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Book club meeting at 10:00am WST to discuss The Bark Cutters by Nicole Alexander. More info: A week before we meet, could you email me any questions for the author. On the day as we start, I will put up the first question and the author will answer. Once she has done this, then I’ll open it…
It was quite an amazing experience to see Nick Parnell play his Bach to Brazil concert, in Esperance. I’d been hoping for some time that he would be able to “mesmerize us with his mallets” and mesmerize he did! With fifty instruments on stage, the main instrument was the Vibraphone, but included tuned wine glasses,…
Diane Chamberlain is the author of no less than nineteen books! I came across her books last year, when I read ‘Before the Storm’ . I immediately went look for more books – I was drawn into the book from the first page and didn’t put it down until I had finished it. Having been…
Farmers are funny creatures (me included!). Leading up to the break of the season we’re all bemoaning the fact it hasn’t rained and how much we need it. We scan the skies, the weather sites on the internet and listen intently when The Country Hour weather report is on. Finally it rains. The country starts…
Recently I’ve been driving the eight hour drive to Perth, quite a lot. I’ve loved cruising through areas that I don’t often see and because I’ve done it so many times, I’ve been able to see the growth of the pastures and crops. Canola is such a specky looking crop, isn’t it? Grown for its…
There is a joke amongst farmers about ‘bank review time’ – the best time to show your bank manager around the farm! It’s usually around 4pm, when the sun has just started to sink. The light it throws is softer than harsh midday sun; it makes crops look thicker, greener and lusher than in the…
This creek crossing is really important to me know. Do you know the feeling of being away for a long period of time and as you’re heading home, you get to a point, you just know that you’re there – that you’re where your soul belongs? Well, this is one of my places, that I…
You would not believe how star struck I feel in having Belinda Alexandra blog with us today! I fell in love with her writing the minute I opened Wild Lavender. I went in search of all of her books and you can’t imagine how excited I was to open her new book Tuscan Rose earlier this year. It…
Tony Parsons is an amazing person. It seems he has always had a pen in his hand! If he hasn’t been writing bestselling novels, such and Call of the High Country and Return to the High Country, he has been penning articles for Agricultural magazines or books on how to train the most magnificent breed…
We had our first virtual book club meeting last Saturday and this is where I was sitting while we were all chatting! I organised it for a Saturday morning, while the kids were doing their swimming lessons; I knew I would have to be in one place for at least an hour, that way! I think the…
The kids and I were out in the garden this morning. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day, with brilliant blue skies, a gentle breeze and a forecast for rain. I hadn’t taken much notice of the latter; I couldn’t see a cloud anywhere! But out of nowhere, the breeze picked up, bringing…
We don’t often let these two rascals play together – it’s not good for Buck, since he’s supposed to be learning how to chase sheep, not Jack Russell’s’ and Rocket, well he thinks he’s ten foot tall, but unfortunately, he’s nowhere near close to it! Their rough and tumble games, as Buck gets older, could…
Hi All, I know this is short notice, but I wanted to take advantage of having Phillipa (and she’s heading away for a month, so it really needed to be now or never!) discuss The Book of Love. I think that the best time for the first meeting will be at 10:30am this Saturday (28th…
I’ve know Nick all of my life – he’s my brother. I am not biased when it comes to his musical ability. He is seriously good and I’m not the only one who thinks so! “Parnell wields the mallets with the nonchalance of mastery … virtuosity worthy of the highest praise.” – The West Australian…
I’m guessing that many of you think that living on a farm is peaceful. Quiet. Well let me tell you otherwise! It was a gorgeous morning. We’d had a heavy shower the night before, which had netted us 8mm, so we were smiling! The trees and grass were weighted down with rain and everything was…
I met Margareta through writing. In fact writing has introduced to me to so many people. Although Margareta contacted me for help with her writing, we actually became firm friends after discovering we had a few interests the same! It was as I got to know her that I was really taken with her dedication…
Gill and Mandy are mates of mine. We share a love of food and wine, not to mention we are farmers’ wives. These two women haven’t let distance from town stop them opening a catering business – they prepare the most delicious food and are passionate about educating people to the benefits of home cooked…
Our book club wants YOU! Well I asked a little while ago, who would be interested in joining a book club on my website. The response on both Facebook and Twitter was huge! Thanks to Nyssa, I now have a chat room on the site and with internet un-savvy (!) people, like me in mind;…
I met Carolyn though my husband. Anthony was agisting cattle on her husbands property and I think (other than Anthony) she was one of the first people I met, when I arrived in Esperance as a “scared-but-never-going-to-admit-it, don’t-you-know-I’m-tough” nineteen year old! For that, I will be forever grateful! It didn’t take us long to become firm friends…
This is my road map for Purple Roads. I’ve begun to link the book together by scenes and characters. Anna is in the orange texta and Matt in the green. Every time they pop into another characters scene, I write their name in their colour so I can see straight away that they are involved…
Here’s Buck, sitting waiting patiently for the boss to come and let him off! He’s chained in the back of the ute, so he can’t fall off the side (it takes dogs a little while to get their ‘ute’ legs!). Today, Anthony and I were wet and drying a mob of ewes (that means seeing…