Autumn Colour and Poetry

We enjoyed a couple of nights away in Fife last weekend and although it ate into one of my busiest weeks, it was really good to relax and let someone else do the cooking. The hotel had a lovely leisure pool so we also went swimming for the first time in ages, something I’ve missed in recent years as I was always such a water baby.


The nearest big park, Pittencrieff at Dunfermline, is a favourite of mine and autumn is such a beautiful time to visit. Fortunately, the rain briefly came and went and we had time to admire the colourful trees and feed nuts to the wild squirrels. At the end of the short break, we visited the pretty little village of Culross on the way home where the old Palace added its own splash of colour.

On Wednesday evening, I was delivering the results of my adjudication of a short story competition to a writing group in a nearby town. It’s always a privilege to read other writers’ work and to be asked to write a written critique for everyone. But it’s also a tough job, as my opinions might differ from another judge. However, I do enjoy offering little pointers wherever I can and all of the entries were a pleasure to read. Thankfully, the story I chose as winner was always at the top of the pile.
I was pleased to hear that one of my previously published poems, Coffee at the Café, was included on the Poetry Scotland Keep Poems Alive website (you have to scroll down). It’s a lovely idea to give published poems another airing and this is one of the few I’ve written in Scots (but not too broad!).


This afternoon and evening (Tuesday), it’s our writing group Annual Dinner and Awards at a local country club. I’m looking forward to it, although I have to give back the amazing carved poetry award which I won last year. The winner each year has to put a copy of their poem inside the carved book as a record of the winning words – a lovely idea as I enjoyed reading all the previous winning poems!

I've just heard that the interview with Victoria and me is now on the RNA blog today - Keeping it in the Family. Thanks to Elaine Everest who asked the questions!
Rosemary