What’s the trait you value most about yourself?
Things have been busy over here. At some point, probably at hibernation time, I’ll be at rest to share the developments. But for now …
My trait that I value, particularly at this time of year and in this time of busy, is my ability to pay attention.
To take a moment to breathe, look around and savour the beauty. Some beauty at each moment.
You’ve got to love Saturday mornings. The promise of the weekend ahead. The mix between wanting to lie in and getting out there and {BEING}.
I’m loudly advocating for what I want this morning and that is time to write and muse and drink coffee after coffee.
So I’ve been over on the Earth Sea Love Substack page sharing about a recent literary project I’ve been involved with. I wrote about creativity, motherhood, blackness and publishing on the Substack.
And being a Black mother in the publication.
Entwined: an Anthology of Creativity & Motherhood
A collaborative anthology and art journal to kindle creativity in motherhood. Edited by Sarah Shott.
My writing is included in this anthology of creativity and motherhood and I thought you might want to check it out!
This summer has been the summer of hydrangeas. Everywhere I’ve been this summer, on my travels and just walking the neighbourhood, I’ve been met by these blooming bountiful heads of colour. Big bushes bursting with these delicate four petal bunched-headed flowers. And every time my heart has sung at the sight of them
And as the summer comes to a close, with the changes in temperature and of light, these flowers will start to turn brown and in this flitting beauty of autumn, they will still make my heart sing as in their beautiful fragile death there will be rebirth.
I’ve just sent out this month’s Studio Notes from Substack. It’s me rambling on about beauty but you might be interested in what I have to say. Head on over there an take a look. And if you want to start receiving these notes into your inbox each month, just subscribe. It’s free.
You know me. I love me some autumn. But these past few days while walking out daily, I’ve been enjoying the last blooms of summer.
Especially those hydrangeas. I love me some hydrangeas.
The blousy bouncy full blooms of these flowers make my heart sing. So much beauty in such a compact space makes me swoon.
What’s your favourite flower?
“We are not the idea of us, not even the idea that we hold of us. We are us, multiple and varied, becoming. The heterogeneity of us. Blackness in a Black world is everything, which means that it gets to be freed from being any one thing. We are ordinary beauty, Black people, and beauty must be allowed to do its beautiful work.” Kevin Quashie describes in Black Aliveness, or, A Black Poetics of Being.
Last week I attempted to walk the West Highland Way, again. And I failed again.
Around the mid point, well 52 miles in, I suffered an injury; a stress fracture in my right foot. It became too painful to continue. I was gutted.
After making the decision, I took my usual day to feel all the feels and then I got back up again. I switched this failure ( in terms of not completing the whole 96 miles) into a positive.
I walked along the byways and drovers roads and old railway tracks and had a great time being with nature. A week of forecast rain never materialised. The weather was bright and pleasant and welcome.
And the scenery was to die for. But I knew I couldn’t continue at the pace I was going. I had to weigh up the odds; continue to prove what? Or to stop and reduce further injury?
It also got to the point of no longer enjoying it. Because I was in pain and exhausted and feeling sorry for myself, I couldn’t enjoy the walking anymore. I couldn’t look up from the trail and breathe in the air and appreciate the view. My focus became the pain and how to get it to stop.
So I left the trail. Disappointed in myself but also proud of myself. I didn’t carry on seeking glory and jeopardising my body and the rest of my plans for the year and beyond. I took this hit of not reaching my goal in order to move through other goals easier or smoother.
I’ll not lie, I am upset about it. And had a funk about it. But at the same time, I appreciate the experience. I had such a lovely time waking up at the side of Loch Lomond with the last of the stars disappearing into a pinking sky over the glistening water. I felt blessed. And I still do feel this way to have had this opportunity of walking 52 miles from the lowlands to the Highlands of Scotland. Thank you.
Living Wild Studios 