Off the highways and into the hills

Lies the humble heart of rural Australia's hospitality

May 27, 2023

Please buy this book. It is to be treasured and written by a treasure herself, Maggie Mackellar. And look! another green room. love.

I drove down the Hume Highway in silence. Sometimes you need to do that. I’d never been to Holbrook before. I was meeting Maggie there. For a book party. I’d never met her before. My sister called and asked, “How are you feeling?”.

“I’m excited and I’m nervous.” I needed have worried. It was like stepping into family I’d never met. This is the beating heart of rural Australia. Off the highways and into the hills are houses and homes with hospitality, uniquely unbridled. Thank you Margot and Kate and Maggie.

Happy.

Podcast Playlist

One of my all-time fave podcasts; The Food Podcast is chatting with inimitable Cake Maker, Gillian Bell this week.

I’m on a bit of a Conversations binge at the moment. They do so many fascinating rural stories - Being Sharon Stone’s stunt double - gee I would love to interview Ky on her time in her family’s South Australian sheep station.

Happy Place with Miriam Margoyles. MM is the only person on the planet who can get away with drinking from a jug of milk, taking a phone call and comfortably dropping the C-word (in context too) all within one podcast interview.

Lay your eyes on these instagram accounts

@sedes.mpr || @_snowbloom_ (pictured, stunning - what a talent - this is rural hospitality friends) || @barlowandbarlow ||

This pile of things to read

If Grace Brennan writes, it’s usually something we should all read. This piece on women and comfort zones via the Australia is no exception.

I’m feeling really strong bush cabin vibes at the moment. It’s the time of the year I’m sure. A prefab option is always lingering in the back of my mind and everyone elses’ it seems. Via The Guardian.

New newsletters

PS: More than an afterthought by Jodi Wilson. An Aussie substacker, yay!

PS: more than an afterthought

how to live simply when you're overwhelmed

The house smells like wood and coffee beans and from now until late spring I’ll seek layers and wool; jumpers, scarves, socks and gloves. The full moon coincided with the drop into deep autumn - the midway point between the autumn equinox and winter solstice - which means it’s officially hot water bottle season. Of course, a hot water bottle is essentia…

2 years ago · 33 likes · 4 comments · Jodi Wilson

Still Space with Sian Clifford - you know the sister in Fleabag.

This dispatch is fun, ‘I like the way you move’

This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Clementine & Co - creator of pretty floral and Liberty fabric homewares.

I remember discovering Clementine & Co online many moons ago when we lived in Orange, NSW. Feeling like a gift for myself was too indulgent, I bought x4 Liberty print napkins for my sister as a present. Since then, the Clementine & Co has only got more beautiful. If money were no item, I would have a bookcase full of her notebooks which I could dip in and our of depending on how my mood matched the beautiful fabrics. Each of my bags would have it’s own beautiful frilly zipped pouch.

This is the best place to support Clementine & Co right now - @clementine.andco - as sadly, Aimee’s old Instagram account which she’s been building for years was deactivated (unfairly).

This is the final week we are sharing the full-tilt newsletter to both free and paid subscribers, If you want to continue receiving your ‘Pile of Things to Read’ and ‘New Newsletters’ + a new Thursday evening newsletter and other goodness then you will need to become a paid subscriber for $7/month. This my friend, will really make my day, so please if you are thinking about it, go forth and be happy! Sxx