Artist

Alexander Averin

Wednesday 31 December 2008

New Days

Dear Diary,

Sorry I have been absent for so long. I blame the season, is it safe to come out now?

To wish you all a Very Happy and Peaceful New Year, here are just a few pictures of the hoary frost that has hung around all day. Last night's dark fog turned into bright beauty and it stayed with is all the day long. We took the dogs for a walk up in the forestry.


The walk begins.



This is 'our river' further downstream and the rest are views from a 'high spot'.



I'll leave you with a poem by the late John O'Donohue whose words are still missed.


The Inner History of a Day


No one knew the name of this day;
Born quietly from deepest night,
It hid its face in light,
Demanded nothing for itself,
Opened out to offer each of us
A field of brightness that traveled ahead,
Providing in time, ground to hold our footsteps
And the light of thought to show the way.

The mind of the day draws no attention;
It dwells within the silence with elegance
To create a space for all our words,
Drawing us to listen inward and outward.

We seldom notice how each day is a holy place
Where the eucharist of the ordinary happens,
Transforming our broken fragments
Into an eternal continuity that keeps us.

Somewhere in us a dignity presides
That is more gracious than the smallness
That fuels us with fear and force,
A dignity that trusts the form a day takes.

So at the end of this day, we give thanks
For being betrothed to the unknown
And for the secret work
Through which the mind of the day
And wisdom of the soul become one.


John O'Donohue

1954-2008


Go mbeannai Dia duit,

Cait

18 comments:

Leenie said...

I am so glad you took time to share the beauty of the land around you! It is so dry here that we seldom see the lace left everywhere by a deep fog. Even the layout of those fields is so beautiful. And the poem is inspiring. Thanks again and best wishes for 2009.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

"the eucharist of the ordinary". How I love that line. So true. Your photos show a fairyland right outside your door. Pure beauty. I wish I could step right into one. All the best wishes for a most Happy and Healthy New Year!!

DAB said...

Beautiful as always Cait. Happy New Year TFx

mountainear said...

Isn't the landscape magical in the frost? Your super photographs capture its beauty.

Best wishes for 2009

Nan said...

Oh my gosh, those pictures are just amazing. They look like sketches or etchings or something - not real life. I just love them.

bradan said...

Those are truly amazing photographs Cait, what a beautiful place you live in. Best wishes for 2009. xx

Pondside said...

Happy New Year, Cait, and thank you for another beautiful poem. You know, poetry had really disappeared from my 'radar' until I started reading what you put on your blog. Now it is more and more a part of my everyday - and this Christmas our local paper has featured a different poet every day of the week.

alison said...

Just beautiful, Cait - thanks for sharing your breathtaking landscape! And what a perfect poem to accompany the photos!

Withy Brook said...

My brother who lives high on the North side of the Black Mountains between Brecon and Hay was describing to me earlier the fantastic state of his surroundings. Thank you so much Cait for putting up these photos which show me exactly what he was trying to describe. If it is OK I will send him your url, so he can see.
A very happy new year to you and the best of health.

Westerwitch/Headmistress said...

Happy New Year Cait - hoare frost I think is one of the most beautiful things to photograph - prettier even than snow. Thank you for the photographs - it has been so dry here (yes dry in Scotland!) that our frost needles are still short.

Frances said...

Hello to you, Cait, on New Year's Day.

Thank you for the grace and beauty of the poem and the photographs. It is wonderful to begin a new year seeing nature showing us a path to today and many tomorrows.

How I wish that I had access to those views, and could walk those paths.

I agree with all the prior comments, and like Pondside, particularly thank you for reacquainting me with poetry.

xo

Kitty said...

Those pics are just gorgeous. Happy New Year, Cait!

Faith said...

Wonderful pictures Cait x

TIGGYWINKLE said...

I love these photos Cait. They are just magical. A very Happy 2009 xx

Elizabeth said...

So very lovely - both the images and the words.
Happy New Year.

snailbeachshepherdess said...

Yes Cait - out you come, IT is over for another 12 months. Lovely pictures and a Happy New Year to you and yours

Twiglet said...

Fabulous photos making that landscape look magical. Not sure how I found your blog - Mountainear maybe - Love the poetry.

CAMILLA said...

O Cait, those pictures you have posted for us are gorgeous, thank you for sharing.

Thank you for the beautiful Poem, another one for my dream book Cait.

My love and best wishes to you for 2009.

xx