Summer in the city

Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.

Henry James

Whenever I have a chance, I escape to a garden

A garden should make you feel you've entered privileged space -- a place not just set apart but reverberant -- and it seems to me that, to achieve this, the gardener must put some kind of twist on the existing landscape, turn its prose into something nearer poetry.

Michael Pollan

Books and hearts and flowers...

... a few of my favourite things.

Brief journeys - impressions of Toronto

“Before the real city could be seen it had to be imagined, the way rumours and tall tales were a kind of charting.”

Michael Ondaatje, In the Skin of a Lion

~ Peonies and rain showers.
~ Geese. Of the Canadian variety, of course. Bronze and feathered, both.
~ Rest and restoration. Good sleep, warm hospitality, leisurely pace.
~ Walks and chats. Lots of that...
~ Waterfalls and sunlight create magic in the sky.
~ Love, and a wander down memory lane.
~ Iconic skyline.
~ Did I mention the Peonies? Never, ever, seen so many.
~ A beach, a far horizon and a big sky. Some of my favourite things.

♥

Land & Sea

For the land, the sea is beautiful; for the sea, the land is beautiful!

Mehmet Murat Ildan

Lying in a field...

...this is what I could hear

Garden of green, gates and glass

Sadly, not mine. But such a beautiful place to spend a couple of hours wandering... restorative and inspiring.

Brief journeys - castles and kitchen gardens

Treading the threads lightly

Experience is never limited, and it is never complete; 

it is an immense sensibility, a kind of huge spider-web of the finest silken threads suspended in the chamber of consciousness, and catching every air-borne particle in its tissue.

Henry James

(1843-1916)

Something that's struck me this week is that there's a big difference between navigating a web that you've spun yourself and trying to walk the non-sticky threads of a web someone else has constructed. Beautiful as it may be, there's always a feeling that one wrong step and either you'll fall off, or become too entangled and the spider will pounce. Still, sometimes it's necessary to venture into new territory to gather new experiences isn't it?

So, I think it's not so much a case of avoiding the web altogether but of not carrying too much baggage, keeping your wings ready to make good an escape if you need to, and treading the threads... lightly.

I hope you're navigating your week with care and carrying a light heart.

And so ends Summer...

Goodbye, goodbye, I hate the word. Solitude has long since turned brown and withered, sitting bitter in my mouth and heavy in my veins.

R.M. Grenon

There are no good-byes, where ever you'll be, you'll be in my heart.

Mahatma Gandhi

Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister.

Alice Walker

Sisters function as safety nets in a chaotic world simply by being there for each other.

Carol Saline

Farewell, my sister, fare thee well.


The elements be kind to thee, and make


Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well.


William Shakespeare

My sister's gone and summer's left the air. I don't think they're connected but both are true.

I don't want to sound ungrateful because my heart's full and I'm so thankful for our time together. Special happy girly-twirly time. But oh, it went so quickly. Too quickly. I wasn't quite ready to say good-bye.

So today I feel just a little sad.

But the dance continues, and soon we'll celebrate the official arrival of autumn. It's my favourite season. I love the colours and the textures, the quality of the light and the feeling in the air. I love breaking out hats and scarves and blanket throws... For me it's a time of happy cocooning, of outdoor beauty, of indoor fun, and inner growth. I'm looking forward to it. Lots of good stuff to enjoy.

I'm also pleased to be back in the blogosphere. And I have the whole weekend to catch up on what I've missed. I'm looking forward to that too.

I'll see you out there I hope... or in here. Either way, I'll be happy.

[Flickr credits]

Brief Journeys - small town blue skies

6am - on the train, destination Mid Wales:

clearly not everyone's a morning person

8:05am - walk from the station:

we seldom see a sky this blue in the UK, so beautiful with the church spires and that little moon against it

10am - view from the office:

windows that slide all the way open to let in cool fresh air, more church architecture, and that little glimpse of green hills beyond, which I love

12:30pm - sweet little gallery, sometimes lunch spot:

it can take almost an hour to be served a sandwich and a cup of tea but there's apparently no reason to rush through life in this town, so they don't

3pm - 5 minutes under a lovely old tree:

can do wonders for restoring energy when a workshop's taking one's reserves to the limits

3:10pm - new life from dead wood:

love that someone thought to turn this dead tree into a huge owl sculpture. I'm convinced he comes alive at night

6pm - back to the station to catch the train home:

afternoon sky still sunny, still blue and so beautifully reflected in the tall windows. I love these loooong summer days in the northern hemisphere

8:25pm - settling down on my sofa with a cup of tea:

too lazy to walk into the other room to fetch the camera but believe me it was a good cup, all the better for visions of blue skies dancing in my head!

A little taste of Guernsey, although not a cow in sight!

How do you feel when you marry your ideal?

Ever so goosey, goosey, goosey, goosey.

English Song, 1929

(one of the quotations on the wedding tables, bride and groom are both language graduates so the whole event was peppered with literary touches and references)

{Click to embiggen if you'd like a closer look}

1. Early morning caffè latte and spiced chai latte at the airport - the bride, the groom and their happy bridesmaid... Labels by the groom: Falla - bride's maiden name, an ancient Guernsey surname - first recorded on the island in the early 15th century and hers for nearly 30 years, but not for much longer at this point; Nugget - short for the Golden Nugget, which both affectionately call me - it's a long story; and the happiest Condemned Man I've ever seen!

2. Clouds from above, plane propellers and sunshine flare - probably one of my favourite views in the world - fun and adventure beckon...

3. Approaching Jersey - a brief touchdown en route to Guernsey.

4. Almost there...

5. View from the wedding reception venue - yes, it is the British Isles, really!

6. Postboxes - just like those on the mainland, but blue.

7. Checking out the church - favourite wildflowers growing out of walls, so pretty and summery.

8. Beautiful churchyard - bride's family christenings, weddings and funerals stretch back five generations in this place. The cloth on the registry table has the embroidered signatures of four previous Falla brides (including her mothere and grandmother) right where A's hand rested to sign her own marriage certificate - very special.

9. A quiet bay for a happy day and a moment for calm contemplation of things to come.

10. Abstract beach beauty - my heart is full.

11. Dinner outdoors with friends and family, warm sea air, lovely conversation, delicious seafood = perfection!

12. The sunset view from our dinner table...

13. Heading to Herm - the bridal party and close family went over for the post rehearsal dinner.

14. St Peter's Port from the sea - so beautiful.

15. Castle Cornet - didn't manage to see inside but enjoyed the Antony Gormley figures... No pics of my own that day but please enjoy these...

16. Floral displays for the church taking shape under the guidance of A's sweet mother. How gorgeous are these delphiniums?

17. At the hairdresser - champagne and laughter to start the day - so lovely!

18. A perfect occasion for celebration - the sun shone brightly (thank you for all your happy sunshine wishes!) and the bride and groom shone even more brightly than the sun!

19. The morning after - a lingering scent of lavender and freesias...

20. A quiet wander around the harbour, Sunday brunch with the wedding party, lovely memories shared and starting to settle into the happy places of our minds. It was raining as they flew out but beautiful Sri Lanka and the Maldives call them for their honeymoon...

Picture of the bride and groom courtesy of LK, all others mine. It felt very weird not to be carrying my camera on the day of the wedding, and spending so much time in front of one was fairly uncomfortable for me, but I promise to share some of those too as they become available via other sources. I took relatively few photographs as it was a very busy few days leading up to the event but there are more, some of which will no doubt appear over the next little while as I sort through them.

But for now, I have a cup of tea in hand and am planning some catching up with all my favourite people and places in Bloglandia... I've missed you all!

Happy Monday! ♥

In the post...

London Mosaic

When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life;

for there is in London all that life can afford.

Samuel Johnson

(1709-1784)

Arrived home from London late last night, tired but happy. Great weekend - some things went according to plan, some things definitely didn't - thank you British Rail! - some things weren't planned at all. Often those are the best times though aren't they?

I'll share a few pics once I've had a chance to download them but in the meantime, please enjoy this one, borrowed from Flickr, which is similar to one I took a while ago but now can't find. Anywhere. Note to self: time to devise a better naming and filing system for photograph archives.

Anyway, it was great fun to write postcards to so many lovely folk and they are now winging their way to you all across the globe...

Have a happy Monday!

Brief journeys - all in a day's work...

I love London. I might have mentioned this before. Probably more than once. But it just needs to be said again today. I lived there for many years and, although I was happy to move away and am happy not to be living there right now, I love London.

It's an incredible city - vibrant, colourful and textured - and somewhere that I can't imagine I'll ever tire of exploring. I don't get there that often anymore but, when I can, I love to travel down to see friends, to shop, to attend an exhibition, visit a museum, or to just wander the streets and soak it in. And sometimes, if I'm lucky, I get to go down for work too. Recently that's been quite often.

When I travel there for work I don't see much of the place - stations and offices mostly. My office is in the Square Mile, just off Fleet street, so usually I catch a train and then a Tube into The City, attend meetings, run a workshop or facilitate a session and then I catch the Tube and the train back out. There's nothing glamourous about it. But still, I love to go. This week I'll have been down three times (twice for work) and yesterday, although I attended one of the most mind-numbing meetings ever, it was a lovely day. It was dry and warm at the time so I walked to the office instead of going on the Underground and between meetings I was reminded, by half an hour spent gathering my thoughts in a tiny park near the High Court of Justice, of one of the many reasons it's a city so close to my heart. A quiet, secluded, postage stamp sized green space in one of the most densely developed areas in the world. How can you not love that? London is full of such little gems.

My second meeting (not boring at all this time) took place in another favourite spot of mine, the grounds of the new British Library. It's not a building I find particularly attractive from outside but it's a place with a remarkable sense of open space, inside and out. Spread over 14 floors, 5 of which are underground, it's one of the largest research facilities in the world and the biggest public building constructed in the UK in the 20th century. It's not on regular tourist itineraries but I think it's a place that every visitor with any interest in books, writing, history or anything related to how we record our existence should experience at least once in their lives if at all possible. It's like a wonderland. I can't possibly do it justice here and perhaps it is not everyone's cup of tea to potter around a place like this but to me there's something magical about even being in the same space as so many treasures from around the world, let alone being able to see some of them. Works like Shakespeare’s First Folio, the Gutenberg Bible, the manuscript of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Leonardo da Vinci’s notebooks, Handel’s Messiah, Beatles lyrics, the Magna Carta, the first edition ever of The Times newspaper from the 18th century and every copy since, and recordings of Nelson Mandela's Rivonia trial speech, to name but a few. It's awesome in the full sense of that word.

The grounds are designed to include a number of modern courtyards and gardens, which incorporate some great sculptural pieces, and I like to sit there for a while if I have time to spare. One of the reasons I like it so much is that in a city centre where more often than not one sees only a sliver when looking up, this is a place where one can sit and see sky. Big sky. Relatively. And it's right alongside the Gothic splendour of King's Cross St Pancras station, my route into and out of the city, and surely one of the grandest buildings of its kind. Layering of old on ancient, new on old... buildings that range from medieval through to 21st century right next to each other... historical texture. Another thing I love about London.

I'll be going back this weekend for my third visit this week (this time to see friends) and I'm already looking forward to it...

Simple Things

canalside

Sarah alerted me to the fact that Christina is hosting a Simple Things posting today and I thought it would be fun to play along. In any form - words or pictures or both - it's an opportunity to celebrate the simple things that "make your soul sing".

Things that are making me happy so far this week include:

• Lovely papery giveaway goodies, from lovely bloggy people. Thank you Denise and Linda Sue! More about these tomorrow....

• A tiny, perfectly formed cupcake left on my desk by a sweet colleague from 3 floors up, with a note that says, "Sorry I missed you but I hope you enjoy this! :)". I did.

• The tippety tap of raindrops on the window in the early hours of the morning, and the gentle click of my keyboard keys keeping harmony with them, and no other sound at all. So peaceful.

• Modern plumbing. I do not take my powerful, piping hot shower in the morning for granted, but oh how I love it.

• Words and the magical ways some people weave them into poetry.

• More magic in the form of an sms text message, which flies across nearly 10 000 kilometres, lands in my phone within moments of being sent and says "I love you".

• Email letters from friends, love them. Snail mail letters from friends, love them. Weeks that bring both, LOVE them!

• Tahitian vanilla in a bottle. Sublime and summery scent.

• Sweet, simple flowers on the canal bank, and the reflection of trees and summer sky in the water.

• English strawberries. The best on the planet. At last, instead of imports from farther afield, guilt free fruit that I love, in season....

Oh the list is long... I could go on and on. Hurrah for simple things!

What's making you happy today?

Green and pleasant land

"In England's green and pleasant land"

Jerusalem

William Blake

(1757-1827)

I had another mosaic that I was going to post today, a story board based on a lovely dream I had recently. But I travelled down to London for a meeting this morning on the train and I was struck, as I often am when I move across this country, by how lush it is, and by how much green space there is despite its relatively small size. I love green. Apparently there are more variants of green than any other single colour. I'm not sure if this is true but if it is, today as I moved through this landscape at speed I felt that I saw many of those hues and shades.

It was beautiful. It is beautiful.

So, I'll share the dream mosaic another day and today, instead, I'd like to pay tribute to my current island home. It really is a green and pleasant land.

And perhaps I should appreciate it more.

Happy Monday!

♥

[Flickr credits]

I failed!

Less than a week after I posted this, and during a spending hiatus that started less than two months ago, I caved yesterday afternoon and bought these - two jewel red pressed-glass stemmed plates and a big-old-knuckle-duster-bit-o'-bling! Abject failure on both fronts.

I turned my back for only a moment and Amy took charge of the purse-strings. I blame her. But, truly, I'm not tooooo mad at her. The plate set is just too gorgeous and something I've lusted after for a while. And there they were, on sale. Massively on sale. Under £10 for BOTH. How could we resist? And while collecting the earrings that I'd ordered for the wedding (wedding goodies don't count under the spending ban - necessary expenditure) it just seemed too cruel to leave this ring when all it clearly wanted to do was get out in the daylight to make rainbows. We liberated it, Amy and I. It seemed like the right thing to do.

How is it possible that a few bits of coloured glass can make a girl (or two) so happy?

P.S. Happy, happy 4th of July to my American friends and family! I hope your day is fully of sunshiny rainbows too.
♥

Butterfly spirit?

On my way home from work earlier this week, I was walking along the canal when this little guy fluttered down and landed on the path in front of me. He sat really still in the sunlight and let me get up quite close. So beautiful, but how ragged his wings are I thought. I wondered if he'd had a run in with a bird. Or a cat. Or both. And I feared perhaps he'd escaped only to float down and breathe his last in the sunshine at my feet.

But then he took off and fluttered away over the canal...

I reckon he was off on a new adventure, perhaps a rendezvous in the shade with a friend or lady love, or to explore a flower that'd caught his eye and sup some nectar, or to take shelter in a tree from where he could enjoy the brewing storm. Living his brief life to the full, and not about to let a little wear and tear to his wings stop him.

I like that. Brave butterfly.

Later I was composing the post about my beautiful mobile and wondering about this affinity I have with butterflies. I don't own zillions of butterfly things but there's no denying they are a recurring motif in my life, always have been. I do love them and make no secret of it but, for as long as I can remember, people have gifted me with butterflies - even those who have no prior knowledge of my "thing" for them. And I do find them quite hard to resist. They just make me deeply happy.

After posting on the mobile I was having a conversation with Sarah about about how, if I have a totem animal, then a butterfly is surely it. I don't know very much about totems but if I were going to choose one for myself, I'd probably have gone with a horse (my zodiac and Chinese birth year symbol) or a dolphin or a panther, something strong... But it seems that butterflies have chosen me.

So I went to look up the symbolic and mythological meaning of the butterfly.

This is what I found:

Overwhelmingly, cultural myth and lore honor the butterfly as a symbol of transformation because of its impressive process of metamorphosis. From egg, to larvae (caterpillar), to pupa (the chrysalis or cocoon) and from the cocoon the butterfly emerges in her unfurling glory.

Most adult butterflies live just one or two weeks except for the monarch and angel wing which can live for six months or more. This is very symbolic. It suggests that a person with this totem will experience tremendous soul growth, especially in their earlier years. A difficult childhood is common.

What a massive amount of transition this tiny creature undergoes. Herein lies the deepest symbolic lesson of the butterfly. They ask us to accept the changes in our lives as casually as they do. The butterfly unquestioningly embraces the changes of her environment and her body. This unwavering acceptance of her metamorphosis is also symbolic of faith. Here the butterfly beckons us to keep our faith as we undergo transitions in our lives. Toiling, fretting and anger are useless against the turning tides of nature – and the butterfly asks us to recognize the same.

To the Native Americans the butterfly is a symbol of joy. They remind us not to take life so seriously. They feed on flowers that they help pollinate, thereby further spreading beauty. They represent the element of air, quickly changing and ever moving, with beauty and grace.

Butterflies are also symbols of freedom and creativity. They hold the gift of transformation and soul evolution and a butterfly enters our life as a messenger for change. The butterfly is a messengers of the moment and as they come in a variety of colours, their colour is symbolically meaningful too.

Interestingly, in many cultures the butterfly is associated with the soul – further linking our animal symbolism of faith with the butterfly.

In Greek myth, Psyche (which literally translates to mean “soul”) is represented in the form of a butterfly. Befittingly, Psyche is forever linked with love as she and Eros (the Greek god of love) shared an endlessly passionate bond together – both hopelessly in love with the other.

And Greece doesn’t corner the market on associating the butterfly with the soul. Here are a few other ancient cultures that associated this elegant creature with the soul:

• Asian (central)
• Mexican – Aztec
• New Zealand
• Zaire

Butterflies have a pair of large compound oval eyes made up of thousands of individual lenses. They can see a single image clearly and are able to perceive ultraviolet wavelengths of light. This suggests clairvoyant abilities for those that hold this totem.

Whenever an eco system is damaged, butterflies are usually the first to leave. They are especially sensitive to the balance and harmony of the earth.

Okay then, not just delicate flighty creatures that live brief lives - that's a relief. This is a totem I can live with. Change and metamorphosis are indeed quite central themes in my life to date - often not initiated by me but involving fundamental shifts in my circumstance and psyche nonetheless - no more than some experience but probably fair to say, more than most. And I do look forward to reaching the 'unfurling glory' stage. Something to anticipate with pleasure. Hope it's not too far away, though I'm not feeling an inkling of what form it'll take yet.

What do you think your totem animal is? What does this mean to you? Or do you think it's all just hokum?

I'm really interested to know.

And I hope you have a fabulous Friday!

♥

A little cloud...

...of butterflies has taken up residence in the corner of my room...

...where they float and dance on the summer breeze coming in through the window and make me smile. Every day.

Thank you my friend.

I love them!

♥

A midweek meeting...

...in the park

A

K

K and A

(bridesmaid and bride)

Only a month to go now until the wedding, so we are considering our 'to do' lists carefully. And we thought a little sunshine might add some magic. It did.

♥

P.S. yes, I do LOVE it but I'm a wimp in the sun. red hair + very fair skin = it having bitten me once too often. so I just have to deal with the umbrella teasing... it's okay, I can take it. *smile*