May 18, 2026

An amazing autumn

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There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and far too much of it isn’t good. I doubt I’m alone in knowing people who have chosen not to watch, read or listen to News because it is so thoroughly distressing and dispiriting to take in.

An issue that continues to bubble away amidst all the stories of conflict, war, and destruction of the planet, is climate and how it’s changing. It’s like a juggernaut that keeps rolling along, and that’s getting closer and closer to impacting us to the point where there may very well be no tomorrow. As scientists have been banging on about for years. And certainly not a recognisable or comfortable one anyway, even if the bleak future described in Tim Winton’s recent novel ‘Juice’ may still be a bit extreme.



The scientists have warned us for decades about climate change, and how humans are causing it to escalate rapidly. The science about our over-reliance on fossil fuels for energy is well enough known, yet too many governments fail to take it seriously, or introduce the vital measures to minimise the risks. Although it should be obvious by now that Australia is on the frontline of the terrible consequences of ignoring the seriousness of this failure given the extreme fires, floods, storms and droughts that have battered the country in recent years. Politically the climate issue still divides the community.


Bringing the subject back to the most micro of levels, the last twelve months have included a comparatively mild winter, a drier than usual spring, and a very ordinary – and also dry – summer, where we live. Now we’re towards the back end of an autumn that has been both unseasonally warm and dry. Normally at this time our water tanks would be full to overflowing. Not this year. Garden plants are totally confused, witness the spectacular glory bush or tibouchina. While it certainly blooms in late summer and autumn, at this point in May, we can usually rely on some very cold nights, and even a frost or two, signalling the end of their flowering for another year.


Meanwhile buds are appearing on bushes generally dormant in winter, and spring bulbs are already sprouting. This is far from ‘normal’. As is the temperature forecast for today and each day this week: 17 or 18 degrees C.


The glory bush could be flowering for a while longer yet.

 

 

 


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Magni

Fiona's gift

By Anne Layton-Bennett • June 14, 2026
It’s taken far too many months for this marvellous model to grace the dedicated desk space in my office. When Fiona comes to visit next she will be very surprised, and hopefully gratified, that her amazing creative talent is finally on display. We’ve known each other for a very long time, and during the insanely busy time when I was helping to run the flower farm, working part-time in a school library, doing a spot of journalism on the side, and fighting the proposed pulp mill that is the subject of the manuscript I’m hoping to get published, Fiona cleaned my house each week. There’s only so much a person can do after all, and it has to be said cleaning our house during those manic years was fairly low down on the list of my priorities. But Fiona is a woman of many talents and she certainly possesses one that I so don’t have: sewing and dressmaking. So over the years she’s also made a few garments based on the pattern of a favourite garment that I was particularly fond of, and she’s also done some clothing alterations for both of us. My skills with needles and thread are limited to sewing on buttons, and taking up hems on John’s too-long pairs of jeans. Anything else is beyond me. But this fabulous model is the pièce de résistance – along with the beautiful crocheted knee warmer she gave me last year. This was when winter was approaching and so determined was I to finish writing the book, I decided to get out of bed at the insane hour of 5am and get in a solid hour’s writing in before dog walking and the demands of the day took over. Fiona was also one of many Tasmanians who needed to be circumspect about her opinion of the pulp mill. It was a project that polarised people, including families and friendships. She was one of several who passed on snippets of useful information, but on the basis of anonymity so it couldn’t be sheeted home to her.  Needless to say Fiona will be one of those whose contribution will be acknowledged – when this book is finally accepted by a publisher.

Signs of spring - when winter's only just arrived

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I never expected it would be easy . . .

By Anne Layton-Bennett • April 27, 2026
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