#6 The Library of Interesting Things

July edition. Your monthly-ish round up. Plus invites!

Hello

The summer had landed in West Cork. I am currently sitting outside, under a sun umbrella, bloom surrounding me, my wet swim gear, and visits from the regular robin who comes and sits alongside me as I write. He only stayed for a moment today, before darting for the shade.

Yesterday, with a human friend visiting, we took to the hills. The bog cotton was dancing, the grasses too, and beyond, the Atlantic rested quietly for once, basking. When the sun shines, when a friend visits, when the light is long, life takes its invitations outwards, and I’m grateful for the freelance flexibility to respond when I can. So we walked, we talked, we swam.

Below some phone photos from my wanders. This is on the peninsula perpendicular to where I live, The Sheep’s Head, a finger of quartz-veined hills, with the most incredible views along the South West Coast of Ireland. I always look for whales and dolphins when I am on the cliffs. Sadly none yesterday, but there were the calls of a chough, and the tat-tat of a stonechat.

Today, it feels good to retreat into some shade again. I am using it as a chance to bring you my ‘Library of Interesting Things’ edition, and prepare for the Wild Edge Summer Camp, starting next Monday 14th! Have you seen the camp timetable? It’s in the post below. From daily prompts to creativity circles, from a poetry salon to an ideas to action cafe, and culminating in a ‘work in progress’ showcase, there is lots of creative adventuring in store. You can choose to do at your own pace too, or come to one, some or all of the live events.

Focus & Flow: The Wild Edge Summer Camp

July 14-18th

The camp is for paid members of The Wild Edge. If you are joining, let me know in the comment what you are looking forward to, and how you hope to use the time. That would be really helpful to me too as I finalise the prompts.

Also a note to say that on July 22nd, I will be hosting a special event with fellow writer and substacker

Layla O'Mara

, and with guests writer

Kerri ní Dochartaigh

and musician Brian Crosby, in ‘A Vigil for These Times’. It’s an evening of reflection, poetry, art-making and music, as a way to help us find our voice and access our gifts in these very challenging times. I feel humbled, honoured, and heart-broken offering this. But I also know that it’s from these places of fracture, that new forms, art and voices can emerge. From the invite below.

It is a difficult time to be alive. The tectonic plates of humanity are shifting and fault lines –horrific, painful fault lines – are showing themselves across the globe.
It can be challenging to know how to show up in these unprecedented times. We can feel afraid, overwhelmed, burnt out, or feel unable to step away from the horrors unfolding in real time on our screens. It can be hard to know how to use our voice, how to access our gifts, how to move towards the light.

But the world needs our voices. It needs our gifts. It needs us to come together and find ways to speak.

July 22nd. 7-8.30pm Irish/Uk time. Donation based tickets are here. All proceeds to MSF Gaza Appeal. Find out more via link below.

As ever, thank you for opening your inbox to my words.

Clare. X

Now, over to The Library of Interesting Things.

This is my near monthly round up of things I have been reading/ watching/ listening to/ cooking/ learning and looking forward to.

It’s a feature for paid membership of The Wild Edge - a way of honouring my time to put this together, and my way of supporting my on-going work. All illustrations, design, photography and artwork are my own.

The Wild Edge Membership is €8 per month or €80 per year. It includes poetry salons, writing sanctuaries, seasonal guides and exclusive writing. Plus access to The Wild Edge Summer Camp. Your membership is also a way of supporting my on going creative work, and its very much appreciated.