In the gutter

Recently I've been more vigilant about scheduling things into my calendar in order to Get Things Done, and have been including regular maintenance-type tasks like cleaning the gutters as a monthly event. Our house is surrounded by eucalyptus trees constantly shedding leaves and bark, and if the gutters clog up, we either don't gather much...

Black Bean Brownies

I tried this recipe as part of my "Lunchbox Treats with Something Extra" experiment - that is, baking sweet treats for the kids' lunchboxes that aren't too high in sugar and include veggies (or in this case, beans for extra protein) - and it was a resounding success. I know baked goods with beans sometimes...

Everything I’ve learned about hermit crabs

One day last year, my son came home from school and said he'd had a relief teacher who had told the class all about her pet hermit crabs. He proceeded to tell me all about pet hermit crabs, and showed me a list he'd written down of the things you need to house pet hermit...

Zesty Lemon Muffins

What I want most from a lemon muffin, or cake, is plenty of bitey zesty lemon-ness, and these muffins are just perfect. They have a delightful zing from all the lemon zest, and then the addition of lemon syrup poured over the warm muffins gives them the perfect extra lemony twist. The recipe is mostly...

In the dry

It is a very dry spring. Distant fires have burned for weeks, and each week I look eagerly at the weather forecast, hoping that a 20% chance of rain due in days might gradually increase. The lower dam has dried up. Vivid green grasses and moss are growing in the damp dirt that remains, forming...

Weighted blanket

Frances is not what I would call a gifted sleeper, even though she is now over three and a half, an age at which I think children really should get the hang of sleeping on their own for long periods. It feels good! Why don't they want to feel good! What apparently makes Frances feel...

Well-behaved ducklings

On a recent visit to Mum's Daintree property, we spent some time in the afternoon sitting in the bird hide next to the main wetland watching the radjah shelducks go about their business. One of them stood guard, standing on the edge of the water looking outwards, while the ducklings stayed hidden in some reeds....

Midnight reveries

An old piece I found - I think I wrote it when Frances was around 4 months old. I lie in the dark next to the baby watching her face. We're lying on the floor of her bedroom on a single mattress, and she is snuggled up against my side. The room is dimly lit...

Camping at Tumbledown Nature Refuge

We had experienced our most stressful travelling day before arriving at Tumbledown Nature Refuge. One of the kids was feverish and unhappy, and a vital part had fallen off our rented camper trailer while driving over the Main Range, which meant that we had to frantically find an RV supply store for a replacement so...

In the rain

We had been at the show for about 15 minutes when it started to drizzle. The Tamborine Mountain showgrounds are small, with one pavilion building and one arena; a nice size for making your way around slowly with kids. We had come prepared with a motley collection of raincoats and toddler sized snow jacket, and...