Of New Year Resolutions (CCW)

A Postcard Series

Monday 15th January 2024

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Our bi-monthly Writers Group on the 3rd Monday of Oddly Numbered Months feels to meet more frequently. A time of friend and fellowship I appreciate.

We chatted and shared, writing goals, hopes, life’s little quirks – then set to each writing a short piece, this bimonths theme,

‘New Year’s Resolution.’

No constraint, fact, fiction, rhyme – just had to be short enough to read back. After all, we only had 20 minutes.

Additionally Eric challenged me to write it as a Dribble, a Flash of just 50 words.

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Paradoxical Resolution Broken as Made

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I could repeat last year’s resolution. Paradoxically broken in making, to ‘NOT make a New Years Resolution.’

I made resolutions when needed, not on the First of the First. Some fizzle, more succeed. It is better that way.

This pondering pounded my head, I moved into the kitchen for coffee!

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Writing and Images on Tread Doodle & Scrawl authored, drawn or taken by me, ©️ Dominic Barton

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Ponderings, Drawing & ‘After Winter’ a Flash Fiction

Christmas, Second Season of the Year

12 Days of Christmas 2023/24

Thursday 28th December

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Growing up Christmas Carols were extensively played through Advent and Christmas. I always assumed day 4 of The Twelve Days of Christmas to be ‘Four Collie Birds’!

On Christmas Day we opened our stockings before church then followed a quiet reflective day with a nice Christmas Lunch.

Boxing Day was our big family gathering, many presents given and received, company enjoyed and food shared. I took a snooze or two midst mayhem all around to recharge the batteries.

On Wednesday we gave tree presents to each other, I am so enjoying getting the hang of my Microwave Stone Cooking Pot. The 1st GrandChildren Platoon stayed the afternoon whist Mum worked. Santa is a bit confused nowadays, he leaves stockings in their own homes and a stocking each for GrandChildren (and our own children now parents) here for them to open. So that was fun, 2nd and 3rd platoon still to come.

Winter will no doubt become colder, my pencil today turned spring-wards, boating on a Scottish Loch, a breeze in the air and leaves beginning to re-dress those bare branches.

Whilst the boat and rowing couple were new to my pencil too, I spent more time practicing and experimenting trying to give the feel of 3-d branches. Till recently they’ve been more 2-D.

Let’s try an instant story on the picture…

After Winter

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Alistair and Catriona spent winter closeted within the village boundaries. Living closely long term amongst family, neighbours and friends could be wearing.

But now the weather had lifted enough to enjoy both highland walking and time on the loch.

They stashed provisions in their rowboat then pushed off from the shore to row the length of the loch revisiting many sights they knew so well. Their craft beached they climbed high before stopping for lunch.

In a life changing moment over Haggis Cheese Rolls and Irn-Bru Alistair softly spoke. “Will ya marry me Catriona?”

They crafted Celtic Bands from coarse highland grasses for each other. These would be cast in precious metals later.

Writing and Images on Tread Doodle & Scrawl authored, drawn or taken by me, ©️ Dominic Barton

Christmas

Christmas, Second Season of the Year

Christmas 2023/24

Boxing Day 2023

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Yesterday was Christmas Day.

Late in the afternoon one arm of the GrandChildren arrived for an hour, leaving behind them an interesting scene.

With GrandChildren coming and going we always have toys lying around. One day after they left I absentmindedly lined up the three or four plastic ducks we had along the top of our flat screen telly, there they stayed.

This quickly developed into ‘He collects Ducks’, in the space of 18 months through various gifts many characterful ducks have taken up residence, too many now to all fit along the top of our FlatScreen TV, but there they do still live – this ‘custom’ has moved down a generation and two too.

Numbers of ducks fast expanded, interesting to see these ducks now developing social and family groups, grandparents, parents, children, friends. Grandchildren interpreting life through play.

On this flash visit the grandchildren created a duckling choir performing to their families and friends.

I transferred the scene onto blankets representing pond, bank and floating stage, a picture memory for them of their inventive game.

On the Pond: a Duckling Carol Concert

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Writing and Images on Tread Doodle & Scrawl authored, drawn or taken by me, ©️ Dominic Barton

Restoration

Gazing at the book in my hands, it had been repaired in the past, layer upon layer of silver fabric tape garishly ugly in appearance, though it had provided good protection. Further repeated use caused cloth to again break away from board and spine, pages had begun once again to drop away from the cloth binding. However the book had been handled carefully.

Sitting at my workbench I carefully tugged one tiny piece of dried fabric tape at a time. No rushing, tiny tug here, gentle peel there, continually watching to see how the many previous repairs had been added. Eventually, partially dismantled, the original book lay before me, I started the slow task of re gluing soft cloth which holds the book together back down to the spine and resealing where it was starting to peel away from the front and back covers.

All that had been lost in the dismantling process was the spine, took time to fashion a new one from card and tissue backed binders cloth.

With everything glued and clamped I finally went to bed. The glue needed to dry, then all that was left with a steady hand was silver lettering on the new spine.

The book ready again for daily chorister use in the choir stalls.

Heron at CherryHinton Hall

Not a long walk but enough to stretch the legs. At half way I paused to draw Master Heron standing lazily amongst the reeds. Resting, recharging, awaiting his next meal? Flapped lazily away as two moorhens dashed past brushing my shoulder!

I looked back to see what had spooked them, a spaniel leaping through the undergrowth, maybe thinking of an early lunch. He was called back by his master.

My Pencil and I

Pencil always treads the path beside me, instantly ready, doodling a sketch, scrawling a note, a letter, a novel or an unforgettable idea. Without his help these would be forgot. So thank you little pencil, thank you little friend.

On a Hike

Of course he once was so much bigger. Unlike you and I, in time though, thousands of doodles, millions of words scrawled across page and scraps. Pencil’s wisdom and usefulness has grown. He’s shrunk now, to less than an inch tall!

Before he disappears into Sharpener for the last time, enough for just a few more.

So carry on making your mark my friend, I can honestly say, you have been my bestest pencil ever. Such a good thing that when you arrived, you arrived in a pack of ten.

 

 

A few doodles

Hill Walking

Festival

Countryside Bridge