Writing for my Life

Summer's Gone and All the Flowers are Dying...

2012-11-14T13:12:00.002-08:00

It's Autumn and all the leaves are falling fast. So where did the summer go? Because following that crazy unexpected heat wave in March, I could probably count the sunny warm days of 2012 on the fingers of both hands. 10 summery days? Is that all?

Yep! That's all! The weather this year sure wasn't summery. It rained harder and faster than any summer since records began, apparently. So I felt I was such a lucky duck, picking out day trips and away trips when the rain stopped: when that big yellow bauble in the sky peeked out and put a warm smile on the UK's face!
So, constant readers let me tell you about my glorious trips into the English countryside - not that I want to make you jealous or anything!

But first, let me tell you how my garden and my cats fared in this strange, cool and rainy summer season.

MAGIC MOMENTS - INDOORS AND OUT
The only things that suffered in my garden this summer were the fruits on my apple, cherry and pear trees. Apart from that, the garden flourished with gaudy flashes of bright summer colour.

It was as though the sun had shone brightly from June to September ...as though the summer had been a great one! Go figure.

Living the Life of Riley!

And the cats? Well, the cats enjoyed this summer as much as they've enjoyed all eight of them (they're nine next year) one of them living in the lap of luxury, calling the tune, having hissy fits, indoors and out. As ever! The other one did his usual tour of the garden, climbing up and down every tree and shrub, walking along the trellised fence, creeping through the privet hedge to his heart's delight!

I know that hey're a pair of wiley psychopaths, just like all the cats I've ever met in my life - but, you see, they both purr rather a lot which makes my heart melt. Oh, I know they manipulate me. Got me well and truly wrapped around their little paws ...

Wanna go for a Spin?

Thing is ... I've lived with cats just about all of my life - and every one of them has had me sussed as a complete pushover! How right they are!

RISING SUN COUNTRY PARK

Who would ever believe there's a beautiful 400 acre lush green oasis behind the Asda car park in Benton!
Right here, there's a lake, a pond, grasslands and wetlands, everything to satisfy the needs of our ever-dwindling flora and fauna.

There's even a bird hide overlooking the Swallow Pond where we were lucky enough to see swallows, ducks, coots, swans - and a cute, red-beaked moorhen guiding her young through the reeds and grasses.

An Arctic tern swooped down on the lake in a wild performance of a fishing trip to remember. His mouth full of flapping fish tails, he glided off. Strange to see a sea bird so far inland, I thought, until I saw gulls in abundance swimming and diving on the water.

We watched a deer - complete with huge, gorgeous antlers - grazing in the field overlooking the lake.

We walked through a well-marked network of footpaths and bridle paths, lined with dazzling white marguerites and blue geraniums to complete this spectacular circular walk.

LOW HAUXLEY BEACH AND NATURE RESERVE

The 100 mile long Northumberland Coast is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and has some of the best un-spoilt coastline in England.

We motored north, following the scenic coastal route, until we saw signs for High Hauxley and Low Hauxley. We followed the Low Hauxley signs, by-passing the Nature Reserve to take in the beauty of the beach here. Lined with pretty houses and bungalows where house martins circled and dived, showing off the midnight blue in their wings and tails, I thought I was in heaven.
And I was sure I was in heaven when we walked down the sandy lane to a deserted, white-duned beach with not a tin can nor a Coke bottle littering the scene.

Paddling in the shallows, we watched Arctic terns fishing, not even a hundred yards away. Black-headed gulls, laughing gulls and herring gulls bobbed on the waves or screeched messages to one another overhead. Coquet Island shimmered in its own sunny reflection in the wet sand.

I could have stayed there all day - but I'd heard some great reports of the nature reserve and I wanted to see it for myself.

And when I did see it - oh my, constant readers, it's a wonderful, magical place with woodland, wetland and the babbling River Wansbeck running through it.

From the bird hides, we saw blue-tits, sparrows, dunnocks, chaffinches, ducks, swans, Canada geese, sandpipers (see photo on the right) - and a lone stately grey heron.

Growing in the hedgerows and in the bogs and wetlands were sweet-smelling meadow sweet, teasel, wild orchids, bur-reed and loosestrife.
And all of this just forty-five minutes drive from home. Unbelievable!

LOW BARNS NATURE RESERVE

Well, what a find this was! We were staying in Bishop Auckland one night, in readiness for the North East's most important ever annual rock festival - STORMIN' THE CASTLE (my husband was playing bass guitar over 2 nights in 2 bands, entertaining 2-5000 people per night) and I wanted to find a distraction to cool his nerves in the morning, in readiness for his biggest gigs to date ...

...so I set about googling - and I found Low Barns: a 50 hectare wetland located adjacent to the River Wear.

There's also woodland and grassland rich in an abundance of species.There are three lakes with interconnecting streams - and bird hides overlooking the lakes so that we were treated to the sights and sounds of so many birds - including the elusive blue kingfisher.Oh, man, he was just beautiful. No photo though, constant readers - pity huh?

Ah ... but what tickled me almost to death was the bird feeding station next to the Visitor Centre.

Looking through the slats of the wooden fence, we saw blue-tits, coal tits, chaffinches, robins, a pheasant - and (glory be!!!) a couple of great spotted woodpeckers.

And in that small space, rabbits and acrobatic squirrels came a'calling for a quick nibble too! It felt like we were in a children's story book and that the fairies and elves would be flitting around before long! You may laugh, constant readers but it's true!

We took a look at Seaton Sluice too - and and had a whale of a time in the Yorkshire Dales.

Eee, bah gum. 'Ere we are in York-sheer - bar-t'at!!

But those stories are for another day - perhaps on another website - like the day we spent looking around Tynemouth. You can read the article on North East Life at the link below:

Top Town on the Tip of the Tyne

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/detail/top-town-on-the-tip-of-the-tyne/id/7368/

WRITE ON:
TIME TO RE-THINK THIS WRITING OBSESSION!

My writing life has taken a bit of a beating lately. It's not that I'm doing too much - which has often been the case over the past couple of years - it's that I'm doing so little. I'm trying to make sense of the way my writing has been going. Over the past year or so, I've been spending so much of my valuable time on writing sites and social networking sites on the internet. And it's not that I haven't enjoyed doing this: I've made some great writing friends from all over the world - and that's exciting. But it was getting to the point where, if I missed a day networking and answering emails, I'd start to panic ... and that's not what is supposed to happen. I should be getting pleasure from all of my writing projects. But sadly, I'm gettting stressed by the whole networking thing. So, what I need to do now is to sit back, prioritise my writing and finish off the loose ends of my novel (just a couple of chapters and I'm done) then edit all the short stories and flashes that are lolling about in my computer documents, getting dusty and forgotten. But the biggest, most important job I have to do is to finish my e-course and graduate from the Writers Bureau Creative Writing Course (I'm only 3 assignments away from completion). When I've finished all of those 'priority' projects, I can take another step back, look at what I've achieved, and take time to re-think.
There's a little snippet that tells you more on how I feel about my writing. It's on the Writinghood publishing site at:

It’s The Pits, This Writing Lark!

http://writinghood.com/writing/its-the-pits-this-writing-lark/

Rest assured though, constant readers, I'll continue to upkeep my blog . After all, I'm WRITING FOR MY LIFE here on blogger! And it's such good fun telling you all what I've been up to and sharing my pix for you guys to take a peek. And I'll write the odd thing for the internet and send messages to the writing fraternity I'm part of. I'm not going to disappear, constant readers. You'll just get less of me - and less is so often MORE! Like the title says - time to re-think, guys!

TALK SOON DEAR FRIENDS...

Bird Tables, Birthdays, Bands and Boat Trips

2012-07-28T15:55:00.001-07:00

BIRD TABLE

Pine Tree on the Right - Spring 2011

We'd had the big old pine tree felled last November and we'd kept enough of the trunk to make a 'feature' out of it. I was so upset when the tree had to go that I needed something to help me celebrate its life.

We couldn't keep it any longer - it had been destroying the earth beneath and around it for years and years, no matter how hard we tried to nourish it, re-shape it to let in more light, mulch its surroundings over the winter-time - you name it, we did it! Anyway - it's gone ...

Before the Bird Table!

So I asked Dave to make a bird table (plain and olde-worlde is what I wanted).

Mr Jim - Get Down From There!

And once he'd finished the fence and the trellis, he set about making the table. And it's a real rustic beauty!

GARDEN UPDATE

The garden's been a real torment this summer, what with the wind +++ and the rain in torrential downpours +++ - but finally, after many weeks of blood sweat and tears, it's starting to look pretty neat.

My wall planters, tubs and baskets have a predominantly blue, blue, blue theme - with lots of sprinkles of bright colour here and there.

I'm pretty pleased - but there will be even more delights to come when the fuschias and the asters are blooming in all their glory. What beauties!

Passion Flower

And there are passion flowers and briar roses galore, all mixed in with montbretia and lavatera all over the garden.

Briar Roses

Our little 'tub' Rosie in among the TUBS

It's beginning to look quite spectacular with the changes we've made to the design.

BIRTHDAY TREAT

It was Dave's birthday a few weeks back - and his mum had a cake made for him in the shape of a bass guitar. It looked gorgeous and it tasted heavenly - a real yummy beauty!

Then Dave, Phil and I went off to our local Indian restaurant in North Shields for a birthday treat. It's called 'Aramee' and produces the most amazing authentic Bangladeshi food.

We had a ball, the three of us. Such a super night. What a beauty!

TOP BANDS

Accolades for the Gatecrashers

I went to see the Gatecrashers play a blinder at the Seven Stars in Ponteland. The band are so highly acclaimed in Ponteland that the Seven Stars have signed them up to do a gig a month at this cosy, atmospheric pub, beating the Diamond pub up the road by a whisker!

You see, the Diamond in Ponteland want the band too! They're a popular 'catch' for parties of all descriptions in Darras Hall, Ponteland.

Me and Boneshaker Ronnie at 7 Stars

In fact, this band are worth all the accolades they receive - and they receive lots and lots, believe me! What a beauty!

I also called in to the cutest little wine bar in the North East - the Sour Grapes in Morpeth to see both the Gatecrashers and the Boneshakers: my two favourite bands - on seperate nights, of course, constant readers.

You can see the review of the fabulous Boneshakers amazing gig on my 'Rockin' with the Boneshakers' blog at the link below. It's a beauty!

Sweet as a Nut at Sour Grapes

http://rockinwiththeboneshakers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/sweet-as-nut-at-sour-grapes.html

Gatecrashers sock it to 'em at the Sour Grapes

...and the review of the Gatecrashers rockin' an' sock-it-to-'em gig at the Sour Grapes will be published soon on North East Life Magazine online.

Gatecrashers Find Salty Nuts at Sour Grapes

I'll give you the link when I've got it ... so,

WATCH THIS SPACE!

BOAT TRIP

On a drizzly Sunday morning in July, we motored up the North East coast to Seahouses, to catch the Billy Shiels (MBE) boat out to the Farne Islands to see the grey seal colony - and the plethora of birds that come here to nest and rear their young, every year between May and July.

It rained a bucketful as we boarded the boat. I was just thinking that this might be a miserable day out on the islands - but then the sun came out!

And the grey seals came out to play. Ah, what a sight. And when we disembarked from the boat for an hour to walk around the nesting colonies of birds, the sun stayed put, bright yellow in a blue, fluffy-clouded sky. What a beauty of a day!

We walked among the Arctic Terns who sure told us who was boss - and it wasn't me! As we passed by their nests on the edges of the beaten tracks, they reared up, wings and tails outstretched to squawk in our faces and peck our heads. I nearly lost the bobble in my hair, trying to sidle past them!

We came across family after family of puffins, taking care of their young in holes dug into the ground around the bright clumps of white campion flowers.

We gazed at cormorants and shags feeding their young in nests of bracken and twig, pushing small fishes down the gullets of their babies. Quite horrifying to watch but so effective! The mums and dads preened each other and their young happily unconcerned about their human audience.

We came across hordes of razor-bills and penguin-like guillemots, flapping their wings on ledges of the sheer cliffs of the island.

We even saw a Mallard duck with her two fluffy ducklings in a tiny natural pond on Inner Farne.

I can't for the life of me understand how I could have lived in this beautiful North East corner of England and never been on this trip of a lifetime.

Well, I plan to rectify this - and visit at least once a year. That's my promise to myself - a firm promise!

WRITE ON:

It hasn't been a particularly fruitful writing time since last I spoke to you, constant readers. I'm still fighting with my novel - fighting against a strong desire to get way-laid and go online, visiting my writing buddies at Triond and Hub Pages, RedGage and Experts Column - and more!

I badly need to edit my chosen pieces for submission to various publishers and get them sent off: badly need to get my novel completed and into the editing stages: badly need to get together a collection of short stories and flash fiction for Amazon publication - and a collection of poetry too.

So I decided, a few days ago, I needed to take a break - retreat from the cyber world, the great blue yonder, whatever you want to call it - and get stuck in to my writing. So that's what I've done! Denied myself the right to go online -apart from a couple of days a week, to call in and say hello - check, write and answer my emails - and read through my writing friends' publications.

I'll leave you with a few bits and pieces I've written and published lately - mostly about the fabulous puffins and terns that caught my imagination on our trip to the Farnes. Here are some links:

The Parrot of the Sea

http://scienceray.com/biology/the-parrot-of-the-sea/

Puffin Billy

http://authspot.com/short-stories/puffin-billy/

Huffin’ ‘n’ Puffin

http://www.picable.com/World/Continents/Australia/Huffin-N-Puffin.3765949

A Huffin’ an’ a’ PUFFIN

http://www.redgage.com/sheilanewton#rf:/blogs/sheilanewton/a-huffin-an-a-puffin.html

Ah! Look at the Ba-Ba Chick!

http://www.picable.com/People/Babies/Ah--Look-at-The-Ba-ba-Chick.3774875

Chick-Time in Bird Land

http://www.picable.com/Nature/Birds/Chick-time-in-Bird-Land.3782275

Star Tern

http://www.redgage.com/sheilanewton#rf:/blogs/sheilanewton/startern.html:innercontainer:pager.pageForwarder

These links to the RedGage site are published here especially for my online writing buddy, poet and photographic hero, Eddy, who follows this blog and also my website. Thanks for everything, Eddy.
You can take a look at Eddy's online portfolio of gems at:

http://www.triond.com/users/Eiddwen

Talk to you soon, constant readers. I'm already collecting a bunch of goodies to tell you about next time I write my blog.

CUT!

THAT'S A RAP, FOLKS!

"Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"

2012-06-02T15:14:00.001-07:00

Super Moon - ooh!

One clear evening last month, my son, Phil, and I were louging about in his gorgeous flat overlooking the Tyne Estuary - and just before 8pm, we spotted the most beautiful moon, bouncing in the evening sky.

Next day, I read on the internet about this phenomenal Super Moon.
" Saturday's event was a 'supermoon,' the closest and therefore the biggest and brightest full moon of the year," said USA today.

This was a stunning moon - better than I've ever seen before: so close, I felt I could almost reach out through Phil's window and touch it.

Sheila's Super Blackbirds

The lovey-dovey couple of blackbirds that frequent our garden are getting tamer and tamer. Their favourite 'nosh' is cat food from a glass bowl on our lawn. Dave is going to make them a bird table so that my heart's not all a'flutter when the cats are out. But the cats both seem to understand that these two lovely blackbirds are our friends. And they just sit and look at them, unperturbed. My heart's STILL in my mouth though!!

Super Gorgeous Pets

Babs' Beautiful 'Fizz'

Two of my e-mailing friends, Babs and Maggie, from way back when we were all at Whitehaven Grammar School together sent me pix of their pets at my request.

Because they're so gorgeous, I thought they deserved to be featured on my blog alongside my two gorgeous cats.

Misty's Behind!

Maggie's Marvellous 'Misty'

Sheila's 'Fragile' girl, 'Rosie!

Sheila's Silly-Billy Boy, 'Mr Jim'

Super Splendid Garden

Well, our brand new fence is well and truly open - to blackbirds and magpies and pigeons, bluetits and dunnocks. In other words, the fence is already covered in bird-shit!! I've cleaned it off time and again!

But oh - what a beautiful fence it is. There are varieties of clematis and honeysuckle, winter and summer jasmine growing up it - some new, some existing. It's going to look great once the climbers have established or re-established themselves.

One of our lilacs this year has been chock-a-block full of 'mile-a-minute' pretty pink clematis.

The camelia is losing its blooms at a rate of knots, like it does every year in May.

The peiris is looking fabulous, the white flowers mostly gone now - but it's still full of red and green leaves - a real show-stopper.

The spirea has almost come to its blossoming end - but I took a photo when it was in full bloom - beautiful!

All my tubs and baskets are full to the brim on the patio now. They'll be a splendid sight in a few weeks when everything spreads and flowers. Watch out for my next blog post!

Super-Duper BEN HUR Bike Rally

What a great night out the 'Ben Hur' Biker Rally on 6th May. This is an annual full week-end event just outside Lanchester village in County Durham. It was my first time at the rally - an outdoor camping affair for bikers all over the North of England, with stalls and a big marquee with a bar and a stage where live bands play.

I put on my wellies and my kagool as well as my 'Boneshakers' T-Shirt and we motored up there in driving rain and thick black cloud. And when we got there, it was like a mud bath!

"Oh dear," I thought. But, you know, the biker crowd were so cheerful and uplifted that it didn't matter that I was up to the elbows in mud: it didn't matter that the rain was dripping down the back of my neck like a waterfall. It was such a great laugh. Bikers galore turned up in Ben Hur helmets, or silly wigs, or kilts!!!

And, of course (the main reason I was there) was that the Boneshakers were opening up the entertainment in the big tent. They were fantastic. And they've been asked back next year as the headline band.

I've probably told you before that my husband, Dave, plays bass with the Boneshakers. But I don't think I'm biased!

Super Sensational Wooden Doll Gigs

Last Sunday and the Sunday before, both of Dave's bands were playing at the Wooden Doll pub overlooking the Tyne River in North Shields. Both nights were nights to remember: both nights, local musicians dropped in to jam with - or simply applaud - these two sensational bands.

The Gatecrashers (a soul/funk/rock band) played the first Sunday night, amazing their audience and setting the already warm night to a red hot atmosphere.

NICK

Nick, Ant, Dave and Doug are superlative musicians with talent enough to burst the thermometers of any and every gig they play.
You can book them for your party or function anywhere in the North of England.

DOUG

ANT

DAVE

Here's their website:

http://www.thegatecrashersband.co.uk


Sheila and Nina at the 'Crashers Gig

On the second Sunday evening, the Boneshakers came out to play - and they were amazing too.

You can read all about the gig on the blog I pen for them. It's called 'Rocking with the Boneshakers' and it's well worth a visit to the site. You might even want to join their band of followers here and get all the latest about the band. Here's the link:

http://rockinwiththeboneshakers.blogspot.com

WRITE ON:

Maybe this last month or so haven't been the best in winning anything - in fact I've been rejected a few times lately - "c'est la vie" for a writer, they say. Ah, but I do hate rejection!! I'll never get used to it. My prized possessions knocked back by some editor is hard to take! How very vain of me - I must STOP this at once,constant readers : it won't wash!

Writing Groups
It has been a great time these past few weeks, for writing groups. The North East Adult Learning Alliance Creative Writing Group has just completed its five-week course and I've enjoyed getting back in among the great and lovely members/writers that attend there. Our course leader, Julie Taylor, is second to none.

One of the members, Charles (great bloke - great writer) invited me along to a self-managed group of writers who call themselves 'SCRIBBLERS'. I've been along twice - and what a grand group they are. I've been having a ball and writing lots of new stuff.

One of the pieces I wrote for the groups has been sent off to the WOW Women on Writing Competition - I've been shortlisted with them twice - so maybe this time ... and I've entered the Adult Alliance competition with another piece too. Fingers crossed, eh, constant readers?

Writers Writing About ME!!

Over the last month, two really excellent online writers that I follow, both poets, both brilliant article writers, have asked to do interviews with me about my writing. I said "Yes" of course! I was delighted.

Vinaya Ghimire published this piece:

Sheila Newton: Poet, Story Teller and the Travel Writer

http://writing.wikinut.com/Sheila-Newton%3A-Poet%2C-Storyteller-and-the-Travel-Writer/2-8jxjjl/

... and 'PHILLYDREAMER' published this piece:

The World of Undiscovered Poets: Sheila Newton

http://phillydreamer.hubpages.com/hub/The-World-of-Undiscovered-Poets-Sheila-Newton

Thank you both - I'm really touched that you would want to write about little ol' ME!

Online writing

My online writing has been doing pretty well. So that's a good thing. Here's one I hope you might like:

Bubble-Wrapped

http://authspot.com/poetry/bubble-wrapped/

Camp NaNoWriMo

This June, Camp NaNoWriMo is underway, giving the disorganised (like me!) some structure for writing 50,000 words of a novel.

I completed the challenge last November, but sadly, I didn't get to the end of the novel: nor did I edit the chapters I had written. So, here

goes again. Think I'll reach the finishing line? Let's see shall we ...

Thanks for viewing my blog, constant readers

"...and if you say it loud enough, you'll always

sound precocious...

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!!

SEE YOU ALL NEXT TIME -

AND BY THEN, I MAY HAVE FINISHED MY NOVEL

ONCE AND FOR ALL!

Back to a Great British Heatwave after a Bit of Gambian Heaven

2012-04-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

The Great British Heatwave

We were lucky - returning to England from Gambia to the Great British Heatwave! Five whole days it lasted. Plenty of time to keep my tan going. Plenty of time to start mucking out the garden and admire the spring flowers, trees and shrubs.

Plenty of time to watch the bluetits, robins and my resident blackbird couple get a hefty dose of spring fever and sing their hearts out as they collected 'stuff' to feather their nests, eat seed and catfood from the old pine tree stump.

Plenty of time to watch our two cats get their own dose of spring fever as they jumped about like kittens, in and out of the privet, up and down the cherry tree.

And now we're in April and the temperature has come down 25oC - from 27 to 2 - and there's sleet and snow flurries. Go figure!

A Bit of Gambian Heaven

Ten glorious days of Gambian heaven. Ten glorious days of sunshine and swimming. Ten glorious days gazing at wild birds and animals.

Where we stayed in Gambia

I can't even begin to describe to you, constant readers, the wonders of Gambia and the excitement of Senegal. This sure was a trip not to be missed. Gambia is a country that just has to be explored. And we explored and relaxed - relaxed and explored until we decided we just have to return to Glorious Gambia to do a bit more of this relaxing and exploring some day!

I'll be writing articles about the amazing people we met along the way. About Aziz, the 'bird man', whose knowledge of Gambian birds is astounding. He took us to Abuko Nature Reserve where we saw the most amazing birds, sun squirrels and a monitor lizard. We met with hyenas at the Animal orphanage and drank fizzy malta while I haggled for a couple of kingfisher wood carvings.

Aziz took us to Senegal too, on the ferry from Banjul to Barra - which was the most colourful spectacle ever - as people loaded with packages and plastic buckets ran on to a overloaded boat. On and on they came, so that a 45 minute trip took us 2 hours, packed together like sardines! Brilliant experience!

From Barra, we met up with our four-wheel drive to cross the border into Senegal to visit Fatalah Wildlife Park, where we saw giraffes, antelope, rhinoceros, ostrich, zebra, buffalo, warthogs. I rode on the back tyre of the four wheel drive, clinging on to the metal poles all the way back to Barra for the ferry home!

Pack of Noisy Weavers

Aziz also took us to Brufut Wood for another wild bird-fest. Unbelievable experience to see an owl hiding from marauding magpies (pied crows) and a night jar nestled on the ground in among the undergrowth.

Heron eating Oysters among the Mangroves

I'll be writing too about Hattib, who took us on an unforgettable cruise on a pirogue - just him, us two tourists and the crew - among the mangroves on the River Gambia from Denton Bridge to the seaport at Banjul. I swam in the river, where, on its banks, tens of thousands of oysters clung to the branches of the mangroves, where women collected them from small fishing boats, where herons gazed at us from the tops of the trees and the riverbank, where 5 pelicans played as we sunbathed on the top deck of our boat and drank beer and fruit cocktails.

Elusive Red Monkey

Monkeying About!

Hattib was also our guide to Bijilo Forest Park where we saw monkeys (including the elusive red monkey) and walked the beautiful forest trail.

I'll be writing too about the wonderful staff at Palm Beach Hotel, Kotu Beach and the Palm Beach Bar - namely Aruna, Baka and Amadou - not forgetting Omar the 'ciggie man' who sold us the cheapest ciggies I've bought in years and the 'vulture man' who fed the vultures every day at the riverside at 5pm!!

I'll also be including in my articles the fact that our hotel was situated on the Gambian river estuary where a family of pied kingfishers lived and fished and watched the world go by; where we caught flashes of the blue kingfisher; where herons fished in the river for sand-crabs and chased around for shellfish in the waves at the sea's edge, unconcerned about the bathers and paddlers nearby!

Write On:

Just a week or so before leaving for Gambia, the postman brought me what I'd been dreaming about for MONTHS! He brought me the Spring 2012 edition of 'This England', where I found my two page glossy feature, 'Ghosts and Games of Long Ago Liverpool'. Thank you for publishing me This England - thank you SO MUCH!

The Spring 2012 issue of This England is now on sale: with any luck a herald of finer, milder weather. There is certainly a great deal in the magazine to provide warmth and cheer, with inspiring tributes to several great men, articles exploring different parts of the country, and details of intriguing customs and exciting forthcoming events. Highlights include:

Dickens of London – A bicentenary tribute to one of England’s best-loved novelists.
Ghosts and Games of Long-Ago Liverpool – A writer’s return to the Lancashire port awaken powerful memories.*This one's my article!
Exploring England’s Coastline – North through County Durham from the Tees to the Tyne.
Students & St. George – Young people’s thoughts on England today.
Merrie England…in 2012 – An album of colourful customs from around the country.
A Royal History of England – King John has a bad reputation. We find out if it is deserved.
English Excursions – Exploring the wild but beautiful countryside of Dartmoor.
Great Britons – The stirring story of Captain Scott, hero of the Antarctic.
Ten Reasons Why Nottingham is Still Queen – A resident pays tribute to her historic home city.

My next blog will include links to recent published articles online - PROMISE, constant readers. I don't want to be guilty of overkill!

Interestingly, the fact that I'm all over the internet, brought me this...

Blast from the Past!

Yours Truly at Sweet Sixteen!

That's what the title of the email said as I opened it with curiosity. Turned out to be a message from a girl I knew in my misspent youth (!!) at Whitehaven Grammar School. Barbara Bartley (nee Wright) told me she corresponds with Neil Hutcheon, Maggie Allen and David Jordison (more friends from the Swingin' Sixtes!). She told me they'd been talking about me and decided to look me up on the net - and of course, there I was! I'm now part of that emailing group of friends - so that makes us a round five now. I'm loving the 'crack' (Cumbrian expression) with these lovely people who are now sextagenarians (or SEXY-genarians!) like me, two whom I haven't seen since 1966 (when we were sweet sixteen) and two I haven't seen since 1970 (when I was twenty). Brilliant, isn't it, constant readers?

Talk soon, folks. I mustn't leave it so long before the next episode. And perhaps, next time, more will have joined the small but tightly-knit throng of followers of my blog. 29 of you have joined already since its birth on New Year's Day 2011. And I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I hope there are more of you out there who want to become constant readers of Writing for my Life.

It's a Bright Time...Not the Write Time!

2012-01-12T13:36:00.000-08:00

It's a Bright Time...
Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all. And sorry it's taken me so long to get back to my beloved blog and all of you, my constant readers after the Christmas and New Year festivities.

Christmas Chez Sheila

With the house decorated from tip to toe with 'birdie' trees and hallway garlands, lights over the hearth and festive shelves in my den, we were all set for a grand Christmas 2011. Just us - me, my husband Dave, my son, Phil - and the two cats, Rosie and Mr Jim.

Christmas Day

Up with the larks on a bright Christmas morning, we began to open presents. There were so many of them! How lucky were we?? There was even a present apiece for Rosie and Mr Jim: a blue mouse and a brown rat, for heaven's sake! And they loved them - played with them all day, sniffing out the catnip and clawing like crazy.

Then it was time for a bite of Christmas brunch with festive jams and marmalades.

Looking out of the patio door, I saw a young robin come calling for the first time. how's that for a festive treat, constant readers? He's been a regular visitor to the bird table and the hanging nuts and fat balls ever since.

Our best feathered friend, the blackbird came a-calling as usual. He gets tamer and tamer. He's even started posing for photos!

A 'play with our new Christmas toys' interlude was followed by Christmas dinner in the early evening, with the posh china on the table and the crystal glasses for the wine and the Cassis liqueur we'd brought back from our road trip to France in September.

We watched TV for a while, eyelids drooping gradually after a great day.

Boxing Day

Dave played bass guitar with the fabulous blues band, the Boneshakers at their 'Xmas Shindig' at the Tyne Bar in Newcastle. I wnet along to enjoy the fun and take some snaps and video footage for the 'Rockin' with the Boneshakers' blog and a North East Life online review. It's been my joy and pleasure to maintain the band's website and to act as their PR person over 2011. And long may it continue. And what a great gig it was. Boxing Day went off with a big huge BANG! Fabulous performance - you rock, guys!

New Year's Eve

Tonight, Dave was playing bass guitar with his other amazing party band, the Gatecrashers, starring on stage at St Peter's Club, Byker in Newcastle.

My niece, Leah, was there - and I so enjoyed ripping up the dance floor with her. Made me feel like a carefree teenager again, it did. You really rock, Leah, my little darlin'!

Of course, I took some fab snaps and video footage to write them an article for North East Life magazine, online. Nice commission, eh, constant readers.

Dave and I caught the fireworks that went crazy all over Newcastle and North Tyneside on our way home from the gig - then it was time to relax with a glass or two, a home made pie-and-pea supper and Jools Holland's Hootnanay on BBC2.

New Year's Day 2012

Last year, on New Year's Day, we went for a walk on the South Shields coast - and so enjoyed it, we thought we'd make it a tradition. So this year, Dave and I popped along in the car to Whitley Bay and St Mary's Island to blow away the cobwebs of the new Year's Eve festivities. Boy was it COLD! But oh, it was so enjoyable too. A couple of hours with the sea breeze, the surf and the seaweed set us up nicely for what I hope will be a great 2012.

And to top it all, we saw cormorants on the rocks too. Don't you just love cormorants, constant readers?

Not the Write Time...
I put away my lap top for the whole of Christmas (Clever girl!) on December 23rd 2011- and didn't open it up again until January 3rd 2012. Now wasn't that brave of me, constant readers?
Inundated with emails, 'stuff' to write etc., I went into panic mode for a few days. But I'm getting back on top of it all again.
Here's what I've achieved since the last time I blogged:
My 1000-word flash fiction piece, RED HOT BOOTS was published on EVERY DAY FICTION. Here's the link:

http://www.everydayfiction.com/red-hot-boots-by-sheila-newton/comment-page-1/#comment-38343

My article, WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WAVE CHAMBER was published on NORTH EAST LIFE MAGAZINE ONLINE.
Here's the link:

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/detail/weird-and-wonderful-wave-chamber/id/6346/

My article, A CHEERY, CHIRPY MAKE-BELIEVE CHRISTMAS was published on the WIKINUT site to mark this festive occasion.

Here's the link:

http://www.wikinut.com/a-cheery%2c-chirpy-make-believe-christmas/2v7w8zkc/20x7u1zr/

and WIKINUT published the next in my road trip to France series, UNE SEMAINE SUR RIVIERA FRANÇAIS

Here's the link:

http://travel.wikinut.com/Une-Semaine-sur-Riviera-Fran%C3%A7ais/2.w_pqs8/

My post prior to the above article was awarded yet another STAR PAGE by WIKINUT for LE GRAND TOUR DE LA FRANCE - LE QUATRIÈME JOUR. I could get used to these STAR PAGES! Here's the link:

http://travel.wikinut.com/Le-Grand-Tour-de-la-France-le-Quatri%C3%A8me-Jour/v_cuaqe7/

My story and haiku verses, THE CATS' DINNER was published by THE REAL OWNER.
Here's the link:
http://therealowner.com/cats/the-cats-dinner/
My very short story, THE KEY OF THE DOOR was published on AUTHSPOT.
Here's the link:

http://authspot.com/short-stories/the-key-of-the-door/

My article, THE DAY I MET JOHN HANNAH was published on AUTHSPOT.
Here's the link:

http://authspot.com/thoughts/the-day-i-met-john-hannah/

And finally, my photograph of Kielder Forest accompanied by a photograph of your truly has been published in the glassy - yes glossy - pages of NORTH EAST LIFE MAGAZINE. And this is the page I was published on:

So here it is...Merry Christmas...Everybody's having fun...

Hope you had a fun Holiday Time, constant readers

I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW 2012 - ROLL ON THE LONDON OLYMPICS - ROLL ON A GREAT WRITING YEAR

Talk soon, constant readers

November, November, a Month to Remember

2011-11-25T08:40:00.001-08:00

THRILLS & SPILLS OF WILL'S BIG GIG

The month of November has been a hectic whirlwind of writing, writing - and more writing.
But I managed to take a little time out to go and see Will Young perform at the City Hall in Newcastle, with my 'sorta daughter', Dawn - and her daughter, Leah.

We went for dinner first, in the bar on Percy Street that used to be called The Old Orleans - but I'm darned if I can remember what's it's called now!

And then, two minutes walk around a couple of corners and we were there at the City Hall on Northumberland Road all set to see Mr Will Young himself!
He didn't disappoint. The opening of the show was a novel and quirky theme: the band came through a black panelled front door, complete with brass door knocker, one by one, until Will Young himself landed centre stage through that same door, complete with raincoat and bowler hat.

I liked the idea. Great fun. The crowd roared when that overcoat came off!

Will interacted with the audience with excellent aplomb throughout the evening. He sang a few old favourites, like 'Think I'd Better Leave Right Now' and a great rendition of Kate Bush's golden oldie, 'Runnin Up that Hill', but for the main part, he sang tracks from his new album, 'Echoes' including his hit single, 'Come On'. His voice sounds glorious live. He really does have a beautiful singing voice. And what a performer! He gave it his all.

During, 'Silent Valentine', thousands of red heart confetti pieces fell from the sky over Will on stage. It looked tremendous. In fact, all of the lighting and effects were brilliant throughout the whole performance.

I loved his band too. And his backing vocalists were superb. And at the end of the night, when the audience were shouting for more, more, more - he gave us more, more, more... All-in-all, this was a great show. You're a winner, Will Young!

WRITE ON:

The Roasting Hot Terry Chestnutt

Before I tell you anything else about this month's writing achievements, I just must tell you about an online writing buddy of mine - Terry Chestnutt.

It all started when we were chatting via Triond messaging and the topic of his fabulous Haiku website came up in conversation. Needless to say, I subscribed to the site (it's free, constant readers) and mentioned to Terry that I'd written some haiku and an article about haiku and senyru poetry. He loved my stuff and asked me if I wanted my pieces on his website. Well, of course I said "YES!"

THEN, he offered to massively distribute my senyru article online with links to my website. Well, of course, again I said, "YES!" And so, I think I can say that Mr Terry Chestnutt has become my PR man, don't you, constant readers ??? What a grand job he's doing for me.

Here's the link Terry sent me:
Haiku/Senyru Article for distribution

http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Sheila-Newton-21012/haiku-236571.php

Visit Terry's (Wrath Warbone is his pen name) Examples of Haiku website at:
Examples of Haiku

http://www.examplesofhaiku.com/

where you can click down the left hand side column to find my pieces, 'Haiku by Sheila Newton' and 'Sorting Haiku from Senyru: it's Human Nature!'

Thank you Terry Chestnutt. The following haiku are for you:

My Main Man, Mr Wrath Warbone

Thanks to you Terry

for being my PR man.

Appreciated

Terry, the Fruit and Nut Case

Terry's a Chestnutt

A brazil and a walnut

A plum and a peach

Read his hilarious article, 'When I Win the Lottery' at:

http://humour.wikinut.com/When-I-Win-The-Lottery/20qj9tut/

...and his magical Haiku, Clouds of Butterflies, on:
http://authspot.com/poetry/clouds-of-butterflies-haiku/

You sure are a winner, Terry Chestnutt!

Alice in Wonderland tells it like it is!

I was thrilled to have my third - yes, my third - 'about writing' article published on Flash Fiction Chronicles this month. It's entitled 'A Wonderland of Wise Words' - but you'll have to read it to get the 'Alice' connection! Here's the link:

A Wonderland of Wise Words

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/a-wonderland-of-wise-words/#comments

...or if you've missed the other two articles, 'Waltzing with the Word' and 'Adverb: Amigo or Adversary?' you can view all three on:

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/tag/sheila-newton/

Red Room

...that's Red ROOM not Red RUM - it's a writing site for promoting blogs and books etc - it's not a race horse!

I've been a member of Red Room for months, but never got around to writing anything on it. Anyway, there was a blogging challenge - 'Write about the best photograph you've ever taken'. So I did! It's a little competition too - so who knows - I might win! It's entitled 'The Magic of the Wave Chamber'. Here's the photo and the link:

The Magic of the Wave Chamber

http://redroom.com/member/sheila-newton/blog/the-magic-of-the-wave-chamber

Shaken and Stirred

...is the name of the Boneshakers' new blues album. The Boneshakers are the band I blog for, on:

Rockin’ with the Boneshakers

http://rockinwiththeboneshakers.blogspot.com

and I've just penned an Album review on North East Life Magazine Online. Here's the link:

Shaken and Stirred – Boneshakers’ Album Review

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/detail/shaken-and-stirred--boneshakers-album-review/id/6301/

I'm Moonstruck to be awarded another Wikinut Star Page

I recently got my third Wikinut 'Star Page' for one in my 'Le Grand Tour de la France...' series. I was pleased as punch. Here's the link:

Le Grand Tour de la France - le Deuxième Jour

http://travel.wikinut.com/Le-Grand-Tour-de-la-France-le-Deuxi%C3%A8me-Jour/9o1xkvkp/

The third day of the series is also published on Wikinut at:

Le Grand Tour de la France - le Troisième Jour

http://travel.wikinut.com/Le-Grand-Tour-de-la-France-le-Troisi%C3%A8me-Jour/3n93rfmm/

Tales from an Ionian Island

My epic series, telling of my week of adventures on the Greek island of Corfu, is completed. I've given you links to COR! PHEW!, DAY ONE, DAY TWO and DAY THREE. Here are DAYS FOUR TO SEVEN:

Tales From an Ionian Island – Day Four (Ημέρα τέσσερα)

http://trifter.com/europe/greece/tales-from-an-ionian-island-day-four-%ce%ad-%ce%ad/

Tales From an Ionian Island – Day Five (Ημέρα πέντε)

http://trifter.com/europe/greece/tales-from-an-ionian-island-day-five-%ce%ad-%ce%ad/

Tales From an Ionian Island – Day Six (Ημέρα έξι)

http://trifter.com/practical-travel/tales-from-an-ionian-island-day-six-%CE%AD-%CE%AD/2/

Tales From an Ionian Island – Day Seven - Ημέρα επτά

http://trifter.com/europe/greece/tales-from-an-ionian-island-day-seven-%ce%ad-%ce%ac

I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I've enjoyed writing them,constant readers.

Red Hot Boots

I've just learned that the online publisher, Every Day Fiction is to publish my flash fiction story, Red Hot Boots sometime in the near future. Wow! They're a publisher I adore. Their critiquing service is second to none. I look forward to really excellent short stories coming into my email inbox every day - so this is HUGE for me. I'll give you the link when it's published.

North East Life Photography

When I pen my articles for North East Life online, I occasionally submit a photo or two into the 'Reader Photos' section for a bit of fun. Well, the other day, Vijay, their design editor, emailed me to say they want to put one of my photographs into the next edition of North East Life Magazine. Blimey! And it's my photograph too - not my husband's - MINE - ALL MINE! Taken with my trusty Coolpix camera. He tells me the photgraph will be published sometime just before Christmas. How's about that, then??? I'm a budding photographer! And here's the famous photo!

And last but not least ...

I'm a NaNoWriMo Winner!

In my last blog post to you all, I had decided to take up the National Novel Writing month challenge - to write 50,000 words of my novel, Lavender Cat.

Well, just so's you know - I DID IT! Yes, I did it - penned more than 50,000 words in the month of November. I'M A WINNER! Read all about it. Click on the link below:

Limbo Dancin’ to the Winning Post

http://writing.wikinut.com/Limbo-Dancin-to-the-Winning-Post/84kb0p.c/

So everyone's a winner on this blog post, constant readers

Talk to you again soon. I hope your fingers are aching from click-click-clicking on all these links!

What? No Blogging in November? It's NaNoWriMo!

2011-10-31T14:09:00.000-07:00

NaNoWriMo!

National Novel Writing Month starts on November 1st and ends on November 30th.

It took a whole lot of soul searching and 'ums' and 'ahs' before I plucked up the courage to sign up and go for writing my novel 'Lavender Cat' in just a month. WOW! That's a whole lot of writing, methinks! And NaNoWriMo is FREE!

I've tied up (I think!) my loose ends, sorted out my Amazon Kindle Direct Account, cancelled just about everything in sight apart from my Friday writing group. I can't miss my writing group,constant readers!

I'm up to date with my Writers Bureau E-Course in Creative Writing too. I'm SO near the finishing post now.

I told you, constant readers that I'd get on with my novel soon - and this is it! This is the month where I get 'Lavender Cat' drafted and ready for editing - I hope!

So, wish me luck and Au Revoir, folks for the month of November.

Talk to you in December...when I'll tell you all about it! Phew!

Walk with Me on the Wild Side and Wander in my Winter Garden

2011-10-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

COOL KIELDER

Overnight bags packed and raring to go, we drove from North Shields to Kielder Water and Forest one rather unseasonably warm day in October. The sky was a deep azure blue and the sun shone a watery yellow.

On the way, we stopped off at the pub for a 'quick one' and a late Red Admiral was doing it's thing on a French marigold.
The Autumn shades of the Northumberland National Park landscape were stunning as we drove up the bank of Elf Kirk viewpoint to take a look. The green of the pines contrasted with the orange, bronze, crimson, yellow and garish gold of the deciduous oak, ash and maple.

Trees are wonderful things.

Trees provide shade, beauty and protection from harsh winters.
Trees help moderate temperature extremes and offset poor air quality.

Do I sound like a tree-hugger? Yes? Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that...at least I don't think so!

MATTHEW'S LINN TO MIRAGE

Starting at Matthew's Linn car park, we strolled the three miles there and back to the Mirage, a man-made, oh-so-natural sculpture in the trees, creating a vision of glittering starlight in the pine trees.
The walk to it, with the lake to our right and autumn foliage to our left was sublime. We must have been feeling particularly lazy on this mild, hazy day, because we stopped to have a cuppa here there and everywhere.

Clouds in the Weir

We took a break on the new bridge that has recently received a Prime Minister's award, where reflections of the clouds above shone like snowdrifts in Bakethin Weir.
We had tea and biscuits at Patterson's Pause, where 'hewn-out-of-the-rock' picnic table and two benches overlook Kielder Water - and where reflections of the tall pines ripple and sway in the weir as it meets the lake.

Adding a Stone to Kitle Cairn

We had coffee when we stopped at Whistler Cairn and Kitle Cairn and I added a stone to each of them.
Nearing the mirage, I said, as I spied splendid toadstools holding their heads high in among the mosses, "I don't think I'm going to be so impressed by this mirage sculpture thing. It can't possibly be as pretty as the woodland and the lake." But I was about to be taken by surprise.

SUPER SHINY DISCS IN THE SPRUCES

Mirage is stunning. Mirage is amazing. As we drew toward it, we were taken aback by the shiny discs attached to the Sitka Spruce trees as they shimmered in the dark forest, lit up like a thousand stars by the sunlight and the water beyond the forest.

We took a walk up into the forest on the boardwalk that leads away from the track and in among 'Mirage'. There's a rest area provided here; an interlocking terrace and ramp right underneath the art piece where you can sit and gaze up at this wonderful sculpture, devised and sculpted by Kisa Kawakami. It comprises 500 shiny disks that form a three-dimensional cloud to reflect the light and is part of the Kielder Arts Programme.

Apparently, this area is well-favoured by the red squirrel, but we saw not a one. That's so unfortunate because I'm still waiting to see my first ever red squirrel in the wild. One of these days...
The 'Mirage' ferry jetty is just around the corner. Perhaps one day we'll walk from Leaplish to Matthew's Linn (we've done this walk before and it's lovely, only about a mile and a half), Matthew's Linn to Mirage and back to Leaplish on the ferry.
I've never been on the Kielder ferry yet, so that would be a real treat. The 74-seater, named 'The Osprey', would be a great way to make the return journey from a lakeside walk back to our starting point. After all, the whole of the lakeside path spans 27 miles!

LOVELY LEAPLISH

We walked back to the car at Matthew's Linn and drove to Leaplish, where we were staying overnight with our friend, Micky, in a lodge in Leaplish Waterside Park that looks for all the world like a log cabin in Switzerland!

Rabbits at Play in Leaplish Waterside Park

The Park overlooks Kielder Water and there are paths to both the North and the South shores here. There are facilities such as the indoor heated swimmng pool and saunas; there's the cafe and the restaurant, 'The Boat Inn', where Micky, Dave and I sauntered the five minute walk that night for a slap up meal. Then we wandered 'home' to the warm, cosy lodge to watch the rabbits at play on the grass.

Next morning, we awoke to the most wonderful birdsong. The redwings were out in force wanting to be fed on the picnic table just outside the veranda area of the lodge.

Having breakfast, watching the redwings, starlings, blue-tits and a lone robin guzzle their seed was a super experience.

Micky tells us that a few days after we left him to it for the rest of the week, he had birds eating out of his hand - lucky duck!

Micky and I Kicking Back in Jim-Jams

Thanks, Micky, for a great time. We loved it. See you there in November, I hope.

WANDER IN MY WINTER GARDEN

GREEN FINGERS

As Autumn approaches, the leaves are falling from the trees in my garden in brilliant flurries of gold, red and yellow - and to mark the approach of winter, the heathers, winter violas and cyclamen are blooming in a cloud of bright colour.

I'd planted some cyclamen corms in the garden years ago - and up to this year, I was rewarded only with their mottled leaves - not a bloom in sight. But this year - ah, I discovered a little patch of pale lilac flowers sitting proud under a wild rose bush. I was thrilled!

Winter jasmine festoons the fences and trellises these Autumn days, bold and regal.

Winter Jasmine

Spiky Mahonia

Mahonia bristles with yellow fronds of flowers among the shiny green of its spiked leaves.

And I've been planting hundreds of spring bulbs to add to the thousands already established - including some more croci in the lawn. Let's see what it all looks like in spring-time. Something to look forward to during the long winter months.

A RESCUE RUBBER PLANT AND A PINEAPPLE PALM

RUBBER SOUL

In June, when I was walking in Dover along the mapped riverside trail with my sister, we ended up in a filthy, disgusting rubbish dump (well, that's Dover for you, but that's another story!). Laying on its side, thirsty and dying in a pile of rubble, was a forlorn, abandoned rubber plant.
Well, I'm a softie for anything living and I nearly burst into tears. What stopped me was my sister, who suddenly had a bright idea.

"Take it home," she said. And I did. Its roots all wrapped up in a carrier bag, I took it on the train back to Newcastle. My little waif and stray rubber plant, with its brown, curled-up leaves has become my adopted baby. As his dying leaves fell from his branches, new shoots appeared - and now he's a beauty. We named him Dover (Sole) Soul to begin with - and the named eventually morphed into what he's now called - RUBBER SOUL. He lives with me in my writing den.

THE PALM THAT COST NOT A PENNY

My sister, having lived in Australia for over twenty years, couldn't believe that Britain sold pineapples with the leaves attached.

"You pay a fortune for one like that in Oz," she said, "Just slice the top off and you've got yourself a pineapple palm." So I did - and WOW! it's coming on a treat.

WRITE ON:

STILL SANS WRITING MY NOVEL!

Well, folks, I've been busy, busy yet again - but I still haven't got around to getting back to my novel, LAVENDER CAT!

"SOON," I say, "SOON!"

Nonetheless, I've achieved some stuff since I last talked to you. Read on, constant readers.

THIS ENGLAND

Many moons ago, I told you that the quarterly magazine, THIS ENGLAND, had retained my article, 'GHOSTS AND GAMES OF LONG-AGO LIVERPOOL' for 'further consideration. Well, guess what? They emailed me last week asking me for photographs to go with the article that (quote)

"...we hope we may publish in a future publication of This England."

Wow! A little nearer to the winning post, methinks!

CAZART AND HEATHROW TERMINAL TRAVEL STORIES

Another of my travel stories, 'LAST CAMEL STANDING' has been published online on their Valet Parking site. Here's the link:

http://www.valetparkingheathrowterminal5.co.uk/last-camel-standing.html

and if you want to read all three of my stories on the site, go to the list of contributors at:

http://www.valetparkingheathrowterminal5.co.uk/stories.html

CORFU TALES

There have been two more of my 'TALES FROM AN IONIAN ISLAND' published on Trifter, online. Here are the links:

Day Two - Corfu Town

Tales From an Ionian Island – Day Two – (Ημέρα δυο)

http://trifter.com/europe/greece/tales-from-an-ionian-island-day-two-%ce%ad/

Day Three - The Corfu Trai

Tales From an Ionian Island – Day Three (Ημέρα τρία)

http://trifter.com/europe/greece/tales-from-an-ionian-island-day-three-%ce%ad-%ce%af/2/

Read and enjoy! There are four more tales to come, methinks, so watch this space, why don't you,

constant readers.

LA GRAND TOUR DE LA FRANCE

The story of our road trip to France has begun on the Wikinut site online. I've also begun documenting our adventure on my travel blog, 'Sheila's Amazing Adventures'. I'll give you the link when it's completed. Here's the link to the first of my Wikinut travel pages about France:

La Grand Tour de la France – la Commencement

http://www.wikinut.com/le-grand-tour-de-la-france-le-commencement/w869x2s5/8_q_md.6/

HELVETICA

I've just heard that my story, HELVETICA, won an honourable mention in the Fall 24 hour Writers' Weekly Writing Contest. I win an annual subscription to Write Markets Report and an ebook, A-Z OF HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION, so I'm well-chuffed, constant readers.

LIGHTNING FLASHES

STORM


THUNDER

Last, but certainly not least, a writing buddy and I have just embarked on co-writing a flash fiction stories blog. I' really excited about this project. It's called, LIGHTNING FLASHES, and our pseudonyms are THUNDER and STORM (I'm Storm!). Collectively, we are THUNDERSTORM. The blog is at the first stage, with Thunder writing her first flash as we speak. Once we've got thoroughly going, there's a plan to publish a coffee table e-book of our stories. Ooooh!

To date, you can read our home page and our 'Who, What, Why?' page at:

http://lightningflashes.wordpress.com/

Oh, this writing year has been a fine and dandy one to date, constant readers. Talk to you soon.

Wish me luck with my red squirrel sighting!!

And in my best Bruce Forsyth voice, I'll leave you with this.

"KE-EP READING: KE-EP WRITING!"

Le Grand Tour de la Belle France

2011-10-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Cours Mirabeau - Aix en Provence

La Grand Tour de la Belle France

Me and Phil - On the Road

We've (that's me, partner Dave and son, Phil) just returned from a super road trip to France, touring from Calais to Besançon via Lac d'Orient; onward and down to Annemasse via the Source de Lison, Pont du Diable and Geneva; then down to Aix en Provence via Evian les Bains and along to the Côte d’Azùr - to Port Grimaud and Les Prairies de la Mer. There, at the Prairies, we spent seven glorious days in a luxury caravan soaking up the sun, the sand, the blue, blue seas and the white, white waves of the bay of St Tropez.
Travelling back to Calais, we stayed at La Grand Croix, St Etiènne to visit Les Gorges de la Loire, visited picturesque Sens and Pont Sur Yonne.

Me 'n' Dave - Shores of Lac d'Orient

Evian les Bains on Lake Geneva

Quaint Buildings in Sens

Annemasse avec du Pain!

Source du Lison


Pont du Diable(Top Left) Doubs, Besançon(Bottom Left) St Tropez Bay (Right)

Lac de Grangent, Gorges de la Loire

Our Caravan at Les Prairies

Beautiful Pont Sur Yonne

When we weren't staying at Les Prairies in the caravan, we stayed at Formule 1 hotels - cheap as chips but bijou, clean and cosy.

Outside the Formule 1 Hotel, Aix en Provence

Port Grimaud

We had only one rainy, windy day in the whole fifteen days. The rest were just a whole host of glorious warm sunshiny days. Mmm...lovely.

Write on:

France

I wrote a poem dedicated to my France travel and published it online at Wikinut - here it is (it's no great poetry feat, but lots of fun, I hope you'll find!)

Calais à Provence – en La Belle France

http://www.wikinut.com/calais-%C3%A0-provence-%E2%80%93-en-la-belle-france/1k79e_2k/nd7g5n59/

I'll be posting articles and a travel blog all about my French road trip soon. So watch this space constant readers!

Lightning Flashes:

Invited to co-author a blog of Flash Fiction with my very good friend and writing colleague, Vidya, entitled Lightning Flashes, we'll be up and running as soon as I get my head around the damned technology!

Corfu:

My travel blog, Red Hot in Cool Corfu, is out there now. So is the first of a six part series about my Corfu travels.

Visit my travel blog:

Red Hot in Cool Corfu

at: http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/sheilaswheels/1/1311810746/tpod.html

and the first of my six part series,

Tales From an Ionian Island – Day One (ημέρα ένας)

- at:

http://trifter.com/europe/greece/tales-from-an-ionian-island-day-one-%CE%AD-%CE%AD/

Creative Writing Course:

After quite a long break from my creative writing workshops, I joined a new ten-week one last Friday, run by North Tyneside Adult Learning Alliance, held at the Shiremoor Centre every Friday morning (morning??!! I don't DO mornings, constant readers!).
The first session, with Julie as our tutor and seven of us students, went off with a big bang. It was great. I'm expecting to get a lot of inspiration from this. I'll keep you posted on this too,
My first piece of writing was about a pear (!!!!) and I've already had it published on the Wikinut OnlinePublishing Site. Here it is:

Pear Prose

http://writing.wikinut.com/Pear-Prose/36_seq24/

Boneshakers Interviewed on Bishop FM

Go to my website and link to this blog page at:

Boneshakers Take Bishop FM by Storm – Shaken and Stirred

http://writeangleswithsheila.wordpress.com/2011/10/01/rockin-with-the-boneshakers-boneshakers-take-radio-cleveland-by-storm-shaken-and-stirred/

...and you'll find a link to the radio interview.
**I’m proud to note that if you go to 40 minutes into the interview, yours truly gets a fanfare mention for her ‘Rockin’ with the Boneshakers’ Blog! Thank you Boneshakers - and what an IMMENSE interview it was.

That's it for now, constant readers . I'm getting back in the swing of writing again after France. So keep reading my blog. It's great to have your company. Talk to you SOON.

Bellingham Fair, a Beer Tent and a Rock Band

2011-09-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

BELLINGHAM FAIR

On Saturday 24 August, we drove to the village of Bellingham in beautiful Northumberland National Park, heading for Bellingham Fair in the cool drizzle of the cloudy, grey inclement weather. Dave (my husband) plays bass guitar with local Rock 'n Soul Band, the Gatecrashers - and we were making for the Beer Tent (where else, you might ask?) where they were due to play at around noon.

While the band (Nick Jennison, Ant Wright, Dave Hildreth and Maurice Anderson) set up their gear, I pulled on my red-and-white spotted wellies to trudge knee-deep in the muddy field to look around.

The bad weather hadn't put people off coming to this annual attraction. There were bouncy castles and a couple of red-nosed clowns juggling for the kids.

There was a huge food tent and a cordoned-off area where you could have your face painted or have a temporary tattoo applied. There were stalls selling bric-a-brac and jam and home-made fudge. There were children in fancy dress, all set to parade their creativity in the fancy-dress show. There was a mini-crufts, where beautifully-groomed dogs waited patiently to show off their skills.

There was a gymkhana and a roped arena for Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling. Guys and Gals in their short-shorts warmed up for the fell race. There was terrier racing and quoits - and the Morpeth Pipe Band were there, dressed in their kilts, the wind whipping up their skirts to the delight of passers by!

GATECRASHIN' THE BEER TENT

At 12.30pm, the band were a GO! With the beer tent starting to fill up when the crowd heard the brilliant sounds emanating from the fantastic Gatecrashers, Nick Jennison (guitar and vocals) wanted a much bigger audience.

Nick Delights the Crowd

So he got among them with his wireless microphone, attracting all and sundry inside the marquee with his charismatic charm - and a singing voice to die for! And suddenly, the atmosphere was glittering with electricity.

Ant's Stunning Guitar Solos

Ant Wright (guitar and backing vocals) shook his mop of wayward curls and played amazing guitar solos to the Gatecrashers sensational renditions of Otis Reading's'Try a Little Tenderness', The Faces' 'Stay With Me' and a heart-stopping Led Zeppelin medley of memorable songs like 'Whole Lotta Love'.

Dave - Big Licks on Bass

Dave Hildreth (on bass guitar) dominated the stage with unbelievable slammin', thumpin' and slappin' in numbers like the Jackson 5's 'I Want You Back' and Wild Cherry's 'Play that Funky Music, White Boy'.

And this was Maurice Anderson's (drums) swan song with the Gatecrashers, sadly. Oh, he has such talent. And that talent was prevalent in the Stereophonics' 'The Bar Tender and the Thief'. Indescribable talent, Maurice. You're going to be missed.

Maurice's Sensational Swan Song

Maybe I'm biased - but I believe that this band truly are the best function and party band in the whole of the North East of England.

Visit their website at:

www.thegatecrashersband.co.uk

BOE RIGG BISTRO

After packing up and saying goodbye to the fair, the Gatecrashers, partners and friends drove off to a lovely brand new cafe/restaurant the Boe Rigg Bistro, for a meal. It's not far from Bellingham village and has the most beautiful views of Northumberland's verdant countryside. It has an onsite camping ground.
The Duchess of Northumberland recently unveiled the Boe Rigg Bistro Bunkhouse, an Eco-Friendly developement that took two hard years of fighting for planning permission. The food was out of this world.

Here's a link to my Trip Finder review for the Boe Rigg:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1916987-d2241841-r117846492-The_Boe_Rigg_Bistro-Bellingham_Northumberland_England.html

HOUSESTEADS
A trip to Housesteads to take in the Roman Fort and Hadrian's Wall, was next on the agenda. Housesteads has an on-site museum where you can take in 2000 years of history, view the breathtaking Tyne Valley and the Scottish borders - and see:
"The ever-popular latrines aka Roman Loos!"
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/housesteads-roman-fort-hadrians-wall/

There was just enough time to take a quick look around and be privileged to see a trio of young fluffy house martins in a hole in the wall of the museum. Enough time to see mamma bringing food to her chicks and flying off to get some more for her hungry brood.

Just enough time to take a snapshot before going on to a Housesteads Birthday Party on a farm, in a barn, with a flat bed truck for a stage - and welcome brand new drummer, Doug Hayes to the incredible Gatecrashers.

Gatecrashin' a Birthday Party with new drummer, Doug Hayes

WRITE ON:

Well, the promise I made to myself via you, constant readers has been just about fulfilled, I reckon. I'm slowly but surely getting back on track, back to the nitty-gritty, back to the grindstone. I'll get the gold star and the Brownie badge when I get back on with my novel - SOON!

BRAND NEW CD ON THE WAY

I've completed the write-up for the Boneshakers CD - here's a sneak preview of the amazing cover: artwork by the fabulous artist and tattooist, Neil (Blackbird) Sims. Catch up with him on Facebook.

After three unbelievable gigs over the August Bank Holiday, the guys are ready for the launch of their CD,

SHAKEN AND STIRRED

at THE TYNE BAR, NEWCASTLE, on Sunday 11 September at 3pm. It's gonna be a great afternoon.

TYNE BAR
ARTICLE COMMISSION

My two articles, comissioned by Fred Plater, owner of the Tyne Bar, are published.

NORTH EAST LIFE MAGAZINE - Click on the link to:

Little Bar – Big Impact – Huge Heart at:

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/detail/little-bar--big-impact--huge-heart/id/5697/

for the article published on North East Life Magazine Online

TRIFTER ONLINE - Click on the link to:

You’ll Find them All...Doing the TYNE BAR Walk at:

http://trifter.com/europe/united-kingdom/youll-find-them-all-doing-the-tyne-bar-walk/

for the article published by the online travel publishers, Trifter.

HEATHROW TERMINAL 5

Two of my travel stories have been published online by Heathrow Terminal 5.

Click on the link to:

Benalmadena, Costa del Sol

Over the Mountains, Over the Sea at:

http://valetparkingheathrowterminal5.co.uk/over-the-mountains-over-the-sea.html

...a story about my travels in Malaga.

Click on the link to:

Fortesque Falls, Karijini, WA

Beating About the Bush at:

http://valetparkingheathrowterminal5.co.uk/beating-about-the-bush.html

...a fun story about bush camping in Western Australia.

RED HOT IN COOL CORFU

My latest travel blog, 'Red Hot in Cool Corfu' is finally up and running. So it should be - we were there all the way back in June! There are lots more pix to add to the melting pot, but it's published - and that's the main thing!

There are articles in process about the beautiful Ionian Island of Corfu coming your way -
SO WATCH THIS SPACE!
View Red Hot in Cool Corfu on:

TRAVEL POD/sheilaswheels

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/sheilaswheels/1/tpod.html

A SECOND WIKINUT STAR PAGE

Icicles Glitter...

Still a 'rookie' member of Wikinut, I was privileged to be awarded a second * STAR PAGE *
for my piece about the art of writing Senyru poetry. I do love senyru and haiku.
Link to:

Sorting Haiku from Senyru: it’s Human Nature!

http://writing.wikinut.com/Sorting-Senyru-from-Haiku%3A-it-s-Human-Nature!/1ucje8b5/

I hope you enjoy it.

Stock Ghyll Force

NORTH EAST LIFE - STOCK GHYLL FORCE

When my Aussie sister was over for a visit earlier this year, we stayed in Windermere, in the best B & B in the lakes, situated between Windermere and Bowness - the COPPICE GUESTHOUSE. During a visit to Ambleside, we trekked up and out of the town to Stock Ghyll Force, one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've ever seen. Read all about it in my column/blog for North East Life Magazine - Twigs, Gigs, Haunts and Jaunts. Here's the link:

Stock Ghyll – A Force to be Reckoned With: Go to:

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/detail/stock-ghyll--a-force-to-be-reckoned-with/id/5690/

DO YOU, DO YOU, DO YOU, DO YOU WANNA DANCE?

If you like dancing, constant readers, you might want to take a peek at an article I penned about the history of dance, and a free verse poem about Ballroom and Hip Hop dancing.Itw was published by Quazen. Here it is.

Dance, Dance, Wherever You May Be

http://quazen.com/arts/dance/dance-dance-wherever-you-may-be/

Well, now, can you see how BUSY AS A BEE I've been in that den of mine?

ME - Busy as a Bee

Time for a well-earned rest, methinks...

...so we're off to Provence, France (via the French Alps) for the next couple of weeks. I'll tell you all about it when I get home - knackered, I expect!!

But for now, dear readers, AU REVOIR - and see you soon.

BeWitched, BeSmurfed, Bea-Stowed, Be Damned

2011-08-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

BEWITCHED

We went off to Bolam Lake Country Park last weekend. Oh, what a beauty spot it is. Dave took some great photos (and I didn't do so badly myself!).

That wonderful outing prompted me to dig out an old rhyme I'd written as part of a commissioned article:

Autumn Leaves, Pheasant Eaves

http://trifter.com/europe/united-kingdom/autumn-leaves-pheasant-eaves/

... for The Pheasant Inn, Falstone, Kielder in Northumberland National Park.

www.thepheasantinn.com

So I cobbled the poem - changed it into something a little different - and out popped -
THE SPELL

When I had it published on Wikinut - it was awarded the
*STAR PAGE*.
Here's the link:

THE SPELL
http://www.wikinut.com/the-spell/25hec_ng/r83q6jyk/

BESMURFED

Phil (my grown up son) and I, took ourselves off to see the new SMURFS 3D Movie the other afternoon. A bit bemused (beSMURFED, I might add) to see a whole host of kids there - hardly an adult in sight except for the ones chaperoning (!!) - we should have known better than to expect the place to be littered with adult idiots like us. "Ooops!" I thought, but OH, the movie was ace.

We laughed all the way through from the very start to the credits at the end. You need to go see it, even if it's just to see Asrael (Mr Krinkle in real life), the wizard Gargamel's Ginger Tom! Brilliant.

BEA-STOWED

I was in heaven when I opened my post and got my August Issue (11) of Debut Magazine (Park Publications). Because inside the mag was a cheque for £25 and a note to tell me I'd been place 2nd in the READERS' CHOICE PRIZE WINNERS for my published story in the May Issue (10)
There I was on the editor's page -

2nd Prize SHEILA NEWTON...

ME, BEA AN' BETSY MAKE THREE.

BE DAMNED!

Well, I'LL BE DAMNED. All of my organization - Google diary, keeping up-to-date with my novel and my assignments went RIGHT OUT OF THE WINDOW since I last blogged here. ALL THAT PLANNING - GONE!

My commission for the Tyne Bar was a priority - with research, visits to the bar, photographs etc. - and then of course, the writing of the piece.

My invitation to write the CD Jacket blurb for the Boneshakers' new album,

'SHAKEN AND STIRRED'

was a mad dash in researching and writing the script.

I needed to complete an 'about writing' article and send off the manuscript to the publishers.

I needed to get my next North East Life Mag article underway.

PHEW!!!!

NO TIME FOR MY NOVEL.

NO TIME FOR MY NEXT WRITERS BUREAU ASSIGNMENT.

I need to get ORGANISED again SOON

NO TIME FOR THE CATS. NO TIME FOR GARDENS OR MR BLACKBIRD.

My beautiful Orchid

THE CATS, THE BIRD AND THE GARDEN WEREN'T PUT OUT - THEY JUST GOT MERRILY ON WITH IT!

The Delectable Rosie

The Sensational Mr Jim

Cheeky Mr Blackbird

Pretty Lilies and Hydrangeas

Now, believe me (if you can) constant readers, next time I blog here, I'll be organised -

BET'CHA' (!!)

A Wine Glass, Walking, Waterfalls - and Wikinut!

2011-08-09T12:11:00.000-07:00

A WINE GLASS

Monster Wine Glass!

It was my husband's birthday last month - and his favourite present was from our son, Phil. A great, big, huge MONSTER of a wine glass!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAVE

WALKING

That's me, in Holywell Dene

It was such a bonny day last Sunday, that Dave and I went off in the car to Holywell Dene in Northumberland, to walk in the woods and meadows. What a find! Just 15 minutes drive from where we live in the town of North Shields and we were out in the glorious countryside, sun beating down on us, a flask of tea in our back pack and a smile on our faces at the beauty of the place. We didn't walk right down to the coastline on this walk, but you can - and we probably will next time. There'll be an article about our wonderful walk in Holywell Dene written by yours truly VERY SOON. So watch this space,
constant readers.

WRITE ON:

It's all happening for me AGAIN on the writing front, folks. I received some information about a course on writing stage plays. It looks brilliant. Doesn't start until next May. Hope it doesn't get in the way of the forthcoming OLYMPICS. I'm going to apply, though - and hope I get accepted.
There's another course - a Creative Writing Workshop via Tyne Met College - starting September that I'm considering. Having given up my writing courses, I'm beginning to miss the company of the writing fraternity (notwithstanding the excellent support I get for writers online, of course: not to mention my dear writing buddy, Fleur, in SA.

...And then...I've been getting organised, dear readers and made a start on getting my first novel underway - PROPERLY...AT LAST!! It's called 'Lavender Cat', a story for young adults. Wish me luck - keep your fingers well and truly XX'd for me, won't you?

Over the last week or so, I've published an article for Purple Slinky online:

Swan-ee, How I Love Ya!

http://purpleslinky.com/offbeat/swan-ee-how-i-love-ya/

and a feature on my North east Life blog/column:

All Fall Down in Windermere!

Just the Ticket – A Walker’s Paradise on Windermere Lake

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/detail/just-the-ticket--a-walkers-paradise-on-windermere-lake/id/5509/

Time to have Fun at the Tyne Bar!

...and...I've been commissioned by the Tyne Bar, Ouseburn,Newcastle to write a feature for them. I'm honoured, Tyne Bar. Thanks. I'll be writing the feature soon. I'll keep you posted, constant readers.

...and... there's more (!!!) ... I've been invited to write the jacket of the fabulous BONESHAKERS blues band's forthcoming
11-track CD. I'll keep you posted on that too.

WATERFALLS

Startling Stock Ghyll Force

Continuing the saga of my jaunts with my Australian sister, my next piece of writing is about the stunning waterfall of Stock Ghyll Force in Ambleside. It will be featured in North East Life Mag online - and possibly elsewhere. When (if!!) it's published, I'll give you the link.

WIKINUT

"What a name!" I hear you say. I did too. However, I checked them out, applied and got accepted to write for them. I've written two features for them up to now. Here they are:

Parc Guell in Barcelona

Viva Barcelona!

http://travel.wikinut.com/Viva-Barcelona!/1hocwet0/

Boneshakers Blues it at the Sand Dancer Pub

The Land of the Sand Dancer

http://travel.wikinut.com/The-Land-of-the-Sand-Dancer/15w3msfv/

I hope you enjoy them. In the meantime, I must get back to this novel of mine.
Go and have fun, dear readers. And may all your dreams come TRUE.

Saturday Soiree, Sunday in the Sun - and Swans!

2011-07-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

SATURDAY SOIREE

Iron Man

I had the greatest night out with 'my girls' in Newcastle last Saturday.

At Pinocchio's Restaurant

We had a lovely Italian meal in Pinocchio's, after rummaging around the courtyard of the Black Swan where a stunning statue of the 'Iron Man' is displayed in all its glory!

Leah and I did a 'knees-up and bums-out' around the statues at Central Station (much to Dawn's chagrin) after tanking up just an eensy-weensy bit in the Long Bar!

Whoops-e-Daisy!

Tan Stripes on Show (Dawn is definitely NOT AMUSED!)

Big Laughs in Flairs

Givin' it Large!

We boogied on down at the famous '80's bar, 'Flairs' just off the Bigg Market . The fascinators and posh frocks were out in force after Ladies Day at the Races. And, oh, what a superb time we had. We laughed all night at the afro wigs and the Arnold Schwarzenegger look-a-like-ee(!) We danced and sang to all the golden-oldie songs of the 80's - and cocktails and southern comforts were on our Long Bar and Flairs menu. Mmmm!
Then we all bought a girls' night out key ring, complete with photograph- how very BIZARRE!


The Three of Us...

SUNDAY IN THE SUN

The garden's looking great, now that summer's here, the sun's out (most of the time!) and my tubs and baskets are vibrant with all the colours of the rainbow. This year, my resident blackbird is getting fat on cat food and my resident frog hops about happily, catching flies and enjoying the watering can.

So this hungover Sunday afternoon, we 'hung over' in the garden until it was time to go down to Newcastle's Tyne Bar to see the 'Scoundrels' rock band.

The amazing sounds of Russ's Stratocaster and Ronnie's blues harp echoed as we parked the cars down the road. Maybe they heard those soulful sounds all the way down the Tyne to the Wear! The band played on the famous open-air stage, with perfect acoustics under the tunnel of Ouseburn Lock. After a great afternoon, Leah went off to Walker, Dawn and Steve drove to Sheffield - and Dave and I went home to CRASH!!

WRITE ON:

It's been a busy couple of weeks. I've been taking part, once again, in the Writers Weekly 24 hour writing contest. It's the greatest fun, any of you competitive writers out there. It's an American company - and I know they're bone fide, having already won an honourable mention prize from them last Winter. If you're interested in joining in with the next one, go to:
www.writersweekly.com - or just click on the shortcut link below

I want to enter the Fall 2011 contest.

I've also entered the WOW Women on Writing Quarterly Flash Fiction contest (750 words max). That's great fun too. I keep getting to first base with them - but no further. MAYBE THIS TIME!
If you want to enter - or join WOW - go to:
www.wow-womenonwriting.com
or just use the shortcut below:
Click to Download the SUMMER 2011 FLASH FICTION Contest Terms & Conditions PDF

You can read my short, short fiction story, 'Oh, Lord', published by Authspot Online, if you click on the link below:

Oh! Lord

http://authspot.com/short-stories/oh-lord-3/

And my latest penning for North East Life, 'North Meets South on the Shields Ferry' is at:

North meets South on the Shields Ferry

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/detail/north-meets-south-on-the-shields-ferry/id/5292/

...SWANS

It's been time, this week, to write about my experiences in Windermere (See my last Writing for my Life blog, 'A Tale of Two Sisters'). One of the articles is PARTLY about SWANS, the other is ALL about SWANS.

So...

My North East Life Blog, 'Walkers Ticket on Windermere Lake' will be published soon.
My Article, 'Swan-ee, How I love Ya' will be up for publication soon too.
I'll give you both links when I get them.

For now, CONSTANT READERS, au revoir. Talk to you SOON

A Tale of Two Sisters - An' The Adverb's a Cissy!

2011-06-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

A TALE OF TWO SISTERS:

I haven't blogged here for such a long time and I apologise, dear readers. But there's a reason - a good reason, honest!
My sister Barbara came to visit from the hot deserty salty air of Karratha in the North West of Australia for six weeks, armed with a Brit Rail pass for two - and we travelled the length and breadth of England, trekked hither and thither, investigated every bit of woodland, moorland and craggy landscape we could find. We saw wildlife galore in the strangest places, doing the strangest things!

Seagull eating chips in St Ives

Squirrel in Sefton Park, Liverpool

Red Robin, Red Lion, Dittisham, Devon

Hareshaw Linn, Northumberland

Bunny on Northumbria University Campus, Newcastle

St Bees nr. Whitehaven, Cumbria

Preening Swan at Windermere

Digitalis Overdose in Durham!

Heron up a Weeping Willow, St James's Park, London

Moorhen makes a nest in Dover

Family of Ducks in Calais

We flew to Corfu for a week of wonderful wild scenery awash with birds, butterflies and beautiful critters.

Beautiful Butterfly settles on Ground

Stunning Bird in Treetops

Tortoise Crossing the Road

Yellow Butterfly in the Pink (Orange?)

Cheekiest Parrot EVER!

Window-Box Wild Cat?

We rediscovered our roots in LOVERLY LIVERPOOL.

Back to my street in Liverpool 1

My Nanna's house in Liverpool 15

In short, we had a BALL and I'll blog each trip in GLORIOUS DETAIL - so - WATCH THIS SPACE!

WRITE ON:

On 16th June, I was published FOR THE SECOND TIME by the fabulous FLASH FICTION CHRONICLES with a tongue-in-cheek, 'about writing', piece about the ADVERB.

Here's the link:

Flash Fiction Chronicles: Adverb: Amigo or Adversary

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/adverb-amigo-or-adversary-2/#comments

...and if you go to the 'Little Leaf Guesthouse' Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/littleleafguesthouse

you'll find 'Adverb' posted there too!! Thank you Little Leaf - the best B and B not only in St Ives, Cornwall, but in the whole country too!!

My commissioned article about GORGEOUS LA GREZE and the stunning countryside and hilltop villages of the MIDI-PYRENEES in Southern France has been published online by TRIFTER. Here's the link:

Gorgeous La Greze of the Tarn

http://trifter.com/practical-travel/gorgeous-la-greze-of-the-tarn/

John and Judi of La Greze

So...thank you for your patience constant readers...

...And I'll talk to you soon

Boats 'n' Barbeques!

2011-06-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

WHEN THE BOAT COMES IN

The boat I'm talking about is the Shields ferry that runs between North and South Shields. We popped down to take a look at this icon on a blue-skied, sunny Sunday afternoon at the new ferry landing at North Shields.

The boat was tethered (anchored?) taking on passengers who were about to make the seven minute journey to South Shields.

The famous Chain Locker pub that overlooked the North Shields side has gone, to be replaced by the majestic 'Chain Locker Apartments' (for rich yuppies only!) with its listed exterior called 'The Crane House'.
The infamous 'Jungle' that also overlooked the Tyne at North Shields has long gone, to be replaced by beautiful Collingwood mansions apartments.

Me and Collingwood Mansions

How the world has changed, hmm?
And then we saw SWANS. Yes, SWANS - on the River Tyne no less. Oh, yes, the world has certainly changed! I remember clearly, when nursing at the A & E department at Newcastle General Hospital (oh, dear, that's gone too) if anyone fell in the River Tyne, they were unlikely to survive the filth and pollution of the Tyne. Now there are salmon -and SWANS.

I came here to do a bit of last minute research for a story I was writing for the ALIBI television channel's annual story-writing competition. Fingers crossed for me, dear readers, please? The story is about an old Scottish busker whose already gammy legs meet with a crowbar after a trip on the Shields ferry to perform at South Shields Market. It's called

'MACK THE KNIFE'.

BARBEQUES ON BALMY EVENINGS

Me and Phil in Sausage mode!

After we'd pulled up shrubs, potted tubs and baskets, mowed the poor old dilapidated lawn, we were ready for some fun, the garden being SET FOR SUMMER!!

Mr Jim Cat ran up a tree and pawed at us forever from his lofty position!

Rosie Cat went to bed!

We set up up the barbeque, hungry and ready for a good old beanfeast. We cooked sausages and burgers for Phil and Dave; a lovely bit of salmon (NOT from the River Tyne, I don't expect); a big old salad bowl - YUM!

Maybe Summer's here, finally, CONSTANT READERS

Talk Soon

No Further than the Garden Gate

2011-04-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

SPRING GARDEN
Easter time at our house has been a garden fest of glorious sunshine. We've been making changes to the 'forest' out back and buying new plants, transplanting - and admiring the spring shrubs and trees.

The cherry trees look amazing this year. One of them is lit up at night. In fact there are lots of colour- changing lights springing up on shrubs and trees - and in tubs too.
My son says it's kinda cheesey - but what the hell, I LOVE IT.

Phew - gardening's hard work and I'm absolutely KNACKERED! But you know what they say - 'the sun shines on the righteous', so that must be ME!

WRITE ON - AU NATURELLE

Haiku

The cherry trees in the garden inspired me to write a little haiku. A Haiku should always be based in nature. I entered it into a Fan Story competition. It's entitled:
'CHERRY TREE AT DAWN'
You can take a look at it, artwork and all, at the link below:
http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?hd=1&id=422764
You can even read the really super reviews I've been getting - EXCEPTIONAL, they're saying. My! My!

Waterfalls and Fairies

I also got it into my head to write a piece for Authspot online about waterfalls, fairies and pixies - what a wonderful combination, don't you think? It's entitled,
'FROM SORTA SMALL TO WONDERWALL'.
You can read it at the link below:

http://authspot.com/poetry/from-sorta-small-to-wonderwall/

Midi- Pyrenees - Gites et Les Plus Beaux Villages de France

My commission to write about the 'gite' (cottage) we booked for a week's stay in 2009 is complete. Next stage is to add the photographs and get it off to the online publisher, Trifter. The article describes the hilltop villages we visited in the Tarn region of the Midi-Pyrenees. I enjoyed writing this article and I hope you'll enjoy reading it when it's published. It's to be entitled:
'GORGEOUS LA GREZE OF THE TARN'

For now, it's au revoir, adieu, bon vacances - I'm off to pull some weeds from my beau jardin!

Talk to you soon, Constant Readers.

Sugar, Digger, Gigger, Blogger...

2011-04-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

SUGAR:
It's good to be a mum at this time of year. I love all the fuss ...and the Mother's Day card...and the flowers...and the chocolates!! Ah, SUGAR! Love it.

This year, I was invited to spend the night at my son's flat for Mother's Day too. He doesn't know how lucky he is to have a flat overlooking the Tyne; watch the boats come in and out; watch the lights from North Shields to South Shields twinkling bright from dusk till dawn. I never got a wink of sleep - it was all too magical to go to bed. Thanks, Phil, for the best Mother's Day ever.

DIGGER:

As the garden starts to take on all that lovely Spring colour, it's time for the cats and I to get out there, get the gloves on......and do some mucking out.

Oh, what a chore. But it makes it all so much easier when I have the reds of the Pieris, the whites of the Ornamental Cherry and the pretty cerise of the Camelia to gaze upon as I go.

And I did enjoy (praise be to the heavens) a whole weekend of unexpected glorious sunny weather, me digging out the weeds, me planting summer bulbs - and the cats, Mr Jim (the fluffy black/white one) and Rosie (the tubby ++ one), digging them back up again!
Within a couple of days, my lilac blossoms have made an entrance, my tulips have come into full orange, pink and red blooms - and the clematis is growing and budding at a mile a minute. So, now that my green fingers are working again: onward, Sheila, onward...

It's good to get me gardening head back on!

GIGGER:

The Gatecrashers were red hot when I caught them at the Rising Sun, Crawcrook, last weekend. Not only were they fantastic, us girl partners did the 'biz' too! We grooved together with the 'bum' dance, Nina and I, shaking our booties to increase the wild atmosphere of the gig - and we did - OH YES!

Nick (vocalist and guitarist), Ant (lead guitar and backing vocals), Dave (Bass Guiatar) and Maurice (drums) were on fire. Nick sure knows how to get a crowd warmed up, sparks flew from that amazing guitar of Ant's, Dave's bass was like an electrical storm of deep thunderous tones - and Maurice was a live wire on those beautiful blonde drums.

The crowd loved the Gatecrashers:

"Fantastic night - I hope they're back here soon," said one.

"Wouldn't have missed this gig - not for anything," said another.

At the end of the night, they wanted more, more, more - and the guys hit white hot heights with 'Sex on Fire', Nick right there gyrating on the bar to drive the audience crazy.

What a brilliant night - a great night to be a GIGGER, I thought....

BLOGGER:

Invited to blog for the wonderful North East Magazine, 'North East Life', I have penned a couple of blogs containing super photographic footage for 'The Otters of Otterburn' and 'A Gaggle of Geese'.

Photos by kind permission of Dave Hildreth and Dawn Boulton - thanks, guys.

The blog, entitled, 'TWIGS, GIGS, HAUNTS AND JAUNTS' is a diary of walks, gigs, favourite haunts and my travels around the locality of the North of England. Give it a whirl - I hope you enjoy.

Here's the link:

Twigs, Gigs, Haunts and Jaunts

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/entries/sheila-newton-twigs-gigs-haunts-and-jaunts/id/381/

Yet another feather in my cap, don't you think? Another string to my bow!

WRITE ON!! and read on - there's more...

^^^

I was commissioned by the fabulous Gatecrashers band, to ghostwrite their official website. What an honour. It was a real privilege to work with these great North-East musicians.

You can visit their website at:

The Gatecrashers Band

www.thegatecrashersband.co.uk

Talk to you soon, Constant Reader.

Hope you enjoyed this installment.

There'll be another one soon.

In the meantime...

HAPPY EASTER

Go to the link below to colour in your own Easter Bunny (!!)

http://www.toonworkshop.com/free/clipart/cartoon/easter/index.php

Leeds, Long-ago Liverpool and a Love of Language

2011-04-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

LEEDS

We met up at the Travelodge, Leeds Central, to spend a night and a day taking in the atmosphere of Leeds. There was just me and my best friend, Dawn, and we had a ball (except that I snored all night -allegedly!)

We wined and dined in 'La Tasca' - a great Spanish restaurant that served us perfect paella - and at Wagamama. Wikapedia says of Wagamama, 'a British headquartered restaurant chain, serving pan-Asian food in the style of a modern Japanese Ramen Bar'. And that's just about right. The food, in 'get it when it's ready' style, comes at you fast and furious, in bowls with chopsticks. It was a huge treat. I'll have to try out the one in Eldon Square, Newcastle, near to where I live.

We had breakfast in a super greasy spoon in the indoor market. We strolled around the 'tat' stalls where I found a bag and a couple of bling watches.

We wandered into so many arcades with cascading fountains, they all looked alike, blurring into one, except for the designer gear and jewellery in the shop windows. We strolled, mesmerised by the retro clothes shops until we came to the arts and crafts market - here every second Saturday apparently - where I found myself drawn to beautiful amber rings and things - and I bought one (a ring, that is!).
Dawn bought a hand-made framed clutch of hens in recycled metals (she'll correct me if I'm wrong in my description - but she won't dispute that it's simply gorgeous!)

Around the town hall were stunning statues and a tree of shoes (yes, you read it correctly!)

Inside the art gallery were the amazing works of Henry Moore. The Henry Moore institute, a collaboration between the Tate Gallery and Leeds Art Gallery, houses marvelous must-see sculptures. I was enthralled. This was a great week-end. We'll do an away week-end again, for sure - and so should you, dear readers!

WRITE ON

Love of Language:
Thanks a million to my writing buddies (and tutor, Kathleen Kenny, who introduced the activity) of the Wednesday writing group at Mea House Newcastle, for their involvement in the writing exercise that fuelled my 'about writing' article for -

FLASH FICTION CHRONICLES

It was published on 24th March, entitled 'Waltzing with the Word'. You might want to try out this great activity for yourselves. Here's the link:

Flash Fiction Chronicles: Waltzing with the Word

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/

Ghosts and Games of Long-Ago Liverpool

My manuscript for the 'Forget-me-Nots'section in 'This England'- a quarterly glossy magazine about life in England - has been retained.

How fantastic to be considered worthy by such a magazine. I'm honoured! Everything's coming up roses - a great big crimson bunch of 'em!

That's all, constant readers, until next time...

...and next time, I'm likely to be giving my garden some much-needed attention!

Graceful Birds, Brilliant Gig & Gaudi's Barcelona

2011-03-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

Cormorants Nest on River Tyne

Walking on the pier between the North Shields Fish Quay and Tynemouth last weekend, we saw the most amazing sight: cormorants in their hundreds, nesting on shallow protruding rocks in the river.I've seen cormorants many, many times, but usually, I've spotted one, or maybe a pair. But this was astounding.
The cormorant is often described as almost reptilian - some say spooky or foreboding describes them best. They are often seen with wings spread, drying out after fishing expeditions.

"They must nest here in the spring-time," I said, "Must make it my business to come here every March." And I shall. Oh, I shall.
When we set off, it seemed like a drab, miserable day. It hail-stoned on the way down to the quay.

But the sky became a magic mix of colour,the river sparkled silver light (making many of the photographs look like black-and-whites), limpets clung onto rocks in the shallows for dear life. It was like they believed a tsunami was due. And the statue of Lord Collingwood looking out to sea appeared dark and devillish.

A graceful bird in a gorgeous setting, don't you think?

A Gripping Performance from the Gatecrashers

The Brandling Villa in Gosforth, Newcastle, buzzed with excitement. The place was packed to the rafters with fans as well as musicians from other local bands - all here to spend an evening with the fabulous Gatecrashers.

It was the first time I'd seen them with their vibrant new lead vocalist. And I was impressed - so very impressed. Nick (Saints of Arcadia) Jennison (below, left) has more than enough charisma to set a stage alight - and then some. And he can sing - oh, can he sing!

Sharing lead guitar with the amazing Ant Wright (below, left) who also provides great backing vocals, they had a ball while entertaining their discerning Geordie audience.

Add to the flavoursome mix the brilliant bass guitarist, Dave Hildreth and talented drummer, Maurice Anderson (pictured together, above right) - and the Gatecrashers were a big green GO!

And the crowd roared.

With pop numbers like 'Valerie' and 'Forget You', soul favourites like 'I Feel Good' and 'I Want You Back' and a dollop of rock an' roll in the guise of 'Sex on Fire' and 'She Was Just Seventeen' for good measure, you'd be pushing it to find a better cover band.

And the crowd roared.

A guest appearance from the singer of local rock band, Tommy and the Oddballs' added a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi to an already brilliant Gatecrashers performance. And the crowd roared.

On opposite sides of the stage, Tommy and Nick, up on chairs, bellowed and growled the lyrics to 'Dakota', while Ant took on superb lead guitar, jiggling his choir-boy golden curls, Dave (no curls, folks, but he does sport a mean curling lip) boomed the bassiest riffs ever - and Maurice sweated the drum-sticks and grinned over a beautiful Yamaha kit. And the crowd roared.

It was a brilliant gig - brilliant!
View the Gatecrashers' rendition of 'Try a Little Tenderness' at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uxkORJxS8k

WRITE ON

How Gaudi Taught Me a Lesson

Writing an article for Literary Traveler about Gaudi's architecture in beautiful Barcelona, I was taken aback by how much research was needed to get it right. Gaudi was a complicated fellow - and his work is equally as complicated. With a mix of Gothic and Art Nouveau, he took his work from nature. He famously said,

"Nature is my teacher."

When I researched Gaudi's sparkling creations, I realised I didn't know the half of it. His wavy lines, intricately forged sculptures and colours all portray something from nature. The balconies of Casa Mila (right) portray coral and kelp; the wavy lines, sea cliffs and caves. What a great deal I learned.

I also learned that ANY and EVERY piece of creative writing should be researched, from the point of view of history, perhaps - or geography - or just plain creativity: RESEARCH is the buzz word.

Now isn't that a GREAT BIG writing tip?

...and finally, some BLOODY GOOD news for me! My 'about writing' piece, 'Waltzing with the Word', is to be published on Thursday 24th March in

FLASH FICTION CHRONICLES

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/

NEXT TIME...A WEEKEND IN LEEDS

TALK TO YOU SOON, CONSTANT READERS

Red Letter Days

2011-03-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted for a couple of weeks, but oh, those couple of weeks have been eventful. I've had so many red letter days it's quite astonishing:

A SQUIRRELLY SORT OF A GOOSE-BUMPY DAY

First, I had a trip to Sheffield to stay with friends and managed to get photographs and a video of a squirrel, out from his lair to eat the bird food my friend had set out on a tree stump.
I have to call it a red letter day because I adore squirrels. There were robins out there in the woodland of Graves Park too - and a larger version of a tree-creeper I can't remember the name of. And then there were my favourites - the geese - all bad-tempered and hissy-fitting because Spring is here!

WRITE ON

SEX-DRIVE AND SWEATY SOCKS
http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/mywanderlust/forum/the-weirdest-thing-youve-eaten-on-your-travels_2930

The link, above, takes you to my comment about the fruit, Durian. I tasted it on a trip to Kuala Lumpur. It is famous, they say, for improving libido - increase your sex-drive! I've entered this into my 'red letter day' posting, because it was the first time I had used the 'My Wanderlust' site on the Wanderlust website. It costs nothing to join and it's amazing: a great place to post information, photos etc. about holidays and trips.
There's also a members forum, which is where I posted my comment. Have you ever tasted Durian? It's an experience, I can tell you! Some people say it tastes like rancid cheese or putrid fish. I rather liked it!

THIS RIGHT HONOURABLE WRITER

"Well, I never," I said, when I looked at the Writers' Weekly 24-hour Fall Contest winners page, "I got an honourable mention." There was a first, second and third prize, followed by 20 honourable mentions - and I was one of them. My 850-word story, 'Meet Me off the Train' had won me a year's subscription to 'The Write Market' magazine and an e-book of my choice.

Any writer out there interested in entering the Spring 24-hour contest, here's the website link:
http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.php
Now that was a red letter day indeed!

COMMISSIONED FOR CASTELNAU - Moi? Bien sûr!

La Greze, Castelnau de Montmiral, is the location of the wonderful gite where we stayed with our friends in 2009 as part of a tour of Annecy, Provence and the Midi-Pyrenees in France.

The owners, John and Judi have invited me to pen an article about our stay at La Greze, including the romantic hilltop villages amongst the vineyards, the meadowland and forest areas surrounding it.
I'll be writing about their beautiful gites, swimming pool and gardens - and their wonderful hospitality. I'll be publishing text and photographs of the villages around and about. I'll give the reader tips and hints on the best places to visit for day-trips away. To view 'La Greze', go to: http://www.lagreze.iowners.net/

Barbeque at La Greze (the Grange) '09

POETIC LICENSE

Below, there are links to my attempts at poetry. I've written about HAIKU, SONNETS, the SENYRU and the SESTINA. If you like poetry (or even if you don't and you just want to try it out for the heck of it!)
Go to the links below for my published poetry pieces to date, with the publishers, Authspot and Bookstove - and the writing community, Fan Story.

Haiku

http://authspot.com/poetry/haiku-42/

Winter arriving (haiku)

http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?id=375156

Spring Woodland (haiku)

http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?id=407030

Dusk ‘til Dawn (haiku)

http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?hd=1&id=377310

Setting the Scene for Sestina

http://bookstove.com/poetry/setting-the-scene-for-sestina/

Moon-Dappled Magic (senyru)

http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?id=389390

Fan Story: Things that go Bump in the Night (sonnet)

http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?id=406153

Of course, Shakespeare really knew what he meant when he said to me,

'Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day'!

(Ah! Did I hear g-r-o-a-n-s?)

AU REVOIR - FOR NOW.
THANKS FOR READING ABOUT MY RED LETTER DAYS
TALK TO YOU VERY SOON, CONSTANT READERS

The Bottom Line | Authspot

2011-03-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

The Bottom Line Authspot

...for a fun piece of writing about the life of my rear-end, bum, bottom - whatever you want to call it!

If you have any comments at all - for example, if you want to tell me about your backside! - then you can comment here, on this blog, or go to the link above and comment there.

Hope to hear from you soon, CONSTANT READER!

A Spring in My Step

2011-02-24T11:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I reckon spring is just around the corner - and if we're due another cold snap, the garden knows nothing about it! Although my winter tubs of blooms are still in full flow...

... the hyacinths and daffs and tulips are sprouting lovely green shoots.

My spring bulbs are starting to peep out of the ground. The snowdrops are in full flow

and the crocuses in the garden and on the lawn are gleaming their magic colours.

My cats are starting to get a spring in their steps - and SO AM I!!

***

WRITE ON...

It came as a bit of a shock to me this week, that a critique of my flash fiction story, BED OF ROSES, showed an 'average' rating. I was diasappointed, disgruntled, f-f-furious! But when I went back in to the story, I realised that my reviewer was absolutely right - I'd cocked up big-style.

I hadn't kept my writing TIGHT and I'd thrown in so many pesky ADVERBS, it was untrue. So I took the story back and edited it before submitting to a writing competition on Fan Story. What a difference. Now I'm like a dog with two tails - I've LEARNED a lot about writing flash fiction.

Well, folks, the upshot of it was that the person who'd critiqued an 'average' had WON the competition - and I came 5th out of 13 competitiors, so in the end, I didn't do so badly...

The moral of this story is ALWAYS LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF YOUR CRITICS - you'll be a better writer for listening to advice instead of blowing a gasket!

If you'd like to read 'Bed of Roses', here's the link:

BED OF ROSES

http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?id=406866

and if you'd like to read my 3-5-3 haiku poem about spring flowers, just to keep you in 'spring mode', here's the link:

SPRING WOODLAND

http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?id=407030

If Spring is really nearly here......then my flowery cup, flowery top, flowery tights and flowers in my sparkly vase might have brought me a touch of good luck!

HERE'S HOPING!

TALK TO YOU SOON, CONSTANT READERS

Sonnets that Creep an' a Peep at Roll Deep

2011-02-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

Last week I learned how to write a sonnet.

This week I wrote an article called 'The Sonnet Revealed...' It teaches you how to write a sonnet in a few easy steps. My CREEPY sonnet (rather an unusual theme for a sonnet, I'm proud to add) is displayed in the article, published online by 'Bookstove'.

It's also been entered into a sonnet competition on Fan Story, the writing community I belong to.
Here are the two links:

Fan Story: Things that go Bump in the Night

http://www.fanstory.com/displaystory.jsp?id=406153

The Sonnet revealed...

http://bookstove.com/poetry/the-sonnet-revealed/

Hope you enjoy both my pieces.

***

I bought my son two tickets for a rap band called Roll Deep for his birthday. He invited me to be the other ticket holder. I got done up in my best best bling outfit. An' off we went, pubbin' an' clubbin' last Friday, 11th February. The concert was held in the O2 Academy in Newcastle. The night ROCKED...

...and Roll Deep ROCKED! We rapped and danced the night away.

At 61, I reckon that was quite an achievement!

What a week!

2011-02-05T08:20:00.000-08:00

Just back from a long week-end in Barcelona. Just found out that I'm to be published with one of my fiction pieces in the small press magazine, DEBUT. Just made a wish, blowing out the candles of my belated heart-shaped birthday cake. This whole week has gone off with a great big BANG!

BARCELONA
I'd recommend a trip there to anyone. There's something there for everyone. We travelled by Easy Jet - cheap and cheerful - and found a great little hotel in the Eixample area. The Hostal Agua Alegre is the friendliest place. The staff were wonderful, providing us with a huge map of Barcelona and pointing out all the places we wanted to visit, with arrows on the map to guide our way. A big thanks goes out to them: if we visit Barcelona again, we'll stay there for sure.

We followed the Gaudi trail. There are great examples of his work all over this gorgeous city, not least in the area of Eixample, where the Casa Mila, Casa Batllo and the Sagrada Familia can be found on the long, long road, Passieg de Gracia.

After viewing these amazing sights, we decided to trek up and up toward the blue winter sky to the Parc Guell. (that's me, on the left, at the entrace of the Parc Guell) The views from up here in the 'heavens', of the stunning city of Barcelona, are amazing. The park itself is among the best I've ever visited. It's devoted to Gaudi's work, with quirky sculpures and buildings to view on a huge wavy-walled piazza.

MY CLAIM TO FAME

Park publications are to publish (in hard copy, no less!) my story, 'Me, Bea and Betsy make Three'. It's about two old Geordie lasses who talk a walk along the coast from Whitley Bay to Tynemouth. Betsy is a dog. You need to read the rest to find out what happens! I'll tell you when it gets published and you can order your own copy...

THE BIG FAT BIRTHDAY CAKE

When we got back from Barcelona, I was greeted with the biggest birthday cake I'd ever had: a great big heart-shaped white beauty, decorated with crimson roses. Oh, and the taste - mmm...

Me - and my big fat cake!

So this week's been huge for me. BOOM!

Right on The Doorstep | Trifter

2011-01-25T12:04:00.000-08:00

Right on The Doorstep Trifter

Click above on the link to my published piece, 'Right on the Doorstep' - it's about a day out in South Shields. Enjoy your read.