May is a complicated month – not quite winter, not quite summer, but oh so full of memories. It reminds me of the days when my grandmother still baked birthday cakes in the shape of butterflies, horses, and dinosaurs. It reminds me of the blueberry bush in my back yard and the deep, woodpile splinters…
Dipping into Poetry
I cannot think of a better way to spend a day than by reading poetry, stoking fires, watching rivers, and writing in the company of kind, interesting, and like-minded people. Last Saturday, I got to do just this as Emma Metcalfe and I co-led our Dipping into Poetry workshop. This session is part of a…
Made in Spring
It is no secret that I love Cardiff. I moved here from America over three years ago and I feel lucky everyday to call this place my home. This feeling not only comes from the city itself but from the people I have met here and the communities which I have found myself a part…
Writing Landscapes
Ever since meeting Emma Beynon — workshop leader, organic farmer, general adventurer — I knew I wanted to know her better. In fact, I knew I wanted to work with her. Collaborating affords you one of those rare opportunities to look inside a person, learn their passions, admire their strengths, and understand their weaknesses. To…
Snapshot
After a very busy summer, and what promises to be an even busier autumn, I have opted for a more condensed version of my usual news posts. Although it will only cover the highlights of the last few months there will be pictures, descriptions, and plenty of aptly placed links. Since this is just a…
Blogs, Brownies, and Goodbyes
Two weeks ago I finished teaching my ten week ‘Blog and Creative Writing’ course at Dowlais Library in Merthyr Tydfil. It was certainly a bittersweet experience. As it happened, our last session fell on my birthday so my core group surprised me with some wonderful presents which included homemade ‘American’ brownies, a chocolate fudge cake,…
Poetry and Map Making Project
Last week marked the end of one of my first projects with Glamorgan GATES, a wonderful community arts foundation in Merthyr Tydfil. Although it was challenging at times, it was also fun and incredibly rewarding. In addition to gaining a new perspective on poetry and community relationships from the young people I worked with, I…
Christina Thatcher 