Night of the poets
A long day's walking today with mum, who is scrambling about with gusto. After a kipper breakfast, out into the beautiful morning to visit La Gran'mère du Chimquière which is only polite. She was looking as fresh and lovely as her four and a half thousand years allow. She is without a doubt my favourite statue-menhir and is to be treated with respect.
Also had a nose in St Martin's Parish church, which has mixed memories for me, having only attended it twice, for the funerals of my Grandparents. Then returning to more pagan ways we walked a roundabout route to the wishing well, where we made wishes by drawing a circle anticlockwise three times on the water.
Then the serious business of walking, and we went to Jerbourg and threaded along the cliffpaths into St Peter Port. The sea was as flat as I've ever seen it, and the day was beautifully warm and it was hot going. At one point among all the general loveliness we saw a rat, which I stood a foot away from and it was completely unconcerned as if had never learned to be scared of us humans.
After we walked for about five hours, I ate a bizarre doughnut and Scotch egg lunch at about 3pm. Then spoke to Lorraine, and I am looking forward to her joining me over here shortly.
In the evening had a great evening with the Guernsey based poets Richard Fleming and Jane Mosse. Richard came to collect us at La Barbarie and drive us to the north of the Island. With three poets in the room there was a fair amount of drinking to be done, and we lived up to it. Jane had cooked a lovely meal, including a spectacular walnut and coffee creamy and meringuey pudding, which had me reconsidering my whole hierarchy of allowable puddings. Later Jane read some of the poems she has written on the theme of Guernsey legends, for a project she's working on with a local artist. And jolly fine they were too.
Richard is a lovely man, and I've admired his writing for a long time since I saw it featured in the Guernsey Attic Press, and I sent off for his pamphlet. And it was great to get to know him better. The time flew by in a blur of wine and talk about religions, life in Northern Ireland (where Richard was from originally) poetry, relationships and much more. Mum also enjoyed herself a great deal too, and surprised everyone by quoting the best part of a Shakespeare sonnet.
A taxi home after fond farewells. The taxi driver had coincidentally contributed to The Guernsey Attic Press, which had published a few articles and poetry by me. The evening left me feeling more connected with Guernsey than I have done for a while. A great night out and lovely to get to know Richard and Jane better.
A long day's walking today with mum, who is scrambling about with gusto. After a kipper breakfast, out into the beautiful morning to visit La Gran'mère du Chimquière which is only polite. She was looking as fresh and lovely as her four and a half thousand years allow. She is without a doubt my favourite statue-menhir and is to be treated with respect.
Also had a nose in St Martin's Parish church, which has mixed memories for me, having only attended it twice, for the funerals of my Grandparents. Then returning to more pagan ways we walked a roundabout route to the wishing well, where we made wishes by drawing a circle anticlockwise three times on the water.
Then the serious business of walking, and we went to Jerbourg and threaded along the cliffpaths into St Peter Port. The sea was as flat as I've ever seen it, and the day was beautifully warm and it was hot going. At one point among all the general loveliness we saw a rat, which I stood a foot away from and it was completely unconcerned as if had never learned to be scared of us humans.
After we walked for about five hours, I ate a bizarre doughnut and Scotch egg lunch at about 3pm. Then spoke to Lorraine, and I am looking forward to her joining me over here shortly.
In the evening had a great evening with the Guernsey based poets Richard Fleming and Jane Mosse. Richard came to collect us at La Barbarie and drive us to the north of the Island. With three poets in the room there was a fair amount of drinking to be done, and we lived up to it. Jane had cooked a lovely meal, including a spectacular walnut and coffee creamy and meringuey pudding, which had me reconsidering my whole hierarchy of allowable puddings. Later Jane read some of the poems she has written on the theme of Guernsey legends, for a project she's working on with a local artist. And jolly fine they were too.
Richard is a lovely man, and I've admired his writing for a long time since I saw it featured in the Guernsey Attic Press, and I sent off for his pamphlet. And it was great to get to know him better. The time flew by in a blur of wine and talk about religions, life in Northern Ireland (where Richard was from originally) poetry, relationships and much more. Mum also enjoyed herself a great deal too, and surprised everyone by quoting the best part of a Shakespeare sonnet.
A taxi home after fond farewells. The taxi driver had coincidentally contributed to The Guernsey Attic Press, which had published a few articles and poetry by me. The evening left me feeling more connected with Guernsey than I have done for a while. A great night out and lovely to get to know Richard and Jane better.
Below Mum and La Gran'mère Fermain bay, and a shot from the cliff path between Jerbourg and Fermain.
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