Our Roving Ambassador in The Cotswolds
In Search of Father Brown
On a misty summer’s day in the Cotswolds, THF Roving Ambassador Roberta Beary met with Oxford Haiku Group’s Mark Ritchie and cattails senryu editor David J. Kelly.
David J. Kelly, Roberta Beary, and Mark Ritchie at Carriage House, Blockley, UK. Photo by Nicola Marples.Spouses Frank, Linda, and Nicola also attended the gathering in the living room of our small temporary abode, Carriage House, in the village of Blockley. Over coffee and biscuits, Roberta talked about her recent haibun presentation at the UK’s Flash Fiction Festival, which takes place in Bristol. Mark invited all to join meetings of the Oxford Haiku Group via Zoom. The meetings have a global participation and are open to members of the British Haiku Society as well as non-members. David discussed his knowledge of different parts of the UK, including the Shetland Islands, after Roberta voiced the idea of a haiku meeting there. All agreed on the importance of participating in a haiku community. Our haiku gathering included a short walk from the local cafe to the Carriage House. Roberta noted that the house and the nearby church and vicarage can be viewed on the detective series ‘Father Brown’. At that moment, the church bells began ringing, signaling the end of our cosy haiku get-together.
Roberta Beary, THF Roving Ambassador
July 2024
