A Gentle Pace....

Dear Bloggy Friends

I like to think of this Blog being written 'at a gentle pace'  - in other words, it's not going to contain any political rants, or complaints about anything and everything. That sort of thing seems to be all over social media these days.  People who think it's right to bring others down from the comfort, and often anonymity, of their own homes. I'm hoping that you will read this and dwell on all the good and wonderful things that life has to offer.  Quite often, as we know, it's the simple things that can bring us the greatest happiness - our family, our friendships, walking, having a relaxed, leisurely lunch, to name but a few. 

So here we are in October.  Autumn, the Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness, as written by the English Romantic Poet, John Keats, in his poem "To Autumn".  Don't you just love those words?!  It captures Autumn perfectly for me.  Talking of Autumn, am I in the Autumn of my life? Being in my 70th year, (although I haven't actually had my 70th birthday yet!) I really think I might be. Eeeek! How on earth did that happen.  Perhaps that's why I'm enjoying my life so much at the moment and truly appreciating the beauty that is all around us.  Here are a couple of photos taken in my garden at Autumn.

Well, this is the first post I've written in almost a year, and I think I'm going to enjoy coming back to it again.  I'll finish by posting a photo with my new Mini Cooper S. I love it!  I've always enjoyed driving, but now it's a real joy.  

 

'Bye for now and I'll try not to leave it so long until my next Post 😊

Some Poetry for a Tuesday

 

Just as a photograph or a piece of music can evoke  a  reaction in our human soul, so can a certain poem that we may have read or heard at some time in our lives.  

 I have always loved this poem, ever since it was read out at the funeral scene in Four Weddings and a Funeral.  I would like to share it with you today, and hope you like it.  To me, it is a wonderfully, romantic piece about someone we love dearly no longer being present in our life, at least not in the physical sense.

W. H. Auden - "Stop All The Clocks..."

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

"Slow Dance"

Have you ever watched children on a merry-go-round?

Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down – don’t dance so fast.

Time is short – the music won’t last.

Do you run through each day on the fly?

When you ask “How are you?”, do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed, with the next hundred chores running through your head?

You’d better slow down – don’t dance so fast.

Time is short – the music won’t last.

Ever told your child, “we’ll do it tomorrow?”, and in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die, cause you never had time to call and say “Hi”?

You’d better slow down – don’t dance so fast.

Time is short – the music won’t last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere, you miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift …. Thrown away.

Life is not a race, do take it slower.

Hear the music – before the song is over.