Wow, this is such a powerful story. It’s a riveting read about Martha, who knows her mental health is not right but she doesn’t know what’s wrong. By the time she finds out, her illness has influenced her life in so many ways that it doesn’t matter anymore. This story absorbed me and I kept […]
Welcome
Hello! I’m Erica Spinks and I’m so pleased you are here.
Welcome to readers who have followed me from my Creative Dabbling blog and to all of you who have just found me.
I write mostly about gardening, reading, writing, quilt making and creativity.
Winter celebration of the sun
It’s easy to lose contact with the seasons and the natural passing of time. That’s why I always like to note both growth and decline in my garden. It’s my way of staying in touch with our Earth. Today is the winter solstice in my part of the world – the shortest day of the […]
Do my plants talk about me?
I read an article recently that outlined how trees communicate with each other to warn of danger. It focused on the work of Suzanne Simard. To quote from the article:“Chemical alarm signals generated by one tree prepare nearby trees for danger. Seedlings severed from the forest’s underground lifelines are much more likely to die than […]
In my garden column: June 2021
Aah, June – that month when winter finally arrives. We’ve had a blast of cold air this past week and some long-term locals even started talking up the possibility of snow. That didn’t happen, thankfully, but I wouldn’t rule it out as the season progresses. There’s lots for me to do in my garden this […]
Weekend reading
I love that we can experience the changing seasons in our area. We’ve had two frosts this week and another one is forecast for tomorrow. Most deciduous trees have discarded their leaves although many are just hanging on, at least until the next winds blow. I’ve lost track of how many piles of leaves I’ve […]
My life in a marshmallow
A few winters ago, I bought a new dressing gown. Although I hadn’t planned to purchase anything, it called out to me as I walked through a store. Made of rich, deep velour, the gown was begging to be stroked. It was only after I wore it at home and looked in the mirror that […]
In my garden column: May 2021
Hello to everyone who loves camellias. May is the month when they feature in our gardens here – fat buds are on all my shrubs and many are starting to open their blooms. A lovely time to choose new ones to plant! My May column for our local newspaper, Southern Highlands Express. features these gorgeous […]
My book of the month: May 2021
When people are taken out of their usual environment they often re-examine aspects of their lives. The characters in Vanessa McCausland’s novel soon discover this when they visit Capertree Valley. The four friends and their children visit a restored Art Deco hotel in a remote former mining town. Soon everything starts to unravel as secrets […]
It’s only incidentally about the quilting
At our local quilting group last week, I made one, six-pointed star. I didn’t think that was much of an outcome for half a day. Thinking about it later, I realised so much more had happened. Talking to new people, learning more about those I had already met. laughing (lots of laughing!), sharing stories, and […]
Five books that made me cry
Novels teach us a lot about human interaction: how we behave in particular situations, how we react to crises, and how we deal with our emotions. I have learned so much from fictional characters – thank you to all the authors who have created them. I have cried while reading many novels. Here are five […]