Silence is a word that we think we all understand, but Sara Maitland's A Book of Silence has prompted me to think about the role silence plays in my own life. A few years ago, I suffered a bout of seriously debilitating nervous exhaustion. In the years I've been recovering I've realised that I have … Continue reading Degrees of silence
Mindfulness sketching
I've been to lots of mindfulness sessions, and somehow whenever I'm supposed to be lying on a beach, relaxing and feeling the warmth of the sun, something random will arrive in the sky, a giant fly, or a thought reminding me that's it is, in fact, raining, and I need to bring the washing in. … Continue reading Mindfulness sketching
Drawing the House with the Blue Door
We've only had this historic little chalet for nearly three years, but I can't imagine spring and summer without being able to sit on the suntrap decking while listening to the tide come in, or watching the swallows overhead. It's only six miles from our home, but when we go to the Humberston Fitties our … Continue reading Drawing the House with the Blue Door
When technology throws a spanner in the works
I feel like I'm being taught a lesson by the technology, or rather the white goods, in my life. It feels like some sort of divine retribution for fantasising about living a more simple life and looking wistfully to the past thinking that it holds some clues for dealing with modern life. A few months … Continue reading When technology throws a spanner in the works
What is the Humberston Fitties?
Last year a lovely chap from the Independent came to visit the Humberston Fitties. If you're interested in this area, then his article is worth a read. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/humberston-fitties-plotlanders-humber-estuary-conservation-area-cleethorpes-lincolnshire-a7776676.html