June is a lovely month. I think it gets over-looked. It’s the place where spring and summer meet, one on the way out, one on the way in. I like to see the way the two gently pass by.
This is the 6th edition of my Sunday Glimmers where I round up lovely things from the week(s) gone by. Things that have made me smile, brought a little hope, made me do a little jig and such like…
It’s usually a post for members (though I always hope others will read it at least one with the ‘free read’ button) but today, as I haven’t been around much, I’m leaving this one as free to all.
Neighbourhood blackbird
This blackbird sits on a neighbour’s aerial every evening at dusk. Its so loud and characterful. I’ve started wandering out to see if it’s there each night. It’s flutey-whistle makes me smile and there’s something about the way he’s there, each night, claiming his spot and singing his song that brings a ‘world keeps turning’ feeling - like a bedtime ‘everything’s gonna be alright’.
Days of the Bagnold summer (2019, directed by The Inbetweeners’ Simon Bird).
This little gem snuck up on me this week. I stumbled across it and it brought a little lightness to the middle of my week which saw me drowning in assignment woes.
It’s a gorgeous portrayal of a teen’s typical UK summer holiday spent with a parent doing not very much - and it’s about as simple and complex as that. The dialogue is superb and the portrayal of a mother and son relationship at a particular, fragile, point in both of their lives is tender, funny and superbly accurate. Give it go.
A love letter
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Very occasionally, your kids seem as though they wouldn’t p*ss on you if you were on fire. But other times they fill you up, with all the love in just one tiny way. A look, a funny one-liner, or a surprise clutch of wild-flowers and a note that means the world.
Podcasts and people…
I was reminded of an absolute belter of a podcast last week - this is my ‘if you do one thing’ recommendation this week:
Soul Music - a BBC podcast
This is just magical. It takes a song and tells a series of stories from people who find meaning in it, who’ve heard it or had it bring solace at particular times - dark or light. It might be tales from someone connected with the making of it or simply a dissection of the lyrics, laying them out in a way you hadn’t heard them. It just has to be listened to but it’s all about the magic and the power of music. A good friend brought it to me and I know he was moved by the Northern Sky (Nick Drake) episode and so was I. Fie & Rain was a special one for me too. Have a look through the list for a song that means something to you.
Frank Skinner on Full Disclosure with James O’Brien (podcast).
He’s not on telly so much these day, Frank. And he’s recently wrapped up his long-running Absolute Radio show (and not through choice, he’ll tell you).
I’ve always liked Frank. He might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I’ve always gotten a sense of his warmth, something genuine laced through him. It’s just enough warmth - he’s not chucking it out until you find yourself asking if he really means it, but he gives just enough of a blanket to know he probably does.
And he’s smart. And he’s been through it.
This is a lovely, honest chat with a man who seems to know who he is. I love his passion for poetry - it’s so at odds with his reputation for ‘knob jokes’ (as mentioned by him) and the fact that he says he’s tried to get away from telling them but they just come to him, constantly.
Superb Substackers
It’s been great to delve back into some of what my fellow Substackers have created recently.
I enjoyed
‘s brilliant insight on getting early publishing success:And as ever, my Substack buddy
brought us something beautiful with her expertise and ideas on creating a photography portfolio. Nani’s ‘classic photography with a twist’ is sublime. Really. Go there just for that, if nothing else. But her knowledge and generosity in sharing it will keep you there. ‘s gorgeously soft celebrations of nature and poetry always bring me a moment of calm. I love this one - the imagery of the kaleidoscope of leaves makes me think of the spinning days of childhood. And the Wendell Berry poem was ‘a meant to be’ reminder for me. Do have read:🌱 A Kaleidoscope of Leaves - by Satya Robyn - Going Gently (substack.com)
Finally, a shout out to the very supportive
whose writing process and dedication is impressive! He’s releasing chapters of his novel Life of Bāo - I think you can now read up to chapter 7.The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
Oh my goodness. Sunday morning perfection has peaked.
My gorgeous friend gave me the gift of this collection back in January when I did a reading of my own work at a bookshop in our city. I read lots of it then, but as winter gripped us, it sat on bedside table unopened again. Until
reminded me of it by sharing a Wendell Berry poem.So this this week’s glimmer-iest glimmer has been to sit with it in the stillness of a Sunday dawn, with coffee and warm sunshine, reading.
Here’s to a glimmery first week of June.
P
x
We've got a friendly blackbird that does a daily round of the garden. For a few years, we had a magpie with only one working leg, so it hopped around and we'd always say hello. After that, it moved to another tree at the top of the road for a year, then we didn't see it again. I hope Hoppy had simply moved on and is still going strong somewhere.
In other news, I may well do a BFI trial to watch Bagnold. I recollect when it first came out, but it's around that time I stopped watching anything outside of YouTube. I've missed out on SOOOO much in the subsequent years, but I'm all good with that missing out malarkey. 😅
Agree with Casey below! Thanks!
On holiday and loving reading 'The Namesake' by Jhumpa Lahiri