10 Aussie books

Yep, it has been ages, but I'm ready to get back into the blog world.  Plenty of excuses with real life getting in the way, but it is nice to think I can return to what is really a web diary.  No pictures with this one, as it is all literary.  Tonight, the ABC had their final book club, revealing the votes of the all time favourite Aussie books.  Top 10 made it to the show. I was hoping to find some wonderful titles I could read, but I've already done 9 out of the 10.

So from 10 down, they were:

Picnic at Hanging Rock.  Well, I probably read it many years ago, and the movie had many girls from my school in it.  Great unresolved mystery.  I saw the rock a couple of years ago, and understand its mysterious aura.

The Secret River by Kate Grenville.  I have read all or most of hers, but this was terrific, and being on a houseboat on the Hawkesbury really put you in the picture.

The Slap - didn't read it but saw the TV series.  I thought the concentration of a charachter per episode/chapter was a good way of presenting the story from different points of view.  I think not everyone would like it, but that is because some of the personalities were not likeable! I really enjoyed the show.

Magic Pudding - wow - I have always loved it.  The concept of "cut and come again" to me is the epitomy of hospitality offered by those of limited means.  In earlier times, people would always be welcomed in for a cup of tea and a slice, even when there was precious little to share.

Jasper Jones - the only one I have not read, but it has been recommended to me.  On my list now!

The Power of One - by the very recently departed Bryce Courtenay.  Didn't like it.  Or anyting by him.

Harp in the South - read it a long time ago, and enjoyed it, but surprised to see it at number 4.  What about books by Peter Carey or Geraldine Brooks???  Ex-pats to be sure but Aussies too.

A Fortnate Life - A B Facey - great book, and time to re-read.

The Book Thief - YES YES YES

And, number 1 - Cloudstreet - Tim Winton.  I have the pleasure of "reading" this at the moment on book tape, and I am loving it.

So I am across the top 10, will have to look at the top 50 to see what I have missed. 

Clare Valley

Given that I write this blog, I can indulge in a little time travel.  Back to late December 2011.  And a few days in the Clare Valley.  Clare Valley is lovely in its own right, but the Riesling produced there?  The best.  And I discovered there are basically 2 varieties - one where the vines get their flavour from the soil, the other where the roots have to go down to the limestone ridge to find moisture - the flavours here are intense.

Skillogalee was in a lovely position, and the small cellar door was also a bustling restaurant.  So bustling, it was pretty hard to get a chance to taste their wines.    And no need, they are lovely.  I just wanted to be having lunch there..

Next down Hughes Park Road was Kilkanoon.    I recall it was lovely, but given the months in between, not a lot else.  However, the next photo was in a very special place:

O'Leary Walker Wines have built on a gorgeous spot on top of a hill overlooking the southern end of the Valley.  Their riesling?  Great also.   The lawns going down from the hill here were fun for the kids tumbling down.  And for a relaxing place to have a plate of cheese.

Have a look at the backdrop.  I've not been to Tuscany, but Clare Valley?  Seems pretty good to me, and underated when compared to neighbouring Barossa.

Knappstein Winery is right in the town of Clare.  Love the gum tree too.  Their wine is never bad.  To be very honest, there was not a lot of point in going to Clare Valley vineyards to taste the Rieslings.  They are all wonderful.  The one I have fallen out of love with is Pikes, and their winery is very clinical, but the following photo is for Hugo.  This was one of only 2 auto wine tasting dispensers in the country.  Perfet portion.  Perfect temperature. 

Some other vineyards - Petaluma, would have loved to visit, but couldn't find it even with the map.  Tim Adams?  Good, but not great.  Tim Gramp?  Not open.  Jim Barry - a little outdated, but the recent prices have been very nice.  But the standout for the lovely view (above), friendliness, and delightful wine was Pauletts.

I was so excited to see that the Tour Down Under was going through the Clare Valley, but the TV images were only overhead.  Still good.



The Riesling Trail is a fabulous walking/cycleway through the Valley. At 35km, it is a fair walk.   In December 2011, it was a little warm to do, but there is always next time.  And I hope there will be a next time.

Surprise!

Ah, joy, Blogger has changed again.  Let's see if I can make it work...

Saturday 14th July was Kim's 60th birthday.  He knew something was going to happen, but he didn't expect this!  I aged 30 years overnight, while Kate had a quick sex change (and possibly a political awakening).  Rosie was in the role of  recent bride, and I'm guessing Jann does not have a huge amount in common with Camilla.

Kim saw the face of royals, and the legs of loved ones.

Kiss me Kate.

Great pic.  I have to say the orange stockings don't look so bad in the photos.  In real life, they looked like a self tanning project gone wrong.  But they did match the scarf.  And I'll lay some of the blame on Kass!

Happy snap!

The lovely McBride ladies.

This is such a great photo.  For all the surprises Kim had that night, he was gracious, calm and composed.  And very happy to have his family with him.

I have to say, Di did a brilliant job of organising the surprise.  Well planned, plotted and executed.  But things did start to unravel towards the end.  Fearing a large party would mean Buddy (the labrador) may be hard to look after, she told Kim they would be going away for a night, hence Buddy would be looked after by her parents.  Kim was asked to pack an overnight bag for a surprise night away.  He obligingly complied.  But he thought it odd when he saw the bag that Di had packed for the occasion.  It didn't ring true.

Busted, Di.

It was an amazing celebration for Kim's 60th, to have Kate back from a year in Kenya, Matt and Rosie visiting from Seattle, and Jann joining in from London, with the Queen's 60th jubilee fresh in her mind.  Kim's speech (obviously unrehearsed) was a fitting tribute to those present and demonstrated his love and appreciation of family, friends, and loved ones.  And the night ended in a decent jam session.  Talented musicians all, and the mandolin was a hit.    Happy 60th Kim!

The Bay

The huge weekend in Adelaide was made all the more special by being able to stay at Kass and Konrad's unit at the Bay. Great unit, terrific location, and a personal welcome from Kass. For those of you not familiar with Adelaide, its history started here - Holdfast Bay, now known as Glenelg. A great palindrome it may be, but a pretty strange "bay", in that it seems to me a straight coastline.

The rotunda stands grand, amidst all the new unit development.

The jetty was all mine for the early morning walk. It was gorgeous, although I prefer Brighton jetty!

Here is the lovely Kass. Not only did we get to enjoy a lovely long chat on Friday night, but also the Central Markets on Saturday morning. Those familiar with Adelaide know all about them. Those that don't? Well, you wish you lived there. And the history is terrific. I've read the Wakefield Press book "the Market"!

Loved these preserved fruits, but I bought cheese instead. For Kim's 60th. But any excuse is good enough to shop here. Now it is a mix of veges, cheese, specialities. When I was a kid, I just loved the lolly stalls, and we used to buy spitballs.

Kass and I bought what we needed, had yum cha, loaded the goods into the trolley and caught the tram back to Glenelg. Perfect urban living, if you ask me. Perfect friend too :-)

Weekend in Narooma

Finally, a return to the blog, how easy it is to let it go. I thought this might be a good return. I bought a cheap internet deal last year - "2 nights' " and "golf" enough to get me in. And although it is a significant (5 hour) drive from Sydney, it is truly worth it. Mind you, gorgeous weather doesn't hurt.

It is rated in one of the top 100 in Australia, and it is really fun to play. The third is known as Hogans hole (as in Paul Hogan - Crocodile Dundee). I think he did a cigarette commercial there way back when.

The hole is on the other side of this monster cliff. I sacrificed 2 balls on the first round. The next day, I played safe, and got par (3). Yes, I was happy...

3 longtime golfers have a sublime resting place. Simple, serene. I'm sure they are at peace.

Looking south, the views just get better.

The course then goes away from the coast. This combination of bridge, lagoon, sand sea and sky was just gorgeous.

Yes, there was a gong in the gully. What a great expression!

The back 9 played around a lovely lake. There was a single pair of black swans. Shy, but cute.

Easy to be distracted from the game.

Cloud cover came in, but it was spectacular.

A lone beach fisher - a gorgeous place to be.

The beach had beautiful white clean squeaky sand, clean water and some great waves. Wish I had a wet suit, I would have got into the water!

Narooma was only a destination because of a cheap internet voucher, but it was a surprisingly great destination. Dinners at the pub and the golf club were really really good. Lovely quilting shop, and a great haul at the Op Shop. The lifestyle in Narooma (compared to Sydney) is relaxed, sun filled and blessed with fresh air. Good on them, and I'd go back in a flash.

M

Let yourself go

At the moment there is a lovely, whimsical ad showing the virtues of Kangaroo Island on the telly. My disclaimer is that I am entirely biased, and I had the fortune to visit there twice in 2011. My very wonderful friend Kass lives there, and there is not much about the Island that she does not know. These are my December photos. The approach to the island on the ferry from Cape Jervis - a delightful approach, and the photos do not need any enhancing.


The ferry docks in Penneshaw. Pretty little town.

Kass lives in Kingscote, the largest town. It has a fabulous setting overlooking the water, the fine art gallery is my most favourite gallery ever, and some interesting buildings. I love the steps on this one.

Food and wine are a big feature. The wineries are producing some seriously good wine. Although I am still trying to get my hands on a bottle of The Islander Sangiovese. Seems they are no longer producing it (sob). Luckily, I can get their free range eggs here in Crows Nest, their yoghurt too. But it was Tracey's honeycomb icecream that left me wanting more. Sadly only sold there. Made with the famous Island honey from the only remaining pure ligurian bees in the world. Italy has to come to the Island to experience that.

Kass and I on New Years Eve. Looking awfully orange...

Some of the New Years Eve spread. Including the King George whiting caught that day. Sublime. No other way to describe it.

It was a quick trip, back to the mainland on the first day of 2012. I love the rock for a whole lot of reasons, Kass mostly, but as a destination, I just love it. South Australia at its best.

KI, love you xx

Shelf Life

This blog is unashamedly drawn from Phillip Adams piece in the Weekend Austtalian Magazine. I'm sure if I credit him, I can reproduce his words.

"And yet I cling to my library, filling many a room, shelves buckling beneath the weight of 40,000 books, the accumulation of almost 70 years of reading".

40,000 books sounds a little exaggerated to me. Maybe I'm just envious...

"I've got 'em all, pretty much every book I've ever read... Once upon a time a library that large would have been worth a fortune. Now it's little more than landfill. Even local libraries don't want the books I can't house as gifts."

He goes on to decry the Kindle, which I won't include since I am not only using one, but also considering buying Amazon shares since they have the genius of my son-in-law working for them which should auger well for the share price.

His piece finishes with these lovely words:

"And if you have books, keep them. If you die, have them buried with you just as a Chinese emporer entombed his wives and eunuchs. For books are the sleepers on the railway of life, the pickets in the fence of your history, the bricks with which you've built your brain."

Sigh. Wish I could write words like this.

I love books. xx

And my Kindle :-)

Thanks Phillip.

The changing face of books

I've managed to "read" a few books over the Christmas break. Well, I'm not sure if it the right way to say it. Do you read a CD or is it listen to a book?. Perhaps it depends on the book.
The Kite Runner on CD was actually read by the author. That had some advantages, such as some accurate pronounciation of names and places in Afghanistan. But he had a deadpan voice. Whether describing the joy of flying a kite, or the cruelty of some of the events, his tone did not change. Maybe that was so he did not put his interpretation on the events, leaving it to me. I found this very similar to A Thousand Splendid Suns - an interesting story, and obviously dealing with issues which are quite confronting. But his writing does not get me involved.

March, by Geraldine Brooks on the other hand was read by a man who used quite a lot more expression, and changed his voice for various characters. I have read all of Geraldine's books (at least the ones I know of), and this is my least favourite. Think I just couldn't grasp the invention of a fictional character based on a fictional book. It reminded me a little of the True Story of the Three Little Pigs in that regard. Having said that, I still liked it. Her way with words is just fabulous. Most movies deal with the issue from the slaves point of view (very well too), but those who risked much to help the slaves, and the running of the underground are probably unsung heroes. Mind you, he was a bit of a dill.

Interestingly, I am also "reading" Calebs Crossing" at the moment, on my brand new Kindle (thanks Rosie & Matt). No photo, they all look the same! I know Geraldine does huge amounts of research to ensure accuracy of the events. The only thing that is bugging me about this one is the "olde American" words. If I had a 200 year old Websters, it might help, but the Kindle dictionary is not useful with this one.

The Kindle will be well used and loved, alongside those gorgeous paper books which can be read, held, contemplated and above all, shared. Talking of which - Rosie - any ideas where my copy of Nine Parts of Desire is??

Maz

Note to Geraldine - I know there was a tiny bit of Australia in People of the Book, but since you are an Aussie, it would be great if you could write one set here...

A quilt - finally

Finally, I have finished a quilt! It's been so long (too long). But that's just life. This is a special quilt, and had its origins from this book that Juni gave me in January 2010 for a "significant" birthday.

So, I figured I would take the inspiration. No plan, just meandered my way through it. Bought fabric that I liked, chose blocks that gave me some variety. Some hand piecing, some machined. Slowly accumulated blocks - how were they going to come together? The border fabric did it, along with its reverse as some blocks. Thanks to the gorgeous Japanese shop in Melbourne (thanks Heather).

A bit of off-centre placement, a splash of red, and it was ready.

Add both walking foot and free motion quilting, and a backing fabric which actually worked really well.

And the best bit of all, the finished product was given to Juni, from where the inspiration started. She has been a valued member of our team for nearly 4 years. I now wish her well on the next adventure that she embarks on. First, reuniting with family in Indonesia, a holiday in Vietnam, a grand tour of Europe, then hopefully passing that rotten IELTS test ( a con) to be able to be a part of Australian society if that is what she chooses. Good luck Juni, it has been a delight making this for you, hope you enjoy it. x

Musical Moonta Bay

It was fabulous to be welcome at Matt's family Christmas at Moonta Bay. The garage and back yard of the holiday home turned into a makeshift studio for the excellent, but largely impromptu muso's. "The Music Book" may have been a guide, but improvisation was the key to success.

There were a few "karaoke" attempts to sing from this book. Not pretty. Either because we singers had no musical talent, or the wine that had been consumed, or because the musos didn't stick to the script. Mysteriously, no video of this survives...

4 iconic images. Swings. Shed. Sandman. And Kim xx

Rosie with a budding drummer. And what a drum set it was. I think the young man just liked having Rosie enveloping him!

The mosh pit. You can see the keen interest Buddy is showing. Not true, the music was brilliant!!!
The drum kit was built out of buckets, tins and whatever else they found in the shed. The drum solo/duo was fabulous. I tried to upload it, but gave up after an hour. Maybe I'll try and put it on Youtube. Sigh, another challenge.

Moonta Bay was a gorgeous place to spend Christmas, loved the company, the relaxed setting, the beach, the walks, the golf at Wallaroo (well, not as much as I would have liked), the garfish (sigh) and the lobster. Just missed Kate. Thanks to the in-laws. xx