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 someone who had to concentrate hard when they moved from one map page to another in the past.
I was inspired by the people I met this weekend who were keen to take on a new challenge. Great conversations about wanting to achieve something ‘stretchy’. There’s joy in this kind of conversation as well as the chats where there is the sharing of a sense of humour and a chuckle along the way. I still remember when I felt rather out of my depth being at yarn shows when I first started helping out and I can see that I too have achieved something stretchy that makes me feel proud.
When we set up the stand this weekend we had a 6m long space and it was impressive to see all Kath’s samples and patterns set up. A momentary pause to stand back to look at all the good work that has been achieved gave me a tingly feeling of celebration and pride.
A trip to Manchester for Liz Gibson’s book launch resulted in me receiving a new description of my hair. Wait for it… “anti-gravity hair”. A chance encounter whilst queuing for tea and cake meant a man took the opportunity to tell me he liked my anti-gravity hair. I am adding that description to “You always have really surprised hair,” and they both make me chuckle.
The book launch was a delight from start to finish. I have always loved Liz’s poetry and to have a whole collection to enjoy is celebratory. It was wonderful to hear them read by the author and I love the additional immersion in words this brings. The evening included guest readers and an interview with the artist who designed the cover for ‘A Love the Weight of An Animal’. A perfect way to launch this well written collection.
I am the Silver Branch featured writer this month for Black Bough so I thought I would share a poem from the ones celebrated there…
Sue Finch - August 2025 | Mysite
It’s a prose poem to celebrate the fact I love prose poems and that Kath recently exclaimed, “You mean there are poets who write whole books of prose poems?”
GOING TO THE CAVES
I am in a long queue for the cave tour. Stalagmites and stalactites are promised. I fear tightness, and more than that, being trapped. The guide tells us that we will see crystals the like of which we've never seen before. Then he warns us that there are times when it smells like multi-storey car park stairwells and sometimes all the torches fail. When I look at him, he reaches into his pocket. Here, he says, as if reading my mind, if you can't get out, take one of these. He offers me a circular, chalky-white tablet which I accept as he nods. It will kill you painlessly, almost instantly. I follow him, wondering if I will swallow the pill.
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