In the course of this writer's life, many lasting friendships have been forged with some wonderful rural Australians who are happy to share a cuppa, a bickie and a good yarn or two about themselves, their families or people they know. Most of these verses were written for these people, often about them, and shared with them over the years. They represent what it is to still live in a rural area in this modern age, which continually harks back to the long-established survival strategies of the first settlers, but with a decidedly modern take on many aspects. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did.