Tea&Whiskers: September Newsletter
September Newsletter
Hello Dear Readers,
I’m Gwen, and my granddaughter is Kylie; together, we make TEA & WHISKERS, a website created and managed by Kylie.
Light!
What is it?
Light is an energy. It travels in a straight line until it hits something and will behave differently depending on what kind of matter it meets.
Three things can happen:
1. Light may go through the object
2. Light may bounce off the object or be reflected.
3. Light waves may be blocked by the object and then absorbed as heat, forming a shadow.
So that is what light is.
Light! We need light for health, growth, vision, exercise and food.
Light!
What is it?
Light is an energy. It travels in a straight line until it hits something and will behave differently depending on what kind of matter it meets.
Three things can happen:
1. Light may go through the object
2. Light may bounce off the object or be reflected.
3. Light waves may be blocked by the object and then absorbed as heat, forming a shadow.
So that is what light is.
Light! We need light for health, growth, vision, exercise and food.
This Month with Kylie
Ever since my writing café closed, I've been struggling to build a new writing routine. After twenty odd years of going to the same place, day after day, to sit in the same spot, every morning to write for hours – well – losing that constant really upended my entire life.
In some way, it was a good thing.
I had been feeling trapped inside the bubble that I found myself in. I felt incapable of leaving the café; it had become a safety ritual of sorts.
And true…
It was – in a manner of speaking – one of my pillars.
I knew where I was, who I was, the people there, and the time, place, greetings, smiles, sounds, and smells. I didn’t feel overstimulated, and I could go there with a headache or in pain, and just – sit – and just write.
To me, it was unique.
And losing it unbalanced me – it unbalanced my writing, which unbalanced my drawing, which unbalanced my gym, which unbalanced me physically, which then just rolls into life in general.
So, I have been fumbling around trying to find a solution. I have tried writing at home in my office. It’s a nice office – kind of – needs a lot of work – but it’s a space to work. I’m very blessed, I try to tell myself, that I have the time and space to apply myself to what I love.
But the moment I sit down in my computer chair, the fatigue sets in, and I cannot concentrate. The brain fog consumes me. I try to battle through it, and I did – for a bit – I wrote Rusted Hearts, my new novel that I’m editing with my amazing editor.
But it was a battle to get that novel out. I did a lot of crying on the kitchen floor over my fatigue and pain and what it has stolen from me, physically and mentally.
I tried other cafes. None of them worked.
Yesterday, I was sitting at my computer desk, once again fighting my own mind, and I thought – you know – what if you just sat outside your own house? You have a really nice garden. You haven’t tried that.
That afternoon, I busied myself with cleaning up a section of the front yard, dusting off the furniture, and I promised myself that in the morning, I’d get up at the same time I used to for the café, I’d make myself breakfast and I would sit outside to write.
Well—
Here I am. Outside. Writing.
And I think this might work.
I’ll report back next month to see if things have improved in
the authoring department.
Gwen's Stunning Photography
Available Now on Tea&Whisker's RedBubble Store
This Month With Gwen:
Aunt
Kylie is an Aunt to four nephews and two nieces. She is pictured here with her two nephews Emmett and Mordi. Aunts can be stand-in mums and support their loved ones. Aunts can be influencers. Just because one is an aunt doesn’t mean there is no relationship with the nieces and nephews. Such relationship can be very rewarding for both aunt and nieces and nephews.
Sunrise!
Taken from the front deck of our cabin at Willow Springs station. Light bursting across the hills in a brilliant halo. There is a 4WD sky Trek. Which we achieved successfully. Very challenging. I have never seen the outback so green.
It is a great station stay. My son Philip and daughter-in-law, Vanessa invited me to a weekend in the Flinders. It was a wonderful three days. I’m sure I was given supernatural strength to cope with the travel and do and see all the things I did.
There was water running in the creeks. Huge gumtrees that must be hundreds of years old. On Sunday we visited Blinman and visited Wadna run by Christian Brady. Beautiful Aboriginal carvings and paintings for display; and beautiful country.
A mat of peas growing along the bank of a creek out from Blinman. The plants a sign of the big wet season in the outback.
Stunning!
I came home with over 600 photos on my camera. An awesome photo shoot, thanks to Philip and Vanessa.
I have yet to process the images. I’ve started but I now have a bank of images from which to draw from.
Below is an image of the station settlement.
Photographer - Steve Parish
Steve Parish OAM is one of Australia's most respected nature photographers, authors, publishers, and educators. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he has dedicated his life to documenting Australia's landscapes, wildlife, and natural heritage through photography, books, exhibitions, and public education.
As the founder of Steve Parish Publishing, he built one of Australia's most successful natural history publishing companies, bringing the beauty and diversity of the Australian environment into millions of homes while inspiring generations to appreciate and protect the natural world.
Today, Steve's work is centred on Nature Connect, a philosophy and educational platform that encourages people to develop a deeper relationship with nature through photography, creativity, and storytelling. He believes photography is far more than a technical skill—it's a pathway to mindfulness, personal growth, and environmental stewardship.
Through his workshops, mentoring, books, and the Photography: A Pathway to Purpose masterclass, he teaches that creative expression can enrich our lives while fostering a stronger sense of responsibility for the world around us.
Now in his eighties, Steve lives in Queensland's Sunshine Coast Hinterland, where he continues to write, teach, mentor, and create. His focus has shifted from building a publishing empire to sharing a lifetime of experience, helping photographers, educators, and creatives find greater purpose through their work while encouraging a more thoughtful, connected relationship with nature.
Something to Do:
Hints for better pictures on your mobile phone.
Lighting is very important even when using the phone.
We must observe from which direction the light is coming from so we can angle the camera to take the best shot.
Sometimes we need additional lighting if trying to shoot indoors.
Lamps, torches, LED lights, whatever is available that will give the right effect.
Manipulating light direction enhances textures and creates different moods in mobile photography.
Phones capture the moment and are handy because they are always with us; they can be a creative tool to tell stories, depict awesome scenes and record unforgettable family moments.
It is important to record family for historic purposes.
Once a loved one is no longer with us, we say, ‘I wish I had taken more images.’ It is then too late.
Morning light on the hills above the Willow Springs homestead and camp site.
We would love to hear from you.
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For us it is all about sharing what we love.
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See you in October.
Gwen and Kylie
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