Refer Facebook page: Alzheimer's Australia VIC, 25 June, 2015 
How good it is to find your special spot. A place to relax, to calm, to be. A place to listen, to be drawn into the moment. (No phones, ipads or laptops here!)
There's been quite a bit of media and a number of talks given since the release of my latest book, Fraying: Mum, memory loss, the medical maze and me, in March. Now, it's time to get back to basics, create a calm space ... and write.
Yes, all the talks and interviews are enjoyable, but at heart the joy of writing is one that for me cannot be quelled. If I don't write, I feel a part of myself is missing.
For those interested, I will be back speaking again in September, during Dementia Awareness Month. More details soon.
Most things that bloom, regardless of being a flower, or an artistic work start off as a small bud. And I'm hoping that the manuscript just forwarded to my publisher, a budding project, will bloom fully and vibrantly, delighting many readers.
Photo: A bush Pea - Michele's garden - one of the first spring buds, 2014
If you love flowers or nature, feel free to check out Michele's other blog:
www.michelemuses.wordpress.com 
One of the most rewarding aspects of writing personal profiles, at least for me, is the opportunity it provides to step into the world of another. Then to really listen, not just to what is said, but to get a sense of the person's essence, and to commit that to the page.
My most recent profile was hip-hop artist and Burundian refugee, Fablice from The Flybz. War, loss and years as a refugee have not dented his spirit or his hope for the future. What an inspiration. So too his song, Child Soldier, with the iconic singer/songwriter Paul Kelly.
To find out what else inspires Michele visit: www.michelemuses.wordpress.com 
Paradise for me is naturally spectacular, ringed by coral reef teeming with hundreds of fish species, with mountains at its southern tip. It's Lord Howe Island.
What an inspiring place. In fact, I was so impressed that I've just penned a travel piece about it. Not sure when it will appear in Australian newspapers.
Photo: Lord Howe Island from Malabar Hill
Text and image copyright Michele Gierck 
Wildlife photography and getting your book published have their commonalities. Both require patience. Waiting and hoping. Wondering. What will happen? Waiting some more. Then finally, finally, often when you've almost given up, that magical moment arrives-- like this honeyeaster pecking at the eucaplyptus silver princess. Or an equally delightful agent's call. As always, I wait in hope.
Text and image copyright Michele Gierck
www.michelegierck.com.au
Sometimes, when I've been buried in writing, or the intricacies of life, the garden offers a place to rest my weary soul. It's so full of delight, of surprise, of tranquility.
Text and Image Copyright Michele Gierck
An old friend, a respected Australia journalist and storyteller, once told me that when it comes to writing people's stories, put away your preconceived ideas and biases, and simply meet them as a person. Listen without judgement. Be really present. And you might be surprised. How insightful.