There was a constant flow of sea-traffic between Scandinavia, Northern Scotland, and Iceland – not quite trade, not quite conquest, not quite piracy, not quite migration, but something that veered close to all and, at times, had the characteristics of all. The Scottish women of Iceland would have been Gaels from the Western Isles (We still call the Outer Hebrides ‘Innse Gall’ ‘ the Viking Islands – in Gaelic). Some women would have come as slaves, some as wives, some as independent settlers. In the ‘Laxdœla Saga’, there is an account of the viking chieftain Ketill Flatnose in Scotland. It is believed that an important landowner in the Laxdœla area was a woman from Scotland. I don’t know much more because I’m short on research.
Thank you for your interest, Eilidh – nice to see you here.
I went to Iceland earlier this year as part of an Irish group – we were looking at the connections between Ireland and Iceland. It’s a fascinating subject, to think of the sea being full of boats of all sizes following the sea-roads between the Celtic islands and Iceland!
Marie..I have spent a wonderful morning reading your blog. I love it…it is rich, varied, and most importantly, relevant. I can’t tell you how many blogs I come across on WordPress that leave me wanting, no thirsting, for a deeper draught of talent.
You recently visited my blog, http://www.dlmchale.com and read an excerpt from my collected poems, “Echoes Across Time” and left a really nice note. What you did not know is that I am currently looking about for a competent editor and after having read your work, I think you might be that person. While I can’t pay much up front, I can offer 50% of all awards, commissions, and royalties. Would you take a look at my poetry (www.dlmchale.com) and let me know if this is something you might be interested in? Thank you and happy writing ~ Dennis McHale
Your ‘Other Stone’ links are very valuable. Try as I might, though I have been all round Fiona and Kaspa’s pages time and time again, I can find no way of getting the “I’m taking part in the July 2011 River of Stones” thing to appear. Can you help?
As much as I can, Rajnish. A lot of my energy goes where I can best put it, into my writing. Words, the sounds they make, the images and meanings both obvious and arcane which they carry, are means by which new ideas and experiences come before readers. I make make combinations of words, another person makes shoes, another person makes bread, together we make a revolution.
Thank you for visiting. I hope to see you here often.
Hello, I thought I should return your visit and kind greetings. I like your site, too, nice work, must spend more time here to read. I like your ‘alternative strategies’. I once spent an afternoon throwing poems at people, printed on colourful paper airplanes, trying to make them stop and look, and read, for a moment. Some people picked them up, some people read them, others were blown away and trodden on… well, most of them got trodden on…
have a good day
~Alex von Vaupel
And thank you for the nomination. I’m going to have to hold it in abeyance for now because I’m currently (slowly) building up a collection of blogs which I like, to be able to pay at least one other award forward. 🙂
That’s very kind. That makes two of these I’ve racked up, and i’m still gathering ‘favourite’ blogs for another award. At some stage I will get around to paying it forward. 🙂
Thank you very much, Ashley. This is my second ‘Liebster’ and I am very honoured. The only trouble is that I spend so little time on WordPress or in the blogosphere that I am still ‘collecting’ favourite blogs to pay forward. I shall – eventually – pay the Liebster you have awarded me forward, but I will have to combine it with the other one and with an outstanding ‘Versatile’ too. Oh, so much love… so much love… LOL
I stopped by to say thank you for leaving a like on my “Where The Bad Boats Go”. I’m going to enjoy spending some time reading your own blog. Take care.
There are so many things to draw one in to your blog…to start, I was particularly struck by the lovely cover illustration of your poetry collection. I’ve really enjoyed spending some time with your writing this evening. Also, thanks for perusing mine.
As for looking at your writing, the pleasure was mine. I spend half an hour early each morning surfing the ‘poetry’ tag at WordPress to see if there is anything interesting to read.
The wonderful simplicity of your blog really adds to a wonderful environment to read your blog.
I love the way you emphasize the importance of every single word in your poetry. It’s wonderful. Definitely going to follow and read around here.
Hey, pal! Just wanted to let you know I’m nominating you for a Versatile Blogger Award. Not really an award, per se, but it is a nice way of saying how much I love your work. If you want to participate, I explain a bit of what’s going on in the blog post where I nominated you: http://snoekbrown.com/2012/02/02/im-not-very-bendy-but-apparently-im-versatile/
Hi Sam. You have reminded me that I have more than one of this kind of award sitting without response from a couple of months back. I shall have to amalgamate them all into a single reply – maybe make my own award. My main trouble is that I have only a limited time to read blogs, so I am only slowly amassing the handful I need to respond to each/all. I think it’s probably more useful in the long term to add people to my ‘blogroll’ (which I must extend soon, and which must include you). Anyway, hoping that you won’t find this reply at all ungracious, because I value your high opinion of my work.
M
I would just like to say thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. I’m glad you dropped by; I have thoroughly enjoyed your poetry and fiction. I’ll be back to read some more.
I found myself motivated to write more than small stones, although stones and haiku still happen here. This place has become somewhere where I can indulge in daily bursts of free writing, keeping things fairly short but hardly ever tidy. 🙂
Ah … I was terribly worried that you already had one, though I couldn’t find it on your blog in my cursory look through. Am glad to hear you are getting a lot of recognition for your poetry!
Hi there! My name is Pam, and I found you through the Crazy Chics Club! Nice to “meet” you! I thought I would stop by and say hello (I’m a little behind on reaching out to new members, SO sorry).
Love what I’ve seen on your blog so far, so I’ve subscribed. Us Crazy Chicks have got to stick together! Can’t wait to read more. Xoxo Pam
Hi Marie, thanks for stopping by my blog. I am enjoying the journey that your poetry and prose has taken me. I really enjoy writing that is short and expressive; revealing much in little words. And your writing conveys this quite well. I am with pleasure subscribing to your blog.
peace and light
Walter
Kyla, I must apologise for not noticing your comment before. Thank you for your kindness. I’m not in a position to pay the award forward, but I do appreciate the nomination.
I am headed to amazon.com to get your book on Kindle. Looking forward to reading it. Thank you for visiting Source of Inspiration and leaving that touching poem. hugs, pat
Just saw this, thought you might be interested. It reminded me of the way you write already, in terms of formatting. If its not your thing, feel free to ignore it:
Since you really like to write demon-y sorts of things, you might like this little serial three part story (this is the third part so far) that I found through the Trifecta Writing Challenge. When I read it I immediately thought of you and thought you might be interested, that this sort of thing would be right up your alley. Of course, I could be wrong, but it doesn’t hurt to take a look…I dunno…Anyway, if you do go and read it, don’t forget to tell her that I sent you…She doesn’t know me from Adam, but anyhow…So there you go. A little demonic fun that I found. Hope you like it. 🙂
Here is a link to Trifecta, and then the link to the story (the third part, there are links to parts one and two at the bottom of the third part if you’re interested):
Whoops, its actually the fourth part of the story that I posted the link to here, got mixed up. That’s OK, not that it really matters though. Just in the interest of precision and correctness. Anyhow… 😉
No worries – I get an email alert in the case of a moderated message. This sometimes happens with a message which includes a link. Thanks for the tip – I’ll check it out.
They have another, weekend challenge going on right now, if you want to take a look at it. They post a new challenge on Mondays and Fridays at 9AM US Eastern Standard Time each week, in case you’re interested. You may like to enter one day. I think you’d probably win. With the quality of your stuff, you’d probably blow their minds and blow all of us others out of the water…You’d win it, I think 🙂
Its worth it to enter sometimes just for the new commenters and subscribers though, entering attracts new attention to your work…Free publicity and exposure, you know, even if you don’t win…sigh…
My goodness you are popular – I’ve been scrolling and scrolling ’til my fingers have blisters. Found you through Mari – your poetry peels my socks off – following you now like a puppy…
I’m just now embarking on my first serious novel. It’s a daunting challenge, trying to write something of substance that holds together and has a meaning and purpose behind the writing of it. (And a bit of originality, also.)
Do it for the love of it, and when you have a finished novel, feel the satisfaction of having created something. I never expected that my first novel would be published – it took eight years from the time I wrote it until I actually saw it in print.
Greetings from the Continental Shelf. I am always fascinated to see how poetry transcends cultural borders and still make a differing people understand each others musings. Empathy must have some common grounds in order to touch the hearts, linking different mind-sets and human experiences. Keep up your dreams!
Hey there! I’m not sure if you remember me, but you used to be an avid reader and commenter of my old blog 3 years ago (gohfishy.wordpress / dollfaceisdead.wordpress – can’t remember what my url was then)
I blog now at tightwirewalk.wordpress.com if you’re interested! 🙂
Kvenna ráð
Interesting! How did the Scottish women end up in Iceland?
There was a constant flow of sea-traffic between Scandinavia, Northern Scotland, and Iceland – not quite trade, not quite conquest, not quite piracy, not quite migration, but something that veered close to all and, at times, had the characteristics of all. The Scottish women of Iceland would have been Gaels from the Western Isles (We still call the Outer Hebrides ‘Innse Gall’ ‘ the Viking Islands – in Gaelic). Some women would have come as slaves, some as wives, some as independent settlers. In the ‘Laxdœla Saga’, there is an account of the viking chieftain Ketill Flatnose in Scotland. It is believed that an important landowner in the Laxdœla area was a woman from Scotland. I don’t know much more because I’m short on research.
Thank you for your interest, Eilidh – nice to see you here.
I went to Iceland earlier this year as part of an Irish group – we were looking at the connections between Ireland and Iceland. It’s a fascinating subject, to think of the sea being full of boats of all sizes following the sea-roads between the Celtic islands and Iceland!
Marie..I have spent a wonderful morning reading your blog. I love it…it is rich, varied, and most importantly, relevant. I can’t tell you how many blogs I come across on WordPress that leave me wanting, no thirsting, for a deeper draught of talent.
You recently visited my blog, http://www.dlmchale.com and read an excerpt from my collected poems, “Echoes Across Time” and left a really nice note. What you did not know is that I am currently looking about for a competent editor and after having read your work, I think you might be that person. While I can’t pay much up front, I can offer 50% of all awards, commissions, and royalties. Would you take a look at my poetry (www.dlmchale.com) and let me know if this is something you might be interested in? Thank you and happy writing ~ Dennis McHale
Oh…my email is: dennis.l.mchale@gmail.com
I shall be in touch by email, Dennis.
Dennis, I see from the above that we have been in touch for fully five years now.
Glad to have come across your interesting blog. I’ll visit again.
Please feel free. 🙂
Your ‘Other Stone’ links are very valuable. Try as I might, though I have been all round Fiona and Kaspa’s pages time and time again, I can find no way of getting the “I’m taking part in the July 2011 River of Stones” thing to appear. Can you help?
Marie.
Just wanted to let you know that I love your writing and the brevity with which you say so much.
Thank you. 🙂
Got interested in your writings and will definitely follow your site. Thanks for checking out mine as well 🙂
You’re welcome, on both counts. 🙂
life, a story all write about,
a story that writes them all.
how’s your life and what are you making of it?
As much as I can, Rajnish. A lot of my energy goes where I can best put it, into my writing. Words, the sounds they make, the images and meanings both obvious and arcane which they carry, are means by which new ideas and experiences come before readers. I make make combinations of words, another person makes shoes, another person makes bread, together we make a revolution.
Thank you for visiting. I hope to see you here often.
What a lovely blog. Thanks for dropping by, and keep up the great writing.
And thank you for dropping by here.
M
Excellent writings!
Thank you.
Hello, I thought I should return your visit and kind greetings. I like your site, too, nice work, must spend more time here to read. I like your ‘alternative strategies’. I once spent an afternoon throwing poems at people, printed on colourful paper airplanes, trying to make them stop and look, and read, for a moment. Some people picked them up, some people read them, others were blown away and trodden on… well, most of them got trodden on…
have a good day
~Alex von Vaupel
The paper planes idea tickles me, Alex. 🙂
I’m presenting you with the Liebster Award. You can read about it on my blog if you’re not familiar with it.
I’ll go and read about it shortly, but thank you, I’m honoured by whatever it turns out to be. 🙂
M
I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger award because I enjoy and admire your blog. Just wanted you to know.
Thank you for all your great posts.
And thank you for the nomination. I’m going to have to hold it in abeyance for now because I’m currently (slowly) building up a collection of blogs which I like, to be able to pay at least one other award forward. 🙂
M
Hi,
I have also nominated you for a Versatile Blogger Award! To find out more, please visit: http://kasiajames.wordpress.com/?p=530&preview=true
Congratulations!
Kasia.
Hi Marie!!! Love your poetry.
I’m adding your blog to my blogroll.
You are very kind. 🙂
You’ve been given a Liebster Blog Award! 🙂
That’s very kind. That makes two of these I’ve racked up, and i’m still gathering ‘favourite’ blogs for another award. At some stage I will get around to paying it forward. 🙂
Hey! Your poetry is fascinating – I will add you to my blog roll!
That is very kind of you, Eliza.
What a wonderful blog, grand writings. I was glad you left a card on Catullus’ Odi et Amo.
You got yourself a follower 🙂
Thank you, Lex. 🙂
Great site.
Blessed brevity.
You’ll find my really long stuff elsewhere. 🙂
Cheers, Marie. I mentioned you for the Liebster Blog award and I believe it is much deserved.
http://ashleybarelawrites.wordpress.com/2011/12/04/liebster-blog-award/
Thank you very much, Ashley. This is my second ‘Liebster’ and I am very honoured. The only trouble is that I spend so little time on WordPress or in the blogosphere that I am still ‘collecting’ favourite blogs to pay forward. I shall – eventually – pay the Liebster you have awarded me forward, but I will have to combine it with the other one and with an outstanding ‘Versatile’ too. Oh, so much love… so much love… LOL
I stopped by to say thank you for leaving a like on my “Where The Bad Boats Go”. I’m going to enjoy spending some time reading your own blog. Take care.
‘Where The Bad Boats Go’ caught my imagination. I might write my own poem on the theme. 🙂
It was indeed nice to read about the Alternative Strategies- I’m going to ponder over.
Please do, but not for too long… you have lovely things to write… 🙂
I do find your work impressive, but some parts cold. Perhaps too much time spent in Iceland.
I think I can understand the ‘cold’.
There are so many things to draw one in to your blog…to start, I was particularly struck by the lovely cover illustration of your poetry collection. I’ve really enjoyed spending some time with your writing this evening. Also, thanks for perusing mine.
Yes, Marcello Minnia has a lovely touch.
As for looking at your writing, the pleasure was mine. I spend half an hour early each morning surfing the ‘poetry’ tag at WordPress to see if there is anything interesting to read.
The wonderful simplicity of your blog really adds to a wonderful environment to read your blog.
I love the way you emphasize the importance of every single word in your poetry. It’s wonderful. Definitely going to follow and read around here.
You are very welcome to follow, to visit, and to comment. 🙂
Such a beautiful image!
Keep up the good work! Your writing (along with the simplicity of design) is refreshing.
Thank you for that kind comment.
Hey, pal! Just wanted to let you know I’m nominating you for a Versatile Blogger Award. Not really an award, per se, but it is a nice way of saying how much I love your work. If you want to participate, I explain a bit of what’s going on in the blog post where I nominated you: http://snoekbrown.com/2012/02/02/im-not-very-bendy-but-apparently-im-versatile/
All the best!
Sam
Hi Sam. You have reminded me that I have more than one of this kind of award sitting without response from a couple of months back. I shall have to amalgamate them all into a single reply – maybe make my own award. My main trouble is that I have only a limited time to read blogs, so I am only slowly amassing the handful I need to respond to each/all. I think it’s probably more useful in the long term to add people to my ‘blogroll’ (which I must extend soon, and which must include you). Anyway, hoping that you won’t find this reply at all ungracious, because I value your high opinion of my work.
M
PS – I must check out the other 14 on your list.
i continue to be glad to have discovered your work.
It’s mutual.
I would just like to say thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. I’m glad you dropped by; I have thoroughly enjoyed your poetry and fiction. I’ll be back to read some more.
You will be very welcome.
thank you for finding my blog; It’s so nice to find you here! I also see someone I know, above (hello!)…
I find because I go looking. 🙂
I also write small stones…appreciate your work so much! thanks again.
I found myself motivated to write more than small stones, although stones and haiku still happen here. This place has become somewhere where I can indulge in daily bursts of free writing, keeping things fairly short but hardly ever tidy. 🙂
I have long loved your poetry and nominated you for a Liebster award as this is one of my favorite blogs. 🙂
Melissa
Hi Melissa. I’m about five awards behind! I really must make some attempt to pay them all forward – it will have to be all in a single go 😦
Ah … I was terribly worried that you already had one, though I couldn’t find it on your blog in my cursory look through. Am glad to hear you are getting a lot of recognition for your poetry!
Hi there! My name is Pam, and I found you through the Crazy Chics Club! Nice to “meet” you! I thought I would stop by and say hello (I’m a little behind on reaching out to new members, SO sorry).
Love what I’ve seen on your blog so far, so I’ve subscribed. Us Crazy Chicks have got to stick together! Can’t wait to read more. Xoxo Pam
Thanks Pam, nice to meet you. I’m just back from a few days away, and I should be posting again very soon.
M
Marie,
Happy to have discovered your poems today. Your thoughts, your expression and your choice of words are beautiful! Thank you for visiting my blog.
I am inspired by the loveliness you share in yours.
-V
Thank you for your generous comment, V. It was a pleasure to visit your blog.
Thanks for visiting my site. I am very glad that you liked my post! – MFBC
My pleasure.
You have been nominated for The Most Perspiring Blogger Award!
http://freddyflow.wordpress.com/2012/05/27/the-most-perspiring-blog-award/
Well shucks. 🙂
Hi Marie, thanks for stopping by my blog. I am enjoying the journey that your poetry and prose has taken me. I really enjoy writing that is short and expressive; revealing much in little words. And your writing conveys this quite well. I am with pleasure subscribing to your blog.
peace and light
Walter
You’re welcome here, Walter.
Thanks for liking my stuff. Check out some of my older poems (I haven’t been too inspired lately), I’d love to have an editors critiques.
I charge, you know. 😉
Lovely blog! Thank you very much for commenting on mine! 🙂
It was a pleasure.
Oh this looks lovely! Will delve into your blog now – and I’m a Scotsman in Lappland..
A Scot amongst the Sami! Well I never. 🙂
There are similarities!
This is enchanting Kvenna. Thank you for the touch and the share.
🙂 🙂
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Hi there! I have really enjoyed your blog, and have nominated you for the ‘A Lovely Blog Award’. http://kmscheuer.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/wow-for-me-one-lovely-blog-award/
Keep up the fantastic writing!!
Kyla
Kyla, I must apologise for not noticing your comment before. Thank you for your kindness. I’m not in a position to pay the award forward, but I do appreciate the nomination.
You are very welcome 🙂
I am headed to amazon.com to get your book on Kindle. Looking forward to reading it. Thank you for visiting Source of Inspiration and leaving that touching poem. hugs, pat
Thank you, Pat. I hope you enjoy the book.
M
Glad i found you out. Really cool blog you’ve got.
Hi. Visit any time 🙂
I have nominated you for ‘Blog of the Year’ award. All details on my latest post 🙂
It’s very kind of you, Ina, and I am honoured. I’m not in a position to ‘pay it forward’ but I do appreciate the gesture greatly.
great to come across you!
Thank you so much for visiting.
Just saw this, thought you might be interested. It reminded me of the way you write already, in terms of formatting. If its not your thing, feel free to ignore it:
http://businesscardfiction.com/
Thank you. I’ll check it out.
Hi Kvenna,
I’ve nominated your blog for the Reality Blog Award. I love your work – keep on inspiring us. 😀
http://woosha8poetry.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/reality-blog-award/
Best Wishes
Sharon
Thank you, Sharon. 🙂
Because of the way I use this blog, I’m not in a position to pay it forward, but I really do appreciate the accolade.
Marie
That’s ok. Keep up the great work Marie.
Sharon
Since you really like to write demon-y sorts of things, you might like this little serial three part story (this is the third part so far) that I found through the Trifecta Writing Challenge. When I read it I immediately thought of you and thought you might be interested, that this sort of thing would be right up your alley. Of course, I could be wrong, but it doesn’t hurt to take a look…I dunno…Anyway, if you do go and read it, don’t forget to tell her that I sent you…She doesn’t know me from Adam, but anyhow…So there you go. A little demonic fun that I found. Hope you like it. 🙂
Here is a link to Trifecta, and then the link to the story (the third part, there are links to parts one and two at the bottom of the third part if you’re interested):
http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com
Whoops, its actually the fourth part of the story that I posted the link to here, got mixed up. That’s OK, not that it really matters though. Just in the interest of precision and correctness. Anyhow… 😉
Think my first comment went to moderation, you might have to fish it out from there…
No worries – I get an email alert in the case of a moderated message. This sometimes happens with a message which includes a link. Thanks for the tip – I’ll check it out.
Looks like that particular challenge (‘bitch’) is closed anyway. But thanks for drawing it to my attention.
They have another, weekend challenge going on right now, if you want to take a look at it. They post a new challenge on Mondays and Fridays at 9AM US Eastern Standard Time each week, in case you’re interested. You may like to enter one day. I think you’d probably win. With the quality of your stuff, you’d probably blow their minds and blow all of us others out of the water…You’d win it, I think 🙂
Its worth it to enter sometimes just for the new commenters and subscribers though, entering attracts new attention to your work…Free publicity and exposure, you know, even if you don’t win…sigh…
Thanks. I’ll bear all this in mind. 🙂
My goodness you are popular – I’ve been scrolling and scrolling ’til my fingers have blisters. Found you through Mari – your poetry peels my socks off – following you now like a puppy…
Please tell me you’re house-trained. 😉
House trained and certified immaculate pedigree. I do what I’m told and heel to command, however; metaphors induce me to stain carpets…
I’m just now embarking on my first serious novel. It’s a daunting challenge, trying to write something of substance that holds together and has a meaning and purpose behind the writing of it. (And a bit of originality, also.)
I have my work cut out for me.
Kudos to you for getting published!
Do it for the love of it, and when you have a finished novel, feel the satisfaction of having created something. I never expected that my first novel would be published – it took eight years from the time I wrote it until I actually saw it in print.
I wish you success.
M
hi! i shared you this award 🙂
thanks!
Thank you. I’m not in a position to pay awards forward on this blog, but I really do appreciate people’s kind thought when they select me. 🙂
Greetings from the Continental Shelf. I am always fascinated to see how poetry transcends cultural borders and still make a differing people understand each others musings. Empathy must have some common grounds in order to touch the hearts, linking different mind-sets and human experiences. Keep up your dreams!
Thank you for your wishes.
Thank you for your visit, I think I have seen you sweep by on your bicycle in my dreams … 🙂
You really should quit eating cheese for supper. 😉
Hm, lost me there 🙂
Ah – they say if you eat cheese for supper you get bad dreams!
I think I just left you a message on Facebook. 🙂
Doesn’t look like I got it. 😦
We have a mutual friend in the mountains, known for his dulcimer?
Who dat?
ok, then we don’t, that apparently isn’t you on Facebook – to clarify, those are good dreams of course. Take care.
You too, Thom.
If you would like to look me up on Facebook, then first stop would be ‘Marie Marshall – writer and poet’ I guess.
Thanks 🙂
Perhaps the poems you bury or plant here are seeds to plant in other people. Look forward to exploring your work.
Explore away!
Hey there! I’m not sure if you remember me, but you used to be an avid reader and commenter of my old blog 3 years ago (gohfishy.wordpress / dollfaceisdead.wordpress – can’t remember what my url was then)
I blog now at tightwirewalk.wordpress.com if you’re interested! 🙂
Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately your new blog is marked ‘private’.