A Century On

Thanks to all of you who have chosen to keep an eye on what I write, today I passed the hundred followers mark and I’m quite chuffed. Just to let you know that I appreciate every single one of you. THANK YOU 🙂

Apology

Trimmed
green carpet –
sorry decapitated daisies
cut off in your
prime…

Enchantment

My feet sink into the freshly-mown springy softness of the grass that skirts the meadow and leads to the wood. I am transported to a magical world; where dragonflies appear as threads hovering above your toes and v-backed lizards lie dozing in dark spaces. Here tiny caterpillars take refuge under the miniscule white flowers of cow parsley umbrellas, while the smallest acorns imaginable start to grow before your eyes on the knobbly oak twigs that hang over the track. Hopefully, we pick a few galls, intending to make my own ink; only to discover that a rich brown hue only comes from the later growths. I leave them in my pocket – if only to take a piece of the enchantment home with me.
In this wondrous place we are transported to another realm where cuckoos do not spit, yet frog-hoppers do, and baby grasshoppers note our passage. Deep crevasses lie underfoot and we take care, joking that if one slips we will have to use Rapunzel’s hair to rescue the other.
As I leave, the damsel in question sits combing through her endless tresses with her fingers. I almost offer to show her where the teasels grow but am loath to disturb such reverie, she seems to be so wistfully drinking in the scene – sketchpad at the ready to record the confined perspective of her gaze.

Six Words for Sunday – Hormoaning

Those damn hormones – responsible for much!

At Bradley’s Meadow

29.6.13

Moments
of tranquility,
such as these,
free the path from
shadows.

Six Word Saturday – Lifeblood

Had enough of doctors this week so my six word stone is relative…

precious
life
see
red
blood
pumping

The Ephesian Artemis

So may Artemis Locheia,
with girdle of fine-spun silver,
protect all those in her care – all
golden arrows and healing touch.
By the light of the crescent moon
the great temple at Ephesus
holds her spirit, the mighty land
of Asia Minor the imprint
of her footsteps and those in need
of her influence, feel now her
mighty force.

Musing randomly

Time is, in essence,
a dated notion –
nano-seconds freeze,
decades come and go,
centuries trickle
while light years twinkle
from one universe
to the next and on
‘ad infinitum‘…

Family planning

Sometimes you think that the future is all mapped out. How quickly this can change.
The start of a new life (often something taken for granted – or even thought of as an inconvenience to be delayed until the appropriate time) is suddenly in question. The next generation now has a transparency to it. The image has become less clear, as if the sun of today dazzles and distorts the eye; providing a shimmering, illusory quality. Like a mirage.
Tomorrow an ultrasound may make the picture a little clearer…and that in itself may paint the future in a different hue.

Signed, sealed, delivered…

Today we looked at artefacts from the Roman era (actually most of them were replicas). I was in charge of the writing table. There was recipe for making ink…I had to improvise a bit.
First we needed 5 teaspoons of soot. I ask you! Most of the children don’t have a chimney in their house let alone soot up it. Although, I can think of a few who would benefit from being sent up a chimney or two!
Someone suggested an alternative of crushing up charcoal. Have you ever tried to crush a stick of charcoal using the stick end of a paintbrush? Let me save you the trouble. It doesn’t work. Soon, a few broken up pieces of the messy stuff lay in the bottom of a yoghurt pot.
Next we needed to add some Gum Arabic (they kindly provided some crystalline version and suggested that it would need to be ground with a pestle and mortar). You’ve guessed it, the paintbrush was the nearest we got to that as well.
Gave up on that bit but luckily found some vinegar for the next stage from the staffroom cupboard – left over from Marion’s chip butty the year before last.
Poured a bit in and swilled it around, didn’t resemble ink as much as a dirty puddle with an aroma of the chip shop. The children turned up their noses but still felt impelled to try and use it with the pens provided. We talked about how they would send secret messages sealed with lumps of molten wax and stamped with a seal – They seemed rather fascinated at the idea. I suspect that next Valentine’s there may be a few rather vinegary missives doing the rounds with lumps of old birthday candle decorating the edges!