Swing Low, Sweet Suet - or - Raiders of the Lost Suet

I was thinking, given I feed so many of the seed and peanut-eaters in my garden, that it was time to look out for the birds that preferred a meatier diet. So I duly trotted off and bought a suet ball and a suet ball holder. For a while it seemed no one noticed my offerings, until one day I realised just about the entire ball had disappeared...

What voracious bird, I wondered, had got so successfully at the suet, that in three or four days most of the stuff was gone? I really should have known, shouldn't I?
And this is how it was done:

The mysterious suet thief... "Who do you think you're looking at, go away, I'm busy!"

Now, I edge along the branch...

Then I swing down...

I lunge to my left...

And grab hold of the basket...

Right, now, this is the tricky bit...

Up and over...

Get my mush stuck firmly stuck into this lovely stuff...and grab a piece

Back up again, there we go....

Ah heaven...

Though it's equally good when eaten hanging upside down.

Well, if nothing else, and even if the robin and boubous went without, it was worth it just to get these shots!

And in other news... I was supposed to be off to the UK this week, to attend a much looked forward to children's writers' conference in Winchester with all my SCBWI-BI pals. Unfortunately ongoing health problems have put paid to that. And am I miffed? You bet! Oh well, there's always next year and now I have no excuse to finish off the final tweaks and tucks to my manuscript.

Who'd be a writer, eh?

It's getting a bit dire, isn't it - no blog post for two weeks. The trouble is, it's been so "nose to the grindstone" that I have blow-all to say for myself. However, lest we consider me lost for words... Oh perish the thought!

So, I will say this - if any of you who are not writers ask me if you should become a writer - seeking to be published - I will say "NO!!! Run for the hills and take up knitting instead!"

Seriously, I think if I'd known what was involved in trying to become a published author, I'd never have started. But it's from the innocence of not knowing that writers are indeed born. We have a dream, we feel a book within us that we feel must be shared and off we go. JK Rowling's billions may beckon us, as may the prospect of fame. Yes, well... Of such things are dreams made.

Here's the truth - it's a long hard slog and JKR was a phenomenon, not a usual occurence.
To become a published writer - and heaven knows, I'm not there yet - yet being the operative word - you need to have:
an awful lot of tenacity,
the ability to persevere, to rewrite and rewrite again,
the hide of a rhinocerous,
the patience of a saint,
the pushiness of a... well a pushmepullyou-thing,
and a determination that goes beyond the bounds of what is rational for Joe and Josephine Soap.

I'm quite convinced, at this stage, that becoming a rocket scientist is easier than becoming a published author.

But here's the thing - if this is what you want to do, if this is what you have to do - then you do it. You write, you edit, you rewrite, you ask for critiques from fellow writers, you support your fellow writers (okay, if you like you could go off and lurk in a lonely garret with a mangy mouse and some green cheese), but you work at it, you learn, you grow, you rewrite some more, you network, you enquire, you attend conferences and read books on writing and then you rewrite again. You may put aside one manuscript unfinished and start another. You may finish three manuscripts and realise they're all rubbish and move onto the fourth. But this is part of the journey and you just keep going, and going, and going.

And that, let me tell you, is just the start...

Those writers who are published or about to be published will tell you that getting the publishing deal doesn't mean it stops there - no, that's just the end of the beginning and still a long way from any sort of end.

So now, hands up all those who want to be writers? Hey?! Where'd you all go?!

I'm working on developing a thick hide...

Blog Action Day - Climate Change

One day this valley in which I live could be the ocean, and that world famous mountain could be just an island...

In thinking about climate change today, on Blog Action Day, I'm struck by the concept of "take care of today and tomorrow will take care of itself". The only problem is world leaders, multinational corporations, governments, civic bodies and individuals are not taking care of today in a way that even affords a tomorrow. Too much focus is on an unsustainable form of economic growth, whether for personal or national gain. It is a limited mentality and a myopic form of economic growth which forgets a global tomorrow - resulting in no future for future generations and a destructive future for the planet.

It is one thing to "live in the moment", it is quite another to live that moment in a manner which is unconscious of everything but the self and the now. Living in the moment is about living mindfully, living mindfully is about directing one's actions, not just for personal good but for greater good. Without the greater good, there can, in any event, be no personal good - the two are inseparable. To think and do otherwise is to negate the concepts of society and humankind per se.

We may see ourselves solely as individuals, but we are not, we are a collective, a whole - and a whole which is, whether we accept it or not, in unity with the planet. To forget that is to assure our own demise - and that of everything around us. This is not about "getting spiritual", this is about seeing life as it truly is and viewing it pragmatically. We are interdependent and the actions of one affects the other. To focus solely on "the one" is a fast path to a dead end.

In considering climate change, I am also struck by the short-sightedness of developing nations - my own being a prime case in point. "We, the developing world, expect money -- as of yesterday," said our esteemed minister of environmental affairs, while a cabinet spokesperson has said South Africa would not commit to emissions targets in Copenhagen. The country's long-term strategy sees local emissions peaking between 2020 and 2025, stabilising by 2035 and declining absolutely by 2050. Of course, this assumes we make it to 2050.

As one critic observed, this leaves South Africa "sounding like a petulant child that is ignorant of its own resources, opportunities and standing commitments." Never mind being a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, there are resources in this country that could go a long way to finding solutions - rather than just demanding handouts. Finger-pointing at developed nations is not part of the solution. The status quo is here and now. To adopt any other position is tantamount to shooting oneself in the foot - it's being part of the problem, not part of the solution.

Perhaps the esteemed minister and her colleagues need a lesson in unity and mindfulness. Oh, no, wait, this is South Africa, we're still stuck in the politics of race, never mind global unity and a single humankind.

Oh well... on that note let me point you towards some groups who are doing sterling work in promoting the desperate need for a shift in policy regarding climate change.

Avaaz

Friends of the Earth

Seal the Deal - the UN worldwide campaign on climate change

Greenpeace

Please consider signing at least one of the petitions and becoming part of the solution.

Back to the writing cave...

Well that was a short run of trying to be a more productive blogger, wasn’t it?! But I have good reason… I’m heading back into the writing cave!

You may recall that last year I sent my manuscript to the Cornerstones literary consultancy in London for a review – and received an eighteen page report telling me what was wrong with it. Devastation! But I gave myself some time and, taking on board all that had been said in the report, set about rewriting the story from scratch – keeping to the same basic idea but working on the actual writing style, tightening the plot, focusing on showing not telling, improving the pace, recreating the voice of my main character and improving characterization – and cutting out about 35 000 words, including a whole lot of unnecessary backstory.

A few weeks ago I sent the manuscript back for a second review and last week I had the report.

Shall we say I’m a happy camper? Shall we say I’m truly delighted? Yes, let’s – ‘cos I am! It was a terrifically affirming report, and a tremendous acknowledgement that all the hard work I’ve put in is paying off. The report includes phrases like “…you have real talent and this now a cracking story”, “a book with real potential”, “fast paced and gripping as any thriller could be, and atmospheric too” and, “a very promising novel”.

You have no idea how much that means given how close I was to chucking the story completely and trudging off to the bottom of the garden to eat worms for the remainder of my life. For the first time ever I feel like I am truly on the right track with my writing and as though I’m finally getting somewhere. They do say it takes the average person 10 years to get published… Let’s see, I’m now at year um, er…eight (admittedly five of those eight years was spent being very ill).

All that said, there is still work to be done and while the reader thought the last two thirds of the book worked really well, she’s recommended some changes to the first 50 pages. So that’s what I’ll be doing for the next little while. Which means, I'm afraid to say, that blogging will be taking a backseat yet again. A girl has to get her priorities sorted, you know.

I’m hugely fired up and I really do want to make this novel the best I possibly can. Once I’ve made the changes, I’ll send the manuscript back to Cornerstones and we’ll see where it goes from there. The reality is that few manuscripts are ever perfect, even when they’ve found an agent and publisher. The process is one of continual honing and continual learning, because writing, as much as anything, is a craft that can and must be learned if one is to succeed.

Meanwhile, in case you find yourself with the need to procrastinate (whaddayamean you never procrastinate...!?!) I’ve found a new way of creating stories which you may like to try… Browse through your bookshelves and see if you can create a short short-story using book titles…! Here are some of my attempts...

Sabriel, across the nightingale floor is how I live now. Just listen, the truth about forever proves time stops for no mouse.

Mister Monday, under the brilliance of the moon, Molly Moon's hypnotism and old magic caused the fall of Fergal.

Midnight, the Devil's kiss is parasite positive. Lirael gave a pure swift cry.

Beauty and the Quirky - a wander around Kalk Bay

Little fishing boats bobbing in Kalk Bay harbour

At the risk of causing you all to fall off your chairs in shock – yes, yes, it’s true, another blog post! The second in one week. Gasp! I know, it may yet snow at the equator! Stranger things have indeed happened.

It was a public holiday on Thursday and D decided to take Friday off as well – as did most of South Africa. Bah! sucks! humbug! to productivity, right? Given that it was a lovely day yesterday, though rain was threatened, we decided to wander down to Kalk Bay.

Harbour Lights - do you know your port from your starboard?

Fishing boats

The railway line runs from the city, through the suburbs and all the way down the coast

I suppose you might call it a village, but for us it’s just another suburb of Cape Town – quite far south and a bit out of the way, but a quirky little seaside place. The name means Lime Bay in English, though it’s never been called that - the name having been given to it by the early Dutch settlers. (Kalk means lime – and no, not limes as in citrus fruit, but as in the stuff you quarry.) The history of the place is quite interesting, it was variously a mini port for the Dutch East India Company and later became a small whaling station and then became home to a growing population of Filipinos. You can read more about the history and take a “tour” on the official Kalk Bay website.

The view from the harbour wall, looking across to Simonstown in the far distance

Mucking around in boats

For the past few years, it’s been quite a trendy, quirky spot, with lots of generally overpriced (yes, we know how to mug tourists in more ways than one) junk/bric-a-brac and antique shops and several decent restaurants. It’s very touristy in summer, and getting there and back in the high season can be a real nightmare. The narrow main road gets clogged with traffic moving at pace which would make a snail proud. I noticed though, as we wandered around yesterday, that a lot of the shops have closed down and new whacky boutiques have opened – sign of the times, or recession, who knows.

The "branding" at Quagga Trading

Kalk Bay Trading Post - all the junk you never knew you needed

Of course you always wanted a broken gumball machine. Of course you did!

And an old garden chair

And horns and horseshoes. Oh go on, admit it, you can't resist such a purchase!

I shouldn’t comment on the food, given I’ve nothing polite to say about it. Suffice it to say we opted for fish and chips down at the harbour – and have both been struck by very unhappy guts. There you go, another bad review for me to write (I’ve been making a habit of it of late…).

Filleting fish, fresh off the boats

Still, before the bug struck it was lovely wandering around in the mild spring sunshine, camera in hand, snapping the beauty and the quirky.

The wall of sweets at the general dealer/postal service/bait shop

The general dealer's sign, all things to all men - and women.

The local nursery, oozing colour

And because I just know you love to go "oooh" and "aw", some local residents...

Cape Fur Seals, only too happy to pose, in the hope you might throw them a fish!

Look at that, a blog post!

Yegods, look at this, a miracle... I'm finally getting my butt into gear and doing a blog post...

I can only say that I appear to have turned into an all-time lousy blogger. Not posting, not reading. I suspect a lot of the problem has to do with the fact that most of the things I want to write about are just thoroughly depressing and mostly centre around the current “climate” in South Africa. I’m appalled, for example, at the treatment of medal winning athlete Caster Semenye both by the local head of Athletics SA and the IAAF. And as much as I am appalled by that, I’m revolted by the media circus that has surrounded it and I’m horrified how the whole thing has been turned into a race issue, which is now bringing the race debate back to the fore - and with a vengeance. Yes, ladies, gentlemen and jellybeans, the Rainbow Nation has proved to be an utterly fallacious dream and is as dead as the poor old dodo. Racism is alive, well and thriving in sunny South Africa. If I start getting into this, I will be going down a road I’m not sure is appropriate for this blog. And since it’s been occupying my mind of late, there’s a good reason, I guess, for not blogging. And oh, this is just the tip of the iceberg... I could mention that crime stats are up, rape stats are up, South Africa's refusal to cut carbon emissions... But oh let's just not go there.

On a cheerier note, and another reason for not blogging - my pc finally started sounding its death knell with much grinding, snorting and coughing. For a hopeful moment I thought it might be hatching a dragon. No such luck. But I now have a new pc, custom built, super fast, frighteningly silent and super powerful. Cool. It means I can finish the book trailer I started making – it was looking quite good before everything crashed…

On a more important note, Blog Action Day is coming up and the topic, somewhat unsurprisingly is Climate Change. Blog Action day takes place this year on October 15th and more details can be found on the Blog Action Day website. The notification I received says:

To be a part of this year's event, all we ask is that you commit to writing one post, in your own voice, on October 15, on the topic of climate change.

More than a dozen top blogs, including Mashable, The Official Google Blog, TMZ,
Autoblog, and Daily Blog Tips, have already registered.

But this event won't be successful with big blogs alone. We want bloggers everywhere, of all types and sizes, involved in discussing the wide-ranging way in which climate change affects us all.

To register to participate, go to the Blog Action Day website.

By the way, has anyone noticed that you can no longer post images without giving Google a bunch of exclusive royalty-free rights? I was going to put up some pictures, but...

Come with me on a weekend away...

We want wandering off for a few days the weekend before last. As usual, I was over-zealous with the camera. You have no idea the job I had to thin down over 1500 photos to this little pile... Hope you enjoy them. I, meanwhile, am going to finish off the article I wrote whilst there about porcupines, and then I'm going to play at making a book trailer...

The Franschhoek Valley

The view from the hotel patio

A far flung corner of the Franschhoek valley

Signs of spring

Blossoming

The road through the mountains

No way through

Spring greens - and pinks and reds

Soaring peaks

The vineyards at Boekenhoutskloof winery

Spring is springing

Proteas

Village life

The orchards at Villiersdorp

Theewaterskloof dam

Country roads

Country art?

The farmer's road and the "main" road

Theewaterskloof dam

Orchards near Grabouw

Theewaterskloof dam

Trees before spring

The abandoned house