Getting back to blogging ...

I've been away for a few weeks enjoying the sunshine ... as a result I missed the last week or so of the month long Blogalong challenge and would really like to pick up where I left off.

I still haven't started to advertise my blog outside of this group for the main reason that I'm uncertain about how far I want to share my life with the people who check into my Facebook page or website.

I'd be really interested to hear some of your views on this ... how much do you share of your life on your blog?   Do any of you mix business and personal on your blogs?  How does that work for you?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

The Flower Puppy outside the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain
- the flowers are growing on this frame and are changed four times a year -
I can't even keep my pots of geraniums from drying out!!

Farewell for now

"Digging"

"Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; snug as a gun"

Seamus Heaney died today .... (read this piece from the Washington Post)

...such a great loss to the world of Irish literature ... he won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995 and some say he was one of the world's all time great poets.  There was a ruralness to his poetry and I've always loved the richness of the language - this poem, Digging, sums him up well for me - a poem which is very relevant to the digging we all do as artists.

"Between my finger and my thumb

The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.

Under my window, a clean rasping sound
When the spade sinks in to gravelly ground:
My father, digging.   I look down.

Til his straining rump among the flowerbeds
Bends low, comes up twenty years away
Stooping in rhythm through potato drills
Where he was digging.

The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft
Against the inside knee was levered firmly.
He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep
To scatter new potatoes that we picked,
Loving their cool hardness in our hands.

By God, the old man could handle a spade,
Just like his old man.

My grandfather cut more turf in a day
Than any man on Toner's bog
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper.   He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away
Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
Over his shoulder, going down and down
For the good turf.   Digging.  

The cold smell of potato mould, the squelch and slap
of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
Through living roots awaken in my head.
But I've no spade to follow men like them.  

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests. 
I'll dig with it."

* * * * * * * *

I hope this isn't goodbye ...

I'm so sad that this 30 day challenge to blog every day for a month has come to an end .... I've missed the last few days and it'll take a few days to get caught up reading the last week's worth of blogs from all the wonderful new people I've come to know here ... and hopefully it'll be a practice that we'll all continue.   A huge shout out to Effy Wild for starting this off!   Check out her brilliant web site and courses for artists here.

Right now, I'm in the middle of France - it's dusk - and there's a noise that belongs to places that are warm and sunny - a slight hum of insects, friends preparing dinner, distant sounds of traffic.... the outline of the hills is dark behind the vineyards, and there's a vague shade of pink left in the sky.  Tomorrow we have a gig, but for tonight we're still allowed to feel like we're on holiday.

We've been spending time with some old friends - it's been at least 6 years since we last saw each other, but it may as well be yesterday.... Isn't that the lovely thing about friendship ... you don't have to see each other every day to connect ... we were sitting around the table trying to remember where it was we first met ... and the only thing we can agree on was that it was at least 15-18 years ago and it was in Holland. 

We've spent the day lazing around the place after the morning trip to the vegetable market ... those photos will have to wait for another day...  and I even spent some time making art.

I hope that I continue to see all of you on a regular basis - I look forward to continuing reading your blogs ...  and look forward to the next challenge to connect.

Enough wine for another couple of years!  Outside our friends garden fence this is the wonderful view :)  Near Cahors in France.

Le Château

A very short entry today, just to check in ... I've been uploading the past couple of days blogs - it's rainging today so I'm having a happy couple of hours playing ... :)

The village where we're staying has a château ... 

When I was at school - a few years ago! - I wrote a project about the Loire valley and the châteaux of the wine growing region ... and this is the first time I've ever got to see one!  It's still occupied - as a holiday home - by 3 related families ...

It was built back in the 12th century and all of it originally was like the buildings on the left ... but later updated.   It has a moat the whole way around it, teeming with carp .. when the weather clears I'll get a few more pics.

And our residence for the next few days .... a 300 year old town house .... old, solid and warm ... with grapes growing on the outside wall :)   I'm in heaven.  Day 25 of Effy's Blogalong Challenge

Concentration

Written on board Celtic Ferries Ship.   Thursday 22^nd August – to be uploaded later. 

Concentration is difficult for me these days…. I’m very easily distracted by the internet, the TV or blogs or, or, or … So I’ve come up with a cunning plan to trick myself into getting some work done …. I set the timer on my phone for 15 minutes and work on whatever it is I need to do …. 15 minutes filing, 15 minutes practice time, 15 minutes working on new bookings, 15 minutes meditation … and it’s working for me. 

Running some errands on the way down 

But today we’ve set out on our first holiday in 15 years – well it’s not entirely a holiday cos we have a few gigs on the way, but it’s a break from routine.   We drove down through the country today finishing up a couple of jobs en route, delivering stuff, seeing people etc 

… and got on to the ferry at 8 for a 9.30 overnight sailing.   Beautiful night for it too ....

Two ferries leaving before us

 And it’s packed … people sleeping on the floor everywhere and in fact a couple of women came on in their PJs ready for the night!!    It’s always colourful in summertime on ferries.   But I love sitting and watching it all …

 A woman just walked passed us and turned to her youngish son and said “ I TOLD you to wait over there for me!   Now go before I give ya brain damage and I’ll come back and get ye in a few minutes”!

We just burst out laughing …  although what she said was awful, it was delivered in a broad Dublin accent which, if you listen very closely you’ll recognise as English, but is really a language all of its own – from the markets area of the city, and spoken by a lot of the travelling people.   A few minutes later 3 youngish men stood beside us talking and it took me at least a couple of minutes to realise that they were talking English too. 

Beautiful night for a sailing

I love listening to people in public places – catching one sentence out of context can be really funny.    There’s no wifi on board tonight so kids are running around the corridors and between the people lying on the floor, so the cinema beckons now before we go to our really comfy cabin ….  If we can get in past all the wee urchins!!

But before that I’m trying to get a few minutes to concentrate….

I started a new piece of knitting around the same time as we started Inner Excavation – and it’s driving me nuts …. It’s a lace pattern (with a very long rib!), done in 2 ply wool – and you have to totally concentrate or you’ll end up at the end of the row with either more stitches or less stitches than you need.   It cannot be done while watching TV or while chatting and I’ve spent most of the last couple of weeks knitting two rows and then unpicking them again … 

I now have two stitches less than I need on the needles between half way and the end of the row and I’ve already ripped this out a couple of times!! 

So I’m thinking this needs to be like a meditation … do one row at a time, in total concentration and then put it down for a while and repeat.  

Or else I’m going to be leaving £50 worth of wool for another project. 

I’m writing this to upload it over the next couple of days when we have a connection again … but for now it’s back to people watching and start practicing my understanding of French – the cinema’s been abandoned ….

This is Day 22 of Effy’s Blogalong Challenge. 

A Different Pace of Life

23^rd August on board Celtic Horizon, nearing France.

time to chill

Just sitting here watching the clouds go by

We’re travelling at 30 kph … no hurry … the knitting is sorted, the pages are written, photos are taken and we’ve had a half hour in the sun out on deck … What a way to go … wouldn’t it be great to have a couple of hours like this every day!

Alderney in the distance

Passing Alderney in the Channel Islands … There was lighthouse flashing and then a boat appeared, heading directly for us … it was definitely someone signalling a coded message from the island to the ship and now the occupants of this boat are coming to find the culprit HAHAHAHA

coming to catch the spies

The other half is sitting with legs dangling over the edge … and of course I can’t see green cheese as they say but I have to have it too …

Can I play too?

I met the objects of the woman’s annoyance from last night – 4 8 or 10 year old monsters and a slightly older minder … running up and down the corridors slamming doors at 1 o’clock .   Feeling so proud of myself that I went and talked to them … astounded that they actually listened … the poor mother!  They were so cute … I’d love to have gotten a photo cos I’m sure one of them is going to be famous at some point.   They’re so innocent looking but they have trouble written all over them.  

A Frenchman!!  We must be nearly there ... 

I think this is going to be the mode of transport for the next few tours to Europe … a day to chill out is the answer to all woes. 

Day 23 of Effy's Blogalong Challenge 

Family connections - in laws

It's been a busy day getting things wrapped up for September classes - changing days for community choir, planning one to ones, enrolling in a Pilates class for myself, updating my website  and having a great acupuncture session with our local physiotherapist - busy day.   But tomorrow we're heading away to do a few gigs.

We'll be dropping in to see a cousin of Tom's that he hasn't seen since they were both very small and we've been going through family snaps to bring to her ... There's something about old family photos that makes me pause for a while and just breathe and let the mind wander off on its own trail.

Tom on the right with his younger brother - obviously the fish was special!

 In the middle of it we found this great picture of my mother in law and her sister when they were in their late teens.   They both loved clothes and worked in the linen mills edging handkerchiefs ...  They'd go to the pictures (the movies for my American friends here) to see what the stars were wearing and then come home and copy those dresses and have them ready to wear the following week at the dance.  Clever girls!

Time for school ....

Tom heading to the new school.

We reckon his Uncle on the left was a member of the Sopranos!!

This is Day 21 of Effy's Blogalong Challenge  ... I've missed a few, but mostly I've kept up - both with writing and with reading some of the other wonderful blogs in this group - it feels like I've gotten to know a whole new family.  

Day 16 - Sister Moon and a new toy ...

Oh the beautiful moon ... just spotted her rising this evening ...

Had to get outside for a look ...

And I found a new toy ....a tripod!!!   woohoo .... a lot steadier.

The water looks so inviting with the reflection on it...

and the clouds ....

how mysterious ....

I was seriously off centre this evening - no time all day to just be on my own and do something creative.   And the next few weeks we're going to be on the move mostly ...  panic.

Really enjoyed these few minutes to breathe and focus.   

I'm writing to Santa for a new camera lol

Day 16 of Effy's Blogalong Challenge

Tuesday Songs

You don't see many great songs about Tuesdays ... Ruby Tuesday is the first one I can think of .... but that's about a person .... Mondays inspire a lot of things - anger, excitement, anguish, doom and gloom, the start of a diet ... but Tuesdays are just in the middle.

So I went searching  ..... here's the songs I could find about Tuesday .... I started off having a real laugh .... the David Bowie one is ridiculous. (and this from a real Bowie fan!!!) ... but then I a few gems followed .... Cat Stevens, Stevie Wonder  and Counting Crows really stood out for me ... and of course Ruby Tuesday ... in fact I probably like Marianne Faithful's version of it better than the Stones, so I've added it in at the end ....

Enjoy!!

David Bowie - Love You Til Tuesday  ( this must have been a precursor for the Laughing Gnome!! )
The Pogues - Tuesday Morning
Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday (live) - I want Mick's jacket!
The Moody Blues - Tuesday Afternoon
Cat Stevens - Tuesday's Dead
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Tuesday's Gone
Stevie Wonder - Tuesday Heartbreak
Counting Crows - On a Tuesday in Amsterdam Long Ago
Count Basie - Tuesday at Ten
T Bone Walker - They Call it Stormy Monday (But Tuesday's Just as Bad)  ( had to sneak that in)
Michelle Branch - Tuesday Morning
Marianne Faithful - Ruby Tuesday  (with a gorgeous wee film featuring Catherine Deneuve)



I hope you're having a great Tuesday :)

Day 13 of Effy's Blogalong Challenge

Cloughmór and Finn McCool

Clough Mór means big stone in Irish ... and the Big Stone dominates the local landscape here in Rostrevor .... It lies at the top of Slieve Meen in the Mourne Mountains about 1000ft above the village.

At the Big Stone

 But legend says it was thrown by the giant Finn McCool - who threw most of the big stones that are littered across the North of Ireland - he liked throwing things did Finn!  He was also responsible for creating the Giants Causeway, the Isle of Man and Lough Neagh and he gives his name to the mountains across the Lough - the Cooley mountains - where he sleeps on top of them.

Looking across the Carlingford Lough to the Cooley Mountains from CloughMor

The story goes that while Finn was out hunting boar one day, a huge shadow fell across the Lough and another giant stood there - as big as he himself was.
This giant was called Ruscaire, the giant of Snow and Ice.   He challenged Finn who was the giant of Summer, to a fight and both giants drew their swords each with a foot in Carlingford Lough and their other foot astride the mountains on either side.  They fought all day with swords and the second day with clubs.   On the third morning Ruscaire arose and stole Finn's sword while he still slept, although honour stopped him killing him.   But when Finn awoke and found that his sword was missing and that Ruscaire had taken it, he started throwing rocks and stones at him and a battle ensued that shook the mountains to the core. The Cloughmor Stone was beside him - it weighed 50 tons and with great effort Finn put his giant arms around it and hurled it at his enemy, burying him under the weight of it, where he melted away like ice into the mountain.

Finn McCool asleep on the mountain

Finn was so exhausted after the effort that he lay down and never wakened.   Some people say that the little people covered him stones when they couldn't waken him and others say that over the years he simply turned to stone.   We'll never know the truth but his image can still be seen there to this day.

Can you see him?

For more myths and legends about Finn, Queen Maeve, Cuthulainn and the little folk in and around Carlingford and Mourne, there's a great website - http://www.carlingfordandmourne.com

This blog is also posted at my website - www.filcampbell.com

I'm taking part in Effy's Blogalong Challenge and really enjoying posting a blog each day for the month of August. 

Time

...seems to be the theme for today.

Time for visiting

I had a walk on the beach with my mother yesterday - wish I could communicate better.  And I wish I lived a bit closer so I could pop in to see her more often.

The Atlantic Ocean at Bundoran yesterday

Great legs for an 86 year old - even after a stroke..  I love the shadow here

On my way back home this song came on the radio ...




Such beautiful lyrics ....
Time in a Bottle always makes me smile.   I was a huge Jim Croce fan at Uni - still am for that matter, - and my first band, Misty Morning, used to do several of his songs.   I love the image of the box full of wishes that's empty because all his dreams have been answered.  Perfect.

Thanks Jim for the lovely words to just relax and breathe to.

Time for friends - going to try and make more of that this month...

Time for myself - reading all the great blogs in this Blogalong is changing my focus and making me realise I don't spend nearly enough time just sitting and being alone - changing that now.


And finally .... 

The new Doctor Who - he's a Time Lord (hahaha) - the radio is full of that today .... I had a long drive home and plenty of time to just float along to the music and let my mind wander off in the Tardis!!!



And now time for a glass of wine and a chat.

www.filcampbell.com
Effy's Blogalong

Everyone can art ....

...so I'm told!


I've been asking my artist friends for years to do a class for adults that involved crayons, plasticine and finger painting - pretend that we're 5 year olds and go on from there ... but I think they all thought I was joking!!!   wouldn't you?!

For years I've been wanting to play with colour- I've bought coloured pencils and crayons and paints and paper, have hoarded bits of stuff that I've collected, even have a shelf in my office dedicated to art supplies that make me smile everytime I look at them ... but I never knew what to do with any of it.   I didn't do art at school - at least not at secondary school, although I can still smell plasticine and crayons from our primary school classroom - so there was some painting done somewhere.  

Then last year, I was feeling really cut off from my music and started following some blogs and plucked up the courage to take an online class and all of a sudden it opened the door for me to play with all my treasures :)   Still no masterpieces, but I'm having so much fun.   And wonder of wonders, I've found my way back to my own world again - a muse has reappeared and I'm finally starting to enjoy my music again  - it was not a nice place to be, hating the thing that makes me what I am.

A huge thank you to these ladies ...

First I fell across the wonderful Alisa Burke and took one of her doodling classes ...
That led me to Liz Lamoureux and her lovely book Inner Excavation - I'm looking forward to spending more time with that this winter.
and that in turn led me to Effy Wild and her fantasmagorical sisterhood of Artists.

You all rock and I'm loving learning from you.

These are my first attempts ...  (at least the ones I'm prepared to show) hahahahahaha ...
Til next time.... :)

Who said you couldn't sing?

I've just come back in from a walk in the mountains - our visitors haven't left yet after the Festival and it sort of feels like I'm on holiday still and it's very hard to sit down and do some constructive work!!  A blog feels a bit half and half - work and holiday:) 


People ask me regularly can they learn to sing cos somebody told them they couldn't sing .... and I thought that would be a good subject for today's blogalong...


Everyone can sing ... if you can talk you can sing!  
And you already know how to do it ... but sometimes we all need a bit of coaxing to trust what we can do...

Who said you couldn't sing?!

Was it a teacher?  or a relation? or a friend? who said that you should keep quiet and stand at the back and just mouth the words? .... what abuse!

I recently had a student who was told when she was very small that she couldn't sing  - she's now retired.  So she kept joining in, wanting to sing, but always felt that people were laughing at her and saying she wasn't brilliant...or so she felt.     After her initial nervousness and doubt about coming to class, we discovered a lovely sweet voice in there... totally in tune and with  a perfect sense of time - not a big voice, but lovely all the same.  What a waste! ... all those years of believing she couldn't do something she loved so much.  

Let me repeat this ....

"Everyone can sing ... if you can talk you can sing!"  

I feel like I need to shout that!

Now the big problem is, if we can't sing like Pavarotti or Streisand or Ella or whomever our ideal voice is, then we think we can't sing at all .... 

Total rubbish!!  

The thing is ... you can never sound like one of them because our voices are totally unique - there can only be one Pavarotti or Streisand or Ella, just like there can only be one you.   But you can still sing!


I believe that we have a physical need to sing - just see how much your spirits lift after singing to yourself in the shower or the car.  

So, if you've always wanted to have a go, just get on with it and practice - sing more in the shower or in the car and perhaps find a community choir or a teacher near you - someone who will encourage you and guide you.  And your voice will get stronger every day.   

Blogalong with Effy Day 2