Last decade, before we moved back to our present farm in the country we love so dearly, I was a careworker for a few years. This story is about one of my most frustrating but loveable clients who showed me once again how the greatest courage demanded is often in facing each hour of every new day - and getting through it. I think you'll find yourself, like me, getting teary from laughter as much (if not more) than from empathy with this tough little battler and her lifetime of hurdles.…
A collection of short stories inspired initially by a wide array of prompts from various places. Sometimes it's one word; maybe a phrase or a saying; sometimes a particular photo setting the creative wheels in motion.I love the development from that first small glow of imagination, the germ of a story that begins to grow, and then the nurturing and careful pruning, until finally it blossoms. Let's see if you agree I've achieved this.…
A collection of flash fiction (and non-fiction) tales written for the purpose-designed 'Weekend Writein prompts', challenging writers to produce around 500 word stories each time we choose to join the party.…
There are those who tell stories, and those who are talebearers.There are those who are scribes, and write down the tales.When talents like these are combined, it's inspirational... or so these two would have you believe.…
A collection of tales I wrote to meet the challenges of the Weekend write-in Prompts on Amazon's writing platform, (the soon to close) WriteOn for Kindle. At around 500 words each, they are quick little reads to fill in a dull moment.…
A collection of tales of growing up in a working class suburb of South Australia in the 1950's.My Dad was the butcher, next door was the grocer. Milk and bread were delivered by horse-drawn vehicles, and what is now a busy highway was once an ordinary street with little traffic.Welcome to a whole other world - so simple, so full of hope after the years of War and want. We thought it would never end.How blessed to have lived in those best of times.…
'Moodling' - it's all about mental doodling. This time it's looking at and loving many so-called 'material' things in my life. Read about my much beloved possessions, and try to decide what you would choose to take with you if disaster threatened. I think I would run around like a chicken with its head chopped off, trying to decide - and finally take nothing (or something perfectly ridiculous).…
As the title suggests, my second book of memoirs encompasses tales from our decade of dairying on our own farm, back in our home State of South Australia.A different learning curve from the first farm, but no less steep. This time much experience was gained the hardest way - 'hands on' and teaching ourselves. The stories abound, as before, of the whole gamut of feelings from ultimate happiness to the depths of despair. Another celebration of the human spirit that laughed in the face of the tough times, and endured... and survived.This is second book in my Old McLarsen had some Farms series - 'The Milky Way' features tales from our dairy farm in our home State of South Australia, and follows the first 'Old McLarsen... ' book 'Brave Beginnings' , available in ebook format at Amazon, and through Smashwords and their outlets, and I have been pre-recording excerpts for local radio. These are to be broadcast soon and I will be able to share them on Soundcloud in far superior quality than my amateurish sampling there just now. ** 28/2/2016 - I have found a most receptive and supportive home on Amazon's Write On by Kindle platform. I'm finding the other writers there full of helpful advice and opinions of writing problems, not to mention friendship and fantastic encouragement.- So much to learn on their forum, and weekly 500 word 'flash' story challenges to take up if you choose. Wonderful experience in looking outside the square, and tightening writing style.- Sorry to the few who have followed me, but I will be focusing my creativity at Tablo (because it's Australian and working hard to become a force in this field), and Write On. The personal benefits and learning curves are too fantastic for me to miss.…
"You two become farmers? You must be kidding!" How little our friends really knew us. Sure, that's how life had been for the Secretary and the Building Supervisor... but those were the keywords - "had been". An opportunity had arisen to learn farming, working for a friend for 18 months on a 6,000 acre cropping and sheep farm he'd inherited... our 'apprenticeship'. Once our rural sojourn began, it continued until today on our small retirement farm.Here are the tales of our journey, filled with humour and pathos; joy and a few sorrows, too; and woven throughout, our absolute love for the land and the animals we have shared our lives with. Each chapter is a 'stand alone' providing a choice for a quick read 'on the move' - or a more leisurely and relaxed involvement with my words. Enjoyed this first book in my 'Old McLarsen had some Farms' series? Now there's 'everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask' about a decade of dairy-farming in South Australia in my second book - 'The Milky Way'.This first book is available in ebook format at Amazon, and through Smashwords and their outlets, and I have been pre-recording excerpts for local radio. These are to be broadcast soon and I will be able to share them on Soundcloud in far superior quality than my amateurish sampling there just now. I have also begun a couple of different kinds of memoirs - 'Just Moodling About... My Favourite Things', and another - 'Growing up in the Fifties'And - 'Wishful Thinker' - my first collection of short/short stories and anecdotes . My writing skills don't extend to the creation of deeply hidden allegories or metaphors. I like it this way and hope you understand my simplicity of choice.I welcome your thoughts on my stories. This way I can learn and write in the future, so please don't be afraid to express 'the good and the bad' (maybe not any 'ugly'). And please don't hesitate to share and/or vote to show your enjoyment.…
