Singing as the Darkness Lifts

NEW SHOES   Listening Link  This morning the air smells cleansed and grassy.   Alt text says this week’s photo is pairs of shoes on the floor. I say it is a set of insoles that have gone in the bin beside a pair of new ones that have been inserted into my old walking shoes.   Late August was always the time for new shoes for me. Part of the ritual of marking the approach of a new school year was the selecting and purchasing of a pair of shiny black shoes. This year I bought new walking shoes instead, and I bought them early. I also bought new insoles for my old walking shoes in case there wasn’t time to break in the new ones before climbing Snowdon. My old walking shoes have had lovely adventures in Guernsey as well as being part of my local walks, and based on how long I have had them I predicted that buying a new pair would be the last time I would need to make such a purchase. I felt a little bit sad until I realised just how far the n...

The Book Bag My thanks to Paul Short for including this review on The Book Bag. Click link above to visit his site.  Welcome To The Museum Of A Life Poet: Sue Finch Press: Black Eyes Publishing UK First off, I’ll say I’m a fan of Sue Finch and we interact regularly on weekly prompts notably on TopTweetTuesday. Her shadow photos with dandelions as eyes are always good to see and uplifting. Welcome To The Museum Of A Life is in sections as a gallery would be. Readers enter through the Foyer, exiting the collection via the Gift Shop as is proper in many museums. So without further ado, lets not get tangled in the entry gates and get on our way… One of Sue’s main strengths in poetry is her ability to weave emotion and authenticity throughout her work. Poems including ‘Tuesday Night’ and ‘Silence’ display this incredibly well. I loved the poem ‘ Peacock ’ for its transition of emotion from amused observer to caring participant by the end. ‘When I am Gone’ , o...

CLAPPING WITH MY HEART     Listening Link This morning I am glad of the smell of cold air with a tinge of earthiness as I push my nose close to the gap of the hotel window which does not open far. Yesterday the corridors smelt of warmed bodies and hot food, and with no draught to waft it fresher it was not the kind of smell I wanted in my nostrils if you catch my drift! Hence breathing out the window to note the scent first thing this morning rather than facing a possible revisiting of last night’s findings. I am hoping that you will join in with what the air smells like where you are for my 100 th blog (it is only three weeks away!) and I am sending positive vibes for clear scents that awaken your senses in a good way.   Alt text suggests this week’s photo depicts a statue of a person falling off a hill. I say it is Ronnie making the most of jumping for joy whilst visiting the statue of The Angel of the North.   This week I have been re...

EVENING SUN Listening Link    This morning, at ‘The Angel of the North’ the air smells of heather and lavender. Alt text isn’t offering a suggestion for this week’s photo, but I say it is Kath and me capturing a photo during a stroll by the river after the first day of the yarn show we attended at the weekend. After a full on day it was nice to walk in someone else’s city, and I love the way the evening sun makes the white on my hair glow and puts an extra shine on Kath’s blue. A moment of quiet in a busy world. I know that it relaxed me because I then became curious to look on a map to find out whereabouts in the country we were. When we drove up I was solely focused on being helpful with yarn type things and although I knew we were in Newcastle I didn’t have a clear idea geographically of what that meant. My phone map was super helpful and I realised how different it feels from turning the pages in a road atlas. Very helpful for putting it all in context especially for someo...

YELLOW STRETCHY MAN Listening Link This morning the sky is grey, the wind is gathering, and there are notes of coffee on the air.   I have upped my walking lately and have been able to climb Moel Famau three times in the last week or so. It has been important to me to push myself and see how this feels ahead of summiting Snowdon. I have been spurred on by reaching my sponsorship target and by seeing my own progress. I have laughed when I have to dig deep into self-coaching to get cracking and am glad I listen to myself and know that repeated actions are making a slow and steady difference. I love that each person I have told about my walking and what I am aiming for has offered a different point of view. These interactions have added to my developing picture of what I am doing and how I can stretch myself to keep improving.   Alt text says this week’s photo shows a yellow plastic toy on a wood surface. I say it is an intact yellow stretchy man who ...