Family History
October 1, 2024
Who fascinates you? Perhaps it’s an ancestor you’ve learned you have something in common with. Maybe it’s someone who didn’t fit the mold of the time and society in which they lived. It might be someone you still know well in your own life today. It could even be you. My current fascination is with […]
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September 2, 2024
I recently realised that ten years has passed since I published my first (very brief) blog post, here on Treefall Writing. Turns out that so much can change in 10 years, and so much can stay the same. This has prompted me to think about time in the context of memoir and family history. So, […]
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July 2, 2024
Have you thought about compiling a family history but don’t know where to start? Writers are often advised to write what they know or are curious about. Not everyone agrees with this, but perhaps there’s some wisdom in it, or in the case of family history, start with yourself (the person in your family tree […]
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June 4, 2024
The seasons can refer to the weather and the physical changes of our natural world, but we often use the word metaphorically to describe and explore various stages, moments and turning points of our lives. Katherine May, author of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times says: Below are a number of […]
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March 30, 2024
I recently listened to a conversation between Krista Tippett and Rachel Naomi Remen (and which Tippett expands on in her book Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Loiving) in which they discuss the idea of ‘generous listening’, which is ‘powered by curiosity’ and ‘involves a kind of vulnerability’. I think this is […]
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April 4, 2023
I recently returned from a trip to visit my son in Melbourne and my mum in Tasmania. While in Melbourne, I spent time in the suburb where my son is currently living, and which is also where my great-grandmother was born. What I didn’t know until Mum and I dug a little deeper was […]
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