Unless you haven’t noticed yet, every blog post has a title with R, E and D initials – the same as Read, Eat and Dream. Trying to make a cohesive, interesting and educational article with the three words is never easy – but it makes my writing brain really work hard.

So … if you are a writer, that would be called ‘a prompt’ and it is a good way to get your ideas beginning to flow. Whether you just make remarks about your every day life, or sit at the keyboard and compose a serious essay, it makes no difference – once you start it is always easier to keep going.

In my experience, any writing you do should come from a place of passion, and mine is that  every child should have the opportunity to learn. I try to achieve that in all my children’s books, even if they are clothed in a fantasy story. For example, my picture book ‘Dorothy Dog and the Dangerous Dragonfly’ (in the Alphabet Animals of Australia series) is about a dog that gets lost. I have projects in the back of the book (and every picture book I write in this series) that helps young children to understand the dangers of leaving the safety of home, as well as giving them ideas to follow up on insects, dog breeds, traffic rules and more.                                                         ( getBook.at/DDDDE )

However, that isn’t all my blog is about – that’s the ‘READ’ part – but what about the ‘EAT’?

One of my joys, is growing food and then harvesting, cooking and preserving that harvest.

Here is a favourite use of potatoes when you have a glut of them. And that happens often when you grow food. Next time remind me to tell you what you do with zucchinis (courgettes)

Boston Bun:

1 ½ cup mashed potatoes

1 cup SR flour

1 cup wholemeal flour

¾ cup sugar

1 tspn salt

1 ½ cup mixed dried fruit/sultanas

1 cup milk.

Icing:

1 cup icing sugar

1 tspn vanilla essence

1-2 tblspns lemon juice and water

2-3 drops food colouring (optional)

1. Pre heat oven to 180-200°C.
2. Place mashed potatoes in a bowl and add sugar. Mix well.
3. Add fruit.
4. Sift flours and salt together.
5. Add to potato mixture alternately with milk.
6. Place in two greased loaf tins or one large cake tin.
7. Bake for approx 45mins.
8. Remove from pan/s and allow to cool slightly. Ice while still just warm.
9. Icing: mix all ingredients until it is a stiff consistency.
10. Cut into slices to serve. Maybe buttered if you desire. Serves 6-8.

And of course, then we have the DREAM part!

The most important thing about dreams – and I’m not talking about the sleep variety – is to follow them. Make your life a better place, and it will follow through to the world in general. My dreams are huge, but I try to spread knowledge, learning and peace throughout the world. Definitely big dreams – but you’ve got to start somewhere!

With Kindness

Maureen