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Sally Murphy, Australian author

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Poetry Friday: The Jetty Three Ways

December 15, 2017 by Sally

Taking a break from my Christmassy poetry to  revisit as place which seems to be growing ever more a part of my life: the Busselton Jetty, a mile long jetty about half an hour from  where I live.

Anyway, I have lost count of the number of times I have walked on the jetty – either part way or the whole way, and last year I did it several times, and wrote this poem, which I’ve shared here before:

Earlier this year I met a long-term goal and, rather than walking along the jetty, I swam the whole way around it, in the annual Jetty Swim. And, yes, I posted about the experience here, too, with this poem:

The weather was grey

The ocean was choppy

It rolled and it swayed

But I’d planned for so long

For this one special day

When the starter said ‘go’

I was off and away.

AND
I did it I did it

I swam all the way

I did it I did it

So hip hip hooray!

I’m currently in training to do the swim again in February – though I am hoping it will be a slightly flatter sea.

Speaking of training, there is a third way to traverse the jetty: a little train which runs the length of the jetty. It’s slow, and although it looks fun, I’ve never done it before. But yesterday, I righted that wrong and finally travelled on the little red train, taking my mother with me As well as the train ride I had another new experience: under the jetty, at the end, is an observatory. It’s one of only a few underwater observatories in the world and is unique because it there are no captive or introduced fish. All the sea life you can see is there because it lives there.

SO, the thing is, although I’d walked along the jetty and I’d swum around the jetty, not only had I never ridden the train along the jetty, but I’d also never visited the observatory. I’d always intended to, but hadn’t got there – in part because I am a bit claustrophobic and wasn’t sure how I would feel. But my mum, who lives nearby , and had  visited once before when it was new, really wanted to go again. So we had a mother-daughter date, and we went and it was amazing. See – mums really do know best!

And, of course, there’s a poem:

Under the Sea

I’m under the sea

And I can see

Schools of fishes swimming by me.

 

I’m under the sea

And I can see

A lone diver waving at me!

 

I’m under the sea

And I can see

Both fish and diver are wetter than me!

(Poem Copyright Sally Murphy)

The diver was a bit of a surprise. And, when he realised we could see him, he put on a bit of a show for us.

I couldn’t figure out how to work the lovely coral and algae growing on the jetty pylons into the poem, but here’s a little peek. 

Have a great poetry Friday. The round up today is being hosted over at Random Noodling. Head over there for more poetry goodies.

Poetry Friday: Magic Days

May 1, 2015 by Sally

It’s Poetry Friday and it’s my mum’s birthday, so I thought I’d write a little poem for her. When I was a child I remember being pretty excited about her birthday and the feeling of wanting to give her a gift that would make her feel the way I felt on my own birthday.

Magic Days

I bet

when you were little

your birthday was magic.

filled with gifts and cakes

and love and squeals.

 

I know

when I  was little

your birthday was almost

as exciting as my own

and I loved to show you that.

 

I hope

though we are neither little

that your day

still has the gentle thrill

of knowing you are loved.

 

(Sally Murphy, 2015)

 

Happy birthday Mum, and happy Poetry Friday everyone else.

poetry-friday-logo

The Poetry Friday roundup this week will be at Space City Scribes

Gnomes – and a poem

January 11, 2015 by Sally

As part of a family outing yesterday we stopped in to look at Gnomesville, in the Ferguson Valley about half an hour from home. There are thousands and thousands of gnomes there, all left by visitors. There are gnomes under trees

Gnomes

and in trees:

Gnomes

in houses:

Gnomes

and taking transport:

Gnomes

Gnomes

There was every gnome-pun imaginable, but my favourite was this one:

Gnomes

And there was this guy, who of course is not a gnome, by gnome-body told him that:

Bug

I’m sure there’s a new story or poem brewing from all of this, though it hasn’t come yet. But it did make me think of one I wrote many years ago:

Lucky

 

A new day dawns, the sun is bright;

I’m basking in the morning light.

The birds they sing their lovely song

And I will listen all day long.

The flowers smell so very sweet;

The grass it grows beneath my feet.

I’m lucky that this is my home

Because, see, I’m a garden gnome.

 

(© Sally Murphy)

Home and Away (not the soap opera)

November 6, 2014 by Sally

I am home. Before that I was away.  SO much to say about it all, but I’m going to try to limit myself to five amazing things about my time away – and one about being home.

1. Travel. How amazing to spend ten days on the road – in Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Townsville – doing my job. I spoke to hundreds of kids about my books, in amazing schools, as well as to teachers, librarians and other professionals.  What other job makes you feel like a rock star, unless of course, you ARE a rock star?

Sally Murphy

Feeling Like a Rock Star

Sally Murphy

It was THIS big!

2.  Feedback. Incredible feedback from kids (and adults) who’ve read my books, telling me why they’ve loved them and how keen they are for more.

Sally Murphy

It seems I talk with my hands a lot. Who knew?

3. Sharing. It is an absolute privilege to have kids sharing their stories with me. During and after sessions, so many children told me  how they can relate to what Pearl and Amber and John are going through, because they have had such hard things happen in their lives – and often, are still going through them. Many stories make me cry, but I feel very trusted that kids want to tell me their stories.

4. Workmates. In Sydney I was looked after my Steve from Walker Books, who did a wonderful job of ensuring I had coffee, and places to stay and food, and audiences. More than that, though, he was just fun to travel with. In Townsville Trish McEvey, and her fellow staff, from Kirwan Primary School looked after me, again ensuring audiences and shelter and stuff, along with just an awesome workspace. I was also honoured to work alongside Boori Monty Pryor, who was also visiting the school, and who is a real treasure.

Sally Murphy and Margaret Hamilton

With the delightful Margaret Hamilton in the Blue Mountains

5.  Inspiration. All this travelling, and talking and seeing stuff, and hearing stuff, makes me inspired to keep doing what I do – and to try new things.

If I spoke to you in Sydney or Townsville – please accept this as my thank you for listening and for being part of my first ever official book tour.

And the awesome thing about being home? It’s home. So nice to be back with my gorgeous family.

Moonrise

This awesome moonrise made me feel very welcome at home.

 

 

A Whale of a Time

October 22, 2014 by Sally

Before this year I’d only ever seen whales twice. This year, it seems whales have been a bit of a thing for me:  a whale watching oat trip with two of my sisters a few months back, then seeing whales from the plane when I flew to the Abrolhos Islands on my trip to Geraldton last month, then spotting whales from Smiths’ Beach a few weeks ago, and seeing two bobbing in the surf off our local Back Beach last week. Today, however, was the ultimate whale experience.  Excited by our trip off Augusta as the whales headed north earlier in the year, my sisters and I decided we would head to Busselton to see if we could see them again on their way back south. My mum decided she’d like to come along, too.

The cruise was due to go for two hours, and we saw whales not too long after leaving the marina. We also saw a pod of bottlenose dolphins, and lots of flying fish, which are the coolest – and oddest – of all fish. The whales, though, were hardish to spot and mostly quite a a long way from the boat.

Until, that is, we were heading back to the marina, when we were lucky enough to come across a group of six or eight whales jumping, splashing, whooshing and putting on an awesome display.

Of course, I had my camera ready, and of course the photos don’t live up to my excitement of seeing whales breaching over and over again. But, here is evidence that they did indeed breach:

Whale watching

And, a couple that show just how close they got:

Whale watching

(I think if my hand, and the boat, were more steady, this would have been an amazing photo. Instead you have a fin and the massive splash that a 40 tonne whale makes when it lands).

Whale watching

The best photos of all are the ones I didn’t get with my camera – because I had to put the camera down and just watch and exclaim and clap and sigh and exclaim some more. So those images are in my mind, but it was a day that will stay with me for a long time, and I suspect there will be some whales in my writing in the near future.

A Tale of Three Dogs

October 3, 2014 by Sally

Meg Aug 14There is a Murphdog sized hole in our house and our hearts. Meg (Murphdog) was with us for more than 15 years, joining us as a frightened puppy and growing into a gentle, loving, loyal companion to the whole family. She played with the children, protected them from snakes and strangers, and kept us all company. In the time we had her she had other companions – for a year or so, sausage do Pooch, who was killed by a snake, for a few months Eddie, an exuberant kelpie cross who we looked after till he found a home, and for the last couple of years Jonah (Murphpup), a maltese-shitzu who she grew to tolerate, maybe even love.

Not everyone loved Meg. With Jack Russel in her, she loved to bark at snakes, lizards, and people walking by. This is not always fun for neighbours. She also had an aversion to men with boots and/or ladders – we suspect a particular workman had kicked her when she was young – and so would snarl ferociously at visiting men.

But we loved Meg, and everyone who got to know her seemed to, too. She was gentle with the puppies she had, loving to her people and, in her later years, really didn’t cope with being apart from us (which is how Murphpup came to be added to the mix). She was a family member, and a big part of our lives.

Jonah Sep 14

Jonah needs extra cuddles.

Her death wasn’t sudden, and was seemingly peaceful, and that’s a blessing. We are also blessed with many memories and, of course,her friend Murphpup, who is adjusting to life as an only dog.

Quite by chance, this week we have had a second dog in the house, keeping Murphpup company. My daughter is off on a walking holiday, and has entrusted us with her little pooch for the week. Did I say little? Hmm. Murphhound (his name is Sos) is a rescued greyhound, and the biggest greyhound I have ever seen.

Sos Sep 14 I had always thought greyhounds were a beautiful looking dog, but I really didn’t realise how very placid they are. Sos doesn’t bark, or yap or whine, and is happy to lie on his bed – or outside in the sun – for much of the day. But when we go out, he greets us on our return with an enthusiastic trot to the door or gate, and a very exuberant wag of his very large tail.

The Murphlets have been walking the two dogs each day – the tiny white dog and the huge black dog – and I’m guessing have provided a bit of amusement to onlookers. Apart from this, I can’t say that they’re best friends, but they seem to tolerate each other. Murphpup has no fear of the hound – but Murphhound does look a bit nervous when the little yappy one is being vocal.

In a few days Murphhound will be gone and Murphpup will once again need to adapt to life as an only dog., and Meg’s absence will probably become more noticeable as we adapt to the new normal. Still, I’m counting my blessings. Aren’t I lucky to have had her in my life for fifteen years – and to have other dogs in my life still?

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