There are so many beautiful poems written about Spring describing ones
awakening after a winter's rest. I like this poem by Margaret Latham - especially its title. Latham has several poetry collections. This particular poem is in Poet's Domain volume 26 "The Burning of the Leaves".
"Renewal"
Shades of cinnabar mist the maples
Arbutus hides beside a hidden trail.
A star magnolia glimmers with early bloom.
Every year, the first spring signs
repeat themselves with variations,
sometimes early...sometimes late.
But, in the end,
The miraculous budding and bloom
Burst forth,
Regardless of the world's woes.
The Garden Girl
- The Garden Girl
- Virginia, United States
- Living - Life - Simply - I garden some, write a little, and enjoy sharing a view - feel free to leave a view of your own.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Awakening
Awakened by a stream of sun light I lay motionless as it peeked through the bedroom skylight. Bigger and brighter until eventually the puddles of light
swept across the entire room. I've been held up tight in this coccoon for quite some time now with each day passing much like the one before. Yet this morning felt different. It felt ok. As uncertain I am of the days to come... is time to write again. I will write for M...my beautiful M, and for Steve...my reason for watching the sunrise...
My Sunday Poetry Offering is for M - I wrote it the month she was born,
two days before my own birthday.
Full Circle Flower
Your name, I do not know.
Yet, here you are, in my heart.
In the forefront of my dreams.
My arms embrace you,
My hand will guide you.
Through the rows of my garden.
And teach you the flower's names.
Will you call me Grandma?
Perhaps Nana or Grams.
I can hear your voice.
The sound of your giggle.
Oh, years of the young,
Like the bud of a rose.
As it bares to blossom..
Your name, I do not know.
But a gift from God you'll be.
Grand-daughter to thee.
Enter this arbor;
My full circle flower,
May I watch you bloom,
While my garden grows golden.
D.K. (c) 2010
swept across the entire room. I've been held up tight in this coccoon for quite some time now with each day passing much like the one before. Yet this morning felt different. It felt ok. As uncertain I am of the days to come... is time to write again. I will write for M...my beautiful M, and for Steve...my reason for watching the sunrise...
My Sunday Poetry Offering is for M - I wrote it the month she was born,
two days before my own birthday.
Full Circle Flower
Your name, I do not know.
Yet, here you are, in my heart.
In the forefront of my dreams.
My arms embrace you,
My hand will guide you.
Through the rows of my garden.
And teach you the flower's names.
Will you call me Grandma?
Perhaps Nana or Grams.
I can hear your voice.
The sound of your giggle.
Oh, years of the young,
Like the bud of a rose.
As it bares to blossom..
Your name, I do not know.
But a gift from God you'll be.
Grand-daughter to thee.
Enter this arbor;
My full circle flower,
May I watch you bloom,
While my garden grows golden.
D.K. (c) 2010
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sunday's Poetry Offering
My Sunday Poetry offering:
Emily Dickinson's
"Hope"
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all.
And the sweetest in the gale is heard;
And some must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I've heard it in the chillest lands,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
Emily Dickinson's
"Hope"
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
and sings the tune without the words
and never stops at all.
And the sweetest in the gale is heard;
And some must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I've heard it in the chillest lands,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Sunday's Poetry Offering
If if we saw any snowflakes in our area they came in the middle of the night
and were mixed with a fair amount of rain. But a Nor'Easter flew up the coast leaving anywhere between 3 - 24 " in different areas. It came as no surprise when I asked Steve for one of my poetry books that he handed me Frost,
which is one of his favorites...and he wanted one of his all time favorite poems posted...(it's one of mine too). Wish our friends and family a peaceful and safe early snow/fall.
Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think I'm queer
To stop with a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest linking of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask e if there is some mistake,
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and down flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go begore I sleep.
and were mixed with a fair amount of rain. But a Nor'Easter flew up the coast leaving anywhere between 3 - 24 " in different areas. It came as no surprise when I asked Steve for one of my poetry books that he handed me Frost,
which is one of his favorites...and he wanted one of his all time favorite poems posted...(it's one of mine too). Wish our friends and family a peaceful and safe early snow/fall.
Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think I'm queer
To stop with a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest linking of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask e if there is some mistake,
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and down flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go begore I sleep.
The Circle of Stuff!
It was a quick trip to S.C. (picking up a car load of stuff from our daughter to bring up to NJ for our son's wedding - they're flying/we're driving.) It's ok to look like we may be moving - but I think it's going to look more like we're living out of the back seat! It'll be a tight squeeze but I'm sure everything will fit, it has to! Guess I've grown accustomed to having my space. Space like I never had before.
Our modest shore style cape cod house back in NJ was similar in size to this house with the exception of a garage and outbuilding which serves triple duty as a barn, my garden room, and husband's mancave workshop..arg!!! That does make a difference. But after moving here and settling in the biggest difference I noticed was this house was practically void of any kids stuff!
There were no longer bicycles lying on the ground in the middle of driveway, or toys and books stacked up on each of the three steps that led up to the
landing of our staircase... just waiting for a passerby to take interest and bring them up or down! Gone were the skateboards, surfboards, various sized boogie boards, and a vast variety of sports gear with the exception of my softball bat bag, which is neatly tucked away in the hall closet.
Everything else has either been turned over to its rightful owner (one of our kids), discarded if broken, or stored away in the barn.. somewhere! The toys and bicycles are gone although we've been entrusted to keep a few boxes
filled with an assortment of trophies, awards, scrapbooks, and yearbooks. All the memorabilia of childhood and adolescence. I can state with all certainty that our daughter holds the family title for the most boxes of "stuff". Seems the boys have little or no emotional attachment to such things with the exception of maybe that game saving ball or set of special drum "sticks?"
For a while now; unless we become lazy, the stairs are free of clutter and we coast up the driveway at night without giving it a second thought. From the
day we moved into this house I felt there was more room than I knew what
to do with. Ahh, but then we came back from S.C.! That's when I began to notice the shift. So subtle I didn't notice it 'til now.
It began with the crib in the downstairs den where several furry creatures have
taken up residence. Next to the crib are two small riding toys. The corner of our great room has a box filled with blocks and a hodgepodge of toys and the
bookcase is sprouting a collection of childrens books. It's become an adventure to get past the high chair in the pantry but it really hit me when I went back
out to the garage. Hanging on the far wall is a stroller, car seat and plastic wading pool. Just below them is a new radio flyer, waiting to take its maiden voyage!
The "Stuff" is returning!! Making its way slowly into this house! Today I hung a fingerpainting on the bulletin board. Haven't done that in a very long time!
Isn't it Beautiful? The once quiet corners of this house have been transformed by a new circle of life! It's a wonderful feeling! Finally, this house feels like home, merely by the simplicity of a little kid clutter. I never realized how much of my life was in all that stuff!
Our modest shore style cape cod house back in NJ was similar in size to this house with the exception of a garage and outbuilding which serves triple duty as a barn, my garden room, and husband's mancave workshop..arg!!! That does make a difference. But after moving here and settling in the biggest difference I noticed was this house was practically void of any kids stuff!
There were no longer bicycles lying on the ground in the middle of driveway, or toys and books stacked up on each of the three steps that led up to the
landing of our staircase... just waiting for a passerby to take interest and bring them up or down! Gone were the skateboards, surfboards, various sized boogie boards, and a vast variety of sports gear with the exception of my softball bat bag, which is neatly tucked away in the hall closet.
Everything else has either been turned over to its rightful owner (one of our kids), discarded if broken, or stored away in the barn.. somewhere! The toys and bicycles are gone although we've been entrusted to keep a few boxes
filled with an assortment of trophies, awards, scrapbooks, and yearbooks. All the memorabilia of childhood and adolescence. I can state with all certainty that our daughter holds the family title for the most boxes of "stuff". Seems the boys have little or no emotional attachment to such things with the exception of maybe that game saving ball or set of special drum "sticks?"
For a while now; unless we become lazy, the stairs are free of clutter and we coast up the driveway at night without giving it a second thought. From the
day we moved into this house I felt there was more room than I knew what
to do with. Ahh, but then we came back from S.C.! That's when I began to notice the shift. So subtle I didn't notice it 'til now.
It began with the crib in the downstairs den where several furry creatures have
taken up residence. Next to the crib are two small riding toys. The corner of our great room has a box filled with blocks and a hodgepodge of toys and the
bookcase is sprouting a collection of childrens books. It's become an adventure to get past the high chair in the pantry but it really hit me when I went back
out to the garage. Hanging on the far wall is a stroller, car seat and plastic wading pool. Just below them is a new radio flyer, waiting to take its maiden voyage!
The "Stuff" is returning!! Making its way slowly into this house! Today I hung a fingerpainting on the bulletin board. Haven't done that in a very long time!
Isn't it Beautiful? The once quiet corners of this house have been transformed by a new circle of life! It's a wonderful feeling! Finally, this house feels like home, merely by the simplicity of a little kid clutter. I never realized how much of my life was in all that stuff!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sunday's Poetry Offering
Our back road day trip was fantastic! There were so many wonderful vistas
and beautiful farms draped in fall color. We had frost here this morning! Perhaps that's why I thought of Robert Frost... who knows? This is a poem
by him called:
A Late Walk
When I go up through the mowing field,
the headless aftermath,
Smooth-laid like thatch with the heavy dew,
half closes the garden path.
And when I come to the garden ground,
The whir of sober birds
Up from the tangle of withered weeds
Is sadder than any words.
A tree beside the wall stands bare,
But a leaf that lingered brown,
Disturbed, I doubt not, by my thought,
Comes softly rattling down.
I end not far from my going forth,
By picking the faded blue
Of the last remaining aster flower
To carry home to you.
and beautiful farms draped in fall color. We had frost here this morning! Perhaps that's why I thought of Robert Frost... who knows? This is a poem
by him called:
A Late Walk
When I go up through the mowing field,
the headless aftermath,
Smooth-laid like thatch with the heavy dew,
half closes the garden path.
And when I come to the garden ground,
The whir of sober birds
Up from the tangle of withered weeds
Is sadder than any words.
A tree beside the wall stands bare,
But a leaf that lingered brown,
Disturbed, I doubt not, by my thought,
Comes softly rattling down.
I end not far from my going forth,
By picking the faded blue
Of the last remaining aster flower
To carry home to you.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Taking Stock
It's been a busy week of writing and rewriting. But with color is at its peak, I couldn't miss the opportunity to enjoy my favorite season and the beauty of Virginia's country roads. Most of us live on, drive by, or even commute past some of the prettiest places but more often than not, life just gets in the way of our view. Yesterday, we put aside that 'to do' list (it's still sitting right here on the counter - and it isn't going anywhere. In fact, we usually just add more to it til we run out of room. Then start a new list!) But just for the day we took to some of the back roads that are just past our back door - and what a delight!
 |
| This is a ridge up near Big Island |
 |
| A new friend named Shadow gave a "tails up!" to the day! |
 |
| Luv this bank barn! |
 |
| One of my favorite farms. |
 |
| And there's a pretty good Peaks view right from our side porch! The falling foliage gives way to a good view of the entire ridge line. Sometimes it's good to pause, taking stock in the beauty that surrounds the every day. Allow a little time to be free from worriesome things. Think of ways to simplify and deal with "the stuff". Who knows? It could become a lifestyle, rather than a luxury. |
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