healingwords: poetry for the soul

  Never be afraid to say what you feel, how ever crazy it seems, whatever the fear of ridicule. Our story is our truth, our dream world reflects reality,  sharing brings healing and peace. 

The beauty of a quiet evening by the sea, night falling as a rosy glow spreads across the sky bringing a moment of tranquility. 

As dusk fell over the sea the fisherman waded into the waves, throwing their nets by hand over the water. I didn't see the catch, leaving the beach before darkness. 

A wonderful evening with all our family together at the beach. Once six, we are now twelve.  It felt very safe, everyone was carefully distanced, walkers apart, fisherman in the sea. Families enjoying the cooling evening, swimming, eating picnic cenas, children splashing in the waves. We are fortunate to live near to both mountains and sea, able to enjoy the refreshing beauty of nature. 

Standing in the waves at the water's edge, lulled by the ebb and flow, the slow trickle as worries wash away into the salt sea. 

How wonderful to see the sea today as the wind whipped up the waves, the sun sparkled and the white half moon hung in the sky above the waving palm trees.

I stood mesmerised by the movement of the wind through this patch of long grasses. The changing patterns and colours reminded me of the hypnotic effect of the wind on water, waves building and crashing on the shore or whipped up waves rippling over the surface of a lake. 

Looking back to a January day at Altea. The pebbled shore line was strung with seagulls. Unmoving and camouflaged, they faded into the grey stones until my approaching steps startled them and they rose as one, in a clapping, flapping cloud of white wings. 

As I can not go out to take new photographs of the changing seasons, I am going back over a few years of photographs of the natural world around me in Spain and from last year's visit to Ireland, England and Wales. Today I have chosen to go to the sea, let the waves wash over me, their rhythm soothing, repetition slowly relaxing the tension, worries breaking on the sand.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

Today I woke to a tenth day of isolation and low cloud shrouding the village. The unusually long spell of rain and cloud is now feeling oppressive. It is one of the factors that always aggravates my breathing but now I am questioning any normal tightening of my lungs, every wheeze and cough.  It took sometime to feel motivated to write a poem for today until I found this photograph of the estuary and bay at Aberdovey. I walked on these sands a few days after the death of my father, the wind blew away my tears and the sun glinting silver on the horizon lightened my soul. It remains a special place, where I can go to in my mind for a little calming peace, where I am also reminded of the healing company of the best of friends.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

On difficult days, when worries are halved or at the best of times, when joy is multiplied,  I am blessed with my friends. My greatest fear when leaving my home over 30 years ago was losing my friends. Not only have they stayed there for me, as certain as the rising sun, but along the way I have made many more who enrich my life. I am grateful for you all.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

Another scrap of debris on the beach from the recent storms. The coast still looks battered and many of the beaches will need resources to recover before the tourist season. This egg was larger than a hen's egg, gulls do not seem to nest on the low dunes so I think it has been washed up from cliffs down the coast.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

It was a beautiful first day of February at Les Deveses with a warm breeze blowing and the sun shining on my face. The recent storm had carved out the river bed and dunes, forming new sand banks which were lined up with fisherman and a lone fisher woman. The shore line was littered with debris from the storm, most of which was arranged in interesting and beautiful shapes, art forming from chaos.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

I photographed this little boat at the port in Xabia a few days before the massive storm Gloria hit the coast. It caused substantial damage to the beach front properties in Xabia and other coastal towns. I haven't been back yet and hope that this boat survived the storm.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

This image was taken at the sandstone rock pools in Xabia with the sun striping patterns on the rocks, light breaking into rainbows. I love this quiet space, in between the busy Arenal beach and the bustling port. Despite being a man made environment with the cutting of sandstone blocks for building, the sea has reclaimed the space, the stony shore line has not been developed and in winter I rarely see anyone here apart from the occasional fisherman. In summer the pebble beach has a couple of 'chiringito'  bars and families picnic in the evenings but it retains a quiet, peaceful charm.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

The passing storm Gloria lifted and deposited lorry loads of stones and sand from the Marina Alta beaches, smashing them into sea front buildings and leaving trails sneaking inland. The clean up from the storm is now starting, to rebuild the promenades and businesses and import sand to the beaches of these loved resort towns before the tourist season gets underway at Easter.  This image is from the sandstone rocks at Xabia where blocks were carved out for building leaving a strange, eroded shore. This smoothed pebble stood out against the mustard sandstone.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

This is an image of the Rio Gorgos close to bursting in Xalo. The river has flooded in Xabia where the sea has devastated the coast, damaging many businesses and sea fronts. Storm Gloria is due to last another 24 hours, with heavy winds, torrential rain and snow on higher ground. A day to secure the house and stay indoors.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

Standing on the rocks in Xabia bay an unexpected wave crashed and splashed, the spray misting the air and tingling on my face. I was both shocked and exhilerated, waiting for the next 10 waves to build and break before another big one curled and I caught the image of the spray rising.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

A beautiful morning in Xabia where the sunlight bounced off the still water sprinkling stars across the bay.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.  

On a clear day you can see past the hills to the coast as the road on the right snakes over the hills, past Tarbena towards the sea. The mist fell rapidly after our picnic and tinged the world with a beautiful blue melancholy.  © 2020 Jacqueline Knight Cotterill.  All rights reserved.