Thursday, December 29, 2011

Surf training

I found a great way to avoid the sales.
The sand was full of weeny iron bits (iron filings? - a science lesson gone astray?). They stuck to the magnets on my son's train when he buried it. When I dug it up I thought it was a bizarrely similar yet much older abandoned train with anemones clinging to it (...always the most ludicrous explanation is the most obvious seeming one....).

We found the most beautiful dainty shells in bone white and indigo fading to lilac....
...before our attention was caught by a flash of electric blue (photo credit Mike, currently photographer in residence at Muriwai Surf School - my surf pics were tripe).

The beach seems the most appropriate place to end one year and bring in the next; something about
the tide draws me there at the close of the year. And what a year.

I've had a productive one which saw twenty odd publications, starting with Otoliths through Horizon Review, ending in December with The Bactrian Room. I wrote a screenplay, penned a couple hundred poems, got longlisted for the Kathleen Grattan Award and started Escape Behaviours (the poetry for which I wrote this time last year).

Thank you all who've supported me in myriad ways - I feel grateful, and optimistic for the New Year. Here's to a creative and fulfilling New Year for all of you!


21 comments:

Elisabeth said...

Congratulations, Rachel, on what sounds like a fantastic year. Twenty publications, wow. And able to surf those waves to boot. Happy new year.

Rachel Fenton said...

Oh, Elisabeth, the surfer is my daughter, Isobel. Yes, a good year all in all - best wishes for 2012 to you and yours.

Thomas Taylor said...

Happy New Year, Rachel, and congratulations for such a solid list of writing achievements.

Let's all get excited about 2012!

Rachel Fenton said...

Happy New Year, Thomas - thank you for all your encouragement/support - weehee to 2012!

Rachel Fox said...

We go to the beach a lot this time of year (though not surfing... just dogwalking). No Xmas trees, no Xmas anything... it's a relief!
x

Rachel Fenton said...

Happy New Year, Rachel. Yep - it's great to be trimming free. I love the run up to Christmas - the twinkly lights, the smell of pine (aaah - Bisto kid look on my face as I type that), wrapping things with pretty paper and ribbons - and baking - I love baking! (Mostly because I love eating warm baking..mmmmmm), but once Christmas Eve is over I'm just wanting to get on with regular baking and faffing with ribbons etc hahaha. Beach is a good place though, when it's quiet and wild - not the picture perfect holiday type - "The Piano" type...

The Divorced Lady's Companion to Living in Italy said...

I just love those 'Piano' type beaches. And I wish I had learned to surf when I was a kid. Congrats on a very productive year and I'm sure it will spill into 2012.
Ciao ciao cat

Rachel Fenton said...

Thank you, Cat - Happy and productive New Year to you x

PS Wish I could swim though being a surfer in Barnsley would be akin to "a cowboy in Rochdale"...

Anonymous said...

A very happy new year to you and your family, Rachel. Here's hoping 2012 is awesome all round!

Rachel Fenton said...

Happy New Year, Donna! Definitely x

Anonymous said...

It's got to be your year and then some, Rachel! Looking forward to another 12 months of fellow travelling.

Rachel Fenton said...

It's been a year of hard work, Dick - here's to travelling!

Happy New Year.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you've had a productive and successful year! Well done! I hope 2012 is just as good, if not better. I always like reading your work so keep posting links when something is published online.

Did you ever find out how those iron filings got there? Bizarre!

P.S. Somewhat inappropriately for the new year, when I'm thinking about resolutions and things I should maybe cut down on, my word verification is "binge". Well all right, if you insist :)

Rachel Fenton said...

Awe, thanks, Helen. Will do.

I think the iron must be the mineral equivalent of sand..dunno really! It looked lovely though :)


Hahaha - word verification told me to do it! Hope this year is brill for you too, Helen.

Group 8 said...

And to you, Rachel. I hope 2012 proves surprising and brilliant in many ways :) N x

Rachel Fenton said...

Thanks, Nuala x

Kass said...

I'm so glad you've had a productive year. Love the picture of your daughter surfing. The purple shells are mystically beautiful too.

Rachel Fenton said...

Kass, it was her first time surfing, how cool is that? Almost made me want to have a go. Almost.

I'm rooting for YOU this year - do something with your "mystically beautiful" poems! I'll encourage/support however I can :)

Kass said...

That means the world to me. Really.

hebdenjoy said...

The beach seems a much better choice than the sales.

Have a great 2012, Rachel.

Rachel Fenton said...

Hope 2012 is good to you, too, Joe. Thanks.