juliachalkley

Yes, sort of – and No, sort of

I submitted a few short pieces recently, and I’ve had a verdict back on three of them. Nothing to crack a bottle of fizz over, and nothing to send me weeping to a lonely spot to reflect on how baaad my life is. First up was an entry to the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation’s ‘InspiredContinue reading “Yes, sort of – and No, sort of”

Community Orchard – the Verdict

We’re back from an intense session of learning how to prune hard-stoned fruit trees (plum, damson, cherry and gage) with Dr Anna Baldwin leading a group of students in a theoretical and practical course in the local community orchard. It was different from the January course on pruning apple and pear trees. For a start,Continue reading “Community Orchard – the Verdict”

Community Orchard – Part 3

When the orchard expert came to teach fruit tree pruning in January, she told us that we needed to remove the shoots that had grown from the base of the trees, to let the tree have the full benefit of any water and nutrient in the soil. As nurseries graft wood from the trees theyContinue reading “Community Orchard – Part 3”

Pygmalion

I’ve been following Dot Productions like a stalker for the last few years. They formed in 2008 and tend to have five actors, a producer and a wide view of what they want to perform. Three years ago, we saw Sense and Sensibility – last year, we saw their adaptation of Jane Eyre. Both wereContinue reading “Pygmalion”

The Potato Mines

It’s been too hot to sit outside beyond 10am here through much of August, let alone work. There’s no pleasure in barefoot gardening when the grassy areas are worn down to straw and bare earth, especially as we have a cedar tree that sheds dead needles all year round (and needles is the word forContinue reading “The Potato Mines”

Stars

The Perseid meteor shower peaked right at the same time as the full moon. Law of Sod applies; meteor showers are best seen against dark skies. But we work with what we have. It’s been so hot during the day that going out at night is a relief. We spent time resting indoors during theContinue reading “Stars”

Hoo’s There?

The third visit to Sutton Hoo this year. This time to see the Red Rose Chain Theatre Company present Macbeth in the forest. I’m surprised there aren’t more plays performed in the open like this. We’ve seen a performance of Midsummer Night’s Dream in a park in midsummer, decades ago, and the memory stays withContinue reading “Hoo’s There?”

Sutton Hoo Part Two

During our first visit to Sutton Hoo we sat in the cafe and read the leaflets advertising the exhibition due to start three weeks later. ‘Swords of Kingdoms’. The curator at Sutton Hoo had arranged for part of the Staffordshire Hoard to be brought here to be displayed. There is a connection – the workmanshipContinue reading “Sutton Hoo Part Two”

Sutton Hoo

Back in April, we stayed at home while the schools were out – everywhere is too crowded for a visit, and places tend to run events aimed at those with the reading ability and attention span of a five year old child. Our first day out in April was to Sutton Hoo. At the time,Continue reading “Sutton Hoo”

And the writing…?

The main point of setting up this blog was to advertise the writing I was doing (and to prove to a writing friend of mine that I was listening to what she had said to me…). Sorry to report that the main part of what I’ve been doing over the last few months relates toContinue reading “And the writing…?”