Category: garden

golden hour of the clock of the year

by Susan, posted in autumn, farms, garden, Uncategorized

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and now it’s October
the golden hour of the clock of the year. Everything that can run
to fruit has already done so: round apples, oval plums, bottom-heavy
pears, black walnuts and hickory nuts annealed in their shells,
the woodchuck with his overcoat of fat. Flowers that were once bright
as a box of crayons are now seed heads and thistle down. All the feathery
grasses shine in the slanted light. It’s time to bring in the lawn chairs
and wind chimes, time to draw the drapes against the wind, time to hunker
down. Summer’s fruits are preserved in syrup, but nothing can stopper time.
No way to seal it in wax or amber; it slides though our hands like a rope
of silk. At night, the moon’s restless searchlight sweeps across the sky.

 

~ Barbara Crooker

 

 

 

 

 

 

waking up

by Susan, posted in garden, moments, mornings, Uncategorized

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It takes only a moment to breathe, 
a moment to be still, and just like that,
 something in me settles, softens,
 makes space for imperfection.
 The harsh voice of judgement 
drops to a whisper and 
I remember again 
that life isn’t a relay race,
 that we will all cross the finish line, 
that waking up to life 
is what we were born for.  
As many times as I forget, 
catch myself charging forward
 without even knowing where I’m going, 
that many times I can make the choice 
to stop, to breathe, and be,
 and walk slowly into the mystery”.

 

~ Danna Faulds

 

 

 

 

 

a single day

by Susan, posted in flora, garden, home, life, moments, Spring, the everyday, Uncategorized

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A day is like a whole life. You start out doing one thing, but end up doing something else, plan to run an errand, but never get there … And at the end of your life, your whole existence has the same haphazard quality, too. Your whole life has the same shape as a single day.
~Michael Crichton

May Sarton wrote, “Routine is not a prison, but the way to freedom from time.”
I’m working to get myself on a better routine these days and I feel so much more
productive. Less time online, more time for all the other things I’ve been wanting to do, such as spending more hours outdoors. Now if the weather would only cooperate..

Mozart

good stuff

by Susan, posted in connections, creative process, garden, inspiration, my work, photography, random thoughts, Spring, Uncategorized

spring finally arrived

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and this happened

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My work is featured in the summer issue of Artful Blogging Magazine.  Whole lot of gratitude to Shawna Lemay for the writing prompt.  Her blog is always so thought provoking.   This beautiful publication, reads more like a book than a magazine and it’s chock full of wonderful inspiration.  Happy to be in the company of such talented people. Kind of a dream come true.

 

speaking of inspiration and dreams

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The lovely and amazing Kelly Ishmael turned me on to this gorgeous book – Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein with Julie Chai.  Photos by Michele M. Waite.  All about growing, harvesting and arranging seasonal flowers.  Wonderful information and the photos are to die for.

 

How sweet is this??

Mozart

 

Even Mozart was impressed!

Chloe Lemay is an art student at Sheridan College, soon to be majoring in cartoon/animation.  She did this adorable image of Mozart and I just love it!  He will be appearing at the end of each blog post from now on.  You may view more of Chloe’s wonderful, whimsical work HERE.   Word is that she will be doing commissions this summer if anyone is interested.

 

I’ll leave you with these beautiful words found on Calm Things a while back.

Wishing you all good stuff!

 

“The Monk Manifesto: Seven Principles for Living with Deep Intention“ by Christine Valters Paintner.

The Monk Manifesto 

  1. I commit to finding moments each day for silence and solitude, to make space for another voice to be heard, and to resist a culture of noise and constant stimulation.
  2. I commit to radical acts of hospitality by welcoming the stranger both without and within. I recognize that when I make space inside my heart for the unclaimed parts of myself, I cultivate compassion and the ability to accept those places in others.
  3. I commit to cultivating community by finding kindred spirits along the path, soul friends with whom I can share my deepest longings, and mentors who can offer guidance and wisdom for the journey.
  4. I commit to cultivating awareness of my kinship with creation and a healthy asceticism by discerning my use of energy and things, letting go of what does not help nature to flourish.
  5. I commit to bringing myself fully present to the work I do, whether paid or unpaid, holding a heart of gratitude for the ability to express my gifts in the world in meaningful ways.
  6. I commit to rhythms of rest and renewal through the regular practice of Sabbath and resist a culture of busyness that measures my worth by what I do.
  7. I commit to a lifetime of ongoing conversion and transformation, recognizing that I am always on a journey with both gifts and limitations.