Glowworm Creative

Bev’s birthday quilt

2012-03-09T20:24:00.000Z

My sister celebrated her 60th birthday this week so now I can write about the quilt I just finished –a story quilt, linking places and times in Bev’s life, mainly New Zealand and Camber Sands. It was a great joy collecting the fabrics –some wonderful NZ fat quarters I bought in Christchurch and from a shop I nearly missed on the coast road to Greymouth during my visit there in 2010.

Then the planning and the realisation that there was no time for slow creativity if it was to be ready for 6th March 2012.

So I chose a simple block, hunted out the seaside fabrics I’d also been collecting for a while and starting cutting, sewing, adding in photos and a poem. Overall, the plan was the sea, the beach, the land and the sky –but more unidirectional fabrics than I anticipated led to adaptation –surely all quilts have this, I decided. Finally, I added a few beads, and a small piece of lace made by my Mum. Here it is finished –a quilt to snuggle up with that brings the past into today.

Book review: Swimming Home

2012-03-02T15:30:00.000Z

Published by an indie company And Other Stories, Deborah Levy’s Swimming Home is a short, startling story of interference, independence and breakdown. This is a nice book to hold and between its covers the characters speed along in new, mostly unwanted directions in their lives. Levy paints her places and people with detail, her dialogue feels authentic and together these make for an engaging read. The book has been BBCR4’s Book at Bedtime this week with, as always, lots left out but enough left in to be worth listening to. If you’ve enjoyed the nightly 15 minute episodes, its also worth reading the book.
For more information see http://www.andotherstories.org/ and http://www.deborahlevy.co.uk/

King George and his Madness

2012-03-02T09:54:00.000Z

Busy week so just catching up with last weekend’s events as the next one looms! Alan Bennett’s play The Madness of King George III proved to be as wonderful as the reviews suggested. David Haig delivered Bennett’s script with power, humour and astonishing emotional and physical energy. The politics felt fresh (!), the set supported rather than intruded and I left the theatre wanting to know more about Mr and Mrs King, their lives, the times they lived in and their family.

Also last Saturday there were eggs on show all over London –I think we came across 7-8 of the 200 that have laid in the city, for more details see http://www.thebigegghunt.co.uk/

Across the week

2012-02-24T09:56:00.000Z

Catching up on this week’s events with John Prescott’s rather dull choice of music and self deprecation on Desert Island Discs. Hopefully Woman’s Hour will bring more items of interest –women and cotton is promised, and ironing!!

Spring has arrived this week, a hint of warmth during our continuation of the Thames Path walk, this time from Kingston to Walton. The path runs close to the river so we had swans for company –adults flying higher than I thought they could, followed by youngsters still not quite white that stayed close to the river then too a rest in the mud banks. And yesterday was really warm, so nice to go out into a warmish evening on my way to play bridge … not quite abandon coat but certainly scarf redundant weather.

Slower tasks this week included the satisfaction of finishing a quilt, nearly finishing the jacket I’ve been knitting with yarn that I dyed in January and reflecting on the failure of my sonnet to please in the on-line course. Work to do there then but this weeks assignment is very different and involves a random ward generator.That feels like play, followed by hard work

Finally, have just started reading Swimming Home by Deborah Levy … a small book, easy to hold when its still cool enough to need snuggle under the covers.

Book review: State of Wonder

2012-02-20T17:15:00.000Z

How good it was to be absorbed into another of Ann Patchett’s stories, alongside some strong characters, at a cracking pace and a confidence that the pages would give good reading value from start to finish. There is a great deal of simplicity in this book –a death, a search, people who act as you would expect them to - but that goes hand in hand with a narrative that invites the reader to fill in obvious gaps and had me wanting to get back to the story each time I had to leave it for a while.
The geography feels authentic, the heat as oppressive as I remember it on my visit to the Amazon and illness is described competently, always from the sick person’s perspective. I was surprised by the quantity of insect life Marina encountered but that was probably because these were remarkable by their absence during my boat trip on the Rio Negra.
The ending disappointed just a little by solving the obvious in a way that was just little hard to believe. After all dying of a fever in Amazonia is not unusual but much was left unsaid in the last pages about relationships between the key characters. I see another book there.

Book group view of Alfred and Emily

2012-02-17T10:03:00.000Z

My book group rarely agrees wholeheartedly, and to a person, on anything … be it book, what to drink, where to meet –we’ve eclectic tastes that lead to lively discussions What more could we want. Alfred and Emily was the exception that proved the rule: we all agreed. Agreed about the incoherence, lack of depth, failure to engage and wondered about the wisdom of writing memoir with the strong possibility of being recognised as a very unreliable narrator.

Enough said on that, this morning I had the joy of starting a new book, plucked from my to be read basket. One chapter in I can’t wait to get back to Ann Patchett’s State of Wonder. I really enjoyed her writing in Bel Canto and she knows how to plot.

Off to amazon now to see if I can find books recommended last night –The Summer of the Bear and Before I Go To Sleep are on the list. I realise that my to be read basket operates on a one out and two in at the moment –looking forward to some down time at home in France in about 4 weeks to read some of them, or I’ll have search out a bigger basket.

Book review: Alfred and Emily

2012-02-16T09:17:00.000Z

I began Alfred and Emily by Doris Lessing (a book group read) with great expectations –after all, she’s a Nobel Laureate and way back I had read, enjoyed and learnt from The Grass is Singing and The Golden Notebook. There’s a key problem with any sort of expectation and I met it … my expectations were unmet.

Blake Morrison writing in the Guardian says this book is a ‘bold experiment’ –sadly the experiment failed, but it was bold and perhaps also reckless of Lessing to write in a haphazard, incoherent way. It certainly had raw emotion, as the Sunday Telegraph reviewer noted, but Lessing does nothing with that emotion except repeat it. Surely there was an opportunity to seek an understanding in the hate and anger that invaded the narrative.

A. S. Byatt wrote that the book ‘makes us think about the moral and emotional power of different ways of telling a story’ Was this a kind way of saying the one positive thing about the book, I wonder. It was certainly different and maybe Lessing in another time, or another author, could have used the idea of turning fact to fiction and then back again to better effect. In Alfred and Emily --good title—the execution is unsuccessful

Yes, as the Observer, noted, the book is extraordinary –in its lack of coherence, un-engaging prose and characterisation that destroys rather than builds on the people used for the fantasy Lessing devises.

I feel cheated to have expected so much and got so little, except confirmation that good writing is hard even for the most experienced and lauded. And I’ve learnt a little more about what can happen to my expectations! Am I the only person to find this book so disappointing? More on this tomorrow after the book group meeting.

Five went to the poetry seminar

2012-02-15T17:58:00.000Z

with five poems for the critical eye of each other and our expert poet Tamar Yoseloff. We had an unusually lively discussion, mostly linked to interpretation. The concept of what a poem is about is as important as looking at aspects like its form, rhyme and rhythm and so on … or perhaps some would argue the opposite. Comments welcome.

Anyway, today two of the poems we looked at (mine was one) produced starkly contrasting ‘readings’ about a key feature: birth and death for one, a young child and an elderly woman in another. It was good to pull at each of these poems to find what led to the stretch of these interpretations; a post modern stance would say it is all in the mind/eye of the reader anyway. Its always good for me to hear what my words mean to the reader … there’s often things there that I have failed to see and certainly have not explicitly written about.

The other three poems all added to my knowledge of the world as well as to my understanding of poetry. I now know something about Medea –a rather nasty woman it seems, about the experiences of a Hungarian poet during the repression and the rarity of pelicans on the Danube. Also good today to read two long poems. Length has been another feature of our discussions recently and that has led me to extending one of my early ‘short poem’ drafts to 70 lines! One for the long poem magazine when they open their doors for submissions in March.

What a joyful way to learn … now I need to turn my attention to the last assignment for the no surprises on line course. With my sonnet safely up-loaded, I think I’m going to have a go at writing with words from the Random Word Generator –the challenge is (again) the demand of the form … ten words, three 8 line poems, and its all in the order of those words. More on this later … its not going to be easy but then it never is.

Some days are working days!

2012-02-14T15:32:00.001Z

and today was one of those. Just finished drafting an editorial and before lunch,did reviews of three journal papers –the very good, the needs revision and the dreadful. Usual mix and it feels great to be able to cross through some tasks that have been on my to do list for far too long.I’ll go back to the editorial when all the papers for that edition are in, revising it to point the way to each one and hopefully, comment on their individual contributions to the overall message.

Time now to turn to non work. I’ve a turtle in the making once I learnt how to applique without my stitches showing, The quilt I’ve been sewing is nearly ready, long delay with the order for the backing fabric –apparently winter colds and weather to blame. But its now safely with Jane to be quilted and I’ll have time to do the binding. The lesson is to start these projects earlier, of course.

Tomorrow it's my London poetry seminar so I’m off to look in the poetry stash for one that needs the critical eye of others. There’s plenty to choose from ……

Review: The Ladykillers

2012-02-12T17:41:00.000Z

There was a full house for yesterday’s matinee of The Ladykillers, currently playing at the Gielgud Theatre –a slick, funny and fast moving drama that was originally a classic Ealing comedy, Criminal oddballs, a vague, innocent but insightful elderly woman and a very inventive set made for a vibrant mix of farce, pathos and inevitability. A great suggestion for one of my regular meet ups with three friends, followed by a very good choice of where to eat. The Criterion served some great food, under a brilliant ceiling, and the staff knew what they were doing. Somewhere to return to when in theatre-land again.

The day began and ended with a brisk walk along a few of London’s wide streets, full of history although this time no sight seeing -we kept going at a a good pace to keep warm in the arctic temperatures. We had to scrape the car free from ice once back in the suburbs –slightly warmer today with some cloud cover.

Book review: The Loft by Marlen Hanshofer

2012-02-11T10:55:00.000Z

Translated from German this book helped me to understand what is meant by interiority with its single viewpoint and deep drill into the mind of the narrator –a woman, a wife, a mother, a friend, someone trying to find her self as she nears the last years of her life. Its one week in her life with a back story inserted in a way that didn't quite satisfy this reader … but that apart, the writing is engaging, disturbing, and original. I’m about the order her other book The Wall –apparently a feminist classic… more on that much later as I’m now going to start Doris Lessing's Alfred & Emily for book group next week. Might find I’m still part way through when we meet!
Writing this with the brilliance of the sun and snow pouring through the windows. But its cheek pinchingly cold out there so I need to decide how many layers I can wear to keep warm walking across Waterloo Bridge later on. I’ll be on my way to see The Ladykillers with three very dear girlfriends. Comment on that next time I’m here.

Snow outside: poetry witing inside

2012-02-05T21:30:00.002Z

It looks very pretty outside but the snow is fading now ... with the roads and pavements predicted to be icy as the temperature drops overnight. I've had a poetry day, warm and quiet. Five poems sent out into the world and several attempts at my next assignment ... a sonnet and a love poem! No pressure then to find all those rhymes and to keep to the rhythm. Don Paterson's Sonnets book has come in handy -so far I have four lines and a possible closing couplet.

As you can see my bedside reading includes this year's T S Eliot prize winner ... haven't come across a sonnet yet but Burnside has some readable poems ...and some that I will need to go back to but that's the joy of a poetry collection. The book opens with a long poem, so I've saved that for later and started with the section called Everafter .. possibilities, failure, loss are all in there so far.

Learning to blog: reading

2012-02-01T11:30:00.000Z

I've learnt lots about blogs since I began this one last summer –by irregularly reading other people’s blogs and writing this one, again irregularly. No surprises there then –experiential learning wins again.

So now I have some key links in the blog header which will direct readers to certain pages like the ones about books I'd like to read, what I am reading now and books I’ve read. You’ll see a mixed list of books to be read, and reading now in a side bar as well. Some will linger on that list for a while, rather as they set up home on my bedside chest of drawers or on the side table next to my favourite reading chair.

My aim is to post thoughts on the reading in progress, very short reviews and comments made at the two book groups I belong to. Yes, I know that’s lots of reading but that’s not hard for me and because I want to read other books and –and this is important – to develop my practice of reading poetry I’m keen to find reading time when I am alert. In other words, not just before I put out the bedside light! I’m not going to beat myself up if this does not happen every day, The aim is a few days a week … I’ll report on progress as and when.

I’ll tag the reviews and comments so readers can just see these if they feel they will be bored by accounts of my sewing or poetry news. This is first like this and, would you believe it, the internet connexion from my modem is having a very long sleep in this morning, so thank goodness for Windows Live Writer … I’ll save this to send later after what I’m sure is going to be another gruelling session in the gym with super fit Sam. On the plus side she’s great at the stretching … and I will feel better afterwards.

Jan 2012’s last small stone

2012-01-31T22:28:00.000Z

At the end of 2011 it seemed that autumn had passed the baton straight to spring, leaving winter on the margin, leaving us to wonder if it was just biding its time or would it be a 2012 wallflower, leaving crocuses, daffodils, the first leaves of the tulips in the old cracked pot to the drape of tonight;s frost.

small stone No 29, Jan 2012

2012-01-29T18:46:00.002Z

There were three bells for inviting, a candle, incense,matches, match holder, red and white flowers (for life), the wheel of lifeembroidered on two square cloths spaced evenly on a brown silk runner across thecentre of the quiet room. Then there were circles –people, walls and windowsinside, branches in winter dress outside.

small stone No 27, Jan 2012

2012-01-27T18:29:00.001Z

I watch as the sky changes from a well tended to neglectedfire, settles with colours like the morning's ashes and finally, it’s like theinside of a coal hole –unremitting dark.

small stone No. 26, Jan 2012

2012-01-26T18:33:00.003Z

I arrive for theclose of school day rush, children, parents, teachers performing a collectingdance -I watch a small girl have aplaster put on her knee

Found: a yoga teacher close to home

2012-01-25T18:49:00.000Z

After lots of web browsing and phone calls I think I’ve found a yoga teacher near to where I live. She has a quiet studio in her garden, teaches the sort of yoga i like and has a class on a morning I’m free. I had an hour’s lesson with her this afternoon –getting to know her way and having some great feedback on my posture and poses. Wonderful savasana to close –a quiet voice guiding me through relaxation under a cosy blanket.

Its the week to be creative in the on-line poetry course with another challenging task and tight deadline. This one is all about writing in a register or voice that is at odds with the subject … a sort of idea is floating at the moment. More positively lots of good feedback on my last effort from the tutor and the group including really good suggestions for stanza breaks. Best of all I showed my first long poem (70 lines) to a friend and now have some very nice praise, which prompted me to start a praise record for those days when I feel like never writing a poem again.

I’ve been busy with lots of school governor work this week and there’s more to come tomorrow and Friday when I’m going to an INSET day with the staff –should be good.

small stone: deep feelings No 25, Jan 2012

2012-01-25T12:47:00.001Z

The power of music never ceases to amaze me –the ability of melodyto catch in my throat, to unnerve my heart –yesterday a choral version ofNimrod, earlier today Paul Simon and now, listening to Leonard Cohen Live in London withsome almost unbearably poignant word-tune combinations, I weep.

small stone No 24, Jan 2012

2012-01-24T18:07:00.000Z

An earlymorning blessing of freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey and hot water – sharp,clear, unadorned; a way into the day, leading me forward into creativity with confidence.

small stone No 23, Jan 2012

2012-01-23T21:18:00.001Z

Today at Bridge, Quilting, and my Poetry Workshop I countpoints, measure inches, seek out sounds of surprise -all demand the same focus of eye, mind andmemory, all aim for accuracy and enjoyment, all compose different, new neural connections.Time for dreams to sort and settle ready for tomorrow.

small stone No.22, Jan 2012

2012-01-22T16:46:00.002Z

I’m driving home at four pm, it’s still January, the air islight and warm, birdsong, yes, that’s definitely birdsong and then a fox crossesthe road, his coat glows like terracotta tiles touched by a setting sun, hemoves not quickly, not slowly, as if, perhaps, testing himself.

small stone No. 21, Jan 2012

2012-01-21T17:42:00.001Z

Before she washes my hair I sniff and choose the massage oil, a calming one today. Then her hands sweep my head and neck, wide strokes leading to a strong investigation of deeper muscles, finally a touch as light as the far note on the keyboard. I open my eyes and follow her to the basin.

One Day -the book

2012-01-20T07:00:00.000Z

One Day by David Nicholls is the ideal book to snuggle up in bed with as i did yesterday to escape from the rest of my unheated house. Engaging and pacey, with characters that appealed from the start, this book tells their story on the same day over about 20 years. We meet Emma and Dexter as new graduates idealistic and almost lovers; we leave them after success, failure and all the other rather ordinary things that life holds for all of us. Well done to Nicholls for making this ordinariness amusing, sad, and pleasing to read.

Very lively discussion about A Farewell to Arms at book group last night –most of us struggled with the style especially the dialogue. Long discussion about reading recent history, sentence length and adverbs –and needing to see the book in context to appreciate why Hemmingway’s writing was appreciated so widely. Like me, others had enjoyed it much more when they had read it in their youth.

small stone No 19, Jan 2012

2012-01-19T19:11:00.000Z

Over to the west, past the faint line that I know marks theNorth Downs, the clouds are arguing, ready with rolled-up sleeves for thethreat of opposition: in the east pale blue light holds the peace

one more last day

2012-01-16T17:13:00.001Z

My last full day here at Enmatte for a while, so good to wake up to one more sun filled sky and the shimmer of frost over grass, mud and stones. I’ll miss the view from my present bedroom when I’m on the first floor but its good to think I maybe sleeping up these when I return.

Listened and read a poem by Liz Lochhead today called Kidspoem/Bairnsang, –I've just blogged the link on youtube which iIhope has worked!!! That poem sent me to my notebook and an early draft about my school and home life. That’s what I need to do so much more of … find inspiration and write.

Kidsong.mpg

2012-01-16T17:10:00.000Z

16th small stone, January 2012

2012-01-16T15:55:00.001Z

The Swedish table we bought before most of the rest of our life is covered by a red and gold fringed cloth from the Shiraz bazaar, down the centre is a brushed satin runner from Mumbai, the colour of mulberries shredded with sunlit thread and in the middle sits my French birthday jug of clay fired with a twist of lemon and lime, all pouting lip and proud handle -a feast of geography.

1st 2012 read-again: A Farewell to Arms

2012-01-15T17:08:00.000Z

Finished A Farewell to Arms this afternoon –my first second read of this year ready and I'm not sure I would have finished it if it hadn’t been a book group book. I remember enjoying it so much more many years ago but found the very male perspective and language hard to relax into and the geography and action of war was hard to follow. That said, Hemmingway’s writing has instant characters, i could so clearly see Rinaldi and the priest and his dialogue sweeps along at a pace that almost meant I could forgive that it often seemed everyone was reading from a script.Did people really speak like that … I guess so,

It being Sunday I’ve also written another 100 word story. No success with last weeks but its still a good feeling writing prose again. Also drafted a poem for the next assignment which had very demanding instructions. We were to start with an abstract noun and make sounds the element of surprise. Well, I’ve tried and somehow having started thinking of joy the poem is about fear … no, I don’t get how that happened. but I have got a poem.

15th small stone,Jan 2012

2012-01-15T16:55:00.000Z

Sunlight strikes at broken terracotta tiles, raising footfall memories –joy, sorrow and jobs well done have walked this way, their experiences levelled the surface, their stories wrote the cracks: leaving us the narrow and the wide, the rough and smooth, the light and dark.

14th small stone, Jan 2012

2012-01-14T12:55:00.000Z

The foreign feel of typing with one hand, different stretches, using fingers usually neglected at the keyboard: the pale sting of a cut finger in its tight wrap that continues to darken, the clotting is taking its own rather pedestrian time.

small stone No. 13, Jan 2012

2012-01-13T14:54:00.001Z

the stack of logs is a spectrum of colour –a fresh anything but dull beige of a newly cut edges, a weathered brunette that escaped the saw, and then there is the dissonance of the regular look of the whole that has been well built from very irregular individual pieces

small stone No. 12, Jan 2012

2012-01-12T17:39:00.000Z

Absorbed in my writing, I forget about the fog and stop mourning for yesterday’s sun, the one that managed to break through the heaviness of the morning; sadly, I also neglect to put more logs in the burner - cold sneaks over my body like an unwelcome rash.

small stone no. 11, Jan 2012

2012-01-11T11:57:00.000Z

a disorganized cobweb shakes in the heat stream of the radiator, its dusty threads trapped between window frame and handle, sunlight hints at its former glory –the creator has long gone

Islands of Privacy–book review

2012-01-11T11:39:00.001Z

Just finished reading Islands of Privacy by Christina Nippert-Eng . Its rare to find an engaging book that reports an extensive piece of research, in this case, into what people think should be public or private about their lives and how they ‘work’ to make sure others only know what they want them to know. Nippert-Eng uses raw interview data, her analysis and just the right amount of other literature to create a thought provoking and authentic narrative. I really loved her use of the beach as a metaphor for the boundary we create, try to create, fail to create between our privacy islands and the public sea.

The best chapter for me was the one on secrets, with the practice of secret keeping opened out for inspection in lively way. The rich discussion about wallets and purses –who can see what and why certain items are public or private and the chapter on privacy management via windows, doors and our rubbish provides great insights into the individuality of attitudes –made me think about my privacy/public boundary work. Here I am blogging –a very public writing activity – and yet I also keep a note on what I think about books I’ve read in a private journal –worthy of analysis methinks. I was less impressed with the chapter on the impact of technology –nothing very new there except perhaps the empirical basis of her discussion.

Overall, a readable book on a topic that we all need to think about but not dwell on too much.

Other reviews at http://www.bookslut.com/nonfiction/2011_01_017027.php and http://www.lrb.co.uk/v33/n15/jenny-diski/on-the-beach

And available of course, at http://www.amazon.com/Islands-Privacy-Christena-Nippert-Eng/dp/0226586537

Islands of Privacy by Christena Nippert-Eng published by The University of Chicago Press 2010

Small stone No. 10, Jan 2012

2012-01-10T15:03:00.001Z

our Brussels Sprout plants are mesmerised by the winter’s first frost; their silver tipped leaves and elegant stalks statuesque above soil darkened by cold

Monday, Monday

2012-01-09T17:23:00.000Z

My yarn is nearly dry, –blogging interrupted just now by a Skype message and also today I’ve joined Apple’s iCoud after a lesson from James! So now I have another email address … and the main thing, rather wonderfully, my iPhone and laptop synch wirelessly! I’m easily pleased -so back to the yarn –it looks like rows of raspberry jewels at the moment, a reminder of summer.

Strange weather day –cloudy and muggy as I left for a walk with Crumble, on our return the sky had cleared, we enjoyed the late afternoon sun and now there’s a real hint that tonight will be cold. The burners have been lit -its cosy inside, such a change rom last year with the old draughty windows.

The hens are clearly expecting winter, they had already taken themselves into their house when I took down their feed .. sparkly yellow corn and a bowl of peelings soon bought them out. Their run is like slip underfoot –pale brown Le Gers clay the consistency of mayonnaise ready to catch the unsure step and adding to the weight of my boots. .

James has gone back to UK,today, I’m here for one more week and must get some work writing done in the next few days, and I plan to write another piece of flash fiction. -need to look for a place to send it. Ideas welcome.

small stone no. 9 Jan 2012

2012-01-09T16:20:00.000Z

the straying climber still has a midseason architecture of red, brown, green leaves, as I wake a blue tit emerges from its interior and sits on the frame of the glass door to my room, then something stirs in the roadside bushes, I’m alone, with the first gift of today

Dying yarn and flash fiction–two firsts

2012-01-08T19:06:00.002Z

One of my 2012 resolutions was to return to writing prose, my last effort being almost four years ago during the Oxford creative writing diploma. That seemed a long time ago, probably because it was, when I started writing this morning. A mix of anxiety –could I write anything that wasn’t a draft poem or scholarly – and excitement. My aim was 100 words, some flash fiction for a competition I saw on Twitter. The challenge was to submit a story, linked to a song/piece of music by next Tuesday. Did it, great afterglow, left to rest for a couple of hours and then submitted. Now it feels so good to have started again, just writing, and slowly, the flash fiction is safely just longer than a small stone (there’s 8 of those out there now) so now I'm thinking maybe a short story
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Meanwhile, I’ve dyed some yarn for the very first time. Took the easy route using an all-in-one dye and just 500 gm of yarn … looks good now drying on the rack in the heat from the burner. I used the microwave and endless bowls and buckets … my thumb is also crimson so thicker gloves next time. Might try two colours and read up abut how to dye cotton fabric for patchwork.. If anyone has experience of this please share this with me. I certainly learnt by experience today –my yarn soaked in dye solution needed 15 mins in our microwave not the ten suggested in the book and putting the dye then the soaked yarn in the bowl resulted in more even colour. But, I like the slight shading, only that yarn has that subtle hint of dark, light and in between.Next task is to wind it into balls when its dry and start to knit. Pictures soon.

River of Stones 2012 Day 8

2012-01-08T18:26:00.000Z

water transforms the dye powder to a glossy paste, acrid needles strike my airway; crimson yarn drying on the rack fills the roomwith a suggestion of caustic humidity; the oiled perfume of the old machine with its fine straight stitch: my journey to other homes

River of stones No 5

2012-01-06T21:17:00.000Z

The young dog disappears, last seen chasing deer along the topfield, my first experience of her runaway nature. I call her name, use all thecommend words I know, call, call, train the binoculars on every horizon. Now sleeping,a scratched nose hints at a route through the woody undergrowth, ditch mud leaveslight halos on her coat –suspicions of an interesting journey.

Writing in the gaps

2012-01-05T18:44:00.001Z

I’m writing while waiting for the squash to roast … we have an wood burning stove that’s great to cook on –the most important ingredient is patience. We’re almost out of left overs so its pasta in a squash and smoked salmon creme fraiche and herb sauce tonight and tomorrow someone has to go shopping. Typical post festive season in our house –last night Paul used the mushrooms in a risotto –perfectly cooked, very yummy, and there’s soup from goodness knows what that’s full of goodness.

My fabric blocks are ready for sewing. A task to be done in the morning light in the front of the house and with lots of attention to the one way designs.

Spent lots of time today on my poetry. I’m almost ready to submit two and have read the poems for the online workshop on Monday. I certainly wasn't;t the only one to stray from the task … but that's never the issue is it! And in between just a little bit of work … a paper reviewed, draft agenda nearly ready and the pleasure of reading Islands of Privacy .. really enjoyed the chapters on secrets and the private and public aspects of wallets and purses –would have been tedious without the real data, or ‘what people said’ but was alive with the reality. of our choices and ways of keeping things to ourselves She’s now discussing privacy and technology ..

5th smallstone Jan 2012

2012-01-05T13:14:00.001Z

wind from the north, viaFleurance , Puycasquier, past the garden where roses wait to be pruned, aroundthe atelier of the aged mechanic, competing with the sound of his drill -andhere in our garden it sweeps thepassiflora into parabola shapes, whips stray leaves into the fields and perhapsback again , brushes our faces, leaving a taste of January

into the river of stones Jan 2012

2012-01-04T18:46:00.001Z

My fourth small stone

the crack of logs in the burner, scales from a bass guitar - smooth and elegant practice, risotto being cooked – fragrant and warming, the cat comes in for the night –fluffing up at the pad of the young dog against the wood of the stairs: a winter evening, our home

one stuck poem

2012-01-03T19:13:00.000Z

I’ve been revising my poem about the accordion today –trying and trying and it just seems to get further from where it needs to go, or I would like it to go. So, its time to let it go, to give it a place to find itself …I’ll go back to it one day soon.

The poems for next weeks online workshop are not yet available … The Poetry School online classroom seems to be in need of some attention. I’m looking forward to meeting the other students through their poetry..

More positively, my cutting for the next quilt is almost done, it’ll soon be time to spread it all out to check the overall layout and start sewing. Paul has been wiring in more lights today so seeing to work just gets better.

Sadly, James found a dead hen this afternoon … thank you hen for all the eggs you’ve laid for us. The exchange of corn and the contents of the leftovers bin for golden yolked eggs is a joy.

into the river of stones Jan 2012

2012-01-03T17:15:00.000Z

long shadows streak the fields, the last blessing of today’ssun

The Hare with Amber Eyes

2012-01-02T18:59:00.000Z

I’ve finished reading the biography of the netsuke that were bought by and passed down through Edmund de Waal’s family. A story of obsession, how it feels to have and not have money, how families spread, sometimes with a purpose, sometimes to escape and how the same objects can be signifiers of status to one generation and toys to another. Lots to digest about the politics of Europe leading up to WW’s 1&2, and insights into the post war occupation of Japan. Having spent a few days in Vienna last year the descriptions of that city meant a little more to me but I’d like to go again with the book in hand.

By a strange coincidence just after I turned the last page of THWAE I heard an interview with de Waal on the BBC world service programme The Strand. With Bach’s Goldberg Variations in the background he talked about making pots in his studio, about paying attention to his hands working the clay with his mind on many other things and about his new book, The Pot Book. I especially liked his explanation of why the particular shade of yellow on a certain Chinese pot is impossible for him to repeat. The full interview should be on the BBC iplayer at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p002vsn3

New reading is Islands of Privacy by Christena Nippert-Eng …

into the river of stones Jan 2012

2012-01-02T18:41:00.000Z

the spike of the white hyacinth is heavy with pouting petals willingly sharing a perfumed blessing with us all

Happy New Year to all

2012-01-01T15:52:00.000Z

Love and very best wishes to everyone who reads my blog .. and thanks for being one of my readers, Its too early in the year to go all postmodern on you but, for me, writing this without having just a few readers would feel strange. You can probably feel a but coming now, so here it is. But it would be great to have your comments … something for me to read!

I’m writing this at home in France, an hours drive from the Pyrenees and, wonderfully to start the year, its 25C outside. I found a dry chair –it rained all day yesterday- and had my NY resolution moments of paying attention in the sunshine. Ideally, paying attention should lead to regular small stones of writing throughout January. I’m posting these on this blog having given up trying to figure out how to get them onto the Writing Our Way Home website any other way.

Our house is slowly getting back to normal after serving New Year's Eve dinner to 18;three courses and all around what looked like one table. I’m still finding champagne corks and the dishwasher is on its 3rd cycle. Yesterday was one of those long days that need some recovery time but are very special. We gathered guests as the day progressed, Paul & I bought wonderful fresh food from Fluerance market and then we cooked and cooked. or rather I cooked and everyone else moved floorboards from the van to the first floor until about 6pm. Then we got serious about the food,and became very grateful for two ovens … James did great service peeling veg and Paul took charge of the pheasant –recently at the wrong end of Vincent’s Dad’s shotgun. The result –a wonderful feast with just enough left over for us today. I’m looking forward to another serving of the fish on roasted veg and just one more pear braised in red wine –a Delia dish that is so easy and looks stunning.

and finally, remembering my Grandmother on what would have been her birthday. I never got to share my love for patchwork and quilting with her –she would have had much to say about my hand stitching!!!

into the river of stones Jan 01

2012-01-01T15:13:00.001Z

last year’s oak leaves skip along the deck, hens call fortheir feed , flies and honey bees out and about in this warm winter sunshine – softsounds behind the windblown notes of our bamboo mobile

words amongst work

2011-12-30T15:23:00.001Z

Blogging today amidst great activity to prepare for the first floor floor. Tracey's vacuuming the insulation space, James is measuring and drilling for lights, then Paul follows with more drilling and fitting. We've just had a very long discussion about where to put the bottom of the stairs lights ... lots of choice, many different opinions -so everything is normal here then.

I've drafted my first assignment poem for The Poetry School's on line course No Surprise for the Writer No Surprsie for the Reader; I have until Monday to acheive the required syllable count -something I always find very difficult. The idea is to aim for uneven syllables but in a pattern ... well, we will see.
The other part of the assignment was to start with a walk down a snowy lane so memories of last year were necessary -there aren't even visible snow peaks on the Pryenees at the moment although I'm assured there's snow on the ski slopes.

Our indoor Hyacinths are slowly opening up, pink, then white and now blue blooms filling the house with their very special fragrence ... and now more vacumming to remove all the wood dust that has drifted, inevitably downwards .. its time to do something esle.

a return to prose

2011-12-29T15:20:00.001Z

Morning writing today was more prose … maybe the start of a poem but maybe some flash or very short fiction … that feels like a return to a place I haven’t been for a while. I'm thinking that it may be good to do this with support .. maybe an online course to start with, the Fish Publishing one looks OK and possibly an Arvon course this year some time. It would be good to go back to Shropshire, The house there was a great place to relax and write when I was there in 2009..

Wonderful walk with Crumble today, the long way round to the village with lots of inspiration for writing small stones.. I’m still confused by the Writing Your Way Home website/blog/Ning –can’t quite understand how it all fits together.

I've added some new blogs that I’ve been reading to this blog. The piece about having extended plies of Books To Be Read or BTBRs resonated with me –something for the resolutions list.

Wood is being chopped and stacked as I write this. Its still sunny and warm but each night brings frost to the ground so those logs are very welcome. I woke today to see a blackbird rummaging in the stiff leaf litter under the tree outside my room, he had a very effective beak throwing technique, over his head -all in aid of clearing the way for worm hunting, I guess? .

And in my inbox today some work! Will look more closely at that after the weekend … and will also need to find some time to start writing the second guide to education systematic review research for BEME . Presently, that has little appeal but once I get going it’ll be fine …

writing time

2011-12-28T09:15:00.000Z

I’m paying attention to my writing time, practicing the small stone thing and yesterday wrote something that could be a short story –something I’ve not done since I finished my creative writing diploma and that was four years ago. All to do with the topic –sometimes the idea for writing is there but its not one for poetry, maybe because for me ideas in poetry come from within the writing, they don't drive it.

Felt good to just write but I need to resolve the issue of by hand or on the computer with this longer writing –or at least to ponder on whether it matters and whether it has to be one way or the other.

The new quilt in progress is progressing but rather slowly. Lots of cutting yesterday until I realised that the sea and sky fabric definitely had a one way pattern, So, a revision of the block pattern after a slow spread of fabric over the biggest table we have and much thinking about what to do. Rather like in poetry the form, or in this case the block pattern, is a support and a restraint, a way forward until a diversion becomes necessary. So, some blocks will go in another direction to deal with those upside down clouds.

Time to go … we have friends coming for lunch. Our turn to repay their hospitality earlier this week, to share the Christmas cake and Stolen and try the pineapple cutter James bought back from Hawaii.

the day after Christmas

2011-12-26T12:23:00.000Z

the sun is breaking through the fog, we’ve gathered up a little of the wrapping paper that Crumble has scattered … and I’ve been ‘slow’ listening and reading. Listened to Andrew Marr interview David Hockney -just listened … lots in there about paying attention, about light and colour and ipad drawing, and now I know that abstract painters don’t, apparently, use much green. Hockney’s RA exhibition sounds interesting–especially having heard about some of the ideas behind its construction. A date for my diary.

Then with coffee and toast I slowly read an A D Millar, (he of Snowdrops) short story in the Economist .. need to practise that lots more. I wonder where rereading fits with slow reading and close reading … mmmm.

Walked one of my favourite routes yesterday morning -along the set aside by the edge of the woods and then up the hill, throwing sticks for Crumble, watching birds flit in and out of the hedgerows, the house a glow of terracotta in the distant glow.

Christmas Eve jottings

2011-12-24T20:51:00.001Z

Wonderful sunny day –ideal for market shopping. It always amazes me how many boxes of oysters each fish stall has at this time of the year –the French really do the fish thing at Christmas. We settled for squid, prawns and a very large plump plaice.

Mince pies are made, there’s enough macaroons to feed the village & unsurprisingly lots of mayonnaise. The Christmas cake is covered with hand skinned, filleted and toasted almond, hazelnuts and pecans which means that the topping took longer to prepare than the cake –but that’s what Christmas Eve is for.

James arrived late afternoon so now we have crackers. The present pile gest bigger each time I look –Crumble has given everything a good sniff so fingers crossed its all still intact in the morning.

Time to wish you all a Happy Christmas, and for one last check on the NORAD website –Santa was in Saudi Arabia last time I looked!

and the mist cleared

2011-12-23T15:58:00.000Z

A typical Enmatte wintery day,waking to fog that finally clears for a sunny walk over the fields & into the woods. As usual the dogs, especially Crumble, covered a greater distance than me! There’s young wheat, freshly green, growing in machine controlled rows, dead branches covered with turquoise lichen and coffee coloured slippy Le Gers clay .. much to pay attention to for more small stones.

Lots of creativity in the house today. I’ve started cutting fabric for a new quilt –so wonderful to be able to spread everything out and leave it all out until I'm done. Paul has turned the kitchen into a macaroon production line –he’s planning boxes of them for Christmas gifts. The pistachio ones get my top vote. My turn in there next as the Christmas Cake needs decorating.

It feels good to be back into writing regularly again … even if its just this blog and a few practice small stones ..its putting the words together, towards more. .

@ Enmatte, Dec 21st

2011-12-21T19:26:00.001Z

Feels so good to be here again … even tho’ its rather damp and Toulouse was deep in mist when my flight arrived. All the villages are decorated, some more tastefully than others -we passed one house that must have bought the shop out of Christmas lights.

I’m always amazed how short a time it takes for me to settle in again –suitcases are unpacked, I’ve found the French plug for my laptop and had lots of cuddles with Crumble& Cookie. Even Tom put in an appearance although I think that was for food and not in my honour at all.

There is change as always and this time its a brand new shower room for me! A stunning room, with Tracey’s usual high standard of tiling and everything that needs water in good working order thanks to Paul. Just needs the floor in the rest of the space and that’s waiting to be unpacked. I’m writing this in the family room which now has the most amazing down lighting … so much better than the strung up strip light that was here when I left at the end of August. Photos will follow.

The house is filing with the fragrance of the fish stew Paul’s cooking –its time to put more logs in the burner and for a glass of wine.

Mid winters day

2011-12-21T07:30:00.001Z

Good morning –just realised its Dec 21st –always a turning point for me. So good to look forward to days getting longer, a lightening of the the morning dark and bird song.

Delivered last of my Christmas gifts last night to the sound of local Carol Singers –as always here singing in the dark … except for all the strings of flickering festive lights.

Next entry will be from Enmatte … so looking forward to the tranquillity it offers, I’m ready for the opportunity to write more, read more –presently I’m still deep in The Field Guide to Getting Lost and, as always, to being in the kitchen cooking with Paul, dogs around our feet waiting to be walked..

last minute catch up

2011-12-20T16:00:00.001Z

Just back from lunch at Mimi’s –healthy soup and not so healthy but very delicious chocolate brownie and last minute Christmas shopping. Looking forward to almost being at Enmatte this time tomorrow and very excited that my floor has arrived …its going to be my top Christmas present I think -tough choice cause I’ve already had some wonderful ones.

Spent a great weekend in Camber –family Christmas meal & bracing walk on the beach admiring the forbearance of long board surfers, crunching shells into wet sand with some precious memories close to hand.

Have packed my new poetry notebook –ready for the writing of small stones and hopefully other poems. Suitcase feels heavy –Christmas cake, a stollen, just a few books, lots of wrapped parcels and a collection of journals and bits from the newspapers I’ve not yet read oh and some yarn that needs dying … nearly ready.

writing practice

2011-12-10T19:33:00.000Z

Started a beautiful new poetry notebook today from Running Press –the paper feels as though it will receive my words with kindness and attention. First of my practice writing small stones is in there

evening sky, clouds couched with sliver thread above a balcony of fading cerise

also thinking about a poem relating to the installations and art in the Turner Contemporary in Margate –so well curated, mixing words, video, sculpture, and some early work by Turner with sketches by novice artists and of course, many that I have not heard of. It was great to visit with Bev and Andy with their knowledge and insights. The surroundings are not that special, Margate seemed a long way from anywhere else; on the edge –made me wonder if living on the edge of your country makes a difference – mmm

The ten stitch blanket is progressing –its a great tv project now I’ve mastered how to turn a short row corner and decided on the colour scheme. Only tv I can’t knit through is The Killing –need to keep my eyes on those sub-titles..

One Man, Two Governors

2011-12-08T09:34:00.001Z

Saw One Man, Two Governors yesterday, its wonderful, –tear jerkingly funny, acted with perfect timing, it bought back some great memories of the 60’s and Brighton for me, and the live music was a surprise and so good. Go see, that’s if you can get a ticket!

Dull day here presently, my Christmas gifts, bought throughout the year, are spread out ready for wrapping but a few are missing so a second cupboard hunt is needed. Catch up news on sewing etc is that the patchwork bag is finished (pic to follow) and a pair of mitten ready for cold weather walking. Now learning how to knit a stash busting blanket with 10 stitches and lots of turning corners ….

more later, need to eat before I go to the gym –not been for a while so it maybe a tough hour

Reading thro’ the night

2011-11-27T15:25:00.001Z

Well, not quite. in the end I put the bookmark in my place in Room by Emma Donoghue and waited for the morning to finish this compelling story of Jack, who is 5 and has lived all his life in a single. locked room with his Ma. We have just Jack’s PoV –he’s a reliable narrator with a sophisticated commend of language that reveals his age with words like scave –that’s being brave when its scary and his literal translation of the conversations outside of Room. Lots to think about throughout the book –survival, attachment, acceptance … its a long time since I’ve not wanted to put a book down … if you’ve also read it please post your comments.

My Outside - to use Jack’s word - is wall to wall autumn sunshine, the light reflecting off the few leaves still at eye level. . I’m just back from a long walk whooshing thro’ all those that have already fallen and with more apples from the crate that says please help yourself. –its clearly been a good year for cookers.

My week with Marilyn

2011-11-26T19:31:00.000Z

I’m talking about the film, of course, its just wonderful –well cast with the supporting roles as much a part of the story as the stars, some great music and a sense that the ‘week’s’ experience changed peoples lives. A good way to spend Saturday afternoon.This autumn has been packed with good movies –I’ve yet to see The Deep Blue Sea and The Iron Lady but Marilyn gets my best film Oscar at the moment. outplaying Kevin, The Help and Midnight in Paris.

Writing small stones

2011-11-25T19:45:00.001Z

That’s one of the things that happens on Writing Your Way Home, I joined this group today .., all new to me but it helps when i write regularly, and from little writings –or as they say, small stones – I have grown some poems in the last few weeks> I’m planning to take part in their 2012 event called a river of small stones see http://www.writingourwayhome.com/p/river-jan-12.html

Sent three poems to London Grip this morning, and had a reply to say thank you and they will be looked at very quickly … very different from other publishers who are silent for months. The last set of the Poetry and Music poems are now available –I’ll miss the rhythm of the online course in my life –will have to find inspiration elsewhere until the next course starts in January.

Ended my day at the Aveda salon, adding a few pennies (!) to the tokens I won in their raffle to enjoy a facial, manicure and pedicure –lots of massage and fragrant oils. Now I’m enjoying the warm glow of continued relaxation.accompanied by a glass of red wine and Jazz FM. Well worth the £5 ticket.

Going to read one of John Berger’s essays when I’ve published this … might start with the one called A load of shit .. Night night everyone

suddenly its Thursday ….

2011-11-24T15:49:00.001Z

This autumn seems rather reluctant to arrive properly –a few foggy mornings settled some dampness on those leaves that have fallen but the Pelargonium with its three new flowers has taken a starring role in the end of the year garden. I’ve swept leaves today, most had blown away of their own accord leaving only the large, heavy ones ad those caught under other foliage. There will be more on my wibbly wobbly drive tomorrow.

Only the binding to sew down and my patchwork bag will be finished and ready to carry the next project which is still a half formed idea and several fat quarters laid out on the floor to consider which goes with what etc. So its back to sewing the squares for the curtain … probably the most boring sewing job ever but I’m convinced the end product will be worth every drop of ennui.

I’m now reading The Summer Book by Tove Jansson… its a gentle ride to a different season in the far north of Scandinavia but keeps reminding me of all the things I did with my Grandmother. We went to see Norman Wisdom at the picture house, watched the brides at St Peters Church on a Saturday afternoon, mainly to see their dresses -very different to the activities Sophia does with her Grandmother like rowing to the other islands & building tree sculptures - but in many ways just the same. My Nanny wore a hat to town, and refused to use a stick … yes, different but like Sophia’s Grandmother she taught me lots … and I think her genes live on in my sewing.

Monday, Monday …

2011-11-21T19:52:00.000Z

The Christmas cake fruit is now soaking in the most wonderful mixture of spices and very good alcohol –ran out of any brandy but Remy Martin so that just had to do alongside the Rum, Port, and Angostura Bitters. These bottles only see the light of day at this time of the year -what a blessing alcohol is a preservative.

Picked up my knitting –a pair of cable mittens- for the first time in several weeks today … not only had I forgotten where I was in the pattern but I’d forgotten what size i was knitting. Several hours and much unpicking later I made a little progress. Good job I had the distraction of looking at all the wonderful patchwork being done by my fellow classmates at the ‘show and tell’. My aim is to put the binding on my bag and have a contribution to the ooh and wow session next week.

Poem for the online workshop is coming along –not sure I’ve working to the brief but I do have a draft of something unrelated to music that was inspired by listening to music –yesterdays accompaniment on my walk down Water Lane, in the fog and without a map –not really very wise so I’ve now ordered a local OS map for further and more knowledgeable progress in that direction.

Brush strokes

2011-11-20T12:09:00.001Z

Sunday morning reading –the first part of Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending –what a joy. To tell about things that matter as if they might, only might not matter: to brush lightly aside aspects of possible importance and bring lowlights to centre stage. A casualness that grabs attention, slips the reader into harness with the writer or put another way, is an invitation to be alongside, not quite in cahoots. I was soon wearing the fabric of the story, trying this and then that on, for size, for a fit with

Watching A Round Heeled Woman gave a similar feel to Barnes’ style … the audience as the audience we often use to try out our ideas with, that we need to dissolve, dissemble, and, yes, to confess to.

Just noticed that it has taken to midday for the Sunday morning mist to clear … blue sky out there now for a few hours.

Writing, memory and bells

2011-11-18T09:55:00.000Z

Lots to think about this week after my poetry tutorial. Also spent time getting to grips with school attainment data and the concept of Value Added which, I think, is the education mantra of the moment of the Coalition Gov., and, in contrast, delighted in a second read of The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. Thank you Maggie O’Farrell for such a powerful story, told with a light touch –able to make me laugh and cry on the same page. Looking forward to discussing it at book group next week.

I’ve signed up for a second on-line poetry course –the discipline of assignment writing continues to appeal, the one this term has had the very much needed effect of keeping me to the poetry task . I’m collecting my music influenced poems together with the aim of submitting them in January. Are there patterns in my work? Maybe like Anita Desai I have Emily Dickinson’s line in my head –’Memory is a strange bell –jubilee and knell. Seven words that say so much –that sort of reduction is what I am aiming for…

Some words I heard this week. More people died in WW2 from starvation than from a bullet and there’s a strange distribution of aid in Afghanistan -less to the peaceful north than to the war torn south apparently, asking questions about rewards for insurgency. How to look at these big issues at a slant … mmm needs thinking about on a long walk I think.

A week of reading & writing

2011-11-08T17:31:00.000Z

It's the writing week in my online poetry course and the assignment was to include a reference to a piece of music in a poem. As usual I struggled and then ran out of time so I went back to my stash of work in progress and looked for an early draft of something that might be enhanced by including a musical reference. At the same time the excerpts from Jeanette Winterson’s latest autobio, read on Radio 4 last week, were still running in my head. The result is a poem called Tales about our Mothers –the feedback will be very useful, as always. Watch this space.

More but different work on my poetry today as I compiled a group of poems of about 200 lines total for my tutorial next week with Tamar Yoseloff … made me realise that I write very short poems (mostly) … one thing to discuss with Tammy as well as my questions about starting to put together a first collection.

I’m still reading the How to be Alone essay’s –a memorable few lines this week from The Reader in Exile as Franzen quotes Sven Birkett ‘on the initial engagement with a novel “I feel a tug, The chain has settled over the sprockets, there is a feeling of meshing, then the glide forward” … a wonderful description that works for me. Its just what happened when i started Ian Rankin’s The Corrections earlier this week … sad to see Rebus go but Fox replaces him with ease and interest.

One final thing … I’ve just discovered May Sarton’s work, I found her through a Twitter follow and now have her selected work to browse. So far I’ve read a few poems –I really admire the craft of this one. It swerves gently around the subject keeping on track with honest language and uses the sonnet form and half rhymes to effect. A great example of how to write an unsentimental elegy capable of bringing meaning to the individual reader.

My Father's Death By May Sarton
After the laboring birth, the clean stripped hull
Glides down the ways and is gently set free,
The landlocked, launched; the cramped made bountiful--
Oh, grave, great moment when ships take the sea!
Alone now in my life, no longer child,
This hour and its flood of mystery,
Where death and love are wholly reconciled,
Launches the ship of all my history.
Accomplished now is the last struggling birth,
I have slipped out from the embracing shore
Nor look for comfort to maternal earth.
I shall not be a daughter any more,
But through this final parting, all stripped down,
Launched on the tide of love, go out full grown.

Mole Valley Poets and Poetry Society Stanza Group Events: Autumn 2011

2011-11-03T10:27:00.000Z

The Mole Valley Poets/The Poetry Society Stanza Group ran an enjoyable Poetry in the Community event at the Star Pub, Dorking on September 27^th, 2011. There were readings, creative activities, and lively chat in a hospitable atmosphere where the acoustics were good, the audience joined in and poetry flowed from pen to paper to stage. Congratulations to Kevin Connelly who won the loudest applause prize for his list poem (see below). Our thanks to landlord Ian for hosting us once again; we hope to see you there in 2012.

The List

A rather dented Walker’s shortbread tin

That makes a rattley noise. Contained within

a deck of cards, complete but for the hearts

a model Messerschmitt with missing parts

three football cards signed by Nobby Stiles

a V and I that once were scrabble tiles

nine Chinese checkers, seven pawns from chess

a Barbie doll, sans head, and missing dress

one childhood, only slightly damaged.

Our links with the community continued in October as part of the Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival. Tamar Yoseloff was our Sofa Poet on the 10^th; we were back in the front room of the hospitable Lincoln Arms with pens, paper and the anticipation of writing by request on an unknown topic. Tamy eased us into the poetry mode with work from her new collection The City with Horns and her thoughts on narrative in poetry. She spoke of the challenge of this when writing very short poems, about the need to capture archetypes, to suggest and the use of symbolism. We were also introduced to the idea of writing poetry that begins with a flashforward: so good to have a suggestion for an approach to writing a poem that borrows from another genre. From this, and our imaginations and experiences, we wrote and shared our first drafts –it’s amazing how strong these can be and we listened to many examples around the table. The evening finished with more of Tamy’s poems, including some of those linked to the work of Jackson Pollack. Thank you, Tamy, for an inspiring evening.

On October 27^th members of MVP participated in an evening of poetry, dramas and short stories in the Mezz Bar, Leatherhead Theatre, organised by Trevor Danby. Poets read from their own work, others read their short stories and poems from the English canon were performed by two guest actors. In between, we all become part of the scene for three one act plays. A great way to enjoy local talent ... let’s hope this initiative continues.

Finally, on the 31^st, as the last Arts Alive event, Mole Valley Poets hosted an open mic event, again in the Lincoln Arms. Our Poetry Pub has become a mix of music and poetry and we welcomed a guitar duo with a repertoire of 60’s music that remains contemporary. It was also an evening to celebrate the publication of the new MVP anthology Seen and Not Heard and to hear some of the poems it contains and from visiting poets, who had travelled from near and far to join us. We heard a melange of poetry: long performance pieces, personal work about family and travel, many with the unplanned theme of the sea! Thank you to everyone who read, played and listened.

Writing in public

2011-11-01T16:16:00.000Z

That's what I've just been doing ... although until I read this http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2011/oct/12/take-care-your-little-notebook/ I was unaware that I was -writing in public - that is. An almost perfect afternoon: walking in the surprise of November sunshine, Mimi's fresh coffee and words in my notebook. And, as often but not always, one word led to another and to the first draft of a poem filled with images I hadn't known were lurking until I put pencil to paper.

The day the clocks change

2011-10-30T18:50:00.000Z

Well, I think all the clocks in the house now say the correct time but one usually surprises me with its ‘wrong’ hour about a week after clock change day I used my extra hour for sleep … and then the luxury of reading another Franzen essay with breakfast in bed. Made me realise how hurried my reading often is .. hurrying for the book group meeting, or because there’s that pile of not-yet-opened books looking at me from their basket. Slow reading would be a good motto to adopt.

Also spent some time today critiquing the poems for the online workshop on Tuesday. They were inspired by the instruction to anthropomorphise a musical instrument. .. lots of interesting choices. I’ve offered the accordion's perspective.Writing the first draft reminded me of my Dad who played one, I think, because it was more portable than our piano. Dad was often called on to play at parties… leading the singing and the dancing.and able to play almost any tune badly hummed to him .

One more task today… I need to find 5-6 poems to read at the Mole Valley Poetry Pub tomorrow evening. Our new anthology will be launched … for a small group we’re very active, and we’re considering running a competition in 2012 so watch this space>.

Friday catch up

2011-10-28T16:59:00.001+01:00

A blog entry to meet my aim of at least writing one thing each day! Two days of wet and windy weather have meant some time for indoor things. So my cream cardigan is finished and already worn . i think its going to be very useful in the cold days to come.

Also found time this week to make a case for my circular knitting needles. All that loopy plastic needed to be contained so I made good use of four patched blocks that were surplus to requirements for a bed quilt and a length of fabric that has been waiting to be used for a very long time.

Read three of my poems at a Mezz Bar event at Leatherhead Theatre on Weds evening. About 100 people turned up to a poetry/drama event organised to enhance the culture of the town … not sure if this outcome was achieved but the evening gave local poets and playwrights an opportunity to have their work heard.

Have started Jonathan Franzen’s book of essay’s How to be Alone. It opens with a memoir of his Father who died form Alzheimer’s Disease –a poignant, very informative and honest account of family life. I’m hoping the rest are just as good. Such a contrast to reading The Warden by Anthony Trollope –wonderful dialogue but such turgid passages in between. We had a lively discussion about it at book group last night … most of us were less than keen to read the rest in the series. I came to the conclusion that some books are best dramatised and that is one of them.

Barnes Bridge to Kingston

2011-10-25T18:08:00.001+01:00

Spent the day walking more of the Thames Path –10 miles of peaceful riverside pathways, past Kew, Dukes Meadows etc. in the warmth of late October sunshine. The river was being well used by all sorts of ‘boats’ sailing, rowing, surveying as well as showing off all the bird life that water attracts.

It felt a real privilege to be part of it all … and to pass places where so much English history happened. Not often I get to cross a meridian line twice … even if it is the old one that turned out to be the wrong one.

Arrived home to find my copy of Julian Barnes Booker winner on the mat so I’m heading for a quiet evening with that and perhaps sewing up my jacket that now has all its pieces knitted and needs a final hour or so to get into one garment.

At the movies

2011-10-22T21:51:00.001+01:00

Just returned from seeing Midnight in Paris … an unexpected bonus as Tinker, Tailor, Soldier. Spy was sold out. Woody Allan’s latest lived up to the reviews … wonderful music, stunning photography and some authentic cameo parts. I loved the way the slow burning thread of mindlessness took the viewer by the hand into the past, and then, inevitably, back to realty. Bought tickets for TTSS early show tomorrow … and will cook a very late lunch for S&A before we set off –this time we will see it. Apparently, its important to notice Smiley’s glasses.

Lots of work on my poetry today –sent a few out into the hard world of publishing and one to a competition.Also revised the first two I’d written for my course and have a draft for submission to the on-line workshop next week. The assignment was to write as if I was a musical instrument … I decided to be an accordion and write about breathing. Needs work but at least its started.

Regular service resumed … hopefully

2011-10-20T19:52:00.001+01:00

I’ve been away from here for too long … no excuse, just reasons –work, family, school governor jobs, travel delays et al.

Have now walked more of the Thames Path … another few miles planned next week and I will take the camera –we hope to reach Richmond.

My on-line poetry course is now into its fifth week, we’ve had two live classroom sessions work-shopping poems -lots of useful feedback on my poems linked to music. So this weekend I have two poems to think about revising and one new draft where the task is to imagine myself as a musical instrument. I’m also continuing with Tamar Yoseloff’s monthly poetry seminars –always a great two hours and more feedback to think about … really liked the discussion we had this week about poems and punctuation.

I’ve just about kept up with the quilting class work and now have 9 blocks to fit together –another weekend task. They don’t look very straight to me so some unpicking and re-cutting may be necessary.

Finally, supper tonight was to be roasted squash but the squash turned out to be a very sweet, ripe melon -thought it looked a bit strange for a squash.

’ll be back again soon …

This wonderful extra summer

2011-10-02T18:45:00.000+01:00

It so good to have had some summery days at the end of September. I spent today giving my garden an autumn spring clean - chasing the shade and snipping back the wilderness that threatens to invade my small patch from over the fence.

And at last I’ve caught up with work stuff, in between sewing the feathers for the feathers star block .. they measure OK but I won’t know if they are spot on accurate until I match them to the other blocks. Time for a photo soon to show rather than tell about all this.

I now have copies of the poems mentioned in the week one poetry course assignment –its seems its all about the poem staying on its points. Not sure I get that yet but maybe after the live chat on Tuesday it will be clearer. Went to a trio of short Noel Coward plays at he Nomads Theatre last night and the performance included some of his songs … libretto not on its points but straining to achieve rhyme! Good timing by the actors and a great set that got one of the loudest applauses of the evening made it worthwhile.

Yesterday evening at the Star Pub …

2011-09-28T11:06:00.001+01:00

The Mole Valley Poets/The Poetry Society Stanza Group ran an enjoyable Poetry in the Community event at the Star Pub, Dorking on September 27^th, 2011. There were readings, creative activities, and lively chat in a hospitable atmosphere where the acoustics were good, the audience joined in and poetry flowed from pen to paper to stage. Congratulations to Kevin Connelly who won the loudest applause prize for his ‘list’ poem (see below). Our thanks to landlord Ian for hosting us once again; we hope to see you there in 2012.

The List

A rather dented Walker’s shortbread tin

That makes a rattley noise. Contained within

a deck of cards, complete but for the hearts

a model Messerschmitt with missing parts

three football cards signed by Nobby Stiles

a V and I that once were scrabble tiles

nine Chinese checkers, seven pawns from chess

a Barbie doll, sans head, and missing dress

one childhood, only slightly damaged.

Is Tuesday poetry day?

2011-09-27T17:36:00.001+01:00

A day of poetry … finding poems to read tonight at the Star Pub, sorting out the activities for our audience of (mostly) non poets and finally getting to the online course Poetry and Music. Fiddled around for a while , downloading stuff and then took myself off to Mimi’s Tearooms, paper and pen in hand to actually do some writing.

Result: a good walk in the autumn sun, nice lunch prepared by Patti and the beginnings of a poem ‘inspired by one of Mendelssohn's songs without words. Now I need to upload it for the live chat next week. Hopefully by that time I will have ploughed my way through an essay on lyrical poetry by Don Paterson … its very rich, needs taking in small doses but already I can see its value.

Collected fallen apples from the School’s orchard … probably need to check for worms but they all look OK.

a collection of squares

2011-09-25T20:56:00.000+01:00

I'm ready -probably for the first time ever- for tomorrow's quilting lesson. I've a collection of one and a half inch half square triangles, carefully measured and cut, with the help of a very good light and a magnifying glass. I can hear the words life's too short but watch this space for a block with some points where they should be.

The remainder of my weekend has been less than creative but the good news is that the project report is all but finished -needs a good read by someone else and that's happening tomorrow or Tuesday -that's what good friends are for, thank you A.
I did get to the gym yesterday and I've sorted out where I am with my knitting and ordered a pattern for a knitted honeycomb quilt -a stash buster apparently.

Accuracy–measuring & sewing

2011-09-24T08:08:00.001+01:00

An afternoon for sewing yesterday –lots of measuring and finally some sewing with more measuring. The aim is for one inch squares with two half triangle –the feathers for a feathered star block. I discovered that 1/4 inch is not the same on all my rulers, my sewing machine actually does sew a 1/4 inch seam where it says its should and oh dear, its not easy to get that 1/4 inch consistently along a seam length. More sewing, and then more cutting before I know if my attention to that 1/4 inch has been sufficient.

Saw a little known musical set in New York last night in the Green Room at Dorking Halls. Very good am dram with some strong voices and an amusing libretto.

Prompted by Helen I’ve found some poems for the Mole Valley Poets website for National Poetry Day. Tucked away in a 2006 file were the poems I wrote at the Ragged Hedge Fair –available soon on http://www.molevalleypoets.co.uk/index.html with other contributions.

The predicted late summer is here today .. looks good outside the window. Before I go out into that inviting morning air I’m going to take a second look at the Moodle classroom with my online poetry course's first ‘lesson’ –and start to think about a new poem for uploading! Its a new and exciting way of learning … and linking poetry with music is inspiring.

Not very creative ,,,

2011-09-21T07:54:00.001+01:00

I've been getting my mind into school governor mode in the past few days -ready for the meeting of the Surrey Governors Association executive committee. I'm the new girl on the block there and learning lots, especially about Surrey's policies and practices about education and, of course, the politics.

Tonight St Lawrence governors meet for the first time this academic year -lots to discuss.even though this is a 'business' meeting. I've added Clerk to Governors to my blog roll -a very good source of whats new - and it won't surprise you that there is always lots that's new from Ofsted, DfE etc. In case any of you are also school governors I'll add others that I find useful. I've found most via Twitter and their tweets are often the first time I've heard about key issues.

Creatively, I've now chosen fabrics for my Lone Star block and think I understand the way to make half square triangles that will be accurate. First task is to iron the fabric, put a ,new blade in rotary cutter and then I need to check my sewing machine is telling the truth about the 1/4 inch seam line -its all about accuracy. More on this later ... I need to have something sewn & cut by class on Monday!

Jane Eyre, an owl and red wine

2011-09-17T21:31:00.000+01:00

Started my day on a Hot Topics school governor training session -lots to digest including the new Ofsted framework, and the Coalition's reduced way of letting schools know a new or changes policy exists! Condensed the 2 hours into a 2xA4 report for a meeting on Weds... lets hope there's time to discuss some of the key issues as this is a so called business meeting with time ill spent, in my view, on stuff that could be sorted out electronically. The day then got more entertaining -Jane Eyre on the big screen with cinematography well worth swapping the armchair for the cinema at Dorking Halls. The movie deserves the good reviews I've heard -understated power and poignancy, enviable scenery and an ending that matches the one the Charlotte Bronte wrote. Joined in The Guardian book swap and left an Ian Rankin in the upper foyer on my way out -now the challenge is to find a book hat someone else has abandoned.
Met an owl on my home bound journey -white, wide and swooping low over the hedgerows on Ranmore Common, then a fox that decided not to cross the road but to pin bright eye me from the edge -the pleasures of an infant autumn and light from the streaks of setting sun. As for the red wine, one glass goes a long way -in fact it went all over the wall, light switches, floor and chair with just one small misjudged hand movement.

The Tiger’s Wife: what did we think?

2011-09-16T20:03:00.000+01:00

Very good summer’s day out with the Bookham Library Book Group today. Pegwell Bay was sparkly, the discussion lively and as usual, our conversation strayed into other genres/subjects. The Tiger’s Wife provoked mixed reactions ; what book doesn’t! There was consensus on the prose: lyrical and engaging, negative comments about the diversions which mean that those of us to don’t have time to read too much at a time got confused and a long discussion about the deathless man. Magic realism was mentioned, as was seeing the DM as a literary device to pass values onto the next generation and we all remain puzzled about where the copy of the Jungle Book ended up –but thought it really didn’t matter.

Linda gave us a great lunch, we agreed that a future meeting might take the form of discussing a book and film combination with Jane Eyre as the obvious choice right now. I spotted a copy of JE on Linda’s shelves –its a thick book!

Next book is The Great Gatsby –a meeting I will miss, and our next year’s outing is possibly to Broadstairs to the Charles Dickens Museum –book still to be chosen but my vote will be for David Copperfield or Great Expectations.

Poetry admin!

2011-09-15T18:13:00.000+01:00

Just spent an hour with another mole valley/surrey stanza poet talking about what we could learn from the experiences of other stanzas around the country and our methods of sending poems out into the world. So now I have a second spreadsheet to help me manage this process -with poems plotted against magazines/competitions .... watch this space for how well I do or do not do at keeping this up to date. Its a good way of showing that presently I have 14 poems out there, somewhere!
Have also finished reading The Tigers Wife by Tea Obreht, ready for discussion at the book group meeting tomorrow -a one off daytime meeting in Ramsgate. This book won the Orange prize this year, certainly was worthy of being the winner. Wonderful prose, lyrical in places and such convincing pictures of people at the end of their lives. Just one or two unnecessary diversions into description that failed to hold my attention but lots of almost magic realism to make up for this. A story without a real end, where this did not matter, where the journey was key and geography and politics determined so much. I'm looking forward to what the others thought of it ... we almost never agree but the discussion is always insightful and worthwhile.

Poetry Society Stanzas meet up & AGM

2011-09-15T11:45:00.001+01:00

Went to my first Poetry Society Stanzas meeting yesterday … well attended, with lots of news about how poetry groups operate all around the country. I’m now wondering if Mole Valley Poets/the Surrey Stanza should link with a South London stanza for an event and have some ideas for next years programme. I really like the thought of everyone bringing a poem they think should not have been published for discussion by the group. Also, I need to let the Poetry Society know what is happening in our stanza on a regular basis. Once I’ve finished my report from the large piece of research I've just completed I’ll have time for a regular poetry admin hour (or 2) … so I can slot that in there.

The Poetry Society AGM was, unsurprisingly, rather chaotic. Voting for the new Board, followed by energetic discussions about the accounts and continuity whilst in the back office votes were being counted, recounted and counted yet again. After the business meeting five brave poets read, in what were rather challenging acoustic conditions and still we waited. Finally the results, lots of clapping and hopes that this will be a positive turning point with restoration of Arts Council funding.

I’m sure there will be more news on this on http://www.poetrysociety.org.uk/content/homepage/ soon.

2011-09-10T21:09:00.000+01:00

Spent some time today searching for recipes to use up what seems like an endless supply of runner beans from Sue and Armold's allotment, and french beans, and courgettes. The Leith Vegetarian Bible and The New Cranks Recipes seem OK in theory... more on what it all tasted like later. There's also raspberries and blackberries in abundance ..easier to use as I add yogurt and could eat them at any meal!
The aforementioned raspberries have their own family tree. Imagine 4-5 canes bought somewhere between Southampton and Portsmouth, planted at the end of a family garden probably in the late 1970's. As raspberry canes do they multiplied and we shared them, my Dad planted a few of the next generation in his Kent garden, circa 1985. A bucket full of their offspring were healed into a small corner of our Northleach garden, neglected while other, sad things occupied our time in 2001. When I moved to Effingham and, its now 2007, these just about surviving canes came with me, well almost -they were planted up the road in Sue and Armold's allotment and have been, without doubt, neglected. This type of care clearly suits them as they produce masses of wonderful berries and , of course, each ruby globe brings equally wonderful memories. I notice that a new generation of canes are ready. There's plenty to share so you, your spade and a bucket are welcome to collect some of these young ones this autumn. Take home a taste of our history... and begin one of your own.

Events with Mole Valley Poets

2011-09-09T09:45:00.000+01:00

A few morning tasks accomplished including sending notice of forthcoming Mole Valley Poets and Surrey Poetry Society Stanza Group events. These are all associated with the Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival and National Poetry Day -its great for us that these come at almost the same time of the year. So we have the following great evenings to look forward to over the next few weeks. Hope to see you there

Poetry in the Community at 8 00 pm, The Star Pub, Dorking on Tuesday
27th September - open mic and participation on the National Poetry Day
theme of games.

On Monday 10th October we welcome our Sofa Poet, Tammy Yoseloff at
7:30 pm at The Lincoln Arms for a workshop and reading of her poetry.

On Monday 31st October at 7:30 pm we are again at The Lincoln Arms for
Poetry Pub; open mic and readings from the new Mole Valley Poets
Anthology.

Please join us at these events - a friendly audience helps the event
to flourish

Long time no blog

2011-09-04T14:25:00.000+01:00

... but I'm not beating myself up about the gap as in the between times I've been at the AMEE conference in Vienna where the lift music is Strauss and more Strauss and the coffee just great. Spent a short time today deciding which poem to workshop at Mole Valley Poets tomorrow evening -more on that when the comments are in. Yesterday saw some creativity in the garden ... its now looking as though someone cares about it and getting lots of rain. Most of my herbs have disappeared during the summer and I really missed a twig of rosemary to flavour the fish i cooked last night ... a trip to RHS Wisely is on the agenda next week. Finally, a poemy thought is running in and out of my mind about the frog that seems to have set up home in the watering can -in the deep and dark until the bailiff comes with plant food and water.