Storytime

Last week, as part of the school holiday program, the children helped me find George. I had footsteps leading from the front door of the library to the children's area, and once there we told stories about muddled-up and confused animals, and sang songs like the Ning Nang Nong (where the cows go bong). Then we made George. There was no right or wrong way of making George. Every child began with a paper plate body and a set of eyes. Then they got to create their very own George, choosing from-  rabbit ears fish tail frog's flippers dragon's tail wings  bird's beak teddy bear's snout monster feet feathers and hair It was wonderful to see the variety of animals created, where anything was possible. A George with wings, teddy bear's snout and fish tail, could fly, swim and be cuddly, all at the same time. To the children this all made sense. However,  a lot of parents where trying to tell their children they would HAVE to put on feathers if they ...

I"m a pessimist. Asked if the glass is either half empty or half full, I'm the one ready for a new drink because only a few drops remain in my glass. It is a hard way to live and I'm working on changing it. I read (and I can't remember when or where) about trying to find good things in your life,  to focus on ten a day. They don't have to be amazing, stand out significant things- just ten things that you noticed that day that added something special to it. For the past year or so, just before I go to sleep I think about five things that I noticed that day. Five things that added something special to my day. I have given myself rules. They can not be the same things night after night after night.e.g. my family are all safe and healthy. That's the easy way out. They have to be different each night and it doesn't matter how insignificant or minute they are. For example my five last night- were- and in no particular order- just the way I thought of them a...

E Take ten steps from my front door to the end of the deck and you discover the camelias. Lush glossy leaves all year round and when they flower... Beautiful aren't they? But if you solely focus on them, admire their form and colour, their ability to bring the birds- if you focus on them and don't look up, you miss this... The view. As writers we are famous for doing just this. Focusing on one small detail. Giving it such depth and  colour and life that it becomes the central focus of the story/ poem and we miss seeing it in context with the whole. With the bigger picture. My friend, Miss A, would talk about the 'coffee cup.' If reading a story and something stood out, something that was given such detail that the reader felt it was vital to the story-  lets call it a 'coffee cup'. If you described the coffee cup, the colour, the shape, the weight of it in the hand, whether it contained herbal tea, some basic Liptons, coffee, hot chocolate,  Milo or so...

Have you noticed that books are the new black? Open any home decorating magazine and there they are. A few artfully arranged tomes (usually on architecture or interior design) on a coffee table, or more dramatically, a tower of books acting as side table, perhaps with a lamp or orchid (white naturally) arranged on top. Some designers even place books in a bookcase- perhaps arranged by size or colour, or better yet, three books then a bowl on one shelf. Two object d-art and two books on the next.  Even flower arrangers are getting in on the act...as seen at last weekend's Melbourne Flower and Garden Show. But if like me, books are part of your life, there is nothing artistic about their arrangement. It's finding space for them all. We have books in the bookcase in my writing nook, books in the bookcase in the lounge room, books in the cupboard in the dining room, books in the computer cupboard, books on the top shelf of the linen cupboard, books in daughter's room and k...