Tag: Calingarry Crossing

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My Weird and Wonderful Book Launch 2019

It’s here!

Rather than the clink of champagne glasses and the chirp of book-loving friends and family all talking at once, there is a country hush today, with bird chatter and the odd crow cawing  the only sounds as I celebrate the release of my sixth novel – House of Wishes.

There are a few reasons why it will be a quiet one for me this year. This image from the Fires Near Me App might say more than words. (I’m at the big red arrow)

As I sit, staring out the window at the thickening smoke and ever-diminishing mountain range, I’m silently wishing for rain, or a reprieve of some kind for those closer to the bushfires.

Right now I’m looking after a house in northern NSW (caring for a couple of pregnant cows, a deaf cat and several chooks). I arrived three days ago, and with all the fire activity and handover information about evacuation plans, only to day (release day) did I make myself sit down at the computer.

And as I looked around the place, I realised something amazing…

Ever since 2013 (after releasing House for all Seasons) I’ve looked everywhere for a house that I could photograph that might resemble (in some small way) Dandelion House, which features in the novel. I was never going to find a house built on an island in the middle of the Calingarry Crossing river, but…

As I sat down today, and began some promotional posts on Facebook, I saw the house I’m looking after for the first time. And what did I see?

I saw my fictional Dandelion House with its homestead facade and French windows opening up onto a wrap around veranda. Not only that, this house I’ve found myself caring for has a history. In fact, it was build in the late 1800’s – the same as my Dandelion House.

 

Built my the Mackerell Family

 

This gets even crazier…

Look at the decorator cushion!!! Ladybugs are a motif that runs through House of Wishes.

Yes, the fire situation in NSW has made my new release one to remember, but I’m going to find the joy in how life sometimes imitates art (or is it the other way around?)

There’s a new noise outside now… In the sky… Helicopters are circling.

I’ll go for now, but I will find a moment to enjoy this country celebration – just Jeannette and I. Yes, there will be champagne later today.

Calingarry Crossing Novels are standalone reads. Special two-book price on my web shop for the first two.

Whether you’ve read House for all Seasons and Simmering Season, or you choose to come home to Calingarry Crossing for the first time by reading my new, standalone Calingarry Crossing novel – House of Wishes – you want this good news!!

The good news…

I am extending my ‘new release free postage offer’ on print copies until Nov 30. (Details on my web shop –  www.jennjmcleod,com). Ebooks are also a special price.

The giveaway…

I am also giving away a Kindle version to one lucky person. 

All you have to do to go into the draw is add add House of Wishes as a Want To Read before December 24.  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48269663-house-of-wishes  (Winner drawn Dec 25!)

Come back to the small town with big secrets where Dandelion House has one more secret to reveal. (And you may catch up with a few cameo characters.)

I’m off now to check the RFS Fires Near Me App and make a few wishes.

Cheers!

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You don’t always want your pumpkin turned into a golden carriage!

Some might compare the Calingarry Crossing CWA ladies with fairy godmothers, especially now they are sharing their tips for making THE best ever pumpkin soup. Given the extra cold winter weather (did you see Tenterfield had minus seven this morning) this spiced honey pumpkin soup is the perfect winter warmer.

Preparing the pumpkin:

First, forget peeling pumpkins. This is soooooo easy you’ll never buy  tin or packet versions again.

You’ll need a really sharp knife (so be careful). Cut an access hole in the top of the pumpkin – keep ‘the lid’.

Using a spoon, scoop out all the seeds and soft middle. (Discard seeds – or you might like to separate the seeds for roasting and spicing up as a beer snack later on – and no, the beer snack is not one of the CWA ladies’ recipes!)

Once hollowed out, season the inside of the pumpkin with salt and pepper, then drizzle some honey around inside – maybe 2-3 tablespoons.

Replace ‘the lid’ and put pumpkin on a baking tray in a moderate oven.  Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin. While pumpkin is cooking in the oven, prepare the soup base (below).

Once the pumpkin is cooked (basically you are looking for a soft outer skin and flesh) carefully spoon out the hot honey liquid inside the pumpkin into a big bowl. Then start scraping the flesh, adding it to the same bowl. NB. The pumpkin will start to collapse. (Once all flesh is removed, give the skin to the chooks. They love it!)

 

Soup base:

In a huge saucepan, sweat off diced onion, garlic and celery with herbs of choice (the CWA ladies recommend dried cumin always but will add whatever fresh they have on hand – rosemary, thyme, sage.) Salt and pepper to taste.

Deglaze the base of the saucepan with chicken (or vegetable) stock. Then chuck in any vegies you like (fresh – or those sad looking bits in the bottom of the crisper.) Add water and a 1/2 to a whole packet of dried soup mix. (Monitor water absorption while simmering on the stovetop. Add more water as needed.)

When the vegies in the soup base are soft, remove from heat and commence blending in a blender, combining equal portions of soup base and pumpkin flesh into a blender. (Be careful when blending hot liquid. Pulse it a few times first and hold the lid with your other hand).

The final blended result may be quite thick but this makes it perfect for portioning onto smaller containers. It freezers and reheats with milk (as thick or as thin as you like). The pure puree also makes a great base for pasta or pumpkin risotto (just add, spinach, chorizo and fetta cheese -yum!)

Keep the soup healthy – add nothing (lovely the way it is) or…

Spoil yourself – add sour cream, crispy bacon and a crouton to serve.

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My Never-Give-Up Tree

While we are on the subject of trees (given my previous post took you on a little tour of Calingarry Crossing’s autumn stunners) I thought I’d share with you a special tree, found  little closer to home.

I call it the never-give-up tree and if you look closely you will see why.

Whenever I start telling myself I’ve had enough, I’m wasting my time, I’ll never achieve what I want, I take a walk to my special tree and I am reminded that no matter how tough it gets, if you fight back, stay strong and positive, you will keep growing.

(Take a closer look and you’ll see this little tree was chopped down years ago. But it re-sprouted from the cut-off trunk and is now a little wonder. I love it.)