Bird Tables, Birthdays, Bands and Boat Trips

BIRD TABLE

Pine Tree on the Right - Spring 2011

We'd had the big old pine tree felled last November and we'd kept enough of the trunk to make a 'feature' out of it.  I was so upset when the tree had to go that I needed something to help me celebrate its life.


We couldn't keep it any longer - it had been destroying the earth beneath and around it for years and years, no matter how hard we tried to nourish it, re-shape it to let in more light, mulch its surroundings over the winter-time - you name it, we did it!   Anyway - it's gone ...

Before the Bird Table!

So I asked Dave to make a bird table (plain and olde-worlde is what I wanted).

Mr Jim - Get Down From There!

And once he'd finished the fence and the trellis, he set about making the table.  And it's a real rustic beauty!

  

GARDEN UPDATE

The garden's been a real torment this summer, what with the wind +++ and the rain in torrential downpours +++ - but finally, after many weeks of blood sweat and tears, it's starting to look pretty neat.

My wall planters, tubs and baskets have a predominantly blue, blue, blue theme - with lots of sprinkles of bright colour here and there.

I'm pretty pleased - but there will be even more delights to come when the fuschias and the asters are blooming in all their glory. What beauties!

Passion Flower

And there are passion flowers and briar roses galore, all mixed in with montbretia and lavatera all over the garden.

Briar Roses

Our little 'tub' Rosie in among the TUBS

It's beginning to look quite spectacular with the changes we've made to the design.

BIRTHDAY TREAT

It was Dave's birthday a few weeks back - and his mum had a cake made for him in the shape of a bass guitar. It looked gorgeous and it tasted heavenly - a real yummy beauty!

Then Dave, Phil and I went off to our local Indian restaurant in North Shields for a birthday treat. It's called 'Aramee' and produces the most amazing authentic Bangladeshi food.


We had a ball, the three of us.  Such a super night. What a beauty!

TOP BANDS

Accolades for the Gatecrashers

I went to see the Gatecrashers play a blinder at the Seven Stars in Ponteland.  The band are so highly acclaimed in Ponteland that the Seven Stars have signed them up to do a gig a month at this cosy, atmospheric pub, beating the Diamond pub up the road by a whisker! 

You see, the Diamond in Ponteland want the band too!  They're a popular 'catch' for parties of all descriptions in Darras Hall, Ponteland. 

Me and Boneshaker Ronnie at 7 Stars

 In fact, this band are worth all the accolades they receive - and they receive lots and lots, believe me! What a beauty!

I also called in to the cutest little wine bar in the North East - the Sour Grapes in Morpeth to see both the Gatecrashers and the Boneshakers: my two favourite bands - on seperate nights, of course, constant readers.

You can see the review of the fabulous Boneshakers amazing gig on my 'Rockin' with the Boneshakers' blog at the link below.  It's a beauty!

Sweet as a Nut at Sour Grapes

http://rockinwiththeboneshakers.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/sweet-as-nut-at-sour-grapes.html

Gatecrashers sock it to 'em at the Sour Grapes

...and the review of the Gatecrashers rockin' an' sock-it-to-'em gig at the Sour Grapes will be published soon on North East Life Magazine online.

Gatecrashers Find Salty Nuts at Sour Grapes

 I'll give you the link when I've got it ... so,  



WATCH THIS SPACE!

BOAT TRIP

On a drizzly Sunday morning in July, we motored up the North East coast to Seahouses, to catch the Billy Shiels (MBE) boat out to the Farne Islands to see the grey seal colony - and the plethora of birds that come here to nest and rear their young, every year between May and July.

 It rained a bucketful as we boarded the boat.  I was just thinking that this might be a miserable day out on the islands - but then the sun came out! 

And the grey seals came out to play.  Ah, what a sight. And when we disembarked from the boat for an hour to walk around the nesting colonies of birds, the sun stayed put, bright yellow in a blue, fluffy-clouded sky. What a beauty of a day!

We walked among the Arctic Terns who sure told us who was boss - and it wasn't me! As we passed by their nests on the edges of the beaten tracks, they reared up, wings and tails outstretched to squawk in our faces and peck our heads.  I nearly lost the bobble in my hair, trying to sidle past them!

We came across family after family of puffins, taking care of their young in holes dug into the ground around the bright clumps of white campion flowers.

We gazed at cormorants and shags feeding their young in nests of bracken and twig, pushing small fishes down the gullets of their babies.  Quite horrifying to watch but so effective! The mums and dads preened each other and their young happily unconcerned about their human audience.

We came across hordes of razor-bills and penguin-like guillemots, flapping their wings on ledges of the sheer cliffs of the island.

We even saw a Mallard duck with her two fluffy ducklings in a tiny natural pond on Inner Farne.


I can't for the life of me understand how I could have lived in this beautiful North East corner of England and never been on this trip of a lifetime. 

Well, I plan to rectify this - and visit at least once a year. That's my promise to myself - a firm promise!

WRITE ON:

It hasn't been a particularly fruitful writing time since last I spoke to you, constant readers.  I'm still fighting with my novel - fighting against a strong desire to get way-laid and go online, visiting my writing buddies at Triond and Hub Pages, RedGage and Experts Column - and more!

I badly need to edit my chosen pieces for submission to  various publishers and get them sent off: badly need to get my novel completed and into the editing stages: badly need to get together a collection of short stories and flash fiction for Amazon publication - and a collection of poetry too.

So I decided, a few days ago, I needed to take a break - retreat from the cyber world, the great blue yonder, whatever you want to call it - and get stuck in to my writing.  So that's what I've done!  Denied myself the right to go online -apart from a couple of days a week, to call in and say hello -  check, write and answer my emails - and read through my writing friends' publications.

I'll leave you with a few bits and pieces I've written and published lately - mostly about the fabulous puffins and terns that caught my imagination on our trip to the Farnes.  Here are some links:

The Parrot of the Sea

http://scienceray.com/biology/the-parrot-of-the-sea/ 

Puffin Billy

http://authspot.com/short-stories/puffin-billy/

Huffin’ ‘n’ Puffin

http://www.picable.com/World/Continents/Australia/Huffin-N-Puffin.3765949

A Huffin’ an’ a’ PUFFIN

 

http://www.redgage.com/sheilanewton#rf:/blogs/sheilanewton/a-huffin-an-a-puffin.html

Ah! Look at the Ba-Ba Chick!

http://www.picable.com/People/Babies/Ah--Look-at-The-Ba-ba-Chick.3774875

Chick-Time in Bird Land

http://www.picable.com/Nature/Birds/Chick-time-in-Bird-Land.3782275

 

Star Tern

http://www.redgage.com/sheilanewton#rf:/blogs/sheilanewton/startern.html:innercontainer:pager.pageForwarder

These links to the RedGage site are published here especially for my online writing buddy, poet and photographic hero, Eddy, who follows this blog and also my website.  Thanks for everything, Eddy.
You can take a look at Eddy's online portfolio of gems at:

http://www.triond.com/users/Eiddwen

Talk to you soon, constant readers. I'm already collecting a bunch of goodies to tell you about next time I write my blog.

CUT!

THAT'S A RAP, FOLKS!

It's a Bright Time...Not the Write Time!

It's a Bright Time...
Belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.  And sorry it's taken me so long to get back to my beloved blog and all of you, my constant readers  after the Christmas and New Year festivities.

Christmas Chez Sheila

With the house decorated from tip to toe with 'birdie' trees and hallway garlands, lights over the hearth and festive shelves in my den, we were all set for a grand Christmas 2011. Just us - me, my husband Dave, my son, Phil - and the two cats, Rosie and Mr Jim.

 

Christmas Day

Up with the larks on a bright Christmas morning, we began to open presents.  There were so many of them!  How lucky were we??  There was even a present apiece for Rosie and Mr Jim: a blue mouse and a brown rat, for heaven's sake!  And they loved them - played with them all day, sniffing out the catnip and clawing like crazy.

Then it was time for a bite of Christmas brunch with festive jams and marmalades.

Looking out of the patio door, I saw a young robin come calling for the first time.  how's that for a festive treat, constant readers?  He's been a regular visitor to the bird table and the hanging nuts and fat balls ever since.

Our best feathered friend, the blackbird came a-calling as usual.  He gets tamer and tamer.  He's even started posing for photos!

A 'play with our new Christmas toys' interlude was followed by Christmas dinner in the early evening, with the posh china on the table and the crystal glasses for the wine and the Cassis liqueur we'd brought back from our road trip to France in September.

We watched TV for a while, eyelids drooping gradually after a great day.



Boxing Day

Dave played bass guitar with the fabulous blues band, the Boneshakers at their 'Xmas Shindig' at the Tyne Bar in Newcastle.  I wnet along to enjoy the fun and take some snaps and video footage for the 'Rockin' with the Boneshakers' blog and a North East Life online review.  It's been my joy and pleasure to maintain the band's website and to act as their PR person over 2011. And long may it continue.  And what a great gig it was.  Boxing Day went off with a big huge BANG!  Fabulous performance - you rock, guys!

New Year's Eve

Tonight, Dave was playing bass guitar with his other amazing party band, the Gatecrashers, starring on stage at St Peter's Club, Byker in Newcastle.  

My niece, Leah, was there - and I so enjoyed ripping up the dance floor with her.  Made me feel like a carefree teenager again, it did.  You really rock, Leah, my little darlin'!  

Of course, I took some fab snaps and video footage to write them an article for North East Life magazine, online. Nice commission, eh, constant readers.

Dave and I caught the fireworks that went crazy all over Newcastle and North Tyneside on our way home from the gig - then it was time to relax with a glass or two, a home made pie-and-pea supper and Jools Holland's Hootnanay on BBC2.

New Year's Day 2012 

Last year, on New Year's Day, we went for a walk on the South Shields coast - and so enjoyed it, we thought we'd make it a tradition.  So this year, Dave and I popped along in the car to Whitley Bay and St Mary's Island to blow away the cobwebs of the new Year's Eve festivities.  Boy was it COLD!  But oh, it was so enjoyable too.  A couple of hours with the sea breeze, the surf and the seaweed set us up nicely for what I hope will be a great 2012.  

And to top it all, we saw cormorants on the rocks too.  Don't you just love cormorants, constant readers?


Not the Write Time... 
I put away my lap top for the whole of Christmas (Clever girl!) on December 23rd 2011- and didn't open it up again until January 3rd 2012.  Now wasn't that brave of me, constant readers?
Inundated with emails, 'stuff' to write etc., I went into panic mode for a few days.  But I'm getting back on top of it all again.
Here's what I've achieved since the last time I blogged:
My 1000-word flash fiction piece, RED HOT BOOTS was published on  EVERY DAY FICTION.  Here's the link:

http://www.everydayfiction.com/red-hot-boots-by-sheila-newton/comment-page-1/#comment-38343

My article,  WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WAVE CHAMBER was published on NORTH EAST LIFE MAGAZINE ONLINE.
Here's the link:

http://northeast.greatbritishlife.co.uk/community/blogs/detail/weird-and-wonderful-wave-chamber/id/6346/  

My article,  A CHEERY, CHIRPY MAKE-BELIEVE CHRISTMAS was published on the WIKINUT site to mark this festive occasion.

Here's the link:

http://www.wikinut.com/a-cheery%2c-chirpy-make-believe-christmas/2v7w8zkc/20x7u1zr/

and WIKINUT published the next in my road trip to France series, UNE SEMAINE SUR RIVIERA FRANÇAIS

Here's the link:

http://travel.wikinut.com/Une-Semaine-sur-Riviera-Fran%C3%A7ais/2.w_pqs8/   

My post prior to the above article was awarded yet another STAR PAGE by WIKINUT for LE GRAND TOUR DE LA FRANCE - LE QUATRIÈME JOUR.  I could get used to these STAR PAGES! Here's the link:

http://travel.wikinut.com/Le-Grand-Tour-de-la-France-le-Quatri%C3%A8me-Jour/v_cuaqe7/  

My story and haiku verses, THE CATS' DINNER was published by THE REAL OWNER.
Here's the link:
http://therealowner.com/cats/the-cats-dinner/    
My very short story, THE KEY OF THE DOOR was published on AUTHSPOT.  
Here's the link:

http://authspot.com/short-stories/the-key-of-the-door/

My article, THE DAY I MET JOHN HANNAH was published on AUTHSPOT.
Here's the link:

http://authspot.com/thoughts/the-day-i-met-john-hannah/

And finally, my photograph of Kielder Forest accompanied by a photograph of your truly has been published in the glassy - yes glossy - pages of NORTH EAST LIFE MAGAZINE.  And this is the page I was published on:

 So here it is...Merry Christmas...Everybody's having fun...

Hope you had a fun Holiday Time, constant readers

 

 I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY NEW 2012 - ROLL ON THE LONDON OLYMPICS - ROLL ON A GREAT WRITING YEAR

Talk soon, constant readers

Graceful Birds, Brilliant Gig & Gaudi's Barcelona

Cormorants Nest on River Tyne

Walking on the pier between the North Shields Fish Quay and Tynemouth last weekend, we saw the most amazing sight: cormorants in their hundreds, nesting on shallow protruding rocks in the river.I've seen cormorants many, many times, but usually, I've spotted one, or maybe a pair.  But this was astounding.
The cormorant is often described as almost reptilian - some say spooky or foreboding describes them best.  They are often seen with wings spread, drying out after fishing expeditions.

"They must nest here in the spring-time," I said, "Must make it my business to come here every March."  And I shall.  Oh, I shall.
When we set off, it seemed like a drab, miserable day.  It hail-stoned on the way down to the quay. 

But the sky became a magic mix of colour,the river sparkled silver light (making many of the photographs look like black-and-whites), limpets clung onto rocks in the shallows for dear life.  It was like they believed a tsunami was due.  And the statue of Lord Collingwood looking out to sea appeared dark and devillish.
    

A graceful bird in a gorgeous setting, don't you think?

A Gripping Performance from the Gatecrashers

The Brandling Villa in Gosforth, Newcastle, buzzed with excitement.  The place was packed to the rafters with fans as well as musicians from other local bands - all here to spend an evening with the fabulous Gatecrashers.

It was the first time I'd seen them with their vibrant new lead vocalist.  And I was impressed - so very impressed.  Nick (Saints of Arcadia) Jennison (below, left) has more than enough charisma to set a stage alight - and then some.  And he can sing - oh, can he sing! 

 

Sharing lead guitar with the amazing Ant Wright (below, left) who also provides great backing vocals, they had a ball while entertaining their discerning Geordie audience.

                   

Add to the flavoursome mix the brilliant bass guitarist, Dave Hildreth and talented drummer, Maurice Anderson (pictured together, above right) - and the Gatecrashers were a big green GO!

And the crowd roared. 

With pop numbers like 'Valerie' and 'Forget You', soul favourites like 'I Feel Good' and 'I Want You Back' and a dollop of rock an' roll in the guise of 'Sex on Fire' and 'She Was Just Seventeen' for good measure, you'd be pushing it to find a better cover band. 

 And the crowd roared.

A guest appearance from the singer of local rock band, Tommy and the Oddballs' added a certain Je Ne Sais Quoi to an already brilliant Gatecrashers performance. And the crowd roared.

On opposite sides of the stage, Tommy and Nick, up on chairs, bellowed and growled the lyrics to 'Dakota', while Ant took on superb lead guitar, jiggling his choir-boy golden curls, Dave (no curls, folks, but he does sport a mean curling lip) boomed the bassiest riffs ever - and Maurice sweated the drum-sticks and grinned over a beautiful Yamaha kit.  And the crowd roared.

It was a brilliant gig - brilliant!
View the Gatecrashers' rendition of 'Try a Little Tenderness' at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uxkORJxS8k

 WRITE ON

How Gaudi Taught Me a Lesson

Writing an article for Literary Traveler about Gaudi's architecture in beautiful Barcelona, I was taken aback by how much research was needed to get it right.  Gaudi was a complicated fellow - and his work is equally as complicated.  With a mix of Gothic and Art Nouveau, he took his work from nature. He famously said,

"Nature is my teacher."

When I researched Gaudi's sparkling creations, I realised I didn't know the half of it. His wavy lines, intricately forged sculptures and colours all portray something from nature. The balconies of Casa Mila (right) portray coral and kelp; the wavy lines, sea cliffs and caves. What a great deal I learned.

I also learned that ANY and EVERY piece of creative writing should be researched, from the point of view of history, perhaps - or geography - or just plain creativity: RESEARCH is the buzz word.

Now isn't that a GREAT BIG writing tip?



...and finally, some BLOODY GOOD news for me!  My 'about writing' piece, 'Waltzing with the Word', is to be published on Thursday 24th March in

FLASH FICTION CHRONICLES

http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/



NEXT TIME...A WEEKEND IN LEEDS

TALK TO YOU SOON, CONSTANT READERS