Coming soon

Actually the release date is Monday 1st August.  To celebrate I'll have a poetry strategy to download from my website.
Several of the poems in this collection have used this strategy.

The Prime Minister's Literary awards

I went to Readings in Carlton yesterday to be part of the announcement of the shortlisting, especially in the new category children's fiction.

Yes 'Star Jumps' has been short listed.

I love this book.  Its one that begged to be written- combining a style that I enjoy- prose poetry and subject matter- rural life as it is- real sensory snapshots and real emotion.

I was fortunate to be awarded a May Gibbs literature trust residency  in 2007 and 'Star Jumps' was written and dare I say written with tears- it is that close to me.

Of course a great publisher Sarah Foster and  a great editor Sue Whiting at Walker  make publication possible and immensely satisfying.

To the farm life that was- to a husband with whom I pioneered our own dairy farm and to six kids who loved to invent the game of Star Jumps.


The awards announcements are here:

End of three months overseas

Little alleyways called closes, cobblestones, warm to hot days, history, hardships- the streets of Edinburgh show all this.

Thanks Rochelle, Simon and Madeleine for spurring us on, for showing us the ropes, especially tube travel and giving us a room and gourmet meals! 
Back to Australia this week.

Edinburgh

The train trip continued from York to Edinburgh.  Another warm day and it was hot in the motel room of a night- so much so that we found a fan and put that on!

We were just around the corner from the Royal Mile, so shops, cobblestoned streets little leadways to streets behind the main streets called 'closes' were all there.

Our first visit was of course the Edinburgh castle- Kel even captured a photo of the canon going off- it goes off at 1pm every day.  A bagpipe heralded the momentous occasion.

The views from the castle walls were fantastic.

The Bagpipes are so fitting for the atmosphere.

Here's where the Edinburgh tattoo is held- before you enter the castle- apparently it's filmed in August.

Would you believe that as we left the castle and got back on the bus- who should we meet but a couple from the farming community where we used to live!!!

Meeting a writing friend

I've been writing to Sylvia Waugh for a long time now- she is a faboulous children's author and when I first read her books- over ten years ago- I wrote to her and we've been writing ever since. 
York was a half way point to meet.  We chatted and walked and saw the Jorvik viking centre together- Kel and Derek made sure we took the right pathways.

Keep that writing going Sylvia and we loved York!

York

Again a train trip.
Wish we'd joined the National trust before we began our trip- so many fabulous places to see.
We stayed at a bed and breakfast by the Ouse river- lovely museum gardens nearby.  And the ruins of a church- destroyed in Henry VIII's time- but the walls of the city can be walked around and the York Minster- that Gothic cathedral is fabulous.

And the weather was hot!  We stayed in the second storey room of the bed and breakfast- windows open and still hottish!  So I couldn't believe the photos in tourist shops of the Minster surrounded by snow.

A 16th century memorial inside the Minster.

It was staggering to think that in the 14th century such colossal building could be done!  And the stained glass windows!

Kel has been reading while away and read a series of fiction books but with historical settings and he was anxious to see all the buildings mentioned in the latest book about King Henry VIII's progress in from London to York in 1541- 1000 staff and 1000 soldiers!

St.Mary's Abbey- torn down.  People sit amongst the ruins on the lush lawns eating lunch, visitors click away.

Part of the roman, then Norman wall.

We also visited the Treasuer's house and the jorvik viking centre as well as looking at the marvellous streets and Tudor shops- the Shambles.
York tourist information

Like to come back again- a great stay!

More Lakes district

We visited the grammar school William Wordsworth attended.  Apparently the students were issued with pocket knives to sharpen their ink pens, so carved their initials into the wooden desks.

We stayed in the house Beatrix Potter bought for her mother.  Lovley lawns and very quiet.

Tea in the sun was an indulgence and it was glorious weather.

We walked to the nearby town of Bowness and then returned via a lakeside walk.  everyone comes to walk!