I took a bath in chilled champagne
Bubbles pop across heated skin
I emerge from a hole hewn into ice
Granddad’s job earlier that day
The milky layer with sharp edges
Thicker than my hand is wide
Promises joy and death
I pull myself up the wrought iron steps
Bare feet rush in wet pitter-patter
Across icy ground to reach my soft robe
The sound of heat radiates from fluffy fibres
Scent of pine resin caresses me
As we walk chattering back to the house
And the fiery embrace of the sauna
Tag: winter
Wee Beastie
A wee beastie, fluffy coat without buttons,
satellite dish ears orienting.
Micro kangaroo hops
across moss covered brick.
One, one, two. One, one, two.
The wee beastie watches
black button eyes anticipatory.
Feathered waiter has opened the buffet.
His yellow coat and blue bib
draw our attention.
One, one, two. One, one, two.
Sunflower seeds.
The menu is a bit simple.
Tablecloth covered in debris
from the last rain.
A random leaf dances past
–just because.
One, one, two. One, one, two.
One seed thrown aground and another,
two seeds down the beak.
A feather sticks.
Wet leaves cling to French doors.
Wee beastie happily munches.
tiny fingers hold treasure.
‘That’s how it’s done.’
The airborne pal tells us.
One, one, two. One, one, two.
Wintering
When cold clings to your bones with painful fingers.
You go for a lunch-walk to watch the sun set.
The clouds shroud so heavily you can’t tell if it is day yet.
Dark tendrils enclose your space; the ceiling light fights a battle lost.
The steam from your soup bowl fogs your vision.
Hard rimmed bread softened in salty broth.
A warm hug and friend’s presence brighten the grey day.
There is no such thing as too many blankets.
Wrapped up like porcelain dolls ready for shipping.
Only noses and eyes emerge; clouds of breath hang over our heads.
Laughs muffled by thick scarves.
Our steps crunch on frozen ground, or kick bursts of snow into the air.
We enter the house with much exclamation, and stomping of cold feet,
Rubbing numb hands, and shaking off frost, as if we were still fur-covered beasts.
Warm blankets snug around the body, lest any air touches shivering skin.
Book in hand, a hot cuppa, and a candle the night may fall now—again.
I collected a poem*

Bullfinches, like plush berries,
Huddled decorativly on baren trees.
December has snug through the door
Under the guise of November gray.
Heavy pillows full of pending snow
Linger below the blue ceiling.
I am entering stasis, space in between,
Before the sun is reborn.
Watching the days grow ever shorter.
Everyone is holding a long breath.
Mallards hide their bills underneath warm feathers.
Heron amongst silver reeds,
alternates the leg submerged in cold water.
Even jaybird flies past without a warning call.
Kingfisher the only one who can’t stop the busy bustle.
Cold wind nips my face,
Blowing away remnants of gossamer.
Moss makes pompoms along elder branches.
Redwing and blackbird beaks full of red baubles.
Everything is Christmas coloured right now.
*During a lunchtime walk before the lurgy struck. I literally wrote each line as I observed.
Snowstorm
Mittens cautiously hold a steaming cup
Hot sweet tea and chocolate–the secret formula
We huddle leeward behind a boulder
White-out rolls over us like an angry dragon
Your eyes crinkle mischievously
A frosting sheet breaks off my bandana
Storm tugs my outer layer
Yet the dragon’s talons can’t reach me
Snug as a bug in a rug I am
Thick insulation sheet: we can sit on the ground
It’s big enough to wrap us both in an emergency
A rescue helicopter is circling climbers on the north face
You offer a chocolate bar and I swap you tea
Our ascent only needed shirts and I wondered if we over packed
When lugging all that stuff up the hill
I smile at the ice dragon and sacrifice a sip of sweet tea
Definitely not
Scottish mountains are like that
Never underestimate the power of your elders
Even if their smiles are tooth gapped and worn
A laugh bursts forth I barely catch it above the roar
In response I spread my arms
A sliver of blue breaks through the furry of crystals
We watch as they slow their dance
The dragon goes back to sleep
I remove my snow goggles and we grin at one another–untamed

Winter Mountain Training
Be bothered
Check each other
Layers off
Layers on
Gloves yes
Gloves no
Kick crampons
into icy snow
Be bothered
Be bothered just so
Stay warm
But not hot
Hydrate
Find a spot
Take a photo
Go wee
Be bothered
Poles out
Poles in
Ice axe out
Helmet on
–Always
Sturdy gloves
Feet sideways
Be bothered
Be bothered just so
Waterproofs
Wooly socks
Self-Belay
Avoid the rocks
Play in snow
And be bothered
Be bothered just so
“A blizzard descends upon a town”
This was our writing prompt from the first session with Cathy McSporran
He tumbles down the street, ice cold anger, burning hot rage; some of this becomes stuck in the small cobblestone alleys; where he rips off shop signs, and freezes window panes until they crack from the arctic chill. People tumble like leaves; hoods, and scarves held tightly with both hands, they fight against the rage, bend over–standing upright is impossible–yet they push forward. Shelter is so close. So close. A woman shouts above the howl; trying to tell her husband she found an open door. Yet all she sees are blurred shadows; snowflakes are slung at her face and eyes, so hard that the tears keep running. She cannot see her husband. He cannot hear her. With all her might she pulls the door open; it smashes close behind her. All of a sudden there is silence. And now her tears stream on their on volition.
Meanwhile, he keeps howling, raging, hauling microscopic ice shards at everything in his way. One goal. One goals only. That building up on the hill, the highest point, in this small town. Granit grey with coloured glass windows. He can see it; despite his rage blinding everyone who is caught up in the anger. There must be reckoning. He screams now as he heaves his full might at the building. They have angered the ancient ones.

Winter Doldrums
Raunacht Collection: Day 08
Winter doldrums are days of a permanent grey. The sun remains unseen, and light barely breaks through the dirty curtains.
Hark! Sarnies to the rescue and a cuppa.
Coffee. Black. Strong. Fragrant.
You may have tea.
Small blessings are the strongest anchors of joy.
Each creating a colourful dot on my fairy light string.
Cold drops play a splattering song,
on the wet street and the hood of my coat.
I shuffle along to the 12 bar blues, somewhere water is leaking into my boots,
and the world around me is in brown and grey hues.
Winter doldrums are a never ending grey.
Where the day blends into the night and the nights won’t become day.
So I bring out the candles, light fire, fairy lights, books, chocolate and journals are all my favourite things.
I meander between stories and rhyme, as I wrap my blanket tightly.
Warm beeswax candles shine.
Shush now dear reader, just pause and listen.
Because in the right light even dull dirty grey rain drops with glisten.

Witchgrass Acre
Raunacht Collection: Day 05
Witchgrass Acre
An Ice age afterthought
Rocks salt the soil
witchgrass sprouts from tiny crevasses
Mammoth teeth strewn below ground
Teeth, geodes, rocks and sand
Blanketed by brittle clay
Stone age pottery brought to the surface by autumn tilling
Once I even found a bronze age brooch
Witchgrass Acre
Ancient land
A meandering river bed
An old side arm
Indentation across the Western end of the farm
This is where the floods go first
Witchgrass Acre
The ancient creeds are still walking along paths forgotten
Overlaid realities
Sometimes you can see their shadow
Paths come and go
Medicinal plants everywhere
Holler* and Rowan protect the parameters
Witchgrass Acre grows powerful women

*Holler is an old fashioned word for Elder Tree in German
Disappearing pathways
Raunacht Collection: Day 4
Paths meander between realities
Today I walk along
Amongst the trees
Woodpecker greeting me with her staccato efforts
Tomorrow you are not there
You that path branching off at this tree
Tomorrow I will pass the tree and you won’t be waiting
Just to re-appear another time
And so I walk in between the here and now
Along the tree lined ribbon
Guided by the drum of a beak
