isobelmtl

Writing under a Montreal sky

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about

Isobel Cunningham has published short fiction and poetry. Her book, Northern Compass is available on Amazon. She was born in Wales but Montreal is her adopted home. She speaks French, Modern Greek ( it’s a fun story) and a little Spanish…oh, English too, of course. She welcomes comments on her blog and looks forward to chatting with you over cyber-space.

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  • Tantalizing

      Yesterday the branches and twigs were covered with light snow and with an icy coating glistening in the noon sun.My grandchildren come to have lunch with me on Wednesday.  As we were walking back to school after the lunch break, I drew their attention to the sun shining on the bushes bearing their bright…

  • Poetry Day?

    But isn’t every day poetry day? “I had a little pony, his name was Dapple Grey” “Mistress Mary, quite contrary” “I had a little nut tree and nothing would it grow…. nothing but rhymes, poems, rhythm in my head, in my heart as I walk along, stride along. ” And He walks with me, and…

  • A Promise

      It has only been a few days since I left sunshine, painted walls, brilliant bougainvillia.  I returned to a grey city.  The sky has been constantly overcast.  The sidewalks are gritty with pebbles, littered with old papers and plastic bags.  People are still wearing boots and black coats. My car battery was flat.  I…

  • At Last

      I really am under a Montreal sky.  Many many Mexican nights with cold stars, socks worn to bed, fireworks, lonely moments but dreams of Freida too.  A little swing on by home just for one day, an unexpected weekend in New York and now, home at last! I went to New York to hold…

  • The ladies ( and gents) go shopping in San Miguel

      I am revelling in  the serious second-hand shopping scene in San Miguel.  The classic is the Tuesday Market high up on a hill outside of the town.   It’s overwhelming, muddled and chaotic but sometimes it yields good results ( a North Face jacket for my granddaughter for $2 last week). The vendor even…

  • Little Mexican mysteries

      Today just a few scenes from a fine day walking around the city.  Besides the lovely colonial architecture which has been preserved in San Miguel we often see something pretty to catch the eye.  I love this piñata high over one of the streets leading from the central garden.  Don’t know who will be…

  • Beaten by Butterflies

            Yesterday I went to see the Monarch butterflies in their reserve high in the mountains of Michoacan Province in Mexico.  The landscape is startlingly different from the scrubby plains, full of cactus and brush that surrounds San Miguel.  The car turns off the highway onto a twisting two lane highway and…

  • Blessing

      It can be a daunting thing to see beauty when one is alone. Late yesterday afternoon I sat in the square in front of the parochia of San Miguel and watched the sun turn the pink stone into a spun sugar wedding cake.  After 25 years of living alone, travelling alone, one would think…

  • Reflections on Valentin’s Day

      Mexicans love celebrations.  Now that Canadalaria is over ( the old Candlemas, or Presentation) it was time to turn to Valentine’s Day.  I saw many people walking around with bouquets of flowers, modest or extravagant and everywhere in the town were huge bunches of helium balloons, most sold by youngsters.  I read somewhere that…

  • Sigh! The Life of a Writer

      So, here at the Writers’. Conference in San Miguel when we don’t have a workshop or keynote speaker or open mic ( gulp, I,have it tomorrow!) we lie down for a little nap on the lawn as the fountains play and eager writers have pitches with agents.  Oh, no, they sit in chairs at…