Author Archives: Sherri Matthews

About Sherri Matthews

Once upon a time, Sherri emigrated from her native England to America and stayed for twenty years, raising her three children in California. Today, she lives in England's West Country with her family, shepherded by two little black cats. Always home, forever homesick.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Converge

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

Lines and shadows, every pastel-painted wooden hut evenly spaced, all converge as they blend away into the distance. Beach Huts and Shadows Memorial Benches line the grassy slope overlooking the sea, in peaceful solitude. A gathering of beach huts converge … Continue reading →

Posted in Weekly Photo Challenge | Tagged Beach Huts, Converge, Daily Prompt, Light, Ocean, Paths, postaday, Seaside, Shadow, Weekly Photo Challenge | 68 Comments

A Merciful Interview: Bite Size Memoir

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

Money is on my mind. Not so much because Christmas is fast approaching, but because of my disgust at the way the media whipped us up into a frenzy of Black Friday shopping last week. Watching the news that night, … Continue reading →

Posted in Bite Size Memoir, Family Memoirs, Pets | Tagged Bite Size Memoir, Black Friday, Dogs, Family Life, Family Memoirs, hope, Interviews, Mercy, Money, Musings, Pets | 119 Comments

A Day Of Thanksgiving

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

Where has the year gone? Didn’t I just write about my Thanksgiving memories, an American holiday that I embraced in my adopted home for almost twenty years? Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday here in the UK, but for my family, this … Continue reading →

Posted in CATalogue, Family Memoirs, Family Traditions, Friendship | Tagged Birthday, celebration, Christmas, Family Memoirs, Family Memories, Family Traditions, Holidays, Memoirs, Photo of Cats, Thanksgiving | 80 Comments

In The Joy And Memorial For A Friend

Posted on November 24, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

I tried, but I cannot write another thing until this man who meant so much to me is heard: a man called John who has left this earth for a better place but who gave my heart a safe place … Continue reading →

Posted in Family Life, Family Memoirs, Sweet Robin | Tagged English Robin, Family Life, Family Memoirs, Friendship, God, Grief, joy, King Henry VIII, loss, Muse, Nature & Wildlife, writing | 105 Comments

Make My Day: Bite Size Memoir

Posted on November 17, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

What makes your day? I have to admit, the first time I read Lisa’s prompt for her bite size memoir challenge, the first image that struck me was of my old friend Clint, or should I say Dirty Harry. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Bite Size Memoir, Blogging, My Dad's Alcoholic Prison, Writing | Tagged Alcholism, Bite Size Memoir, Blogging, Clint Eastwood, crime, fathers, Memoir, prison, writing | 99 Comments

We Will Remember Them

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

Today is Armistice Day which, on this 11th November, marks the 100th anniversary of the start of World War One. Today in London, a young cadet will plant the last in a sea of ceramic poppies in the grounds of … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Affairs, Family Memoirs, HIstory | Tagged Armistice Day, Battle of the Somme, Family Life, Family Memoirs, HIstory, HMS Hood, London, Poppies, Rememberance Day, Veteran's Day, World War One, World War Two | 107 Comments

A Walk With Swans

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

Somewhere along the Jurassic Coastline of Dorset lies a shallow, salty body of water called Fleet Lagoon. Sheltered by Lyme Bay at Chesil Beach, it provides an ideal nesting ground for the world’s only managed colony of Mute Swans. In … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds of a Feather, Nature & Wildlife, Travel, Weekly Pet Challenge | Tagged Abbotsbury Swannery, birds, Conservation, Dorset, England, Hardy Monument, Jurassic Coastline, Nature & Wildlife, Swans, travel, Weekly Pet Challenge | 120 Comments

Bonfire Night and A Drive in the Wilds of Wiltshire

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

Originally posted on A View From My Summerhouse:
Remember, remember! The fifth of November, The Gunpowder treason and plot; I know of no reason Why the Gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot! (English Folk Verse, c 1870) When we lived…

Posted in Uncategorized | 41 Comments

99 Word Flash Fiction: No Way Out Part Five: Breathe

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

Time for Tuesday’s 99 word flash fiction over at Carrot Ranch. Rolls around fast doesn’t it? This week Charli has asked us this: ‘ In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about a rut. The rut can be … Continue reading →

Posted in Flash Fiction, Writing | Tagged Flash fiction, writing | 67 Comments

Bad Hair Day: Bite Size Memoir

Posted on November 3, 2014 by Sherri Matthews

After sharing all those photos of pumpkins and happy memories from a life once lived in California, our Halloween this year turned out to be a very quiet one, with only a handful of trick or treaters. Still, daughter got … Continue reading →