Love Storm

Terry Slack writes his own version of a poem about a dog called Storm, following the same guidelines as the previously listed group activity. Therefore, based on the lyrics from the song “You’ll never walk alone” by Gerry and the Pacemakers, Terry wrote the following poem:

Love Storm

By

Terry Slack

When you walk past Storm,

Hold your hands up high

And don’t be afraid of her bark.

At the end of her lead

There’s a dog that I trust

That keeps me safe in the dark.

She’ll come take a shoe,

She’ll come take a bone,

There’s no malice at all in her heart.

I’m here,

She’s there,

Our hearts beat as one, with a bond even death won’t part.

Walk tall,

Walk proud,

With Storm at my side, who would share her favourite bone

So I’ll never be alone, I’ll never be alone.

A dog called Storm

This poem was written as a group effort by the Bush Curlews.

The club was given an activity during which we altered wording from the song "You'll never walk alone" by Gerry and the Pacemakers, to create a small piece about a recently rescued two-year old Great Dane puppy called 'Storm'.

When you walk past Storm

Hold your hands up high

And don't be afraid of her bark.

At the end of the leash

There's a great brown Dane

And the sweet smell of grass at the park.

Walk on through the park

Walk on through the dark

Though her drool be swished and swirled.

Dig deep, dig deep, t-bones she will find

Then she will sleep alone

With her smelly t-bone.

The Beauty of Books

By

Maria Caesar

Digital reading devices have their place in today’s society but nothing beats the scent, texture and overall durability of the good old-fashioned book.

Generations from now, will the civilisation of the future be able to access the data currently produced en masse on-line? Or will the information be blocked due to incompatible, superseded software?

What about libraries and newsagencies? Would they cease to exist as ‘books’ and magazines become increasingly available via a multitude of websites? There is a terrifying potential for our world’s history getting lost due to a massive internet virus.

 In my opinion, nothing beats the dog-eared pages of a much-loved paperback novel that can be squashed into a suitcase without fear of breakage or perhaps shared with a group of friends.

Maria's Success at the Food Tales Workshop

Maria’s Success

Food Tales Internet Blog

By

Maria Caesar

My first ever internet blog!

I wrote the first few paragraphs during a ten-minute writing activity as part of the Food Tales Workshop hosted by the Queensland Writers Centre and featuring Lorraine Elliott (of ‘Not Quite Nigella’ – Internet food blogger and restaurant reviewer). Approximately 25 people attended the workshop, only 4 dared to read aloud their work. My blog was selected for immediate publication onto the Food Tales website. The title was chosen by one of the other workshop attendees.

Like Lorraine Elliott, it took a while before I gained confidence in the kitchen. In fact, I only started cooking properly last year. No, I did not live on take-away, but I did opt for the pre-made, whack-in-the-oven packet-style food and as a result my health suffered.

After several months of learning how to cook with the aid of magazines, old recipe books and TV chefs, I decided I needed a key recipe to symbolise my newfound ability in the kitchen. The recipe that represented my transition was a Crème Caramel.

Growing up as a child, attending countless Filipino parties, I always remember how only one of the ladies in our circle of friends prepared this particular dish. My mother, one of the world’s best books in my opinion, never dared to try it and my sister, who it seems has been cooking since she was first able to switch on the stove, had tried it without success.

As the Crème Caramel was my sister’s favourite dish, I decided as a birthday gift to attempt to create it. If it worked, brilliant, but if not, I had a back-up plan of a box of chocolates and a bottle of vodka.

For the recipe and the rest of this internet blog visit the Food Tales website (see link)

Lemon Cream Biscuits

A short story by Maria Caesar

Writers group activity: write a story based on half-eaten packet of biscuits sitting on table before us.

The packet of lemon cream biscuits sat in the centre of the table. Olga and Sophia stared at the open package, both in turn glaring at the other. They had attended five Weight Watchers meetings and the pair were on edge, desperate with near starvation, yet neither was willing to admit it. Moments earlier, to their horror, it was discovered only one biscuit remained.

“I won’t eat it,” Olga crossed her arms. “I’ve worked too hard already. You can get fat on it.”

Sophia chuckled, “Oh Olga, I insist. You have the last biscuit. You look hungry. I can actually see you ‘chafing at the bits’!”

“Ha!” Olga burst out. “You can talk! You better wipe that drool off your chin Sophia, it’s very unbecoming of you.”

“Drool!” Sophia shrieked. “You would need a bucket and then some!”

“Just a bucket? You would need a water tank!” Olga retorted.

The cafeteria was silent as other diners watched the two large women argue over the biscuit.

“Oh no, not again.” Joe, the waiter, didn’t know whether to boot the women out or to run and hide. 

“You eat it,” Olga stated.

“No, you eat it.” Sophia replied.

In the meantime, a young boy only five years of age, skipped through the silent restaurant, oblivious to the thick tension in the air.  All of a sudden, the child reached onto the table, grabbed the supposedly rejected biscuit and gobbled it up in front of them. 
The two women gaped. Both faces went red with fury. 

Joe leapt from behind the counter, grabbed the kid and ran out the door.

Meanwhile, Olga and Sophia rolled up their sleeves. With murderous looks in their eyes they chanted: “Kill! Kill! Kill!” 

QWC Interview

QWC interview

The Bush Curlews

Last month, the Queensland Writers Centre conducted a group interview of the Bush Curlews. The interview has been published on the QWC’s website. A photograph of some of our club members has also been included.

The Queensland Writers Centre has been outstanding in their efforts to promote writers groups, such as the Bush Curlews.

Our club embraces the opportunity to promote the Bush Curlews and our annual competition.

Food Tales Workshop

Food Tales Workshop

Charters Towers

Thursday 7 June 2012

 

The Queensland Writers Centre and the State Library of Queensland combined their efforts to organize a free workshop in Charters Towers with Lorraine Elliott, author of the blog: “Not Quite Nigella”. 

Lorraine reviews restaurants from all over the world and has a following of around 400,000 views per month to her site. Lorraine’s first novel is nearing completion. Her book will encompass a collection of her most memorable restaurant reviews and recipes.

The workshop began with an interview-style presentation followed by a “Questions and Answers” session.

Charters Towers Foodworks were asked to cater for the event and they came up with a selection of ten recipes from Lorraine’s blog site including the infamous “Broccoli Cake”.  Attendees had the good fortune to taste these dishes, each one earning favourable remarks.

With full bellies, everyone attending participated in a ten-minute writing activity for which we had to write about one of our own recipes “blog-style”.

Our club secretary, Maria Caesar, was fortunate to have her writing selected and published onto the Food Tales website. If you would like to view Maria’s blog, titled “Maria’s Success”, visit foodtales.slq.qld.gov.au

The remainder of the workshop was dedicated to teaching how to set up our own blog sites. It was an entertaining, educational and delicious experience for all.