Ruth Park - one of my favourite authors

The ABC Radio National book reading at the moment is the Harp in the South , one of Ruth Park's novels set in Surrey Hills in Sydney during the 1940's.

Whether its a fascinating autobiographical work such as A Fence around the cuckoo describing her childhood in New Zealand, a classic childrens tale such as The Muddle-headed wombat, or one of her intriguing youth stories such as Playing Beattie Bow, or a great work of fiction such as the Harp in the South, Ruth Parks works are as fresh today as on the day they were written.

This image is of Ruth Park at an opening of Housing Commission flats in Surrey Hills found at National Library of Australia Online, Ruth Park a celebration, by Marion Halligan www.nla.gov.au/friends/ruth/halligan.html

With her marriage to D'Arcy Niland, there was a truly successful literary partnership, and their legacy is ours to enjoy......

You don't have to travel far....

You don't have to travel far to get away and have a fabulous time. For me one hours drive is way enough and if you look at this great picture from flickr by paccjk of the surf at Caloundra it says it all. The clean off shore northerly winds at Kings Beach create ideal conditons.

There aren't too many south facing beaches along the eastern seabord and this is one of them....

And if the wind is from the south there is the fabulous Moffat Headland to go to or Dickey beach with the old shipwreck looking like a whale's rib sticking up in the sand.