“Elemental Dance”

Gliding, tilting running free

exhilarating, constant,

current running below

dousing and embracing the keel:

Sails billowing, straining to be

Masters of their own destiny.

Let all parts believe their dreams

forgetting the man at the helm,

he who commands all the parts,

the tangible parts to bring them

all in as one, to dance lightly,

to dart forward, to skim over the

water, to run along beside

the one thing no-one controls

and without their can be no

elemental dance, even the man

at the helm must embrace

the gently breeze and the puffs

right up to the strongest wind,

only then do you become

part of the elemental dance.

Jean.A. Isherwood-Farley

written June, in Baltimore after first ever sailing expedition with Weldon and Dave. I loved it.

Mussels no more

Well I am truly back in the UK, wish I was back in Baltimore where the weather so much better and the way of life so relaxed. Living on the water is so very inspirational, fired my writing very much. I will later today be posting the first Baltimore Poem from the 30 I wrote whist there.......I hope you like it. Yesterday I spent the day with my wonderful 19 month old grandson Tommy, we went to the beach, paddled our toes, he went on baby rides and generally we just had real fun, he may of missed me for the time I was away but we sure made up for it yesterday, he is brilliant. My daughter and I were able to talk a little she still does not understand that I need to have a life of my own now, and that at 27 almost she has her own life, son and man, she needs to cut me loose.
Last night my bestest friend took me out for a belated birthday dinner, I ate mussels, and there must of been a bad one as I had a really bad night and today have suffered raging temperature and have been drinking copious amounts of water, the slippery little monsters, I think I will give them up from now on.

Back in the UK

Well, here I am back in sunny Dorset, with a wealth of new material to work on and a future I am much looking forward to, watch this blog. Flight home was delayed for three hours due to severe weather so we sat on the tarmac at Newark for just over three hours, not much fun, flight however was very good, no turbulence thankfully.
Rubies and Ftifa pleased to see their mum and had left a present in my room an infestation of fleas, now irradicated, my legs did not like it at all. Much to do now I am back, as away a lot of next week in London. Keep you posted.

Penultimate day in Baltimore

Well my time here is almost at a close, today we have people arriving for an afternoon cruise, with me driving, how good to be trusted with 'Secret'. My time here has been invaluable personally, as the ideas and thoughts and experiences will all find there way into my writings at a later date. However Poems from Baltimore will start on this blog late next week, I will endeavour to set the scene for each one before posting it. So this is my last blog until I return to Dorset on Tuesday, maybe more thoughts on leaving Newark bound for Heathrow, a night flight arriving Monday morning a 6.45. The sky from the plane is always worth noting, even in the darkness, we shall see.

Peoplewatching with imagination!

Today, after a morning of cleaning 'Secret" ready for her outing on Saturday, I showered and went out for a walk, taking time to purchase those things neccessary to life. I walked to Fells Point, to look at a specific shop I had seen last time I walked there,today I went and nosed around it. I then continued on for a couple of blocks, keeping my bearings of where the water was, so as not to get lost, found some interesting houses architecturally, but stupidly had forgotten the camera. Ended up at Broadway Square, where I had an Old Fashioned Lemonade, and sat and people watched, imagining the lives of the people I was seeing, from a couple of elderly down and outs to young men eating fast food and Moms with toddlers, dog walkers and dogs made up the set. My imagination began to work overtime. Spoke again with the guy a few boats down, "Approved", he told me his story and I told him about my writing, and he took details of my blog, and said he believed if I want it enough I will succeed in my ambition. He was good to talk with. So I only have three days until my flight home, and much to sort out on my return, but my prime focus will be on my writing and promoting Fleur.

A new lease of life.

Well today, I reached 56 years young, and feel that this next chapter of my life is going to be exciting, establishing myself as an author of childrens books as well as continuing writing poetry and prose. I am, on my return going to put together a short volume of "Poems from Baltimore", already have material I am working on. It is strange how everything one sees as a writer feeds the imagination and the soul, to the extent all I want to do is write. I have taken so many photographs to jog my memory of things I may forget
Tonight we went to see, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince", very good, but the darkest of those I have so far seen, pity the cast is getting so much older than in the books. I guess I am a purest, I find I prefer the books to any film I see, both have great value, the special effects of the films are great, but the books, well it's always the power of the words to evoke ones imagination.
Tomorrow,Secret is going to be cleaned for the weekend, we are having people for an afternoon cruise, and guess what, I am driving with Weldon as helper. I feel priviledged to be trusted with all this boat. I am sure this will have another post to follow it, and pre-empt some more writings and observations.

The anchor from hell.

Today see's us arrived in Atlantic City and not Cape May as intended, due to being unable to anchor, and reluctantly giving up after the third attempt. Last night we anchored after cruising for 9 hours through the night up the Delaware River, arriving at 5.58 am, we anchored and then had engine trouble, which was fixed relatively easily once problem diagnosed. Then joy upon joy, we were in the Atalntic and surrounded by Dolphins, in their natural habitat, it was spectacular, then today cruising to Atlantic City after a rough start in 15 mile hour winds, raising the anchor was quite a feat, but I managed, with compulsory life jacket on!
Atlantic City a huge culture shock, glitz, and glamour and casino's and so many people. Went and walked the 3 mile Boardwalk, very interesting will post pictures soon. Again such material to write about, all safely tucked away in my mind.

Insistant urge.

Wednesday 15th July, this morning I woke to indescribable urge to write, so I had a yogurt and set off for a walk with notepad and pens to find a place to sit and let the ideas fall. Whilst walking I was thinking over events of the last few days, from a man falling overboard and losing his life, to the Joe Cocker concert we went to last night, to being anchored out at St Mary's, I had a real eclectic list of thoughts and ideas. I walked to Weldon's Marina and people watched a little and boat coveted, then walked up Lakeside, on six blocks or so, then across six blocks, and making my way back to O'Donnells Square, where I sat in the shade and penned the bones of six poems, all of which need more work, but I am begining to believe a volume of Poems inspired by this trip is a possibility, to date I have written nine and have ideas for more.
In the early hours tomorrow morning at around 4am, our time we are setting off for a 6 day trip to Cape May, and travelling as dawn breaks I know will evoke more writings, and things I see and experience on this trip will find there way onto paper, so apart from Fleur I will bring you some poetry. I can not believe my time here is down to the last eleven days, it has gone so fast, and I know I do not want to leave, I love it here, water and boats what a superb combination. Better than fish and chips!

Red Velvet Cake

Tonight I sampled the most amazing cake ever, red velvet cake, it deserves an entire book to itself, the colout is blood red, the toping cream cheese and pecans and oh what a delightful thing, good job I could increase my insulin intake to compensate.
May be at some stage as I love food and trying different cuisines, I will attempt to sample and collect all kinds of weird and wonderful recipes, then write them all into a book for your delight and choice to make them.

Great Aunt at last

Just before 7am UK time my niece delivered her daughter, 8lb 12oz and all well. Mum and daughter doing well.
I guess the next book I write will have a dedication to her, the ideas are coming thick and fast but I know I must concentrate on getting Fleur and following books into public domain, before writing to much more.
It is so surprising the kind of everyday things a writer will see in a different way, with the imagination and creative juices flowing. I sometimes think people think I am a tad touched, when I find my self pulled into something, focusing very hard and almost losing myself in the object, seeing it from all perspectives and imagining all uses and ideas.
Today we are having dinner with the elderly parents of one of Dave's friends, and I am to sample Red Velvet Cake, sounds delightful but somewhat wicked. Tomorrow lots of appointments then Wednesday we leave for Cape May, calling at Pickering Beach on the Delaware River to see the ritual mating of Horseshoe crabs, no that will not feature in a childrens story, but maybe a poem.

New appreciation.

In the wee small hours of this morning we cruised back into Baltimore, having travelled after dark from Oxford, a really picturesque little place. Cruising in the dark, gives a whole new perspective and appreciation of the water. I noticed things I had not noticed in daylight. Tug boat pushing or pulling barges, and the tugs coming towards you look like fancy birthday cakes complete with candle. The channel lights and bridge light, range lights are almost as affective as Christmas lights. I wonder who and how they were all put out?
Needless to say I gained a whole collection of new ideas to write, in one way or another.
There also must be a poem in anchoring "Secret", and all the things to remember before leaving slip and on returning. I also had several points where she was left in my hands whilst other things were being done, that is when you realise the enormity of the responsibility of a boat this size, but she handles beautifully. Learning about the navigation was not as daunting as I had imagined and much of preparing to leave and returning is common sense, and becomes second nature with time.
Our next trip is Wednesday to Cape May, providing all is well with 'Secret's" engines, as we have a small diesel leak that is causing the vibration, hopefully fixed today. Today I will wash "Secret" so she looks great again after her days out.
This is such a fun trip. I am loving the variety of experiences all of which will eventually find themselves written about.

Jellyfish

I have fallen in love with the beauty of jellyfish, they are so etheral and lacelike, a much under rated creature by me before today. There are hundreds of them in the Cheasapeake where we have anchored the last few days. I really am surprised by my reaction to them!

Sifting new idea's and materials.

This trip is turning out to be both fascinating and productive, I keep finding new things I want to write about, whether poetry, prose or stories. Somehow a word or phrase jumps out at me and I reach for a notebook. Sometimes it is seeing something that just triggers the creative flow, I think I can write from memory of this time for quite a while.

Yesterday whilst cruising here to Solomons Island, we passed a pair of Ospreys nesting on a bouy, they were astoundingly beautiful, there is a wealth of birdlife on the water, I need to next time bring a bird book, as I can not identify them all. I can even feed the ducks!

We were heading for a place called Vera's to hang out last night, but a misdialed call had us ended up at Solomons Yacht Marina, lots of boats, supper at Kingfishers Seafood place, was a delight.
I think there is some writing to do purely around the food experience, I am however attempting to be good. Walked about 4 miles this morning to International Supermarket.

'Secret"s Bottom'

Today I saw 'Secret' in all her glory, driven into a sling harness lift and raised completely out of the water. Not at all indignant, she enjoyed having the barnacles removed and her bottom power washed, her props and zincs checked. She had caught a crab line which was wrapped around her port prop but nothing on her starboard prop. So there was nothing obvious to explain her vibrations of Saturday.
This all done we have set off for the first of out two trips, this one taking in Annapolis, Solomons and Oxford.
Looking around from the top deck, there is a vast expanse of water and only few sail boats taking advantage of the wind. We are lined up to go under Cross Bay Bridge.
Wait! a question from the Captain, "did we take the fenders up?" "er, no," so I hang on all around Secret taking in her fenders, I realise on a boat one could almost become as sure footed as a mountain goat.
After six days on water, I wonder how long it will take to get back land legs!
I am finding many many inspiration's and avenues for my writing, especially on the poetry side, you never know there may also be a children's story with a nautical theme.
For me this life on land and boat is perfect, the best combination ever.

July 4th in Baltimore

Whilst the whole of the USA celebrated Independence Day, with Public holidays on Friday and the weekend, we took 13 of Daves friend on a Cheasapeake cruise for 7 hrs, culminating in a dinner at the local diner and me being manhandled by a new girlfiend Anne and friends to Coldstones the most amazing Ice Cream Parlour, which has staff that sing, it's really neat.
We all got back to the boat in order to sit and watch the firework display celebrating the 4th, odd for me being a Brit, when they are all celebrating getting rid of the Brits in 1776.
Only downside to the day is the boat picked up a bad vibration so tomorrow we have to have her taken out of water and looked at. Watch for next entry.

Tuesday, I walked to O'Donnell Street, whilst here in Baltimore, I came across an Italian Pastry and coffee shop, wonderful coffee and pastries, but I was good and did not break my sweet embago, however whilst having coffee, the seeds germinated for a new book. I had to purchase a pad and pen and sit immediately to put the ideas down, so keep watching, it will be very different to Fleur.
Today Wednesday visited Baltimore Aquarium, the highlight being the beautiful and delicate jellyfish, just floating through the water like lace filaments, stunning.
I keep seeing and experiencing things that I need to write about, right now its thundering and lightening, which has to come into another story, maybe The Cloud People which at present is a series of ideas to work on.