I have left the beach.

Beautiful Himatangi Beach is on our past now. But. Do not despair – there are another couple of beaches in our future this trip.
Before I left the beach I met with a filmmaker friend of mine. We touched on the possibility of me writing him a script.
So – of course I have pulled out one of the old scripts – looked at it – tossed it – pulled out another one – looked at that – tossed that and started to write all over again.
I am older now. I know more. It will be better this time around – tighter. Less words. For the record, no-one has ever read my scripts. My short stories – yes. But not my scripts.
These will not go into the public arena.
And I have this week and next week to write write, write, write in all of my different modes. Folding in a script. I worked for years in script development (among other things in London). So I will need to go back and revisit those scripts. The children are all back at school. The sun is shining. That long low winter light is sparkling.
I will walk into the bush today to listen to the birds.


I am off into the garden for some morning weeding before I begin the work of the day.
John said back on the prairie all the wheat is out but he has not been able to bale any wheat-straw as it is raining buckets every other day.
Hot and steamy out there. Cool and crisp over here.
Celi



25 responses to “Back in the Burbs”
listen to the birds in the bush, write your words, and the wheat is in. the flow of life
Write a proposal and then a treatment first 😉
Got it. Thank you!! Now I learn more stuff!
Hi Celi, so much beauty where you are. I once read a book by Barbara Kingsolver called “High Tide in Tucson”. The title was taken from a piece she wrote about a hermit crab that continued to follow the sun cycles of the beach even though he had been moved to live as a house pet in a home in the desert in Arizona. I sense that in you … a Kiwi transplanted to the plains. Rest easy in your bones – they know you are ‘home’.
I just finished Barbara’s latest Demon Copperhead – she does not pull her punches!! I will find the book you mention. Thank you!
Oh that book was incredible! I think her writing is exceptional. Her words somehow TASTE GOOD.
She really is a wonderful writer. This book was so gritty.
Yes we are getting some million dollar rains!! Fri nite we had 1.5″ rain!!!the Vermillion River is up high here!!!
And Mrs American Eagle is across the way from us way up high hunting for fish!!! She is sitting much lower in her tree on top of the tree ~ but she probably can hardly see because of the Canadian Haze!! It was really heavy today – they had lots of warnings out here for it. I ate my first sweet corn from my brother today!! Oh yum yum!!!
Have a good one Celi!! Luv you!! ☺️☺️☺️☺️
Sweetcorn!! And that smoky haze all the way down in your town: that is no good/
Exciting! Can’t wait to hear more about it–when you are ready. I’m superstitious about sharing work too soon.
I feel the same Charlotte. This one is staying under my hat!!
I am in awe of those lemons! Also in awe of the possible return to a Celi I think we know very little about. I know you have mentioned the script writing before and I can see and hear it in your storytelling on Substack. You do have a way with words…
Words. Thank you Deb. I love how a good script is more about what you don’t say.
I hope your script/s go into the public arena… as film.
That’s exciting news. Glad you are still on your travels. Good and bad news from the farmy. The world weather gets scarier and scarier. Unbelievable temperatures in parts of the world and unbelievable rain in others. Here in the UK it seems to be raining at some point everyday,not too heavy but just weird. I keep thinking of just how many decades we have been banging on about climate change due to abuse of our world! Keep on enjoying New Zealand and your family.
We have been banging on – but at least at this online address we are quite clear about the journey we have ahead!
I’m sure you have many ideas for a script or two. The problem will be deciding which story to expand into a script. Continue to enjoy your visit with family.
You are so right Darlene!!
Waking up and hearing the birds of your childhood speaking the news of the morning…. A comfort and refreshment to the soul. Write well, may the ink flow generously, the ideas rise up like sparks from a bonfire and may the hot brown beverage of your choice never run dry!
A blessing indeed, Kate!! Have a lovely morning!
Rain and wind, the cane farmers are unhappy but the back yard is grateful…
I am glad our wheat is out. What can you use raw sugar cane for?
Cane trash makes excellent mulch, bagasse (the fibre that’s left after sugar extraction) is used as bio-fuel, can be compressed into paper goods for food service, and bio dunder is a potassium-rich sugar by-product that is sprayed onto the fields as a fertiliser. In the short term, cane grows really tall so it can provide shade for tender crops or a fairly effective if temporary privacy fence. So, quite a lot really….
Celi, Thanks for the update. I also appreciate comments from your other followers, who describe conditions where they are, or share associations, like the mention of Barbara Kingsolver. It’s intriguing to read of conditions in faraway places, like the Canadian smoke haze, or the eagle at the top of a tree. The erratic rains in the UK. The report from your farm in the US.
Happy travels, and may you find satisfaction in your script-writing endeavor.
Good morning! Yes – I love how we are so international! I have worked in script development before – though I know that creative mg my own script from scratch is an entirely new kettle of fish!