Solstice - Story Two Thoughts

As I start work on the second draft of my first Christmas ghost story, I also have to turn my mind to working out an idea for the second story in the portmanteau novel. All I know so far is that this second tale involves a group of college students and their consummation of Fly agaric mushrooms... The tale is made a little more complicated in that I have to get it to link with the first and also the fourth tale in the series in the novel. Time to get my thinking cap on...

Fly agaric fungi

Dandelion

I guess I haven't been in the shed much of late:

Solstice ~ Draft 1. Story 1. Completed.

A day later than I had hoped, but I have just finished the first draft of the first story in my four-part portmanteau Christmas ghost story novel. Time to break open the whisky.

Another Sweyne's Eye

I am not in the mood for writing today, so instead I am working on another photography zine:

Solstice: It's Been a Hard Slog So Far

I should hopefully finish the first draft of the first story in my four-part Christmas portmanteau novel tomorrow. Despite being given all the free time I could ever have wished for, it has been difficult for me to write of late, utilising my time with creative tasks that demand less thought - photography zines for example, and playing Animal Crossing. It will be a relief when I do finish that first draft tomorrow. Hopefully, my posting this will now force my hand...

Sweyne's Eye ~ Bus Stop

This photographs features on the cover of this issue of Sweyne's Eye. It features the interior of the bus stop outside the offices of my day job. I was ill at the time and had been sent home due to a bad reaction I had to an antibiotic I was taking at the time. I remember the occasion well, waiting in the bus stop, waiting for my wife to pick up, the sun rising and the plastic windows of the bus shelter aglow...

Sweyne's Eye ~ SA1 Art

I don't really understand why Swansea isn't more noted for its public art. It is a mystery to me as the city really does cram a lot of particularly interesting exhibits within the city.

These following photographs, taken along the edge of the River Tawe, SA1, were recorded in 2016 and feature in this issue of Sweyne's Eye.  Amongst the boulders that line the river here are a series of rocks that have been engraved with a series of various designs and motifs. Appearing like fossilised remains, they feature symbols of copper, iron and carbon, flower patterns that decorated Swansea's once celebrated ceramics industry, as well as other goods that were once imported and exported along the river and out through the nearby docks during the city's industrial heyday. The artwork is still visible along the river today...

Sweyne's Eye ~ Confucius Stature

My favourite statue in the whole of Swansea is this one - a large figure of the Chinese philosopher, Confucius. It can be found, with a little effort, on the grounds of Swansea University and was donated to them by the European Federation of Chinese Organisations as a symbol of China and Chinese culture.

These photographs can be found is this issue of my Swansea photography zine, Sweyne's Eye.

Sweyne's Eye ~ The Green Man of Kilvey Hill

This was a pretty cool discovery I happened upon whilst taking a walk up Kilvey Hill a few years back - a Green Man king sculpture:

The above photographs can be found in this issue of my Sweyne's Eye zine.

Sweyne's Eye ~ High Street Graffiti

This glorious and eye-catching artwork was designed by Photoni Matsi. Station to Station, the arts group responsible for decorating  Swansea's once-troubled High Street with pieces of public art, advertised the work with the statement "...you asked for more colour on Swansea High Street, this spring we are delivering it!":

The graffiti features both on the cover and within the pages of Sweyne's Eye ~ 2016 (Part Three):