Fennel's Priory 25 years

Moment in time: 25 years of Fennel's Priory

November 2021 is here and with it the fulfilment of a promise I made earlier in the year.

I said back in May that I needed to take time out from my writing commitments to recover from the tragic news that Tim Pike, one of my all-time closest friends, had taken his life. Events like that take a lot of processing. Adjusting to things afterwards is a slow process that requires a lot of deep breaths, tears and reflections. 

But I promised to be back, so here I am. Briefly.

Then and now – 25 years of Fennel's Priory

There's extra reason for me to be writing to you at this time. November 2021 marks a big anniversary for Fennel's Priory. It is exactly 25 years since famous author and artist Bernard Venables came up with the name 'Fennel's Priory' and told me to use it on my letterheads and in my journals.

I ought to be making a big fanfare of the anniversary, instead I will treat the coming 12 months as one long celebration with a progressive build up of activities. (Clue: I will be republishing my back catalogue of books, so the whole Fennel's Journal series will be available at long last, but you will need to wait until June 2022 for this to begin.)

1996 – when it all began

Talking of beginnings, Fennel's Priory has its origins in correspondence with my friends way back in 1996. I was 22 years old; fishing and gardening were my lifeblood, and I was writing prolifically. A day's work in the garden was followed by several hours by the river, then at around midnight, I'd be home to begin writing dozens of letters to my friends. I'd sleep for perhaps three hours per night, such was my enthusiasm for my hobbies.

You could say, "I was a bit keen". And you'd be right. Oh, for the energy and blind passion of youth.

I've written and spoken about the origins of Fennel's Priory before. If you missed me doing so, you can catch up here: 

The time between

These past 25 years have been quite a journey. A quarter-century; more than half of my life. Most of it has appeared in writing in one form or another. A summary is here:

2021 - Silver Anniversary

So here we are: 25 years older but still proudly 'the child within', dreaming of and searching for quiet adventures. I still love writing, fishing and gardening as much as I ever did (even if I seemingly have less time to do each) though writing has become my number one passion. 

Thanks for being with me during this time. You're as much part of Fennel's Priory as anything I've done. Long may our friendship continue.

The next 25 years?

Simple, really: I will follow my own advice to 'Stop – Unplug – Escape – Enjoy.' I'll appreciate more of what's happening in the present. I'll enjoy friendships and favourite places. I'll read more.

And, as much as I want to write during every spare second of the day, I've learned how difficult it is to juggle a publishing career with a day job and home commitments, so I won't overcommit or gaze too far ahead; rather I will appreciate the beautiful things that are happening here and now and allow my words to flow from those experiences.