Welcome to WobblingPen!: June 2024

Jun 30, 2024

Jun 29, 2024

THE TOUCH OF SUMMER

When wandering out onto the deck,

To feel the sun and wind collectively.

Testing if warm enough to hold my ground,

To be bathed in the tang of the sea.

Nostrils tantalised by orange blossom scent,

Freely flowing around and around.

With bees singing,

Their buzzing collecting song.

The wind lifted my hair lightly to cool my scalp,

What bliss I am unable to resist.

So stand wallowing in contentment,

At the first hint of a Touch of Summer.

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Jun 27, 2024

Jun 23, 2024

TOMORROW

Tomorrow I will sing sing sing!

With the joy of living pouring out of me.

Words of feeling to share around,

To help feet strengthen on the ground.

Tomorrow I will sing sing sing!

With my body in rhythm swaying.

Telling a story to lift spirits,

To take them to a joyous place.

Tomorrow I will sing sing sing!

With my heart releasing.

Each word with as much feeling,

To send everyone into happiness reeling.

Sing, sing, sing!

Everybody sing, sing, sing!

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: Pixabay License

Jun 22, 2024

COME CLOSER

Come closer, come closer, let me whisper.

Come closer, come closer, let me say

How much you have meant to me as my husband

Every night and every day.

We have not always been angels; that would not be true.

Our sharp words of disagreement fly by in a moment or two.

As we support ourselves and others with our love and wisdom during lives well lived.

Come closer, come closer, let me whisper.

Come closer come closer, let me say

Now we are getting older, time speeds faster, it seems.

We take longer to do simple, remembered things.

Memories become a little confusing, and names are difficult to recall.

We back one another in sorting them into order once more.

Our delight at the ring of the doorbell when someone comes to call.

The sharing of new stories as we retell ones from our past recalled and recalled.

Come closer, come closer, let me love you.

Come closer, come closer, let me say

Our youthful passions have dwindled, yet love has grown.

A touch, a smile, a laugh, a look kindles a tingle every time.

Our pledge of love, long-lasting, staying together is true.

As we take one day after another, sedately muddling through.

How about a cuddle and a kiss? We are never too old for love.

Something we are so glad we have had together and never missed.

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo by Sven Mieke on Unsplash

Jun 21, 2024

THERE ARE CREATURES IN MY GARDEN

DON’T LET ME SAY

Don’t let me say I love you when I don’t.

Don’t let me say you are wonderful when you are not.

Don’t let me accept all the beatings and bruises, while keeping a smile in place.

Let me keep getting stronger and stronger.

Let me build my self-worth a bit at a time.

Let me tuck away a bit of humour to support me.

Reminding me of the approaching better times.

Soon I will face the future without you.

Soon I will do everything I want to.

Soon I will be beautiful again with no bruises shining through.

Music will send my heart singing and maybe a dance or two.

Now I feel confident I am on my way.

Now I will have a new place to stay.

Now I feel ready to live a new life on my own.

Oh, what an adventure; a bit scary maybe.

However, it will be my life, run only by me.

I have cut the strings and I am now free of you.

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo by Sinitta Leunen on Unsplash

Jun 20, 2024

Jun 19, 2024

A SCREECH OF TERROR

I was sitting restfully for a moment after an active afternoon when screeches of terror shattered my peace again and again.

An animal in trouble: what and where might it be? I listened for a second or two, trying to decide which way to go.

Then a dog barked and growled aggressively around the side of the house. My first thought was that the dachshund had come for a return visit.

I headed for the front door, anxiously wondering what I would find. The screeching continued, seeming to come from across the front lawn.

On opening the door, I caught sight of a young fox running towards the main gate, still crying pitifully in terror.

I equally anxiously clapped to attract the animal’s attention; the dog went on to join a couple in the lane; the fox ran back in, still screeching.

Streaking across the lawn, it headed straight for a neighbour's solid wooden gate.

I gasped in despair: what are you doing? Only to see it flatten on the ground, squeeze its way under the gate and vanish.

The cries ceased and peace returned. I just hope it did not receive any injuries in the encounter.

My other hope is it finds another escape route, as it was a young, growing fox and might not be able to wriggle under the gate much longer.

Take care, my young friend, take care.

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo by Linda Jake on Unsplash

PLEASE GIVE ME SOME SHOES

Please give me some shoes and rhythms I can dance to.

A flute, fiddle and drums rhythms I relate to so well.

So play away till the music reaches my feet and my toes.

A tap here, a flick and click there, then tap, tap, tap again.

Legs elevated one at a time in a straight line.

Arms raised to add to the story.

Elegantly displaying my skirt’s twirling from time to time.

A stamp loudly and loudly again, as the music challenges me to follow.

Faster, faster, faster, faster!

Stamp, stamp!

Tap, flick, click!

Tap, tap, tap!

My breath is quickening, how much longer can I keep in step.

The final beat and note comes and the music ends, my feet stop and arms drop.

Applause rings out, I am now a proud Irish step dancer.

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: Pixabay License

Jun 17, 2024

NEW NOTE

Sat at the piano in a depressed mood. My hands lingered on the lower keys.

A song I attempted to sing was too low for me.

Moving my fingers to a higher key, the mood struggled along to follow me.

I went an octave higher and suddenly, they snuggly managed to fit and a song I did produce.

Bravely, I moved yet once more, and a delicious change took place.

The sweetest sound did at last emerge, to chase away my dour lament.

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: Pixabay License

FOLLOW THE TUNE

Follow the tune and open up your eyes.

Feel it trickle through every part you know.

With its gentle calling, move each limb to start following.

Breathe deeply, relax and drop your shoulders.

Stand tall and tighten up your core.

With the tune in mind, sweep your arms in time as though gently parting still water.

Move forward, rising and falling on heels as you move off, then on your toes.

Before you know it, you will be dancing to the tune, entrancing.

I hope I have got that right.

If not, take warning, find a supporting partner and enjoy a lovely time.

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo: Pixabay License

Jun 16, 2024

DEPARTING TIME

The first morning after the last farewell.

One remembered painfully so very well.

Each anniversary a week, a month, a year.

Will return feelings reviving a tear.

Time will never erase the ties of love.

Just makes them more bearable as it slips forever onwards.

2024 © Penny Wobbly of WobblingPen

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

Jun 15, 2024

DAISIES

In field and field and roadside edges, you burst into life in pristine white display, with small yellow faces.

Swaying in gathering sheets of white giving generations years of delight.

Daisies continue your brilliant showing to help the endangered insects to keep on growing.

Photo by Olesia 🇺🇦 Buyar on Unsplash

Jun 14, 2024

A treat: a bacon toastie grasped ready for the first bite, a cup of tea steaming gently close at hand, as we huddled together to make an outdoor trip plan. The decision was made, to the Ferring Country Centre we would go.

On arrival, we saw animals in the outdoors; hens, rabbits, ducks in a ring, sunning out of the chilling wind. There were goats, some standing high on a fake castle wall. They always have to do that, to lord it over us all. Others poked their heads over the fence to the next enclosure where the grass was so green and freshly tender. They practised the art of daylight robbery, with no qualms at all.

Further on were the Alpacas, some resting and chewing the cud, others sitting looking at us majestically, wondering why we were improperly dressed, with no thick woollen hats just like theirs attached so cutely to the tops of their heads.

We watched the budgerigars flitting through from cage to cage, jabbering away, stopping for a cuddle, a snack, and a stare back wondering perhaps why we did not have other things to do.

Photos taken, we moved into the cafe for cappuccinos, milkshakes, and a cake, before setting off for the main task of the day: new plants and compost for hanging basket revivals, to keep them colourfully swinging all summer long.

My granddaughter, too, had her time on the swings and one two other things.

Into the greenhouses, we went to choose the plants and meet some of the gardeners who worked hard to grow them from seed. They do an amazingly good job and enjoy doing it, too.

Back to the checkout to pay up and look good. Trolleying our purchases back to the boot of the car and clambering in, we declared it had been a great day out!

Jun 13, 2024

STRANGER IN THE GARDEN

I was sitting quietly in my back lounge, trying to avoid the national political debate that had been heralded all week. Each candidate was examined critically, from every possible angle, for strengths and weaknesses. Each utterance was scrutinised almost clinically for any deviation from the truth. Every hesitation was pounced on for signs of exaggeration or incompetence.

I needed peace and quiet, so I retreated with Lily to write something. We settled together on the couch, glad to be away from all the hassle and noise.

I started writing, just getting into my stride, when Lily took off like a jet-propelled rocket, skidding to a stop at the glass door, spinal fur raised as a warning noise rattled in her throat. Intrigued, I arose to see what had attracted her interest, thinking it might be one of the fox family who lived in our garden.

To my amazement, I was facing a black and brown dachshund which was wagging its tail in a very friendly manner. Lily, on the other hand, was showing who was boss in this establishment.

I quickly retreated, closing all the doors one after the other as I moved through the house to the front door. Stepping onto the porch, I called soft doggy noises, trying to encourage the dog to come to me. Sadly, I was not speaking the right language or one she understood. So I retreated to get my walking stick before proceeding outdoors; not to protect me against the dog, just to keep upright.

Going around the house and finding the side gate open, I wondered if it had just wandered in; maybe her people were looking for their dog in the lane or along the main road.

As I entered the back garden, there was my stranger, standing looking at me, with tail wagging in friendship, and with Lily bashing the glass in fury with her paws. Calling the dog over, I was delighted when it followed me around to the front of the house. Things then turned serious, as I had no lead or rope to restrain my wandering new friend. We are near a lane and a main road, both heavily used by traffic.

So, seeing a collar, I made a grab for it, to see a dangling bone-shaped name, address and telephone number. Only one problem: my eyesight is not very good in the rapidly approaching dusk.

Just at that moment, three knights (without shining armour) appeared in the lane. As a true lady in distress, I asked for help. They very kindly picked up the dog, read her collar information and called her owners to inform them that we had Sky. One of my knights held her uncomplaining in his arms until her owner appeared to claim her.

Once the handover was complete, I thanked my three knights and told them about WobblingPen and its gifts of stories, poems, and audiobooks available for them, if they wished and, if they liked them, to pass the links on to others.

Saying goodbye, we went our separate ways and I hurried indoors, suddenly feeling the chill of the approaching night and carrying a warm glow in my heart at the lovely encounter.

Jun 1, 2024

Welcome to WobblingPen

Penny Wobbly is a storyteller, writer, author and songwriter.

With over 3 decades of writing stories, Penny has a unique voice that shines through in her writing. giving her characters and stories a palpable spark!

Writing a novel was always her dream, with "Charity and Esmeralda" it became a reality. Now just needs to be published.

She received several Awards and Certificates from Motivational Strips and Haven for World Writers.

Penny loves cooking, taking care of Lily and spending time at the computer writing and talking with friends all over the world.

She lives in London with her husband and chosen extended family.

Books:

- Satu Stories for dog lovers;

- Lily Tales for cat lovers;

- Bird Fables;

Audiobooks:

- Children's Stories on a Journey

WobblingPen Trilogy:

- Stories and Poems for Relaxation and Travel