Patriot Park in Venice is lovely. The breeze across the lake, the sound of birds twittering in the trees, the distant murmur of traffic, a pavilion nearby in case of a stray rainstorm make the park an excellent place for our writer’s group to meet. However, the roar of heavy trucks, the warning beep of construction equipment, 90+ degree heat take their toll. So, beginning on the first Wednesday in August, August 4th, we will return to our regular meeting schedule. On the First and Third Wednesday of the month, we will meet in the Training Room of the Nokomis Firehouse. I spoke with Chief Kona this afternoon and he is happy to have us back.
Corona 19 still rears its ugly head with the Delta variant. We will bring sanitizing spray and wipes to ensure the meeting room is clean both upon arrival and exit. We ask all attendees who have not been inoculated to wear suitable masks. Remember, a mask doesn’t protect the wearer as much as it prevents the wearer from spreading germs. We thank you for your cooperation.
This is an opportunity for us to show the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department how much we appreciate their hospitality. Twice a year, we ask for a donation, usually July 4th and again on the December Holidays. The Department is Volunteer; there is not an abundance of money available, so anything helps. Our donation averages a couple of hundred dollars, ten to twenty dollars each.
I’m looking forward to seeing all of you at the meeting on the 4th.
Eleven of us gathered at Patriot Park. We talked about what we’d done over the past year during the Covid break. Some of us were productive, while others struggled with the entire process, including writing. After hearing from each attendee, we moved on to our reading portion of the meeting.
The first to read was Bruce Haedrich. Having written a piece named Gaia, the Greek name for Earth. In this book, Gaia talks to the reader giving details of her formation and growth. She also tells us about other planets in the solar system and how they fared. Gaia tells of the populations of reptiles, mammals, sea life, and now humans that populate her surface and burrow into her core. This chapter gives us an insight into the Ice Ages Gaia has experienced and a forecast of more to come. We see the world in a new dimension. Great work Bruce, I’m looking forward to hearing the conclusion.
Working hard to give his latest in his series, I Am A Soldier Frist and Always, James Kelly read us the rewrite of his first chapter. A Calvery Captain and his young family arrive at his new posting in Fort Laramie, Wyoming. It takes some getting used to as they left their home in Boston to a primitive frontier. The story is rich in historical details; it’s obvious a lot of research has gone into making the scenes. Jim received a lot of feedback. I know he’ll take the critique to heart because the story is growing with each rewriting.
Two poems by Don Westerfield come as a breath of fresh air in the heat of the outdoors. I Would Dance The Skies shows us the dreams of a youngster realized in reaching into the skies. While the older version of the youngster now looks toward the end where it is possible to really dance the skies. Don is a beautiful writer of prose and poetry. His forte is poetry, and the second poem he read is not a measure of his skill in its content. He is self-effacing in the poem entitled Poetic Mediocrity. The thirteen-line ballad goes to the point of a poet’s frustration with finding words and feeling. Both his entries are top drawer.
Our friend Ed Ellis choose not to read today. We look forward to hearing from him in the future.
As always, Peter Frickel came with beautifully written vignettes. With words like pictures, he takes his readers on journeys experienced and dreamt. Can we see or feel a soul leave a body, as in Riding Clouds. Is the spirit, or the man, present in A Black Man on the African Plain. The juxtaposition of Stream and Pathway give us pause as we move through life side by side. In Paris, a different view, and what do the birds do too in I Saw Her, an observation in Peter’s backyard. Prose or Poetry, Peter makes the words sing.
A stirring poet and champion of the Earth, Susan Haley, was with us today but did not bring a piece to read. Our loss.
Barbara Frickel, whose words and descriptions of nature are always enjoyed, also deemed not to read. Maybe next time.
Co-Host of the group, Ernie Ovtiz, has a trilogy in progress following the life of Roman Emperor Constantine. The chapter from which he read concerns a man, severely challenged mentally but loyal to a fault. He expresses his concern over the Emperor choosing a person other than his master for a governmental position. Ernie has done extensive research on his characters. This writer believes he did a masterful job in capturing the essence of this character. Keep up the excellent work, Ernie.
The adventures of Dennis Cathcart are in the editing stage. Dennis chose to share a short piece he wrote in honor of his father. The article included a photo of Dennis as a lad with his father on a fishing expedition on Conch Key. The title is simply Father’s Day. Touching and well written. Thank you, Dennis.
A Cozy Mystery is the choice of Christine Henderson for her latest project. Bringing the opening chapter to us this week. Christine set up a scenario in a small Texas town that certainly has the possibility of boiling over. Could there be trouble afoot, as a Texas publication owner faces a surprise that an old boyfriend is back in town and the Grand Marshall of the Annual Parade. Now a movie star, the bridges he’s burnt may come back to haunt him.
Here We Go Again is the title of a short piece written by Rod DiGruttolo. Having retired and found himself a little bored, Rod turns to writing as his new job. In this piece, he extolls the feeling of finding the right words and combinations of words to craft a story others will want to enjoy. The reaction to the article was positive, with suggestions all seemingly helpful.
Well, remember we’re back at the Firehouse next meeting, 6:30 PM, August 4th. We hope to see you there and KEEP ON WRITING.
