The Fearrington Writers’ Group is open to any resident interested in writing. Our aim is to:
-discuss the art and business of writing;
-aid one another in composition and publishing;
-share useful information; and,
-give participants a platform for our work.

Many members of the group have shown interest in family history, personal memoir, essays, creative non-fiction, fiction and poetry. The group meets regularly from September through May. The format of our meetings is influenced by input from members.

In general, we attempt to:
-provide useful information for writers and anyone who is thinking about writing’
-encourage members to share experiences from writers’ conferences and workshops;
-provide a forum for sharing your writing; and,
-encourage writing – in any form – for any purpose.

We encourage everyone to write something! There are two subgroups: one for folks interested in poetry (see below) and another one for those interested in prose writing (see below). We are eager to fine-tune our mission and change our meeting format to meet the needs of the group. We encourage any and all comments and suggestions.

Contact Laura T. Jensen at: prosebylaura@gmail.com
Facilitators:
Dick Merwarth (Prose Group) crmerwar@intrex.net
Bill Sommers (Poetry Group) bsommers@earthlink.net

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Winter Solstice








WINTER SOLSTICE
by Laura T. Jensen

(Published: Chapel Hill News January 2010)




He is truly wise
Who has traveled far
And knows the ways of the world.
            Viking Proverb, circa 800-1000 AD


The sky is a clear blue, the yellow ball hanging there sparkles, like clusters of diamonds, off the snow collected on every tree branch. On legs wobbling with fatigue from a morning spent on ice skates, we snowshoe across a meadow for our first neighborly visit. The air crackles and is so cold my teeth hurt. Friendly doors are opened and we are welcomed with cakes and coffee. There is chatter, hugs and food everywhere we stop.
Hours later, back home we drink Aquavit; the bottle plucked from a snowdrift. The small-stemmed glasses prevent our fingers from warming the liquor. The table groans with food; my stomach growls. We eat cod, potatoes and cabbage. Gathered around a warming fire, we ignore the howling wind and Skål again. This Aquavit is after all, “the water of life.”
Tradition dictates that someone tells a story. We all embellish and laughter bubbles. I speak little Norwegian but it doesn’t seem to matter. I am gathered into the fold.
The tradition of commemorating Winter Solstice continues in many lands to this day. No more heartily than in Norway where a celebration to give thanks (for the coming of spring) with merriment is the norm. Here the dark days are long but tomorrow the days will begin to get longer, and that is what everyone is celebrating. And, why not? At the Summer Solstice it will be light for almost twenty-four hours.
I am in the land of my forefathers to experience this ancient tradition and I am not disappointed.

-END-