Cusp...

...for Knots in the String.

I walk back from the beach and notice that my plantsman friend’s phalanx of poplars have begun to colour up and I realise that we are indeed now on the cusp of summer’s end. I’ve been beguiled by days of warmth, sun and much beaching, but the oncoming reality is unsurprising. When I turn into our gate, I can’t really ignore the sprinkling (soon to be a deluge) of golden leaves from the liquid ambers, willows, Japanese maples, birches and more, and I think of the value of amber as a precious gem in the Dark Ages. A mellow-coloured jewel, like melted toffee, and filled with aeons of history.

The Viburnum Opulus has a blush tinge here and there and the evenings get darker earlier as we walk the dog. Only another ten days and daylight saving will end. I try to be positive about that, but it’s like a flick of the switch and we must immediately wear warmer night-walking clothes and once again carry Big Bertha, our strong torch. However we will see the entire galaxy as we walk – pinpricks of glitter in a midnight sky and that’s worth the change.

My summer clothes are worn out with sunshine and fresh air, faded and thin and needing repair. I’ve thrown one pair of boatshoes out as I had worn the leather through and my runners have almost worn through, splitting across the sole.

Signs of the end of the season…

Polly Castor’s words capture this moment:

On the Cusp of Something Polly Castor (9/3/18)

At a transition point:
out with the old
in with the new
seasons shift
on fulcrums of faith
pivoting with promise
and positive in premise.

My Time:

Doing: – Writing. The fantasy novel has perhaps 30,000+ more words to go and I look up from the keyboard and wonder what world I inhabit - this fantasy world so like our own. A trilogy is emerging – three standalones under the series banner of The Eirish Rhapsody which can follow the four part Chronicles of Eirie (2010-2015).

Reading:

Apart from bookish research, and a sneak peak of the last few paras written for the hist.fict (Book Two of The Peregrinus Series) and which was then put aside mid last year, I’m reading exclusively on my Kindle – one of the best inventions for age-ing eyes ever. I’m halfway through The Librarian of Crooked Lane by CJ Archer and enjoying it.

Also really appreciating these Substacks this week. They resonate.

Listening:

Don Burrows on Spotify. My husband and I have been lifelong fans of the great Australian jazz musician and in fact my husband made a wonderful documentary with Burrows for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in the 70’s. Burrows was in love with Tasmanian trout fishing and it was a beautifully shot, edited and scripted testament to a gentle spirit with an endearing humility and sense of humour (quite like my husband, actually).

Ballet music - Spotify. The Australian Ballet launched their latest iteration of Nuryev’s Don Quixote this week and I’ve been listening to the score.

Audiobook. Moving on from Book One of The Last Kingdom to Book Two and because I was enjoying it so much, I unwisely had a quick peak at The Last Kingdom on Netflix, only to find Brida bloodily rampaging through York and I realised why I’m enjoying the audiobooks so much. They’re not in colour, I can turn the audio down at the ugly bits and nausea is avoided.

Watching:

Not much really because I’ve been writing or stitching at night and listening to music, but on the suggestion of my daughter, I watched a rather niche Netflix movie called Faraway. It has a precious gentility about it and in a very short space of time, the characters become three-dimensional. The story doesn’t rip at one’s soul or leave one shattered and yet it has moments of refined wisdom. I’d actually give it 5 stars, but others may differ.

And because I’m interested in Don Quixote, I watched this:

I’d just love to own one of those models!

Then followed a video with the male dancers from the company on what is an extremely demanding physical performance.

And finally, because of his perfect grace as a dancer, Baryshnikov’s Basilio Variation from Don Quixote.

Such a good evening’s viewing.

AND I was able to purchase a ticket for a livestream of the company’s performance in Melbourne next week. As husband and self will have clocked in from our wilderness adventure literally an hour before the livestream, I’ll enjoy watching it with my feet up and heatpacks on all my sore bits!

Being on the cusp is anything but boring. I don’t have aversions to seasonal change as all seasons have a purpose and beauty. With writing, I see transitions from writing one book to another as a challenge and fun. But I’m as prone as the next person to view change anxiously.

Transition does have a darker side. I see the world arming itself to the hilt, I see freedoms eroding, and I see women, men and children assaulted in the most perverse ways and it’s difficult to find a song about being on the cusp of anything.

But…

… if one googles songs about being on the edge of ‘change’ (and being Pollyanna, peaceful change), Peace Train comes up again and again.

Wonderful song.

If only…