Wow!

To see a World in a Grain of Sand

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand

And Eternity in an hour.

(Words from the first stanza of William Blake's poem "Auguries of Innocence".)


I wish I knew what William Blake was trying to say.  I've read the poem in completion; it seems to be a struggle between good and evil.  I do think the first stanza could stand alone.   Maybe it means we only need to break the bindings of time and space to find all that is beautiful.  Impossible?

I am a believer of all things good and impossible.
All I need do is look into the eyes of a loved one
or hold the hand of a child.

Several days ago one of my children ask me how much I loved her.
I replied, "I love you to the moon and back".
Remembering my daughter and I playing this game every night
when she was little, I stopped and said, "That's not true.
I love you to infinity and back and back again".
She looked up at me, paused and in a quiet voice said, "Wow!"

It is here where I find my grain of sand, my wildflower.  I hold this moment in the palm of my hand
and in it is my hour that is an eternity....

And with a happy heart and a smile,  I say
 "Wow!"

Busy Hands and Minds

“We can make a little order where we are, and then the big sweep of history on which we can have no effect doesn't overwhelm us. We do it with colors, with a garden, with the furnishings of a room, or with sounds and words. We make a little form, and we gain composure.”   --Robert Frost

    

Saturday the sun was shining and the temperature was pleasant.  It was a perfect morning for donning work clothes and my hat to putter around the gardens.  Roger decided to thin out the english ivy.   I was pulling a few weeds and cleaning paths all the while sketching a plan in my head of things I wanted to move and things I wanted to add.  When I reached the area where he was working I began picking up all the discarded ivy, adding it to my waste bucket.   We started talking about my plan, he continued his clearing and I began playing with the ivy.  Soon I was focused on picking up the long strands and weaving them in and around until I had a small wreath perfect for the garden gate.

When the leaves wilt and die, I will simply strip them away, or not, and have a very fine vine wreath.

I thought it was a rather clever use of my time. 

******

Happy Birthday Robert Frost!

I love to read poetry to my children.  I keep this book of poems by Robert Frost in my classroom and often read from it.  Although not directly related, each poem is accompanied by a stunning watercolor illustration, by Henri Sorensen.  The children know when I pick up this book we will be spending a little time just looking around to see what is happening outside our window.

Today we watched a robin gather twigs, I suppose, for a nest.  As I stepped back away from the children, I couldn't help but wonder what we must look like from the outside.  I had two or three bodies in each window vying for the perfect view while I pointed and turned little faces toward our small laboring neighbor.





  These poems are the perfect combination of nature and verse.  Two things children are naturally drawn to.  I don't think it is ever to early to begin reading poetry to children, and this is a wonderful introduction.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

A Prayer For a Child

From here on earth

From my small place

I ask of You

Way out in space

Please tell all men

In every land

What You and I

Both understand.

Please tell all men

That Peace is Good

That's all

That need be understood

In every world

In Your great sky.

(We understand

Both You and I.)

                                    Dr. Seuss

I hope you have something "seussical" planned for today.  

It is the perfect day for a plate "green eggs and ham".

Farewell Sweet October

Saturday morning Roger, Willie and I hiked Pinnacle Mountain.  It was an absolutely glorious morning.  Our colors are just now beginning to change.  I'm not ready to give up October.

O HUSHED October morning mild, Thy leaves have ripened to the fall; To-morrow's wind, if it be wild, Should waste them all. The crows above the forest call; To-morrow they may form and go. O hushed October morning mild, Begin the hours of this day slow, Make the day seem to us less brief. Hearts not averse to being beguiled, Beguile us in the way you know; Release one leaf at break of day; At noon release another leaf; One from our trees, one far away; Retard the sun with gentle mist; Enchant the land with amethyst. Slow, slow! For the grapes' sake, if they were all, Whose leaves already are burnt with frost, Whose clustered fruit must else be lost-- For the grapes' sake along the wall.

... Robert Frost