Good-bye Tree

We have a gorgeous gum tree in the front of our yard. Unfortunately the previous owners planted it too close to the retaining wall and driveway and the shallow roots of the tree are cracking open both.

We've had an arborist out and the small hope there might be some way to save the tree was dashed. It has to go.

Our eucalypt is a beautiful tree. Not only aesthetically with its multi-coloured scraggy bark, but for all the wildlife it attracts, especially birds. Cockatoos, currawongs, ravens, magpies, butcher birds and tree creepers to name a few.

It's not only birds we find in the tree; insect life flourishes as well. Cicadas, ants, beetles and bugs have all made the tree their home. The other day we found a white-stemmed gum moth caterpillar making its way down the tree. This is a rather large caterpillar (its The Hub's fingers in the photo), and not commonly seen.

It's going to be a sad day when the tree finally comes down.

The Flat White is Aussie!

Every shop that serves coffee in Australia serves a flat white. It's so common here I assumed it was found all around the world. Turns out I was mistaken. Earlier this month Starbucks (the US coffee chain apparently found on every corner over there) announced they were going to start serving flat whites.

I wonder what they'll taste like? Everyone I know complains about the coffee overseas. But as this drink originates from Australia does that mean they'll follow our recipe?


I'm a chai latte drinker myself, but I'd love to hear from anyone who has had both to compare. Does the Starbucks' version stack up against the Aussie?

Unconventional Writing Craft

I've enrolled in a year of tertiary study to help my writing. Not unusual, but I'm not doing a traditional "writing 101" type course. Uhuh. Not me. I'm going to be studying biometrics.

This course will provide practical training in biometric recognition. Biometrics are biological or behavioural characteristics that can be used for identification or verification purposes.

As in most cozy mysteries my protaganist has a connection with someone 'in the know' from whom she can weasel out extra information. In the case of my story, that person is a CSI. So I want to make sure I know what I am writing about.

During this course I'll learn things like face, fingerprint, iris and voice biometric technologies, court procedures and forensic digital imaging.

I can't wait to start.

Have you ever done anything to help make your writing more realistic?