‘Have you put on sun screen?’ Mum always used to ask as I headed out the door to ride my bike, or go swimming. I hated sunscreen. I always wore a hat, but greasiness of the cream, I’d do everything to avoid it. Until mum would make me stand in front of her and smeared…
To re-read or not? That is the question! You can probably see from the creases in the spines of these books, that they’ve been handled a lot. I mean, a lot! I’m not sure how many times I’ve re-read Jillaroo, but it might be close to five. The Michael Connelly 3-in1 book, hmm, maybe six…
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…
Are you feeling a little tired? Don’t feel like reading a bedtime story to the kids? Well, I’ve got your problem solved! Pop them into bed and let Jack and I read them my latest children’s book, What Should a Horse Say? When I was little my mum used to be really tired at night…
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,…
I’m sure you all know that Where the River Runs is coming very soon! 1st of November in fact. About six weeks time. BUT… Here’s your chance to be first to read a sampler of Where the River Runs. YAY! I loved writing this story about Chelsea and her beautiful daughter Aria. If you like…
There is a Facebook photo with a picture of a strawberry saying: ‘cut ‘em up, don’t throw ‘em out. Please continue to support Aussie Farmers through berry tough times.’ What a great campaign created through horrible circumstances. I wonder what makes someone or some people want to bring an industry to its knees? What…
A few months ago, we had another L-plater enter the house. The older daughter is already a P-plater, so I’d had my fair share of hanging out the passenger’s seat; knew what it was like, what directions to give, how to be calm and soothing when really all I wanted to do was scream. I…
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…
Today, Where the River Runs, goes to print. This book feels like it’s been a mammoth effort – I was supposed to have it finished a long time before I actually handed the manuscript in… There was a reason! On the 29th of December I was leaning down to pull up a fence so…
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…
“Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.” -Brad Henry Kalyn Fletcher – This entrepreneurial Business woman who is born and bred in Kununurra, has recently been named Western Australian winner of the RIRDC Rural Women’s Award and one of the Business Women…
Meet Jack. He’s the new addition to the McDonald household. He’s a gorgeous, energetic, five year old Kelpie from Woonwooring Kelpies at Cunderdin. Why, might you ask, does someone who lives in town and writes books for a living, need a Kelpie? And that would be good question because Kelpies need space to run around…
“Make your life a masterpiece; imagine no limitations on what you can be, have and do.” ~ Brian Tracy Welcome to my series, Bush Lanterns, highlighting women in the rural and agriculture sector! There are so many amazing and wonderful women who don’t always get recognised for what they do and I feel it’s my…
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…
What a difference a year makes. This time in 2015, my daughter and I were hanging out in Melbs waiting for the last concert in the Taylor Swift 1989 World Tour. Do you know it feels like a life time ago, yet I can remember everything so clearly. It had been a fairly tough year,…
The last couple of days have included a few strange ways of getting around the place! Normally I drive a very nice Nissan Patrol Wagon – very comfortable, fuel efficient and very ‘normal’. My friend, however, has a new, fun type car. Can you guess what ‘breed’ it is from this pic? Yesterday was a…
Today sees us start seeding. The tractor is going up and back in the paddock, putting the in the oats for the hay crop. We’re five weeks later starting seeding than last year. Traditionally the canola starts to go in on Anzac Day, but this year has been a completely different kettle of fish to…
Farmers are always accused of complaining about the weather. Let me explain why. A couple of weeks ago, we got a beautiful 18mm. It fell over a few days – in fact I think we had about five or six days straight where if we didn’t get falls of five or so millimetres, we…
Mum always taught us kids, to have dreams. They also taught us to chase them. Maybe that’s why my brother is a professional percussionist, my sister is a tourism operator with incredible foresight and I’m a writer. We found something we loved, something we dreamed about about and made it happen. Full moons make me…
There is something supremely beautiful and quiet about shearing sheds, when they are empty. I’ve always thought they are so atmospheric. When I was younger, I often headed up to the shearing shed on my Nana and Papa’s station and just sit and think, or even walk around and feel the smooth wood, smell the…
