbour. A giant metal boom was suspended across the harbour
Read more →One Christmas when I was a child my father brought home a gum bough from the bush as an alternative to the traditional pine tree. We all loved it, especially the scent of eucalyptus throughout the house. My mother was delighted to have a break from falling
Read more →I’ve always loved lavender. When I was a child in Tasmania we used to buy quaint cardboard dolls with muslin aprons full of the dried English variety. My mother didn’t grow it as far as I remember, but the island state is home to the remarkable Bridestowe
Read more →CHRISTMAS IS NIGH As Christmas approaches I love looking back at seasonal celebrations in my Blue Mountains village of Blackheath. The following is from The Lithgow Mercury in 1909; There was very little stir here during Christmas, and everything passed off quietly. On Boxing Night a
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