It was lockdown and lockout. The WA government had told me I couldn’t visit my parents in South Australia because the borders were remaining shut for the foreseeable future. I would normally head to their place in the Flinders Ranges for a break. (Mum at nearly 77 still cooks the best schnitzel and makes the…
Last week I wrote about a needing to write two books at at time to make my deadlines. I was getting involved with NaNoWriMo to help do this. Deciding to spend one week on each book, would mean I should get about 25k into each book by the end of November. Best laid plans…
I wonder if you’ve ever heard of a little town called Orroroo? It’s at the base of the Flinders Ranges, a tiny blip of a gorgeous town, the main street an eclectic mix of old and new and on the main drag between Perth and Sydney.There’s about 550 people who live here, so you…
Now onto other projects… Well, I’ve got a few deadlines in 2022. 1st March, 30th of June and the 1st of September. So three books next year. I love it when I get to clean off these white boards and start on another book. As much as I find the writing process hard,…
STARTING FROM NOW doesn’t hit the shelves until October 5, but you’ve got the opportunity to get your hands on a copy, a month early! I’ve had a heap of emails from people wanting to get a signed copy of STARTING FROM NOW. Some for themselves and others are wanting Christmas presents (who organises Christmas…
Have you ever wondered what happens the morning after a novel gets finished? I finished my fourteenth novel yesterday, with the same sense of relief that I had when I finished my first one! Something between ‘oh my God, I’m so pleased that’s over’ and ‘Yay! I’ve done it again!’ I text a couple of…
I watched with annoyance, the ABC’s 4 Corners report on glyphosate and it’s ‘carcinogenic causing’ qualities, then with amusement when the 7.30 report started their series on Australia, how big is too big? According to the 7.30 Report, there is ‘national anxiety’ about the population of Australia; how we’re going to feed and water ourselves,…
Having been a farmer for twenty years, I can tell you what the reality of drought is: it’s dry dusty paddocks, with little or no grass. It’s dams that have nothing but mud in the bottom; sheep or cattle getting stuck as they search for water. Its people shutting their bank accounts down, none essential…
It’s time! I’ve been thinking about re-inventing my blog for some time and now that time is right here. I used to love writing blogs – they would get my fingers all warmed up for writing during the day and I LOVED sharing photos and little stories of my farming life with you all. Since…
Esperance received a fair bit of rain on Thursday. Rain is one of my all-time favourite parts of mother nature. I grew up in the mid north of SA where it wasn’t a common occurrence and, as a farmer, I know there are good times for rain and others not so great. To me, any…
Have you ever read the book The Secret Garden? I fell in love with that book, the mystery and wildness of the garden, the secrets within such a grand old house and of course the unexplained cries in the middle of the night. I always feel like I’m heading somewhere mysterious and wild when I head…
Don’t these clouds look like fire works gone wrong? Actually I can’t say that, because in all the fireworks I’ve seen, I wouldn’t have a clue if they’d gone wrong or not! Anyhow, when I looked up at these, that was the first thing I thought of. I was staying with a friend, on a…
One of the things I love most about living on the farm, is the sunrises I get to see. The boss has been working really long hours to stay in front of the airseeder (you have to spray only hours before seeding, for both pests and weeds). And because the hours are long on the…
Got to say that there was immense pleasure as I drove in the driveway on Wednesday morning and saw all these puddles. It’s been very hand-to-mouth with the rainfall this season. My morning text to hubby was greeted with an immediate return phone call. ‘We’ve had an inch of rain!’ The joy and relief in…
I guess, if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll know I’ve just had a whirlwind tour of NSW and WA for the release of Crimson Dawn. And whirlwind, or at least head spinning, it was! It was so incredibly exciting to visit places I’d only ever heard about before. Booktopia‘s John Purcell and…
So you’re all back at working, feeling like you’ve never left? Wondering where that holiday feeling has gone? Yeah, me too. Maybe if you look at these photos and imagine the salty air blowing through your hair, the cry of seagulls and the sand between your toes, I can help you recapture the holiday feeling!…
So it’s been about three weeks since the header or tractor or chaser bin turned a wheel. It’s also been that amount of time since the auger has gone. For those of you who aren’t sure what that means, it equates to NO HARVEST! Can’t begin to tell you how frustrating that is! *run around…
View from the top of the header We’re still harvesting. This must be one of the most frustrating harvests we’ve had in years! The wind has howled from the east – cool, moist gale-forced winds, which doesn’t let the moisture come down in the grain enough, so we can get it into the silos. A…
Even during the busiest times of the year, down time is necessary. I always know when it is needed, depending on the various levels of grumpiness that comes home, from the paddock. Sometimes, the men of the farm, work it out for themselves, other times, they need a woman to suggest it’s time…
