Feeling energised

Found a friend in Norwich!

 Just a quick post this time. The weather is finally sunny and warm (during the day at least), and I have been able to get into the garden and dig the two big beds over. The robin hovered while I was digging, eying up the tasty worms, and while I have placed old compost bags over one bed (to stop weeds and keep the soil warm before I plant), I gave the robin free access overnight to this one and a total freedom over the other.

The good weather has changed something in me. I feel energised, happy and fully alive for the first time this year. I've been busy, but taking time to sit with Rue (the dog) on the bench in the garden to read. He loves the sun and can't wait to get out there to hog the bench. Last year gardening was quite stressful as Rue would steal canes, gardening loves, flowerpots and raid the green waste for anything to chew. This year he has settled down (he will be three in August), and while I still keep watch, I often find him sunning himself on the bench, totally ignoring me. I just want this weather to last now.

Rue

In writing, after having had a piece of flash fiction shortlisted, but not picked, I immediately sent it out again. Success! My piece has been chosen and should be published by the end of the month. I am really excited and proud of this piece and cannot wait to share this one with you.

Meanwhile, I am gradually creating a website. I won't tell you about the stress getting things started has caused. Taking some advice, which just messed with my head, and having to backtrack. It's a slow work in progress. I thought it would be easier after having creating my blog. I'm not a techie person, but anyway I shall see how it goes.

Last week I made a quick trip to Norwich to visit a friend. We had a lovely time, but on the second day, we almost got drowned in a deluge. I was squeezing water out of my sleeve. But we found a nice cafe to sit and dry out in. We got out our notebooks and wrote. We did timed themed prompts between one minute to eight minutes. One piece I wrote felt like the beginning of something and I have worked on it since being home and now it is a fully formed short story. I've not written one of those in a while. Usually it's flash or poetry. It was good to work together again. We always have lots of laughs and make the most of our time together.

Writing away

There is going to be some exciting news coming soon, but I do not want to jinx things, so I am staying quiet for now. |

Enjoy the sunshine and I will see you again soon.

It's nearly Christmas!

 This will be my last post until after Christmas, when I shall put together my review of the year. Well, the last Christmas card has been written, posted or hand delivered, and I have just two small presents still to wrap. Today has been taken up with making my easy-peasy no-cook marzipan sweets and a second batch of vegan spice biscuits. Mince pies were made last weekend and my son has asked if we can have a fruit cake this year. I've not made a traditional Christmas cake for many years as no one likes Royal icing. Over the years, I've made a sponge cake topped with water icing (decorated with a Father Christmas, tree etc!), a cranberry cake and a fruit loaf. A last visit to the shops tomorrow morning should hopefully get me everything I need for Christmas. I've got this!

I've indulged in a few Christmas concerts, including one by the choir I used to belong to. I met my friend who proofreads for me there, which was just lovely. Then there was the last concert I took part in with two other choirs. That was a special evening.

So, what have I been writing? Well, actually I've been editing. I went back to the story I wrote recently and did a first edit. It still needs a tweak, but it's almost there. The Island (working title) is another long  story which I actually wrote back in 2018. This is the first time I have been back to it. A good edit was needed and I am re-writing the ending as I changed bits, as you do! I think this might fall into the YA category.

Working hard on editing

My last piece of news for this year is that I am about to have another poem published. There was a squeal of delight when I received the email from Streetcake online journal. They only publish experimental poetry, so this is a first for me. I rarely write it, so I was really pleased to have my poem picked. I'll post a link when it is published.

Well, that's it folks. I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and hope you get lots of books (that's what I'm hoping for!)

Here is a song from Syrinx filmed at the concert I was singing in. This is the only song we could say was Christmassy - a Finnish Reindeer herding song. Enjoy.

 

Last poems for April's NaPoWriMo and an accepetance

Okay folks, here are the remaining poems for April.  Please vote for your favourite throughout the month.  Comments make everything worthwhile.  Be back here soon.

April 26th

At the end

The flowers you brought have shrivelled

trying to return to their pre-blooming glory

each petal closing in on itself, but I’m not fooled.

They look worn out with the effort of looking bright –

the colour still hangs on like an ill-fitting coat,

drooping at the shoulders.

The water is putrid, no wonder they close up.

Bad relationships leave bad odours.

********

April 27th - Sonnet

The Long Man

No book can ever keep me from this view

No story line can drag my eyes away

For every time it’s like I see it new

And when I reach this point then come what may

I cast my book aside at Hayward’s Heath

Where this train will divide and split in two

And Sussex lies before me and beneath

In grassy downs where I look for the path

That carves into the hillside where he stands

The man of Wilmington who bears his all

Once phallus hope for women in these lands

Whose fertileness would answer to their call

Whatever else may change he’ll still be there

And folk will marvel at him, stop and stare.

*******

April 28th

Waterlogged

I’m down in this squelchy brown clay

stuck fast, gripped by wet goo

in all its sucky-sucky quicksand feel,

entrapped and directionless. I pull in panic –

the earth will not let me go.

If the sun comes out I’ll fix a pose,

become part of the landscape,

baked dry, entrenched, a human sculpture

plastered and entombed.

*******

April 29th

Surgery

Stark brown limbs in March;

amputated wooden stumps

await their new growth.

*******

April 30th

Traces

He is still here imbedded in the carpet

like tinsel months after the Christmas tree has gone away,

impregnated into sheets however many times I wash them;

the dent on his side of the bed still looks new

as if he’s just got up.

Somehow he has seeped into the walls

and his eyes watch me in every room.

The TV churns out his favourite shows,

the radio his favourite songs.

In the kitchen his mug is a lonely sight,

I’ve put it away but I can still hear its accusations.

I’ve removed everything of his that he’d not already taken

but he claims every inch as a silent ghost.

For a while I would got out every night to avoid him

but there’s nowhere to go where he hasn’t been

and been with me.

Finally, I have had one of my poems accepted for the Open University Poets Anthology which will be published later this year.