Sunset in Winter: Sydney, Australia

Sunsets vary widely in their beauty. Some are quite spectacular, while others are almost non-events.

In Sydney, the winter sunsets tend to be delightful.

Here is one that I recently photographed.

Enjoy!

A Glorious Sydney Sunset

Ducks are Beautiful!

Ducks on the Pontoon

Ducks are beautiful!

Sometimes they visit our local swimming baths. One of their favourite resting places is on top of the pontoon.

This doubles as a diving platform and swimming-race marking point. It’s the 50 metre mark!

So nice to see our feathered friends enjoying the winter sun.

A New Review : AMELIA’S CALL

I’m thoroughly delighted to announce a new review of Amelia’s Call has been posted on Amazon.

Thank you, Catrina!

Here it is!

4.0 out of 5 stars Choices faced July 27, 2013
By Catrina M. Rudd
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
A new bride and new groom wear the rose colored glasses of love, lust, and excitement until the vows are done, and they believe the world is theirs. This is a story of what comes after ‘I do’.

Amelia faces hard choices that change her rose colored tint. Challenges force her to evaluate everything, as is the case for every marriage. Her decisions make or break their future, and leave the reader wondering in reflection.

Ms Sharp has really brought the reality of life to the forefront in a manner that is truly compelling and emotional. This is an excellent story, and I strongly suggest picking it up.

http://www.amazon.com/kindle-store/dp/B00DLYLK4M

Boomer Lit: ‘Encore’!

Hello and thanks to those who have visited my blog!

For the moment, this is my final chance to give you a taste of my fiction writing, so I ‘ve decided to select one of the particular favourite vignettes of Goodreads reviewer Mark.

This sample is from my seventh title, ‘ENCORE’.

DEAR DAVID

Dear David,

I don’t think I could have believed it’s really you, if Gina hadn’t sworn she saw my photo on your hall table. Certainly, the snapshot she took last Sunday tugs ta my far-away memories; the blueness of your eyes I can never forget.

She tells me that the country life has kept you young; judging by your image, you certainly haven’t gone to seed, as have many of our peers!

So much water has passed under the bridge that I’m almost afraid to accept your invitation. In truth, I don’t know if I’m ready yet to let go of the past; and by that, as you’ve probably guessed, I mean the memory of Lloyd. He was, after all, my husband for thirty-one years.

I hope my decision doesn’t bring too much pain or disappointment to you. I know what it’s like to be left alone; and, dear David, I regret to hear that you’re even more alone than me. Gina  is a great comfort; a wonderful daughter; and Tom, her husband, is as close to me as my own flesh and blood.

*                    *                    *                    *                    *                    *                    *                    *

Are you enjoying this?

Then please consider adding this title to your collection. With a five star review from Goodreads member Mark, and a four star one from Brenda, surely it has something going for it!

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/540946144

http://www.amazon.com/Encore-ebook/dp/B00BEBZRAW/ref=tmm_kin_title_0

There’s No Accounting for Taste….

There’s no accounting for taste!

That’s the conclusion I came to after witnessing the menu of a couple of wild, sulphur-crested cockatoos who had perched on a neighbour’s front fence.

Forget about expensive, shop-bought seed treats!

These

The lemon-loving Cockatoos

were eating, with obvious relish, that most unpalatable of fruit: lemon!

It takes all kinds to make a world…..

Copyright ©

Adorable Water-birds: Wild Ducks!

Ducks in the Baths

One of my favourite activities is bird watching. Whether they be land or water-based, birds strike a delightful chord in my psyche.

Fortunately I live near a natural park that takes in river flats, and even has a swimming enclosure.

Here, water-birds are by no means rare. From swallows to pelicans, all have been seen.

One of my most treasured sights is that of a flock of ducks. Over the years I’ve seen a number of species. These are some that recently flew in to visit.

Simple pleasures are so often the best…..

House Swapping, Parrot Style

Surveying the nest: Rainbow Lorikeets

Do our native parrots covet others’ homes?

That’s the question I asked myself this morning when I saw what had happened.

For many weeks I’d watched the tireless diligence, the devoted effort, of a certain white cockatoo. Every day he’d be hard at work, chipping away. Every morning I’d see an impressive pile of wood-chips on the path below. Quite often, the lady of the house would come and inspect her partner’s progress, maybe give her opinion, and then fly off again.

And so it was with amazement that I witnessed today’s event. A small flock of Rainbow Lorikeets were eying up the nest, and apparently liking what they saw.

Have they decided to become squatters?

Who knows?

Boomer Lit: Here’s Some More….

I am delighted by the response to my recent post that featured a short extract of Boomer Lit, taken from my title ‘The Essence of Life and Love in Australia’. Thanks to all those who left comments!

This time, I’ve chosen a sample from my second title, the well-reviewed ‘A Taste of Life and Love in Australia’. I’m proud to say that this book has been accepted by the Awesome Indies Group, which has standards of admission equal to those of traditionally-published titles.

Enough of that. Let’s get down to the business of whetting one’s appetite.

LUCK OF THE DRAW

She strolled along the promenade, enjoying the hint of coolness in the mid-summer breeze. It was late afternoon. She’d spent an hour or two walking on the sands, pausing now and then to study the activities in the shimmering rock-pools scattered here and there. How she loved the roar of the ocean, and the delicious saltiness of the abundant sea-spray. It had been a favourite haunt of Tom and herself, twenty or more years ago.

She recalled the day he’d proposed to her, right there, by the sea. Her girlish hopes were realized when he produced that simple solitaire diamond ring. Overjoyed, she’d accepted , and they’d sealed their love with a kiss, and the promise of more. But their joy was short lived. Tom was killed in a car accident, before their wedding had taken place.

Absent-mindedly, she felt for her ring.

She was assailed by panic.

*            *            *            *           *           *             *             *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *            *

Are you enjoying this? It’s one of twenty-eight vignettes in ‘A Taste of Life and Love in Australia’. In it you’ll find characters in a wide range of ages and situations. It’s available through Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

http://www.amazon.com/Taste-Life-Love-Australia-ebook/dp/B008FOEG12

Exciting News! ‘Amelia’s Call’ is on Faith’s Blog!

Exciting news!

The popular author, Faith Helen Mortimer, is spotlighting exciting new titles, and ‘Amelia’s Call’ is first up!

Read all about this title: the engaging, all too real storyline; the characters, flawed not perfect.

Discover this novella!

It’s not for everyone, but it may well be just right for you!

Here’s the link: http://www.faithmortimerauthor.com/5/post/2013/07/new-release-amelias-call-by-margaret-lynette-sharp.html

Enjoy!

Boomer lit: Here’s an Extract!

The wonderful members of the Goodreads Boomer Lit Group are having a blog hop this Friday, and I’ve been invited to participate!

With six collections of Australian Short Stories from which to choose, my only problem was to decide which story to feature.

After some deliberation, I’ve selected ‘Au Revoir’ from my third title, ‘The Essence of Life and Love in Australia’.

Here’s a snippet.

AU REVOIR

My dear Pierre,

Surprised isn’t a strong enough word to describe my feelings when I first heard from you. So much has happened in the last forty-two years that I now look back on my young life as almost ethereal. Please don’t read into this any dismissal of my feelings towards you, but rather as an acknowledgement that, to me, it seems so very far away.

Glad to hear that you’ve had an interesting, fulfilling life, and that your late, darling wife brought you much happiness, though as you say, you never knew the patter of little feet. My daughter, Briony, proved a source of much pleasure, but occasional heartbreak, as Henry and i watched her grow up. Now a mother of three herself, she is a great pillar of support, especially now, since Henry’s death.

Are you enjoying this? Then why not treat yourself to a copy of this book.

http://www.amazon.com/kindle-store/dp/B00BACZ7UK