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About
Sharon Brooks
2025
©
Purpose Project
This is where I like to think and play.
Musings
25/05/2025
A MONTH OF SUNRISES
X
Musings on the world of the Honey Bee. So sweet, but watch out for that sting!
THE PENDULUM
4
7
6
1
8
9
2
3
5
That litttle voice inside often goes unheard, so I am using an amplifier!
FAIRY TALES
What are fairies at the bottom of my garden and where have they taken my sock?
THE APOTHECARY
Can tiny little bottles filled with magic, really soothe the aches of the soul?
THE BIRDS AND THE BEES
That litttle voice inside often goes unheard, so I am using an amplifier!
25/02/2025
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce aliquet, eros et malesuada condimentum, erat lectus laoreet eros, nec laoreet velit ex eu nunc. Curabitur dictum ullamcorper fringilla. Aliquam ornare diam vel quam congue accumsan. Proin placerat diam ut quam mattis, sed ultrices risus porta. Duis tempus ligula vitae nisl sagittis maximus. In vestibulum metus eget risus vehicula ultrices. Aenean venenatis tellus eros, ut cursus tellus ornare id. Morbi ipsum velit, varius nec elit et, ornare volutpat leo. Donec dolor diam, finibus ac dolor sit amet, feugiat ultricies tortor. Morbi lobortis urna ligula.
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Nullam elementum neque ac est maximus, et mattis magna gravida. Nullam faucibus, nibh ac tincidunt efficitur, ex turpis porttitor leo, vitae dapibus lacus nibh a tellus. Nunc sit amet sapien nec nulla lacinia luctus. Sed efficitur mattis arcu a luctus. Nulla ligula leo, tempus non ligula mattis, euismod consectetur eros. Duis sodales scelerisque tortor, nec malesuada urna tristique sit amet. Vivamus tempor ornare nisi in commodo. Donec placerat sit amet enim quis venenatis.
Ut sed faucibus orci. Vivamus vitae diam tincidunt enim eleifend mattis. Nam luctus et risus eget fermentum. Maecenas auctor placerat lorem, quis mattis libero tempus ut. Suspendisse potenti. Nullam rutrum nulla tellus, vitae dictum libero tempor egestas.
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce aliquet, eros et malesuada condimentum, erat lectus laoreet eros, nec laoreet velit ex eu nunc. Curabitur dictum ullamcorper fringilla. Aliquam ornare diam vel quam congue accumsan. Proin placerat diam ut quam mattis, sed ultrices risus porta. Duis tempus ligula vitae nisl sagittis maximus. In vestibulum metus eget risus vehicula ultrices. Aenean venenatis tellus eros, ut cursus tellus ornare id. Morbi ipsum velit, varius nec elit et, ornare volutpat leo. Donec dolor diam, finibus ac dolor sit amet, feugiat ultricies tortor. Morbi lobortis urna ligula.
Maecenas fermentum volutpat augue, placerat convallis orci interdum ut. Pellentesque at arcu in mauris venenatis faucibus et id ipsum. Nulla ut urna metus. Phasellus ac est sit amet justo rhoncus elementum.
THE ARTIST’S WAY
Morning pages
Becoming my own best friend
Listening with care
Artist dates to fill my cup
Playful and joyful
Tasks to feed my curiosity
Letting my heart out of the bottle
Allowing myself to fly
Embracing my inner child
S'il vous plait
Bluebells and wood anemones
Geese flying overhead
Shedding the old
Not trying so hard
Synchronicities guiding me
Along the road less travelled.
20/04/2025
Morning pages
Becoming my own best friend
Listening with care
Artist dates to fill my cup
Playful and joyful
Tasks to feed my curiosity
Letting my heart out of the bottle
Allowing myself to fly
Embracing my inner child
S'il vous plait
Bluebells and wood anemones
Geese flying overhead
Shedding the old
Not trying so hard
Synchronicities guiding me
Along the road less travelled.
18/04/2025
She struts in with a red feather boa wrapped casually round her neck. She wears high heels which click on the tiled floor. She wipes her finger along the work surface to check for dust. As if I think, not in my house! I smile inside. I will not let her intimidate me. She stands in front of me now, with her hands on her hips and pushes closer into my personal space. I can feel her breath on my cheek. She's taller than me with flecks of green in her eyes I note. Her hair is black, a dyed blue black and her roots are showing. She needs to get to the hairdresser fast. She doesn't scare me with all her bravado. I can see beneath this facade. I can stand up to her.
'What do you want?' I enquire boldly
She smirks 'What do I want? What do you think I want?'
I stand strong and unfazed 'I have no idea. I did not invite you into my home'
'Oh I think you did!' she recounted
I was puzzled. It must have washed across my face, a slight break in my armour. She caught hold of this.
'I said, I think you did' she insisted
I pulled myself together 'I didn't. And you are not welcome. Please leave'
'Just like that?' she sneered
'Yes, just like that' I said as I walked into the hallway, brushing past her and opening the front door wide
She stood and laughed 'You can't kick me out!'
'Watch me!' I replied
She stood quiet for a moment and studied my composure. I let my breathing slow to try to give the impression of calm. I was feeling anything but calm inside, but I wouldn't let her see that. I would not break this armour I had built up.
'Please can you leave' I asked quietly but firmly
'Now!' I said strongly
She shrugged.
She knew when the battle was not worth fighting 'Fine!' she said as she flounced out the door
'But I'll be back' she threw over her shoulder
I shut the door and stood with my back against it breathing deeply.
I turned round and looked through the peephole.
She had gone.
There was a faint red smoke trail wafting down the street. People were walking past. No one seemed perplexed.
I had done it! I had finally asked her to leave. I had finally stood up to her and her feather boa.
FEAR
She struts in with a red feather boa wrapped casually round her neck. She wears high heels which click on the tiled floor. She wipes her finger along the work surface to check for dust. As if I think, not in my house! I smile inside. I will not let her intimidate me. She stands in front of me now, with her hands on her hips and pushes closer into my personal space. I can feel her breath on my cheek. She's taller than me with flecks of green in her eyes I note. Her hair is black, a dyed blue black and her roots are showing. She needs to get to the hairdresser fast. She doesn't scare me with all her bravado. I can see beneath this facade. I can stand up to her.
'What do you want?' I enquire boldly
She smirks 'What do I want? What do you think I want?'
I stand strong and unfazed 'I have no idea. I did not invite you into my home'
'Oh I think you did!' she recounted
I was puzzled. It must have washed across my face, a slight break in my armour. She caught hold of this.
'I said, I think you did' she insisted
I pulled myself together 'I didn't. And you are not welcome. Please leave'
'Just like that?' she sneered
'Yes, just like that' I said as I walked into the hallway, brushing past her and opening the front door wide
She stood and laughed 'You can't kick me out!'
'Watch me!' I replied
She stood quiet for a moment and studied my composure. I let my breathing slow to try to give the impression of calm. I was feeling anything but calm inside, but I wouldn't let her see that. I would not break this armour I had built up.
'Please can you leave' I asked quietly but firmly
'Now!' I said strongly
She shrugged.
She knew when the battle was not worth fighting 'Fine!' she said as she flounced out the door
'But I'll be back' she threw over her shoulder
I shut the door and stood with my back against it breathing deeply.
I turned round and looked through the peephole.
She had gone.
There was a faint red smoke trail wafting down the street. People were walking past. No one seemed perplexed.
I had done it! I had finally asked her to leave. I had finally stood up to her and her feather boa.
THE SPARKLE PROJECT
17/04/2025
BEE IN MY BONNET
Sharon’s Bee Girl Blog
24/04/2025
Taking my time
Walking in rhythm with my heartbeat
Slowly noticing all the leaves unfurling
As I walk on the tree lined paths
Daffodils swaying in the breeze
With golden trumpets held high to the sun
Vivid green everywhere is a glorious contrast
To the bleak skyline a few weeks ago
Delicate frothy white petals adorn the blackthorn
Baby pink blossoms offer joy to the world
With promise for the future fruits
The sound of bees busy going between these blossoms
Offers a sense of wonder
As the world is waking up again after Winter
Always a welcome surprise
To feel the warmth on my back
See the flowers emerging as if by magic each year
With no intervention from us
It makes my heart happy to see.
On this journey
I will take the scenic route
I will stop to smell the roses
I will pause to see the beauty around me
I will honour the sadnesses in my heart
I will learn from my mistakes
I will walk through life with kindness and compassion
I will laugh
I will enjoy each of my days and embrace them to the full
I will make the most of my friends and family and enjoy their company
I will enjoy my food
I will look after my body and my mind
I will cherish the wisdom I hold in me
I will follow my heart on the long winding journey it takes me
I will read books which call to me and watch films which pique my interest
I will listen carefully to the people I meet and learn from their stories
I will enjoy the richness brought to me each and every day
I will remember that things will pass and nothing stays the same
I will absorb the magic in each day.
23/04/2025
ON THIS JOURNEY
On this journey
I will take the scenic route
I will stop to smell the roses
I will pause to see the beauty around me
I will honour the sadnesses in my heart
I will learn from my mistakes
I will walk through life with kindness and compassion
I will laugh
I will enjoy each of my days and embrace them to the full
I will make the most of my friends and family and enjoy their company
I will enjoy my food
I will look after my body and my mind
I will cherish the wisdom I hold in me
I will follow my heart on the long winding journey it takes me
I will read books which call to me and watch films which pique my interest
I will listen carefully to the people I meet and learn from their stories
I will enjoy the richness brought to me each and every day
I will remember that things will pass and nothing stays the same
I will absorb the magic in each day.
My husband is a film maker and he roped me into helping on a recent music video he was making as he wanted to blow my hair with a leaf blower! Unbeknown to me it was much more than this. He had me running around town on a Saturday evening. We stayed out until 1.30am until the street lights went out so had to continue a few nights later, again until 1.30am. Despite being out of my comfort zone I had fun. I didn't know the Weird Boyfriend so we had to get to know each other during filming and my face ached from laughing so much. It did me the world of good.
Friends and family were part of the adventure as well including having to enthusiastically jump in a puddle, read a newspaper, walk past reading a phone and my husband's sister had to be the Bag Lady!
I also had to channel my inner rage as the story is of a relationship breakup in reverse. So I had to dump a pile of spaghetti on the Weird Boyfriend's head, sweep all the crockery off the table and storm out of the room. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this!
We filmed in the green screen Film Studio which my husband has built out of reclaimed materials and I had to turn the industrial leaf blower on the Weird Boyfriend. It was so noisy I had to wear ear protectors. I enjoyed this filming as I got my own personal concert and again laughed lots.
A few weeks later we filmed the band in the green screen and in the woods for the second music video which is currently in production.
WEIRD BOYFRIEND
21/04/2025
My husband is a film maker and he roped me into helping on a recent music video he was making as he wanted to blow my hair with a leaf blower! Unbeknown to me it was much more than this. He had me running around town on a Saturday evening. We stayed out until 1.30am until the street lights went out so had to continue a few nights later, again until 1.30am. Despite being out of my comfort zone I had fun. I didn't know the Weird Boyfriend so we had to get to know each other during filming and my face ached from laughing so much. It did me the world of good.
Friends and family were part of the adventure as well including having to enthusiastically jump in a puddle, read a newspaper, walk past reading a phone and my husband's sister had to be the Bag Lady!
I also had to channel my inner rage as the story is of a relationship breakup in reverse. So I had to dump a pile of spaghetti on the Weird Boyfriend's head, sweep all the crockery off the table and storm out of the room. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this!
We filmed in the green screen Film Studio which my husband has built out of reclaimed materials and I had to turn the industrial leaf blower on the Weird Boyfriend. It was so noisy I had to wear ear protectors. I enjoyed this filming as I got my own personal concert and again laughed lots.
A few weeks later we filmed the band in the green screen and in the woods for the second music video which is currently in production.
We worked it out the other day. I was bought the Muffins book in 2001 by my mum from Lakeland and I've baked at least two batches per week each year. That means I've baked at least 28,704 muffins in the past 23 years. I haven't eaten all these myself! I have distributed them far and wide. Taking them to meetings as my offering to the proceedings, baked for birthdays and celebrations and often 'just because'.
My son's favourite are the double chocolate. I baked a lot of them when he was little, often before dad had even left for work, alongside a batch of soup and the loaf ingredients into the bread maker. I was up early and was at my best in the morning. I conquered the universe before lunchtime. Banana choc chip are my daughter's favourite. Anytime there are bananas left, not the right shade of yellow for her liking, they get transferred into muffins. Adding oats to the ingredients makes them very wholesome and there is not much sugar in these recipes. They were formulated by a Susan Reimer who had moved to England from Canada and converted her recipes into healthy versions. Her book was a huge success and although I can no longer find the article online I was sure the book sales enabled her to travel around the world. The book is still being published, in it's 4th edition now.
I've made them vegan by replacing the egg with a tablespoon of custard powder mixed to a paste with a drop of soya milk or water depending on the recipe, soya milk instead of cow's milk and sunflower oil rather than butter.
I experimented making nettle and lemon muffins. I boiled the nettles to take out their sting and the muffins were an incredible shade of green, but they made my tongue tingle so only made one batch of these.
I feel so happy baking the muffins. For me it's magic that combining a few simple ingredients makes such a delicious treat. I freeze them individually in houmous tubs and can take them out in the evening for the next day, ready to distribute to friends visiting. Or often I will bake a batch in the morning of a visit and so freshly baked ones will be on offer.
My favourite at the moment are date and walnut. You soak the dates for 30 minutes in boiling water to soften them and then add to the ingredients. They feel very nutritious and tasty.
I love picking blackberries. My maiden name was Berry so I think it's in my genes to enjoy this activity! I wash and freeze the blackberries in the correct quantity for the muffins, again in houmous tubs - we eat a lot of houmous so always have a plentiful supply. I add the grated zest of a lemon or orange into the muffins with the blackberries and enjoy all over Winter from my frozen stash. Blueberries are another favourite with the orange or lemon twist.
One that I have tried a few times is courgette and cocoa. I like it but it's not my favourite. Carrot and orange are also delicious as are orange and poppy seeds.
The recipes have been handed out to lots of people and a friend who has since died has left a note for her daughters that the recipes are from me.
Whenever I make the muffins I try not think of anything else; to be present in the mixing and making. I always make a little wish as I stir the ingredients to send love to everyone who eats them.
Baking muffins has been a delight for me over the past 23 years. I've always loved baking from being little, baking scones with my nana and eating them straight from the oven with the butter melting on them. I can still see myself sitting on the sofa in her lounge eating them. I made a cake called a Russian Sandwich as a child. A cake bought from Greggs by my mum and she just made up her own version – sponge cake with vanilla custard inside and icing and dessicated coconut on the top. I've made lots of these too and always turned up to family events with one.
Converting these simple ingredients into something delicious is always a joy for me and even more so for being able to share my creations with my family and friends. 'Muffin Maker' is often how I introduce myself. My book is falling apart as it's been used so much, but it is a treasure to me. I am very grateful to Susan for publishing her recipes – thank you!
THE MUFFIN FACTORY
22/04/2025
We worked it out the other day. I was bought the Muffins book in 2001 by my mum from Lakeland and I've baked at least two batches per week each year. That means I've baked at least 28,704 muffins in the past 23 years. I haven't eaten all these myself! I have distributed them far and wide. Taking them to meetings as my offering to the proceedings, baked for birthdays and celebrations and often 'just because’.
My son's favourite are the double chocolate. I baked a lot of them when he was little, often before dad had even left for work, alongside a batch of soup and the loaf ingredients into the bread maker. I was up early and was at my best in the morning. I conquered the universe before lunchtime.
Banana choc chip are my daughter's favourite. Anytime there are bananas left, not the right shade of yellow for her liking, they get transferred into muffins. Adding oats to the ingredients makes them very wholesome and there is not much sugar in these recipes. They were formulated by a Susan Reimer who had moved to England from Canada and converted her recipes into healthy versions. Her book was a huge success and although I can no longer find the article online I was sure the book sales enabled her to travel around the world. The book is still being published, in it's 4th edition now.
I've made them vegan by replacing the egg with a tablespoon of custard powder mixed to a paste with a drop of soya milk or water depending on the recipe, soya milk instead of cow's milk and sunflower oil rather than butter.
I experimented making nettle and lemon muffins. I boiled the nettles to take out their sting and the muffins were an incredible shade of green, but they made my tongue tingle so only made one batch of these.
I feel so happy baking the muffins. For me it's magic that combining a few simple ingredients makes such a delicious treat. I freeze them individually in houmous tubs and can take them out in the evening for the next day, ready to distribute to friends visiting. Or often I will bake a batch in the morning of a visit and so freshly baked ones will be on offer.
My favourite at the moment are date and walnut. You soak the dates for 30 minutes in boiling water to soften them and then add to the ingredients. They feel very nutritious and tasty.
I love picking blackberries. My maiden name was Berry so I think it's in my genes to enjoy this activity! I wash and freeze the blackberries in the correct quantity for the muffins, again in houmous tubs - we eat a lot of houmous so always have a plentiful supply. I add the grated zest of a lemon or orange into the muffins with the blackberries and enjoy all over Winter from my frozen stash. Blueberries are another favourite with the orange or lemon twist.
One that I have tried a few times is courgette and cocoa. I like it but it's not my favourite. Carrot and orange are also delicious as are orange and poppy seeds.
The recipes have been handed out to lots of people and a friend who has since died has left a note for her daughters that the recipes are from me.
Whenever I make the muffins I try not think of anything else; to be present in the mixing and making. I always make a little wish as I stir the ingredients to send love to everyone who eats them.
Baking muffins has been a delight for me over the past 23 years. I've always loved baking from being little, baking scones with my nana and eating them straight from the oven with the butter melting on them. I can still see myself sitting on the sofa in her lounge eating them. I made a cake called a Russian Sandwich as a child. A cake bought from Greggs by my mum and she just made up her own version – sponge cake with vanilla custard inside and icing and dessicated coconut on the top. I've made lots of these too and always turned up to family events with one.
Converting these simple ingredients into something delicious is always a joy for me and even more so for being able to share my creations with my family and friends. 'Muffin Maker' is often how I introduce myself. My book is falling apart as it's been used so much, but it is a treasure to me. I am very grateful to Susan for publishing her recipes – thank you!
ORANGES
Teach them to love themselves. That they are enough.
I get called to make my pilgrimage to the end of the earth.
Top 40 on Sunday nights after a roast dinner and rice pudding.
TEACHING OUR CHILDREN
FREE AS A BIRD
MIXTAPES
My Nana had a twin tub.
An animated breakfast for two.
Sometimes we touch it briefly.
For an instant all becomes clear.
Cheering on from the riverside with hot water bottles and cups of tea.
NANA
BREAKFASTER
CLARITY
A year of adventures to new places.
A TO Z IN A YEAR
Banging, crashing, shuffling, clattering.
A photograph with a subtle animating element.
THE WHITE TORNADO
Twenty eight thousand seven hundred and four muffins.
Midnight music video mayhem.
CINEMAGRAPHS
She struts in with a red feather boa wrapped casually round her neck.
Running barefoot in the snow, wearing a summer dress.
Glimpses of one person's
journey through life.
RUNNING ON BACK TO YOU
Pastry, jam and cornflakes wrapped in gloopy syrup.
Ladybirds are my good luck totem.
What does drawing breath look like?
LOVE MYSELF ENOUGH
Farewell Mr Neat. Wooden wonders spun with love.
SCHOOL DINNERS
LADYBIRDS
DRAWING BREATH
We are like rock, being built up over time.
NEAT AND TIDY
GEOLOGY
I get my red hair from my grandad. I am here because he escaped.
THE BERRYS
A Summer spent collecting sparkles to refill the reserves.
Allow the freedom of the wind
to blow through your life.
Set your hurts free. Let them float away.
NEW BEGINNINGS
THE SPARKLE PROJECT
THE WORLD NEEDS YOU
Swimming in a wedding dress made from J cloths.
I am the woman with colours in my mind.
Treating myself like a precious object will make me strong.
SWIMMING IN A DREAM
MMXX
Do we share 50% of our DNA with a banana?
I come from a long line of people from Simister.
I will take the scenic route.
BANANAS
GENERATIONS
Following a delicate sprinkling of pollen.
The colour orange is named after the fruit, not the other way around.
Glimpses of one person’s journey through life.
Pastry, jam and cornflakes wrapped in gloopy syrup.
Sometimes we touch it briefly. For an instant all becomes clear.
Set your hurts free. Let them float away.
Farewell Mr Neat. Wooden wonders spun with love.
Do we share 50% of our DNA with a banana?.
Treating myself like a precious object will make me strong.
We are like rock, being built up over time.
A Summer spent collecting sparkles to refill the reserves.
Teach them to love themselves. That they are enough.
Midnight music video mayhem.
My Nana had a twin tub.
Running barefoot in the snow, wearing a summer dress.
A photograph with a subtle animating element.
I get my red hair from my grandad. I am here because he escaped.
Ladybirds are my good luck totem.
I will take the scenic route.
Allow the freedom of the wind to blow through your life.
10/05/2025
We are like rock
Being built up over time
Layers and layers of dirt and bones
Fossilised remains
Of feelings felt
Emotions expressed
We all have our own geology
We must find our way
Through the forests and coastal paths
Learn to map read
To work out a route
Along the contours
Hills and valleys
Know in our heart which is the right way
Listen closely to that little voice inside.
11/05/2025
18/05/2025
Banging
Crashing
Shuffling
Clattering
The White Tornado
Had woken up
Was making her way
Through the debris
Of yesterday
Tidying
Sorting
Clearing
Cleaning
Ready for the New Day
This was her Quiet Time
To Draw Breath
It was not everyone else's
Quiet Time
They were woken by her
Every Day
It was Time
For their day to start too
Who needed alarm clocks
When they lived with
The White Tornado!
A Wireless Operator/Signaller at the Normandy Landings
17/05/2025
Life as a Prisoner of War in Germany 1944-45
I was born a Berry
Deep down I still am
The Berry genes
Strongly holding me
Guiding me
Food being so important
Passed onto us all
From Grandad's time
As a Prisoner of War
With very little food
Hot jacket potatoes
Sneaked from the guards
Fish Paste?
As he learnt German to ask the time
Pieces of cake
Cut to within a mm of precision
To ensure no squabbling
In a family of four children
Trifles, cakes, puddings
Roast dinners, mashed carrots
After Eights and tins of Quality Streets
Whilst playing Chase the Ace
With an Auntie with a Poker Face
Winning all the coins
Much to our dismay.
I get my red hair from my grandad. I'm here because he escaped from being a Prisoner of War.
Here are some of his stories:
Escape from Germany 1945
I was born a Berry
Deep down I still am
The Berry genes
Strongly holding me
Guiding me
Food being so important
Passed onto us all
From Grandad's time
As a Prisoner of War
With very little food
Hot jacket potatoes
Sneaked from the guards
Fish Paste?
As he learnt German to ask the time
Pieces of cake
Cut to within a mm of precision
To ensure no squabbling
In a family of four children
Trifles, cakes, puddings
Roast dinners, mashed carrots
After Eights and tins of Quality Streets
Whilst playing Chase the Ace
With an Auntie with a Poker Face
Winning all the coins
Much to our dismay.
19/04/2025
24/05/2025
Ladybirds are my good luck totem
I wore delicate silver ladybird earrings on my Wedding Day
Inspired by a film 'Under the Tuscan Sun'
A story told of a young girl searching everywhere for ladybirds
With no luck and disappointment she fell asleep in the long grass
On waking she was covered in ladybirds
It reminds me not to search so hard
Relax into life and know things will come when they are ready
Ladybirds arrive when the food is there
Like the kaleidoscope of butterflies swooping down in the Wilding book
Feasting on all the thistle
They devoured them and the thistle never returned
No weedkiller required
Nature knows
It works things out
We should take heed of this
Not push or pull at things
Flow and allow things to be as they are
We don't know the bigger picture
The elephants seemingly destroying the trees
But 60 years later the realisation
They were working on a Big Cycle of Nature Preservation
Farming by clearing the land and reseeding it
We are tiny specks in the universe
We can't know everything
But we can sit and observe
Play our role of protecting and nurturing The Earth
Allowing the cycles of life to guide us.
I come from a long line of people from Simister
Dating back to 1726
Nut Lane, farmland, tiny cottages
With no bathrooms and heating
I come from ancestors
Who went on adventures to America
Living their lives in a new place
Learning a new culture
I come from a mum who loves delving into these stories
Delights in the detail
Lot Hamilton's birth certificate
Discovered via email from an unknown source
I come from meeting these relatives
Sharing stories
Weaving together our histories
To pass onto the next generation.
01/06/2025
My Nana had a twin tub
It was pale blue
She showed me how it worked
Moving the wet clothes from one side
To the spinney side
It sat on the side in her tiny kitchen
When I was older it was replaced
With a washing machine
Neatly nestled under the work surface
Easier to use
But not so charming
She had rainbow plastic strips
Hanging in front of the pantry
Shelves of tins, biscuits
Packaged in an orderly way
Cream Foxes biscuits hidden for treats
She cooked us stew
Every time we visited
A simple meal of a tin of stew meat,
Cubed potatoes, onion and salt
Lots of salt
Served with beetroot
Every one of her grandchildren
Requested this meal
Followed by her apple pie
With pastry which melted in your mouth
And super sweet custard.
31/05/2025
07/06/2025
Teach them to love themselves
That they are enough
To embrace who they are
They are unique
Teach them the value of people not things
Looking after and caring
About those around them
Respecting their elders and their peers
Speaking with grace and humility
With truth and calmness
Teach them the importance of poetry and words
Of expressing themselves through creativity
Music, clay, paint
Whatever makes their heart sing
Teach them this is the one biggest lesson
It's the most crucial
Do what you love
Fill your life and your heart with it
Don't chase the money
Devote your life to continued learning
Be curious
Be brave
Be adventurous
Keep dreaming
Cherish your body
Honour your thoughts
Take good care of feeding your mind with positivity
Teach them life is a journey
With many twists and turns
There are no mistakes just lessons
Teach them to be kind to themselves
To work hard and do their best
To enjoy their life
Even in the difficult moments
To know these will pass
Good things will return
Look for the good in each day
Delight in it
Teach them with love and compassion.
sallytissington.com
15/06/2025
08/06/2025
New beginnings
As the days get longer
Clearing the pages of the diary
To gently add things in
For this new version of yourself
Allow the freedom of the wind
To blow through your life
Create new experiences and activities
Feel the renewed joy in your heart
As you get your bounce back
Feel the glow on your face once again
Embrace the innocent childlike you
Live life fully
Spring into action whilst resting too
Enjoy this new found rhythm
See the gifts in shedding the old for the new
Change is constant
We are all on our own Hero's Journey
Learn to love this journey
Watch in anticipation of what will unfold.
14/06/2025
22/06/2025
She needed to draw breath
What does drawing breath look like?
Her husband enquired
For me it was tidying, sorting and
catching up
For him it was a misty sort of image
With eyes
When you draw breath is it male or female?
What do they look like?
He teased playfully.
21/06/2025
Set your hurts free
Let them float away
High into the sky
Laden with clouds
Let them evaporate
Dissipate and disappear
Out of your heart
Out of your life
Feel the freedom
Of letting them go
The space left
For good things to enter
Set yourself free
To follow your dreams
Live the life you've imagined
Hold your head up high
Don't fold yourself inwards
To hide from the world
You are part of the world
The world needs you
Remember that
Each time your heart wobbles
Be strong
Be bold
Look after yourself
Be kind to yourself
As well as others
Be the change you want to see in the world
As Gandi said
Send love into the world
Set it free.
My son and daughter eat them green
A shade more yellow they won't touch them
For me the green leaves an unpleasant powdery feeling on my lips
I prefer them yellow
Just right like Goldilocks
Not too soft, not too hard
Then there is the sad bowl of browning ones
Delicate flecks of brown soon spreading everywhere
A delight for baking a batch of banana choc chip muffins
Bananas are never wasted in our home
They are enjoyed in every state of ripening
Fuelling our days
Shipped from far away
Absorbing all the sunlight and energy from exotic realms
Infusing our being with these properties
A banana powered body.
28/06/2025
We went gathering oranges
First thing upon waking
On a farm in Narromine
Six hours from Sydney in Australia
The night had been black
Couldn't even see my hand in front of my face
Which led to a dawn of bright sunshine
Streaking through the windows
Onto patchwork quilts
We picked, squeezed and drank straight away
They were delicious
I loved this visit
The quiet
The remoteness
The heat
The dust
The lack of water
I listened intently to all their stories
Wrote pages and pages of notes
But the orange gathering
Is the vivid memory which prevails
It's symbolic of this visit
Joyful and full of zest for life.
29/06/2025
Sometimes we touch it
Briefly
For an instant all becomes clear
In moments of clarity
The world soars
Everything melts away
Other than what is truly important.
Cinderella knew modesty
She led a humble life
Yet she was a rich character
She knew the value of things
As the wise man Ben Okri says
Symbolically the shoe fit
Showing she'd walked the right path.
Working hard
Giving to the world
Day to day
Turning up when things are tough
Smiling in the face of adversity
This is what matters
This is what life is about.
06/07/2025
05/07/2025
Cornflake tart
With pastry, jam and cornflakes
Wrapped together with thick gloopy syrup
Served with custard
Curry with sultanas
Prunes, counting the stones
Set neatly around the edge of the bowl
Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor
Tapioca, nothing more to say about that
The French words on the bottom of the tiny glasses
Imagining bringing two people
From Africa into the school hall
My life suffused with sorrowful stories
Of starving children
Wanting to do my part
Onto Secondary School
Pie, chips and beans
Chocolate pudding and chocolate custard
Sat opposite My Teenage Crush
A shy 11 year old
Bursting out laughing
Spurting my orange juice all over him
So many years have passed since this occurrence
But I still feel it vividly
It's one of my well told stories
Sometimes I wonder if it even happened
Sometimes I wish it never happened
I can still remember the girl I was
All those years ago
Etched in my being
Paving my way
The food and nourishment
Making me into who I am.
12/07/2025
13/07/2025
Recording the Top 40 on Sunday nights was a highlight for me. After a roast dinner and rice pudding with a skin on top, I'd ensconce myself in my bedroom next to my stereo, listening intently to the songs going up and down the charts.
An even bigger highlight was watching Top of the Pops on TV on Thursday nights. I still have a videotape of all the episodes I recorded with Aha. My particular favourite was Morten winking at someone in the audience in Manhattan Skyline. I see this wink every time I hear the song played in my car.
My mixtapes were a bit messy. Songs cut in half as the tape ran out. My friend Vicki visiting on Sunday afternoons listening to these tapes would groan as the tape cut out on yet another song. A Pet Shop Boys song is one I remember.
Sitting in my bedroom, which I shared with my sister, listening to the tapes at my desk, working hard for my GCSE's and A levels with posters of Aha blu tacked on the side of the doors.
20/07/2025
19/07/2025
26/07/2025
27/07/2025
When I loved myself enough
Is the title of a beautiful little book
With acorns and leaves on each page
With short contemplations
I read the book often
It always makes me cry
Published by her daughter
After her unexpected death at 52
All became clear to her
Of not trying so hard
To enjoy the simple things in life
To cherish the tiny moments
To lead by her heart
She gave copies out to her friends
Then after publication
Her words have spread around the world
A heartfelt joy to read
These glimpses of one person's
Journey through life.
KATIE HEADLAM
“You are part of a living creation"
“What makes your heart sing?"
INTRODUCTION
“You are part of a living creation"
KATIE HEADLAM
“What makes your heart sing?"
"A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving."
― Lao Tzu
“If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.”
― Lao Tzu
“Perfection is the willingness to be imperfect.”
― Lao Tzu
“Take care with the end as you do with the beginning.”
― Lao-Tzu
“The wise man is one who knows what he does not know.”
― Lao Tzu
“Great acts are made up of small deeds.”
― Lao-Tzu
“Stop thinking and end your problems.”
― Lao Tzu
“When you accept yourself, the whole world accepts you.”
― Lao Tzu
“The snow goose need not bathe to make itself white. Neither need you do anything but be yourself.”
― Lao Tzu
“If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.”
― Lao Tzu
“Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose.”
― Lao Tzu
"Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time,' is like saying, 'I don't want to."
― Lao Tzu
“When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.”
― Lao Tzu
“In dwelling, live close to the ground. In thinking, keep to the simple. In conflict, be fair and generous. In governing, don't try to control. In work, do what you enjoy. In family life, be completely present.”
― Lao Tzu
“Your own positive future begins in this moment. All you have is right now. Every goal is possible from here.”
― Lao Tzu
“Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.”
― Lao Tzu
“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.”
― Lao Tzu
“Loss is not as bad as wanting more.”
― Lao Tzu
"Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished."
― Lao Tzu
“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion.
These three are your greatest treasures.”
― Lao Tzu
“Just remain in the centre, watching and then forget that you are there.”
― Lao Tzu
“Give evil nothing to oppose and it will disappear by itself.”
― Lao Tzu
22/09/2025
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