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More ‘C’ words: crackers after crepuscular anyone?

I continue my Year of Words with more interesting ‘C’ words.

coterie: n. 1. a group of persons who associate closely, esp. for social purposes. 2. a clique

countrified (countryfied): adj. rustic or rural in appearance

coup de grace: n. 1. a death-blow, final blow, finishing stroke

cowal: n. (colloq) a swamp or small lake left by a depression outback country

craggy: adj. 1. full of crags, broken rocks  2. rugged, rough

cracker night: ahhh! the good ol’ days – tom thumbs, fountains, roman candles, rockets, and, of course, the spinning wheel on the old dunny door. No further explanation needed!

crepuscular: adj. resembling twilight; dim; indistinct

crestfallen: adj. 1. dejected; dispirited; depressed

 

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Coming back to the country for real!

20120401-192736.jpgWith the theme of my Seasons Collection novels (book 1 – House For All Seasons – out May 2013) about people coming home to the country, I figured I should reconnect with my own country roots. So here I am in South Australia.

I am on a road trip with my 81 year old dad, travelling roads he travelled as a young man growing up and working on farming properties around the York Peninsula. Towns like Bute, Kadina, Alford.

While my part of the family grew up in Sydney where dad was a policeman, Dad was born in Adelaide and there was a family farm in Bute where I spent some wonderful school holidays. In fact there are a couple of fond memories of my Uncle Don and Aunty Joan’s farm that make it into my stories.

Today I will be seeing Aunty Joan for the first time in something like thirty years and I have just found out some cousins are travelling to Wallaroo all the way from Port Lincoln to say hi.

What ties us as family is my grandparents who we will all remember today. Clem and Elmie Lewis.

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WEEK 11: Circumambient to Comeback (so pls do!)

circumambient: adj. surrounding; encompassing (circumambient gloom)

circumlocution: n. a roundabout way of speaking; the use of too many words

clammy: adj. covered with a cold, sticky moisture; old and damp

clottish: adj. foolish, silly

cloudburst: n. a sudden and very heavy rainfall

Cobar shower: n. a dust storm

cobble: v. 3. to mend; patch 4. to put together roughly or clumsily (they cobbled thier marriage back together)

cobbler: n. 1. one who mends shoes  2. a clumsy workman 3. a pie, and in Aust/NZ:  n. a wrinkled sheep that is difficult to shear

cock-a-hoop: adj. in a state of unrestrained joy or exultation

combative: adj. 1. capable of catching fire; inflammable  2. easily excited (his combative stare)

combustible: adj. 1. capable of catching fire; inflammable  2. easily excited (he had a combustible nature)

comeback: n. 4. a sheep breed to be suitable for wool or mutton

Okay – it’s been a few weeks since I felt my words warranted a sentence. This week was crying out for one. Enjoy!

Would my circumlocution be obvious if I was to tell you there was cock-a-hoop following the cloudburst that had put an end to the circumambient clamminess and washed away all signs of the Cobar shower that had dirtied the cobbler, making them look clottish.

Now please come back next week!