Seamus Heaney’s Home Place
Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of visiting a small museum dedicated to Seamus Heaney. Located in Bellaghy in Ulster, “home” place is exactly the right term for this very special place. Museums don’t have to be large to be effective and I found that, in Ireland and Northern Ireland, there are many small […]
Writing at the Beach
There’s something about a beach that changes us. We “un-lax” as opposed to relax, letting go of all but the most basic elements of our lives. We wake, eat, sleep, walk the beach, go in the water (if it’s not too cold), and generally let time take care of itself. And then there’s writing. I […]
Creating legend
I wish I could remember who said the following: “Where there’s no explanation, there’s a legend.” Whether you call it legend or story, it’s at the heart of writing. Even if your prose or poetry appears to have little or no narrative, there’s a legend or story behind what you wrote. Some call it experience, […]
Traveling and Keeping Up with Writing
I recently returned from a fabulous trip to Ireland and England. I didn’t manage to get to Scotland (land of my birth), but maybe next time. Our group of teachers and librarians focused on literature—children’s literature in particular—although we managed to take in other literary spots along the way. The group, known as Nye Travelers, […]
Writing Rites and Rights
Today, my daughter-in-law ends her maternity leave and goes back to work. Her official work is in a workplace outside the home, although she brings home plenty of work, too. To support my addiction to writing, I made sure I had “a job” outside the home as well and have done that all my life–kid […]