Five on a Friday - Cake
September 12, 2025
There was a lot of baking going on when I was growing up. Back then (in the olden days...) Mom didn't buy a lot of cakes and cookies. She made them. Our lunchboxes held home-baked oat and raisin cookies and brownies, and desserts at home would often feature a fruit pie or co...
My Spring visitors
September 6, 2025
I'd noticed my hibiscus leaves and flowers had that 'nibbled-on' and slightly shredded look and now I know why.My wood pigeons are back, foraging on the Spring growth and thoroughly enjoying themselves in the garden. I love them. They arrive with that distinctive whoop...
A lemon, some rosemary, and a malfunctioning pump
September 1, 2025
Not much happens in our little bay here.That's usually true, it's kinda quiet, especially during the winter when you might be the only person walking along the shore - and often with good reason because we've had some wild and cold windy weather lately.I do think signs of Sp...
Bringing in the action ...
June 10, 2025
There's nothing like a good Florida thunderstorm to set the scene for some action, maybe in a ghost story, or the precursor to some serious conflict between characters. In my story, it served as the introduction to a revelation about a major character, Ida Mae, whose de...
Bringing in the characters ...
June 5, 2025
I made many visits to Fernandina Beach in Florida during my time living in the USA, and I would often stay with my Uncle Carl.He wasn't my real uncle. He was one of Mom's childhood friends. Mom always respectfully referred to these dear people as our 'Uncle' and 'Aunt' ...
The importance of setting
May 27, 2025
Setting the scene for our stories can bring our reader into the writing straightaway.When I tell people that Florida is one of my most favourite places, they hesitate before replying with something like, 'Why? It's for retired people and tourists to Disneyworld' or, 'It's ho...
It's wild out there today
April 17, 2025
Easter in New Zealand can sometimes be pretty rough weather-wise, and we're certainly experiencing some full-on stuff right now, as the photo shows. Our little bay here is socked in with rain, the high tide waves are threatening to overwhelm the beach toilet, and the w...
Music makes us feel good
March 13, 2025
'Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.' That quote is attributed to the Greek philosopher Plato (he lived from 427 to 347 BCE). Nothing much has changed in the s...
The value of writers' groups
February 17, 2025
The life of a writer can be a lonely one, sitting alone at a desk, working in isolation, perhaps with a cat or a goldfish for company, and the promise of a gin or chocolate reward at the end of the day.Getting together with other writers isn't for everyone, but it can be rea...
The holidays of summer
January 14, 2025
Here in New Zealand our summers are characterised by the red blooms of our native pohutukawa trees, the seas that surround us, the lakes and mountains, hills and pastoral dales that we set out to enjoy during our holiday time.I consider myself very lucky because I can ...
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