Books, Creativity, and Late Summer Salad

Books, Creativity, and Late Summer Salad

It is a gorgeous Summer morning, clear, bright, fresh as a daisy. Just the sort of morning to rejuvenate flagging spirits and put the vim back into life.

I’m Celebrating Good Things today: new winter boots from Germany, a homemade fruit mince tart, the impending arrival of baby goats, great visits with friends over the weekend, leftovers to eat, and the healing power of creativity.

girl in sundress and boots

I’ve begun researching and interviewing for my next book, the story of a Hungarian Jewish woman who survived the Holocaust and the Hungarian Revolution, then escaped to start a new life in Australia, all by herself with only one change of clothes to her name.

It is a deeply emotional story, one filled with tales both heart-rending and laugh-out-loud hilarious. Above all it is inspiring, a gripping reminder that no matter how dark life gets, we can always choose love.

Holocaust biography

Researching such things can be draining, and the subject of the book and I have to take regular breaks from the darkness to reconnect with beauty and happiness. It’s such a gift to get to share all these moments with her, to cry and laugh together, then emerge to cook delicious things and potter in our gardens and create beauty through handicrafts. She bakes and brews and knits. I can’t knit worth a hoot, but I can wood-burn, so that’s what I’ve been doing.

wood burned lid for glass jar

It’s therapeutic for me to curl up in my chair burning designs or hang out in Bear’s wood shop cutting, drilling, shaping, and sanding, basking in the scent of freshly cut wood. I’ve added a few things to my Etsy shoppe, and hope to add more this week.

wood-burned pendants

As the Summer winds to a close, there are still a few late Summer treasures to be found in my gardens. My favorites are the bushes of fragrant basil and rambling vines laden with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes that taste like sunshine. Picked while still warm from the sun, the tomatoes are delicious mixed with fresh buffalo mozzarella, torn basil leaves, and a simple dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

heirloom tomato salad

What is your favorite creative outlet? xo

Freestone: A Mostly True History

Freestone: A Mostly True History

It’s a beautiful morning, soft and still, and I’m all rested up after the launch of my book: “Freestone: a mostly true history” at Freestone Memorial Hall yesterday.

Freestone a mostly true history

It was an amazing time with animated conversations going on wherever you looked. So many people came they lined the walls and organizers had to bring in more chairs. It was so fun to see dear, familiar faces who came out to show support, and meet some lovely new folks and people I’d only known by name through my research for the book.

The committee did a spectacular job organizing massive amounts of baked goods, tea, coffee, and lemon water to keep the masses fed and watered, and lining tables with old photos to elicit laughter and good memories.

The launch itself was short and sweet. I gave my speech and was understood in spite of my foreign accent, and was honored to present a copy of “Freestone: a mostly true history” to friends from the Warwick library.

Afterwards everyone milled around chatting up a storm as I signed stacks of books and met even more great people. It was such a warm, community feeling and I was thrilled to be a part of it.

Freestone history book launch

Many thanks to Liz Hill and the Freestone Hall for these photos of the book launch.

As folks made their way home again, Bear and I got in our car and headed back to our farm, beaming but exhausted, thankful for the journey that accompanied this book, relief at being done, gratitude at being able to celebrate it with such a great group of people.

If you would like a copy of “Freestone:  a mostly true history” there are two options. If you’re local (ie – in Southern Queensland, Australia) you can purchase a copy at “Art on King” in Warwick. If you’re a bit farther afield, you can purchase a copy online by clicking here. If you buy in Warwick, only soft covers are available. If you prefer a hard cover or PDF version, please order online. (All proceeds go to the Freestone community.)

If you’re local and would like me to sign your copy, I’d be delighted. Just drop me a note and we’ll make arrangements to meet up.

Now it’s time to get back to work. 🙂 I’ve started my next book, the biography of an amazing woman who survived the Holocaust and the Hungarian Revolution, and moved to Australia with only one set of clothes to her name to start a new life. I can’t wait to share her story with you.

What is one of your favorite biographies? xo

Campfires and Books

Campfires and Books

Rain is misting lightly outside, cooling things down after a gorgeous weekend spent with my friend Corrie. Neither of us were feeling good, so instead of jaunts here and there, we planned a thoroughly relaxing couple of days filled with eating good food, afternoon naps, and long talks while curled up in comfy chairs.

One of my favorite memories is from Saturday night. After trekking through the bush and spotting a couple of wallabies, we returned home and set up for an evening around the campfire. Bear helped me arrange the fire pit, haul chairs over, and collect firewood.

chairs around fire pitWhile Corrie had a good, long talk with her hubby back in Colorado, I sank into my chair with a cold drink and soaked up the stunning light shimmering through leaves and blades of grass.

sunlight through cupI never tire of this time of day on our farm. We might be exhausted from wrangling goats or digging gardens, but once sunset begins, stress melts away and you can’t help but be happy to be alive.

sunset and old chairAs the sun sank lower we opened wine to breathe and brought out ice cold beers. Bear built and lit the fire and I brought out fixings for dinner: lamb sausages made with pepper and sun-dried tomatoes.

sunlit beer

As the sausages popped and sizzled we settled back with our drinks, munching on potato chips and sharing stories. It felt so good to laugh hard and chat about our day, thoroughly relaxed and comfy with all the chores done and a free night ahead of us. girls at sunsetWhile we chatted and the fire crackled, Bear collected more firewood, fallen branches and bits of gum tree bark to keep the fire going late into the night.

At last the sausages were ready, charred on the outside, cooked on the inside, ready to be dressed with Dijon mustard and homemade chili jam.

man collecting firewoodSoon the sun was gone and we sat under a star-filled sky wrapped in flannel shirts and blankets, talking about life and work and hopes and plans. Corrie is a writer too, so very, very talented, and it was great to talk shop with her, sharing plans and book ideas.

Following in that vein, I’m delighted to announce that PDF versions of my books are now available for only $14.99 AUS ($12.57 US). With no shipping or printing costs to worry about, they are a great option for anyone who’d like a copy to store on their computer and have inspiring images of Italy and old European doors only a mouse click away.

italia by Krista Bjorn

To purchase a copy or for more information, visit my book shoppe by clicking here.

portals by Krista Bjorn

The rain has stopped, but the clouds and wind are keeping us cool as we reflect on happy memories with a dear friend.

What is your favorite memory from this weekend? xo

Old Doors and a Book Giveaway (Closed)

Old Doors and a Book Giveaway (Closed)

This weekend Bear and I traveled to Fort Lytton (near Brisbne) for a meeting. We arrived an hour early, giving me time for a wander through the empty fort, exploring dark tunnels and cavernous rooms with beautiful views of the Brisbane River.

There’s something lovely about exploring an abandoned fort. It becomes a blank canvas for the imagination, fed by images and stories from the nearby museum.

I will show you more of this historic place next time, but today I wanted to focus on the wonderful old doors that guard entrances throughout the fort.

This red one is my favorite: the color, the shape, the wonky bits at the bottom. I think I need a red door on our house.

old red doorThis weathered blue one is massive and sturdy, opening to admit guests who have traversed the bridge to enter Fort Lytton.

old blue doorThis is the most posh of the doors, looking stately and sombre against the aging brick.

old green doorI love the contrast between the old brick and the neatly painted door and window frame. Peering through the glass you see a spindle chair, just waiting for someone to sit down and rest awhile with a hot cuppa.

red doorI’m focusing on doors today to set the mood for a special giveaway: one copy of my book “portals” which is filled with black and white images of old doors from around Europe.

To enter the giveaway, leave a message on this post, on Facebook, or via email – ramblingtart at gmail dot com telling me about a door that you’re especially fond of.

For an extra entry, share this link – https://www.ramblingtart.com/2014/12/15/old-doors-and-a-book-giveaway/ – on Facebook or Twitter and leave me another message telling me you’ve done so.

Portals book by Krista Bjorn

This giveaway will run until Friday, December 19 and is open to entrants worldwide. The winner will receive one copy of “portals.”

Wishing you a wonderful week! xo

PS – Click here if you would like to purchase a copy of your own.

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Giveaway is now closed. The winner is Val from More Than Burnt Toast. Congratulations! 🙂 Your book will ship to you shortly. xo

Turning 40 and My Italy Book

Turning 40 and My Italy Book

It’s dark and cool tonight after a gorgeous rain that soaked deep into our parched soil. The air smells delectably clean and fresh and frogs are croaking happily outside my office window.

It’s long past my bedtime, but I don’t mind. It’s the last day of my 30’s and I feel quiet and thoughtful, happy to indulge in some quiet moments to settle my heart and embrace this next big adventure: turning 40.

Krista BjornI feel deeply thankful to be in this place, this time in my life. Not because things are idyllic and stress-free, far from it, but because I’m handling things so much better. I love sitting back and observing my stronger self, getting little chuckles of pride when I don’t crumple before a bully or have my health shatter at the first hint of stress. It’s a lovely, amazing thing to grow, heal, and strengthen, to feel courage and self-confidence instead of crippling fear and self-doubt.

A few months ago I decided that I was going to do something brave and creative before my 40th birthday, something I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little girl: publish my own book.

Although I’m thrilled with the history book I was commissioned to write, and can’t wait to share it with you in a month or so, I really wanted to make a book that was all mine, my words, my photographs, a sharing of something precious to me.

So, bit by bit over the last months, an hour here, a few snatched minutes there, I’ve been working on a black and white photography book about Italy. Although I initially thought I’d write words to go with it, the photos took over and it became a book more about inspiration and reflection than words. I finished up the last edits today and am delighted to be able to share it with you on the eve of my 40th birthday.

italia book coverThese are not images of famous buildings, fashionistas, or posh restaurants, they’re moments of daily life. From laundry blowing in the wind and a farmhouse breakfast to surprising works of art and treasured moments in Italian homes, these are the photos that I love: quiet, simple, reflective. (You can see a little preview below.)

If you would like a bit of Italian inspiration of your own, you can order the book here if you’re in Australia, and order it here if you’re in any other part of the world. And if you’d just like to bask a while in the preview photos, that would be lovely too.
In the morning Bear and I are off to spend my birthday together and I can’t wait. We’ve both been working so hard and it will be bliss to set aside a whole day just to have fun and make good memories.
Wishing you a beautiful weekend.
xo