Walk The Walk

In response to The Weekly Photo Prompt, this weeks prompt is: Walking

I’m on a walking program to get fit for my trip to New York at the end of April. I’ve joined a walking group, via WordPress, the other members live in America, we call ourselves the “Turbo Snails”, and I’ve installed a “step counter app”, on my phone. The aim of the group is to walk every day, and record how many steps we have done, and gradually increase the steps per day, over a weekly period. My first two weeks(almost) have been steady and my progress seems to be increasing. I shall take my chart to my physiotherapist on Monday. The main priority, is for me to consistently undertake the daily walk, and naturally the step count will increase over time. As wobbly as I am, the first two weeks has been a pleasant success, in the context of my progress made so far !! , a total of 27,530 steps…. and on January 1st, that amount seemed an impossible target… I was then struggling to step out of the house…

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2019

A Traditional New Year, From Geelong

Traditionally every year here in Geelong, the City Council sends out to every house-hold, a Calendar and information booklet. The twelve pictures in the Calendar, are of the local area, taken by local photographers, and the music I’ve added below, is by local performer, Xavier Rudd. Thank you to Weekly Photo Prompts, for this opportunity to present these glorious photos of the Geelong area. Happy New Year to all my readers. And the Calendar itself is a great >> Tradition

 

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

 

The Golden Beach

I’d like to thank Gina, of Singledust, and her glorious poem, ‘last pure light’, on “Go Dog Go Cafe”, for inspiring me to write my poem, ‘The Golden Beach’, please click >> Here, to read her wonderful words. Also referring to this weeks, Weekly Photo Prompt: Tradition, yes it’s an Australian tradition to spend Christmas at the beach

Staring over the ripples in my cuppa tea

Gazing at the future forecast by the tea leaf’s

I’m visualising waves upon the morning sea

And the sensation of the sand beneath my feet

 

Oh to walk on the golden beach again

Inhale the fragrance of the wind caressing my skin

And to swim in the rejuvenating ocean

Feel the surf’s spray on my body, like warm rain

 

The tentacles of fresh air draw you in securely

An aura of purity and peace abounds richly

There’s a crispness from the sun that warms your heart

And a cleansing depth within the surrounds that soothes your soul

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018

Hold Me.

Today is Saturday 22nd of December 2018, 7.00am, and I’ve been home a night, after basically a six week stay in hospital. I’m not over all my problems yet, I’m very tired, both physically and mentally, and it’s going to take me a while to recover. hopefully I’ll end up ok. Anyhow, It’s lovely to be home, and I thought I’d repost this old poem of mine,please enjoy.

Take me to my home

Home is where my heart is

Home’s on that windy hill

Above a secret valley

Hovering, a heavenly cloud

Take me to my home

I’m waiting here alone

All packed ready to go

Vacating this old place

Leaving this world behind

Take me to my home

The beyond will be greener

I know you’ll be there

You’ve been waiting so long

I know you’ll hold me again

Hold me in our home

Ivor Steven (c)  2018.

“Where Have All The Good Times Gone”

A few days ago(29th Nov 2017), I had started writing a poem about Penny Farthing Bicycles, prompted by an article in the Geelong Advertiser newspaper, the arrival in Geelong of eight members of the Melbourne Bicycle Club in March 1880, as per featured picture above, courtesy of the Geelong Heritage Centre Collection. Then I was chatting with my friend Jane of Janebasilblog, she had just sent me the song and lyrics of the Mary Hopkin hit, “Those Were The Days”, from 1968, and I mentioned The Kinks were one of my fav’s from that era, and of course their song “Lola”. After our chat, I starting thinking [which is dangerous for me] about writing a crazy, combined, mixed up poem… The piece below is the result of those thoughts, and to my older readers, you’ll notice all the phrases written in Italic, are song titles taken from The Kinks album “The Kinks Collection”. So apologies to Ray Davies for using his song titles in such a manner. And thank you to Jane for providing me with the inspiration to actually write these jumbled up words.  ** And now today(8th Nov 2018), this poem has been edited, and re-posted, as a response to CalmKate’s Friday Foto Fun – Wheels Or Circles.

“Where Have All The Good Times Gone”

 

I remember the olden times

Of pennies and farthings

Pounds and pence

When money made no sense

Mary Hopkins sang

“Those Were The Days”

And the Kinks song “Lola”

Was the best number one ever

Many a lazy Sunny Afternoon

Spent down near Waterloo Sunset

Where we would all dance

All Of The Day And All Of The Night

My Friends would all dress-up

Like Dedicated Followers Of Fashion

Unlike that lonely Plastic Man

Who faked the Death Of A Clown

Way back then, You Really Got Me

You fired me up, here in Victoria

Thousands of Days forgotten in the burn-out

Charred in a cloud of Big Black Smoke

But now, I’m Tired Of Waiting For You

Wondering, Where Have All The Good Times Gone

Ivor Steven

8th November 2018.  10.30pm

Panda’s On View

A few photos from my trip to the Beijing Zoo to see the Panda’s 🐼

The Panda’s and me in a Panda hat, and few tour buddies

The glorious big willow trees at the zoo.

Work Of Art

Weekly Prompts: Photo Challenge; This Weeks Prompt is: Work Of Art.

Last weekend I went the Boom Gallery Art Exhibition, here in Geelong, as part of a Ekphrastic poetry exercise, a link to last week’s Ekphrastic Poem is >> Here,   and I was thinking of presenting all of those wonderful pictures that I saw, here in this article today. However I’ve decide to present my dear Carole’s “Works Of Art”, that I have here hanging in the Tullawalla Gallery. The featured picture above, is of three pieces of her macrame, which are also made from her own home-spun wool.

Above: More articles of Carole’s macrame

Above: Top left corner, some decorative macrame, around my Malayan Kris and sheath. The Kris has been in our family for over 110 years.  And then, there are two of Carole’s long-stitch pieces craft-work. Earlier in her life, before Carole’s MS became too severe, she enjoyed painting,  and below are three of her paintings.

 

Ivor Steven (c)  2018