On Sunday, I celebrated the Summer solstice at a dear friend’s house in the country with about twenty other people. We shared a feast and then lit a big bonfire, drummed and danced, burned things in the fire we wanted to let go of, and set intentions for the year ahead… This week I am … Continue reading Summer solstice brings intentions for the coming year…
A couple of posts ago I was having a bit of a frazzled time of it and I asked (very unsubtly and in a way lacking in grace) for some nice snail mail….half-joking, not thinking much of the spontaneous appeal as it went from my typing fingers to the internet ether… …and I got some! … Continue reading gosh, thanks!
Last Friday the public collaboration phase of BLACK RIVER was launched…with a haka, a song and some morning tea. In this phase, people are invited to contribute writing (there are two typewriters in the space, plus lots of pens and paper) or visual art and they can immediately hang it, becoming part of the exhibition. … Continue reading black river / peoples’ river
Before I blather on about the launch of this fine, artisanally-produced book THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN ORDER ONE. GO ON. SUPPORT NZ POETRY AND INDIE-PUBLISHING. On the weekend, I attended my darling friend Maria McMillan’s (I wrote a bit about Maria HERE) book launch at the Aro Community Hall. This is her first book … Continue reading The Rope Walk is launched!
As a keen forager myself, I was so excited to hear that my friend Johanna Knox was writing a foraging guide for New Zealand, but despite the fact I was pre-disposed to like it, I am truly impressed and in awe of what she has produced. It is a beautifully written, helpful and down-to-earth book … Continue reading Interview with Johanna Knox author of ‘A Forager’s Treasury’
I went to a lovely poetry event in Paekakariki last Saturday – the launch of Lynn Davidson’s ‘Common Land’ (VUP) and a local celebration of the recently launched ‘Graft’ by Helen Heath (VUP). Both poets were interviewed by Paekakariki poet, Dinah Hawken. It was a lovely laid-back affair with mood-lighting, a traditional ‘hall supper’, wine, … Continue reading win Graft!
I spent two days over Easter at a yoga retreat at the studio where I practice, train and teach. We did many hours of yoga, grilled our teacher, Nat, about yoga matters, and did walking and sitting meditations – a lovely way to melt into the Easter break. I fought with a lot of my … Continue reading my first yoga retreat
I met David Merritt late last year when a colleague introduced us. We had a coffee and talked poetry and chickens and politics and I was very impressed by his dry, self-effacing humour and sharp-as-a-tack brain. When you talk to David it isn’t like the tennis of usual conversation: my turn, your turn, my turn, … Continue reading The David Merritt Experience
All summer, as I went through the house room by room, cupboard by cupboard, this corner was full of a growing pile of stuff for a garage sale. It grew and grew and sat there in the corner – reminding me to keep clearing out and to try not to accumulate so much in the … Continue reading the garage sale
At work (City Library) we’ve been running ‘Crafternoon Tea’ on Friday afternoon where local craft enthusiasts can bring some handiwork, we provide a bit of afternoon tea and they can meet each other, sit and knit or sew and gossip. It’s not a new idea – I stole it from similar things in Auckland, Wellington … Continue reading crafternoon tea
Helen Lehndorf 