Yule-tide

Just a quick post to say Happy Solstice! We had a lovely party in the woods yesterday, complete with huge fire, african drumming, lots of amazing food cooked in an earth oven/ on an open fire, paper lanterns and fireworks. The fireworks made the trees all pretty colours; the shadows moved and jumped.
Today we went up to Win Green for a dusk-time walk in honour of the shortest day. It was windy and beautiful.

I forgot my camera for both these occasions; no photos then. Use your visual imaginations to dream up a lovely picture of solistice fun times.

Honeybrook

Some photos I took a few weeks ago when at Honeybrook farm near Wimborne, Dorset. It was a very cold day to be at a wood fair.

Stove

My Stove was made by Ed of Parp Industrie, Devon. Ed made it from reclaimed materials. It's the best stove ever! It burns through the night, makes charcoal that starts the next fire off easily, and I can boil my red kettle on the top for delicious tea drinking. Best of all; it makes Mr Kite's little house warm and cosy! We still have to get our hat from Gabriel; it's still on Gabriel's own flue. Until we get the hat, we're using a plank of wood that's going to char through any day now.











Mr Kite's little house, where my new stove is currently living.

Peter Takes His Medicine

Peter takes his medicine. Everyday he takes five pills, all different colours and shapes. They keep the illnesses at bay, keep him passive and unthinking. After taking the pills his mind calms and is silenced, like a lake on a still day. Underneath the water is blackness. It pulsates and swirls, but the pills keep them from breaking the surface; keep him from acknowledging it. Passivity and apathy are the products of a healthy and controlled society. The pills are good. Take your pills, Peter, and close your eyes. Good boy.

Elder

Elder, a short story of mine has been featured by the Pygmy Giant. Check it out: http://thepygmygiant.wordpress.com/page/8/

And here is a drawing I made of a character in a novel I am writing.
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I want to tell you all about my new stove. But first I will take some photographs of it. I'm so excited about my new stove. It's the best thing I've ever paid money for. But shhhh. I'll wait for a photo opportunity before I say another word.

Mr Kite

I've been pretty bad with writing short stories recently. I wrote one a small while ago that is very different from my usual short stories. Nothing weird happens in it at all.
Simon Kite is a boy who reads my stories. He's read all of them, or at least most of them. He's my number one fan. And I am his number one fan. But Mr Kite does not really like my latest short story. Nothing weird happens. And there is reference to music bands he has not ever heard of. (Mr Kite doesn't like my taste in music. Like Carol, a character in the story he doesn't really like, he thinks my taste in music is primitive)
I wonder what to do with this story, I am in need of money because the sweet shop closed down and left me with an income of less than the JSA. So maybe it would be an idea to at least try and enter a writing competition. Knowing Mr Kite's eccentric taste in things, if he's not too keen on this latest story, then it might be suited to a contest? I wonder...

Aside from this I have been very unproductive on the short story front. I have however been writing my novel, so I guess that is ok. The Klandestines graphic novel issue 1 is getting closer to being finished as well. I've suddenly been swamped by stuff to do for the Klandestines after 2 or so years of leaving it all to Dong, illustrator extraordinaire.
The above image is by my good friend Gin Jones. It is a banner for the Klandestines marking Chapter 1 of the story. Opinions would be welcomed. I love it. Am I biased by my love for Gin?

More news! I will write it in another post or two. yes.

Patriot

I am a citizen of Dorset,
I am a sister of the shire.
I look upon our golden flag and understand a little of what patriotism is.
This land is ours.