“Autumn teaches us the beauty of letting go. Growth requires release – it’s what trees do.” I once lived in a very cold town, where there were only two seasons. Hot and cold. But Autumn on the South Coast of NSW is different. There are four seasons and rather than seeing Autumn as the start of the ‘cold’ season, I can now enjoy the beauty of the season. I can see beyond the weather and enjoy the season for what it is – a season of shedding and preparation. Gardening in the Autumn is a great time for plant-lovers of any scale. It’s cool enough to get out and dig around for a few hours without ..read more

Where I grew up in Country NSW, one of the most coveted titles a gal could have was Country Showgirl. It was something young girls strived to achieve. And when I was 25, they asked me to enter. But I declined. The idea of losing was wayyyy tooooo embarrassing so I sat back and let someone else win. In the meantime, I looked up what a Country Showgirl did and what it meant. Because from what I heard, it was a glorified beauty contest and as long as your Dad and Granddad were farmers – you were in with a shot. As an indignant Gen X woman who loved blasting a bit of Alanis Morrisette in my Datsu ..read more

OK, fine. I’ll admit it. Summer is over. Ugh. I’m going to miss that sun and the beach days and the cold wine. But wait. What’s that I hear? The crackle of a fire? The sweet pour of a sweet Shiraz? A snuggly warm blankie to share with the one you love? Autumn, I think I’m in love. Entertaining in Autumn needs a slight re-think from your Summer strategy. First of all – the weather is going to force some amendments. I love eating outside when I have visitors, and while the weather is mild, I’d encourage you to stay outside for as long as possible. Instead of sitting around the dinner table and b ..read more

Anxiety is a bitch. It can make you angry, make daily life difficult and generally make life pretty unbearable. A good phycologist will be able to help you with strategies to help ease your anxiety, but one strategy in particular has been helpful for me.  Journalling can be used in a few ways to help with anxiety symptoms. One of the best reasons to journal is so that your busy mind has a chance to see patterns that it might not otherwise be able to recognise.  By writing down how you feel and what is causing you to feel that way, you are able to read back and see on the page reasons ..read more

Whether you observe the rule of only eating fish on Friday or not – Good Friday is a great day for a seafood feast. In March and April, there are a number of varieties of seafood in season, choosing one can help you plan your Good Friday meal and go from Good to Great.  Salmon is in season all year round and is a seafood that is enjoyed by most people as it doesn’t have an overly strong ‘fish’ flavour. Barramundi is in season and is another crowd pleaser. Best cooked grilled or smoked, Barra has a mild flavour. In the Illawarra, you can find a great selection of seafood at Hawthorne ..read more

What to make when you need to bring something to the BBQ  When you ask what to bring to the Barbie you’re invited to, there are usually only two answers given. “Nothing,” or even worse – “Whatever you want to.” Therein sets the anxiety. What ever you want to? What the heck does that mean? A bag of chips? A box of sausage rolls? A roast with all the trimmings?? Never fear, party goers….we have put together a list of some fail-safe things to bring to the BBQ when you need something to bring.  1. Sliders Always a winner, sliders are so easy to make and usually suit everyone. They’re sma ..read more

You’re in a funk. You know how that feels. Blah. Bleargh. Blerrrrrh. Motivation is low and bed feels nice and everything else is just too hard. Its frustrating when you have days like this. Especially when you want to get things done. It’s even more frustrating when days turn into weeks and life is moving and you feel you’re sitting on the side of the tracks – not even a passenger on the train. So what can you do about it?  First make sure this isn’t a bigger problem. Recognise the signs of depression including withdrawing from friends and family, trouble concentrating, feeling overwhelme ..read more

You’ve got your ‘first place’ which is your home, then your ‘second place’ – your work/school. But what the heck is your ‘third place’ and why is it so important?? Read on to find out why your Third Place is so important to your mental health. Urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg wrote a book back in ’89 called The Great Good Place. In it, he spoke of ‘three places.’ Your home, your work and a third place – which he calls The Great Good Place. He lamented the “decline of social spots, and fervently advocated for their importance as hubs of communication and personal fulfillment.”  A ‘third p ..read more

I’m bloated, I’m fat, my skin is itchy, I’m angry and everything annoys me. So, getting excited about dressing up these days can take a bit of effort (and a glass of champers or two)! But I also know that going out, looking nice and seeing friends is ‘good for my stupid mental health.’ So I must make the effort. Never fear, dear readers – I have done the hard work and scoured the inter-webs and local boutiques and found a few bits and pieces that I can wear that won’t be too tight around my belly, or my crotch, won’t be too hot, will accomodate swelling feet and won’t annoy my skin and am pass ..read more

I want to conduct a little experiment. Head on over to your bookshelf and choose a book. Take a look at the cover. What do you see? More importantly – how do you feel?  Or check out the cover of Amy Andrew’s bestselling romance novel – Undercover Billionaire here and then let me know how you feel: It’s ok, you can scroll back up. Then down. slowly. I’ll wait. Ahem. Ready to carry on? Lets continue. For eons we have been told not to judge a book by it’s cover – but for those who design romance book covers – that’s exactly what they want you to do.  Every texture, every picture, every ..read more