January Photo Challenge: Tree and Sky

I have been getting up and out to see the sunrise this month

It is part of a new sleep management programme I am taking part in to cure my chronic insomnia.

The photo above was taken on the hill about a mile and a half from my house.

The one below was taken whilst staying with a friend by the sea.

This one (below) was taken with my back the the setting sun. I felt so wonderfully at peace and full of gratitude in that moment.

I do take rather a lot of photos of the oak tree at the bottom of my garden.

To me it has a feminine quality.

Thank you to Nanacathy for hosting the Photo Challenge.

Sunrise light

Making mood feel bright

Good sleep tonight

Heart Art

I have my Heart Kit and I have made a heart to raise funds for MIND

in fact I’ve made two , and on my way to making some more which I will stuff with lavender and give as presents.

Whilst I was looking through my bits and pieces to add, I found this poem written back in 2015 – and now it won’t let me go – must be working with all these hearts

Let’s make a baby love,

lifelong enduring love

In sickness and in health love

What would love do now

Woman to woman love

Break up and make up love

long lost forever love

What would love do now?

Thank you for your love, love

Friendship is a precious love

There in thick and thin love

EDIT

Last line:                                                     That’s what love does now.

Silly Saturday: Zoom

The Shelbys are having a Zoom meeting ……..  now don’t all talk at once!

Coronavirus has hit Shelbyville

None of the residents wanted to get ill

It was with some resistance

They had to social distance

Yet they found they could communicate still!

 

All of them had the Zoom App installed

So during lockdown they wouldn’t feel ignored

They could chat every day

Sing songs, dance and play

No chance of them getting bored!

 

At 9 every day it’s keep fit

With the Aliens it’s become quite a hit

With their yoga and gym

They keep themselves trim

They are not the type to just sit!

 

Maggie and Shelma miss going to town

All the shops they love have closed down

But the girls are not stopping

They now do internet shopping

They’re the most glamourous Shelbys around!

 

Sandy misses Shelma whom he dated

His love for her is unabated

He keeps the romance blooming

With lots of daily Zooming

Most of it is very X-Rated!

 

poem by Judy E. Martin

photo by Sandra Dorey

There might be some of you who have not met the Shelbys before, here are a few links

Meet Maggie, the Pole Dancer      Maggie    More Maggie    Meet the Family        Meet Shelma      Shelma and Sandy       Sandy

It feels so good to team up with Judy once again. She is a frontline worker as a nurse and I am full of admiration for her. I was delighted when she said she could find the time to create one of her fabulous poems to go with the photo.

Many thanks for the work you do Judy and thank you so very much for sharing your humour and poetry with us.

 

 

Lady Garden

When it comes to tending the garden

It is purely a matter of taste

Preening and pruning the foliage

Will stop you from  feeling disgraced!

~

With a bit of trimming and strimming

You can create a real work of art

Perhaps a Bermuda triangle

Or maybe a cutesy love heart?

~

Feeling a little more daring?

How about a smart landing strip?

Or maybe just take the lot off

So, your pubes won’t get caught in your zip?

~

Something a little more special

Like a blingy, sparkly vajazzle

That’s sure to tart up the topiary

And give it that old razzle-dazzle!

~

However, you keep the lawn tidy

You mustn’t leave it too late

Don’t let it get too unruly

Or no one will enter the gate!

~

poem by Judy Martin

art in the garden by Sandra Dorey

 

Here we are again with a very Silly Saturday!

We had such a giggle with this one – I send Judy a photo of what I have created and hope it makes her smile – she sends me back her poem and it makes me laugh out loud.

Do pop over to Judy’s blog to enjoy more laughs and a wry look at life.

Another art piece inspired by Amy Gear, an artist born and working in Shetland.

This a link to Amy’s piece that inspired me – on Instagram

Monthly Meet-Up: Scale

Here we are again. Helloooooo! How has your photographic month been? I’ve had a great time in the recent snow and ice, in the delightful village of Branscombe, Devon. I stayed in a little self-catering flat, called Nestlecombe, in the Square that I have no hesitation in recommending.

In the bitter cold wind I went down to the beach to see if I could get some inspiration for our subject this month. I do love to see stone-balancing, and you can see some beautiful examples if you look at the Genteel Giant’s photographs on Instagram. My sisters met him on Newgale beach when we were staying there in January, I was back at the holiday let crocheting at the time, so didn’t get to see him, but love his work.

It was far too windy to try stone balancing but I played around with scale a bit.

The sea was scarily fierce and with the tide coming in, it nearly caught me out whilst I was picking up the plastics on the strand line (hence the poem)

I tried in vain to catch the power and the scale – the pictures look tame in comparison with the experience.

We are such tiny creatures who do well to respect nature’s power

 

 

high tide

strong winds

fierce waves

~

death is only a trip away

~

 

Please leave a link to your photos of SCALE in the comments below. Can’t wait to see them!

You can see the whole year of subjects on my Photo Challenge Page.

Next month’s subject is

YELLOW

 

 

Silly Saturday with Shelma

Shelma was going out on a date

So excited she just couldn’t wait

She was looking her best

In her January Sales dress

The evening was going to be great

~

Sandy lit Shelma’s fuse

She loved his winkle picker shoes

It brightened her mood

To be with such a cool dude

He banished her January blues!

~

They wanted to paint the town red

But painted the beach blue instead

A moonlit walk along the sand

Strolling together hand in hand

Anticipating what lay ahead.

~

poem by Judy E. Martin

shell art by Sandra Dorey

 

 

What lies ahead for this couple I wonder, any ideas?

Will it be calm seas or stormy waters?

Judy and I have enjoyed teaming up again this week. I do love her take on things, pop across to Judy’s Blog to read more of her delightfully beguiling work.

Did you know you CAN still buy Winkle-Picker shoes? I’ll be looking out for them now.

I recently found the pebbles that my grandchildren children had drawn on last Summer, lurking in the bottom of a bag. They had obviously been lying in wait, ready for an appearance in a ‘Silly Saturday’ or two.

 

Silly Saturday at the Sales

January Sales

Miss Shelma received her weekly pay

And decided to spend it on a lovely day.

With her handbag swinging she strolled into town

Thoughts of the high street banishing her frown.

~

Out of the hairdresser’s and back into the shops

Shelma looked radiant in her little white frock.

She was having a blast in the January sales

Snapping up bargains and browsing the rails.

~

Hundreds of dresses, thousands of shoes

Shelma was verging on January sales blues.

She hailed a cab: ‘ To Sheldon Street’, she cried

And collapsed with all those lovely bags by her side.

~

 poem by  Sue M

shell picture by Sandra D

~

A guest poet today, my dear friend Sue. We have known each other for over 40 years. She introduced me to Dr. John Cooper Clarke’s poems and occassionally we have poetic exchanges via email. Sue is not a blogger and doesn’t follow blogs but we share a love for all things arty. I was thrilled that the shell collage inspired her to write a poem and name this little person Shelma from Sheldon Street.

~

Have a fun filled and Silly Saturday!

Joining in with Cee’s Odd Ball Challenge.

Yoga with Aliens #sillysaturday

This yoga is really quite good

Sometimes it’s been misunderstood

When feeling depressed

Or when life gets you stressed

It can help to lighten your mood

It can make you look and feel great

Helps you focus and concentrate

The different types of positions

Help some medical conditions

There’s even one for the prostate!

Those earthlings have got it all sussed

This yoga lark is a must

You don’t have to be wealthy

To keep yourself healthy

With a body strong and robust.

poem by Judy E. Martin

pebble picture  by Sandra Dorey

 

Feeling stressed in the build up to Christmas?

The Aliens are back with a bit of timely advice. They have had a rethink about yoga and are limbering up to get fit and ready for the excesses of the festive season.

Judy and I have joined forces again to bring you another pebble and shell Silly Saturday.

I hope you manage to fit in a bit of silliness this Saturday.

I will be taking Big Bro and Little Bro to watch their Dad, number one son, play hockey. I spent many years on the side lines watching first my brother and husband, then my children play various sports, so it will be a trip down memory lane – it is going to be verrrrrrrry cold though, so I’m not sure how long we will last. I’m taking drawing supplies in case we spend most of the time in the club house.

 

 

Do The Monster Mash

On the scariest night of the year

The Halloween Disco was here

The Shelleys so cool

Dressed as ghosties and ghouls,

Looking rather scary and weird

 

Thriller got them up on the floor

Monster Mash had them begging for more,

Bewitched went down well

As did Bat out of Hell

And they danced as never before.

 

poem by Judy E. Martin

assemblage art by  Sandra Dorey

background painting by Master R aged 8

 

Are you all ready for Halloween? The Shelleys are and at the Dee-I-esS-Cee-O!

Dancing to Bobby Pickett’s 1962 Monster Hit

 

Silly Saturday!

Joining in with the Daily Post: Ghoulish

Silly Saturday: Shell Show

Walking to the seaside one day

Grandpa and Granny met friends on the way

They had quite a fright

Realising something wasn’t right

At a loss to know what to say.

 

There was an Ugly Shell Show

And the friends had decided to go

They transformed their features

Into hideous creatures

That, Grandpa and Granny didn’t know.

 

Granny had got such a scare

What had happened to poor Wilbur’s hair?

And Micky’s disguise

With massive bug eyes

And those lips…Wow, what a huge pair!

 

Even their little Sonny joined in

With the sockets of his eyes coloured in

Jill’s face was so flat

Like she’d been hit by a bat

Now who you YOU think will win?

 

poem by Judy E. Martin

picture Sandra Dorey

~

Another fun collaboration this Saturday with Judy. I send her a photo of some shell characters – and I just love what happens next – Judy gives the characters life and let’s me know what on earth they are up to and that in turn sparks another idea in my mind and sends me back to the boxes of shells, pebbles and pieces of coral.

I expect you know by now how much I love to join forces with other creative minds. If any of the characters that appear on our Silly Saturdays spark an idea for a story or a poem, please get in touch. Judy and I are tentatively thinking of putting a little book together and we would both love it if it could be a group effort from our wonderful blogging community. All very much in the early stages and we welcome thoughts and ideas. I’m wondering about an ebook with sales going to charity … but all those details are up for discussion. Here’s a reminder of the characters so far.

 

Let’s go shopping

“Those who can not hear the music think the dancer is mad”

Let’s Go!

yodel.ayy.eeee

Hi, I’m Maggie!

I do hope you are having a very Silly Saturday.

We are being battered by yet another storm here – it’s been given the name Brian – I’m not sure I like this naming of storms.

A good excuse, if one were needed, to get on with my crochet, whilst dreaming up another bit of fun to have with the Shelleys and the Stones.

 

Sparkle in a Dark Corner

Today is National Poetry Day and to mark this event I have two poems for you – one by Judy Martin and one written by me as a sort of answer/conversation in poetry.

The theme this year is FREEDOM.

We’d be very happy if you wanted to join in. You are welcome to use my photo if it sparks a creative response. All I ask is that you leave the watermark on it and link back to this post.

The back story:

A friend of my daughter is a Counsellor and she has set up a Facebook Page dedicated to Self Care. She has invited me to contribute. She looks for Sparkles and invites us to find them in everyday places. This inspired me to go for a walk one morning looking for Sparkles to photograph – what a wonderfully uplifting focus for a walk.

Below is one of the photos I took. A very close friend of mine is going through a hideous bout of depression at the moment and this photo seemed like a metaphor, I took it to send to her. I know Judy Martin has been visited by the dark days of Depression as she has written about it, poignantly and beautifully, on her blog: Edwina’s Episodes. Time for us to team up again. Judy wrote this poem in response to my photo:

Sparkle in a Dark Corner

In the depths of darkness and despair

I feel so alone, like no-one is there

Surrounded by dangers unseen and unheard

Trapped and frightened, like a caged bird

Thoughts so jumbled, make no sense

But pain and heartache are so intense

From the world, I just want to hide

And keep my feelings bottled up inside

 

But wait, there is something that has caught my eye

It looks blurry through the tears I cry

Yes, it’s shimmering and shining bright

A distant glimmer, shaft of light

It seems so very far away

But I know I can draw closer day by day

 

From my dark corner there is hope

And support to help me cope

The light grows brighter every day

My world has gone from black to grey

I continue onwards, spirits rising

My soul had started re-energizing

I came through the other side

With just a sparkle as my guide.

poem by Judy E. Martin

of Edwinas Episodes

~

When I read this it brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. I too have experienced depression (many years ago) and so have members of my family, whilst musing on this, a poem started to write itself to go alongside Judy’s poem

 

Even Then

 

Even on the darkest days

Even in the darkest hours

Even in the deep dark corners

Where the sharpness causes pain

Even when the demons lurk

Even then

Even then

There is a sheen

A tiny gleam

A spark of light

Even then

poem by Sandra Dorey

 

~

It feels so good to find Freedom from Depression, but the memory of the demon never totally goes away.

If you find yourself responding to either picture or poem please feel free to share with us. It might be a poem, a story, a helpful saying, a photo or a picture. Sometimes it feels good to link up.

Happy National Poetry Day!

 

 

 

 

Saucy Silly Saturday

The feel of the pole between my thighs

Is rather a pleasant surprise

It doesn’t feel daft

Sliding around on the shaft

You can tell by the look in my eyes.

 

My customers, I just aim to please

As I twirl and perform a striptease

I am truly delighted

To get you excited

Your desires I long to appease

 

To make me feel like a star

Stuff a wad of cash in my bra

Have a grope of my nips

As you leave me some tips

And buy me a drink at the bar!

 

poem  by Judy E Martin

of Edwina’s Episodes

~

 

Judy and I have had such fun again this week, I am loving how we seem to egg each other on and inspire one another – we are both prone to large doses of nudge-nudge, wink-wink humour – hope you enjoy this week’s combined silliness.

If you enjoy Judy’s poetry as much as I do – you are in luck, she has put a selection of her poetry in a book: Rhymes of the Times : a lighthearted look at life through rhyme.

~

Related Posts:

Silly Saturday: Introducing Maggie the Pole Dancer

Silly Senorita Saturday: Ole!

Silly Saturday: with flowers and seeds

Waste

lend me your ‘shell-like’

this girl dislikes pink

innovate for her

~

Ronovan’s Haiku Prompt words this week are PINK and SHELL.

Yikes – how to marry that with what I had already planned for our Photo Challenge prompt of WASTE.

It is the extra creative challenge I like to give myself each week. Well Miss E does not like pink – I know that card does have a bit of pink on it but ……. hey! I did my best!

~

Anyone who has been reading my blog for a while knows I’m an obsessive recycler AND like to try new crafty things, so this week’s Photo Prompt is right up my street!

~

Life-cycle of a tea bag once it enters my house:

It sits in its box in a cupboard full of all manner of black, white, green, herb and fruit teas. I have at least 12 different varieties in there.

Then in it goes –  into my favourite mug

This is a mug from Dunoon. I wanted a big white bone china mug. I contacted Dunoon and asked if I could have the Nevis Design in plain white – I could! and for about £10 cheaper than the decorated ones – I got two. I LOVE them. ❤

After first use the tea bags sit in the little coloured dish to be used, three together, for another cup.

I told you – obsessive recycler!

And now, courtesy of Pinterest, I have discovered there is a whole new world of art materials to be explored – used Tea Bags! I was astonished to see how much amazing art has been created with used tea bags. You can see some examples on my Pinterest Page, ‘Art Tea’.

Of course I had to give it a go.

So instead of going into the compost after their second use, the tea bags are now emptied and dried. (The leaves still go in the compost) My bean-sprouter works well as a drying rack.

Cutting or tearing some and leaving others as two ply paper

Now ….. how to turn them into art ……

 

A bit of collage using some paper napkins and some hand and machine stitching.

The circular tea bag has a picture of a cup stuck on the inside with Modge Podge and  is re-stuffed with a little wadding. I downloaded the picture of the cup from this Education Site

I’m wondering about this art form – it nudges towards the “just because you can, do you think you should”. I tried putting it on canvas to go with my ‘making art with found and discarded objects’ collection, adding and expanding on the Beach Clean Art theme. Using waste in art.

I’m not sure it stands up as an artwork so I turned it into a greetings card, with packaging paper put between the layers to stiffen the card so that it will stand up

A little pocket for a gift (in this case a fresh teabag) or message. Then it can be recycled once more and re-used as a card with a different message in the pocket.

And then I realised there was a certain person about to have her 10th birthday – perfect

She was thrilled with it and her friends intrigued.

I’m really not sure if my experiments will produce ‘art’ that I feel worthy of exhibiting , but has been fun to try and I can’t throw a teabag away at the moment –  I’m amassing quite a collection, so I’ll have to come up with something arty to do with them.

Update

Coincidentally, I’ve just seen that there is a programme on BBC2 tonight about the making of tea bags: http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/fsq8rq/inside-the-factory–s3-e1-tea-bags/

and here is the programme on BBC iPlayer:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b08ywhdn/inside-the-factory-series-3-1-tea-bags

The sheer scale of tea bag production is mind boggling – and I’m shocked to discover that 25% of the materials used to make tea bags is plastic – Yuck!

 

 

 

Fiction

deep thinking

even at six years

darkness lurked

~

Ronovan has given us DARKNESS and DEEP this week in his weekly Haiku Challenge.

Mixing that with our Photo Prompt – FICTION.

~

My childhood was not always a happy place to be. There is a hint of that in my expression in the photo of me at about 6 years old, that little frown. The photo is in its original 1950s frame.

My Grandad and step-grandmother, Dabbity, provided me with a haven of books, cooking, gardening and needlework, I was always supremely happy when I was with them.

I learnt to read early and loved reading fiction as an escape. Perhaps that is why I hardly ever read fiction nowadays – no need to escape.

These are three favourite books of my childhood: Swiss Family Robinson, Monty Woodpig’s Caravan and Miss Richard’s Mouse

The illustrations in Miss Richard’s Mouse are a bit deep and dark and I remember feeling a bit scared of this book

~

Please leave your link to your work of FICTION in the comments, we’d love to see them.

Spiral

shout out for crochet

twisting yarn around the hook

stress-busting at best

~

The prompts put together this week: SPIRAL and TWIST and SHOUT

Ron’s Haiku prompts of Twist and Shout immediately sent me off to You Tube and had my 12 year old self dancing like no-one was watching! (no-one was!)

 

I was 8 years old in 1960 and remember doing the Twist with my Mum and Dad in the kitchen, they were practicing before going out to a party. My Dad had his own special farmer’s style, his hands looked like he was driving a tractor and he sort of clenched his teeth with his chin sticking out a bit. I have a fond memory of him dancing the twist, just like that in his 70’s with me and my then teenage children one New Year’s Eve. My Dad died in 1998 so it is lovely to share these sweet memories.

~

Joining in with Ritu’s Musical March Meme

I hope you enjoyed getting your Twist going with me, no bad way to start the day! A good workout – just right before settling into a bit of crochet

The photo for the challenge is of my first attempt at this pattern for a blanket full of spirals.

I’ve become a little bit obsessed with spirals since Eleonora over at Coastal Crochet set me off on a quest to create a whole group of ammonites to be included in some future Beach Clean Art. Whilst experimenting with her pattern I made all sorts of shapes and sizes, then wondered if I could create my own pattern for a knitted version.

Experiments with knitted spirals:

mixed in with crocheted spirals

This is as far as I have got with my experiments – nearly there I think.

~

Update: I have just realised I have written posts about Spirals before – my favourite is the one I mowed in grass in an orchard I once had – you can see it in this post.

Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along.

Cathy and I have put a list together for a photo a week during 2017. We are on WEEK 11 .

Click here to see the whole list and if you have snapped any Spirals to share, please leave a link in the comments and I will include it in my monthly round-up.

~

Now I’m off for another prance around the living room to Twist and Shout! Join me?

 

Floor

 

polished by footsteps

of children walking in socks 

every day shine

 

Week 10 of our One-a-Week Photo Challenge: FLOOR

Ronovan’s weekly Haiku Challenge prompts: KING and DAY

I went to stay with my son and his family in London recently and this is the floor in the hall of their 1950s house – I just love it.

It was such a beautiful sunny Spring day when I arrived at Waterloo so I wandered along the South Bank, one of my favourite walks, there are always fascinating things going on. The tide was high so no beach-combing on this trip. Walking past the Tate Modern towards Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre I came across a poet with a Magic Carpet of poetry

 

After looking through the titles on the envelopes I chose ‘Butterfly Rhapsody’, which he has in his hand.

He knew all his poems by heart and gave me a rendition of Butterfly Rhapsody – I was entranced – such energy and emotion, so I gave him a donation and have the poem, which I shall put in the textile book I am making for Little Miss M as she loves butterflies. Even though last year she asked her Mum if she could have a butterfly, her Mum asked her if she wanted it as a pet and she said “No, to eat it!”

Well we do put flowers on salads so when you are three ………..

I wish I could tell you the poet’s name but although he signed his work, I can only read his first name – Joseph. I also gave him a Love Rock. Here he is giving another poetic performance.

I wandered on over the Wobbly Bridge and west along the embankment which was bathed in sunshine. It must be a fabulous place to sit in the summer when the lavender bushes are in flower. The walk took me through Victoria Embankment Gardens where mimosa was in full bloom

and this delicately scented viburnum which was growing in a huge pot.

walking in sunshine

golden lights on a spring day

making my heart sing

~

The walk from the Wobbly Bridge to my son’s office took just over an hour and a half, giving me another walk to chalk up towards my 17 for 2017. Loved it!

~

Cathy and I have created the One-a-Week Photo list. To enter just leave a link in the comments, we’d love to see what FLOORs have fascinated you this week.

~

Edit: Kerry’s comment below prompted me to find this 1978 song – the day definitely had this as it’s theme tune:

and now I can link to Ritu’s Musical March Meme

Above

far from home

I look up to see

Summer leaves

~

Joining in with our 52 week Photo Challenge : prompt word ABOVE

And Yippee!!!!! combining it once again with Ronovan’s Weekly Haiku Challenge: prompt words HOME and LEAVES.

Have a go – it’s a great brain teaser to combine the two challenges.

Of course it is ok to stick with the Photo Challenge plain and simple.

Leave a link in the comments of this or Nanacathy’s post to join in and be in the weekly round-up.

Photo Challenge Round-Up: DEEP

Nearby the pool I posted for ‘DEEP’ is another deep rock pool which I found as a child when I was with my Grandfather. It seemed to go down and down forever then and had an eel swimming in it. That memory was enhanced about 20 years ago when I was on a course with Leo Rutherford who founded Eagle’s Wing. During one of meditations to the sound of the drum, I was taken on a magical journey into this pool which inspired my poem

Journey Into Now

~

Our DEEP entries this week are

Jane at RainbowJunkie ……………………. Ooops!

Cathy at Nanacathy ………………………..No Bottom!

Me at WildDaffodil …………………………Plop!

Denis at Haiku Hound …………………….Those eyes!

Christina at ALookattheLittleThings……Indigo!

Dorris at DigwithDorris …………………..Magenta and Blue!

Debbie at Curiosity Takes Me ……………Gorge and so much more!

Please welcome Allyse who is joining us for the first time this week

Allyse on Flickr

Have I missed anyone? I hope not, but if I have please leave a link in the comments and I will add you to the list.

To find out more about the Photo Challenge and see all the subjects set out for you in advance, click here.

Thank you to everyone who went DEEP this week.

Next week’s prompt

ABOVE

Zest

sing praises

give flowers and champagne

sweet success

~

I had the huge pleasure of celebrating my sister’s graduation last week – she has just got a degree in Homeopathy – her first degree at 60! showing her characteristic zest for life! Well done Sue!

Joining in with our 52 Week Photo Challenge

and

Ronovan’s weekly Haiku Challenge, prompt words SING and FLOWER

sing praises, give flowers and champagne

give flowers and champagne, sweet success

~

If you have a ‘Zest’ photo in your archives just add a link in the comments, we’d love to see it!

Have a week full of ZEST!

~

Next week’s Photo Prompt

STRENGTH

Repeat

no dazzling summer

dull skies give an even light

best for photographs

~

The rusting sea defences at Charmouth Beach, Dorset, on England’s south coast. Their shapes, colours and textures fascinate me, sculpted by the sea.

Did you watch the BBC’s ‘Springwatch’ or ‘Springwatch Unsprung’? On the latter programme there was a guest called Martin Dorey who founded the 2 Minute Beach Clean

“We are a growing family of beach lovers rolling up our sleeves to help rid the world’s beaches of marine litter and plastic pollution, two minutes at a time.

We believe that every piece of litter removed from the beach matters. So it doesn’t matter if you do 2 minutes or 30. Each and every piece of marine
plastic removed from the beach is a piece that will no longer go on to kill.

Our movement has grown enormously since its inception in 2014. Since then thousands of people all over the globe have used our hashtag for their
beach cleaning activities.”

Inspired by this I went to Charmouth to do my 2 minutes, and then posted my finds onto the 2 minute Beach Clean Facebook Page. 2Min Beach Clean is on Instagram as well.

I came across a huge tangle of detritus too heavy to lift

but including a fascinating array of waste, all with an unknown human story attached

I set about cutting bits out that fascinated me and put them with the rest of my haul of beach rubbish. 2 minutes turned into a wonderfully relaxing hour of  beach-combing finding more REPEATs

Amongst the rubbish it was this rope that intrigued me the most

which I have since discovered, from a diving friend, is a float line for a fishing net, probably a net for catching prawns.

I soaked the best bits in rainwater and just had to have a play around with the shapes

Next time you visit a beach spare just a couple of minutes to pick up the plastics, it thrills me to feel part of this wonderfully international inspiring idea.

Joining in with our 52 Week Photo Challenge: REPEAT

and

Ronovan’s Weekly Haiku Challenge: prompt words DAZZLE and SKY

Next week our Photo Challenge Prompt

is

ROUND

~

Update: I have just started a new blog to house my Beach Clean Art.