A Short Summer Solstice Sejourn with Dylan Thomas and A Holiday Memory,
the ultimate ode to a hot family day by the sea - 1946 - Swansea
The swing of summer,
the tempting call of holidays, the far-off gulls who swoop in from the sea dropping a chip butty they have nabbed fresh from the hand of a Hastings beach visitor.
In the old days, now no more, were the Kiss-Me-Quick hats of straw sold by Brighton Pier before it plopped into the sea, and older men sitting on deck chairs with knotted hankies on their heads. Oh, and the pink candyfloss, mountains high, like Aunty Jill’s Beehive, and flip-flaps, cheaply made and broken by the end of the day.
Dad, lazy dad wanting nothing more than a long snooze in the shade, tummy rubbed with red wine and olives, while mum sprayed olive oil for suncream on her lovely skin. I am so grateful he had a cine camera and captured much.
Here is a short clip from the SEAHUT, a documentary I made about my mother and China, made from Dad’s found family footage which portrays our simple family fun.
The sea, summer, sun, sand, ice-creams cones and bumble bees buzzing the beach.
Later in China, when I lived in Qingdao's fishing district, Huangdao Beach, I used to walk along the shore in all weathers. I often had the beach for myself. Here the fisherfolk would go out to net many kinds of abalone from scallops, oysters, mussels, pippies and cockles to sell locally on the seashore. I was lucky enough to get this footage of the fishermen as they precariously swung into the deep blue sea for their precious catch. They gave it to me for my documentary.
Please watch as it is really something.
A clip from my documentary on China and my mother called THE SEAHUT.
Nostalgia, sea and salt in the mouth, sand everywhere, but we don't care. This is summertime fun.
I will end this sweet summer solstice short stay with Dylan Thomas. He took me through days in China when I was sad and longed for home. My battered copy of A Holiday Memory would come out, his ode to a hot August Monday in Swansea when, as a child, his family packed up for their day at the beach. I would take my towel to Jinshahtan beach and lie, listening to the sound of the waves as I was transported back home, for a while.
This is a recording of Thomas reading his delightful poem.
Thank you so much for reading and watching.
Next month I will have a story about China as I am going home, the place I love so well, with my grandchild, Violette. I can not wait to see my Chinese family and friends, and of course, that eternal beach!
Have a great break.
If you are interested in film production please visit my website @scatterflix where you will find lots of information and free blog articles on ‘how to…’
JEANNE
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Those gorgeous clips are video scrapbooks! Lovely, Jeanne.