Blue Moon Year

Just a note

Today I begin a break away from internet connection landline telephone and my own cottage. I will not be posting here now until May. However my camera is travelling with me so a picture a day will continue be taken so too my two line four line rhythm. So when I am back in front of my computer I hope to post the 15 days which will begin /continue this project again. I am not travelling to other countries but am going to explore a little more of my own country both internal and external by spending time in the hills of Mid Wales.

Day 109 April

buds begin to burgeon in garden of my home my mind my daily life

waiting for blooms to offer rich perfume does not stop breathing now

facing limitations as guides not barriers offers keys to any locked door

no deadline save darkness no winning save honesty saved by dark honesty

 

Decisions on wardrobe are always elongated and incredibly short. The length is always what if and the short why not. Why Not has successfully triumphed yet again so colour clash, shape, texture baggy tight have all found yes on their label so sartorial elegance may not be achieved but the girl still got her own style but only this aficionado really knows that:0)

Listened to Minnie Riperton CD Perfect Angel / Adventures In Paradise. So glad I found this CD and the other ‘double’ Stay In Love / Minnie. Minnie Ripperton had such an amazing vocal range, talented song writer and drop dead gorgeous to boot plus a graceful warrior against the breast cancer which ended her life way too early.

Day 108 April

new life remarkable tender hope forged through molten earth sustained by water

yellow colour of spring of sun of laughter of a day forged with friendship and love

 

A day of lists and prepared piles plus trying to find balance of body thankfully only my pace to consider and two dogs just happy to be in the garden and at my feet or under my feet or sitting on my feet.

Listened to ClanG Sayne CD Winterlands, getting to know this CD a little more each time I listen, certainly not just background music too many layers and nuances.

Day 107 April

sun brightness forces my retreat too late as brain rebels and stomach swells

a day cut short as I rebound from walls and floor with no sense of gymnastics

feel the frustration know it as true resist temptation to pretend otherwise own it

swollen hands remind me I must remove band for good next time it slips again

 

Collected pine cones and bark in the forestry as RnB brought me sticks and their enthusiasm. Had thought the trees would give me enough shade to wander just with spectacles but proved wrong even early in a day. Awful but good as it made me realise that my determination to have the van worked on was not throwing money down a drain but flying a kite in the wind that will power adventures small and less so. With our wee wheeled home the three of us can go further than the end of the garden and I know I can lie down, wash, change and even puke in safety and security if not huge space. Having Bod always packed up for an overnight stay or two with food for RnB lots of drinking water meds bag and wind up radio has us set for anything.

Enjoying looking at “Kids Weaving” by Sarah Swett, the illustrations and instructions for the plastic drainage pipe loom are definitely going to be followed. This book is imaginatively written very accessible without talking down aimed at children but great for me and probably any other adult who is either new to the craft or finds it difficult to take in slews of technical speak. I love it because it shows all the basic techniques but emphasises that their possibilities are endless with imagination and daring beautiful, useful and fun things can be produced

Day 106 April

standing on the path watching the light play with the dogs in and out of the trees

a space where time means nothing where everything has sense is given meaning

Slow day, joints very inflamed, but spent time in the garden collecting fallen branches which will be useful for jobs later on. Good to be out there after the forestry walk translating thoughts in to ideas for edible sitting in garden. Also began to clear last years Montbretia leaves, collected them in to a bin bag as thought they will be good to try using with the ring loom.

 

Day 105 April

dogs running through the blowing washing slalom without contact or missed beat

conversation on phone brings smiles looking forward to face with laugh soon

experimenting with new fat pencil such pleasure holding this beautiful implement

watching a clear clean sky wondering about ash enjoying lack of plane trails

 

Organising National Geographic magazines found on Freecycle last year took much longer than it could have but too many articles and pictures to catch my eye and the company of Flo on the floor just encouraged a very slow pace.

Received eco chunky wool in the post, Scotland to here in one day and delivered by a postie with a smile such a good service from the shop too. Project for the hills both in the making and the wearing.

Watched The Edible Garden on iplayer – “Alys Fowler attempts to avoid shop-bought fruit and vegetables and live off her own, home-grown produce, all from her tiny terraced back garden. It is no easy task because Alys doesn't want to turn her garden into an allotment, so she is growing her fruit and vegetables among her flowers. Alys will focus on different foods and show how anyone can grow, cook and eat from their own garden - even if they live in a city.” I have Alys Fowler’s book  The Thrifty Gardener which I can see must have been the seed for this series be interesting to see the book attached to the series when it’s been out a while and like the one I own has been reduced by 75% of it’s price. Her style kind of reminds me of Nigel Slater, style enthusiasm and expertise a gentle steely Englishness with enough eccentricity to make me smile.

Day 104 April

3am listening to the owls making shapes in the air finding colour in mind

propped up with pen pastels drawing board trying to catch movement in the air

 

Van began the next stage to setting it up to open up even further thought of adventures. Agreed the work and pleased as always with the concern and care shown by two professionals who are now friends. Major mechanical service today threw up no surprises so set for journeying in the next few weeks. Next month a week now set to weld, remove, re-fix and renew. Visits to breakers yards will be fun and I like the fact that part is very much in my hands. A year of saving has enough in the kitty for my 18 year old van to get the TLC to make me smile and it have a few more good years on the road.

Found another Spears craft box, mat weaving for ages 8 to 12, with original ring loom and synthetic raffia in there too, cost 99p! I think plastic bag ‘yarn’ would definitely work with this but will try as many materials as I can discover in and around the cottage, grown, found and purchased.

Listened to CD Concerto for Violin, Horn and Orchestra and Serenade in D. composed by Ethel Smyth performed by Sophie Langdon, Richard Watkins and BBC Philharmonic.  

Day 103 April

understanding a day is rarely found in the day just questions to add to the pile

skewering receipts from connections does nothing to tidy ends or darn holes

matching breath to cloud formation makes flying possible then gravity takes over

feet held firm stops nothing of heart or mind being out of reach of enormity

Day 102 April

such riches found for breakfast apple pear banana orange juice oats soy milk

blueberries for zing raisins sweet nuts crunch held in delight by bowl and belly

 

Spent time in the garden again did very little in the doing stakes but certainly continued to firm up the ideas for the design that is continuing to evolve. A few major jobs in the next couple of months which I have extra hands offered just the logistics of getting all diaries to match! Realising once again why I’ve worked so hard to keep this place and why there are still a few things I need to do before other things can be entertained.

Lots of Radio 3 inside the cottage both live and via iplayer in catch up.

Continued with ordering shelves in workroom, slow but sure.

Day 101 April

medication musing responsibility reactions refusal can only be mine which is fine

walking away powerful for future intent outcome now never easy but always true

watch rooks circle as dusk encroaches on their territory admire their community

standing on back step drinking in the colours sounds and scents of twilight magic

 

Unpacked a loom I discovered at Clydach market bric a brac stall; carrots curly kale and a loom a rather good morning. Wondered if I’d be able to afford it, when I asked its price my ‘oh are you sure’ response actually brought forth a lower price but I laughed and said I thought the £6 quoted first was very good. The stallholder just smiled and said they were happy with that price.  Now ‘just’ the small matter of teaching myself how to use it, does remind me of one I had when I was a child, though this one is bigger I think. It’s as large as I want to go still very much domestic size and portable

Completed the next spool length just to felt it now then I can consider how I am going to embellish it to the other piece.

Spent time in the garden doing a little clearing, moving and planning where and how of the coming months of change and planting.