A short adventure to Owennashad River in Lismore

Beautiful dying dandelion

I had friends over from Holland last week, I wanted to show them Lismore strand (Owennashad River). Of course stopping off at the bridge over the Blackwater to take photos of them and Lismore castle. 

My mobility scooter just about fits on the bridge's sidewalk, although it requires some nerve wrecking manoeuvring to not tumble of the sidewalk onto the road.

Getting to the Strand, my objective, was even more challenging. But fun. 

As staying on the road seemed a bit dangerous, I managed to get up on the sidewalk over the second bridge, but halfway down, it proved to be just a little too narrow to pass the lamppost. I could not reverse, too narrow to take that change, so I got off my scooter. Annemieke handed me my sticks, Marga and Hanna manually manoeuvred the scooter carefully around the lamppost. Must have been an interesting sight!

Anyway, we did make it to the Owennashad river, which runs alongside the Blackwater. In the summer time part of the river is dug out to make it into a pool. A beautiful spot. But unfortunately rather inaccessibly by wheelchair/scooter due to the beautiful roots of the ancient trees. My friends did walk down, and I had some glorious time sitting by the 'peddling pool' part of the river.

while my friends walked further to
Lismore Strand...

I looked at the flowers and grasses around me, like the dying dandelions. And Truly, I am mesmerized how beautiful they are.

Dandelion seed head. Just beautiful

Dandelion

Dandelion

Grey Wagtail on the river

I spotted a grey wagtail over the river too, and watched the water move over the rocks. 

The dance of nature.

Grey Wagtail on the river

Towards Lismore strand

bridge over Owennashad River 

autumn starting already

Yes, I would have liked to walk the pathway, but I was ever to pleased to be at the water's edge. Surrounded by nature.
And having the company of friends!

Sore hands and arms from walking

Yesterday I went for a walk along Lady Louisa's Walk, which starts just a few steps from my gate.
It is a walk I used to do almost every day in the autumn of 2008. It became the backdrop and inspiration for my book Cirrus Chronicles. In those days I would get beyond the first gate, and on very good days, to the field where I could see the Blackwater River. The field where Cirrus, a fairy from Cloud Nine, accidentally landed and met Sarah Robin ...

I used to love these little adventurers, where I could feel the air on my face, smell the autumnal changes in nature, and let my mind go to places beyond pain and exhaustion - to worlds unexplored.
All within ten minutes, of a slow walk, from my house.

Cirrus Chronicles is a modern day fairy tale for all ages.
See HERE for details, and a look inside

But for the past few years I just wasn't able for that 'far' a walk. I got to a few minutes a few times a year, but it wasn't satisfactory at all.

But yesterday was such a beautiful afternoon. Blue sky. Changing colours in nature. I needed to get out.

I contemplated using my mobility scooter, but it just didn't seem to be what I really wanted. 

A walk. A proper walk.

Proper walk, obviously being a walk of a half hour or more, to put on walking boots and get out there. Feel invigorated when you come back- kind of walk...

I went out. Got my two walking sticks ready; a plastic bag to sit on if my legs gave up; my phone- if I needed someone to 'rescue' me, and my cat Robert. Well he came voluntarily.

Robert usually comes for a walk with me, but this time he 'cried' when we passed the point we got to over the past few years. As if to say, 'are you sure you want to go this far'? He followed me and cried. 

I was chuffed that I go the first turn along the path.

I sat down on the stile, on my bag, and enjoyed to view I had not seen for so long. Robert continued to cry. 

I was very conscious that I had to walk back again, but waited long enough until I had sufficient energy again.

For the walk home, I set the stopwatch on my phone.

8.36 minutes, including three stops to take photos. 

Robert led the way.  Quietly! Not a sound out of him. Happy to bring me safely home.

My legs were dragging. I had to concentrate on every step. When I almost stumbled he looked up.

My hands were sore from leaning onto my sticks.

But the joy in my heart made up for it all.


Today my arms are sore. My legs weak. But I will go for a walk again. Tomorrow.

My heart is singing!

Beasts of Lismore, and other creative events

Some of the artistic events happening in Lismore this month:

I had the pleasure of meeting the artist Nicky Deeley recently in my home and studio. Nicky created an immersive experiential event involving the history, architecture, public spaces, and inhabitants of the village of Lismore. 

'The Beasts of Lismore' follows whispers of narrative trails and takes the audience on a mythical ramble through castles, follies, unfinished bridges, bottomless lakes,  mossy corners and windswept crags to find proof of the beasts existence... 

Follow the Beasts of Lismore's tracks with the self guided tour starting at St. Carthage Hall behind the Lismore Heritage Centre. Many locals, adults and children were involved in this project.

One of the "Beasts" is standing proud in my window for the duration of the event

Another creative event for the month of August is the Lismore Craft Collective a partnership between creative artisans with property owners who had vacant spaces for use. LISMORE CRAFT COLLECTIVE is the first iteration of this partnership and the first step in the Main Street Regeneration Initiative to bring life back to the heart of the town for locals and visitors alike.

The collective is made up five creative artisans from the region, JOAN CASEY – Mosaic & Felt Making, LEN CANTON – Leatherwork, JANE JERMYN – Ceramics, MORITZ SCHURMANN – Jewellery Design, and EUGENE YOUNG – Iona Crystal, each of whom will be displaying and selling their work, some which will be made while in residency. 

ps. As I no longer have a Facebook or Twitter account (find it all too confusing...) 

but you think this Blog deserves to make a presence there, please feel free to link it on your page. Thank you And thanks for stopping by.

Into the Light

Again, thank you all for comments about previous blogs via email, text messages and message on this blog. It is lovely to know what my thoughts and adventures mean to others.

all the notes collected,
waiting to make it into my "Into the Light" book.

I would like to ask you for a little bit of thinking time to help me find ways to gain practical support to be able to use my spars and immensely valuable energy solely on my art and writing to publish "Into the Light". This need was very much brought to my attention during my stay at Dechen Shying.
For the purpose of my book, I am re-reading my journals and found the exact same conclusion at least eight months ago... This made me laugh out loud.

During the past month I have been pushing doors open of every Disability Organisation in Ireland, and many other funding organisation, but unfortunately many doors stay firmly shut. Either no response at all to several emails, others don't fully grasp what I am looking, others are understanding but simply do not have funding themselves. Other doors I was able to wiggled open a bit further, inviting the organisation (public and private) to think outside the box, but so far to no avail.
And I have made Arts Bursaries applications too. Please give these applications some positive energy when you have a minute? ... Thank you!

A lot of time spend on getting help, which I hope will pay off in the end and I can truly use a lot of my energy on my work. The help I am looking for is someone to work with me in the studio and transcribing handwritten notes onto computer.
Or possibly funding for more residency time at Dechen Shying, where I can fully concentrate on my work?

One idea, recently hatched, is that of exploring the so called "Crowd Funding"route, in which the 'funder' pledges money for my project (in this case to buy in support) in turn for my books, or art, or gift vouchers, or free studio time... or what ever else would be appropriate.

Another idea is to find somebody locally who would be interested to "Barter" with me. The person helps me in return for books, art, free studio time, garden plants...

I would dearly love to hear what you think about these ideas.
Or you might have something even more exciting and workable...?

Crowd funding, as far I understand it, can require quite a lot of social media time, which I simply don't have. A friend has offered (bartered for a sculpture!) to look at options as well in the next few weeks, but while the topic is 'in the air', I thought I'll ask my readers and followers of my work too, in order to get the idea rolling.

Thank you for your time to read my thoughts.

love to you all
Corina

ps. As I no longer have a Facebook or Twitter account (find it all too confusing...) but you think this Blog deserves to make a presence there, please feel free to link it on your page. 

Thank you!

Garden visitors

I enjoy visitors  to my garden, some more than others it might be said...

On Saturday just after a lovely nap in my garden, I heard the doorbell ring. 

A lady walking "Lady Louisa's walk"which runs along my house, saw the small wooden block on my wall with the notice that there are art and books for sale here, and decided to enquire.

She went away with a copy of the Cirrus Chronicles which is a fairy tale set in along the path she just walked, after exploring my garden and visited my studio.

How lovely to meet people in your own home. She brightened up my day.

Yesterday I met a young lady who recently moved into my area, and later that day she came to my house to buy a copy of Flying on Little Wings  and promised to be back over the coming weeks for my other two books.

Today I received a Thank You note in the post from the lady who was here on Saturday. 

You know, it is this little acts of kindness that really matter in life. 

Visitors also arrive in other forms- like through a package in the post with gifts to celebrate my new greenhouse, from a dear friend, cyber-friend as we have never yet met in person, who was so delighted with the new addition to my house and life.

A big thank you to you all for being part of my life, in subtle but amazingly powerful ways.

Yet other visitors, well they need a little more kindness from my part to welcome to my garden... Caterpillars. In saying that, I actually think they are creating their own bit of magic to the garden. Body sculptures in a way. Look how they become part of the leaf. I think it is kind of beautiful.

The skeleton that they leave behind is pretty to! They settled on this small tree/shrub (of which I do not know the name but was assured by gardener friend that it is a weed) after they had devoured all the leaves on the red current bush, but in an act of kindness (or just dislike) they had left the berries for me to eat.We all have our own taste I suppose!

ps... As always it is lovely to know that you stopped by to read my musing and follow my creative adventures. It would make my day if you leave a comment...

 Many thanks & Lots of love Corina

Poems in shop windows

Our current Mayor of Lismore, Ken Madden, came up with this wonderful idea to invite 10 poets to submit a poem to be displayed in shop windows of our little town of Lismore.

All the poets have a Waterford connection, they are either born in this county, or live here. 

The poems appeared 'overnight' to celebrate All Ireland Poetry Day, on the 6th October.

see here for more

Invited poets are:

 James Ballantyne, Edward Denniston, Corina Duyn, John Ennis, Áine Uí Fhoghlú, Thomas McCarthy, Liam Murphy, George O’Brien, Mark Roper and Peter Sirr.

The photographs don't quite do justice to the quality of the displays.

My apologies.

But I hope it will give you an idea of what's on offer and that it will inspire you 

bring a visit to Lismore!