The End of Summer

The End of Summer

Turn and take the summer with you to its fall.
Take away its outlook and its need--
the message of the sun at hilltop--
and hand it to the courier, who waits
to run the valleys and the shade
and hand it in good season
to its heir.

It has blessed you, truly once again
but summer goes its way, it must,
and craggy hands of autumn
seduce you fresh with promises
filled in blinding summer light,
unnoticed, not ahead.
Ahead lies cold incrimination
that faults you yet again
for missing twice the splendour.

Do not rush estival's cool end,
for behind her is the icy breath of winter.
Hold her hot against your form
and let her breathe her lovefire on you
and make you sweat
beneath her crushing heat.
Hold her as you know
that she'll be gone soon,
and in her place will be the snow.

(Peter J. Gorham)

Best end of summer to all.

O is for Oh...

..consider this minuscule word made of only two letters. Consider all of the emotions it conveys in its smallness. Consider how powerful this word can be.

Think of the "Oh!" and what it carries when you receive unexpected gifts from thoughtful, caring people. The "Oh!" of delight, the unanticipated pleasure when opening up your mail. Thank you Amy for the lovely pincushion! Thank you, Marylou for the note cards and post-its.

Think of the "Oh!" of "My Lord!"..and the "Oh" followed by several expletives when you come home to see a very guilty looking dog, a very big dog who can reach things you never imagined she could reach. You are not expecting this. She is the dog you blogged about so glowingly. Something is amiss. You notice a plastic bag lying in the hallway. You enter the bedroom and shriek, "Oh, no, #@#*&#!" You see on the carpet the remains of a bag of dried beans, a blend of wild rice and other yummy grains and what was left of 3/4 of a loaf of whole wheat walnut raisin bread.
There is also the uttered scream of, "Oh!" when you see that she has "loved" the above beautiful pincushion. You see that there is the tiniest of holes and the ghost of doggy drool on it.

Reflect on the "Oh's" of sadness and disappointments, of hurts and grief..the "Oh's" of emotional exhaustion and mental anguish.

There is the wonder of "Oh" when you catch a shooting star out of the corner of your eye, or the quiet surprise when you look up from the kitchen sink and you suddenly are made aware of the beauty of a Harvest Moon that is perfectly suspended and framed in that window. The "Oh" of glee when you spy the first seedlings coming up in your garden and the "Oh" of greeting as you run outside to see the first geese of Fall flying overhead.

"Oh's" convey comfort and contentment: warm, enveloping baths, hot showers and cozy beds, fire on winter evenings, hot chocolate and the ending to a yummy meal.

It's a grand word this "Oh" is. It's a "wonder word", proving that small can be mighty and humble can be powerful.

Exiting Out of the Alphabet For A Short Note

On the morning of 9/11 I was being wheeled into the emergency room to have surgery. I had no clue what was going on, and to tell the truth, at that time, I wouldn't have cared...such was my state. I am ashamed to admit it, but there I was and that was that.

I am sure that I am joined in sending prayers, however each of us form them, out into the world today. Fervent prayers for peace, comfort, love, clean water, education, shelter, hope and tolerance for all people. In our own personal way, I hope that millions, billions, around the world are holding their own special vigil. A vigil that will penetrate barriers of hatred and ignorance, a vigil that will honor and remember all innocent victims of violence, a vigil in which we will all say "No more" no matter who we are and where we live. May our prayers, meditations, hopes, dreams and actions take wing and join together. Peace to All.

N is for Nadia the Newfoundland

Oh, how we love this dog. Nadia is the sweetest thing on four feet. She is the second of our Newfoundlands, and a gift to us from her breeder who wanted her to retire from making puppies and from being in a show ring. She wanted her to be in a place where she got lots of attention and company. Nadia will be six in December, and we've had her for just about a year. She is gentle, loving, patient and so good hearted. We feel blessed to have her!

M is for Magazine and Making Things

American Home Crafts was and still is, my favorite craft magazine. It was published in the 70's and is filled with all kinds of wonder for the lover of all things handmade. There is nothing "cheesy" about any of the projects in these magazines. Projects include anything from embroidery, knitting, sewing, needlepoint, crochet, weaving, leather work, painting, rug hooking and carpentry. Why they never lasted very long is a mystery to me. If you have a mother, aunt or grandmother who crafted back in the 70's they may have copies hidden away somewhere. I would encourage you to run, not walk, to get your crafty mitts on some of these..you would not be disappointed.

M for Making...I've been practicing and polishing my non-existent crocheting skills. These squared circles are my latest endeavors. I found some directions from Teresa at maggiegracecreates. (Thanks!) Since I normally can't crochet my way out of a paper bag, I'm pretty happy with the results.
Wishing everyone a great week.

Best.

L Number Two...For Lena

Lena was my maternal grandmother. She left Downs, Kansas to go to Hawaii where she met and married a young man who had sailed out from Prince Edward Island. I remember my grandfather but I never had the privilege of knowing Lena as she died several years before my birth.
I am so fortunate to have a good collection of little pieces that she crocheted. She was obviously very accomplished. There are some lovely, and to even my untrained eye, exquisite bits. It is almost as if she were practicing and expanding her repertoire of skills as they are so varied. It's wonderful to hold something that she held and she caused to grow with her hands. I'm disappointed that I did not appear to inherit this talent that she so strongly possessed and enjoyed.
L is also for learning. I have been practicing some rudimentary crocheting in my attempts to make a granny square to my liking. I have also been learning the ins and outs of my new printer. I'm thrilled to have a new one that doesn't eat paper, jam or just refuse to work...but I am as slow a learner with this as I am with granny squares. Some of us will always be taking "The Little Yellow Bus". That's me!

Best.