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Books by wendy buss

There's An Alphabet On YOur Head , 2024

I have been working on the illustrations for this manuscript for years I am finally happy with ... more I have been working on the illustrations for this manuscript for years I am finally happy with the text and still about a third of the illustrations still to go wihich have been a joy to work on as each becomes like a little playful universe unto itself and as I create it I get totally immersed in the art work and seem to lose all track of time....... have needed to take a break for now but happy to share what I have created so far

When Katie Was Born

A copy of the book I wrote some years ago with the first lot of illustrations I commissioned f... more A copy of the book I wrote some years ago with the first lot of illustrations I commissioned form Gemma Luker .I subsequently decided not to go with these illustrations for the book but was inspired to share them anyway with this draft of the story.

THERES AN ALPHABET ON YOUR HEAD , 2023

An overview of the new childrens book project I am currently working on THERES AN ALPHABET ON... more An overview of the new childrens book project I am currently working on

THERES AN ALPHABET ON YOUR HEAD

Awesome Alphie, A Stacked Buggy and Pizza Box Art , 2020

Working for probably one of Australias wealthiest entrereneurs as a housesitter/petsitter one C... more Working for probably one of Australias wealthiest entrereneurs as a housesitter/petsitter one Christmas and the adventures and misadventures that ensued

Creme and Caramel's Big Adventure , 2020

I am excited to announce the publication and release of my latest children's book Creme and Caram... more I am excited to announce the publication and release of my latest children's book Creme and Caramel's Big Adventure This is my second childrens book and my first self published book and the first cab off the rank for my flesgling publishing company Wendy's Window Books.........

The story of a little angel bear with a special job to do comforting troubled children whose nex... more The story of a little angel bear with a special job to do comforting troubled children whose next assignment is looking after a little girl whose parents have just divorced .

I have just spent 6 months in Beautiful Rural Bonville on the Coffs Coast Hinterland and have wri... more I have just spent 6 months in Beautiful Rural Bonville on the Coffs Coast Hinterland and have written a little tribute outlining some of the small simple pleasures and joys of living in such a beautiful spot .

Bruce Caterpillar believes there is more to life than gobbling cabbage and sets off to explore th... more Bruce Caterpillar believes there is more to life than gobbling cabbage and sets off to explore the Great Unknown Beyond The Cabbage Patch ..here out in the Great Unknown he has lots of adventures and returns home as a hero to save his cabbage patch homeland and win the heart of his lady love and quite predictaby

"I completed Beyond The Cabbage Patch in 1992 and received funding from the Australian Film Comm... more "I completed Beyond The Cabbage Patch in 1992 and received funding from the Australian Film Commission to develop the script .In the early submission the work was entitled
Bruce Caterpillars Big Adventure.......

Bruce Caterpillar believes there is more to life than gobbling cabbage and sets off to explore the great unknown beyond the cabbage patch ..here out in the great unknown he meets many characters has lots of adventures and returns home as a hero to save his cabbage patch homeland and win the heart of his lady love and quite predictaby they fly off into the sunset as a pair of vibrant and beautiful butterflies

I eventually changed the story in subsequent drafts because I felt it fitting and timeley that the story have a female protagonist as well as a male .It didnt sit well with me that Claudia sat around the Patch waiing of r the heros return. Enter Claudia caterpillar as a caterpillar of vision and courage and daring doo who acts as Bruce muse and motivator

This later version of the story quite considerably changed form the original I called Beyond the Cabbage Patch or Bruce Caterpillars Big Adventure

Bruce and Claudia then approach the exploring of the Great Unknown as a partnership with the reluctant and leisurely Bruce
who much prefers sitting on his squishy green butt philosophising about what might be out there in the great unknown motivated to live in his true hero qualities by his love for Claudia and the possibility that both she and the future of his home tribe in Cabbage City might be in peril.........

I have therefore just uploaded a little snippet which I have as a word document which sets the scene for the opening of the movie
I will continue to try to upload the whole treatment /script in the near future

Thankyou

Wendy Buss

Ten cheeky cockatoos was written to be accompanied by bold colourful humorous illustrations of na... more Ten cheeky cockatoos was written to be accompanied by bold colourful humorous illustrations of naughty cheeky cockatoos with big yellow crests in the style of mullet hairdos getting up to mischief.The book is envisaged as full of humour and fun, capturing the bold ' in your face' larrikin spirit of the cockatoo.

This book celebrates the birth of a new baby. The details of the child for whom the book is inten... more This book celebrates the birth of a new baby. The details of the child for whom the book is intended is typeset into the story so that the child becomes the star of the book

Papers by wendy buss

Ralphs Story

Ralphs Story I would like to share a story about a special encounter I had with a very mysteri... more Ralphs Story
I would like to share a story about a special encounter I had with a very mysterious wonderful and rather cosmic cat called Ralph (See photo) .
I had read the Barbara Marciniaks channelled Pleiadian teachings book ‘Earth’ book some years ago and recalled some very interesting info about what the Pleiadians had said about cats
To quote from page 45 ‘Earth’
"Those that created your planet asked for different seeds from different places .These seeds were biogenetically engineered to create companions for you to seed the earth .
Some of the animals here are utilized as transmitters .Your cats are direct transmitters of information to a species of consciousness that uses cats to monitor you .
In ancient times upon your planet ,it was in vogue in may cultures to have a cat or other large cat next to the ruling entity.
These animals were always there .Look at the statues all over the planet and what do you see? Lions .The cat family represent a biogenetic tooling of the species that looks like you except it has the visage of a cat.The cat people or lion people have come in shifts upon your planet and worked in South America,Mexico,Egypt and in some island cultures statues have been built to honour them
My meeting with Ralph looms in my consciousness and memory as a very special ET encounter .

On a recent trip to Coochimudlo a small island in the Moreton Bay Region I visited a tiny littl... more On a recent trip to Coochimudlo a small island in the Moreton Bay Region I visited a tiny little Artisan Gallery filled with merit worthy and lovely artworks created by the numerous local artists .However in particular I was very powerfully impacted by a largish painting entitled Deadmans Beach painted by Artist Neil Hann and I couldn't help but feel as I gazed
awe strucka nd mesmerized by the work I was looking at a painting which had been painted by a man who could be considered as one of Australias best contemporary landscape artists .......

Something about Staffies Sample chapter , 2023

Its interesting what makes people so positively predisposed towards Staffies. Is it their stocky ... more Its interesting what makes people so positively predisposed towards Staffies. Is it their stocky build with their barrel chests and their wide smiley grins which makes them comically endearing to folks or their friendly affable gentle natures towards people and their reputation for being extremely good with children which sees the Brits refer to them as the nanny dog ? The Staffordshire Bull Terrier is an English breed from the Staffordshire part of the UK and originally bred in the 19th Century as fighting dogs for bull and bear baiting . Yet despite this as with so many of the breeds of dog born for hunting and fighting Staffies have none the less evolved as the most quintessentially loyal gentle and most affectionate of dogs as long as they are treated properly by their owners The point is made that ultimately dogs are a reflection to a large degree of their owners and their upbringing and any breed can become aggressive and troublesome in the wrong hands .
In my wild adventures as a pet sitter I’ve had the pleasure of looking after 3 different staffies and all were really engaging and endearing critters who quickly won me over

https://helpinghandacrossmelbourne.weebly.com/

Wow I am blown away at least 12 years ago I worked on a service directory and data base for ... more Wow I am blown away at least 12 years ago I worked on a service directory and data base for people who needed help with lifes basics living in Melbourne .I had initially started creating a Services Directory for Creativity Australia and gotten to the stage of compiling a mountain of information and went ahead and created another independent basic website which can be viewed at https://helpinghandacrossmelbourne.weebly.com/
Sadly I eventually moved away from Melbourne and with one thing and another needed to turn my attention to other things So although the information I complied has been downloaded to the website I never got around to properly formatting the material and as time passed and life took other turns I even forgot that I had created the site .Unbelievable to put so much work in to something and then forget all about it.Anyway the bones of the site is still up with all the info I painstakingly collated still on it. Perhaps 12 years on some of the info is still current but I imagine some of it will be outdated and the whole site needs to be formatted properly to make the info more appealing and accessible None the less a lot of work went into the site and it still maybe relevant for some who need a hand with covering lifes basics especially in these times of economic challenge and rising living costs .This is the intro I wrote on the sites Home Page :

Welcome to A Helping Hand Across Melbourne .This site is a one stop shop for people in Mebourne to access contact details and information about free and low cost help and support services available to them throughout Melbourne. This site is a comprehensive and extensive directory of details about free and low cost services and organizations who can assist with accommodation , material aid, health,employment, and recreation throughout Melbourne .Just click on the relevant above tab as needed .

Melbourne, the friendliest and most down to earth of cities demonstrates a compassionate and caring heart towards its communities most needy and people experiencing practical social or financial hardships with a well established and well organized infrastructure and network of charities welfare organizations and social service providers often working together to support people in Melbourne doing it tough . People in need can be truely well cared for. Did you know that no one ever need go hungry in Melbourne not even for a single day..... if you know how to look and tap into the help resources available

This site aims to have something for everyone . If you are having financial difficulties ,need help with basics like food ,accommodation, help with bills etc there is information here to help you.If you need help with finding access to counselling medical services or quality natural therapies at very low cost we can assist. We also in our recreation section aim to cater to people looking for a creative connection to enjoy more free and low cost creative and social and learning opportunities to add more fun and creativity to their lives .

The creator of this site recognises that crises and major life challenges can happen to anyone .This site encourages people going through life difficulties and experiencing hardships not to be afraid to ask for help and to actively reach out for the support that they need . Journeying through difficult times and navigating periods of obstacles and challenges in life is nothing to be ashamed of and can also be seen as a sacred and important journey of personal soul growth. A time to be compassionate towards oneself ,to be humble and allow oneself to receive the help one needs and to feel nurtured and supported .

Crises and challenges in life are not necessarily a time of breaking down but for breaking through ... discovering new and expanded and creative and meaningful way of living and being in the world.

Allowing oneself to receive the help and support you need to navigate through lifes more difficult and challenging times hopefully in time enables one to emerge from the hard times stronger and wiser wiser and turn their life journey onto a more empowered and sustainable and creative and resourceful life pathway . In the great Circle of Life perhaps in time these people can in turn show the way and act as a support and guiding light for others...

This is the purpose of this website.

What goes around comes around ......To Everything there is a season..........

Love and blessings

Wendy Buss

Wendys Window, 2022

A very special little Tonkinese pussy cat The housesitter /petsitter adventure can be like a ba... more A very special little Tonkinese pussy cat The housesitter /petsitter adventure can be like a bag of licorice allsorts. You never know quite what you re going to get .I am pretty intuitive but you can only tell so much from photos People naturally enough will post the best photos of their pets and its rather like a dating site and its like being a kid in a candy store as you ooh and ah over this pat and that .Your heart cant help but do a little leap as the beguiling pooches look out at you with their bedroom puppy dog eyes and gorgeous imperial looking pusscats will sit ensconsed in regal poses looking out at you through half closed eyes with almost disdainful expressions as if to say "deign to be in my presence if you dare" and some times you will just look at an animal pic and feel the rightness of the match and feel thats its an assignment heaven sent for you that will benefit both you and the furry critter .
This was my experience when I saw Milo and Pippa pics and decided to apply for the assignment .

The sad case of the swollen fish , 2022

An amusing tale of housesitting/petsitting misadventure and how to know when to keep quiet ......... more An amusing tale of housesitting/petsitting misadventure
and how to know when to keep quiet ........

No Requiem for the Space Age, 2014

In the last few weeks magic had seemed in short supply We had had almost two weeks of storms and ... more In the last few weeks magic had seemed in short supply We had had almost two weeks of storms and a seemingly endless succession of increasingly tedious days of overcast heavy grey skies and non stop rain as I struggled with some health problems and some difficult karmic configurations with loved ones more seemingly complex and convoluted than a Rubix cube which I needed to put into the too eggs basket and constantly surrender to a Higher Power. At such times hope seemed in short supply and I was given to wailing and wringing my hands and rolling my hands to heaven with a Light workers lament the Angels must surely be only too familiar with " Beam me up Scottie ! |I wanna go home where I will report mission aborted due to unfavourable conditions .Permission to stay there and rest with God and the angels .Request a return at a more favourable juncture say 200 years from now " In such time it had seemed very easy to give into pessimism and yet as the storms drew to a close and the grey skies lifted and the sun broke through in a moment of honest reflection I could see that at times which had seemed fragile and uncertain for me actually miracle after miracle had been unfolding for me under my very nose and the evidence in the affirmative very strong for the notion that 'God is alive and magic is afoot ' and Heaven had been trying to show me something. It was only today when I experienced the most outrageously silly joyful magical little syncronicity that I was pulled up short in my nihilistic thinking and could do naught but break out in a broad and beaming smile as I had to hand it to the Higher Consciousness that perhaps Spirit and the Angels had it all in hand after all and I really could relax because Heaven had my back. In an attitude of gratitude then and as a tribute to Heaven's kindness , I would like to share this silly magical little syncronicity with readers which was such a light bulb moment for me ……..

Something about Millie ( or a surprise canine karmic connection )

Do you believe that our pets generate negative and positive karma for themselves or in the inter... more Do you believe that our pets generate negative and positive karma for themselves or in the interplay of relationship can act as unwitting catalysts for the unfolding of life lessons and dramatic karmic events in the lives of their humans?
In this story of Millie a little dog I once had the pleasure of caring for during a pet sit some years ago is described a major completely unexpected twist of fate and unfolding of events suggestive of some sleight of hand Higher forces of Destiny at work

There's An Alphabet On YOur Head , 2024

When Katie Was Born

THERES AN ALPHABET ON YOUR HEAD , 2023

An overview of the new childrens book project I am currently working on THERES AN ALPHABET ON... more An overview of the new childrens book project I am currently working on

THERES AN ALPHABET ON YOUR HEAD

Awesome Alphie, A Stacked Buggy and Pizza Box Art , 2020

Creme and Caramel's Big Adventure , 2020

This later version of the story quite considerably changed form the original I called Beyond the Cabbage Patch or Bruce Caterpillars Big Adventure

Thankyou

Wendy Buss

Ralphs Story

Something about Staffies Sample chapter , 2023

https://helpinghandacrossmelbourne.weebly.com/

Crises and challenges in life are not necessarily a time of breaking down but for breaking through ... discovering new and expanded and creative and meaningful way of living and being in the world.

This is the purpose of this website.

What goes around comes around ......To Everything there is a season..........

Love and blessings

Wendy Buss

Wendys Window, 2022

The sad case of the swollen fish , 2022

No Requiem for the Space Age, 2014

Something about Millie ( or a surprise canine karmic connection )

Jasper White Spirit Doggie , 2022

I refer to the magical and mystical powers and sacred totem status attributed to the appearance o... more I refer to the magical and mystical powers and sacred totem status attributed to the appearance of white and albino creatures in the wild by indigenous and ancient cultures throughout the world . The sightings of such creatures as white buffalos and white wolves,, white bears , white stags has long been seen as an auspicious omen heralding good fortune positive news and Divine intervention and mystical messages form the higher heavenly or spirit realms realms etc However I would like to pose a hypothesis that surely the wise and benign Heavenly Beings and Higher Power guiding humankinds spiritual evolution recognizing that so many poeple on the planet live very urban lives and many will have very little opportunity to connect to rare sightings of white spirit beasts in the wilds. Therefore wouldnt it make sesnse for Benign forces working behind the scenes in service to mankind in order to bring their positive messages of hope and peace and love and magic and joy and positive transformation a little closer to home for all the city folk wouldn’t it make just common good sense to engage the services of our domestic fur babies and entrust them with the sacred tasks of lifting our spirits ,reminding us about unconditional love and joy and magic that too easily lost sight of in this frenzied and pressured world i which is part t of our birthright ? My own unexpected adventure of spending time with one such very unusual exuberant and magical high vibing dog an iIrish Wolfhound called Jasper and its positive effects in lifting my spirit led me to wonder how many other domestic white spirit critters might be out there and to comment on the role our domestic pets in general play in our emotional and spiritual healing journies .

A lesson from Lexi, 2022

The Lexi I was first introduced to was the gentlest friendliest sweetest dog part husky with a lo... more The Lexi I was first introduced to was the gentlest friendliest sweetest dog part husky with a lovely brindle coat and a beautiful welcoming nature litlle did I know there was a whole other side to Lexi ......who was about to teach me a healthy respect for the soverign nature of all Gods creatures .

Now is the time , 2022

An overview of the current state of play in Australian politics with regards to the mandates cu... more An overview of the current state of play in Australian politics with regards to the mandates currently still in place creating a two tiered society where poeple who have made a discerning personal choice not to accept the vaccine are still being deprived of some very basic human and civil rights and basic soverign freedoms and finding themselves in positions of great hardship and still not able to take part in regular society
Also the article includes overview of the social justice actions and a shout out to Freedom Warriors like Graham Hood and Johnny Larter and Michael Gray Griffiths , MPs Tania Daviies, Pauline Hansen and Craig Kelly
all playing thier part and dedicated and committed to steering the course for all concerned Aussies to calling for an urgent end to the mandates Also a bit of a profile on Graham Hood and Johnny Larter and some
information about Destiny Rescue an organization dedicated to shutting down child sex trafficking across the world .

'd really like to give the thumbs up for this beautiful and phenomenal book ‘Earth’ The Pleiadia... more 'd really like to give the thumbs up for this beautiful and phenomenal
book ‘Earth’ The Pleiadian keys to the Living Library written by the globally renowned Pleiadian Channeller Barabara Marciniak .
The Pleiades constellation is also known as the Seven Sisters which also features in the mythologies of indigenous cultures across the world . In New Aged spiritual cosmologies The Pleiades is said to be the home of a race of highly evolved beings who are our spiritual ancestors who are spiritually evolved and rather further along the path of spiritual awareness than we on Earth are , and much more advanced in their knowledge and understanding of quantum technologies and their awareness and understanding of the nature of the wider Cosmos and our planets purpose and place in the bigger Cosmic intergalactic scheme of things.

The Pleiadians have been likened to a race who might be considered as
our Guardian Angels here to guide us along the path as the earth shifts in her energetic frequency to a higher vibration and Humanity as whole moves into a more mainstream awareness and acceptance of her Cosmic Citizenry and progresses towards a better understanding of her galactic interconnectedness with the rest of the Cosmos and an Intergalactic Federation actually guiding the affairs of countless
inhabitated planets all moving towards a more harmonious and loving resonance with Prime Creator Source energies .

As the Earth ascends and throws off the mantle of darkness that
has held humankind down and kept people in ignorance and spiritual slavery and darkness for for eons .

Although first published in 1994 the Pleiadian message as conveyed through this book "Earth" has never been more revelant and timely . Now much of what was foreshadowed and predicted in the book is now
unfolding.The earth is going through some incredibly surreal chaotic and unprecedented times as she goes through a massive Cosmic shakeup

For anyone who wants to get to grips with what else might really be going on and the bigger Cosmic game in play behind the chaos of the pandemic,the lockdowns ,the mask wearing and the tracking and the sudden deprivation of some some pretty basic human rights in these surreal and crazy times then read this book ,It will give you hope as you recognise the suggestion of a Higher Cosmic purpose for it all.

I cant recommend this book highly enough .If you are ready to expand your reality open yourself up to new possibilities and frontiers of cosmic understanding then do yourself a favour and read this book.I predict your mind will be blown as so much of what what you think you know about Life Love The Universe the Cosmos and everything will be
turned on its head and you suddenly realize the possibilities that some deeper truths and realities about what might actually be going on in our world is actually much much stranger than fiction

There is a war being waged and the price is our soverenity our freedoms our ultimate health an... more There is a war being waged and the price is our soverenity our freedoms our ultimate health and well being if we want our freedoms back then we have to speak up . We need to speak out Meanwhile people en masse are keeling over getting sluggish and fatigued and ill from breathing in too much CO2 which is usually left for the trees to do to turn it into oxygen for us . People enmasse are walking around in a shadowy world alienated from normal modes of human face to face human interaction are being corralled into more and more online activity are being denied simple human interactive and social pleasures like dancing and singing and are being injected with substances that some experts tell us need at least 5 years to be tested properly ……. isnt it a well known premise that evil takes hold when good pople stand by and do nothing ?

A once in a lifetime magical encounter I reckon everyone should put on their bucket list .

I was given an unexpected treat recently when my elderly neighbour Alice called by with a spare t... more I was given an unexpected treat recently when my elderly neighbour Alice called by with a spare ticket to the local musical society's latest production of Gilbert and Sullivans 'The Gondaliers' I was trying to throw off the residual after effects of a nasty flu and the thought of having to sit through Opera with a wheezy chest and a stuffy head just made my eyes kind of roll up into my head and very reluctant to say yes but it turned out to be just what the doctor ordered and I was so glad I went Alice is a unique and wonderful character She is 89 years old with a youthful and lively spirit who combines razor sharp insight and intelligence with the air and demeanour of a giddy and delighted young girl with an infectious delight for life and especially all things musical She lives down the road in a tiny flat completely dominated with a grand piano and lined with paintings some worthless and some apparently quite valuable all jumbled together in a higgledy piggled fashion .Everywhere you try to sit are piles of sheet music and books. It goes without saying Alice is a musician herself who sang with the Brisbane Opera Company for some years in the 70s. Alice arrived to pick me up in her late model car looking very glamorous in an entirely appropriate long red slightly understated gown and wearing only one dangly earring because she couldn't find the other and sporting a picnic basket telling me we re going to dine preshow like in Glyndebourne a beautiful old homestead in the UK dedicated to Opera where dining alfresco with picnics in the grounds pre show is apparently the go We did stop at Alice's place on the way so she could resume the search for her other earring but as we pulled up she decided instead 'Who would be looking at me in the dark ?'and she pulled off the earring she was wearing and we kept going I couldn't help but feel with Alice in her red dress and red matching coat and carrying her picnic basket that I was in the company of a rather elegant but girly and giddy and impetuous Red Riding Hood feeling that with her anything might happen and wondering if we might meet any Big Bad Wolves along the way ? The guys who took our tickets and showed us our seats were pretty well behaved although it turned out it was not like Alice's understanding of Glyndebourne at all and BYO picnics were not the go and we were not allowed to sit at the tables set up for the diners who were purchasing pre show dinner

Freya is not her real name All details have been changed that might identify her but the rest of ... more Freya is not her real name All details have been changed that might identify her but the rest of the story is true .

A heart warming and thought provoking read for anyone who has been ever been smitten by moggie or... more A heart warming and thought provoking read for anyone who has been ever been smitten by moggie or puppy love .....and wondered if there was more to cats and dogs than meets the eye

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I usually steer clear about writing directly about political issues but the world has been plung... more I usually steer clear about writing directly about political issues but the world has been plunged into such tulmultuous times with large scale events both good and bad which have impacted me really close to home these last few days and I felt I would like to share my thoughts

Pet Journey Press Books

Through my Instagram account ,I recently came across a wonderful series of books which would make... more Through my Instagram account ,I recently came across a wonderful series of books which would make for a wonderful language arts resource for primary classroom teachers . Brenda Fiorini’s beautiful children’s books in the ‘Pet Journey Press’ series include : Rescue Pup and Rescue Kitty , Puppy Love Promises , Puppy Jitters and A Groomer Gets Ready .These lovely books really engagingly illustrated by Nathan Behmlander, Anna Leliwa and even two illustrated by Brenda herself not only promote literacy and an enjoyment of reading but offer beautiful much needed humane messages about the importance of being kind to anlmals and considering that our pets have needs and feelings that really are not so different to our own

Bernard and Richard B Smith creating the storyline. Walking In a Winter Wonderland is truly a spe... more Bernard and Richard B Smith creating the storyline. Walking In a Winter Wonderland is truly a special book ,a festive seasonal offering I really wish I had had the good fortune to come across when I was teaching in the classroom. It combines the words of that well known sing along Christmas Song ' Walking in a Winter Wonderland ' with simply beautiful magical evocative and joy filled illustrations which are really a moving tribute to the song which clearly holds a special place in Tim Hopgood (the illustrator's) heart and which undoubtedly will have the power to bring feel good magic and christmas cheer to kids both young and old .

I have just uploaded this poem as ancillary material to support the teachers classroom resource f... more I have just uploaded this poem as ancillary material to support the teachers classroom resource for the other material I have posted which is a study unit based on the poem and story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin for language arts art drama history geography moral education studies etc also posted on this site under teaching documents

A lovely resource for teaching poetry to primary school children

This special book was one of my all time favorites to read to the children .This quirky poignant ... more This special book was one of my all time favorites to read to the children .This quirky poignant heartwarming and engaging little book was the winner of Australia Council Children's Picture Book of the year (2005)and it's not hard to understand why .The book has an unusual authenticity and winsome charm which most kids I read the story to could readily and easily connect to.

Book review of The Jolly Postman and ideas for using the book in the classroom as the stimuls ... more Book review of The Jolly Postman and ideas for using the book in the classroom as the stimuls for a fun creative writing /art lesson for children aged 7-12 years

This engaging saucy little tale is just about as subversive as you can get without actually blowi... more This engaging saucy little tale is just about as subversive as you can get without actually blowing up the houses of parliament .

Is a cute book by an award winning author Satoshi Kitamura with a very obvious purpose as a stimu... more Is a cute book by an award winning author Satoshi Kitamura with a very obvious purpose as a stimulus for an amazing art lesson using a variety of possible mediums for children of any age .

Kids will just love this story which apart from being a thoroughly engaging comical tale, also le... more Kids will just love this story which apart from being a thoroughly engaging comical tale, also lends itself to a truely reflective and meaningful creative writing activity which will afford children valuable opportunities to assume the role of being the teacher with the task of writing their own reports and which will encourage them and allow them to write an honest self appraisal from their viewpoint of their own academic strengths and weaknesses and personality traits and attributes gifts and talents which they bring to their classroom and school communities.

Gone with the wand is a delightful, fresh ,whacky, warm hearted whimsical fairy tale which tells ... more Gone with the wand is a delightful, fresh ,whacky, warm hearted whimsical fairy tale which tells the story of Bereneice Sprinklestein a legendary fairy who is having a band wand day . Her spells just aren't working and she feels she is losing her magic touch and her spell casting days may be over .

One of the most popular and enthusiastically received music lessons or mini units I have ever run... more One of the most popular and enthusiastically received music lessons or mini units I have ever run has been Classroom Idol Musical Competitions These sessions have been highly inclusive music making and performance activities for kids of any age which have proved tremendous fun if requiring plenty of stamina to orchestrate.The activity is based on the popular TV idol series which is known all over the world and most of the kids will have seen it .In the classroom version kids as well as performing items are given the opportunity be the audience, and also to have a turn at sitting on the judging panel.

For The Love Of a Child , 2024

Some years ago I made a foray into researching literature and poetry that had been written ... more Some years ago I made a foray into researching literature and poetry that had been written about pregnancy and birth and early parenthood . It was like dipping into a warm love filled pool of the expression of the finest sentiments of the awesome miraculous processes of birth and the creation of new life and ensuing parenthood from some of the worlds most knowledegeable exponents like Frederik Leboyer (Birth without violence ) and from some of the worlds most celebrated writers past e.g. Wordsworth William Blake and Kahil Gibram and Sylvia Plath and lesser known writers waxing lyrical to celebrate the arrival of their new additions .It was a beautiful gentle hope filled immersion.Clearly and very impressively the major poets had managed to join the dots to eloquently express the spiritual side of things so beautifully . Unknown to me at the time although this project was a self generated labour of love I was actually priming myself to be in the zone for an upcoming commission to write a childrens personalized baby book so when the commission came along I was able to write the manuscript for the commissioned work in a few short weeks .That Manuscript A Star Is Born is also on the Academia site
Still I then had this collection of the most wonderful inspiring uplifting poetry and prose segments that I feel deserves to be shared with a wider audience so here tis. Please note that any material not in the public domain requires official permission from the writers or their agents to reproduce in printed form

There was something about Millie a little long haired chihuahua I was privileged to have assigned... more There was something about Millie a little long haired chihuahua I was privileged to have assigned to my care at a recent house sitting adventure To me Millie or the Divine Ms M as I liked to call her seemed a model of absolute perfection Her big bulbous liquid brown eyes which shone with a lively intelligence were rimmed with the most perfectly formed miniature eyes lashes and were set in her finely etched sensitive intelligent little face which reminded one of a fox .She had these flouncy little ears and her pale cream coloured fur flowed down her chest like a silky rippling flowing fountain.She had these perfectly turned out little feet which reminded one of the feet on an antique dressing table and a graceful ever waving fan like tail She was elegance in miniature built to a gorgeous symmetry and I could only gaze a ther and marvel at her physical perfection thinking that only an angel doggie could have been built like that It wasn't just Millies physical presence either but her demeanour which was so engaging .She was this effervescent bundle of joy and energy. She would look at you and wriggle and squirm with delight that she had caught your attention .At any moment she was to given to frequent bouts of flouncing and prancing around the place mercilessly pouncng on her squeaky toys vigorously stamping on them or shaking them from side to side until the haplesss teddies and rag dollies cried out for mercy. In short Millie was gorgeous and I was quite smitten by her and jokingly threatened to the owners that I might kidnap her when I left the house but my words in jest turned out to be strangely prophetic when I was prematurely parted from Millie and we never saw her again due to a completely unforeseen and very bittersweet turn of events that no one could have predicted It was a Good Friday and Millie was part of a menagerie of 6 animals in total entrusted to my care .They were quite a troupe of very different characters but we were about three weeks into the housesit and things seeemed to be going really well .I was gradually getting to know them and by then the puppy and pussy cat love abounded and I felt like the meat in a pet sandwich as all these furry little bods would vye for my attention. As I got to know them all these distinctive personalities started to appear .There was Millie of course and then there was one other Dog Luigi a little love junkie Shiitsu who would do these cute little 'Toby The Circus Dog' poses to command a belly scratch .He loved slavishly licking ones feet and his shaved belly all transluscent pink and squishy white reminded me of a witchety grub Luigi was Millies consort in crime and together they cavorted about the house and followed me about sticking to me like glue They would have slept with me all night if I had indulged them but Luigi had a habit of hogging the bed and snorting and snoring in most appealing way. If I was not going to put up with it from a bloke I certainly was not going to put up with it from a dog so I would put them out of the bedroom at night .They would sleep right outside of the bedroom door and I would let them in at 6ish in the morning and they would bound in clamouring on the bed in great delight vying for cuddles and belly scratches and then we would all finally drift off to sleep on a cloud of puppy love and waken a few hours later The cats were a fascinating bunch There was Nitro the oldest who reminded me of a very kindly dapper older gentleman .He had such a sweet kindly gracious nature and was a very handsome soft