“The snow doesn't give a soft white damn whom it touches.”

My walk to work....

In the dark post Christmas days when Spring seems to not even be a whisper on Mother Nature's breath, occasionally a gift is sent to lighten the mood, add joy to the day and a rosy glow to the cheeks.  The promise was made, but it had been made before only for disappointment to be the order of the day. But last week the promise was fulfilled, the morning started with the tell tale glow from behind the curtains, a certain silence. A glimpse outside and there it was, the magic of snow, covering my garden, the roads and hills afar. I felt smug as for once, wisely,  I had stocked the kitchen with provisions enough to last for several days, so there would be no need to venture from the village for some time...


School opened for those who wished to come, and what a day was had, full of of snowball fights, and snowmen built, icy hands and wet toes. A day to be stashed away in young hearts to be   recounted many years hence.



Even better Saturday brought with it icy temperatures but a
bright and sparkling day, lunch in an old English pub, one with a real fire at it's heart and a welcome for all. Then off to  Badbury Rings for a walk and views across the county....



Families having fun, despite the National Trust warning against it, snow knee deep in places and still untrodden, the glorious white spreading as far as the eye could see, a glow across the horizon, childrens' laughter glittering all around. Home to a fire and mulled wine, time to defrost and think back on a day of wonder. A memory collected.......
 

“There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its very hollows in snow. It is the still ecstasy of nature, wherein every spray, every blade of grass, every spire of reed, every intricacy of twig, is clad with radiance.”

William Sharp quotes ((pseud. Fiona MacLeod) Scottish Poet, 1855-1905





“There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its very hollows in snow. It is the still ecstasy of nature, wherein every spray, every blade of grass, every spire of reed, every intricacy of twig, is clad with radiance.”

William Sharp quotes ((pseud. Fiona MacLeod) Scottish Poet, 1855-1905

Grief is the price we pay for love.....

We each of us have a handful of days that live vividly in our minds eye, but mostly these are personal, times of birth, marriage, death or exceptional occurrences. But this day, ten years ago, we  can all recall exactly where we stood and how we felt as we watched the momentous events unfold before our very eyes.  In a moment the world changed. Ten years on the rawness has gone, a more reflective mood in its place but still a dreadful sadness that could be seen in the eyes of each family member who stood today by memorials  and with faltering voices uttered the  names of lost loved ones. Today will be etched in my mind as it was the day I took my son to university for the first time. I came home, stood in his room and cried because he was not there, but he will come home and my heart ached for mothers and fathers who have done the same  but in bedrooms of those who will never come home. Miles of words have been written in the past ten years but I couldn't let today go without putting some thoughts down. When faced with death the victims made calls and spoke of love, not money, position or possessions, just pure and simple love.  What we should take from this tragedy is  to daily remember that very thing and not wait for the clarity of imminent death to recall it. LOVE is free, gives greater pleasure and is worth more than anything else in the world, but don't be reckless with it, abuse it or leave in unattended, cherish it and delight in it. But most of all, most of all share it with a generosity of heart, you won't regret it......




i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
                                  i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

ee cummings