Ten Years in Concert

I started learning the piano in 1975, but it wasn't until 2010 that I started playing classical piano pieces in public. The first concert I played was the 'Keys for Music' concert in St Paul's Church Hall in Ruislip Manor. I played several pieces from Beethoven to the Doors. I have played in 'Keys for Music' concerts from 2010 to 2017 and I played in St Mary's music evening on Sunday evenings from 2012 to 2017. When 2018 arrived I wondered how I could continue to play piano in concert with my regular outlets drying up. Luckily I discovered new outlets in the form of Parlour Party and Pure Piano at the Trinity Bar in Harrow and also other folk club outlets like the General Elliott in Uxbridge. I'm glad I found new places to play the piano in to keep me going until at least 2020. I think it's important to be able to play and listen to music live, to share our creativity with others, whether its art, crafts, music, poetry, whatever. I aim to make the most of creative activities; art, craft, music, drama, reading and writing; now that I've reached the third age of my life.

Summer Term Therapy

Life generally feels a bit calmer, kinder and more leisurely  in the summer. Therapies I have chosen to explore in the summer months concern nature and relaxation; self expression in dance, restorative holidays and the healing power of water, trees and cosmic contemplation in our lives.

Twelve Years in Film

I have been celebrating various anniversaries in 2020. One of the ones I nearly forgot about was that it is twelve years since I made my first home made DVD featuring my home made movies. Recently, because of the Covid19 Lockdown, my life has become a bit more virtual and my interest in making movies and DVDs has returned. The first DVD I made in 2008 was called Teacup Typhoons and features many of the animations that can still be found on the LornaJHart YouTube Channel. Other titles in my homemade DVD collection include Pictures at an Exhibition, ALFA Fantasia, Showcase and Moving Pictures. My latest DVD is called Tales from Three Cities and features videos based on my special visits around London from 2010 to 2020 and trips to Paris in 2008 and New York in 2017.

Underground

'Underground' started off as a confusing, not quite satisfactory, short story in my New Food collection. Something about it hinted that it might do quite well as a serialised short story on Wattpad, as it was written as a series of days and in the first person. After I rewrote and reworked it a little it has proved to be my most popular story on Wattpad, so I think my instincts were correct. A summary of the story is below.

Underground- story summary by LJ Finnigan

Underground

My new journey to work is great; ten stops on the tube and ten minutes walk at either end, I wonder what ten days of it will do to me?

Day One
I thought the tube was meant to be quiet, where no one spoke to you.

Day Two
I wonder what those two little girls want.

Day Three
'Some people can be crazy and dangerous, more than you would suspect from looking at them.

Day Four
The dreams were worse last night.

Day Five
I can still feel them watching me as I walk towards the stairs.

Day Six
At least I've been settling in at work.

Day Seven
What was it he said again?

Day Eight
I'm not enjoying the journey home this afternoon.

Day Nine
It's my late night tonight.

Day Ten
Everything looks so normal now.      

Spring Mindfulness for Lockdown Days

 

Spring 2020 was a lot different than I imagined it would be. I had intended to travel to Northern Ireland and Devon and had several London outings planned. I had managed trips to the Tower of London, the museums, Richmond and Harefield in the first two and a half months of the year and after that we were confined to our home and walks in the local area. It was a good time to practice mindfulness, meditation and ‘the sweetness of doing nothing’. I also continued to sort out my home and garden and make more lists. This is what my basic Covid19 Lockdown ‘to do’ list looks like.

Lockdown ‘Task’ List

1. Mindful meditation
2. Local nature walking
3. Garden time
4. Films and TV
5. Music and Radio 3
6. Games (cards and computer)
7. Reading books and poetry
8. Mindful drawing
9. Writing notes and making lists
10. Slow gardening
11. Mindful housework
12. Connection and solitude
13. Art and craft
14. Cooking and food
15. Resting and napping
16. ‘Il dolce far niente’

Sixtieth book review on GoodReads

The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien


I have attempted to read the Lord of the Rings before but not got much further than the Council of Elrond. I got on much better this time around, after having watched and enjoyed the film trilogy several times. The book is like a long adventurous holiday read, I enjoyed the filmed parts and also the bits that were missed out like Tom Bombadil and the river daughter. There was more to the ending than was portrayed in the film and there was a strong environmental message. It's probably one of the best books I've read.

Birthday Doll

I started many creative projects back in 2010. One of the ones I nearly forgot to celebrate was the making of my first Star Heart Doll back in Spring 2010.

The story of my personal arts and crafts renaissance began in 2009 when I first watched 'Kirstie's Homemade Home' and got back into needlecraft and knitting. I also discovered the lovely craft blogs and dolls of Jess Brown, Tiny Concept and Emily Winfield Martin.

My arts and crafts journey took a step forward in 2013 when I took part in my first craft fair and started my blog.

I took part in 14 craft fairs in the twenty teens and hopefully my blog will keep going until at least 2023.

Get well soon with sympathy

Older customers at the craft fairs I attend have suggested that I create a selection of 'Get Well Soon' and 'With Sympathy' cards. They had reached a time in their lives where a lot of their friends and loved ones were either sick or dying. I created my own botanical flower drawings, backgrounds and lettering to use on the cards. My customers were right, they do sell quite well.