Tag Archives: Blue

#writephoto – Twilight

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I haven’t done a #writephoto for a couple of weeks, mainly because I’ve had a couple of quite insistent book ideas nagging at me, so have been focusing on them. Oh, and there was also the Blogger’s Bash this past weekend, where I had the great pleasure of seeing Sue, along with many other blogging friends – there is a post to come, hopefully this weekend, as it’s taken a few days for it all to sink in.

When I saw Sue’s photo prompt this week, words came to me straight away, and so here is my response to her lovely twilit hillside:

Love Song

At night he comes

My lover sweet

As twilight steals across the land

As birds lie still

And shadows fall

I feel the caress of his hand

 

He comes in blue

He comes in gold

Like mist and smoke, a dream of rain

He stays with me

Till morning breaks

I know not if he’ll come again

 

I sit alone

My window wide

The sleeping hills like folds of blue

And violet deep

I hear your song

Beloved, do you hear mine too?

If you would like to respond to Sue’s prompt, you have until Wednesday June 21st to post a link or pingback – head over to Sue’s blog for more details.

If you enjoyed this post and would like to read more, you can find me on Twitter @AuthorHelenJ,  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Plus my latest book release, A Thousand Rooms, is now available on Amazon. Visit my Amazon Author Page to see more.

Wednesday Wander – Mykonos, Greece

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The Greek island of Mykonos, also known as The Island Of Winds, is part of the Cyclades, a group of islands set in Homer’s wine dark Aegean sea.

According to Greek legend, Mykonos got its name from its first ruler, Mykons, said to be a direct descendent of Apollo. Zeus and the Titans were supposed to have had a great battle on Mykonos, and it’s where Hercules killed the invincible giants of Mount Olympus, having lured them to the island. Also, and I love this, because I guess I have a weird sense of humour, the large boulders scattered around the island are reputed to be the fossilised testicles of those same giants, and this legend is the source of the slang term ‘stones’!

Mykonos has a long history dating back to at least the 11th century BC, and has been under Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman rule. However, since 1831, it has been part of Greece, following the revolution in which Manto Mavrogenous, one of the island’s noted inhabitants, played a part. Manto, a wealthy, educated aristocrat, sacrificed her family’s fortune to help the Greeks and became a national heroine – a statue to her honour stands in the main town square.

The island is well known for its vibrant nightlife and nude beaches (sorry, no photos), and also for its famous windmills. Built by Venetians in the 16th century, they were originally used to mill flour – nowadays most have been restored as homes or storage facilities. There are also several fine museums, including one of the oldest archaeological museums in Greece. I’m somewhat ashamed to say I visited none of them, however, quite unusual for me. But Mykonos was a stop on a longer trip and I suppose I just chose to relax, instead. Ah well, I guess I need to go back.

It’s been quite a few years since I visited, but I still have plenty of memories – of meeting Petros the Pelican, the island’s mascot, of tangy feta and fresh bread, of my washing being done and coming back smelling of sunshine and herbs, of an old woman kissing my cheeks and offering me sweets after I bought one of her hand knitted jumpers (which I still have). There was nightlife, of course, dancing and drinking, the streets vibrant all through the night. But my overwhelming memory is one of sunshine and warmth, of brilliant white and deep blue, and through it all, the sound of the sea.

Thanks for coming on another Wednesday Wander with me! See you next time.

If you enjoyed this post and would like to read more, you can find me on Twitter @AuthorHelenJ,  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Plus my latest book release, A Thousand Rooms, is now available on Amazon. Visit my Amazon Author Page to see more.

Blue Monday

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It’s a bit of a dark and dreary day today. Rain smears on the window, cloudy skies and grey streets. I have to collect my child from school at 4pm, as she has an after school club. According to the weather guru on my phone, sunset occurs at 3:56pm today. So I am collecting my child from school after sunset, which seems weird.

Hmmm. There are niggles as well, small ones, bits and pieces that together add up to a larger sense of unease, that things are not quite right in my world today. They will pass, I’m sure – nothing that can’t be resolved eventually, one way or another. Writing always helps, the words somehow helping me to clarify what it is that I need to address. The mince pie and cup of tea with which I am currently comforting myself helps as well.

It seems I’m not the only one feeling down in blogland today. A couple of fellow bloggers have also written posts about things not going well for them. To them I send commiserations, and hope for a brighter Tuesday for us all.

xx