Bletherings

'Within our darkest night, You kindle a fire that never dies away, never dies away, within our darkest night.' (Communauté de Taizé, 1991)

While we cannot travel physically very far, we may yet travel in our minds. The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim -- the book I give as a gift -- has the power to transport us to a beautiful, tranquil, soul-healing place. It also carries one of the loveliest adverts of all time on its… Continue reading Perfection

Published this week, a lovely wee collection of stories and poems in aid of The Ambulance Staff Charity -- a worthy cause if there every was one. Our lovely friend, LRS Genevieve, is amongst the talented contributors. The anthology is the perfect choice for dipping into, while sipping a chilled refreshment in a shady nook,… Continue reading Stories from Home

Just giving a big shout-out to the lesser recognised brave ones. Delivering smoking hot food to your doorstep, pedalling through whatever the weather throws at them, hanging about the deserted city waiting for the next ‘drop’, paid a pittance, chalking up crazy miles each shift, and smiling through it all. Fantastic gang. Give them a… Continue reading Heroic Riders

Wild Garlic Transgressive plant  slipping definition. Lily-of-the-Valley dainty yet bitingly assertive adding piquancy to our meal as we talk of how it is for us this mid May evening. Constellations of miniature stars cut from a mass of edible foliage hefted from a cool corner of a manse garden where Stevenson played, now perfume and… Continue reading Wild Garlic

Two poems for you written and read by my talented 'cousin' John Duffy (am allowed to call him that as we called his mum 'Aunt Peggy'), published in Pennine Platform website. Tap on the links to enjoy: https://pennineplatform.com/2020/01/27/john-duffy-reads-one-of-many-circles/ https://pennineplatform.com/2020/01/27/john-duffy-reads-when-we-wis-fab/ The illustration accompanying this blog is designed by Jo Haslam and is the cover image of John's… Continue reading A wee bit poetry

This morning, this oh so sunny morning, as I was running along the exercise track doing my daily constitutional, I met a friend. As we ran and chatted, (2 metres apart, tut not), we talked (well, kind of yelled), about the people who have rediscovered their bike. 'They are positively gleeful', my friend shouted. And… Continue reading On yer bike

Writers who are interested in adding to our joy quota are often viewed as naive, passé or just plain uninformed. Interestingly, such writing is now in demand to balance what isn't going right in our world. By my bedside sits a compendium of the inestimable P G Wodehouse (if you are unfamiliar then, gawd's sake,… Continue reading The power of joy

During these days of our 'new normal' when we are tempted to believe that so much has stopped or has been put on hold, it's perhaps useful to think of how this pause can offer new vision. Am thinking of the viewpoint of writers / thinkers such as man-of-letters, Georges Perec, who coined the phrase the infraordinary --… Continue reading The quotidian

Me: Advertising my own website makes me sound like a bit of a blaw. Colum: Writers are a bit of a blaw. Me: [stunned and shock-filled ellipsis in square brackets] Mmmm, we are aren't we? Oh well.