Ally Aldridge's Blog, page 56
April 12, 2018
Day 12 – Haibun
From smog filled cities to fresh salty air. A friendly place where everyone knows your name.
Tranquil pockets of landscaped gardens. A harbour of fishing boats bobbing and ringing.
Beach huts align the prom
Metal structures tower at the docks
Outskirts of rolling fields
Despite its impact on England’s trade, many don’t even know its name. The largest container port to feed the needs of the island.
With forests and wildlife and natural habitats. With a fort and seafront with amusements and bright lights.
*****
Day 12’s challenge
For Day 12, the challenge was to write “a haibun that takes in the natural landscape of the place you live. It may be the high sierra, dusty plains, lush rainforest, or a suburbia of tiny, identical houses – but wherever you live, here’s your chance to bring it to life through the charming mix-and-match methodology of haibun.”
Well, today’s challenge feels very advance to me. I’ve never attempted a Haiku, let alone a Haibun. After reading the challenge, I realised I needed to do research whilst eating my breakfast – thank you for smartphones!
Haibun
A Haibun is a style of poetry that combines prose with a Haiku poem. It often has a pattern, i.e. Prose, Haiku, Prose…
This then led me to ask the following two questions:
What is prose? Prose often uses the colourful language poetry is famous for. It’s beautiful, descriptive, deep and it will create visions and emotions in the reader. It doesn’t usually rhyme.
What is Haiku? Haiku is a style of poetry that is structured by syllables (number of sounds in a word). The structure has three lines. The first line will have five syllables, the second line will have seven syllables and the third line will have five syllables. It doesn’t usually rhyme.
Well, this style of poetry is outside my comfort zone completely! Firstly, I’ve never written this style and secondly, I like my poems to rhyme – he he.
But, I set myself this goal to do the NaPoWriMo challenge and I am not a quitter (without a fight), so here is my poem about my hometown.
I reached out to the local community for a photo I could use on my blog and Katherine Bozier kindly offered me a selection of pictures she has taken. A testimony to the culture, kindness and support of our town.
Here are some pics from my Instagram:
Growing up here, I thought the town was dull without much to do but I heard an advert for one of the caravan parks and was shocked at the end when I realised where it had described. As a mother, I now see the vastness of what this town has to offer – it’s a hidden gem.
April 11, 2018
Review: Tropic Skincare
Tropic is a natural, vegan and cruelty free skincare brand. Like Avon, the brand enables people to become reps and sell the products from the comfort of their home enabling them to earn whilst juggling other commitments like raising a young family.
I’ve been a fan of Tropic for a while and this isn’t my first or second purchase. I’ve befriended one of the product representatives on Facebook called Sabrina Ward and follow her on Instagram (@Tropic_Luna). This enables me to keep up with the latest offers.
What did I get?
https://instagram.com/p/BgwfDwZBFmy/
My husband has stolen my Skin Revive moisturizer and had the cheek to ask me to buy him some more! I decided this was a good excuse to spoil myself with the body oil I’ve had my eye on for a while now. I saw a free gift offer was running.
Body oil – Soothe Your Senses RRP £28
Although, Tropic do parties (like Ann Summers), I just don’t have the social circle to have one so buying this oil was a gamble as I had never sampled it. What captured my attention was the ingredient ‘frangipani’ which was my wedding flower.
The oil has not disappointed. It is really beautiful with a flower floating inside the bottle. The oil smells amazing with a tropical floral scent that is very relaxing. It rubs in quickly.
Moisturising Cream – Skin Revive Nourishing Cream Concentrate RRP £22
I originally bought this as part of a skincare set (Travel Essentials) and found it to be really good. I then re-bought but recently I have been trying out some other moisturisers from my subscription boxes and I guess it gave my husband the change to try it.
It is a light day cream and works well under make-up. My husband likes it because it isn’t tacky feeling. You can read my original review of the product and the others in the travel essential kit by clicking here.
Body wash (free gift) – Wild mint, lime and pineapple RRP £10
The deal was that if you spent £50 you would get a free gift – so I had to get my oil 
Day 11 – Flipped
Your future is only as big as you dare to dream
Spending my day
In fictional worlds
Creating fictional challenges
For fictional charters
To raise my children
Full of confidence
To be brave
To succeed all challenges
Growing old
With my first love
To pass away
In our embrace
To be content
Without any needs
To be accomplished
In all my deeds
*****
Empty words
Unread, Unloved
Never published
This I dread
On the wrong path
My children go
Full of disappointment
And lives of woe
Old and frail
My love has gone
Dying in pain
I’m all alone
Always without
Fear and doubt
Failed at my goals
No legacy to talk about
Your fears are only as great at the power you grant them
Day 11’s challenge
For Day 11, the challenge was to write “a poem that addresses the future, answering the questions “What does y(our) future provide? What is your future state of mind? If you are a citizen of the “union” that is your body, what is your future “state of the union” address?”
I have interpreted today’s prompt as a poem on how you envision your future.
I’m good at setting myself goals and I’m ready for changes, I never expect anything. I find this challenge a little strange as none of us know our future and as a realist, I am accepting of what will be will be. Perhaps, I could write something exploring my optimistic dream or pessimistic nightmare. I hope you enjoy what I have created.
April 10, 2018
Day 10 – Unicorn
Where did you go
You mystical beast
I like to believe
You did once exists
In fairy tales
And legends told
The beautiful horse
With a magical horn
If we love
And believe in good
Maybe to earth
Will return your hoofs
Day 10’s challenge
For Day 10 the challenge was to “write a poem of simultaneity – in which multiple things are happening at once.”
Well, today I’m not using the optional prompt because today is National Unicorn Day! Yes, this mythical beast has got its very own day because us Brits love unicorns. Maybe, if we all love enough, they’ll come out of hiding and spread their magic throughout the lands… I feel inspired.
Phew – caught up. Just two more thirds of this challenge to go…
Day 9 – Big/Small
It is funny how something so big
Can fear something so small
*****
Look at the elephant and the mouse
Or a spider discovered in a human’s house
The little creature barley makes a squeak
But Elle toots and humans scream
*****
Marvel at the brave plover bird
Would you dare step into a crocodile’s jaw?
Winged creatures birds, butterflies and bats
Striking fear alongside snakes
*****
We push these little creatures out
Taking over their habitats
Day 9’s challenge
For Day 9 the challenge was to “we challenge you today to write a poem in which something big and something small come together.”
Where did day 9 go?
My day vanished yesterday. I worked late. Then took longer getting my son to bed because he offered to tell me a bedtime story about a mermaid and it peaked my interest that 1. He had tried to think of something I’d like, 2. His tactics to stay up later and keep me with him. So, I humoured him and he told me a story with mermaids, spiders that steal keys and sharks that are friendly. Then I had a bath, watched an episode of Magicians and it was time to sleep – no time to write a poem had presented itself.
I had an idea to do something about a fairy and a dragon but the poem just didn’t happen…
It will be just as busy today but I am determined to catch-up. Here is my belated day 9 poem and I shall try my hardest to write another today for my day 10 poem… wish me luck…
April 9, 2018
Felixstowe Book Festival! I’m going – are you?
Usually the event is split between two venues (Felixstowe Library and The Orwell Hotel). Although, these two venues will host most of the events, new venues have been added. All across town, their are workshops and author talks for anyone introduced in books and writing. Each event, isn’t that expensive, from free to about £10 – you did need to buy tickets.
I’m going – are you?
So, I’ve been most years to the festival since it started 6 years ago and look forward to going every year. Each year, the festival gets bigger and better. I tried to make a spreadsheet of what events are on and where and IT’S MASSIVE!
As of 31st March 2018, the tickets for Felixstowe Book Festival became available to the public to buy.
Highlights from last year:
Alwyn Hamilton at Felixstowe Book Festival
Alwyn gave some great insight into the traditional publishing route for writers. She talked about what went into naming her novel, the movie right and so much more. She was an engaging and likable author who spoke enthusiastically promoting her book.
What you need to know about Children’s Picture Book Publishing
Simon and Dan were like a tag team delivering their well prepared talk. They shared so much on what goes into publishing a picture book and had prepared a presentation for all the participants (a copy I still have). This was a great talk for illustrators and writers alike. These guys had a wealth of knowledge and the time flew by. We all would have happily spent the day with them absorbing all the information they had to offer.
What’s on offer this year?
Check the programme on the Felixstowe Book Festival website and book tickets.
Here is my attempt of trying to put the activities into a spreadsheet (many of the events fall under more than one category):
Green – workshops
Purple – fiction talks
Brown – history/non-fiction
Red – crime fiction/non-fiction
Pink – poetry
Blue – other events
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Wednesday, 27 June 2018/Thursday, 28 June 2018/Friday, 29 June 2018
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Saturday, 30 June 2018
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Sunday, 1 July 2018
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