The mystic of the muse.

Over twenty years ago I went to teach in Spain for nine months to support my application to do a postgraduate teaching course. I had always dreamed of living abroad and inspired by the Durrells felt drawn to Greece, I visited twice the second to work and left disillusioned. Quite unexpectedly I fell in love with Spain the people, their character, the country and stayed for 23 years.

Spain has been vital to my writing, inspiring me to work both on my prose and poetry and opened this blog with one of my own personal favourites “In Wine Lands” having been privileged to live most of my Spanish life in La Rioja the World Famous Wine Region. Though less well known the food is as good as the wine. Being Scottish I was assured that I would love the verdant Rioja Alta, I do. However, having been brought up with every green under the sun or rather rain, it was Rioja Baja that took my breath away. Seeing it for the first time in a scorching summer slowly revealing itself from beneath the heat haze. This was the first poem I ever wrote to try and capture, understand and record my feelings my reactions to a place. It did bring tears to my eyes and it is fundamental for me as a poet that is why it is remains so important to me and it had never happened to me before or since. The place is beautiful in spring with the cherry trees coquettishly covered in the white blossom, though I was to see this much later.

Today I add two extracts from my book on my anecdotes about Spain which had been a labour of Love over many years.