I so agree Prue, Christmas is for the little ones, I can just imagine the littleist farmer being so excited, I think the sound of a picnic on Christmas day is fabulous I'd go with that ;) We'll probably go for a walk,
Sounds like you have a busy week ahead with the shearing,
Alun is working at 4pm so we'll have Christmas dinner the day before as we'll have to leave at 2ish so he can get organised for work, We'll open presents on Christmas morning and Jeff will do a cooked breakfast/ brunch, and then we can send him with leftovers for his and Selina's dinner, we'll have the same but possibly with salad
Christmas seems to have arrived quickly this year, but we're fairly well organised
Have a fabulous family time, you're blessed to be able to see them and friends so frequently
Happy sigh. So much to love. Your passion for the sea shines through as does your love for that precious grandson. Have a wonderful Christmas dear Prue. I love our simple, hot weather get togethers. I’ll think of you down there, with the shearers! (Ours were always done in August. I too was the cook.) Hugs and best wishes. 🤗🤗😘😘
We winter shear in July, all the ewes. Makes lambing less fraught the pundits say. I hate the thought of those poor pregnant mums in winter, but apparently they grow a protective lanolin sheath in a matter of days. The lambs are shorn of their fluff because they've been weaned and need to start afresh, growing themselves out and a good fleece with it. I don't mind cooking for the shearers now. It used to be hard when lunch was required but now they all bring very healthy salad rolls etc and I only have to do the sugar-laden smokos!
What wonderful memories and more in the making with your grandchild.
The shearing! Where does all that fabulous merino wool go? Does it get sold to market then spun into a sweater? I never thought about the journey of the floccus.
We never had a Christmas tree when I was growing up but I can live vicariously through stories like yours. Merry Christmas. 🙏🎄
Hi CK. Most Australian merino wool, including ours, is old to China where it is spun and made into the merino goods you no doubt buy in the USA. The really superfine merino wool - 16 microns - is still sold to the Italian mills and we all know what heaven emerges from there.
Ohh, I loved so much in this one. Mostly the calmness as you recount your life that seems so full and rich of the important things: family, the land, the sea. Christmas preparations and enjoyment. And MUPPETS! Watching The Muppet's Christmas Carol is a revered family tradition and I love that my adult kids love it still too, and have always insisted that it be part of their lives and any friends around at the time too. The little ones grow up and treasure their memories that we may have had a hand in, and so the cycle goes. Thank you once more for appreciating my post and sharing it with others. That means so much. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. PS: I am fully engrossed in The Last Stitch in your Chronicles of Eirie series, and staying up waaay too late each night reading. LOVING the series! Now I understand your passion for embroidery 🧵 ❤️
I am really enjoying the stories you wrote Prue. It's all the more thrilling thinking of the you I know crafting all those words into page turning stories. I can imagine it is funny to come back to them after time has passed and you have moved on to other genres. Hope you are enjoying the editing process!
Prue, as usual, your words have pinged so many thoughts that were I to remark on them all, I'd be at risk of hijacking your lovely post. Suffice to say, you've revealed the heart of it all beautifully! I adore your driftwood tree. Our [astonishingly expensive] fir was selected later than usual, and decorated later still. I just managed to get it all done on Friday, when I had a day off from work. I suppose I'll just have to leave it on display well into January to make up for it!
Thank you for sharing your memories, for being there for your family, for reminding us that there all holiday traditions are equally valid. And, my sincere gratitude to you for sharing my recent poem.
I'll close with a wish: I really do want you to take that Christmas Day picnic sometime soon!
A beautiful, beautiful post, Prue - thank you so much for my favourite read of the day (time has not been my friend these past few days, and I've had a wonderful afternoon catching up on my Substack reading - SO happy to find this lovely read).
To me, a chilled-to-the-bone Brit, your festive gingerbread man on the beach looks incongruously toasty - I love to think how you and I have opposite seasons and opposite times of day, and your Christmas is summer, not winter. The world is magical, isn't it?
I wish I were 8! That was my perfect Christmas age, and gosh, it's over 40 years ago. But we have new lives and new traditions alongside those we've loved the best and the longest, and the unique-to-us family customs. There will be time spent in excellent company, and all will be well.
And yes, the world IS magical and it is that fact alone that I want to teach my grandson - to look for the idiosyncracies, the strange and the wonderful - to keep his eyes open and wide to the magic of nature.
Thank you, Rebecca for taking the time to sit and read little old me. As always, I am stunned that people do. It's a heartwarming feeling.
Looking for the strange and wonderful is a lovely intention - that's absolutely brilliant!
I'm glad to have warmed your heart with my reading of your words - but Prue, I can't help it! I look forward to every one of your posts, and thoroughly enjoy what you have to say. x
I am in awe of all that you do—your writing, ballet, and getting out and enjoying nature… Plus helping to run a farm and cooking for the shearers! You are an inspiration 😊
It’s such a treat to learn about your life in Tasmania—and to hear about your grandson’s Christmas too. Your posts are a gift!
I so agree Prue, Christmas is for the little ones, I can just imagine the littleist farmer being so excited, I think the sound of a picnic on Christmas day is fabulous I'd go with that ;) We'll probably go for a walk,
Sounds like you have a busy week ahead with the shearing,
Alun is working at 4pm so we'll have Christmas dinner the day before as we'll have to leave at 2ish so he can get organised for work, We'll open presents on Christmas morning and Jeff will do a cooked breakfast/ brunch, and then we can send him with leftovers for his and Selina's dinner, we'll have the same but possibly with salad
Christmas seems to have arrived quickly this year, but we're fairly well organised
Have a fabulous family time, you're blessed to be able to see them and friends so frequently
much love xxxx
Love to you, Libby. Hopefully I can squeeze one more post in before Christmas Day.
Happy sigh. So much to love. Your passion for the sea shines through as does your love for that precious grandson. Have a wonderful Christmas dear Prue. I love our simple, hot weather get togethers. I’ll think of you down there, with the shearers! (Ours were always done in August. I too was the cook.) Hugs and best wishes. 🤗🤗😘😘
and to you, Beth.
We winter shear in July, all the ewes. Makes lambing less fraught the pundits say. I hate the thought of those poor pregnant mums in winter, but apparently they grow a protective lanolin sheath in a matter of days. The lambs are shorn of their fluff because they've been weaned and need to start afresh, growing themselves out and a good fleece with it. I don't mind cooking for the shearers now. It used to be hard when lunch was required but now they all bring very healthy salad rolls etc and I only have to do the sugar-laden smokos!
What wonderful memories and more in the making with your grandchild.
The shearing! Where does all that fabulous merino wool go? Does it get sold to market then spun into a sweater? I never thought about the journey of the floccus.
We never had a Christmas tree when I was growing up but I can live vicariously through stories like yours. Merry Christmas. 🙏🎄
Hi CK. Most Australian merino wool, including ours, is old to China where it is spun and made into the merino goods you no doubt buy in the USA. The really superfine merino wool - 16 microns - is still sold to the Italian mills and we all know what heaven emerges from there.
Happy holiday to you too, CK.
Thank you for the explanation. 🙏
Ohh, I loved so much in this one. Mostly the calmness as you recount your life that seems so full and rich of the important things: family, the land, the sea. Christmas preparations and enjoyment. And MUPPETS! Watching The Muppet's Christmas Carol is a revered family tradition and I love that my adult kids love it still too, and have always insisted that it be part of their lives and any friends around at the time too. The little ones grow up and treasure their memories that we may have had a hand in, and so the cycle goes. Thank you once more for appreciating my post and sharing it with others. That means so much. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead. PS: I am fully engrossed in The Last Stitch in your Chronicles of Eirie series, and staying up waaay too late each night reading. LOVING the series! Now I understand your passion for embroidery 🧵 ❤️
I can't tell you how thrilled I am you're reading part of The Chronicles of Eirie. Thank you for making the effort, Sabrina.
When I read back over those first two books, I can see now, at Book Fifteen, how my words and style have matured.
I'm having to edit the Chronicles for print publication and it's quite a journey down memory-lane.
I think moving to historical fiction was the catalyst for my growth and style change. I HAD to move on to compete on a huge and very learned market.
These days, I'm more laid back - call it age.
LOVE The Muppets. Especially the Swedish Chef and Animal!
I am really enjoying the stories you wrote Prue. It's all the more thrilling thinking of the you I know crafting all those words into page turning stories. I can imagine it is funny to come back to them after time has passed and you have moved on to other genres. Hope you are enjoying the editing process!
It's an odd feeling - I keep saying 'Golly, did I write that? I'm quite enjoying this story!'
And I've always been one of the odd bods who loves the editing process. My editor is one of my most revered professionals.
Prue, as usual, your words have pinged so many thoughts that were I to remark on them all, I'd be at risk of hijacking your lovely post. Suffice to say, you've revealed the heart of it all beautifully! I adore your driftwood tree. Our [astonishingly expensive] fir was selected later than usual, and decorated later still. I just managed to get it all done on Friday, when I had a day off from work. I suppose I'll just have to leave it on display well into January to make up for it!
Thank you for sharing your memories, for being there for your family, for reminding us that there all holiday traditions are equally valid. And, my sincere gratitude to you for sharing my recent poem.
I'll close with a wish: I really do want you to take that Christmas Day picnic sometime soon!
Thank you from the heart. 'Nuff said. XXXX
A beautiful, beautiful post, Prue - thank you so much for my favourite read of the day (time has not been my friend these past few days, and I've had a wonderful afternoon catching up on my Substack reading - SO happy to find this lovely read).
To me, a chilled-to-the-bone Brit, your festive gingerbread man on the beach looks incongruously toasty - I love to think how you and I have opposite seasons and opposite times of day, and your Christmas is summer, not winter. The world is magical, isn't it?
I wish I were 8! That was my perfect Christmas age, and gosh, it's over 40 years ago. But we have new lives and new traditions alongside those we've loved the best and the longest, and the unique-to-us family customs. There will be time spent in excellent company, and all will be well.
Sending love. ❤️
Indeed - new traditions. I quite like that idea.
And yes, the world IS magical and it is that fact alone that I want to teach my grandson - to look for the idiosyncracies, the strange and the wonderful - to keep his eyes open and wide to the magic of nature.
Thank you, Rebecca for taking the time to sit and read little old me. As always, I am stunned that people do. It's a heartwarming feeling.
Talk soon.
XXXX
Looking for the strange and wonderful is a lovely intention - that's absolutely brilliant!
I'm glad to have warmed your heart with my reading of your words - but Prue, I can't help it! I look forward to every one of your posts, and thoroughly enjoy what you have to say. x
I am in awe of all that you do—your writing, ballet, and getting out and enjoying nature… Plus helping to run a farm and cooking for the shearers! You are an inspiration 😊
It’s such a treat to learn about your life in Tasmania—and to hear about your grandson’s Christmas too. Your posts are a gift!
Honestly, that's so lovely. Thank you so much!