Dawnings

That magic place

By Nicholas Hooper

Slipping and sliding down a field of turnips, I found a magic place. An old ruined barn that told of centuries of farming life with trees all around and a brook running by. Its magic was contained in history and imagination. To take this place and make it a home again would be a dream. The gentle dappled light coming through the hazel and oak that surrounded the smallholding making a heaven to walk in. The quietness leaving one undisturbed by neighbours, motors, and hot tubs.

I had the thought of at last finding my dreamed-of place and lovingly re-building it. A dream I’d had as a youth. But now I’m old and I know that you can have dreams but you don’t have to follow them – just enjoy the magic.


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About Dawnings:
“Every morning at around 5am I get up and go down to my studio. After a short meditation I write down whatever is in my head, giving myself fifteen minutes to do so. Then moving over to the piano (or a more portable instrument like my Ukulele when I'm away), I improvise and record a piece of music inspired by whatever words I just wrote. It is a great way of keeping both my writing and my composing going and I call these small creations Dawnings. They are mostly unedited, like sketches, so that they keep that fresh feeling of an early morning discovery.”

— Nick Hooper