Where on earth did that year disappear to? Christmas looms again.

Have you got your presents all organized?

I try to do my shopping throughout the year, and in the evenings, especially during the Australian winter, I knit or crochet any gifts I can make. I still have a couple of young grandchildren, and I divide my money up into four and budget a certain amount for each of them equally. I generally give the older ones and the adults money, although I don’t like doing that very much. As some of the relatives live away, I have lost the ability to know what their interests are, so I would rather they buy something they want, rather than have my gift relegated to the cupboard, or worse, being thrown away.

Talking about throwing away – here in Australia, we STILL get Christmas cards with snow, sleighs and reindeers on them. Poor Santa still wears a red fur-lined suit and swelters in 38 or 40 degree heat. You would think we would have made our own traditions by now, instead of following the ‘old country’ (read England) ways. My flash fiction, after the recipe, has a dig at traditions for us in the southern hemisphere. I hope it gives you a giggle.

***

Consequently, here is my favourite ice-cream recipe:-

Everyone’s favourite Ice-cream.

2 cups milk

300mls cream

1 400g tin condensed milk

2 tspns vanilla essence.

Flavouring variations:

• Crushed strawberries
• Crushed violet crumble
• Any pulped fresh fruit. e.g. passionfruit, apricot, mango etc
• Chocolate topping
• Coffee or Mocha
• Caramel (use topping or a mix of brown sugar and golden syrup)
• Crushed nuts and chopped marshmallows
• Coffee and raisin 
• Peppermint choc chip
• Raspberry and blueberry etc, etc, etc.

1. Mix all ingredients together well.
2. Churn in an ice cream machine.
3. Place in freezer in either one container or ice-block moulds.
4. Freeze overnight. This is very hard, so take out 15mins before serving. Serves 8-12.

***

A change.

“I just don’t think it’s fair!” Daisy said to Nellie.

Nellie looked at Daisy as if she was quite strange.

“What’s unfair, ” she asked.

“Well, we live down-under, and we have to have those conceited reindeers coming along at Christmas and stealing our thunder.”

“What are you going on about now?” Nellie lifted her head from a particularly succulent patch of grass.

“You know!” puffed Daisy. “The reindeer – they come flying over us pulling the Santa sled, priding themselves that only they can do it! Looking down at us as if we don’t matter.”

“Um. Okay,” Nellie really was too busy eating.

“You know, even Kangaroos would be better to do the job here … and Santa always looks so hot in the face wearing that garish outfit meant to keep him warm at the North Pole!”

“Honestly, Daisy,” Nellie shook her head, then laid down comfortably to chew her cud. “Just leave it be – it’s a human thing!”

Daisy wasn’t convinced.

“Surely Santa has a brother or something who can live in the southern hemisphere and take over his duties down here?”

“I don’t know!” Nellie was meditating as she chewed.

“I mean …” Daisy continued. “A little magic dust on us cows and we could do the Australian run, surely.”

Nellie just closed her eyes and concentrated on her mastication business.

But Daisy wasn’t finished.

“I think I would look great leading a group of cows through the sky,” she said dreamily.

“Humpf!” said Nellie, “With your fat and full udder, you’d never get off the ground, even with magic dust. And to top it all off, you’d probably rain milk on the poor unsuspecting humans if you ever managed to actually fly! For goodness sake, leave it to the reindeers!”

She belched, then took a great big breath. She struggled to get up and looked around again for more tasty grass.

” They’ve been doing it for years.” she added. “They know what they’re doing. You’re likely to lead Santa into Uluru and have a huge crash.”

Daisy was offended. She stuck her nose in the air and wandered away, leaving Nellie to her negativity.

Of course, once she got further up the paddock and began to chew, the thought just disappeared from her mind.

 After all, cows aren’t known for their memory ability.

***

One of the wonders of the Christmas season, is the peace and happiness it brings to many people, particularly the young. My wish for the world, as we look at another year, is to spread that peace, love and happiness as far as we can. Next year, my blog will include a knitting pattern as well as a recipe. Perhaps I will stop writing my short story, collect them all up and put out an anthology. We will see.

One of the earlier picture books I wrote for children – ‘Candy Cow and the Caterpillar’, not only teaches about camouflage as well as the life cycle of the caterpillar – but it, I hope, shows life as a world of contentment, too.

All my books are available from me at AU$18 plus postage anywhere in the world, so if you are interested, please contact me at maureenlarter@gmail.com for more information.

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

Now that the year is now about to start Summer (in the southern hemisphere), I look forward to a year of slightly less media drama – from the fires in Australia and California of almost three years ago, we have been bombarded by tragedy ever since – economic woes with all the lock-downs from Covid, floods, volcanic actions around the globe, Covid, riots, Covid, tornado destruction and death.

There’ been no escape.

No wonder we are all tired of it. I think that is the normal reaction of being continuously told what to do. And did I mention Covid (lol) – honestly – we all have to learn to live with it – we can’t continue living with fear.

***

Kids

“Do you like poetry?” Danny asked his friend.

Kevin screwed up his nose. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“Well,” Danny said. “My Mum can recite all sorts of funny ones.”

“Poetry isn’t funny,” Kevin smirked.

Danny recited, straight-faced – “The boy stood on the burning deck

picking his nose like mad

rolling it up in little balls

and flicking it at his Dad. – that’s poetry.”

Kevin laughed. “That’s gross!”

Danny lifted his nose in the air and boasted. “Mum can also recite ‘The owl and the pussy-cat went to sea.’ and she says she can still remember a title of a poem, even tho’ she’s forgot the poem.”

Kevin looked down at the ground and wriggled his toes.

“What title?”

Danny scrunched up his face in concentration. “I think it was ‘Fireforefiddle, the Fiend of the Fell’ – it was about a cat, she said.”

“That’s silly,” Kevin flicked a piece of grass at a ant to see if it would be able to lift it, or walk around it. “Poetry is supposed to be serious – you know – Shakespeare and stuff.”

“Who?” Danny asked.

“Apparently he wrote things a long time ago – and MY Mum says, it was hard to understand, and anyway, everyone died in his stories.”

Danny nodded. “I wonder if they’ll teach us that sort of stuff when we get to school?”

“Who knows!” Kevin answered. “I’m not looking forward to starting school!”

Danny shook his head. “I am. You get to make new friends all the time, and play, and draw, and Mum says you learn lots, too.”

Kevin looked at Danny as if he had grown two heads.

“Yeah! Right!” he said, then got up, kicked the sand, stood on the ant and began to run towards the sea.

“Come on. Let’s go and have a swim.”

***

Mum’s Old-fashioned Lemon Curd:

200ml lemon juice

4 large eggs

500g sugar

250g butter or margarine.

1. Beat eggs and sugar in a basin till light colour.
2. Add juice and beat again.
3. Add butter, cut into small chunks.
4. Put basin over a saucepan of boiling water and heat, stirring all the time (approx 15mins) until thick. (Use a wooden spoon).
5. Put into hot sterilized jars and put lids on immediately. Makes about 2-3 jars.

***

With all the doom and gloom in the world, let us all try and follow the dream of success – whatever that means to you. It doesn’t necessarily mean wealth and notoriety – although it might – but being happy can mean a lot of different things to different people. Whatever is your ‘happy place’, I hope you strive towards it and achieve the result you are looking for.

My picture books for children talk about reaching a goal, and my booklet about starting a business may help the adults to pursue their dream, too. All these books are available form me – the children’s books for AU$18 and the booklet for AU$8 plus postage. Feel free to contact me on maureenlarter@gmail.com if you have any inquiries.

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

October – such a lovely month – smack bang in the middle of Spring in the southern hemisphere and Fall (Autumn) in the northern hemisphere. In my humble opinion, perfect in every way! The mornings are still crisp, but the days are enchanting. I enjoy dawn as it is the best time to watch the sunrise. Everything is bathed in a special type of light, and I have to keep reminding myself, that for all the traumas in the world, and in my life, this Earth is beautiful and deserves our undivided care and love.

Once again, this blog gives you a story to read, a free recipe to cook and eat, and a dream that all of us aspire to. Please enjoy.

***

The crash

The crash to the ground had winded him. He tried to move, but his body felt as if every bone in it had been broken. He wasn’t aware of pain, but something pushed at his face and he wondered what it was.

He cautiously opened his eyes. A black mass was in front of his helmet. What on earth?

In the distant he could hear voices. They were laughing and chattering. Wasn’t anyone going to help? They seemed not to care.

Slowly he became aware that the black mass was an animal’s nose. That confused him. Where was he? Why had he fallen? Why was he so heavy? Why was he wearing a helmet?

The black nose pushed at him again and he groaned. He turned his head slightly and tried to see through the eye-slit of the helmet. There was grass in his face, and in the distance,  he could just see some colourful tents, with people wandering around. They looked to be in long dresses and peasant clothing. He concluded that he must be at a fair of some kind.

He pushed his hands into the ground and tried to sit up. The black nose breathed over him and he smelled horse. It nickered.  

The heaviness he felt was from head to toe. He clanked as he tried to move but it was useless.

He heard a young male’s voice almost in his ear.

“Master, are you orright?”

He rolled his eyes. He was on the ground and couldn’t get up – of course he wasn’t alright.

A pair of hands tugged at his arms. He grunted and so did the boy.

‘Oi, I need ‘elp ‘ere,” the boy yelled.

More running footsteps approached. Whoever was there helped the boy to manoeuvre him into a better position, then they yanked him to his feet. He wobbled dangerously, but he took a breath and began to walk – carefully.  He was in full armour.

Then he realised what had happened.

He had fallen off his horse. No bones were broken, no-one was worried. He’d merely been practicing at lance work for the upcoming event.

***

Mykey’s Basic Muffin Mix:

2 ½ cup wholemeal/SR Flour mix

1 ¼ cup milk

90g melted butter

¾ cup caster sugar

1 beaten egg
Additions:

• Dates
• dried apricots
• mashed banana
• grated apple
• blueberries
• sultanas/etc
• coffee powder
• choc chips – etc

1. Pre-heat oven to 180-200°C.
2. Prepare greased muffin tins.
3. Mix flour and sugar.
4. Add milk, egg and melted butter and mix together until just combined.
5. Mix flour/sugar and milk/egg/butter mixtures together with any of the options you desire.
6. Spoon into muffin tin or patty papers until ¾ full.
7. Cook for approx 25 mins. Put on rack and cool. Ice if desired.

***

The dream for this month is something we can try and achieve. Good health is a combination of healthy, nutritious food, gentle exercise and a happy and hopeful attitude. My Aunt turns 98 this month, and still smiles and looks forward to a better day tomorrow. She has always been the same – working at keeping stress at bay and looking at life as the gift that it is. As with everyone, there have been hiccoughs along the way, but these have been overcome with an uncomplaining smile. Hopefully, you will take this advice on board and improve your health.

A couple of my children’s picture books talk about health – how easy it is to catch a cold, and how stress can play havoc with your physical and mental well-being. They are available from me at AU$18 each (plus postage. Email me at maureenlarter@gmail.com if you require more information.

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

The beginnings of Spring were making the mornings crisp and the days bright and sunny. I live in Australia, and this time of the year is lovely. The gum trees (otherwise known as Eucalypts) had not shed their leaves in winter, but now they seemed to have lost the dull olive green of Winter, and added a flush of bright green or red new growth. It seems appropriate that we forget the difficulties of the past few months, and embrace the birth of another season.

Talking about birth, this month we also celebrate the fathers of our society. Father’s day falls at the beginning of the month and we remember our Dads with love and a certain amount of longing. In my case, my Dad has been gone a long time now, but I miss him and his wisdom, every day. He was English and lived through a war while he studied in the local cathedral, sure he was safe from the bombs. He lived through the recession that always seems to hit after the horror of war. He lived to migrate to Australia with his new wife and daughter (me) and he always held hope and excitement for the future. He was a great man in my adoring eyes.

The story below, reminds us that even after terrible troubles, life is what YOU make it. Hope you read and enjoy.

***

The tree.

Pam dragged herself out of bed and trudged to the kitchen.

It was raining … again! She was over it! Her wellington boots had become a fashion statement, and every time she walked outside, her feet sank into the ground, instantly filling with water as she went across the yard.

The mud squelched and stunk sour. The plants in the garden were actually drowning. Waterfalls of water gurgled along the edges of the garden edging, as it dug into the dirt and created trenches that grew deeper every day. It seemed to have been raining forever.

What was the point! Life was so miserable.

Then she remembered the drought of two years ago. Dead plants, brown and withered grass. The cows being hand-fed and looking downright depressed as well as thin, ribs clearly apparent. Then the bush fires, eating up the dead undergrowth and roaring through the nearby forest like a disgruntled dragon, scaring the living daylights out of her, and destroying friends’ homes and properties.

Nature was cruel. Thank goodness she didn’t depend on its vagaries to earn a living!

She reached up without thinking, took down a mug and turned on the electric kettle, all in one automatic action. Subconsciously she shuffled to the cutlery drawer for a spoon then put sugar and coffee in the mug in front of her. She stared at the noisy kettle while it boiled.

Each day was the same. Each day she felt unloved and alone. Each day blended into the next. Each day she wondered what she had done wrong with her life and why she was in this predicament. Each day she started with a cup of coffee and no-one to share her day with. Each day was the same – hadn’t she already said and thought that.

She sighed.

She glanced out the back door as the rained dripped from the gutters. It was a silent, drizzling, misty rain, fogging the landscape and adding to the misery of the day.

Suddenly a shaft of sunlight made its way through a tiny slit between the clouds.

It lit the drooping leaves of the tree by the chicken shed.

For a few moments the leaves shimmered and sparkled in a slight breeze and the day, at once, became enchanted. She stood, coffee forgotten, as she experienced the thrill of a moment of pure happiness at the scene.

She smiled as the kettle finished boiling, so she poured the water into the mug. Picking up the cup, she walked to the back door.

This was where she was meant to be. Life was good after all.

***

Now to have something to eat! This is my grandmother’s recipe, from England, when families had to make do with what they had. They were very inventive!

Grandma’s Baked Bread Pudding

½ loaf stale bread

2 eggs

1 tblspn butter

1 tspn mixed spice

2 tblspns sugar

2 tblspns golden syrup

1 cup sultanas

½ cup SR flour

extra mixed spice and sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180 – 200°C.
2. Soak bread in warm water, then squeeze well.
3. Add rest of ingredients. Mix well
4. Press into a greased baking dish.
5. Sprinkle top lightly with a mixture of spice and sugar.
6. Bake for about 1 ½ hours.
7. Cut into slices. Serve with cream, ice-cream or custard. Serves 8-12.

***

One of the things which war, recession, disasters and hard times do, is bring together families as never before. The community comes together and neighbours help neighbours. We see it happen after bush-fires, as in Colorado in the US at the beginning of the year, and when the bush-fires ripped through Australia two years and a half ago. I have written a picture book for children, to tribute the firefighters of those times, as well as a couple that highlight the importance of family. They are AU$18 each and I can post them anywhere in the world, if I have your address. email me at maureenlarter@gmail.com for more information.

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

Now that we are nearing the end of our southern hemisphere winter, we can start to look forward to Spring. The shortest day of the year has passed, and now, minute by minute, we see the days getting longer.

I can see you are wondering what Rosferado in my title means. Well, that’s the name I came up with for my Wizard in my chapter books for children – ‘Rosferado – Wizard Extraordinaire’ and ‘Rosferado – Wizard Banished’. I am now writing book three – ‘Rosferado – Wizard Challenged’ which I hope to publish before the year’s end.

As far as ‘Endangered‘ and ‘Destruction‘ -the environment of Earth and the creatures that inhabit it, have always been at the top of my mind. Most of the books I write are about animals, and, just like my Wizard series, the Kathy Adventure books ‘In Search of the Elusive Panda’and ‘Smugglers and Dragons’ feature an animal that is endangered, usually by the unthinking destruction of their habitat.

Humans have been particularly selfish about the Earth and its resources for a long time, and it is nice to see some of the new generation realize that without our planet, we would have no-where, as yet, to survive. I often wonder if the space explorations that are being financed by the rich of the world, are merely to look for another planet to escape to when this planet is of no use anymore.

***

However, we are still here, and we still have to survive. Here is a recipe to add flavour to your next stir-fry:-

Tammy’s Sweet and Sour Sauce.

1 cup Pineapple juice (with water)

2 tblspns cornflour

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tblspns soy sauce

2-3 tblspns tomato sauce

1 cup chopped onions

1 ¼ cup of pineapple pieces

2-3 drops of red food colouring (optional)

other chopped vegetables as desired. (carrot, cabbage, broccoli etc.)

1. Blend cornflour, pineapple juice and vinegar in a saucepan.
2. Soak onion in red colouring for a few minutes.
3. Add everything to saucepan except pineapple pieces.
4. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Serve with rice. Serves 4.
5. Veg can be par cooked if desired.

***

My little story for today:-

A new beginning.

Nadia spread the blanket over the sand and sat down. It wasn’t long before an inquisitive seagull arrived and regarded her curiously. She didn’t take any notice, and the bird soon flew away, as there was no handout of food from the lady.

The sea was calm and the temperature pleasant. The monotonous sloshing of the waves soon lulled Nadia into a mesmerized stare.

“Hello!” a male voice said, causing Nadia to startle.

She turned and then smiled. It was so nice to see the man. He looked concerned.

“I saw you from my holiday home up there,” he explained, waving his hand in the general direction of the street above. “Are you okay?”

Nadia nodded.

“Just enjoying the peace – even the seagulls are leaving me alone!”

The man laughed.

“They know you have no food!”

“Thank you for checking on me,” Nadia added. “I only arrived this morning and I couldn’t wait to come down here and enjoy the calmness.”

“Yes,” The man agreed. “I love it here, too. By the way, my name is David.”

“Nice to meet you,” Nadia replied. “I’m Nadia.”

“Mind if I join you?” he asked.

Nadia shifted slightly and patted the blanket. “Please do.”

David sat and they both stared out to the ocean for a while. David quietly reached for Nadia’s hand and she shifted just a little closer.

It was going to be hard, but Nadia and David had to do something to revive their marriage, and this get away seemed the perfect answer.

***

Besides the tangles of human relationships, and the crisis on our planet, one of the best things we should all strive for, is peace – of both mind and body. violence in any size or shape – in my humble opinion, doesn’t solve anything. I know it isn’t always easy to find, but peace of the soul and of the beauty around you on this planet will only help. The books I’ve mentioned at the beginning of this blog are chapter books for children aged between about 8 and 10. I also write picture books for younger children. They are all priced at AU$18 (plus postage), so if you are interested, please email at maureenlarter@gmail.com for a catalogue and more information. The books below touch upon both peace of mind and the adult fiction tells of the dangers of violence in a relationship. (I write under the pen-name Marguerite Wellbourne for topics that are not for children)

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

Winter! Brrr!

Where I live, the winters are not bad. We occasionally have a severe frost – but that is about it. It is a good life – I can grow my food – both tropical and cold weather crops. Those are the reasons why I picked this area in which to live. I live on the eastern coast of Australia, known as the lower mid-north coast and I am in easy driving distance from both Sydney and Brisbane.

Now that the weather is cooler, I dress accordingly. In the tropics one seems to always be in summer clothes – in the south of Australia, winter clothes are worn for much of the year. Here – I can get the best of both worlds – dresses even in Winter, but scarves, beanies, gloves and heavy sweaters can be worn sometimes, particularly this month. My knitting and crocheting skills still get used. Next year I will share some of my patterns with you all, as in the Northern hemisphere you have the reverse seasons to us. As my blog is Read, Eat Dream – I have a short story for you to read, a delicious recipe to make and hopefully eat, and a dream to follow. Enjoy.

***

Looking her best.

She rummaged through the clothes in her wardrobe, trying to figure out what she would wear. It seemed important to her that she looked her best today.

She picked out the black jeans, and the olive green sweater, and went off to the bathroom to shower.

Afterwards, she stood in her underclothes looking at the jeans on the bed. Why had she picked black! That might be an omen. Surely she could have thought that through a bit better. Colour was what she needed. Be gregarious. Be cheerful! That was the ticket.

She tossed the black jeans aside, and went back to the cupboard.

She had NOTHING to wear!

What was she going to do?

She threw out the brown slacks – too boring. She tossed aside the woollen dress that always fell wrongly around her hips. She discarded the fair-isle jumper that scratched her skin. The long skirt at the back, all scrunched up and wrinkled, just wasn’t right for the day! She grimaced at the tweed jacket that always made her look fat.

Eventually, after various other outfits were rejected, she decided on a simple blouse, cardigan and blue jeans. She tugged on a pair of socks, and did up her runners. She felt good.

She looked in the mirror – tomorrow she would be different, but today she was finally satisfied with her appearance.

Johnny didn’t say a word as she got in the car. He was only the chauffeur after all, but it would have been nice if he had complimented her. This visit was important. She sat in the car, muted by stress. The journey seemed to take forever.

When she finally got to the hospital, they ushered her into the ward.

“Right,” the nurse said. “Strip off and put on this theatre gown.”

So it hadn’t really mattered after all – the clothes just sat in a plastic bag at her feet as she waited for her cataract surgery.

Barabrith – Welsh Tea Bread:

250g mixed dried fruit of choice

125g raw sugar

250g SR flour

1 egg

½ tspn mixed spice

1 cup cold tea.

1. Soak fruit overnight in the tea with the added sugar.
2. Next morning, pre heat oven to 180-200°C.
3. Add egg, flour and spice to the fruit mixture. Mix well.
4. Place in 2 greased loaf tins or one large square cake tin.
5. Bake for approx 45mins.
6. Serve cool, sliced with butter. Serves 8-12.

***

As I get older and am living on my own, I have discovered that friends are an important part of life. We all need human contact and someone that we can talk to, to share out innermost thoughts or to discuss the days news items. The thing I miss most about being on my own, is the companionship of another my age, with my standards and similar, if not the same, views. The number of times I have felt like turning to someone to laugh or comment about an item on the TV, only to discover an empty chair, is too many to count.

Even my children’s books tackle this topic – friends are important all through life.

My books are available from me for AU$18 each plus postage. If you are interested, please contact me at maureenlarter@gmail.com and I will be able to give you more information.

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

Now that this year is into Winter, we have to admit we can start to see a light at the end of the tunnel of Covid 19 and the lock-downs we have had to endure. The pandemic has lasted over two years, and I understand that people are tired of it. Many people have become rebels, not wanting to get vaccinated, not wanting to wear masks and not wanting to be watched by Big Brother all the time, wherever they go. The feeling of being enclosed in our homes is reminiscent of so much that happened in the past, with the Jews, Romanies and homosexuals in Europe, the women of Middle Eastern countries and the past injustices meted out to many of the native populations of so many different countries. I could mention many of these, but let us hope that we can learn and scrub clean the dirt of previous beliefs and actions.

The story that follows shows that there are always inconsiderate people in any colony and yet, there is also a contradiction, in that we should stand up for our rights, too.

***

Revolt!

Freda followed Georgina up to the highest point of the nest.

“What are you going to do?” she asked her best friend.

Georgina snarled. “You know it’s time to stand up for ourselves! I’ve been telling you for ages! We work, work and work, and the freeloaders in our home just take advantage of us. Surely you realize I’m going to call all the workers in our nest to arms!”

Freda swallowed. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?” she said timidly.

“If you can’t stand with me, then why did you come up here? Don’t think you can change my mind.”

“But, Georgie …”

Georgina frowned and her antennae waved furiously.

Freda looked out over the nest. Just what was Georgie so upset about? Sure, there were a few grubs and other sundry things taking up some space, but they weren’t doing any harm. She tried again.

“Georgie – why can’t you just leave things be. The grubs aren’t doing any harm.”

“I agree, Freda – but are they helping our nest and the rest of our ants? Are they contributing in any way? What if they decide to breed up and take over our nest? Then what will you think of them?”

Freda nodded carefully.

‘Yes, I guess you are right … but what if we nurture them and help them? Won’t they be grateful? And then they may help us.”

Georgina shook her head with disgust.

“You’re just like all the others – ignoring the threat and hoping to lead a cushy life without doing anything about it. I think things are going to get out of hand – we have to do something!”

‘Okay,” Freda said, looking around at the nest and her relatives all scurrying around doing their jobs. “Let’s see who agrees with you.”

Georgina nodded with satisfaction.

“Right!” She turned and shouted to the rest of the nest, but no-one took any notice.

Freda quietly turned away and went back to her work.

Georgina grumbled to herself as she thought of new ways to get everyone’s attention.

“I can’t believe they are all just like sheep – following along without thinking of the consequences.’

And then she went back to work with the rest of them!

***

Joyce’s Pumpkin Soup.

Ingredients: Half a reasonable size pumpkin; 1 cup of well mashed potatoes; I finely chopped small onion (optional); 1 small bottle (250ml) thickened cream.

1. Skin pumpkin and chop into cubes. Cook in a saucepan until soft.

2. Drain, but keep the water it was cooked in.

3. Blend the cooked pumpkin well, then add the mashed potato and onion.

4. Blend well.

5. Slowly add the thickened cream.

6. If too thick, add a little of the pumpkin water until you reach the consistency you like.

7. Serve.

8. If you have a larger pumpkin, or use it all, double the ingredients. If you have a smaller pumpkin, halve the ingredients.

***

Following on from the above story, most of us dream of having a wonderful family, but we are not always so lucky. Many of us come from homes where there may be violence, or excessive drinking or arguments as well as only one parent as the parents have separated. There is always help out there … so don’t be afraid to ask for support. Life can always (even in a happy family) be improved upon. Keep your head up and look around you, and always strive for happiness.

Some of the children’s books I write talk about that. They are AU$18 plus postage each and can be bought from me. If you are interested please email me at maureenlarter@gmail.com and I can give you more information. I have written about 40 books – even I have lost count!

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

My recipe for this month is inspired by Mother’s Day.

Mum’s Chocolate self-saucing dessert

80g butter ; ½ cup sugar ; 1 cup SR flour ; 1 egg ;

2 dstspns cocoa ; ½ cup milk ; ½ tspn vanilla essence

Sauce:

½ cup sugar ; 2dstspns cocoa ; 1 cup hot water

1. Preheat oven to 180-200°C.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add egg and vanilla and mix well.
4. Fold in flour and cocoa, alternately with milk.
5. Put into a greased casserole dish.
6. Mix sauce sugar and cocoa and sprinkle over the top of pudding.
7. Pour the hot water carefully over the pudding.
8. Place casserole onto a baking tray and bake for 35-40mins.
9. Serve with cream, ice-cream or custard. Serves 6.

***

In Australia, May is the month we put aside a Sunday to appreciate our mothers. Everyone has a mother, although not every woman becomes a mother. Some mothers are great, some not so wonderful. Some mothers leave us to seek another life, and some are taken from us by disease or age.

Over the years of human and animal existence, mothers have always been with us. We call the Earth – Mother Earth. The faithful in convents have a Mother Superior. Women in some societies who excel in the use of natural herbs and medicines often have the moniker ‘mother’ and are revered by all. Sometimes, like in the Salem trials in the 17th century, these women were considered witches, and persecuted, although this has been greatly exaggerated over time. (That was the assumption of the play ‘The Crucible’ by Arthur Miller – one of the husbands of screen star Marilyn Monroe.)

As an aside, the nursery rhyme ‘Old Mother Hubbard’ apparently had its origins during the reign of Henry the 8th, and had nothing to do with cupboards, dogs or bones. Google tells me that Mother alluded to Sir Thomas Wolsely trying to get an annulment from the pope so Henry could divorce his out-of-fashion wife!

So my story for you to read this month, is inspired by those brave women, now and in the past, who continued to help the uneducated, even under the threat of death.

***

THE SLIP.

Jane stood on the top of the cliff overlooking the wild sea. The wind tore at her hair and the ends of her scarf fluttered furiously as if trying to escape. She sighed as she wished that she hadn’t lost her baby and the scene blurred as tears flooded her eyes. If only she could go back in time and stop the fall that caused the miscarriage. She had so wanted to become a mother.

When her vision cleared, she turned to go back along the lonely track to the comfort of her home. She was surprised to notice a cottage that she hadn’t noticed before. Smoke spiraled from the chimney and Jane noticed that the wind had died away. For some unknown reason she shivered, and her breath puffed in small spurts from her mouth.

Without conscious thought, she wandered towards the cottage and, just as she was level with the gate, the front door opened.

“Hello, Jane,” said the old lady at the door. “Please, come ye in out o’ the cold.”

Jane stood, confused. How did the woman know her name? Who was she? Had she lived here long? With hesitant steps, Jane approached and the old lady stepped aside to let her in. Jane peered around her as she entered.

Inside, the cottage was small, cozy and very basic. A large wooden table had a old plate in the middle of it, filled with a concoction of strange items. The room was so small that the fire and a rocking-chair at the far end of the room was the only other obvious furnishings. An old-fashioned cauldron hung over the flames, and a satisfying smell wafted throughout the room from the liquid that was bubbling therein. Jane wondered where the old lady slept. No doubt there was a lean-to out the back for her other needs.

The old lady pulled Jane towards the chair.

“Sit down, m’dear,” the old lady said, pointing to the chair. “You must get warm again after running from those soldiers. They won’t find you here.”

“Soldiers?” Jane didn’t understand.

“Och,” The old lady shook her head and grimaced. “James the 6th of Scotland is fighting the bastard English.” She spat into the fire in disgust and Jane’s eyes widened as the hiss made the flames leap.

The lady ladled some of the hot liquid from the cauldron into a bowl and handed it to Jane.

“Here, get this into ya’. It’ll do you the world of good,”

Jane relaxed and smiled, and as she drank, the old lady tucked a blanket about her shoulders.

Jane felt the cold, sadness and loss trickle out of her bones, and, before long, her eyelids drooped and she slid into darkness.

When she opened her eyes later, she sat at the top of the stairs at home. Jane frowned. How had she got there? She couldn’t remember coming back from the walk on the windswept cliffs above the house. what had happened? Would she ever find the cottage again? Was the old lady a witch? A phantom from the past? A figment of her imagination? She slowly stood, gripping the handrail and carefully made her way down the stairs. Her other hand touched her newly pregnant tummy bump.

This time, she didn’t fall.

She would be a mother after all.

***

I hope you enjoyed both my recipe and my story. Some of us may dream of being a mother some time in the future, just like Jane. Or we may have a family that is warm and loving already. Whatever your situation, remember to continue to dream and to hope for the best life will give you.

I write children’s stories, and have picture books that mention the importance of family. One is called ‘Betty Bee’s Birthday Bash” and another is ‘Giddy the Galah’. They are available for AU$18 plus postage each. If you buy one, you receive a signed copy and a free bookmark. If you buy them both, the price is AU$35 and you get an additional surprise gift. Should you decide to look up my Facebook page and want any others, you are more than welcome. PM me for further information and my catalogue.

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

One of the amazing things about Australia is our mixed cultures.The native Australians have been on this continent for around 60,000 years and yet the white ‘conquerors’ dismissed them as savages. This is slowly being rectified.

Now, we also have a large contingent of peoples from other countries and religions. Even though we are recognized as a Christian country of British roots, we have accepted into our country Buddhists, Muslims and Judaism as well as other religions.

This month sees both the religious events – Easter and Ramadan. The whole month is a fasting, praying month for the follows of Islam, (Muslims) while Easter is a Christian event with Good Friday falling on April 17th this year. (Easter is a move-able event, ruled by the full moon – so can be anywhere from March to late April).

One of my pet hates is the referring of Christians by Muslims, in the past, as ‘dogs‘. Perhaps that is a compliment? Domestic dogs are known to be loyal to their masters and generally caring. Of course, it depends how a dog is treated – if cruelly treated it will become vicious. Our children are also influenced by our parents and our surrounding society. We are all victims of our upbringing and environment.

So – in conclusion – please learn to be caring and understanding of people’s actions and beliefs. If you had grown up in another country or a different age, your beliefs and personality would be different. It is fortunate that human beings are capable of compassion and love, and also have the outstanding ability to adapt. For example – in ancient Egypt, there were many gods, and cats were worshiped instead of dogs! Funny how we change. With that in mind – enjoy my short story! I hope it gives you a bit of a giggle.

***

The cat.

The cat hid behind the shrubs in Veronica’s garden, waiting to pounce.He loved this game. When he saw Veronica walk past, he would launch himself and wrap his paws around her leg. She was always surprised and jumped around and yelled. The cat thought it was funny.

Sometimes, he would catch strangers, and they tended to be angry – he didn’t understand why. It was only a game!

What’s worse, Veronica didn’t seem to enjoy the presents he offered her either! He had tried so hard to find something she would love – a frog, a large cockroach, a mouse – even a sparrow or a wren – but she screamed and would pick up the prize between her thumb and finger as if it was something quite disgusting – and then she would throw it away! He couldn’t believe it. He had worked very hard to find such a tasty morsel.

He decided then and there to show her who was boss!

When she wanted to cuddle him, he just turned his back and ignored her.

When she wanted him to go outside he went, then immediately wanted to come back in and yowled at the door until she surrendered and let him back.

When she was cozy in bed and nearly asleep, he scratched at the door and wanted to go outside again … then inside … then outside … the inside. So much fun!

Next time he would bring her a rat and see if she thought that was better! He knew it wasn’t – even he didn’t like rats!

When she was ready to go out, he would curl up on her bed and pretend to be fast asleep.

If she decided to take him to the vet, he would scratch and hiss and claw her hand until she gave up and tried other techniques. It didn’t take him long to work out ‘Here, kitty, kitty,” said in a sweet voice meant trouble, and he wasn’t going to be hood-winked. The time he climbed up the curtains, shredding them with his claws and ending up on top of the wardrobe where she couldn’t reach him, still made him smile.

Of course, it couldn’t last. Veronica began to make noises that she would get rid of him.

The ultimate betrayal was when she brought in a boyfriend.

The cat found out that he could use that to his advantage.

By curling up and purring on Barry’s lap, Veronica was beaten!

***

And now for something nice to eat!

Lachlan’s Lunchbox Muesli Squares:

3 ½ cups quick oats

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup pine nuts

½ cup diced dried apricots.

½ cup sultanas

2 tblspns sesame seeds

2 tspns ground cinnamon

80g butter

1 cup honey

2 tblspns brown sugar

1. Soak apricots and sultanas in warm water for 1 hour before starting.
2. Preheat oven to 170°C.
3. Lightly grease a slice pan and line with baking paper. Make sure paper hangs over edge of pan on long sides. Lightly spray grease on paper.
4. Place oats, seeds, soaked and drained dried fruit and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix well.
5. Place butter, honey and sugar in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until combined. Cook for about 3 minutes on simmer, stirring consistently until thickened slightly.
6. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix well.
7. Place in prepared tin, and using damp hands distribute mix evenly.
8. Bake for 25 – 30 mins.
9. Cool in tin. Cut into squares but don’t remove from tin until completely cold. Should make 20 squares.

***

One of the dreams of today’s generation, is hoping the politicians and those powerful people in big business will work towards a better environment. We, as a race, have squandered the commodities of our planet to the point where our planet is dying, and it is fighting back. During the last few years we have seen cataclysmic floods, fires and disease. We have observed glacier melt and volcano eruptions. (Of course, the media has been there to make us aware of all that,too)

Two years ago, Australia and America experienced huge bush fires. Many blame Global warming for that. However, the firefighters are, in my opinion, heroes! I wrote this little picture book as a tribute to their work (hopefully it also highlights the danger of fire to our wild-life.) It is AU$18 (plus postage). If you would like to know more, please email me at maureenlarter@gmail.com and I will send you a catalogue of my books FREE.

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher

Linkedin : MLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Twitter : @MaureenLarter