31 Days of Halloween: Day 14

Still working on my manuscript today, but I did get out to run a writing workshop (with a special seasonal flavour). And we did have a nice autumnal tea as well, so I guess we did do a bit of celebrating after all!

ParkWrite Spooky Season

Really enjoyed running this seasonal writing workshop for Friends of Crumpsall Park. This was the final workshop in a series I ran in the park throughout summer and autumn this year. This one focused on the changing seasons, but with a bit of a spooky twist. Parks are such great places for inspiring creativity.

Uchiki Kuri Curry

We started on our Groobarbs Autumn Squash Box tonight... Uchiki Kuri Curry, made by Rob and absolutely delicious!

31 Days of Halloween: Day 1

After a thoroughly horrible, brutal and bruising September, I've emerged with one plan and one plan only... Halloween. We're celebrating all month again, as is tradition. We've got quite a few things planned this year, as well as hoping for a few surprises. And our first day of festivities was a pretty good one. Here's to more fun in October!

Crumpsall Park Litter-Pick

This morning started off with the monthly Friends of Crumpsall Park litter-pick. Not very Halloween-y, but certainly autumnal as we were rained off. I did spot my first mushroom in the park though, so that's certainly seasonal!

Ghost Earrings

New Halloween earrings! Got these little ghosts from Pure and Simple (aka Gillian).

31 Halloween Films: Trick ’r Treat

We made a list of our top 31 Halloween films to watch this October, and we're going to choose the order of them at random. The random number generator didn't steer us wrong though, as we started off with Trick 'r Treat, which is a pretty perfect place to begin.

Halloween Gingerbread

Halloween gingerbread movie snack! (From Morrisons, not homemade!)

31 Halloween Films: Scream

Next on our Halloween list was Scream. What's your favourite scary movie?

31 Halloween Films: Hostel

Bit of a change of pace with our next Halloween film... Hostel!

Spite Crumble

We've got a bramble in our back garden that is utterly impossible to control. It's taller than most of the trees, and as sinister as a triffid. It seems determined to grow in a way that blocks the back door and we've both nearly lost eyes to it on more than one occasion. Well, enough's enough. If the evil bramble is here to stay, it can work for its living. This year, I harvested every last berry from the evil bugger out of spite, and Rob cooked it with flour we got from Walk Mill at Lammas. The bramble grew a weird tentacle last night as some sort of retaliation (probably nothing to worry about), but tonight we dined on Spite Crumble!

Ghostwritten

I started off my Halloween reading this year with Ghostwritten by Ronald Malfi. Books, apparently, can be deadly.

Events in October 2023

Why Isn't Failsworth in Manchester?
Tuesday 3rd October
2.00-3.00pm
Failsworth Townswomen's Guild
I'm giving a local history talk on the history of Failsworth and incorporation
Members Event

Park Write - Spooky Season
Saturday 14th October
2.00-5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'm hosting a spooky creative writing workshop in Crumpsall Park, using the park as inspiration for creativity
Booking Link

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 15th October
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Bailey's Wood Ghost Stories Walk and Talk
Wednesday 18th October
11.00–12.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a gentle, social walk in the woods, telling some ghost stories along the way
Booking Link

Bailey's Wood Halloween Story Walk
Monday 23rd October
2.00-3.00pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a spooky, creative walk in the woods, suitable for all ages
Booking Link

Crumpsall Park Halloween Story Walk
Wednesday 25th October
11.00-12noon
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'll be leading a spooky, creative walk around the park, suitable for all ages
Booking Link

Green Quarter's Eccentric Past: A Weird History Walking Tour
Wednesday 25th October
7.00-8.00pm
GRUB MCR
I'll be leading a weird history walk from Angel Meadow to Red Bank, sharing stories of the area's dark and peculiar past
Booking Link

A Nightmare on Nelson Street
Thursday 26th October
6.30-8.00pm
Pankhurst Centre
I'll be leading a weird history walk along Nelson Street, before returning to the Pankhurst Centre for cocoa and tales of the spookiest suffragettes
Booking Link

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Events in September 2023

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 17th September
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Booth Hall Before the Hospital
Monday 18th September
2.00-4.00pm
NHS Retirement Fellowship (South Manchester Branch)
I'm giving a local history talk on the history of Booth Hall (the house, not the hospital) in Manchester
Members Event

Autumn Equinox Walk in the Woods
Friday 22nd September
5.30–6.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'll be leading a sociable walk in the woods to enjoy the changing seasons
Booking Link

Park Write - History Writing
Saturday 30th September
2.00-5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'm hosting a history-themed creative writing workshop in Crumpsall Park, using the park as inspiration for creativity
Booking Link

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Events in August 2023

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 20th August
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting a online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Park Write - Place Writing
Saturday 26th August
2.00-5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'm hosting a place-themed creative writing workshop in Crumpsall Park, using the park as inspiration for creativity
Booking Link

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Events in July 2023

Virtual Writing Retreat
Sunday 9th July
10.30–5.00pm
Hannah's Bookshelf
I'm hosting an online writing retreat for creative writers with writing exercises and structured writing sessions
Members Event

Summer Holidays in Blackley's Past
Wednesday 12th July
7.00-8.30pm
Friends of Bailey's Wood
I'm giving a local history talk on the history of summer holidays, with a focus on Blackley and North Manchester
Booking Link

Suffrage Sonnets
Sunday 16th July
11.30-12.15pm, 2.15-3.00pm
The Pankhurst Centre
I'm running a creative writing workshop as part of the Emmeline's Birthday Party event at the Pankhurst Centre
Booking Link

Park Write - Nature Writing
Saturday 22nd July
2.00-5.00pm
Friends of Crumpsall Park
I'm hosting a nature-themed creative writing workshop in Crumpsall Park, using the park as inspiration for creativity
Booking Link

Lammas Stories
Wednesday 26th July
2.00-4.00pm
Castlerea House
I'm running a seasonal poetry and storytelling workshop session for residents at Castlerea care home
Private Event

Interested in booking me for an event? Click here to find out more.

Spring Equinox: Day 2

It's the second day of this year's Spring Equinox celebrations. And the first day that we've done anything together. It was our wedding anniversary on Wednesday, and we weren't able to celebrate (for personal reasons), so we deferred things till tonight.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs

I surprised my brother with a Reese's peanut butter creme egg this afternoon. 'Tis the season...

Poetry in the Park

I had a wonderful afternoon with Castlerea House care home, celebrating the upcoming Spring Equinox in Crumpsall Park with poetry, cakes, fresh air and flowers. Bet you can't guess what poem I ended with...

Ostara Candle

We lit our Ostara candle from Chalice Creations tonight. Lime, bergamot, coconut and grapefruit to last us through till the Spring Equinox.

Wedding Anniversary Gifts

It was our 9th wedding anniversary on Wednesday. 9 is the willow or pottery anniversary, so we've been nauseatingly cute about the theme.

Wedding Anniversary Cocktails

We celebrated our wedding anniversary with this month's Muddlebox cocktail... and it was a Gold Digger!

Countdown to Christmas: Day 4

Another Christmas Countdown blog post from me. It's not the longest post I've done, but that's because I was gearing up for a big week of work before our big December holiday!

Advent Tea

Today's advent tea from my Bird and Blend Tea calendar was Snowball Hot Cocoa!

Christmas Earrings

Today's Christmas earrings were these cheeky-looking Santas!

Litter-Pick in the Park

We were at the monthly Friends of Crumpsall Park litter-pick today. Not festive in itself, but it did give us the opportunity to enjoy a lot of seasonal greenery that definitely had a strong Christmas vibe.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 26

I'm catching up (slowly)! I really was incredibly busy during October - and not just with Halloween stuff - so it's been quite hard to keep on top of these posts. I'm getting there though.

Today's Tea

Wednesday's tea was Witches Brew from Midnight Imperium! It's got apple, hibiscus, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, stevia and cornflower petals. Have to admit, I'm finding the teas with stevia in them a wee bit too sweet for my tastes. I think I'd prefer the spices on their own.

Today's Story

Wednesday's classic tale of horror was 'A Ghost' by Guy de Maupassant.

Silverweed Road

This week's tram reading was Silverweed Road by Simon Crook... there's a new horror behind every door!

Pumpkin Carving at Crumpsall Park

I had a great time at Wednesday's pumpkin carving with the park ranger in Crumpsall Park. Lots of creative, messy fun... and the squirrels ate like kings afterwards!

Crumpsall Park Story Walk

And then after the pumpkin carving I led the Friends of Crumpsall Park Halloween Story Walk in the park yesterday. It was a lot of fun, and the kids had some great creative ideas!

Let the Right One In

We were at the Royal Exchange on Wednesday evening to see the stage adaptation of Let the Right One In!

Live and Spooky Campfire Stories (Shane Hawk)

Wednesday's penultimate Campfire Stories video from Flame Tree Press was Shane Hawk reading from 'Imitate', which is featured in the new collection, First People's Shared Stories.

31 Days of Halloween: Day 2

It's the second day of Halloween for me. It's been a bit of a tiring day, but I still managed to get some seasonal stuff in.

Today's Tea

Tonight's tea was one of four included in a rather stylish Halloween gift set from Rosie Lea Tea. I chose Phoenix Tears today. It's a sweet caramel flavoured rooibos tea.

Today's Story

Tonight's classic tale of horror is 'An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge' by Ambrose Bierce.

Litter-Pick in Crumpsall Park

This morning we were at the monthly Friends of Crumpsall Park litter-pick. It wasn't technically a Halloween event, but I made sure I found as much seasonal stuff as possible while were out.

Ghost Files

We recovered from a bit of tiring morning with a facon and egg roll and catching up on the latest episode of Ghost Files on Watcher.

October Readalong

This afternoon I started reading Ghost Story by Peter Straub and getting things ready for my October Readalong. We're starting off with the prologue this week.