Resting ...

Thank-you for all your thoughtful comments on Monday on how you are meeting October - some feeling in quieter mood, others fired up with energy for the 25th December... Wonderful, how different we are!

This time of year, in my childhood, we would be dragged out (as it felt to us) for 'a walk in the car': a drive somewhere, then turfed out into the misty dampness along the lakeside. In the pebbled bays and alongside the jetties, we would see sailing boats and dingys upturned, hulls being scraped clean and repainted, lines mended, ropes replaced, then covered with tarpaulin for the quiet of winter. I'm feeling the need to do the same here, metaphorically speaking; instead of the the rush and roar and energy of the sea, the gentle lapping and calm of the lake. And echoing in my veins a favourite Yeats' poem, learnt by heart one October at school. I hope it brings something to you too, today ...

(The photo is not Inishfree, but a little island on a lake not very far away, close to where I lived. Only we Irish could have the familiar de-restriction roadsign standing in water: it's designed for boats!)

Comments

[Amy]

That is a brilliant photo! I'd love to be in a little dinghy rowing out to check the cows :-)

[Helen]

Alexa, you made me laugh - we always used to go for a 'walk in the car' aswell! And that's also my favourite Yeats poem! I have a recording of him reading it which is just so beautiful and which is listened to with great frequency around these parts!

[Julie Kirk]

Beautiful Alexa.

To where shall I bring my bucket of warm soapy water and willing hands for the metaphorical hull cleaning? x

[Sian]

Beautiful new header Alexa! I love that first of all, then I saw the photo of the sign and smiled - I might just know where that is :) I think my favourite Yeats poem is his version of Ronsard's "Quand Vous Serez Bien Vieille" - I can remember writing about it in my Use of English exam many years ago.

A wonderfully autumnal post

[Karen]

Both the new photo in the header and this one as well--gorgeous. I have great respect for folks who can memorize a poem and hold onto it. It's never been one of my gifts.

[Amanda]

Beautiful new header are you going to change them with the seasons. A lovely idea.

[Beverly]

what a wonderfully soothing post, thank you :)

[Lizzie]

Ah, I also love "Innisfree". One of my favourite lines of poetry ever is "and live alone in the bee-loud glade" - it just conjures up such an image of peace and nature (though I think I'd prefer to share my glade with a couple of people!) I love the musicality of Yeats' poetry. It just kind-of sings...

Beautiful photo - and the "road sign" is funny, yes! I also like the photo you have chosen as your autumnal blog header, so calm and misty.