Returning to our our coastal cottage after exploring Hakin Cove, my wife and I settled down to a quiet and creative afternoon attending our various individual projects.
Showing posts with label Berserk!. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Berserk!. Show all posts
Early Morning Writing
An early morning writing session on the balcony of my weekend holiday retreat, overlooking River Cleddau, Hakin:
Sunday CatchUp
With an afternoon to spare, I managed to catch up with with writing schedule today. I am happy to report that the final draft of Chapters One and Two of Berserk! have now been completed. :)
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| My youngest cat concluding the days's writing schedule by sitting on my work book |
Berserk! Draft 3. Deadline in Jeopardy :(
Working on the third and final draft of Berserk! Looking at the number of changes I have made to just the second page of text (all the handwriting on the left page are amendments additional to the scrawling changes I have made on the right hand typed page!), I am starting to wonder if I will miss my December 31 publication date deadline :(
Berserk! Draft 2 Complete :)
Despite the pretty grim cold that descended upon me this morning, which had me suffering and sneezing all day, I took the opportunity afforded to me this afternoon to grab a couple of hours out in the sunshine, where I managed to complete the second draft of Berserk!
It is now time to get on with the third and final draft... :)
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| Completing the second draft of Berserk! |
Berserk! Draft 2. Chapter 8.
Troubled by some irksome dream, I rose early this morning and nipped out into my writing shed with a steaming cup of coffee. Stepping inside the shed, I was confronted by these beautiful shadows above the chill-out settee I have in there.
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| Shadows on the wall above my chill-out settee |
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| Working on draft 2 of Chapter 9 of Berserk! |
Berserk! Draft 2. Chapter 8. Complete :)
I spent this morning out in my writing shed, listening to a little Japan and enjoying the faint warmth of the autumn sun on my face as I completed the second draft of Chapter 8 of Berserk. I am still ahead in my writing schedule, 12 days ahead to be precise, and am confident I can get this beast of a novella completed by the end of the year. But the clock is definitely ticking...
Camping Weekend at Llangorse Lake, Brecon
I went camping near Llangorse Lane, near Brecon, with my family and some friends this past weekend. We were spoiled with the weather and the scenery was spectacular.
The lake was particularly stunning and we even had an hour out on its water in a rowing boat :)
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| Llangorse Lake, South Wales' Largest Natural Lake |
The lake, the largest natural lake in South Wales, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, where both fish and birds are found in extraordinary numbers. Of archaeological interest, the lake also hosts Wales' only Crannog - a small artificial island that are more prevalent in Scotland and Ireland.
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| Llangorse Lake And Its Unique Welsh Crannog |
The crannog is constructed from huge oak plank that were secured deep into the pear beneath the lake, upon which a dwelling platform was constructed from layers of soil, stone and brushwood. Archaeological digs at the site have unearthed high quality textile, an antler comb, remnants of a shrine and an 8th Century bronze hinge. I 1925, a 9th Century dugout boat was also discovered beneath the lake. The crannog, which has been dated to c. 890 a.d, originally had a 3 metre wide wooden causeway connected it to the mainland and is believed to have been the centre of royal administration of the area.
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| Rowing boats for hire on Llangorse Lake |
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| Rowing Boat, Llangorse Lake |
There are numerous folk tales associated with the lake. There have been innumerable sighting of a townscape appearing beneath the rippling surface of its waters and during winter, when the lake is frozen, the groans of the drowned can be heard hollowing from the cracks in the ice.
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| Rowing on Llangorse Lake |
The lake is also said to be home to the mythical water beast, the Afanc. The monster of the lake was first reported by the 15th Century Welsh poet, Lewys Glyn Cothi and is said to have killed anyone who fell into the waters there. The beast is described as being a dwarf-like demon with the appearance of a crocodile. Although folklore records that the beast met it ends at the point of King Arthur's might Excalibur, sightings of a strange creature inhabiting the lake continue to be reported. A replica of the Excalibur, celebrating the slaughter of the Afanc, is now on display near the water's edge.
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| The sword in the stone. The sword Excalibur is said to have slain the Afanc |
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| Horse, Llangorse |
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| Swan, Llangorse |
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| Swan, Llangorse |
I managed to do a trio of audio field recordings whilst at the camp. These are best listened to with headphones. First up was this recording of the ambient chatter of the campers:
The following morning, I recorded the dawn chorus from a small footbridge that crossed this lovely little stream. Listen carefully and you will also hear the swan I saw there giving itself a little wash:
And finally, this is a dawn chorus recording I made on my final morning of the camp, of the water birds at Llangorse Lake itself:
I enjoyed getting away from the hustle and bustle of modern life for a few days. And last weekend's camp give me the perfect opportunity to relax and do a little more writing on my second draft of Berserk! while soaking up the natural environment about me :)
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| Working on the second draft of Berserk! whilst camping |
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| Catching up on some reading during a short rain shower |
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