Tag Archives: family

When I Write

For those of you who don’t know, this week, two years ago, I won the Kelpies Prize at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. On Instagram this week, my publisher posted a photo of me accepting the prize from the wonderful … Continue reading

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Bennett’s Cross

On Dartmoor there is a crooked stone cross beside the road between Moretonhampstead and Postbridge. Folklore has it that the cross was erected as a boundary marker by a tin miner named William Bennett in the 16th century. Looking out across … Continue reading

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VE Day

On VE day most people down our street got out their deckchairs and sat outside their front doors. There was bunting strewn between houses, and we toasted each other with tea and scones. The kids rode up and down the … Continue reading

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A bright pebble

I found this pebble hidden on the path outside one of my visits this week. The neighbour’s front window was open a small crack. Inside the house, children’s heads bobbed around the windowsill, trying to hide, but desperate to see. … Continue reading

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Writing on walls

Despite the wet and wild weather we had a lovely half term and a great trip to London. Here is Finch and his cousin scrawling on a giant chalkboard at the South Bank Centre. When Finch saw it, he couldn’t … Continue reading

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Crackle and sputter

The rain stopped and the clouds cleared just in time for our bonfire night celebrations on Saturday. We snuggled up around the fire in my mum and dad’s garden, fingers warmed by mugs of hot soup. In the distance fireworks … Continue reading

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Tin Coast

Having grown up in a seaside town I have a pathological aversion to anything touristy so Cornwall has never really appealed. I went on a school trip to St Ives once, and I’ve been through Cornwall lots of times to … Continue reading

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Home again

We are not long back from dropping Little Owl off at her Summer Sport’s Camp. Wren hummed merrily from under the pushchair rain hood while Finch was only a flicker of bright yellow mac whizzing along on his bike in … Continue reading

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Vegetable robots

Little Owl won third place for her vegetable robot at the Allotment Association Show last weekend. Her’s was the cucumber one. She won a whole pound coin in prize money. Finch’s chest heaved as he wrestled with his pride of … Continue reading

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West Dart

Down in this valley, amongst the trees, is the West Dart. Not long after this point the West Dart joins with the East Dart to form the River Dart, from which Dartmoor gets its name. This weekend we camped on … Continue reading

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