Mobile Poetry

I bought this 'Fridge Poetry' years ago. I never put it on my fridge as my fridge is covered with fridge magnets from all over the places I have been to, so I stuck it on a metal tray ( my poetry tray) which works even better for me. It's mobile, so I can move it around the house, take it to a secret place and have my own little word game.

I love to move the words around the tray and see what comes up as a result.

I hadn't looked at my poetry tray for months. The words stuck there at the moment are the same as I left them over 6 months ago but on seeing them again I feel inspired. It's so great to play round with words.

Do these words inspire you? Perhaps you could add a few of your own to the mix? Have a go and see what you get.

Inspirational Imbolc ( Day 1 - Fab Feb)

I recently agreed to challenge set by Julie Phillips in her great blog Julie's Quest.

As February is the month of love, it was all about falling in love with your writing again.

I am guilty of not always making time to write. Today my pledge is that I will to do something every day that is connected to my writing. Some days it may be something very small, some days I may do something bigger but I will do something every day through February.

I am celebrating Imbolc today, the ancient Celtic festival of new beginnings, when things start to grow and light returns slowly after the cold and dark days of winter. As the lambs are born and snow drops peer their heads out of the frozen earth, you start to see new life appearing. It is a gradual process but it is the start of things warming up.

I see it like lighting a fire. At first, the flames are cool but then as you add to it, they start to grow, they respond to any attention such as more fuel or the odd poker to stir it up.

I think writing can be a bit like that. You may have a small flame of an idea in your head. You add a little kindling to it with a few scribbled notes, then suddenly it catches fire. You start to work on it, adding fuel in the form of words or illustrations and very soon you have something that one day may just set the world on fire ( well hopefully not literally)

So this is the start of my Fabulous February. I plan to make every day count and it's great that this year I have one an extra day to make things happen.

Imbolc

The 1/2 of February is a wonderful turning point in many ways and for many different religions. The madness of Christmas has gone and most people feel relieved to get through what seems like an endless January too.

Imbolc is an ancient Celtic festival which celebrates the first new signs of life. It roughly translates as ewe's milk, when the lactating sheep start to feed their new born lambs. This time is not far off. I was talking to a local farmer the other day and he could almost set the date of around 14th February for his ewes to start giving birth.

Although the winter is not yet over, new life starts to appear. Tiny snowdrops push through the hard ground despite living through the harsh weather of the last few months, just like these sheep feeding in the snow during last December.

It also celebrates the feast for St Brigit or Bride, the goddess who signified new life, birth, creativity and who also inspired poetry.

Just seeing a tiny snowdrop appear in my garden this afternoon inspired me to get creative and do some writing.

Happy Imbolc everyone! Get creating!