Category Archives: Australia

Christina & Her Sisters

Posted on 12 September 2022 by sheg4184

These eight, somewhat startled-looking women were all born during Queen Victoria’s reign, in the colony of South Australia. Meet Annie and Clara, Edith and Grace, Lily and May, Christina and Kathleen. All sisters. There was a ninth sister, Alice, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Biography, History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Christina & Her Sisters

Daybreak near Wilpena Pound

Posted on 26 July 2022 by sheg4184

Pulling out past the pub onto the pre-dawn highway,the car headlights cast a narrow channel of white to guide the way.Beyond the sweep of its incandescence,the wider world is locked in darkness.Imperceptibly, a pencil line of blood orange appears on … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Travel | Tagged | Comments Off on Daybreak near Wilpena Pound

A Taste of the Top End

Posted on 27 June 2022 by sheg4184

A jetty floats above a still, blue sea. Masked lapwings and ibis, tiny double-barred finches and those small but sturdy ‘peaceful’ doves peck about in the grass. Honey eaters dance in the branches of the fig trees with their pendulous … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Taste of the Top End

Riding the Ghan

Posted on 21 June 2022 by sheg4184

“Welcome to the Ghan. Here is your carriage and cabin number. We’ll be boarding in an hour and a half. Coffee and tea are available while you wait, and we will be opening the champagne shortly.” At 11 am, champagne, … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Riding the Ghan

“And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain?”

Posted on 9 June 2022 by sheg4184

Winter has arrived in South Australia with a vengeance. Autumn was wet, but June has been wetter. The local papers suggest it may be the soggiest June on record.  Our water tanks are full to the brim and the tides … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “And I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain?”

The Magical Land of Books

Posted on 17 May 2022 by sheg4184

“There is something about words. In expert hands, manipulated deftly, they take you prisoner. Wind themselves around your limbs like spider silk, and when you are so enthralled you cannot move, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Magical Land of Books

Sunday Scribblings

Posted on 27 March 2022 by sheg4184

A week or two of wild winds, white skies, where’s-my-dressing-gown? Autumn has arrived. And then suddenly the wind drops, and the sky is clear, azure blue again. The trees stop churning and the pool glitters serenely, tempting me to cast … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Food & Wine | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Sunday Scribblings

Not Another Brick in the Wall

Posted on 13 March 2022 by sheg4184

While I have always loved a good chat, I used to dread the thought of speaking in public. My voice and my hands would shake. My mouth would go dry. The page before me would go blank. I would wither … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, History | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Not Another Brick in the Wall

A Whistle-Stop Trip

Posted on 21 February 2022 by sheg4184

‘You can’t roller skate in as buffalo herdBut you can be happy if you’ve a mind to…’ What have we been up to lately? A whirlwind trip east to Melbourne: four days in the car, visiting friends en route; a … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Food & Wine, Travel | Tagged , , | Comments Off on A Whistle-Stop Trip

A Café by the Sea

Posted on 7 February 2022 by sheg4184

The sun is up and the early morning swimmers are trudging up the beach, damp and dripping, to gather for coffee on the veranda at the Normanville Kiosk & Café. In dribs and drabs, the dawn patrol of dog walkers … Continue reading →

Posted in Australia, Food & Wine, Local Culture | Tagged , , | Comments Off on A Café by the Sea