By Sally Giles. Wynn Vale, SA My Grandma gave me a small watercolour painting framed with a wooden frame and glass. The painting is a tranquil river scene and on the back it says ‘a quiet spot near Loxton’. Grandma told me the woman who painted it met and fell in love with an Australian… Continue reading Grandma’s Gift
Category: SA
Mothers
By Steve Allen. Aldinga, SA the stadium lights held this momentthousands in the stands shoulder to shoulder they being sons and daughters mothers one by one stepped from the tunnelthat led out onto the field of their livesthis now hallowed ground echoed with passionate cheersknitted scarves raised above every head taken from old school jumpers… Continue reading Mothers
The Little Corner Shops
By Lindsey-Jane Doley. Adelaide, SA Want to know more about the author of this story? Click the above arrow to hear her reveal what inspires her to write. A long time ago, before supermarkets or up-market delicatessens, we had the corner shop. In South Australia these were sprinkled across the hills and suburbs, often on… Continue reading The Little Corner Shops
The Holiday
By Sue Scott. Aberfoyle Park, SA The sound of the back door being closed with a bang was the beginning of an exciting new world for our family. Dad announced, “The holiday starts now”. On that day in 1960, I had no idea what lay before us. In preparation for our adventure, we were all… Continue reading The Holiday
ANZAC Day Reflections
By Nancy Sortini. Adelaide, SA I was taught from when I was a young girl to observe ANZAC Day. I was the youngest of three girls. On the 25th of April, we would go to the local railway station, as we lived in the Adelaide Hills, and head for town. Once there, we would settle… Continue reading ANZAC Day Reflections
ANZAC
By Lesley-Anne Willott. Christie Downs, SA As blood red poppies dance in the wind, we promise to remember the boldOn that one fateful dawn back in 1915, where so many would never grow oldLife is so dear, but the worthy, must have courage to answer the callWith mettle and grit, it’s what Aussie blokes did,… Continue reading ANZAC
a soldier’s prayer
By Steve Allen. Aldinga, SA Where I lay, my body stuckon this sodden ground,only my spirit can now move.My first battle was my last.I hardly drew a warrior's breaththrough youthful lungs.The fierce roars of passionate mennow lay in utter silence.I hear them not.Wind picks up my soft hairas if I still had life.I am thankful… Continue reading a soldier’s prayer
The Photograph
By Alice Richardson. Elizabeth, SA Rose sat at the kitchen table cradling the little frame holding the photograph of her with her husband, George. On the back, written in his handwriting was, ‘Rose and me. Married 17th October 1940’. It was taken in front of the hedge in their backyard just after he joined up… Continue reading The Photograph
Four Suitcases
By Lesley-Anne, 68. Christie Downs, SA June 1970 I was 15 years old, and my family was about to leave life as we knew it far behind. My parents had sold the family home and given away most of the furniture. A few precious items that were too fragile to make the journey were gifted… Continue reading Four Suitcases
Merry Christmas, Summer Christmas
By Lindsey-Jane, 70. Adelaide, SA Christmas for most people in Adelaide begins with our famous Christmas pageant, which is one of the best of its kind in the world and the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. It's been a huge hit for the Adelaide population since 1933, so they've had lots of practice at making… Continue reading Merry Christmas, Summer Christmas
Friends
By Sally, 64. Wynn Vale, SA When I was about forty years of age, I met a woman named Barbara. She was about twenty years older than me — so, was about sixty when we met. We remained friends for many years. I was a person who made the occasional friend. I didn’t make immediate… Continue reading Friends
Adrian’s Adventures to Australia
By Adrian Crawford, 67. Mt Barker, SA Click the arrow above to hear Adrian read his "Adventures to Australia". My name is Adrian Crawford and I live in Adelaide, South Australia. I’ve been a storyteller since I was six years old, though it took me to my twenties to truly discover that. I am a… Continue reading Adrian’s Adventures to Australia
When I Rule the World
By Sue, 69. Aberfoyle Park, SA Don't you often think to yourself 'when I rule the world...' as some aspect of today's living drives you to despair? Welcome to my despot fantasy, where it's not a matter of 'if' but THINGS WILL CHANGE. Remember, in my fantasy, I am dictator now — an omnipotent presence. Rules… Continue reading When I Rule the World
Remembering the Fifties: Needles and Pins
By Lindsey-Jane, 70. Adelaide, SA Back in the fifties, many people were home sewers. Department stores and drapers' shops were chock full of rolls of beautiful fabrics in a vast array of colours and designs. One of the best sewers was my Nanna. Ever since I was old enough to remember, she'd made dresses for me… Continue reading Remembering the Fifties: Needles and Pins
Seventies Semaphore: A Memoir
By Andrew Piper, 75. Woodcroft, SA My story recounts memories of Semaphore and environs of the mid-seventies and a character I knew well who lived on the Semaphore Esplanade. Let's just call her Ester for the purposes of our story. I have flighty memories of people and places of that time, and my impressions of… Continue reading Seventies Semaphore: A Memoir
Charcoal Sketches
By Steve, 65. Aldinga, SA black charcoal sketches on my flat screen tv skeleton trees,broken buildings,rubble everywhereon another channel,pageant queenswant world peaceback to reality,to the contrast of barren streetshumbled citizens in any warmclothing they can findnow,it's all about how to survivesolemnly they leavethe place they've called homeoppression,has been drawn on my tvI turn it off, andgo to… Continue reading Charcoal Sketches
Marrying at Seventeen
By Josephine, 80. Beachport, SA Marrying at seventeen didn’t seem to me as though it should cause much eyebrow raising and speculation! This was back in 1957. Many young brides were accidentally pregnant, and many young men had a more responsible attitude to fatherhood than it seems they do today. Bryan and I were not… Continue reading Marrying at Seventeen
The End
By Nancy, 80. Adelaide, SA TRIGGER WARNING: Domestic abuse. If you or someone you know need to seek assistance, here are some resources: In an emergency, please call 000. White Ribbon - click this link for support line phone numbers in each state 1 800 RESPECT - 1800 737 732 *** A chilly winter’s afternoon.… Continue reading The End
Lessons
By Steve, 65. Aldinga, SA lessons learntonly slightly burntso much to learnso little timegrowth sometimes a bitter pillas we struggle up an unknown hilltufts of grass,trees with embedded rootscan help us on our wayevery hill is differentfor every child of mother earthsurvival is our instinctit rarely lets us down andwhen you've reached your plateauit is… Continue reading Lessons
The Smoke That Thunders
By Anne-Marie, 78. Henley Beach, SA My journey to Australia was a drawn-out odyssey. I first left France to work in Africa. In Zambia, I taught English as a second language in a boarding school near the source of the Zambezi River, where my son was born. During a holiday I travelled south to the border… Continue reading The Smoke That Thunders
My Weirdo Brother Jerome
By Briony, 63. Adelaide, SA If you were to position my brother Jerome on the autism spectrum, he would be in the mesosphere! Now, before you judge me on the title of this piece, my family are proud of Jerome’s weirdness. There was nothing bland or mediocre about him and the rest of us are… Continue reading My Weirdo Brother Jerome
Bread and Dripping, Mushrooms, and Fresh Blackberries
By Lindsey-Jane, 70. Adelaide, SA These are just a few of the snacks and meals that we enjoyed as children in the 1950s. Today, some have been adapted to be more health-conscious for future generations, and others have simply vanished, which is a bit sad. As a child growing up in Australia in the 1950s,… Continue reading Bread and Dripping, Mushrooms, and Fresh Blackberries
Journey Through World War II
By David, 84. Hackney, SA I was born in Guernsey, in the Channel Islands, not far from the French coast. In 1939, dad accepted a call to a church in Ilford, a suburb of London, because he believed the Germans would invade the Channel Islands once the war started. He was right. The German occupation… Continue reading Journey Through World War II
Body and Soul
By Sue, 68. Aberfoyle Park, SA Hello, Miranda. Knew you'd be in sooner or later for your makeover. It was only last week at the tearooms you were praising me on the wonderful job I did on your friend Lydia. By the way, isn't the coffee and cake there to die for? Can't go there too often… Continue reading Body and Soul
Smudge
By Nancy, 80. Adelaide, SA Press the arrow above to listen to Nancy reading her piece "Smudge". I have always had a rather unhealthy dislike of dogs. I was a cat lover. Dogs I feared and loathed. I found them dirty, smelly, and prone to nip one's ankle. I never understood dog owners' obsessions with… Continue reading Smudge