Winter Solstice

Just for the sake of posting I found a poem that kind of speaks to the matter at hand, winter...cold, dark winter. Today is the Winter Solstice, the first day of Winter. I have done some very interesting reading today on the subject as it happens to be my favorite season so I thought I would herald it in with a little research.


Winter: A Dirge



Robert Burns said that Winter was his favourite season - "partly owing to my misfortunes giving my mind a melancholy cast." Indeed, it was after such a period of misfortune that he composed this melancholy song. It was written to the tune "MacPherson's Rant".

Winter: A Dirge
The wintry west extends his blast,
And hail and rain does blaw;
Or the stormy north sends driving forth
The blinding sleet and snaw:
Wild-tumbling brown, the burn comes down,
And roars frae bank to brae:
And bird and beast in covert rest,
And pass the heartless day.

The sweeping blast, the sky o'ercast,
The joyless winter day
Let others fear, to me more dear
Than all the pride of May:
The tempest's howl, it soothes my soul,
My griefs it seems to join;
The leafless trees my fancy please,
Their fate resembles mine!

Thou Pow'r Supreme, whose mighty scheme
These woes of mine fulfil.
Here, firm I rest, they must be best,
Because they are Thy will!
Then all I want (O do Thou grant
This one request of mine!):
Since to enjoy Thou dost deny,
Assist me to resign.

Meaning of unusual words:
brae=slope

And for those of you who would rather listen to it, just hit the link.




I am knitting feverishly and have much to get done.I finished the Fuzzy Feet Slippers yesterday, working on some gloves now. There is some weaving to finish...Never really got to the decorating because over a month ago, my husband decided to do some work in the kitchen and it just has made a mess of everything, so if I have to try to figure out where one more thing goes...well, you know. Oh yes, bless him, he chose the holidays to do this stuff...



Anyway, Happy Solstice...be warm and cozy and watch for the light to return with each passing day. Be encouraged. Thanks for reading.
Peace.

Snow Days

We had our first snow storm of the season today and I am enjoying the aftermath...reminds me why I love New England. I love the changing of the seasons as well as the weather in any given day. I like weather, interesting, stormy weather...I think it is cleansing as well as invigorating. There is something so beautiful about night, after the snow has stopped. For as long as I can remember I always ran outside as soon as the storm ended. Usually it was evening. I would look around with the same wonder that I feel tonight. Check on everything, throw myself down and just lay in the soft wetness and sometimes make "angels". Good memories...far too few of them. Tonight,the yard is awash with reflected light from the snow, which makes everything beautiful. A different world. The trees first caught my eye as I looked out my window into the darkness and realized that it was not dark at all...I was by now out the door with a beagle and a camera. Just walking around the yard and enjoying the moment, the cold, and the silence. Then the night sky and its many shades were next to wonder at, where was all the color coming from... I could see color variations in the night sky...breath taking. I tried to capture it with my little point and shoot camera but was unsuccessful.
The quiet, the silence of snow...it is like everything has stopped, and for a short time it has.
Thanks for reading
Peace

Few Words...

I have not felt like writing, or maybe I just didn't feel I had anything to say. Maybe a little of both. My house is quiet, a blessing...All I can hear is the rain, pouring, hard hitting rain. I really like the sound.

As I sit and think about it a little I do have something to write about. The charcoal below was done by my grandson. He is applying to colleges at present as he graduates high school this spring. Now that, in and of itself, is hard to believe. The other day he applied to art school ... We have some great schools here in New England. He has a portfolio to finish by February 1. I am very excited and happy for him. I love that he and I can talk art and that he believes I may know something...A year ago he did not know what charcoal was. I showed him some of mine, gave him charcoal and paper for his birthday last summer. His teacher (he is in honors art in school) got him started with them and now it is his favorite medium.



Have a great day and thanks for reading.