Maggie MacKellar | Author
Maggie MacKellar
Reviews
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25.01.2022 Deep winter here, though the days are creeping longer, everything is cold. The soil. The air. The sea. I went down to run & swim today. It took all of the 3 km slog up the beach to make me warm enough to consider a plunge. It was so wild down there. I didn’t do my normal strokes out & back. Just stepped off the sand bank. Was immersed. Stripped. Shrunken. Alive. This afternoon the sun came out for a moment & warmed our chilled world. Spring is waiting. But I’ve learned that it’s 6 weeks away not 2. This is Arkie’s baby. She’ll go to the mainland in spring. She’s by a horse called Serenity out of a mare called Symphony. It felt like that for a moment this afternoon.
25.01.2022 Serious question: Is the last spot on this writing retreat I’m teaching in August yours? We will be staying at the magical Corinda House in the heart of Hobart. This is a little bit different than the remote retreats done in the past. Corinda is set on the hill overlooking the city and the harbour and with views to Kunanyi and wilderness stretching back and back. The house is a portal to another time. Chaxiraxi’s food is an event in itself. You’ll be challenged and spoilt and you’ll be rested and stimulated and you’ll leave feeling renewed and so grateful to yourself for being brave enough to step out of your comfort zone. Link to the wonderful @metimeexperiences website in my bio. X @ Corinda Collection
23.01.2022 Do you have a secret project swirling that needs a little space, a little sunlight to grow? Two spots left! This is going to be such a special retreat. Contact Sharon if one of those spots is meant for you. X
19.01.2022 Sometimes you are just meant to meet people. I started listening to @lindsaycameronwilson’s @thefoodpodcast on the recommendation of Sophie from @locallovely. I listened while out spraying gorse, i listened while I huffed & puffed up the beach & I listened while I worked in the vege garden. I loved the way she wove stories & music into & around memories & physical things. I stopped digging & came inside & pounded out an email to let her know her words written & produced in N...ova Scotia on the other side of the world, on the edge of a different ocean were resonating & connecting & doing all the things words can & should. Lindsay wrote back. Before we knew it her stories had gifted us a friendship too. Then joy of joys she was coming to Australia for a workshop in my hometown of Orange. I was devastated I couldn’t go. But because we were meant to we did meet. In a wonderful moment of serendipity I was flying into Sydney & had a few hours free before the farmer flew in from Hobart to meet up for a 9 hr drive to Coonamble. So on her second last day in Australia we met on the edge of the harbour & I knew her straight away. We had lunch with her gorgeous Mum Bev & talked books & art & life & didn’t draw breath. Would you write something on the flavours of your home for the podcast? Lindsay asked Love to I said, blithely thinking I’ll wack out 500 words on cooking for shearers - easy done. Then I left for the big country of western NSW with my head whirling with creative connections & Lindsay did the long haul back to Canada. Eventually I wrote something for her & it was nothing like what I expected to write & what she expected to hear. Go & have a listen. Link in my bio or go track down @thefoodpodcast in your fav listening platform #thefoodpodcast
19.01.2022 Last weekend the generous hearted @nadineingram of @flourandstone shouted me a ticket to @foodandwords conference. It was a wonderful stimulating day. Nadine’s speech stilled the room. She held out her hand and the hundred plus of us reached out and took it and then we lived what she’d lived and saw what she saw, and we were expanded because she shared. It’s such a privilege to listen to a speech like that. It’s all in the book, well nearly all. Of course the book sold out be...fore I could buy one. We went on to dinner. Kylie Kwong’s. It was insane. My flavour starved soul melted. I mean literally every morsel that came to the table was so delicious that my mouth watered and I had to restrain myself from lifting the bowl to drain the broth. But even more than the food was the company. Five creative, fierce, driven women. I soaked it up. Nadine and I ubered home. She ran into her house to get me a book. She knows my baking capabilities (limited). We hugged goodbye, she whispered start with the banana cake. So that’s what I’m doing. I have the walnuts off our tree (bonus cred) and the over ripe bananas. I had to go to town for the over the top (60% chocolate) but I’m baking this baby....just as soon as I feed a couple of orphans lambs. I know when Nadine wrote her book that she wrote it for serious bakers. But she also wrote it for people like me - who will have it open on the kitchen bench to inspire. Tonight it shares the bench with a container of lamb colostrum. Both of them have life restoring properties. I’ll let you know how the cake goes. The lambs are going well.
16.01.2022 When I struggled to stop the tears leaking out the corner of my eyes this morning, as one of my daughter’s friends innocently described her boyfriend riding across Mongolia, I wondered what on earth was wrong with me. Then I read this...
15.01.2022 End of a long walk & it’s not hard to pick the country girl & the city boy! #corgilife #farmdogs
13.01.2022 Caption this.....
12.01.2022 Look Melbourne people! My lovely, talented, very funny friend is hopping across the ditch to speak about her debut novel with the insanely talented Leah Kaminsky at Camberwell. I'm jealous I can't be there. Pop along. I promise you laughs and thoughtful moments.
12.01.2022 Late lunch read
12.01.2022 Golden hour in the special ward for reluctant mothers.
11.01.2022 I'm doing another retreat in August with the incredible women of Metime Experiences. This one is a little different as it is in the heart of Hobart. But oh my...the house! It is magic, like stepping back into another time. Chaxi and Julian bring hosting to another level and you will never forget the experience of eating Chaxi's food. This weekend will feed your soul. Contact Sharon and Pauline if you think this might be for you.
11.01.2022 Nothing says Spring in Tassie like a frost on the ground, blossom in the trees & a new work dog puppy to make James the Corgi shout at me that life is for the living.
09.01.2022 I love him so! "Tasmania is terrible. Don't come here"
08.01.2022 https://granta.com/the-republic-of-motherhood/
07.01.2022 Hooked....another one on my TBR pile.
07.01.2022 This time yesterday I was stealing time between jobs to get some air deep into my lungs. I followed wagging tails & a dropping sun over the creek & then up along the ridge. Today I’m swapping Tassie delights for city bright lights and I’m off to the Big Smoke for 48 hours of friendship, words and food. A little over a year ago I met the inspirational force of nature that is @nadineingram She was in the last drafts of her first book. Twelve months later & I’m off to celebrate ...its launch & attend the Food & Words conference in Sydney. I will sit with creative powerhouses @janegrover_ @_michellecrawford & Silvia @thelostandfounddept and we will cheer and my eyes will get very full because I know the work of birthing a book and sending it out into the world to become its own thing. I also get the chance to hear Charles Massey speak. Eeek. Brain food. Thank you Nadine for making it possible for me to come. See ya soon Sister! . . . #foodandwords #momentsofmine #bigsmoke #tasmania See more
05.01.2022 Oh! So this is what life looks like.... May your Friday night be as full of wonder.
04.01.2022 An update from the home front (please forgive very VERY old photo, it’s somewhat misleading) but I hope you enjoy the words. https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/the-turning-of-the-line/
03.01.2022 .....so that's my problem! (#ofallthestupidtheories #inserteyeroll #insertlaughingface #mondaymusings)
