Today is January 26. Australia Day. According to the Australia Day website, “Australia Day, 26 January, is the day to reflect on what it means to be Australian, to celebrate contemporary Australia and acknowledge our history.” This National Day is also controversial. It marks the day, Jan 26, 1788, when the British arrived to colonise … Continue reading Australia Day
Australia
#BookSnapSunday – Bliss
This week's book snap is Peter Carey's debut novel, Bliss, first published in 1981 and winner of the Miles Franklin Literary Award. Carey is one of my favourite Australian authors, and while Bliss is proving to be an interesting read, it is probably not for every reader. Awaking after heart surgery, Harry Joy, is convinced … Continue reading #BookSnapSunday – Bliss
Waiting for the Train
Australians have a pretty good sense of humour. It is somewhat dry, irreverent, ironic and a little quirky. We love to take the mickey out of people, especially our not so illustrious leaders, and ourselves, but it may be a little puzzling for those outside our borders. I once heard someone describe Australians as … Continue reading Waiting for the Train
#BookSnapSunday – The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
I am joining in again with Sharon for #Book Snap Sunday and it seems that we both had the same idea; taking inspiration from our natural environment. As you can see from the picture above, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, by Holly Ringland, is perched somewhat precariously on a branch in what I think is … Continue reading #BookSnapSunday – The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart
#BookSnapSunday – Mrs M
Sharon at Gum trees and Galaxies has started a new meme called Book Snap Sunday. It is a project aimed to encourage a little bit of creativity while chronicling the books we have read, are reading or want to read. You can read more about Sharon's Book Snap Sunday here. The photo above is my … Continue reading #BookSnapSunday – Mrs M
April Reading Update
April turned out to be quite a busy month, with Easter, ANZAC Day, and an Australian history essay to get done somewhere in between. So the reading was a little steady, however I did manage to read … The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan Eden … Continue reading April Reading Update
March Reading Update
March has come and gone and I cannot believe that it is April already. Where has the time gone? March turned out to be a very busy month. Since late February I have been back into the study mode and that puts a big dent in my reading progress. This semester I am studying Ethics … Continue reading March Reading Update
Book Review: Where the Trees Were by Inga Simpson
Last year as part of my studies, I completed a creative writing unit called Writing About Place. We conducted roving workshops in the natural and urban environment, explored personal essays and short stories about the importance of place and were required to select two texts to review, as well as write our own fiction … Continue reading Book Review: Where the Trees Were by Inga Simpson
Big Red Bash #7: Signs for the Times
I know. It's been a long time between drinks. I had intended for this post to be out some time ago. Then life happened. A bunch of assignments, a sudden death in the family, a sick kid... But here we are finally at the end of our outback adventure and as I promised last time, … Continue reading Big Red Bash #7: Signs for the Times
Big Red Bash #5: Lining Up in Birdsville
So far, on our Big Red Bash adventure, we have followed The Adventure Way, been sobered by the tragic tale of Burke and Wills and the Dig Tree, and been quietly impressed by the revival of the Betoota Pub. After four days of travelling the outback roads of Queensland, we rolled into Birdsville - two … Continue reading Big Red Bash #5: Lining Up in Birdsville
Living on the Downs 