Tatershall Castle…
May 10th, 2012
It didn't seem likely that we'd see much sun, but the Goblin had the day off, so Tuesday we took our cameras off to Tatershall Castle (about fifteen miles east of Lincoln). It's more of a moated tower. It was built at the end of the 15th century and was apparently one of the early large residents built in brick. When visiting most National Trust properties you get a sticker to prove to the volunteers stationed around the property that you've paid. I, being paranoid, kept asking the lady at the desk... "Are you sure we don't need stickers?"...three seconds later..."Are you sure we don't need stickers?"...ten seconds later etc... How was I to know there would be NO volunteers? No one to stop me from taking five hundred photos! The lady looked at me like she hoped I'd fall down the stairs which wouldn't be hard. Tatershall has one serious winding staircase (the wedge type that rap around the central pole thingy) from the second floor all the way to the roof. The first floor (or ground floor) was a public space so the living space starts on the second floor...through the door on the far right in the photo. The far left door led down to the servants' hole. I found countless examples of old graffiti, but only on the upper floors of the tower then it was everywhere. I never add my own, I only admire work by long dead people who thought to immortalize themselves in someone else's stone. I know I should have been writing (I've been a bit stuck) but it was so lovely to get out in the sunshine. I even got a slight sun burn which is remarkable considering it's been raining for almost two weeks. It was a lovely day out. My Goblin didn't like this photo. The composition of the dying cherry blossoms hanging in the way irritated him, but for some unknown reason this was the clearest shot of the castle I took.
If you want to see more photos click… (more…)
My visitor…
March 29th, 2012
This morning the power cut out as the Goblin was heading out the door. I didn’t check my computer till after he’d left the house…and of course, because I was planning to work on chapter 47, the computer claimed no knowledge of me or my files. Being a computer-incompetent I had to wait for the Goblin to come home to get the computer to cough up my settings, files etc. It was rather annoying, but as I was feeling really rather fatigued (in a good way) from yesterday I went back to bed. When I finally got up (rather late) I dressed and went outside to sit in the sunshine on the deck. It’s my favorite part of living here. It’s a suntrap and there’s only neighbors on the left so if I put my back to the fence I can pretend we live in the blissful rolling countryside (when there’s no children on their way to or from school and the neighbor isn’t out working on his new garden fence). This afternoon it was quiet and warm. I hadn’t been sitting there long when into the garden came a cat; a teenage cat that’s come to visit several times before. (more…)
A living work of art…
March 28th, 2012
I went for a walk in the evening sunshine with my camera. I didn’t think I’d find any pictures. The sun was setting and after an emotional yet positive day my thoughts were turned inward. I intended to have a short gentle walk down the paved road into the countryside as usual, but when I got to the first footpath sign I stopped and admired the young rape seed plants starting to sprout and the rock hard path shaped by endless dog walkers cutting through the field. For the first time in months I decided to walk down into the field. My camera was in my hand, but I didn’t think I’d use it. I knew the path and couldn’t think of anything of interest. Down the hill and over the foot bridge into the next field I noticed the sun, still fairly high, over an overgrown bush and took several unexciting pictures before heading past a boring looking tree and around the corner. Being out of shape, I stopped to catch my breath. Looking back over the way I’d come I saw a pleasant view with the two fields juxtaposed with three trees at various distances all the colours infused with the soft yellow light.
I was about to move on to finish my walk when I suddenly thought I’d try to take a closer shot of the nearest tree because from this side with the sunlight on it the boring tree looked sort of interesting. I’d never walked up that way before. I’d never thought to take a closer look at this tree. Once I was a few feet away I could finally see…at some point it had been struck by lighting or suffered horrific winds. The trunk had been split open. (more…)
Update…
March 9th, 2012
Dancing the Maypole is progressing. Wednesday I finished chapter 45 and started chapter 46. Today I deleted what I had of 46, but I know where I was going wrong. At least I can write. For most of February into March I felt so poorly with a never ending chest cold I couldn’t think. The book now has 125,115 words and I don’t think it will be longer than 130,000 (hopefully less). The story is rolling to it’s last scene.
Yesterday I didn’t get any writing done because my Goblin took the day off work and we went to the beach (Aldeburgh in Suffolk). It was one of those sunny days with a certain kind of clear light that leaves the brain saturated with visual beauty. (more…)
Another year older…
February 9th, 2012
Another year older…whether it’s made me any wiser is debatable. The only downside to my birthday has been a hideous chest/head cold which after nearly two weeks is still making me feel miserable (though less miserable than I was a few days ago). I can’t wait for my head to clear so I can get back to work finishing Dancing the Maypole (AKA hitting my head against the proverbial brick wall). I’ve written (and deleted) the next chapter from four different characters’ perspectives. At least I know everything that’s going on…whether I need to or not. Maybe the characters are punishing me for getting impatient with them. I probably want to be done with this book more than is good for my characters (or my mental well being). My sanity aside, I did have a lovely birthday (without cake and ice cream - that’s how healthy my diet is. The closest I come to a treat is a carrot, but I have visibly lost weight which makes me feel good). On my birthday, after being stuck indoors for a few days, I wrapped up like a mummy and went for a walk in the snow with my camera. Of course, the camera battery ran out (because that’s what happens when you find yourself in a magical landscape demanding to be photographed). Thankfully I eventually remembered my phone has a camera so I was able to capture a few lovely shots I would otherwise have missed. These are some of my favorites… (more…)
De-Faced…
January 27th, 2012
My Facebook account has been deactivated. I told my Goblin I was seriously thinking of giving it the chop (intending to think about it a few more days and go on there one more time) and he went away and chopped it. So it’s done…or undone rather. So you haven’t been unfriended - I’ve been de-Faced!
Dancing the Maypole: I’m on chapter 44 and the word count is about 124,000. I suspect I have another five thousand words to go. I feel like I’ve been inching up the last twenty feet to the top of Mt Everest (wearing my pajamas), climbing a sheer wall of ice with two handfuls of chopsticks…the ground so far below, if I fall I’ll have endless minutes to ponder my failings before landing as the latest human Popsicle to decorate the mountain. I’m sure I’ll get to the top…eventually… I’m probably missing something and the characters are all rolling their eyes in exasperation. (more…)
And the first book printed in English was…?
January 15th, 2012
I recently came across an amazing website called, The history of Information. One man, a serious collector of information, has categorized a vast amount of information on information by date and/or subject. If you love learning new things give it a look. Every time I randomly have a search I learn numerous new things. Tonight my brain feels made of cherry jello, but I still managed to read a few things about the history of the printing press that made me go…”Hmmm?”
Do you know the first book printed in English? (1473 – 1474) If (like me) you thought ‘The Bible’ you’d be wrong! I felt slightly affronted to find I was ignorant of such an important fact. As someone who grew up wanting to be an author I feel great admiration and gratitude to the ingenious brave printers who faced the wrath of the establishment (all the people making money off scribing and painting manuscripts on vellum - ie all the people with power to have you burnt at the stake for trying to undermine their version of the universe). Gutenberg changed the world. Try to imagine the world without printed books… (more…)
Something Cari this way comes…
January 6th, 2012
A story is coming...
I may have developed a blog posting phobia. I’ve been wanting to write a post for weeks, but every time I tried to pin myself down at the computer I’d find a thousand other things that needed to be done first, like watching another rerun episode of The Mentalist. It’s not really the fear of writing a blog post, it’s the fear of letting people down because I can’t yet say, “It’s done!” However, I can say I’m nearly done with Dancing the Maypole. I started chapter 44 yesterday (it’s now over 121,000 words so it’s by far my longest story yet). This should be the last chapter before the Epilogue. Something Cari this way comes! Over Christmas I pulled out Once Upon a Wager and read what I have. I only see it needing about four more chapters. As soon as I’m done with Maypoles I’ll see if I can get the characters to cooperate.
It’s a miracle I got any writing done this past month as I spent most of it sick, but (as of the 1st of Jan) I’m back on my mega healthy Candida diet so after a few weeks my energy levels should rise now that I’ve thrown sugar overboard. This time I have some new tools to help me stay on course. I’m looking forward to being less fat and having more brain energy to write faster. Stories are piled on my mental file cabinet. I thought of another one on my walk today (a child’s picture book). I should probably make a note of it before it falls into my mental black hole. The likelihood of it getting written isn’t high, but I think it’s best to capture all story ideas just in case I turn into one of those scary super-writers who churn out brilliant stories every three months. One can always hope!
In the mean time…this afternoon I walked down to the Fairy-wood where I found some magical photos. (more…)
John Forte should be number one…
November 29th, 2011
This evening I went onto Listverse which is a website that publishes a new list every day. Sometimes the lists are created by the Website owner, but usually they’re sent in by anonymous people who want to share a list of obscure or favorite facts. Sometimes the list ends up someone’s opinion…like today. (more…)
My evening walk…
November 13th, 2011
Three-thirty this afternoon I told the Goblin I was thinking of going for a walk. ‘You don’t have long,’ he said. ‘The sun is already starting to set.’ I put on two sweaters (and one of my trusty knit hats which make me look like Santa fired me for insubordination) and headed off with my camera hoping there would be enough light filtering through the trees (the sun was already low in the sky when I set off) to take photos of something… (more…)
