Landscape Painter, Life Writer, occasional Nomad in perpetual pursuit of a dream
Rummaging in a box of photos, I find one I’ve forgotten. Three figures sit on a rock at the summit of a Lakeland peak; is it Langdale Pike or Bowfell? I was dragged up most of them at some point in my childhood, protesting every minute of the uphill slog; absorbing the view from the …
Today I tried a little experiment. I shared a post on Facebook. Something important, (one could argue, vital), about which I feel very strongly. I have nearly five hundred ‘followers’ on social media, nearly all are actual friends or known acquaintances; linked to me, supposedly, by shared values, experiences or interests. I sincerely doubt that …
This month’s update was going to be a joyful one about how I managed to finish my final, main writing assignment of 15,000 words, a month early, and am about to submit it, thus completing my MA. The piece forms the ending of my memoir, which is, of course, about my time in Morocco. This …
Sometimes you just need a wee treat. Taking a break from my current memoir-writing immersion – I’m into the final furlong now, and have nearly completed the first draft of my 15,000 words submission, the last assignment of my Masters – I grabbed a music-loving pal and made my second visit to the Rewind 80’s …
We sat on the grass verges outside our house in summer, eating clover flowers. Purple or white, they all tasted sweet, though Mum was concerned: ‘A dog may have peed on them!’ she’d proclaim. She never stopped us, though. We’d make daisy chains, as well, late into the evening, our tiny fingernails making slits the …
The sun is out, the sea is calm and primroses nestle beneath the birches: it’s that time of year again. So why am I not on my kayak on a beautiful Sunday? I keep glancing outside, and I will get there, but there is a lot of organising to do for my upcoming sketching holidays. …
My plan worked: Escape at the beginning of March, stay a month, then return once spring has arrived. Okay, it might not have been as well thought-out as that, but that’s more or less what happened. Apart from arriving back to an overwhelming mountain of work (in terms of missed course work, new assignments, paintings …
What a difference a day makes. This is how I always think of February on the West Coast: Crisp, clear and bright. Frosty mornings with a hint of warmth in the sun, almost coats-off weather in the middle of the day. February hasn’t really played the game this year with a succession of storms, named …
Another year over… and a new one just begun. And what food for thought it is. A monumental, life-changing decision has been reached, though not without the odd tear. I will share news as and when it happens, but there is a long way to go yet before we see any real movement. It’s been …
As I shiver under my plug-in, heated, faux-fur throw and write the last update of 2022, I am very glad to report that I will soon be shedding a layer or two and giving the storage heaters a well-earned break. Anyone who knows me will realise I don’t winter well, and the view from my …