A Pillow Book

I wanted a blog to reflect my life and, as with most people, I do and am many things, decided to create a Pillow Book. It will have thoughts, ideas, observations and little snippets of my day to day life. So, thank you Empress Consort Teishi....... I bow to you and your great work and hope, in some small way, mine might be great too.

Thursday 24 January 2013

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


Photo: Walk to school!
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










Friday 4 January 2013

Collect moments, not things.....

 



When my children were small we danced a lot, under sevens don't have inhibitions. Sometimes in the kitchen or we would push back the dining room table, crank up The Mavericks' Dance the Night Away and off we'd go. But that was over a decade ago these days, very rarely my, now big, daughters will indulge me but my son stands rod straight and just asks "what are you doing?"  Christmas wasn't great in this house because of, well many reasons,  but New Year was wonderful.  All my children home, my brother and family here and with him came my youngest niece,  under seven still and ripe for dancing!  So there we were on New Years Eve, me making margaritas with little one chatting away,  Pencil Full of Lead on the iPod, our feet started tapping and off we went...."again, again" she cried, so repeat, then next Spit at Stars and again until we collapsed,  laughing and exhausted, little one saying she needed to touch her toes because she had a stitch, my kitchen a dance floor once more.

My new year's resolution is to,collect moments, and there were many, many moments over the last few days to start my collection well. Moments to be recalled when the decorations have been packed away and visitors have left and we are in the dark days of February, I shall, with a smile, recall charades, chairs squeezed around the table, pots of tea, conversations, meals prepared and eaten together,laughter and love, oh and Spitting at Stars, a last dance maybe, but most certainly a moment collected.

Everyone is struggling and the news some days makes us want to weep but the things that matter, that give joy, and will be recalled time and again for many years to come are moments of fun, of laughter, and shared experiences. So why not join me in 2013 and you too do some collecting of moments, not things....

ps A thank you to Anne Thornton and her New Years Eve post for inspiration for my resolution.