August is small stones month.
Use your senses to notice things in the world and write down what you find… visit the small stones website for details.
Small stones everywhere;
take the time to stop and stare.
Indulge your senses.
How fortunate that this coincides with the gift of a diary-free month I gave myself in order for me to be selective in my choice of activities. Therefore, during the month’s progression, I will be adding my self-indulgent small stones observations as I drift through the days of August… focussing on my response to each day’s chosen activity.
1st August:
Scarecrows at Muston;
interpretation of art
making people smile.
2nd August:
Ordnance Maps
A handful of maps;
from the middle of nowhere
I seek out old haunts.
3rd August:
Woldsway Lavender
The lavender breeze
sprinkles me with happiness
when it starts to rain.
4th August:
Waves lapping at the shoreline
disguise a downpour;
unpredictable weather.
5th August:
My house-guest has left
but the memory lingers;
my home is silent.
6th August:
Rabbit hopping in a field
makes it through the hedge
to become road kill.
I pray for its soul
that, if there is a heaven,
it finds its way there.
7th August:
Orchestra of leaves;
crochets, quavers, semibreves
dancing through the trees.
8th August:
A writer’s nightmare;
computer crash in progress
destroying all files.
9th August:
Sunshine on the sea
as Acapella voices
echo over waves.
10th August:
Comfortable feet;
shopping at ‘Shuropody’
in Earth Spirit shoes.
11th August:
Ordnance Maps Project
I called in at The Studio and chose Map Number 109 – Manchester © 1974. There was no metro-link, no M60, but when I traced my finger along the map’s red lines, I was transported via the 59 bus route through the bitter-sweet memories of my younger days.
(I think it’s going to be quite traumatic cutting this map into pieces for my art project yet, at the same time, an exciting aide-memoir for my ongoing life writing project)
12th August:
The Great Potato Challenge
It’s not the winning… it’s the elation at weigh-in as you unearth your potatoes and breathe in the community spirit of a home-grown meal.
(at Wandales Housing Scheme)
13th August:
Good mobile signal
but when she doesn’t answer
the black dog comes out…
stuck in the moment
the black dog bites my heart out
as the phone rings on
14th August:
Rustling trees reveal two deer as they spring out to prance around then, noticing me, run back into hiding, never to be seen again.
15th August:
Computer Restore:
New programs are challenging.
I miss Office Suite!
16th August:
Summer in Scarborough;
an explosion of tourists
covet the beaches.
17th August:
Bridlington Harbour bustles with tourists tempted by fish and chips as locals relax with cold glasses of ale and people-watch.
18th August:
The fried egg in the pan splits and separates into a friendly face when two holes appear in the white above the yolk and a slit below spreads in a smile.
19th August:
Refreshing rain;
cleansing my aura,
lightening my load.
20th August:
Spreading sunshine with flash mob – singing about a great day.
(at Scarborough Art Gallery for the WEA Art Classes’ Exhibition)
21st August:
I’m still smiling at yesterday’s memory of a guy demonstrating his art by covering himself with clay mixture as he told the story of how God moulded people from clay, making them as empty vessels that he could fill with love. Those of us in the room were invited to go forward and accept a blessing of love by being marked with the clay and drinking refreshing water from a clay pot the guy had made, after which he whispered in our ear: the spirit of love breathes through you.
Beautiful…
22nd August:
Bumped into a friend in town and shared a hot chocolate: Rescue Remedy.
23rd August:
Scarborough Writers’ Circle
telling tales of adventure
in worlds of their creation.
24th August:
People-watching on the cobbles of York: shoppers shoving, children crying, buskers hustling, homeless pleading — and an invisible man sees everything from behind his mask.
25th August:
A downpour of rain hits my hot sandalled feet
springing them back to life
stepping up my pace.
26th August:
The summer’s crowds bless the town with raucous love and laughter
as we dance-dodge in the streets to avoid collision crash disaster.
27th August:
Rescue Remedy:
blowing bubbles in the air
(deep breathing technique).
28th August:
First time flyer trying to retain meditative state whilst juggling baggage to comply with conflicting rules and regulations between airline and airport.
29th August:
And it came to pass…
weigh-in for baggage –
hope home scales are accurate.
30th August:
Snakes and ladders, draughts,
ludo, uno, flying hats.
Games afternoon at Wandales.
31st August:
All packed and waiting to go…
notebook and pen ready for the writing journey.
Brno here we come!
I hope you enjoyed reading through my daily offerings of small stones at Spinning Stories from the Secret Self. The month ends on a good note of discovery with one of my poems shortlisted and an article published in the print edition of Writing Magazine (October Issue).
I’ll be back mid-September with an update on my experience as a first time flyer… meanwhile please do check out my personal perspective on ‘seven things you need to know about writing short stories’ at Kate Evans’ Blog: www.writingourselveswell.co.uk/ (due to be published on 5th September).