children

Romance, Eden and Distance.

Posted on by mjlarter2

        As an author, I note that romance stories (aka Mills and Boon etc) sell like hot cakes.  So … I thought, it’s not my style, but, what the heck, surely I could write something like that. I sent off to the M&B admin, and they sent back a list of rules that I had to follow if I wanted them to even look at my work – with no guarantees that anything I wrote would even be accepted. The list was amazing! Talk about writing to a formula.

          Still, I gave it a shot.

          Well, Bugger! It wasn’t as easy as I thought. It was no walk in the garden of Eden, that was for sure. I couldn’t come within a stone’s throw of anything that resembled a good story, let alone good writing quality! I threw up my hands in a gesture of surrender and decided that path was not for me.

          By going back to my comfort zone and putting some distance from the ridiculous notion that I could actually make money from my writing, I have enjoyed the writing process for its own worth, the wonderful effect it has on my ability to think and imagine, and the joy of simply having the challenge of finding new ideas and then using those stories to learn self-publishing as well as the use of the computer. I realize that as you get older, it is more and more important to keep your brain active, learn new things and still have dreams and goals.

          I also now use my hobby of knitting to donate my finished articles to charities. Maybe, during the harsh winters over in Europe and Asia, someone will enjoy wearing one of my knitted jumpers, or scarves, or gloves. I live in a relatively warm climate and a peaceful country. Here, I can make someone’s day by smiling at them, or simply complimenting a stranger on their lovely outfit etc.           

          Hopefully the people suffering the ravages of war, poverty or sickness in another country will benefit from my hobby. Funnily enough, even though it’s kind to help someone else, it actually rebounds to a kindness to yourself as well.

Heirloom – a romance of the past?

Rachel stared at the painting above the fireplace for some time. She had always loved it.

The woman in the tableau was sitting on an opulent armchair, staring out of the window. The room was full of the knick knacks of a wealthy Victorian family. The curtains pulled back from the multi- paned window were a rich burgundy velvet and the antimacassar protection on the back and arms of the chair were embroidered with coils of flowers. Behind her on the shelf, a Tiffany lamp stood amongst the displayed plates of a decorated set of crockery.

Outside, the falling snow had created a pristine outlook, which was now about to be ruined by two young boys, rugged up to the nines,  flying down the hilly street in what looked like a cardboard box, but was probably a wooden crate from the greengrocers just glimpsed at the top of the hill.

The woman looked serene, yet sad. On her lap, once busy hands that had been creating a patch of lace, were now idly holding the work, forgotten in the moment of reflection. Rachel wondered what she was thinking, what tragedy was causing her pause, or was she merely daydreaming?

Rachel was surprised how much her great- grandmother in the picture looked like her. The hair colour was the same, even the shape of her nose.

Of course, Rachel was modern. The clothes she wore were never considered to be fashionable in her grandmother’s time, let alone her great-grandmother. That period of time had had an elegance that was now lost. Rachel thought it must have been very uncomfortable to wear and truly restrictive.

 Now, as she stood looking at the painting, she wore shabby chic jeans. Her knees were poking out of custom-made slashes, and her feet were clad in canvas sneakers.  The old threadbare t-shirt, trimmed with lace and bling from a bedazzled machine, was one of her favourite tops.

Rachel smiled.

Her great grandmother in the painting would have been horrified of her style and the way she looked.

But still, Rachel touched the lace on the neckline, lovingly attached by her own hands.

Surely it was the same lace her great grandmother had been making, when the artist had caught and frozen that moment of introspection, those many years ago.

***

Does your child love the ‘Harry Potter’ stories? Well, maybe these two wizard chapter books might be something to enjoy. Written by me and illustrated by a close friend, I’m wondering if I should continue the series? What do you think?

Still only AU$18 each (or $32 for both). Want a catalogue? Let me know by direct message.

***

FREE recipe to try.

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

1 cup Pineapple juice (with water)

BREAKFST2 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.

FREE knitting pattern to make.

Scarf.

The beauty of this pattern is that it is so simple, and can be adjusted to your needs. You can use more stitches and smaller needles for a firm cosy scarf – or bigger needles to create a more lacy feel. You can adjust the type of stitch for a pattern, keeping ordinary plain stitch to stop curl (stocking stitch (1 row plain, 1 row purl) will curl.)

0.jpgI use 6mm or 6.5mm needles and about 20 or 24 stitches, with 8 ply yarn. This gives a soft feel to the scarf. The bigger the needle the softer and lacier the feel. The smaller the needle the more compact the fabric becomes.

The same yarn, 4mm needles and 40 stitches, and still 8 ply, is the second random stripe scarf. These can be stitched together lengthwise to form a knee rug or bigger blanket. The stripes are a way to use up odd bits of yarn (But keep the same ply. The only problem I find with this is having to stitch in all the ends!

The easiest stitch to use is all plain (garter or knit stitch) – quick and easy, but you can vary it as you wish. Length is recommended as the height of the person you are knitting for. E.g. – I am 5foot 6 inches – a perfect length for me would be between 5 foot or 5 foot six inches – but you can change that to your needs.

IF THE ABOVE KNITTING PATTERN DOESN’T MAKE SENSE, OR YOU CAN’T KNIT – PERHAPS YOU’D LIKE TO BUY (or order) ONE OF THE ONES IN THE PICTURES BELOW.

Romance, Eden and Distance.

        As an author, I note that romance stories (aka Mills and Boon etc) sell like hot cakes.  So … I thought, it’s not my style, but, what the heck, surely I could write something like that. I sent off to the M&B admin, and they sent back a list of rules that I had to follow if I wanted them to even look at my work – with no guarantees that anything I wrote would even be accepted. The list was amazing! Talk about writing to a formula.

          Still, I gave it a shot.

          Well, Bugger! It wasn’t as easy as I thought. It was no walk in the garden of Eden, that was for sure. I couldn’t come within a stone’s throw of anything that resembled a good story, let alone good writing quality! I threw up my hands in a gesture of surrender and decided that path was not for me.

          By going back to my comfort zone and putting some distance from the ridiculous notion that I could actually make money from my writing, I have enjoyed the writing process for its own worth, the wonderful effect it has on my ability to think and imagine, and the joy of simply having the challenge of finding new ideas and then using those stories to learn self-publishing as well as the use of the computer. I realize that as you get older, it is more and more important to keep your brain active, learn new things and still have dreams and goals.

          I also now use my hobby of knitting to donate my finished articles to charities. Maybe, during the harsh winters over in Europe and Asia, someone will enjoy wearing one of my knitted jumpers, or scarves, or gloves. I live in a relatively warm climate and a peaceful country. Here, I can make someone’s day by smiling at them, or simply complimenting a stranger on their lovely outfit etc.           

          Hopefully the people suffering the ravages of war, poverty or sickness in another country will benefit from my hobby. Funnily enough, even though it’s kind to help someone else, it actually rebounds to a kindness to yourself as well.

Heirloom – a romance of the past?

Rachel stared at the painting above the fireplace for some time. She had always loved it.

The woman in the tableau was sitting on an opulent armchair, staring out of the window. The room was full of the knick knacks of a wealthy Victorian family. The curtains pulled back from the multi- paned window were a rich burgundy velvet and the antimacassar protection on the back and arms of the chair were embroidered with coils of flowers. Behind her on the shelf, a Tiffany lamp stood amongst the displayed plates of a decorated set of crockery.

Outside, the falling snow had created a pristine outlook, which was now about to be ruined by two young boys, rugged up to the nines,  flying down the hilly street in what looked like a cardboard box, but was probably a wooden crate from the greengrocers just glimpsed at the top of the hill.

The woman looked serene, yet sad. On her lap, once busy hands that had been creating a patch of lace, were now idly holding the work, forgotten in the moment of reflection. Rachel wondered what she was thinking, what tragedy was causing her pause, or was she merely daydreaming?

Rachel was surprised how much her great- grandmother in the picture looked like her. The hair colour was the same, even the shape of her nose.

Of course, Rachel was modern. The clothes she wore were never considered to be fashionable in her grandmother’s time, let alone her great-grandmother. That period of time had had an elegance that was now lost. Rachel thought it must have been very uncomfortable to wear and truly restrictive.

 Now, as she stood looking at the painting, she wore shabby chic jeans. Her knees were poking out of custom-made slashes, and her feet were clad in canvas sneakers.  The old threadbare t-shirt, trimmed with lace and bling from a bedazzled machine, was one of her favourite tops.

Rachel smiled.

Her great grandmother in the painting would have been horrified of her style and the way she looked.

But still, Rachel touched the lace on the neckline, lovingly attached by her own hands.

Surely it was the same lace her great grandmother had been making, when the artist had caught and frozen that moment of introspection, those many years ago.

***

Does your child love the ‘Harry Potter’ stories? Well, maybe these two wizard chapter books might be something to enjoy. Written by me and illustrated by a close friend, I’m wondering if I should continue the series? What do you think?

Still only AU$18 each (or $32 for both). Want a catalogue? Let me know by direct message.

***

FREE recipe to try.

1 cup Pineapple juice (with water)

BREAKFST2 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.

FREE knitting pattern to make.

Scarf.

The beauty of this pattern is that it is so simple, and can be adjusted to your needs. You can use more stitches and smaller needles for a firm cosy scarf – or bigger needles to create a more lacy feel. You can adjust the type of stitch for a pattern, keeping ordinary plain stitch to stop curl (stocking stitch (1 row plain, 1 row purl) will curl.)

0.jpgI use 6mm or 6.5mm needles and about 20 or 24 stitches, with 8 ply yarn. This gives a soft feel to the scarf. The bigger the needle the softer and lacier the feel. The smaller the needle the more compact the fabric becomes.

The same yarn, 4mm needles and 40 stitches, and still 8 ply, is the second random stripe scarf. These can be stitched together lengthwise to form a knee rug or bigger blanket. The stripes are a way to use up odd bits of yarn (But keep the same ply. The only problem I find with this is having to stitch in all the ends!

The easiest stitch to use is all plain (garter or knit stitch) – quick and easy, but you can vary it as you wish. Length is recommended as the height of the person you are knitting for. E.g. – I am 5foot 6 inches – a perfect length for me would be between 5 foot or 5 foot six inches – but you can change that to your needs.

IF THE ABOVE KNITTING PATTERN DOESN’T MAKE SENSE, OR YOU CAN’T KNIT – PERHAPS YOU’D LIKE TO BUY (or order) ONE OF THE ONES IN THE PICTURES BELOW.

Rocks, Extreme and Deadly.

Posted on by mjlarter2

I’ve been getting a lot of posts in my social media accounts showing archaeology findings from the remote past. It really amazes me that previous civilizations went to so much trouble, in often isolated and awkward terrain (think Machu Pichu) to build structures that defy the imagination. There are rocks that seem cut to a precision we find hard to replicate even today with our technology. And huge stones, moved from sometimes miles away, as well as obelisks of extraordinary tonnage, lifted into position with presumably much difficulty.

          Will we ever really know how they did it, and why? The theories are diverse and often presumptuous. Conjecture is a deadly thing. It can lead to the general public learning opinions rather than truths. I often wonder if the ‘experts’ have got it all wrong, and some other discovery in the future will turn our ancient history on its head.

          After all – it isn’t an extreme possibility when you look at our own media of today. It is skewed to what the powers-that-be want us to believe. What is reported in one way in our country, is reported differently in another. It was probably no different in the past, I’m sure.

           We are all manipulated, subtly and not so subtly, guided into a way of thinking. The media plays games with the public.

          With all the chaos in our world, sometimes created by the media, always remember to do the best you can in your little sphere of existence. Let your loved ones and friends know that they are important to you. Always be kind – you never know what trauma someone else might be facing.

          Having said that – here’s a story I wrote about the games people (in this case children) play.

FREE story to read. 

The treasure hunt.

          The hieroglyphics on the crumpled paper must have meant something to someone.

          Carefully I flattened the paper on the old table behind me. The ragged edges were a warning to me to handle it with care. The writing appeared to be in ink; there were blotches above the top line. A careless spill perhaps. Or maybe the message had been written in haste. Some characters had faded, particularly those nearest the edges of the paper.

          “I think that means ‘regal’ or something,” Daniel pointed to the glyph of an eagle surrounded by a thickly drawn oval.

         “Could easily be seen as a caged bird,” I said with a shrug.

          Daniel snorted. “Yep, I suppose.” He continued, “This last one could be the rising or setting sun.”

          I stayed quiet as I focused on the problem.

          “How’re we ever going to work this out?” Dave whinged, as he squinted at the fragile scrap that we had found.

          I looked up. His hair was dusty under his hat and the scar on his chin stood out starkly against his grimy face.

          I giggled. “You look like Indiana Jones,” I said.

          He nodded. “That was the intention,” he grinned, “and you look like Cleopatra. But I didn’t know when I got dressed, that your Mum had decided to have a real treasure hunt for your birthday party!”

          I shrugged as I continued studying the puzzle.

          “Hang on,” I hesitated.

          Daniel raised his eyebrows. “What?”

          “Let’s read this with modern eyes.”

          He nodded as I concentrated.

          “I think … the oval and eagle is ‘bird cage’ and the sun,” I peered at the

hieroglyphs, “is followed by a faded up arrow.”

          “The rising sun?” Daniel murmured. “Perhaps that’s ‘East’?”

          “Good one!” I was thrilled; he basked in my praise.

          “Now I understand the message. It says – ‘Treasure found forty paces east of the bird cage’.”

          I grabbed Daniel’s hand. “Yay! Done it! Let’s go, Dan!”

          I dragged him out of the potting shed to the aviary on the other side of the garden.

          We were going to be the first back to Mum.

***

I continue to write my children’s books. These are my three newest publications that I’ve let loose on the public.

Still only AU$18 each. Want a catalogue? Let me know by direct message.

FREE recipe to try.

HOMEMADE CONDENSED MILK INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Cups Full Fat Milk or Low Fat Milk
  • ⅔ Cups White Sugar

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING CONDENSED MILK

  1. In a heavy-based saucepan, add the milk and sugar
  2. On low heat, gently stir until  the sugar is completely dissolved.
  3. Simmer, without stirring, on low-medium heat.
  4. Continue to simmer on low heat for 35-40 minutes, until milk changes to a dark grey color and thickens and reduces by half.
  5. Skim off any foam that forms, with a spoon.
  6. Remove from heat and pour into a jar. don’t add any sugary bits to the jar, as they will cause a problem with the mix.
  7.  Cool completely before putting on the lid.
  8. Label the jar and refrigerate. It should last for months.

A tip or two for your CONDENSED MILK:

You can use home-made condensed milk as an excellent substitute for eggs in cakes and cupcakes. You can use it in rice cream or baked rice pudding. Always use the condensed milk at room temperature when baking with it.

FREE knitting pattern to make.

Baby beanie.

Use a nice soft baby yarn, and needles size 4mm.

Cast on 64 stitches, and rib 8 rows. If you want to, this can be done in a contrasting yarn – or not. Whatever you wish.

 change to 4.5mm needles and main colour yarn if you are using two colours.

 Now start stocking stitch (Knit one row, then purl one row – repeat). Stocking stitch 24 rows, finishing on a purl row.

Shape the top of the beanie thus:-

Row 1 : ‘knit 1 k2tog, knit 5’ – repeat (56 stitches)

Row 2,3 and 4 stocking stitch.

Row 5 : ‘k2tog k4’ repeat – finish row with k2 tog.(46 stitches)

Row 6 : purl

Row 7 : ‘K2tog’ repeat. (23 stitches)

Row 8 : ‘Purl 3 P2tog’ – repeat. P3 at end (19stitches)

Row 9 : ‘K1 K2tog’ – repeat. K1 at end. (13 stitches)

Row 10 : Purl

Cut the yarn and thread through the 13 stitches and pull tightly. Sew up the side seam.

Rifles, Excellent and Depiction.

Posted on by mjlarter2

Now the new year is bedded in and it will be Christmas again before you know it, I was sitting reminiscing about my younger days – when the children were small. I decided I wouldn’t succumb to the ‘male’ and ‘female’ roles of previous generations. I wasn’t going to let trucks and guns be male toys for my son and dolls were not for use only by my daughter.

Well, they say even the best laid plans can go awry.

My son, almost from the time he could walk, loved playing with toy trucks and bulldozers. He would even pretend to hold his sister up with the age old hand sign for a gun. Where did he pick that up from?

While he was saying ‘Bang, bang’, my daughter held her doll close to her chest and wailed – ‘Don’t hurt my baby!”

Are these roles ingrained in our DNA?

From history – weapons of every type have been used by humans – from clubs to cannon, rifles to revolvers, lance to lasers. Seems the human race is doomed to be forever aggressive.

Wouldn’t it be excellent if we could break the cycle?

Be kind, considerate and peaceful. Open doors for strangers, buy coffee for someone in less fortunate circumstances than you, smile and enjoy the beauty of life instead of complaining. The world would be a better place.

I think the depiction of the horrors of the world are all too easy to see and report on in the social media of our day. But it seems greed and the desire for power override any decency for fellow human beings. We’ve seen it over and over again through the ages.

Sorry – Rant over.

Anyway – talking about kids and their toys – inspired me to write this little story. Enjoy.

FREE story to read.

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 another 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 an 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.”

FREE recipe to try.

Tuna, corn and egg pies:

1 can tuna, drained

baby spinach leaves, chopped

1 can corn kernels, drained

6 eggs

3 sheets puff pastry

  1. Preheat pie maker and spray with oil.
  2. Combine tuna, spinach and corn with whisked eggs.
  3. Cut pastry into 6 tops and bottoms of pies. Place bottom in pie maker.
  4. Fill each pie with egg mixture.
  5. Put on tops. Close pie maker and cook till light goes out. Makes 6.

The basic pie can be filled with ANY filling – mince in gravy ; mushroom and capsicum vegetarian mix ; Chicken and cauliflower in cheese sauce ; sweet and sour pork ; etc

OR stewed apple and cinnamon ; apricot and almonds ; fruit mince ; etc.

Enjoy experimenting.

***

Some of my children’s chapter books for the reader in the 8 to 10 age group. These are AU$18 each, plus postage. DM me for extra details and see if I have any discount or special this month.

FREE knitting pattern to make.

Soft caterpillar/ worm toy.

Using whatever colour 8 ply yarn you have, cast on 6 stitches.

next row : purl

row 3: knit 1, then increase in each stitch. (11 stitches)

Repeat rows 2 and 3. (21 stitches) (if you are making a worm, or snake – stop here and then continue in stacking stitch for length desired. Decrease as per end of caterpillar)

Repeat rows 2 and 3 (41 stitches)

Now continue to length desired, adding different coloured yarn as desired.

Decrease :-

starting on a knit row – Knit 3, Knit 2 together, (knit 2, Knit 2 together). Repeat the part in bracket to end of row. You should have 31 stitches left.

Next row – purl.

Next row – Knit 2, knit 2 together (knit 1, knit 2 together) – repeat part in brackets to end of row. (21 stitches left)

Next row – purl.

Next row – Knit 1, (knit 2 together) to end of row. (11 stitches left)

Next row – purl

Next row – Knit one, (Knit 2 together) to end of row. (6 stitches left)

Next row – purl.

Next row knit 2 together to end (3 stitches)

Next row – knit 3 together and finish.

When finishing the toy, stuff sections the tie off with tight yarn and finally decorate as you wish.

If these instructions are confusing to you, or you need more information – please message me and let me know. Thank you.

Red, Entry and December

Posted on by mjlarter2

December 2023 – gone – and another year is over again. Where did that year go?

The older I get the quicker the time flies past. I think that is so unfair! I have so much to do still and, while I’m healthy and mentally okay, time should be more flexible – don’t you agree?

Entry into the year 2024 is full of hope. This New Year will be a great year – the drama of the Covid shutdowns, masks and fear are hopefully behind us. Although I have to admit the media absolutely loves finding another drama to push our contented lives into disarray.

Begin this year by trying on the mantle of kindness. Hug a loved-one, just because you want to. Compliment a stranger just because you can. If you are ever in a queue – let someone in before you. The smiles you receive are worth the effort.

The Ukraine/Russian war still rages on, now overtaken by the muddle that is Israel and Gaza. I feel so much for the families of all sides that experience that loss of peace, the death of family members and the destruction of home and hearth. It makes me see red that politicians have to flex power muscles like young children – you know – ‘my Dad’s better than your Dad’ type scenarios.

But they play with people’s lives and the planet’s health.

It is time all countries stop thinking of a small section of the Earth and realise that without a planet we have nowhere to live and no-one wins. Greed and power are useless emotions when life and our planet is forfeit. I’ve coined a new word – we should all be Earthians.

This year, I will endeavour to give you, each month, a FREE recipe, FREE knitting pattern and a FREE short story for your reading pleasure, so keep scrolling to find your free gifts.

 Let me know your thoughts on the content of my blog – DM me at my facebook page for more information and feel free to follow me.

My three new picture books launched in 2023 are:-  Still only AU$18 each. Want a catalogue? Let me know by direct message.

FREE story to read.

A new beginning.

A short story for the start of a New Year.

Nadia spread the blanket over the sand and sat down. The beach was deserted. English people weren’t silly enough to come down to the coast during winter. They were home in the warmth, enjoying the aftermath of Christmas – of too much food, too much drink and too many relatives and visitors. She pulled her sweater collar up to protect her nose from the cold.  The water would be frigid now, but she didn’t feel like swimming anyway. Somehow, the troubles of the past year began to uncoil from her mind as the solitude worked it’s magic.

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. Several other seagulls swooped down, but quickly realised that there was no food being offered and didn’t stay. The sea was calm and the temperature pleasant. The monotonous sloshing of the waves soon lulled Nadia into a mesmerized stare. Somewhere, deep down in her mind, the unhappiness of the last year drained away.

 “Hello!” a male voice said, causing Nadia to startle. She turned and then smiled. It was so nice to see the man standing there. 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. She felt the thrill of the attraction for this man. 

“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.

FREE recipe to try.

HOMEMADE ONION SOUP MIX

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dried onion
  • 4 beef stock cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredient and seal in an airtight container.
  2. Store in the cupboard up to 6 months.
  3. Five tablespoons = 1 packet of soup mix

Recipe Notes:-

 I dried my onion and garlic (separately) before I blitzed them to form a powder. I had to put the dehydrator outside as the smell was too overpowering in the house.

This mix was also useful as a seasoning mix for gravy, stews  etc.

FREE knitting pattern to make.

Ear-warmer headbands.

Using 6 mm needles, cast on 14 stitches.

Knit each row until the strip measures 17 inches.

Cast off.

Stitch together the short ends.

This pattern is extremely simple and great for beginners. You can vary it by using different coloured yarn, or different pattern stitches as well as the method of stitching together.

IF THE ABOVE KNITTING PATTERN DOESN’T MAKE SENSE, OR YOU CAN’T KNIT – PERHAPS YOU’D LIKE TO BUY ONE OF THE ONES IN THE PICTURES BELOW. AU$5ea plus postage (AU$3extra)

Rain, Enjoy and Dance.

Posted on by mjlarter2

Aaaah! A New Year!

Let’s hope it is better than the last couple! I don’t know about other people, but I think it is time we got down to ‘living’ again. We seem to have had one disaster after another – from bush-fires, floods, disease, volcanoes erupting … you mention it, we’ve had it. I also realize these things have been with us forever, and the human race is still here and with more of us than in any other time in history. Let’s put everything back into some sort of perspective without the media channeling fear, drama and over-exaggeration. Only last month I listened to a news report that used the word ‘scare’ several time – no wonder people are brain washed into worry!

With that in mind, the following short story is inspired by a child-like innocence that we need to tap into and re-discover.

The Puddle.

Emily kicked at the puddle and watched the muddy water trickle over the toe of her yellow rubber boots.  There was a certain satisfaction of fracturing the reflection that had been caught in the mirror of the water.

She bent down and stuck her hands in the mud, feeling it ooze delightfully through her fingers. Mummy wouldn’t be happy – she had got mud on her dress. She flung it off and sat down in the puddle. It was not cold.

This summer had been a wet and hot one. The paddocks were green and the rain constant. It was so much fun and she often danced in the cooling showers. At night she would lay in bed and listen to the frogs calling to one another. There was a small frog living in the down-pipe near her room, and it’s voice boomed out into the darkness. At first she had been frightened, thinking it was huge, but one day she saw it – all of five centimetres long! So cute.

Now she sat and enjoyed the sensation of mud in her knickers, and coolness against her skin.

Over the rustling of the gum tree leaves above, she heard her name called. She closed her eyes and stayed for a few minutes more, appreciating the joy of being at one with nature. but the call from her mother grew louder and more insistent.

“I’m here,” she murmured, as she stood up and let the mud and water run down to her bqare feet. She stepped over to the pile of her sodden dress that she had draped over her boots, and wandered back in the direction of the now frantic calls.

When her mother caught sight of her, she rushed over and clasped Emily, mud and dripping water and all.

“Why didn’t you answer me?” she asked her daughter.

“I’m okay,” Emily looked puzzled. “I was just enjoying the moment.”

Her mother smiled. Oh! if she could only do the same!

Recipe – Maureen’s Scrumptious Boston Bun.

Ingredients : 1 and a half cups of mashed potato; 2 cups SR flour; Three quarters of a cup granulated sugar; 1 tspn salt; 1 cup milk; 1 and a half cups of sultanas or mixed fruit.

  1. Preheat oven to 180-200C
  2. Place mashed potatoes in a bowl and add sugar. Mix well
  3. Add fruit and mix.
  4. Sift flour and salt together and add to poato mixture alternately with milk.
  5. Place in two greased loaf tins, or one greased large cake tin.
  6. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.
  7. Remove from oven, cool slightly then ice while still warm.
  8. (Icing – 1 cup icing sugar; 1 tspn vanilla essence; 1 to 2 tblspns Lemon juice or water or a mixture of both: 2 to 3 drops of food colouring if desired). Mix these ingredients to a stiff consistency and spread over bun.
  9. Cut into slices and serve If desired, it may be spread with butter.
  10. Serves 6 to 8 people.

Please try the above recipe, and enjoy!

Now that the new year has arrived, perhaps you are thinking to change your life-style. If your dream is to make more money and be financially more stable, it night be the time to start a new sideline or business. The booklet below is available from me for AU$8. It could be the thing to start you off. Be aware, some of the rules are for Australia – so check with your local country representatives if you start a business.I will send anywhere in the world, so if you are interested or would like a catalogue of my other books, just email me at maureenlarter@gmail.com and I can get a copy to you.

A guide to getting you started in business. Available for AU$8 straight from me.

If you want to check me out, or look at my credentials – these are my social media contacts:-

My facebook pages are:

https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter

https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia

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

Linkedin : MLarter

Twitter : @MaureenLarter

Instagram : lartermaureen

Red, Entertaining and Drinking

Posted on by mjlarter2

December is once more with us – the American festivals of Halloween and Thanksgiving now behind us. Hopefully, this year, with the restrictions forced on us by the pandemic, we will be able to see an easing of the rules and we will enjoy a family get-together. In Christian countries, we look forward to a joyful Christmas and then a fresh and happy new year, when, if we are lucky, we will enjoy a year of wonder and excitement, love and merriment and, for some, the ability to start towards a dream of their own.

Needless to say, as the year draws to a close and another begins, we will all have seen our share of sorrow, disappointment and even tragedy. But this month we should look forward, not back. Remember the bad times, by all means, but learn from them and strive for something better in the future.

Next year my blog will consist of a nice recipe, (For the eat part of my blog), a short story to read, and a dream to hold and try to pursue. After all, my blog is called ReadEatDream! I will continue to use the R.E.D. titles.

I hope you have enjoyed the art work I have presented throughout this year, and the short stories they have inspired. This story, for the festive season, is inspired by my friend, Annie Gabriel’s painting. She has also illustrated many of my children’s books.

Double shot 25 x 30 -$65

There was laughter around the table as Judy lifted her glass and said “Some more please!”

Judy wasn’t known for drinking, but it was Christmas, and she had let her defenses down. Besides, after a year of feeling sorry for herself, the new year was coming, and it was a perfect time to make a fresh start.

Judy knew that her smile and her conversation hid a mountain of heartbreak. Her Mother had passed away during May, and she had felt so helpless as she had watched the life drained out of her. Cancer was such a horrible disease. Then her father had succumbed to a broken heart in September – he just couldn’t face a life without his wife.

To make matters worse, Judy had lost her job and her long-term boyfriend all in the same month as well. Dennis had said that he couldn’t cope with her depression, her constant tears and the way she had pushed him away in her grief. The fact that she had had so much time off at work caused the boss to suggest she take a long look at herself, take an extended holiday, and look for another job.

The party noise lifted to the next level and Judy sipped at the red wine, not particularly enjoying the taste. Entertaining and being entertained wasn’t within her comfort zone.

But she tried.

But Judy was amazed. Although she hadn’t forgotten, and never would, the traumas of the past year, she discovered that she could move on. She could be happy. She could enjoy life. That it wasn’t a betrayal of all that had gone before, but a celebration of her parents, a celebration of her life.

She knew that there would still be hard times ahead, but she decided as she smiled and raised her glass to the joy of the Christmas season, that she would learn to live again.

She felt a tap on her shoulder. A male voice interrupted her thoughts.

“You have such a nice smile.”

***

My chapter books for middle school children often have the theme of not giving up in them. For example ‘Petey’ tells of a bird left alone by jealous siblings having pushed him out of the nest. The environment is hostile, yet he has the will to survive.

Even my fantasy series about a wizard, Rosferado, tells of the re-education and hope of a bright future – more so in the 2nd book of the series – ‘Rosferado, wizard – Banished.’

These are available for $18AU plus postage – feel free to give me a message with your details so I know where to send it.

Refresh, Energize and Diverge.

Posted on by mjlarter2

2020 has been a difficult year and I must apologize for neglecting my blog. We have all suffered, from drought, fires, floods and Covid, and I have been busy, at home during lock-down, writing and published more of my own and other author’s books. All the books are available from me – so please message me if anything looks interesting to you. The following is only a small sample (page two has my catalogue on it).

On a completely different tangent, I’ve also learned to knit with 4 needles and have made myself 4 pairs of socks for next winter.

Now I feel it’s time to refresh, energize and renew my blog … diverge into a different style – give my readers some of my writing with short stories inspired by various artist’s work.

So … enough of my waffling! Please remember, if you are interested in any of the books or paintings featured in my blog, please follow the links ( https://www.facebook.com/BooksByMaureenLarter ), ( https://www.facebook.com/AlphabetanimalsofAustralia ), ( https://www.facebook.com/Sweetfields-Publisher ), or Direct Message me. Thank you.

This is the first of twelve paintings that have inspired me to write a short story. Don’t forget to follow the links to more of this artist’s works. This painting is by Mykel. If you would like to see more of his work pop over to his Instagram account – https://www.instagram.com/kwhyette

Waterdragon

Serpents.

Lucius stepped back and checked the floor again. One more tile and a polish, and the design would be finished.

He squatted down and placed the last of the lapis-lazuli tiles in position, then relaxed back on his heels and wiped the sweat from his forehead. He was very happy with the work, the centre-piece of the lavish courtyard in this lush holiday villa. He was looking forward to doing his next job for Marcus Flavius.

That next job included a vicious, snarling dog. It was to be laid in the entrance foyer as a warning to unwanted guests.

Lucius smiled. Marcus Flavius had been so impressed by his designs, he had freed Lucius from the bonds of slavery and was in the process of gaining the necessary Roman citizenship for him. He would do a mosaic worthy of his own elevation, and to do his ex-master proud.

Only a couple of weeks later, the dog was nearly finished. Lucius’s Roman citizenship had come through and he was about to set up his own business in the main city centre. He could see a bright future ahead of him.

There was a rumble beneath his feet. What was happening. He got up off the floor and ran. There had been only a few tiles left to place.

***

The drone that belonged to Arthur swept over the next part of the archaeological site. It’s infrared cameras sent back to the computer a rough outline of a large villa.

Arthur had already begun the dig.

He was excited.

They could see the beginnings of a mosaic, undamaged by the layers of ash that Vesuvius had spewed over the town. Slowly a head of a large black and tan dog appeared – it’s mouth open in a growl and it’s fangs large and menacing. What a magnificent work of art. The owner of the villa must have been wealthy to have been able to hire such wonderful craftsmen.

Arthur turned to his partner.

“Such a pity this was never finished.” he remarked “But I wonder what other treasures we will find within this villa’s walls?”

Reasons, Eggs and Daylight

Posted on by mjlarter2

Hi everyone – well, Easter has been and gone, and here in Australia, Summer daylight saving has finished. The cooler weather has started and shorter days progress. The hens have gone into a moult and there are feathers everywhere, but, while they are growing new feathers for Winter, I’m not getting any eggs.

The goats are getting old, and the cows are dry – so no fresh milk. Life is not as rosy as it was just a few short weeks ago.

So those are the reasons I can cheerfully say “Oh – woe is me!” Lucky I have a sense of humour. But – you can’t keep me down for long – there is still so much to be happy about. I have seedlings to put in – cabbage, broccoli, cauli, snow peas and all-year lettuces. They will be feeding me in the coldest months.

However, on a lighter note, I am still writing, and there are going to be several books added to my library stable. “Elephants Everywhere” is the next of my children’s picture books to be released.

I have a picture book – “Bartholomew” by Elizabeth Kempers that Sweetfields Publishing will release very soon, and 4 other books waiting in the wings by two different authors.

I have started on two more chapter books for middle school children as well. “Rosferado – a New Adventure” (The titles may change in the future) is book two of my wizard series. “Kathy and the Sea Dragons” or maybe “Smugglers and Dragons”(?) is the second book in the Kathy Edwards series of adventures. Hopefully these will be available later in the year.

It’s going to be a busy year.

Reindeer,Elves and Decorations

Posted on by mjlarter2

XmasAAAAh! ‘Tis the Silly Season!

Now, I have to admit that I’m not religious in any ‘orthodox’ religions. In Australia we tend to think of kangaroos instead of reindeer, and heat and flies instead of elves and snow, but there is still the decorations all over the place.

How incongruous to be giving cards with snow and snowmen on their covers, how silly it is to feed a family a full roast dinner with a flaming fruit pudding with all the trimmings in the middle of our summer – pity the poor cooks in the kitchen! It isn’t unusual for the day’s temperature to soar into the forties, and there has been the odd time that firemen guests have been taken away from the festivities by the siren call of a fire in the bush.

I really don’t like what the celebration of Christmas has become – commercial codswallop to make you spend money, and ever more expensive gifts that the children and young people of today lust after.

Where are the joys of handmade gifts, made with love throughout the year? Why does Australia continue to glorify the birth of Jesus, when it is fairly widely known that He was born in the Arabian Summer?

I found it even more amazing, when visiting the Buddhist country of Cambodia, to see Christmas paraphernalia every where. When asked why, the general population didn’t know the significance, and just thought it was all ‘very pretty’.

Still … I don’t want to be considered a sad sack, so here is a menu for a summer feast – salads and ice-cream to enjoy.

Watermelon salad:

lettuce (any type – your choice), Watermelon, cucumber, feta cheese or similar, pickled onions and dressing ( mayonnaise mixed with olive oil and salt and pepper.)

You may notice I haven’t given any quantities – it depends on whether it is intended for one or a crowd! For one:- A small handful of lettuce leaves, broken  into small chunks, a slice of watermelon cubed (If you want to get fancy, try cutting with cookie cutters into wmelonhearts, stars or Christmas tree shapes), 1/2 cup of diced cucumber, a handful of crumbled feta and several small pickled onions, sliced. Mix together a tablespoon of mayo with a slurp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over, then mix into the ingredients all tossed together in a bowl.

For a crowd? – just multiply the ingredients!

For omnivores – a lovely cold roast chicken or leg of lamb or cold whole prawns (or all choices for a crowd) sliced onto a self-serve plate are great accompaniments to salads.

For vegetarians? Add a main meal of :-  Mixed vegetable Quiche.

Take a handful of any vegetables you have on hand and cut them into small cubes. This could be carrot, capsicum, onion or leek, and zucchini. you can add a small tin of corn kernels, tiny florets of broccoli and cauliflower, as well as anything else you desire.

Add the vegetables to well beaten eggs. Use 2 for a small quiche, and 6 to 8 for a large one. Pour into a pastry case (bought or made by you) and cook in a moderate oven until eggs are firm and golden. Grated cheddar cheese can be sprinkled on top if you wish. Pop it back into the oven for a few moments to melt the cheese. Allow to cool to serve.

Top the meal off with a lovely dessert. ANYTHING with home-made ice-cream (see recipes in archives – I think May?? ). An Australian specialty is Fruit Pavlova.

You can buy the meringue base from the supermarket (try minis meringue shells if you are on your own) and add lashings of sweetened whipped cream topped with seasonal fruit – whatever is your favourite.Pavlova.jpg

P.S. Remember to look at my second and third pages for children’s books as gifts, and original art and limited edition prints for someone special.FLOW

readeatdream.net/sweetfields-products-and-mykelcee-designs

readeatdream.net/free-childrens-picture-bookBookcover2

 

 

Re-format, Edit and Design.

Posted on by mjlarter2

Now that I’m back from Cambodia and my body has managed to settle back into a fairly normal routine, I can now concentrate on re-formatting my books for the new company that will do print on demand in Australia.

Be aware – Amazon and KDP no longer send paperbacks books to Australia – so it was necessary to find a new place to print my books. My publishing house is Sweetfields Publishing (message me if you need anymore information). 

Alphacovers

Yay! I’m so happy. After years of designing and editing my books for the Amazon market – and paying an arm and a leg for postage, the convenience of a company in Australia is worth the extra cost in printing.

Amazon has actually done me a favour! My books are still available to the world in general from the KDP platform as well as Amazon. But because Amazon won’t post to Australia, I’d lost my local market. Now that is being put to rights.

It will take a bit of time (and frustration from me as I learn the new company and its rules) but it will be worth it in the end. I have counted up – I have 38 books to changeover – and another couple in the pipeline. Whew!

The re-format really is only to change the sizing, but that requires a bit of tweaking in the design of the books, and, while I’m at it, I might as well edit as well. It is the illustrations that are causing me the most headache, because, in the beginning of my journey, I did not understand how to get the correct dpi requirements for the images. Also, my first three books were illustrated by international visitors, and I haven’t got the originals to re-scan.

On top of that, the story-telling by myself has improved in leaps and bounds, so I need to look at some of the clunky sentences and re-word a little.

This means that I will be bum on computer seat, eyes on computer screen, fingers blistering at the keyboard and the brain squishy with all the thinking I will need to do.

Bookcover2

Bear with me – everything will sort itself out in time.

With Kindness

Maureen.

P.S. In the meantime, my second page ( readeatdream.net/free-childrens-picture-book )  includes my catalogue, and a new short story for your reading pleasure. Let me know what you think of the story.

My next children’s chapter book to be launched is ‘Rosferado – Wizard Extraordinaire’. The tagline could probably be – ‘but he isn’t’!!

There are two more books in the works, too. ‘Larry Lyrebird Laughs’ ( a picture book ) and ‘Rainbows in the Jungle – a Kathy Edwards adventure’ – (a chapter book for MA children).

If you would love to buy some original artwork – limited edition prints or originals – by a talented young artist – have a look at page three  ( readeatdream.net/ sweetfields-products-and-mykelcee-designs )

It’s good to be busy!