Hello pals. So pleased to meet you back here, for a tiny pocket of time away from the often dark realities of the world. Just for a few minutes you can dip into some cheery stories, away from the algorithm of doom. I am so pleased to be your captain today. Let’s begin?

Three Good Things

1/ I filled a jar with chocolate freckles and caramel buds and am very pleased to dip into them when things feel dire.
2/ One of my kids arrived back from an OS trip this weekend and I got to give him a hug. He looked very shiny and happy and healthy! Apparently it’s sunshine-y and warm in some other places!
3/ My little granddaughter June has taken to smiling, waving and saying “Bye-bye, Pippi!” when I leave her house. It’s too adorable. I melt.

This week’s Non-Sh*t Things …

one/ Help our distant neighbours and donate to the Red Cross Global Emergency Fund which is supporting the survivors of the recent flash flood OR to UNICEF’s Nepal Flash Flood Appeal.
two/ A nursing home chef is using his noggin and making residents’ favourite recipes. It’s working out super well for all involved. - “… he thought to ask them a simple question: ‘How would you make the food?’ ’’ (Found via Foodie Crush)
three/ Some Australian local governments are swapping thirsty and rogue grass for native ‘woody meadows’. - "We should be looking not just at woody meadows, but all sorts of different ways of bringing nature back into cities."
four/ Everything old is new again - The retro (and retro-ish) tech that’s making a comeback.
five/ Science says that access to urban woodlands lowers people’s use of antidepressants.
six/ How great do these cultural retreats look? Sign me up!

seven/ Looks like Nashville is set to get a Dolly Parton International Airport, in memory of the late legend and recording artist. It makes sense. The King’s Guard played a tribute to Dolly and it’s strangely comical. Also - how Dolly Parton took control of her career by making men the butt of the joke.

eight/ Did you spot these incredible passport paintings? As in, little artworks on the pages of a passport. (Above) They’re by clever and creative Copenhagen-based illustrator and designer Radhika Chitalia.
nine/ Some more info on the incoming new Sharon Horgan (she of Bad Sisters and Catastrophe) series, Youth. Also the Christie-era The Detection Club looks cosy!
ten/ Do you fancy some Chinese Spinach Salad? I can’t imagine not! DIY some Spicy Tuna Hand Rolls this week, perhaps? I bet you want to try some of these From Scratch Pretzels. Or am I wrong? Or maybe you want to bake a Pear Cake a la Christine Flynn? I do! This Lemon and Blackberry Cake also looks delicious.
eleven/ Okay, so this house is built over a waterfall and thus the Homey Swoon Bar (H.S.B.) has officially risen. And here’s another gorgeous home to pore over, in case that helps. Plus the creator of iconic animated TV series Arthur is selling his Martha’s Vineyard home.

twelve/ I watched Brief Encounter (above) recently, so I’m very much into these historic photos of Sophia Loren (Top.)
thirteen/ Are you ready for the incoming Victorian Blouse trend?! (I kind of am, as influenced by Debra Winger in Terms of Endearment, rather than any fashion forecast.)
fourteen/ A bunch of ways to help newcomers feel more welcome.
fifteen/ Some DIY ornament/charm inspiration from crafty genius Ann Wood.

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sixteen/ The Wildlife Photographer of the Year entries have been edited down to a bunch of excellent finalists. (Peering polar bear image above.)
seventeen/ Some discourse on the preservation of writers’ historic homes.
eighteen/ Join a commonplacing read-along and dip into Middlemarch this September?
nineteen/ This California family share their swimming pool with a bunch of black bears, as you do …
twenty/ A stolen Picasso has just been recovered, from the back of a bedroom door.

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Around the grounds

I’ve nearly mended from the bug I had last week (that cough … urgh! hope you didn’t get it!), which means I’m able to go visiting with the kids again. This week I popped in on my eldest and little June a few times. We played a bunch of games involving me chasing her, me reading to her, me hiding Elmo up her jumper. We also went to Rhyme Time at the library where June maintained intimidating eye contact with the family next to us for an exorbitant amount of time. She was apparently downloading their thoughts and it took her a good 3.5 straight-faced minutes to do so. Rin and I chortled (in a kind way.)

What have you been reading?

I tore through a memoir that caught my eye at the library - Ghost Girl. I’m still reading Katherine Johnson’s excellent Tasmanian-set novel, Every Wild Soul. And I have a bunch of other titles on the go, as is my way.

Joke of the week
What do you call a lazy joey?
A pouch potato!

Wishing you the okay-est week possible, dear reader. Meet you back here next Sunday? Thank you for sticking around.

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Hello reader. How are things? Do you need to read a poem? Here is a good one. And some other good things too ….

Three Good Things

1/ I’ve spotted several magnolia trees around my neighbourhood, doing their magnificent pink-petalled thing.
2/ My bedroom blind fell down (the brackets have warped) but I put up a curtain rod and gingham curtains in its place … and it’s very happy-making! Hooray for broken blinds!
3/ I found an interesting book at the op shop about author Rumer Godden (and her sister Jon’s) childhood in India.

This week’s Non-Sh*t Things …

one/ Is there anything lovelier-sounding than a charm novel? I think not.
Have you read any? What titles would you consider fitting of this description?
two/ Have you been doing your Lymphatic Walking lately?! It’s the swinging new thing, friends.
three/ Five hundred (hopefully) green-thumbed people turned up to rehome various plants and cuttings from London’s Barbican Conservatory (below.)

four/ How about a little creative kick in the pants? I think it’s the perfect time of year for it.
five/ This song (below) by Billie Marten, who hails from North Yorkshire. (Found via The Literary Sisters.)

six/ Nine excellent memoirs about women and wild swimming: “The water is silky … It’s thicker than other water. It sticks to the skin, laps your body and holds you, suspended. You cut through it, as if stirring cream.” - Lou Stoppard
seven/ “Every home has its own sound world,” says soundscape creator Alice Boyd.

eight/ “Being an aunty […] it’s what I was born to do.”
nine/ Now I want to start a Celebration Box for our family. Why have I not done this before?! New hyper fixation unlocked.
ten/ Is this week the week to bake a Classic French Yoghurt Cake? Or some English style Cheese and Onion Rolls? Polenta with Tamarind Tofu, Tomatoes and Corn, anyone? Hugh's Raspberry Strudel Cake would be especially nice alongside a giant cup of tea (found via Felicity.) Smoked Trout Salad Sandwich, anyone? Vegan Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Rich Tomato Sauce via Madeleine.

eleven/ That time Marilyn Monroe pretended to be a babysitter. (Also special mention to the Little Golden Book.)
twelve/ “I was given a Bloody Mary and found the chatelaine sitting by the fire sewing as if no time had passed since 1810.”
thirteen/ A London scheme to reduce car pollution has sparked big improvements in kids’ lung health.
fourteen/ Behold! Britain’s most beautiful allotments …
fifteen/ Okay well the BBC TV four-parter The Witch Farm looks like something we might enjoy, right? It’s based on the podcast series of the same name. (Also a new season of Doctor Foster is coming.)

sixteen/ In case you’re watching My Brilliant Career - top image - (I’m slowly rationing the episodes and very much enjoying), Hannah Reich has put together a helpful guide to protagonist Miles Franklin.
seventeen/ Australia, are we in The Thaw? “If I were to name it more plainly, I might call it Beatrix Potter weather: damp cuffs, garden gates, the feeling that something is pushing up just beneath the soil. The sort of days that make you want to raid Mr. McGregor’s garden not out of greed, but out of hunger for green.”
eighteen/ IKEA is releasing new art pieces that you could snaffle, enjoy and keep for your grandchildren, because they'll become collectable, IMO! Like all 'vintage' IKEA.
nineteen/ Why certain song lyrics touch us so deeply, according to science.
twenty/ A little tour of my friend Michelle’s place …

twenty-one/ What happens to your brain when you write by hand, according to science.

Around the grounds

I’ve been sick this week (still! ugh!) so not much to report here. One of my kids is in Thailand, though, so I’m enjoying the late afternoon missives they’re sending through. Think rescued elephants, roaming cats, spicy salads, beach chairs foregrounding choppy surf … Take me there!

What have you been reading?

I started Every Wild Soul yesterday and so far, so great. I also borrowed Belonging by Toko-pa Turner after Kate recommended it.

Joke of the week
How do you keep a snake quiet?
With an anti-hiss-tamine!

Hoping your weekend has been okay, dear reader. We’re hurtling to the end of the season and things are already shifting in big and little ways. Where I am, it’s all shoots and buds and new leaves, along with frosty mornings and sunny afternoons. I can’t believe we’re here already! Hurtling, you might say.

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Hello buddy. Hoping you are managing as best you can, doing all the little good things you like to be doing.

Three Good Things

1/ A man juggling at the one of Melbourne’s most dangerous intersections (Hume Highway and Ring Road, Campbellfield) with a giant grin on his face. People were handing him $5 and $10 notes out the window. He didn’t get run over!
2/ ‘I’m fine. I’m going to be very fine.’ ← a hospitalised yet resilient 5 year old in the promo for 24 Hours in A&E
3/ Wrote an episode of Dailies this week and it wasn’t three weeks long!

one/ A short film about Garfield phones washing up on a beach.
two/ Read all about … The Ferryboat Children!
three/ Fancy an escape to the (French) countryside? Also I really want a loveseat. Plus? A non-annoying reflection pool.
four/ Of course we LOVE the bodega cats of New York. Now in book form!
five/ How beautiful is the textile art of Emma Giacalone?! Gasp! (Below)

six/ 73 questions (as answered by me! And a couple of others.)
seven/ You might like these incredible realistic paintings by Hugo Ungewitter?
eight/ What’s the best (non-physical) compliment you’ve ever received? Be sure to read the comments - ‘In a darker moment of my life, my best friend gave me the best compliment: “You’re very powerful.” She said it with such confidence and certainty that I could feel solid ground beneath my feet. That moment was a turning point.’
nine/ Writer Anaïs Nin on why emotional excess is essential to creativity.

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ten/ Love that The Guardian just published a recipe for Japanese Curry from Emiko Davies. CLEVER. Topical. Sneh shared a bunch of delicious-looking noodle recipes. This Zucchini with Garlic Sauce is a good idea. Lemon and Sage Chicken Piccata (with mashed potato, please!) These Mini Tomato Galettes (below) look easy and yum. How about this Green Tahini Sauce to dollop on your favourite savoury things? Cherry Tomato Pasta with Butter looks simple and comforting. I love the idea of these Jalapeño Popper Hash Browns. Eleven roasted vegetable salads to consider. Make a Dark and Stormy with Mango and Tamarind? Basque inspired Piperade.

eleven/ Well this is natty → ‘Draw any shape and hear it as a drum.’
twelve/ When to trust your intuition … and when not to: ‘One reason intuition is different from other feelings like pain and sadness is that it’s entirely learned through repeated experience. Researchers call this implicit learning …’
thirteen/ How to attract more magpies to your garden.
fourteen/ Download your Happiness Calendar for August? (It’s evidence-based!)
fifteen/ That time Arnold Schwarzenegger took ballet classes …

sixteen/ Flow Magazine is releasing a new Paper Lovers book, in case you are the collage-y, journally, arty sort.
seventeen/ The Golden Girls purse that just sold for nearly $200K (and was originally bought in a thrift shop.)
eighteen/ The very Blyton-esque Smuggler’s Cottage is up for sale.
nineteen/ Helpful ideas for collecting and hanging art in your home.
twenty/ Inside Jane Birkin’s Parisian apartments (below.) And Coco Chanel’s Mediterranean estate (top image.)

Around the grounds

I’ve been sick this week, so there’s been much less of the family-seeing. Back to regular programming this week. I DID have a video call with June and Rin though. We played peekaboo. I sang a croaky version of Where Is Thumbkin. I showed June my dog Peach through the camera and she was obsessed, signing ‘more’ and saying ‘more more’ every time Peach disappeared from view.

What have you been reading?

I finished Yesteryear which I though was good! Complicated and the opposite of feelgood, but interesting and of the times. I am about to start Lily King’s Heart The Lover. And I am still reading my books on the Libby app (The Matchmaker’s Gift and Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat.)

Joke of the week
What do you call a robber at the North Pole??
A brrr-glar!

Hope you are a-okay and haven’t fallen victim to the winter lurgy that’s going around. (Or a summer cold, if you are in the north!) If you have … YUCK. So sorry that’s happening. Here’s to brighter and well-er days.

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Hi friends! How has your weekend been? Mine has been nice and quiet and cosy, with a LOT of rain forecast for today, necessitating much hunkering down and sipping of soup. Now let’s look at some non-sh*t things, shall we?!

Three Good Things

1/ A magpie sitting on the fence outside my bedroom window, cocking his head at me. He stayed for a while, watching my human life happening.
2/ A packet of hard lollies in fruity flavours with slightly soft centres - cherry, pineapple, raspberry, lemon, strawberry - bought from The Reject Shop.
3/ Watching The Taste of Things on SBS yesterday. SO BEAUTIFUL.

one/ Kurt Vonnegut on ‘How to write with style.’
two/ Did you know that monkeys keep pets?
three/ If you thought you knew how to gift wrap a book, this creative has other (better!) ideas. Gasp!
four/ The fascinating journals of Sylvia Plath (top.) (The new The Bell Jar adaptation is shaping up to be interesting. Or you can watch an older one, even?)
five/ Now this is an incredible, handmade and character-filled home … (Below)

six/ I recently found out that Henri Matisse designed a little chapel in France, featuring the prettiest stained glass windows I ever did see.
seven/ I’m addicted to watching these time-lapse videos of a clever crew reviving old homes and/or gardens.
eight/ If you find yourself cooking in other people’s kitchens, this is a cute idea.
nine/ If you need some respite, one of these books might do the trick? (Lots of my favourites in there!)

ten/ Ginger Chicken, Zucchini and Rice Soup looks very soothing. And this Vegetable Curry looks blinking delicious (above.) This cookbook looks excellent. As does this one. I’m bookmarking this recipe for the Summer months. I very much fancy Cold Tomato Noodles with Smashed Cucumber. I’m having a noodle salad phase! Pesto Pasta with Blistered Tomatoes and Burrata … yes please. And Veggie Curry Hand Pies would be good to have on hand (or in the freezer!)

eleven/ Sienna Miller and Dominic West have teamed up for an excellent-looking new legal drama called War.
twelve/ A helpful guide to romanticising August.
thirteen/ The very colourful Pastel installation by Cj Hendry encourages hands-on involvement. (Below)

fourteen/ My friends Michelle Mackintosh and Steve Wide have a cool and helpful new book coming out, focusing on day trips you can take from a Tokyo base. Maybe that sounds like you? Or a Japanophile favourite friend?
fifteen/ Speaking of Japan … The Japanese neighbourhood cafe run by three eighty-plus year-old sisters.
sixteen/ I honestly want about 12 of these cute tote bags. Gimme.

seventeen/ The gentle 15-minute kitchen reset that makes a difference.
eighteen/ There’s a baby Barn Owl boom in Western Australia. Gosh they’re SO beautiful, aren’t they?
nineteen/ Dreaming of getting away from it all, for good? This Coles Bay eco resort is up for grabs. Such a beautiful part of the world. So crispy cold.
twenty/ Dalliance looks like a must-watch too, right? Hugo Weaving is in this too (as well as The Airport Chaplain mentioned a week or so ago here.)

Around the grounds

Rin, June, Ari (my youngest son) and I went to Rhyme Time at the library this week. There was much The Wheels On The Bus-ing and a lot of Open, Shut Them-ing and even a bit of Love Is In The Air-ing. It was June’s first time, so she was a little shocked at the gathering of babies and surprised that her songs existed outside of her house. But by the end she loved it and was pirouetting in little circles, clapping her hands, smiling and waving. Success!

What have you been reading?

I just started the South Korean bestseller Yeonnam-Dong's Smiley Laundromat which is charming. I am also reading the magical-dual-timeline story The Matchmaker’s Gift and am loving it. And I picked up a copy of Yesteryear at the shops this morning as it’s impossible to get at the library. I’m excited to read it, even though I don’t usually love reading books with a lot of hype around them. I will have been blogging for twenty years come December, so it feels relevant to explore where blogs have ended up.

Joke of the week
What do you get if you cross a dinosaur with a piglet?
Jurassic Pork!

May your week ahead be the very best it can be, dear reader!

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Hello! It’s me. Your old friend, Pip. Just checking in on you and hoping the week hasn’t been too bad ...

Three Good Things

1/ A man outside the Coburg Library sharing his kebab with the pigeons at 9am on a Saturday morning.
2/ A giant pot of minestrone, a clutter of enamel mugs … for a gaggle of young people at my house to play Dungeons & Dragons (with one of my sons.)
3/ Little shoots appearing on the trees I planted last week. ALREADY!! Reannon says planting trees is ‘Cathedral thinking’ and I’m here for it!

one/ I was reading Anna Brones’ Substack this morning and she mentioned the North American Feather Atlas. And guess what? There’s an Australian version too! It’s called the Feather Map of Australia and you can contribute to it, if you fancy that.
two/ I updated my blog this week! In case you like reading about everyday sorts of things.
three/ This iPhone case is actually a working, living terrarium.
four/ You’re probably going to love these papercut bird artworks.
five/ A pattern-filled house in the South of France (below) AND a Sussex farmhouse with more lovely wallpaper and cosy rooms.

six/ These Donna Wilson pillows are the biz. I love the whale one so much. I want to see a real live whale one day. I have never done that! (More Donna here.)
seven/ How do you get out of a reading slump? ← helpful! Lots of advice and reading recs in the comments too.
eight/ A lovely garden to be inspired by. And some of the best plants to add to your patch if you want to gather seeds. Gardening jobs to tick off before Spring.
nine/ The coffee shop where 162 regulars have their own mug.
ten/ Tofu Banh Mi? I think so! Apple Crumble for beginners. Sweet Corn Mac ‘n’ Cheese makes sense. How to make a Classic French Pound Cake. Nat Paull’s Macadamia and White Chocolate Chonky Cookies. This Italian Rice Bowl with Tomatoes, Eggs and Herbs looks delish.
eleven/ How to be a neighbour, one dish at a time. - “And yet, when the ice finally breaks, it’s almost always over food. A loaf. A jar. A container passed hand to hand with a quick smile and a promise to return it someday.’
twelve/ These brilliant photos of The Youth in the ‘80s made me smile. We loved a scooped short back in the day. (Top and below.)

thirteen/ This artist spent ten years filming every outfit.
fourteen/ After the second World War, a bunch of artists were commissioned to create works to brighten up the Lyons chain of teashops. (Found via Persephone Books who shared the example below.)

fifteen/ ‘Read the novels and forget everything else.’
sixteen/ Yes I would like to live in a fisherman’s cottage in a village called Mousehole, thank you very much. Gasp.

seventeen/ Five hosting habits I nicked from my friends. - “Would you like a bath?’ she asked. I was stumped for a reply. ‘Go on,’ she said, ‘you’ll feel miles better.’ She frogmarched me into her snug little bathroom, gave me a towel, and left me to it.”
eighteen/ Kate sent me this very gorgeous real estate listing and it’d be a cosy and quiet DREAM, wouldn’t it?! (Above)
nineteen/ How to round up joy. I LOVE THIS. Argh.
twenty/ I am BUSTING to watch The Airport Chaplain, SBS’s new drama starring the brilliant Hugo Weaving, the compelling Claudia Karvan, and the wonderful Shabana Azeez. It premieres on 26th August.

Around the grounds

I met June and Rin at the library yesterday and we had a lovely time. June mostly enjoys approaching other children and staring at them. She did spend some time reversing herself into my lap, for the best view while I read (this book) to her too! Also? Laps of the library. Those are her favourite. Especially if she can sidle up to an older child and touch the spines of the books nearby, mimicking said older kid.

What have you been reading?

I just finished excellent Kate Morton’s Homecoming. And then I tore through Maurice and Maralyn (in some regions called A Marriage At Sea.) I didn’t realise it was based on a true story until the end. I enjoyed it very much. I am now reading The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon and am liking it a lot.

Joke of the week
What did one bug on the windshield say to the other bug on the windshield?
I bet you don’t have the guts to do that again!

Thanks for stopping by, dear reader. It’s nice to think of you!

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Hello! Hoping your Sunday has been the best it can be, and so glad to see you back here.

Three Good Things

1/ The lady at the nursery giving me a free geranium plant when I bought two little trees this morning.
2/ A thick wodge of Boston Bun eaten with a giant cup of tea.
3/ Planting those two trees I bought earlier today. A wattle and a compact eucalypt.

one/ “The Pied currawong says its own name - currawong, currawong - with a varied, fluting song besides - that always comes back around to that first part. White flashes on wing and tail, a formidable beak, and definitely too much black to be a magpie.” Kirsten Bradley in Currawong Moon.
two/ Who knew that Jane Austen had a favourite Cheese Toastie recipe? Watch someone nice make one here.
three/ Underwater gardeners are restoring ancient kelp forests in Tassie. Legends.
four/ Looking to read historical fiction that centres women? Lots of bright ideas here.

five/ Turning 13 by Stella Blackmon (above).
six/ If you’re writing a book (or keen to) here’s some good advice.
seven/ Take a virtual visit to the Towpath Cafe. (Via Phillipa … and by Ellie.)
eight/ Did you read about what’s happening to Miranda July’s garden?
nine/ How about this Tassie beach house for your next southern holiday?
ten/ Asian-style Cucumber Salad (I made it this week and it was v. good!) Tunisian-style Chickpeas and Toast (below top) looks so comforting. Greek-style Garlicky Green Bean, Potato and Tomato Stew (aka Fasolakia - below bottom.) Easy and Spicy Cucumber Noodle Salad. Low Effort Scallion Chicken with Rice. Baked Rhubarb with Labne.

eleven/ Have you heard of ‘unswept floor mosaics’?! The coolest ancient trend I’ve seen in AGES. (#boom-tish)
twelve/ How to very, very, VERY successfully line a cake tin. It’s ART, I tell ya!
thirteen/ The new Saoirse Ronan thriller looks good/devastating. She’s my favourite. The Map of Longing looks interesting?

fourteen/ One of Elizabeth Taylor’s famed charm bracelets is for sale. She had a bunch of these (e.g. top image) and they’re all beautiful and whimsical.
fifteen/ Don’t be a nosy parker if you visit the Faroe Islands! Gosh! The houses!
sixteen/ The latest in Prime Ministerial cat Larry’s adventures. (At this point he’d likely run things better than the actual PMs?)
seventeen/ You might love the floaty works of Cecilia Reeve? (Found via Sara.)

Above: Parliament Hill Lido by artist Cecilia Reeve

eighteen/ The guy that looks for diamonds in the streets and cobblestones and gutters found another diamond(s)!
nineteen/ How TV series The Bear nailed their depiction of ageism.
twenty/ Craft your own herbal seasoning blend?

Around the grounds

I bought June a little soft toy Elmo this week and she’s delighted with both it and the cardboard tag that was attached to it (it also had a photo of Elmo on it.) She folded the tag in half and squeezed it tightly, grinning with her four and a half teeth, treating it like treasure. She calls him “ALMO” which of course is adorable.

What have you been watching?

I’m rewatching Offspring, catching a million glimpses of my old neighbourhood in Fitzroy. Even glimpses of our cars parked in that old neighbourhood. It seems like so long ago ... I also watched A Toxic Love Story on Netflix which seemed bonkers and also a very rushed production. Lots of questions, and reminiscent of Love Trapped (the excellent and also bonkers podcast) … but also not. And I watched About Time which I loved.

Joke of the week
What’s black and white and black and white and black and white and black and white ..?
A penguin rolling down a hill!

Hoping to see you again - right here - very soon. Have an okay week!

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Hello! It’s me. Your Sunday friend! Let’s look at some non-alarming things, shall we?

Three Good Things

1/ I’m going to try and go to a morning movie tomorrow and I’m quite excited.
2/ A man at the Preston Market, carefully wheeling his plate of sunny-side up wobbly-yolked fried eggs (and toast and coffee!) on the seat of his walking frame towards a nearby table and chair.
3/ The lady who’s just moved out from the house next door, back in their old front yard picking red and pink camellias from two very prolific bushes.

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one/ “Life wearing headphones is a life missed.” - Jeanette Winterson. “Even if you have a dull job, working with your own creativity is a joy. Nobody can take that away unless you give it away. Creativity is never a waste of time. That freedom of thought, that search for expression, deepens you, revives you, alters you. Creativity may not be your full-time job but it’s not a hobby.”
two/ The beautiful work of Lily Seika Jones (above image) found via Violet Cabin.
three/ A bunch of gorgeous 1950s weddings. (Very top image.)
four/ This apartment houses a gorgeously interesting paintbrush library! (Below.)
five/ ‘Observe perpetually’ - love this from Virginia Woolf.

six/ Writing is magic: Why we should all follow our literary dreams.
seven/ “My grandmother favoured blue cheese on hot buttered toast, with a layer of plum jam. During my pirate era I made it too (it’s still a breakfast favourite) and called it the Mouldy Map, Signed with Blood. A bit gruesome, but delicious nevertheless.” - writes Nicole Cody. (Found via Joanne.)
eight/ Peaceful films and books about finding beauty in everyday moments. (A must read if you’re in the need of book and/or viewing recommendations.)
nine/ The upside of being an only child. And how to raise capable kids.

ten/ Hetty’s Kimchi Pickled Zucchini with Tomatoes (above.) Delicious Pasta alla Vesuviana looks like it should be on permanent rotation. Lemon Raspberry Cake for your next afternoon tea or family birthday? Steamed Chicken over White Rice looks cosy. This is my kind of meal → Toast For Dinner!

eleven/ Maybe you want to buy the original Gilmore Girls house (above)? Listed here. (And Princess Margaret’s old digs is also for sale.)
twelve/ This feels magical: ‘Ultra-low tides bring rare chance to walk to an island lighthouse.’
thirteen/ ‘I live alone on a tiny sailboat in Scotland.’

fourteen/ This might be one of the best train voyages in Australia - especially so because the catering looks amazing!
fifteen/ Revisiting the quiet joy of (the now 40 year-old film) My Neighbour Totoro.
sixteen/ A lovely little cottage to pore over.
seventeen/ Kottke pointed me to this interesting online collage maker this week.
eighteen/ Some of the very best greeting cards I’ve ever seen. (The one below is by Karen Brown.)

nineteen/ Forgiveness is good for your health. Who knew?!
twenty/ At home with Jane Birkin (below.)

Around the grounds

June is in her LONG HUG era. When the spirit moves her, she will wander over, reach up to request a hug, snuggle in and rest her head on my shoulder for the longest time. Sometimes she will even pat my back while she’s there. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever encountered. In non-huggy news, all my (grown-up) kids are well and good.

What books have you been reading?

I’m back on a fairly recent Kate Morton book that I put aside for some misguided reason. It’s Homecoming and I LOVE IT. I’m also in the queue at the library to read the eBook versions of Maurice and Maralyn by Sophie Elmhirst (1st in line for one copy.) And Whistler by Ann Patchett (57th in line for one of twelve copies.) I love reading on my phone, hence the eBook longings. I like it that I can enlarge the font, instantly look up words and avoid dog-earing pages/spilling tea on covers.

Joke of the week

What wobbles in the sky?
A jellycopter!

Meet me back here very soon, pal? Deal?

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above photo by Susuan Wood

So good to see you back here, friends! Let’s do this thing!

Three Good Things

1/ There was an elderly grandmother at the op shop with her granddaughter. She only spoke Urdu, so she was having trouble understanding that there was a special deal on kids’ toys - $6 for a big bag full. I could see she wanted to buy something for the little one, but was not sure of the cost. I tried to help her understand, but we were at a language impasse, despite much miming on my part. Then her son entered the store and I pounced on him and told him about the $6 bags. Ten minutes later they were checking out a huge bag of toys, little girl grinning broadly. The granny approached me and grasped both my hands to say thank you for the help. Grannies looking out for grannies is what I’m all about.
2/ Watching birds land on the tippy top branches of the neighbour’s leafless tree. It’s like a winter x-ray!
3/ A little boy standing at the jewellery counter at Saver’s telling his dad “I want a watch that ticks! Not a digital watch. A PROPER watch.”

Exterior of Beatrix Potter's cottage viewed through the garden at Hill Top and Hawkshead, Cumbria©National Trust Images/Annapurn

one/ Was Beatrix Potter the original queen of cottage core? (Adjacent - Nightiecore is a new old thing now.)
two/ What you lose when you stop reading physical books.
three/ Speaking more languages may help slow brain ageing.
four/ I loved reading Laura Marling’s account of that slippery concept of ‘home’.
five/ First look at the impending new adaptation of My Brilliant Career.

six/ Adelene Koh’s amazing bookbinding skills are something to behold.
seven/ “More than 30 Aboriginal language custodians have released a statement on keeping Northern Territory Indigenous languages strong.”
eight/ Caitlan Moran has a new podcast about gardening and it’s very alottmenty and cottagey and funny.
nine/ Parents say the darndest things.
ten/ This Falafel Salad looks nutritious. As does Bang Bang Chicken Salad (found via Foodie Crush.) One Pot Pasta Primavera looks veggie packed and yum. I vote yes to Focaccia Sandwiches! Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars look cheerfully decadent. From the same source: have a crepe day! Burnt Honey Salad Dressing (via Joy the Baker) sounds very, very good - here it is in a tomato salad. Chilli Crisp Triple Cheese Toasties for a cosy and decadent night in. This Thai Inspired Corn Salad looks delish, also.

eleven/ A new KrisAtomic video is always a treat!
twelve/ This marble pillow is a delight.
thirteen/ A beautiful long read (grab a cuppa) - My Almond Archive - “A tree can tell you the story of a family, of past care and present abandonment, and of visions of the future. Of what it was, and what it might yet be. Anti-inflammatory, emollient, soothing, refreshing.”
fourteen/ I loved peeking inside this airy Portuguese cottage.
fifteen/ Lucy Sparrow sewed a supermarket! (Below)

sixteen/ How about going on a reading retreat?!
seventeen/ Brighter days are linked to better sleep, according to science.
eighteen/ Bureau Betek crafted an enchanted garden for Chanel.
nineteen/ Great archival photos of Martha Stewart and her various homes. (Top and below.)
twenty/ Author Susanna Clark’s fascinating Piranesi back story. (She has ME/CFS like me!)
twenty-one/ (Thanks Kate for this recommendation!) A summer/winter mending checklist, so you’ll never be caught short.
twenty-two/ The mother and daughter behind a charming cooking school in France.

Around the grounds

It’s been a week of family lawn mowing (my front lawn was going nuts!), Duplo playing (I found a bunch of zoo-themed Duplo for June), oven replacing (Rin’s oven was out of action, so their landlords installed a new one) and Saver’s catch-ups (the family that shops together tops together!) Among the Duplo was a crocodile with a mouth that opens and shuts, so June and I spent a bit of time together singing ‘Open, Shut Them’ and opening and closing the toy’s toothy snout. She was very impressed with the teeth, and less impressed with the snap the closing mouth made!

What podcasts have you been listening to?

I’m nearly all of the way through Love Trapped and it’s mortifying, but also I don’t know WHAT to think about Laura … Have you listened? No spoilers plz. Also keeping up with The Solo Bureau, as usual. It’s mint.

Do you remember …
These?! (below) via

Joke of the week

What do you call a pig who knows karate?
A pork chop!

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Hello! How has your weekend been/how is your weekend going? It’s been cool and foggy and damp here in Melbourne. Perfect weather for cosy cuppas, nourishing soups and warming blankets. Not long until we’re halfway through winter, friends! Just a hop, skip and a jump, really …

Three Good Things

1/ I’m reading a magical-realism genre book and it’s the perfect diversion from the actual world.
2/ The herbs in my backyard are loving the cooler weather and doing so well - coriander, mint, Greek basil, oh my!
3/ Re-watching the Australian drama Tangle in the evenings. In bed. In cosy pjs. With the electric blanket turned to (2).

one/ I think we all might need a Thinking Book?
two/ Gorgeous new nature-themed fabrics from Liberty of London. (Above)
three/ Is there anything cuter than a boy and a lamb having a snoozy snuggle together? (Top)
four/ TV identity Alan Carr bought a castle and he’s auctioning a bunch of its contents this weekend.
five/ Can you even believe this show-stopping photo of a fox and a crab?

six/ I really love the new spin Lisa Gorman has brought to Kikki.K (e.g. Above)
seven/ Oh, to have an expansive children’s library at home! Gasp.
eight/ The hidden up-side of being disappointed: “Disappointment can be an important fuel for creativity. It surfaces what we truly desire, clarifies what matters to us, and points us toward what we are not yet willing to accept.”
nine/ The incredible former estate of actress Jean Harlowe is up for grabs - and for a stickybeak.

ten/ Yum → Grilled Corn and Pasta Salad. How about DIY-ing some Kewpie-style Mayonnaise? The Cinnamon Tea Cake I’m making this week (because they don’t make my family favourite boxed version anymore!) Cucumber and Chickpea Slaw with Sesame Dressing? Related: Soy and Scallion Noodles look like good, simple lunch fodder (with a splotch of sriracha, perhaps? - Below.) Honey Curry Roasted Cauliflower? (Above) Or some cosy Miso Mushroom Bucatini, even? Hearty Lentil and Bacon Soup (I’m making that this week!) Leite’s Morning Buns look like a must-bake.

eleven/ I love these! Delicious treats made from … GLASS!
twelve/ A vending machine aimed at vegetable-fancying cross-stitchers? I’m all for it!
thirteen/ This thread is so funny. Snort.
fourteen/ Of course Harry Styles was shouting fans flowers from a very gorgeous florist the other day.
fifteen/ This might be the prettiest book I saw all week. Straight to the wishlist! (Below)

sixteen/ I can NOT WAIT TO WATCH the new Little House series. It’s imminent!
seventeen/ Actor Joan Cusack has been running the cutest gift shop for over a decade.
eighteen/ ‘The beach was, and still is, an aboriginal space.’ Artist Billy Bain’s colourful clay sculptures represent a counter-image to the bronzed Aussie beachgoer.
nineteen/ Can you knit or crochet for NICU babies and mums who need a cosy hand?
twenty/ The new series of Blue Lights (Season 4) is on the way too!

Around the grounds

This week June and I have been playing with Duplo. I put the blocks together and she pulls them apart. It’s the perfect partnership. I also found a wooden double-decker London bus at the op shop (like this one) and Rin sent me a video of June loading it up with little wooden people passengers and ‘Broom Broom!-ing’ it across her playroom floor. So cute.

What podcasts have you been listening to?

I listened to an episode of Conversations where Beverley Wang interviewed a poet who lived at the Abbotsford Convent as a young girl. It was so interesting (and I’m sure an optimistic story when not all were so.) I’ve also been loving The Solo Bureau (as mentioned here last week!) And I’ve got this episode of Katherine May’s podcast at the top of my queue.

Do you remember …
These?! via

Silly joke of the week

Which bird is always out of breath?
A puffin!

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[ Above - Zephyr House locale ]

Hello! Sunday already, friends? It’s okay because there are good things going on in the midst of these complex days.

Three Good Things

1/ The other day I rolled the cuffs of my jeans down and lawn clippings from the garden tipped all over my bedroom floor.

2/ A man walking down Sydney Road at 10am today with a large Happy Birthday balloon that was bobbing with each step.

3/ I found a beautiful book about origami at the op shop this week and I can’t stop looking at it.

And the non-sh*t things for this week are …

one/ This. Is. Hilarious. Real animals that look fake.
two/ This story about the necklace from The Bride of Frankenstein made my week.
three/ After a brain injury Cheryl Blacklock turned to art, her brain creating new pathways and the resulting works delighting everyone.
four/ Hot on the heels of her popular book club, recording artist Dua Lipa is establishing her own library in Portugal; ‘Here you will find one hundred books that ask questions, or have been questioned. Some have been banned by school districts for themes of race or sexuality.’
five/ I can’t stop looking at Katarzyna Stróżyńska Goraj’s sketchbooks.

six/ I’m very excited about the new Klara and the Sun film. (Above) I really enjoyed the book.
seven/ One to look out for: There’s a new ABC drama in the works, due out on Disney+ next year. It’s called The Great White and it stars Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, Sacha Horler and more excellent types. Meanwhile, another Australian production, The Killings At Parrish Station has just landed on Stan.
eight/ This will make you snort. ‘Why don’t we pronounce the “MEOW” in homeowner?‘
nine/ How NOT to downgrade your cherished hobbies into work.
ten/ The correct way to wash vegetables, according to a Chinese mum. Apple Kimchi sounds and looks delicious. Anyone for Corn Croque Monsieur? Whipped Mozzarella with Garlicky Cherry Tomatoes? (Below) YUM! My gosh yes to Strawberry Banana Bread. Marinated Radishes are a good idea, right?

eleven/ My goodness have you ever heard of SAND CATS? They are so interesting and weird and cute.
twelve/ ‘How a night in the Swedish forest healed my inner 14-year-old.’
thirteen/ I think you’ll like the cute and colourful works of Anne-Julie Dudemaine.
fourteen/ How to make a junk journal. In case you’re feeling crafty.
fifteen/ How nostalgic and great is this new social-media-free flip phone?

sixteen/ A man ‘hand barnacled’ his home in Brittany and it’s incredible and you must look this minute. (Above)
seventeen/ And while we’re in the region, this French shop is full of pretty, homey things.
eighteen/ ‘Did you pack the parmesan?’
nineteen/ A NEW Pippi Longstocking series is in the works, pals!
twenty/ Need somewhere beautiful to stay in Tasmania? (Below and Top)

Around the grounds

All is well in my little family. Everyone is on the mend from various illnesses and we have all caught up/bumped into each other at various times this week. I have read about 34 board books to little June over the last few days, a bit of a catch up because I wasn’t able to visit them all when they were ill. Well. I did visit and drop off various toys and groceries and things, but I didn’t go inside! June has started to say CAT instead of DAT when she points to the two felines at her house. (Their names are Nancy and Tony.)

What podcasts have you been listening to?

I listened to one about Paula Yates this week. (I followed her closely back in the day.) And also this timely episode of Only Fran. And I have been liking the newsy The Solo Bureau. I also followed along with The Case of: the Isis Brides, and Unravel: What Became of Jack. How about you? Any recommendations for us all/me?! I’m all ears/eyes.

Silly joke of the week

Which cheese can you disguise a horse with?
Mascarpone!

Also - part of my signoff fell off last week, so apologies for leaving you hanging!

Wishing you a week full of gentle goodness, cute everyday surprises and comfort, pals. See you back here soon.

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Welcome and welcome back, friends. I’m so glad to see you here!

This week’s Three Good Things …

1/ The winter solstice was yesterday so the days will lengthen slowly from today.
2/ A pair of currawongs are chortling in the neighbour’s nearly leafless tree.
3/ Buying two new pens and a Spirax A5 notebook (my favourite size) from Officeworks the other day. #LittleTreats

… & the Non-Sh*t Things …

NB: Substack is being weird, so some links are not showing as highlighted text, while others are. Just hover over the text and you will find the link.

one/ The My Neighbour Totoro stage show looks incredible. (Above)
two/ Helpful → How to write a novel in 33 days.
three/ A Call The Midwife prequel mini-series is underway. Hurrah!
four/ I loved taking a peek at these old photos of Nicole Kidman on the set of Dead Calm (such a good film!!) (Above)
five/ Can you even believe these embroidered paper sculptures exist?! (Below by Diana Beltrán Herrera)

six/ Did you spot these amazing Arthur Boyd tapestries on the ABC this week?
seven/ A former potato farm has been transformed into a 104-hectare bird sanctuary. More of this please. (And out, bird flu, OUT.)
eight/ Let’s visit an apiary with beekeeper George.
nine/ A little thread on favourite (and least favourite) foodie memoirs.
ten/ A helpful guide to good soy sauces and their uses. This Gochujang Crispy Rice and Avocado Salad looks delish. And Lemon Pistachio Cake sounds so good. Cha Siu Grilled Chicken to sling beside a couple of salads. Or whip up some cosy Chicken Parm Meatballs, perhaps? This Zucchini and Potato Lasagne is the stuff that dreams are made of. Also boxed cake mix is not cheating.

eleven/ OF COURSE Dolly Parton has released a coffee line with the best ever name.
twelve/ Fifteen flowers that bloom at night.
thirteen/ A writer and editor’s lovely London digs.
fourteen/ Clever farm dogs have been trained to chase/herd pesky seagulls away from waterfront areas of Sydney.

Tilly the seagull chasers. (ABC News: Greg Bigelow)

fifteen/ Labyrinth at 40: An Oral History … “We’d just had a showing of The Dark Crystal in San Francisco. In the back of the limousine, Jim said: “Should we do another one?” I said: “What about goblins?” Jim’s eyes lit up.”

sixteen/ ‘How iconic TV chefs Julia Child, Martha Stewart and Nigella Lawson’s kitchens continue to inspire us.’
seventeen/ I found us a lovely little house down at Walkerville, Gippsland (aka Magic Beach.) I’ll put the $8 I won last night in Tattslotto towards it.
eighteen/ There’s a fully stocked corner store floating in Toronto’s harbour.
nineteen/ Twenty-two brilliant online stationery shops for geeks like me.
twenty/ Wouldn’t you just love to stay on this tucked away tiny boat?
twenty-one/ Let’s go house-hunting in Italy!

Around the grounds

Everyone’s been sick or is getting sick this week, so it’s pretty quiet around the grounds. I did catch up with Ari for an op shop run or two, though. And we had a coffee together at Choukette, which is always such a treat. There was a wee girl sitting at an adjacent table with her mum and grandpa. She was clutching a dolly and swinging her tiny Croc’d feet under the table and I instantly began googling ‘Crocs for toddlers’ because June needs some, I think.

What tv/movies have you been enjoying?

I got a week’s free Britbox when I sent my sick eldest kid some pastries from Simply Mike’s via UberEats, so I have Litvinenko and The Woman In the Wall cued up to watch this week. (Have you seen either?)

Silly joke of the week

What’s a bee’s favourite musical?
Stingin’ In the Rain!

Wishin you a gentle and fun week, friends.

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Let’s go!

This week’s Three Good Things …

1/ Ranunculi popping up all over the blinking place in my back yard.
2/ My little bestie June signing and saying ‘more’ when she wants to keep the game going.
3/ Eating one Baci chocolate (my faves!) with my cup of tea each afternoon.

… & the Non-Sh*t Things …

one/ A woman who helped an injured crow is now receiving thank you gifts from said crow’s bird friends.
two/ Maybe you need to Tucci-fy the week ahead, friend?
three/ ‘My family has lived near here for 300 years – no wonder it feels like home.’
four/ I quite fancy one of these clever umbrellas, to tell you the truth!
five/ Of COURSE you’re interested in looking at photos of women in trees, aren’t you?!

six/ Yes, these are the cutest (and biggest) vegetables you ever will see.
seven/ The swishest places for pets to stay around the world.
eight/ In what started as an April Fool’s joke and quickly got ‘serious’, Chupa Chup and IKEA have collaborated on … checks notes … a MEATBALL flavoured lollipop. Apparently it’s meat-free too.
nine/ Take a peek into a French illustrator’s pretty cottage, if you like.
ten/ Cinnamon Crumb Banana Bread looks incred. Or whip up some of these Rye Chocolate Brownies? Blanket Dumplings are the cosy-easy trend we all need to jump on (below.) Sundried Tomato Hummus is a delicious variation on the usual theme. Vegetarian Souvlaki for a weeknight dinner, anyone? Or a cosy supper of Country Potatoes? And this Pico de Gallo Rice Bowl looks excellent too.

eleven/ Have you seen this amazing waterfront Wuhan hotel before? It’s the stuff that fairy tales are made of.
twelve/ If you’re friendly with birds like I am, you might love taking a peek at this beautiful book.
thirteen/ Beloved green thumb Edna Walling’s former home is up for sale.
fourteen/ Recording artist Gracie Abrams charmingly makes martinis and braised leeks in this cute video.
fifteen/ Lizzie Harper’s at it again, this time painting beautiful bumblebees. (Below)

sixteen/ A bunch of ways you can nurture social resilience and foster a kinder society.
seventeen/ ‘Farmers in a national park are turning down lights at night to help wildlife ...’
eighteen/ How to make your garden smell lovely thanks to climbing plants.
nineteen/ Historic pics of elevator girls attending charm school, just for fun. (Below)
twenty/ A pair of osprey’s have been nesting and mating in the same spot in the Daintree Rainforest’s canopy for 15 odd years … and there’s an Osprey Cam!

Around the ground

There are a bunch of gents in the room beyond me now, including my two sons. They’re laughing and cheering intermittently, as they play Magic The Gathering and eat corn chips and drink drinks. It’s very nice to have a houseful for the afternoon. I don’t really know what Magic The Gathering entails, but it seems to be very fun.

What book/s have you been enjoying?

I am reading one of my favourite genres, a farm memoir. It’s a book published in 1960 titled A Croft In The Hills by Katharine Stewart and I am enjoying it so much. I recently finished The Farmer’s Wife, too, so clearly I am escaping to the country more often than not! One of my other favourites in this canon is The Sheep Stell. Have you read that one?

Silly joke of the week

When will the baby snake arrive?
I don’t know, but he won’t be long!

Wishing you the best sort of week ahead, with plenty of time for good snacks, good reads, good people and good feelings.

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Hello! So glad you have popped back to read about some okay things! Let’s do that …

Three Good Things

1/ The pure relief of a hot bath with fragrant Epsom salts.
2/ A warm, fluffy scone with raspberry jam and cream.
3/ Tugging on cosy UGG boots in the morning darkness.

one/ Molly Devlin’s incredible artworks made from fronds and flowers. A must-see. (Above)
two/ A couple of gorgeous ‘shacks’ for your Tassie winter holiday, perhaps? (Top image)
three/ The one-hundred greatest bird names of all time … Welcome Macaroni Penguin!
four/ The winners of the 2026 World Food Photography Awards are in.
five/ How gorgeous is this home in my old stomping ground of Clifton Hill?!

six/ A new wrong-com series featuring Flight of the Conchords lead Jemaine Clement and lights and sirens favourite Nicola Walker has just landed.
seven/ A painting bought in a charity shop for $100 just sold for £190,000!
eight/ ‘Come to a dinner in my tiny apartment.’
nine/ ‘A cross-country road trip with my dog pulled me out of a post-divorce funk.’

ten/ How about whipping up some Panda Express Style Super Greens? (Above) Ricotta with Honey, Toasted Walnuts and Oranges sounds impeccable. Smashed Cucumber and Avocado Salad might be in your future? Or even Snow-pea and Avocado Salad? (Below) Spicy Salmon Sushi Bowls sound more-ish. Make some old-fashioned Cheese Scones. The science of charred fruit.

eleven/ You might love these incredible nature-inspired artworks crafted from paper.
twelve/ Bumblebees are excellent problem solvers, according to scientists.
thirteen/ A couple of useful writing exercises that encourage self acceptance.
fourteen/ How male bowerbirds capture the attention of their mates with special gifts.
fifteen/ These old photos of then it couple Melissa Gilbert and Rob Lowe are gold. (Below)

sixteen/ A cautionary tale → Ducks!
seventeen/ Science and nature themed books to consider reading in June.
eighteen/ A swept-away dog was rescued from an island 800 metres from shore.
nineteen/ Violet Cabin has been posting some beautiful and bolstering imagery lately (Below.)
twenty/ Cibi owner Meg Tanaka reflects on the changes she’s seen in one of Melbourne’s oldest suburbs (aka Collingwood!)
twenty-one/ Buy yourself a canal barge, perhaps? It’s so cosy inside! (It’s the second search result on this page, but was loading independently for me.)

Around the grounds

It’s been a fairly quiet week over here, but I can report that June can now say “up”, “happy” and “apple”, mostly by saying the same sort of sound. It’s an “Uahhppp” kind of thing and is applied where up, happy and/or apple might normally be. Quite the baby shorthand, non?! She’s also very much into “more”, “thank you” and “all done”, mispronounced slightly due to baby type reasons. We’ve also been learning about “stop” and “go” when we are playing together, and she’s very pleased to have the power to STOP me from doing things. She likes to scowl, rather than stay “stop” but it gets the message across perfectly. Then she smiles when I am allowed to “go” again. Non-verbal comms for the win! Further, she is very much into Incy Wincy Spider, which I think is a very good thing.

What TV have you been enjoying?

I have been watching ridiculous amounts of Bondi Rescue on the 7Plus free streaming service. I’ve spoken about this before, but there is something very life-affirming about the good deeds and life-saving this show depicts. It’s important to remember that so many people are motivated to help others, during these tough times, I feel.

Silly joke of the week

What do you call a pair of bananas?
Slippers!

Hope this week is a good one for you, dear reader. May your bed always be the exact right level of cosiness for you!

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Hello friends of good stuff! Here’s this week’s missive …

Three Good Things

1/ Buying a croissant and a cinnamon scroll to deliver to my very tired mum-to-a-night-waking-toddler daughter. (From Simply Mikes.)
2/ Watching a fat little orange-beaked blackbird hopping along the fence when I arrived back from an early outing this morning.
3/ Making a giant vegetable curry (with tofu and chickpeas) and eating it with toast for a bunch of cosy meals this week.

one/ Can you believe Dior has teamed up with Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar for a bonkers-pricey fashion collection? (Above.)
two/ A man keeps getting unexpected grocery deliveries and it’s for a very good reason.
three/ If you’ve ever wanted to live in a 170+ year-old lighthouse, here’s your chance.
four/ Remembering to play is the key to nurturing creativity.
five/ The new Kate Moss/Lucien Freud bio pic sounds interesting.

six/ Artist Lizzie Harper’s amazing apple blossom illustrations (above.)
seven/ A bunch of kind ladies are knitting bears for their local fire service to pass onto the kids they meet in the line of duty.
eight/ Why do pigeons have such a good sense of direction? Science knows.
nine/ I love this! Kids drawings are being turned into functional, sustainable objects.
ten/ Around the World in Eighty Meatballs. Pistachio and Apricot Overnight Oats sounds super yum. Love the look of this Lunchbox Sandwich. How about Roast Chicken au Poivre with Chips. A simple Rhubarb Compote to consider. One hundred and eleven nearly no cook dinners. Make some Little Snake Cookies, perhaps? Bean, Lentil and Quinoa Chilli looks comforting, right?

eleven/ Are there two versions of Gen X?
twelve/ In just one year, scientists have discovered over 1000 newly identified marine life species.
thirteen/ Imagine staying in this beautiful Italian monastery hotel! Swoon.
fourteen/ If you’re looking for bookish inspiration, here’s ten chonky intergenerational stories to consider reading.
fifteen/ How great are these inflatable installations popping up around The Hague? (Below)

sixteen/ I’m rewatching The Durrells as my afternoon quiet time watch, and very much want to stay in their villa (above.) (It’s unavailable until May 2028)
seventeen/ Five brilliant women collectors and their excellent collections.
eighteen/ A bunch of helpful food budgeting hacks from the geniuses over at Reddit (via Salon.)
nineteen/ Did you know there’s a typeface based on the concept of doctors’ terrible chicken scratch handwriting?!
twenty/ How spending time in nature can help mitigate loneliness.
twenty-one/ An artist’s cosy New York home is the stuff dreams are made of.

Around the grounds

I’ve just returned from feeding my youngest’s three cats while he and his partner are away at Phillip Island. The cats were very pleased to see me. Marcie greeted me at the door. Bea thumped off the sofa and through my legs. Oscar stared me down as I took way too long to spoon his food into his bowl. I visited Rin (my eldest) and June (her toddler daughter) yesterday and read Oh Dear to her three times, which she loved. I also read The Crayons’ Book of Feelings and was instructed to express each feeling on my face, as that’s what June expects. It was very cute and hilarious, and June studied my face and the pages to make sure I was holding up my end of the bargain.

What app have you been enjoying?

I downloaded DuoLingo again after hearing about the health benefits of learning a language on the radio the other day. I’m starting with Italian because June’s paternal grandparent is Italian and I think it’d be cute to speak to her in Italian. The other paternal grandparent is Greek, but Greek seems HARD to learn. I might be wrong.

Silly joke of the week

How do you make toast in the jungle?
Put it under a g’rilla.

Hope you’re faring okay during these often bumpy days, dear reader. See you back here very soon. Thanks for reading.

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Hello! Hey! Hi!

Three Good Things

1/ A fluffy little tail disappearing under my car the other night as I crept out into the dark to put rubbish in the bin.
2/ Hearing two older women chatting at the deli counter this morning. They were laughing about the horrors of using farm toilets when they were kids. (They said they were long drop loos … ugh!)
3/ I’m reading a book that I’m loving, recommended by a friend. It’s my ‘bath book’ and I imagine I’m in Ireland wearing Aran knits, when in reality I’m in deep in Epsom salts instead.

And the non-sh*t things …

one/ One of my favourite artists, David Shrigley, talks about his home: “A lot of my life revolves around caring for an elderly dog,” says David. “A good start to the day is when she hasn’t peed the bed.”
two/ Ten uses for a pocket notebook to keep you off your phone.
three/ Which birds ‘flirt’ by clapping in the middle of the night?
four/ How not to dwell on the past: “We can never go back,” bell hooks wrote. “We can go forward.”
five/ Moomins have taken over Central Park, friends. Gosh so summery and mischievous.

six/ Where does Kylie Minogue live? A little peek into her property portfolio.
seven/ I’m sure you’ll be tempted to participate in this super cool treasure hunt. (Below)

eight/ All the dogs of my life: “We encounter each of her dogs in turn, fourteen of them in all, across four countries, through childhood, two husbands, five children, countless house guests, and a world war.”

nine/ How the knotty genius of macrame helped one woman navigate her cancer journey: “One knot at a time, it gave me something steady to return to when everything else felt uncertain.

ten/ Old-fashioned Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting are exactly my cup of tea. Cosy Herb and Cheese Scones, to sidle up to your favourite bowl of soup. Maybe warm up with a Moscow Mule, friends? Ottolenghi talks rhubarb and I’m listening because YUM. Perhaps you, like me, fancy some Broccoli Rubble Pasta? Also? Greek Pasta Salad looks delish. I’ve bookmarked this Italian Pot Roast to make this week.

eleven/ What ‘childlore’ do you still remember? “I taught my 6 yo daughter “crack an egg on your head” the other night at bedtime, and she got so excited she immediately fled the bedroom and did it to her dad and sister.”

twelve/ SUCH a helpful Reddit thread → What purchase under $30 solved a problem you didn’t realize was draining you?

thirteen/ I watched a short clip of this (also below) on Instagram, but it’s worth watching the whole thing on YouTube (skip to 14.24 if you’re impatient, but it’s better not to.) Very uplifting and why do things like this make us cry?! Hopefully he comes to Australia again soon (he was here in December last year.)

fourteen/ I love this! Eighty year-old Philippa Abela’s secrets learned from a lifetime making Maltese-style cheese in regional Queensland.
fifteen/ The amazing work of The Crochet Painter (below).

sixteen/ A new species of fish has been discovered and it’s named for its doppelganger Snuffleupagus. They really are twinning!
seventeen/ Helpful: How to make a living as an artist.
eighteen/ Is this even real?! (Below)

nineteen/ Let us spray: The best perfume shops in Paris, for your fragrant consideration.
twenty/ Alison ‘Snowy’ Campbell painted interiors inspired by Bunny Mellon’s home and they are so beautiful. (Below painting by Snowy Campbell)

Around the grounds

After months of saying different things like 'wah ee ee' and 'what ee et', (my granddaughter) June has triumphed and can now say 'what is it?' almost perfectly. She must be so pleased after all these weeks of saying it HER way and not being quite there. I don't know how babies manage, really. It must be so frustrating when you brain is ahead of your body. Anyway, 'what is it?' really sums up her attitude to the world. So interested. Always gasping and pointing and waving and nodding and clapping. It's the very cutest thing I ever did see. I have much to learn from this attitude!

What have you been watching?

I watched the Kylie Minogue documentary on Netflix and I LOVED it so much. I especially loved how Nick Cave contextualised Kylie’s cultural significance so wholeheartedly. And of course the Kylie and Michael era. Sob. I cried intermittently - which I think is good and cathartic - and was prompted to begin another rewatch of The Secret Life of Us last night because I last saw Kylie live across the road from that rooftop location, at The Palais.

Silly joke of the week

What do you call a donkey with three legs?
A WONKEY!

… Hope your week is sunlight and sweet thing-filled, dear reader. See you back here next Sunday.

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Welcome! Or welcome back! Let’s dive in …

Three Good Things

1/ The tree outside my bedroom window is switching from green to orange, red and yellow and it’s a delight to see where it’s up to each day.
2/ The ranunculi I planted a few weeks ago are popping up in their garden bed, promising a lush patch of greenery and blooms come Spring.
3/ I made a loaf of banana bread this week and there’s nothing much nicer than having a wodge with a big cup of tea in the late afternoon.

And the non-sh*t things …

one/ Did you hear about the kindergarten teacher that became caretaker to a couple of hundred penguins.
two/ The very scientific reason that chips from you mate’s plate taste better.
three/ Matt Dillon’s lowkey career as a visual artist. (Found via Wardrobe Oxygen)
four/ Eleven ways of looking at the world: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
five/ A bunch of gorgeous photos of a young Jane Seymour. (eg below)

six/ The beautiful bird and bloom themed works of Vasilisa Romanenko. (Above - click through for a bunch more.)
seven/ I love the idea of a ‘Grandma Stand’! So chatty and cute.
eight/ Are these the 100 best novels of all time, do you think?
nine/ Some helpful tips on managing your energy when life feels like one long episode of burnout.
ten/ A delicious-sounding Vanilla Bean Cheesecake for your consideration or even this Pineapple Banana Bread. One Pan Chicken Spanakopita Pie = cosy. How about a Rhubarb Tart, perhaps? (Previous two recipes found at Foodie Crush.) Lemon Myrtle Butter Biscuits look so comforting (top) or Raspberry Cookies (below.) As do these Greek Yoghurt Buns. Caprese Pasta Salad looks like an excellent go-to. Or maybe Bang Bang Tofu, to spice up your dinnertime?

eleven/ A pair of FAINTING GOATS has arrived in Australia, friends. What?!
twelve/ How cake can connect family, even across great distances.
thirteen/ Engaging with art and crafts may slow biological aging, according to science.
fourteen/ A bunch of chatter about the importance of COUSINS!
fifteen/ A new book of poetry inspired by Emily Brontë’s … hawk Nero.

sixteen/ Is Sarah Raven’s home and garden the prettiest you’ve ever seen? (Above … and it’s time to plant your tulip bulbs if you are in Australia!)
seventeen/ Could writing for wellbeing be practised as a rejection of AI.
eighteen/ How avoiding plastic when you grocery shop for just ONE MONTh can impact your sustainability habits long term.
nineteen/ ‘That quilt serves as a daily reminder of all the goodness in this world’
twenty/ A very happy (slightly belated) birthday to Mrs Dalloway.
twenty-one/ A 126 year-old Cadbury chocolate bar is up for auction, friends!
twenty-two/ I LOVE this story about battered copies of Stephanie Alexander’s The Cook’s Companion. (Norman Day’s copy below and more at the link.)

Around the grounds

I popped into the op shop (thrift store?) today and picked up a bag of little wooden circus figurines like these ones (also below) but there are around 30 different ones. There was a strong man and some acrobats, clowns, lions and monkeys, a snake (circus snakes are surely a thing?!) and tigers too. I took them over to my little granddaughter’s house and she was delighted with them, making various animal sounds and entertaining her parents, aunty and uncle no end.

What have you been cooking?

I made a delicious vegetable soup using this old favourite recipe. And I also made a cream of cauliflower soup because apparently it’s Soupy Days. I also made a big chicken curry which crossed off a bunch of meals for our household this week. And banana bread (I use the PWMU banana cake recipe.) And scones. I made scones today too!

Silly joke of the week

What do you get when you cross a centipede with a parrot?
A walkie-talkie.

Wishing you the best sort of week, dear friends. May it be full of small, good, comforting things.

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Three Good Things

1/ Making a little Mother’s Day gift bundle for my eldest - a memoir she wanted to read, a block of Tony’s Chocolonely, two pairs of socks from Gorman and a collagen face mask.
2/ Seeing two little kids rollicking down Sydney Road, Coburg dressed for karate.
3/ A pair of currawongs warbling around my garden most days.

one/ What adults lose when they put down children’s books.
two/ What happens when someone throws a message in a bottle into the sea? (Found via)
three/ Of course we should all be BLOOMSCROLLING!
four/ Speaking of which, how bringing flowers into your house might impact mood.
five/ Have you seen the trailer for the new Anthony Bourdain biopic? →

six/ Ten movies that highlight the best in humanity.
seven/ Why do dogs tilt their heads when they’re listening/observing?
eight/ Gorgeous Michelle Pfeiffer during her pageant queen days.
nine/ A collection of well-made apps and websites to peruse.
ten/ Adam Liaw’s Chorizo with Lentils and Rice sounds good. As does Marion’s Creamy Tomato Miso Chicken. Baked Italian Sliders look comforting, don’t they? Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars are just the sort of genius we expect from Smitten Kitchen. Some excellent savoury platter inspiration for the week ahead (top image). A cosy-looking Rhubarb and Ginger Cake to consider. Or some Homemade Hobnobs, even?

eleven/ A pretty selection of vintage botanic-alia (actual made-up word) to save and print.
twelve/ The latest Australian GIANT SQUID news is exciting!
thirteen/ A new moth species has just been named after Pope Leo.
fourteen/ Back when French children scoffed half a litre of wine at lunchtime.

fifteen/ Inside the world of Australia’s super-keen model horse collectors. So cute!
sixteen/ The most colourful coffee maker you ever did see!
seventeen/ A bunch of True Crime podcasts for those who are into that kinda thing.
eighteen/ Perhaps you want to make yourself a little zine?
nineteen/ Do you know the origin story of Van Halen’s smoking cherub album cover?
twenty/ How small adventures change the way things feel →

Around the grounds

It’s Mother’s Day today in Australia (and other places), so my eldest (daughter) and the youngest in our family (little June, my granddaughter) went to yum cha together … or as we like to call it MUMCHA. We had such a lovely time and June managed a whole hour sitting in the highchair, being entertained by the passing carts of steaming deliciousness. High recommend.

When we went home, June and I played a game where we made a pathway out of flat wooden toy stepping stones and then I marched one of her little toy horses along it and she guffawed at the horse’s trotting along EVERY SINGLE TIME I DID IT. So THAT was rewarding. For all, really ...!

What are you watching?

I’m finally getting around to watching the very sweary and silly and brilliant comedy-mystery DEADLOCH. Many laugh out loud moments, many familiar Tasmanian locations, thoroughly loving it and I’ve only finished the first season.

Silly joke of the week

Why is swimming with sharks so expensive?
Because it could easily cost you an arm and a leg!

Hoping your week ahead is the very best it can be, dear reader. I’ve just made a batch of scones, so I’m already ahead.

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(Photo by Terry O’Neill, via The Hollywood Reporter)

Three Good Things

1/ I made scones yesterday and had them with jam (ON THE BOTTOM) and cream (ON THE TOP) and a giant cup of tea. YUM!
2/ It’s been raining a lot in Melbourne today and the garden is pleased, the streets sparkly and awash. Perfect Sunday weather.
3/ My middle kid turned thirty and his work sang him happy birthday in front of a bunch of customers! Cute!

one/ A very entertaining debate pitting (open) sandwiches against (closed) sandwiches. Read the comments!
two/ Books that feel like spring cleaning for the mind. SUCH a good read.
three/ I hope you’re reading Nina Stibbe’s super-entertaining new Substack because it’s my favourite.
four/ The creative power of ‘deep hanging out’. *nods *
five/ This regional Queensland cooking group is healing hearts and fostering friendships: “The first [volunteer] she asked me ‘you live with whom?’ I said ‘by myself’. She said ‘here is your family. Anything happen to you, you come to this family.”

Kitchen Table by Caroline Walker (2025) Courtesy the Artist; GRIMM, Amsterdam/New York/London; Ingleby Gallery, Edinburgh; and Stephen Friedman Gallery, London and New York Photo: Isla Macer Law

six/ A new exhibition explores empire, love and loss through paintings of flowers from 1900s. (Above)
seven/ Monarch of the Glen is getting a female-led reboot! Also another Elin Hilderbrand novel - The Five-Star Weekend - is being adapted for the screen.
eight/ Ten incoming new kids’ books to keep an eye out for. #noted
nine/ I think you’ll love Cassandra Dias’ impressionist-inspired embroidered landscapes.
ten/ Korean Mixed Veggie Fritters are just my cup of tea. Or how about Roasted Broccoli Pasta Salad? Perhaps this Italian Potatoes and Tomatoes with Green Beans sounds like your kind of thing? I’ve bookmarked these Savoury Vegetable and Herb Buns for later. An amazing-looking Plum Cheesecake (below) to consider. Cheesy Pasta Pesto Bake sounds cosy. Passionfruit Lemon Condensed Milk Slice looks simple and delicious. And 17 make-ahead breakfast ideas sounds very, very helpful.

eleven/ How great are these classic lit-inspired table napkins?! (Above) (Found via Brontë Blog)
twelve/ The healing power of Orkney (according to writer Victoria Bennett.) [… there is something magical about the islands] … ‘something caught in the expanse of sea and sky, in the contrast of light and dark.’
thirteen/ It’s always a good time to check the PUFFIN CAM!
fourteen/ I spent way too long playing Cursor Camp, thanks to Kottke.
fifteen/ Laura K. Sayers’ hand-crafted postage stamps are a thing of beauty. (Below)

sixteen/ Did you see this article on Dominic West and Catherine Fitzgerald’s gorgeous garden? (Above)
seventeen/ A very good person rescued a moose that had fallen through ice and you need to see the pictures.
eighteen/ When We Move.

nineteen/ David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor sharing a ciggie in 1975. (Top image)
twenty/ An illustrator’s fairy tale hut in north-eastern Turkiye. Gasp. (Below)

Around the grounds

My (grown-up) kids are all doing a-okay and busy with their various life things. I caught up with them all during the week. I also saw June a few times this week and she’s in the thick of recovering from four immunisations and getting a bunch of teeth. She’s a bit wobbly and honestly I totally don’t blame her. This week she learned to throw her hands out at the same time as she raises her eyebrows and shakes her head. “Where is it?” is the very gesture-laden, non-verbal message and she’s very much into hiding and seeking various things, including herself.

What are you reading?

I picked up a copy of Maybe, Perhaps, Possibly by Joanna Glen from the op shop and I am LOVING it so far. It’s a nature-y, bird mentioning, windswept sort of grown-up fairy tale filled with isolated locations, cosy domestic details and quirky characters. High recommend. (I’m only up to page 78 but I expect to race through it.)

Silly joke of the week

What’s the best thing about Switzerland?
Well, the flag is a big plus!

Hoping the week ahead is full of your fave sorts of things.

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Photo above by Margo Evardson on Unsplash

Three Good Things

1/ I planted over 100 ranunculi corms in my backyard yesterday! Can not wait for them to all pop up, post-winter.
2/ Eating pumpkin soup in the garden on a sunny afternoon, dipping sesame seed-topped warm rolls as the birds hop about for the crumbs.
3/ Talking to my little sister on the phone for half an hour this morning.

one/ I love it that these nannas are knitting for elephants!
two/ Meals to take to a friend who’s in need of a boost.
three/ Someone found a $60 000 necklace at the thrift store … paying just $6.
four/ Ugly Pony Bread is Korea’s new favourite thing!
five/ You might love these incredible sea-creature and under water themed sculptures? (Below - by the ridiculously talented Lisa Stevens)

six/ Platypuses are even weirder than first thought, scientists admit.
seven/ If you’re into design, you might love this vintage bus pass collection.
eight/ Do you have any JOLLIFIERS at your place? They seem like a must-have to me.
nine/ Do you need some PANTRY PANTS?!
ten/ There are some excellent recipes in this collection (Vegan Black Bean Burgers! Chilli Chicken Caprese!) In praise of French-inspired roast chicken. This Cabbage Salad and Chicken Wing dinner is on my To Make list. Chetna’s Prawn Sandwich looks incredible. Do you want to make Lemon and Raspberry Muffins? I do. Baked Tortellini seems like a cosy dinner option.

eleven/ A new series is in production, recommended for fans of Blue Lights. Also? Another newbie - California Avenue - looks great too. And the new Virginia Woolf adaptation has revealed Lily Allen is part of the (great) cast.
twelve/ The incredible work of the Quechua weavers might be just the colourful delight you need today?

thirteen/ A bunch of vintage photos of people with their beloved pups.
fourteen/ A charming Welsh cottage and habit - “Now, I go on what I call ‘blanket walks.’ I’ll take a rug and walk about 500m with a friend, sit on the grass and watch the choughs …”
fifteen/ Set the table very, very beautifully with Butter Wakefield!

sixteen/ “David Malouf was a writer of wisdom, grace and generosity.”
seventeen/ If you live in Australia, maybe you want to put some shallots in the ground? Your foodie self with thank you later!
eighteen/ Download Pam’s little book of Pocket Crafts (free!) So cute, Pam! Thank you!
nineteen/ “A magical encounter with a brown hare.”
twenty/ I’m addicted to watching Ruth’s videos of Scotland and surrounds …

twenty-one - I updated my blog today too!

Around the grounds

Little June and Rin and I went to the zoo earlier in the week. It was so much fun and we were lucky enough to see the snow leopard cubs AND the newest little giraffe. June really liked the seals and the meerkats, and I can’t say I blame her. The lemurs were adorable too. We also managed to redirect a lost pre-schooler back to her family as she headed off on a solo trip toward the tiger enclosure. Gulp. Not all heroes wear capes, dear reader.

What are you reading?

I am absolutely LOVING How To Read a Book by Monica Wood. I’m listening to it via audiobook in the car and it’s so beautifully written. I’m also reading Nemesis, the next in a series by Patricia Wolf. Enjoying that very much too!

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Silly joke of the week

Why do some fish live in saltwater?
Because pepper makes them sneeze.

May the week ahead be dotted with good things, dear reader.

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Three Good Things

1/ Sipping a very cold glass of Prosecco as I write this newsletter.
2/ This sunny and crisp Melbourne afternoon.
3/ New seed packets arriving in the mail this week. I’m especially excited about the Snake’s Head Frittilary Mix!

one/ The world famous Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival is coming up, friends!
two/ I loved this! A local’s guide to touring Tasmania.
three/ Forget looksmaxxing … NONNAmaxxing is the best ‘new’ trend.
four/ What knitting can teach you about writing.
five/ A new adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is incoming.
six/ The bodega cats of New York are worth your time

seven/ This little seaside shack is a dream.
eight/ What could be better than following these Worldwide Sidewalk Joy Maps? (Found via Swiss Miss)
nine/ Matt Haig’s book The Midnight Library is being adapted for the screen too! As is The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole.
ten/ This Swiss Roll looks so delicious … YUM! The bubbliest and best focaccia I’ve seen in ages. And how about this Malaysian Style Spicy Roast Chicken? Irish Buttermilk Batch Bread looks like a good one for the kitchen rotation. Make fake-away Beef Chow Mein at home. These Avocado Tuna Wraps look good too. Or whip up a Broccoli Salad, even? Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars sound delicious. As do Stir Fried Peanut Noodles.

eleven/ The rise and rise of the neurodivergent hero in crime television.
twelve/ Mary Oliver’s advice on writing: “Look for verbs of muscle, adjectives of exactitude.”
thirteen/ So it seems these microbes could be pulling rain from the skies. Go nature!
fourteen/ These original illustrations of Winnie the Pooh are a delight.
fifteen/ There’s nothing more romantic than swans dancing, in my opinion.

sixteen/ Sneak a peek at Rama Duwaji’s creative work. (Above)
seventeen/ Classic old shots from the Demi Moore/Rob Lowe film About Last Night. (Top)
eighteen/ This is your brain on birdwatching.
nineteen/ Cate Blanchett is set to star as Martha Stewart in an upcoming biopic.
twenty/ A cosy London flat to get inspired by. (Below)

Around the grounds

This week swept all my kids up in various visits and catch-ups, which was great. I found June a cute board book about Tasmania at the op shop, so we read that a bunch of times this week. She was particularly interested in the Tasmanian devils (“wooh woof”) and the flowers (“hoh!”) and butterflies (“pat pat!”) featured in the illustrations. It’s actually a beautiful book. So colourful and engaging. Of course June needs to know about her Tasmanian heritage, so this was a good place to start!

What are you reading?

I am finishing off Opal as I reborrowed it from the library after I read too slowly and had to return it due to someone else reserving it. It depicts such a clever and dark Aussie noir premise. I think it’s the third in the series.

Silly joke of the week

What did the cheese say when it looked in the mirror?
Halloumi!

Hoping the week ahead is not too taxing, dear reader.

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