Fi Phillips

I was once accused of 'holding court' when out with a group of friends. At the time I didn't really know what he meant. Later on, he explained that I had a habit of pulling people in with my way of speaking. My father did the same. He would talk of memories of his childhood - Rosie the working horse who refused to be ridden by the small boy my father had been, the ghostly cow, the accidental job on a steamer - and paint a picture in my mind's eye. This is one difference between writers and non writers. We remember and recount our memories like a story, filling in the gaps of sound and smell and colour. Whereas our non writing counterparts remember in disjointed details, we paint the entire canvas. So let me paint you some pictures, some memories, that I've shared on this site with you: the disapproving lecturer - Write It Proud the support of friends - My Small Kindness the old lady at the door - A scary (true) story for Hallowe'en Now it's you...

Today is World Storytelling Day, "a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling". The aim is to get as many people as possible around our globe telling and listening to stories, in all languages and forms. You can find the main site here  for details of the day, organised events around the world and how to take part. This year's theme is trees and I thought that the photograph below was appropriate. I saw this wonderful, old, gnarly tree when I was out for a walk with my family last summer. My seven year old son (six at the time) told me that it was the Old Tree of Asgard. We made up stories about it on the way home.