Friday Letters

17.04.2020

Hello! Welcome to another Friday post. For those of you visiting for the first time, Friday is the day that I post up comments, emails and images sent in by readers of this blog.

This week I was chuffed (that’s Yorkshire for pleased!) to receive and email from Wendy in Cornwall who has been following the classes. The email included a beautiful surprise for us – pictures of seals. I thought it would be lovely to end the week with a little online break to Cornwall via the lovely words and images from Wendy. The top photo is also of the Cornish coastline – with thanks to my sister Eloise. I am excited to connect different areas of the country through this blog and also excited to be able to share a little break to the coast for everyone here in the city of York.

A message from Wendy:

Week three of your creative writing class “Camouflage! Hiding in plain site” evoked a particular memory of something that I stumbled on which then led naturally into the fourth task that you set. I’ve also attached photos to share that I took that day back in February this year.

I had no idea there would be so many or that the time of year or the tide would be so perfect. Placing myself gingerly, belly down on a cliff edge carpeted in low lying thrift and tussocky grass, we peered over. The beach below was a mass of seals of all sizes, shapes and colours. They mirrored the colours of the pebbles; all shades of grey, black, cream and brown. Two hundred I counted by working out roughly how much area was covered by ten individuals, a trick I was taught for estimating numbers of birds in flight many years ago.

If I could be another living creature for one day, there is not a shred of doubt in my mind that I would be a seal. Whiskered and playful within calm and stormy waters. Weaving through kelp forests and playing with mates. Hauling up on warm rocks and wild beaches to bask in sun and grow fat. Feeding pups with one of the richest milks on earth. To be a seal would be an absolute delight. To view the land from out at sea. The beautifully rugged Cornish coast. To travel between favourate haunts, known feeding and breeding grounds.

I want to say a huge Thank You to Wendy for writing to me and would also like to say that all are welcome to join in with this project. I would love to hear from you no matter how far away, it’s lovely to find solidarity through nature and to connect with others during this difficult time.

I’ll end today’s post with a very beautiful rainbow and poem sent in by Meg, this was inspired by this Wednesday’s class ‘Transformation and Metamorphosis‘

A grey and rainy sky being lit up by a rainbow

Thank you Wendy for sending us a little taste of Cornwall and Meg for the beautiful poem.

I’ll end with a lovely image sent by my sister, she made a rainbow planter which made me smile! What a great idea, I never manage to get strawberries growing in these pots – this seems much more fun.

Take care! Don’t forget to check the blog tomorrow for a weekend Connect to Nature art task to add in to nature journalling.

With best wishes,

Emma

1. 

   Ooooo – I haven’t got the ones you mention, I will look into them. I’m slowly growing my own nature…

2. 

   I love your book selection. The Way Marking book is one I look at often and have given to friends…

3. 

   Great poem

4. 

   You truly did captured the tranquility in the picture:)

5. 

   👌👌