Friday, November 03, 2017

Friday Ramble - Twelve Years On

On Sunday morning, clocks will dance backward an hour in the little blue house in the village, and Daylight Saving Time will wave goodbye until next year. This week also marks twelve years of being here in cyberspace, twelve years of logging on in the morning, posting an image or two (sometimes three) and occasionally muttering along for a few paragraphs. Sometimes, I can't believe I had the audacity to set this "book of days" up in the first place, let alone do the blogging thing faithfully for twelve years in a row.

These are my my vägmärken (road marks), my morning or artist pages, and they will probably remain pretty much as they are in the coming year. There may be a bit of font and banner tinkering now and again, but that is as far as it goes. 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 three will meander along at our own pace, watching morning fogs enfold the eastern Ontario highlands and oak leaves rain 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.

Two adored and cherished traveling companions, Penny and Dolores, passed beyond the fields we know this year and so did my sweet Spencer.  Now it is Beau who wanders along with us, and he is turning out to be an absolute treasure. Health issues notwithstanding, it's grand to be here and all wrapped up in what we call simply, "the Great Round".  Some days are more difficult than others, but 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. The incandescent Mary Oliver still 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 try to remember. Thank you for your kind thoughts and healing energies, for your cards and letters, for journeying along with me this year. You are treasured more than you can ever know.  Alas, my fingers are still not working very well, thanks to chemotherapy.  If they were, I would write each and every one of you.

11 comments:

Col said...

many lights from the core...

Barbara Rogers said...

Your gift to me, has been yourself...I may not have seen these posts for the whole 12 years, but since I discovered you, my mornings are a bit easier, and definitely contain more smiles. May you have another 12, if you so chose, and I will be eagerly anticipating each and every one. And if things change, as inevitably they do, I share my gratitude today.

Blue Sky Dreaming said...

I've been here every morning for 9 of those years and I truly thank you.

Mystic Meandering said...

I've been tagging along here for about 8 years. Your inspiring blog is the first one I read each morning. Cate, you already know that I love your writings and your artful photography, although you dismiss it... :) It is full of Light and Life! Am glad you are still here through your many health challenges to share the beauty that you see in life - encouraging me to do the same.
Heart Hugs

littlemancat said...

Your words and photos are a gift - thank YOU! Sending all good thoughts,
Mary

Anonymous said...

I add my thanks to the rest. I love seeing the photos and reading the accompanying words. You're an inspiration. Hugs and light.

Beth Owl's Daughter said...

And sending you my own deepest gratitude, as well.

Your blog is one of my most important lifelines, and your countless gifts that have woven their way through my life -- authors, images, poetry, lore, thoughts, dreams -- illuminate and inspire me to my very core.

Blessings and more hugs, dear sister of heart and spirit. Here's to many, many more happy circlings round. ~ Beth

Kameshwari said...

This blog post has been a sacred place for me. Sometimes it is the geese chasing their seasonal destinations, other times it is the moon that brings me to the present moment. Wordless Wednesdays, Friday Rambles, Thursday poems all have their good rhythm and ritual. The precision of your words, the focus of a camera lens have taught me so much about communicating in this world. You are my secret Juicy Crone mentor. With so much gratitude, Kameshwari-kate

Guy said...

Thanks Cate

"Times in the morning early
when it rained and the long gray
buildings came forward from darkness
offering their windows for light."

Some Things the World Gave
Mary Oliver

Guy

Shell said...

Happy 12 years,Cate. Your blog is one of the few blogs I happily return to time and time again.

What in the World said...

Thank you Cate, you have blessed my life with so much beauty, wonder and wisdom!