Friday, November 13, 2015

Friday Ramble - Ten Years On

On the first Sunday in November, time danced backward an hour in the little blue house in the village, and Daylight Saving Time waved goodbye until next year. The week also marked ten straight years of blogging, ten years of logging on here in the morning, posting an image or three, then muttering along for a few paragraphs. Astonishing stuff indeed, and it boggles the mind—there are still moments when I can't believe I had the audacity to set this e-journal up in the first place, let alone do the blogging thing faithfully for ten years in a row.

These are my vägmärken (road marks), my morning or artist's pages, and they will probably remain pretty much as they are in the coming year. There may be a scant handful of font and banner tinkerings now and again, but that is about it. I don't foresee any significant changes to this place, and I expect life will simply go on as it has been doing so far.

We will continue to meander along at our own pace, watching morning fogs enfold the eastern Ontario highlands and oak leaves raining like honey in the autumn woods, feasting our eyes on skies alight with winter stars, on the sun going down like a ball of fire over Dalhousie Lake at the trailing edge of the year. This year's serious health "stuff" notwithstanding, it's grand to be here and all wrapped up in what we like to call simply, "the Great Round".  Every morning, the small adventures of our journeying will continue to make their way here and get spilled out on the computer screen with a bad photo and a whole rucksack of wonder. Mary Oliver says it best:

The years to come – this is a promise –
will grant you ample time

to try the difficult steps in the empire of thought
where you seek for the shining proofs you think you must have.

But nothing you ever understand will be sweeter, or more binding,
than this deep affinity between your eyes and the world.
(excerpt from Terns)

In another poem, she wrote that sometimes one needs only to stand wherever she is to be blessed, something I need to remember and am always forgetting. Thank you for journeying along with me this year. You are treasured more than you can ever know.

17 comments:

Pienosole said...

Thank YOU! You are treasured, perhaps more than you know as well.

Lindsay said...

This is the only blog I read every day.

Wendi said...

Oh my, Cate, it's you who is a treasure! Thank you for being here everyday and soothing my heart with your gorgeous images and soulful words.:)

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Cate, I treasure your words
first thing every morning
like 5:00 AM or earlier
I am reading you
for inspiration.

Kameshwari said...

This blog is the highlight of my day. For me, this is my very first blog subscription. Each blog is part of that flame that lights my way into each day. Thank you for being there for me and others. Sending deep appreciation from this Juicy Crone Sister.

Barbara Rogers said...

I'm a year younger than you at blogging, and it's a wonderful family of readers and friends - those who comment are so dear to me now. I read your posts every day, though I'm not inclined to speak often. Thank so much for being you and sharing yourself in this way.

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

Thank you ...you are and this blog is a treasure to me each and every day I'm able to show up!

What in the World said...


Thank You Cate, for 10 years of Beautiful images and words, and for bringing so much JOY into my life everyday!!!!


Tabor said...

I just bought her new book and so looking forward to getting it in the mail! I will go back and look for your "bad" photos, and that will take me a long, long, time.

Paula said...

Thank you for simply posting. Every day. An exemplary practice and so beautiful too.

Elliot Tanager said...

Oh the joy you bring to my subway ride! Wishing you good health and wondrous wanderings for years to come.

sarah said...

I am so glad I found your beautiful webspace, it is a blessing on my day. It's wonderful that you're going to contnue on.

Mystic Meandering said...

Thank you, as always, for your Presence here... You have always been an inspiration to me - your writings and photography. I have loved taking the journey with you for at least 6 of the last 10 blogging years. :) Am looking forward to more of your potterings. You bring such light to this space! Thank you for all that you offer here...

Maggie Emm said...

What can we say, you are part of our lives, and that is what it's all about! Thank you x

Marcie said...

So glad you continue to blog! I have been blogging almost as long, but not nearly as consistently! You are a wonder and an inspiration . I have loved reading your beautiful posts through these years.

Shell said...

I enjoy reading your rich words and gazing at your beautiful pictures. May you have many more rewarding years of blogging, Cate.

Debbie said...

Smiling the warmest, biggest congratulations your way, dearest Cate, and doing a little happy dance in your honor, too. I so cherish that I've known you all 10 years (plus a few months) and still enjoy checking in on how things are over in your corner of our beautiful earth. You are a treasure and I'm so grateful for your continued presence in my life.

Love you!
<3