My Pocket

i like moss

I like moss.

And I like this song. Life is like that sometimes.

You can make a plan
Carve it into stone
Like a feather falling
It is still unknown

Until the clocks speak up
Says it’s time to go
You can choose the high
Or the lower road

You might clench your fist
You might fork your tongue
As you curse or praise
All the things you've done

And the faders move
And the music dies
As we pass over
On the arc of time

So you’ll nurse your love
like a wounded dove
in the covered cage of night
Every star is crossed
by frenetic thoughts
that separate and then collide
and they twist like sheets
‘til you fall asleep
and then finally unwind
It’s a black balloon,
it’s a dream you’ll soon
deny

--------

To the deepest part
Of the human heart
The fear of death expands
‘Til we crack the code,
we have always known
But could never understand
On a circuit board
We’ll soon be born
Again, again, again, again…

Arc of Time, Bright Eyes

evening light comes early

quiet

Hiya... I'm feeling a bit quiet, as I sometimes do. Life is sweet those times though, somehow it slows down and makes you suddenly realise and appreciate with tenderness all the beauty and love it is showing you. You know? There just isn't much to say about it, it is, is all. :)

Wishing you peace.

the vegetable garden

Hello! I am here, just been a bit busy. How are you? Good I hope. We've had sunshine and I've been so happy for it. I'm off for a walk in it after this. I've just been wanting to show you the vegetable garden that is right outside the school, have a look at a view from above here if you like. It's all organic and the main part is kept by the two gardeners, but the students have their own plots too, learning about gardening in a special compulsory class called Care for the Earth. They can grow whatever they like, be it vegetables, flowers, grass or all strawberries, as long as they take care of it. Oh, or tadpoles, because one of the plots is all pond. The garden has two greenhouses, an orchard (you've seen the apples already), a strawberry patch, raspberry shrubs and rows and rows of vegetables like lettuce, beetroot, broccoli, broad beans, parsnips and leeks.

I like the rainbow chard.

And the spinach.

The greenhouses have sweetcorn, peppermint, sweet basil

and runnerbeans

cucumbers (they're so sweet! So hard to eat shop-bought ones after that)

tomatoes

of all shapes and sizes

and chillies. Though I never have any of those. Do you?

I hope you are well and enjoying yourself, maybe having some summer fruit?

early autumn colours

Anne Marie recently reminded me how much I like autumn. We're not even out of July yet, I know! But still, I was inspired to go out and find some colours, if not autumn colours then just rich, deep, earthy colours like these reds, oranges and yellows. Actually, there are already some harbingers of autumn too, like apples and pears that are ripening now.

Apart from apples and pears there are plums on the way, a few elderberries that I've seen, the figs outside our bedroom window, raspberries still and damsons along the roads. The grapes in the rose garden are probably quite plump already too, must remember to look.

The mullberries are beginning to turn dark and I'm looking forward to having a few, only a few, but plenty of juice running down my fingers because I really can't help it.

magnolia

Another of the magnolias have unfolded its petals. In the morning it was a tight bud the size of both my fists. I could smell its faint scent from several steps away. By lunchtime as I came out the door of the school I knew it had opened to bloom as I could smell it already meters away. I love the silky feel of its heavy head in my hands, dipping my nose in and breathing in the perfume. It will be gone by Thursday I should think. But what does a flower know about Thursday, there is sunshine to bask in and bees to see.

I know about Thursday, because by Saturday I have to hand in this blasted essay. Sorry about the language, but writing essays are one of my least favourite pastimes. Like pulling teeth. So, let's talk no more about it. When I am finished do you know what I will do? Finish this:

Can't show or say anymore about it for the moment as it is a gift for one of my old friends in Sweden who has had a baby. I liked her so much in school I don't know why I didn't keep in touch. I just don't generally. Don't expect people would want to stay in touch with me. But in this case, she is so worth it and I am so terribly late with replying to the lovely letter she sent me that no excuses will do. I want to make her this in any case. And perhaps she will even still talk to me?

field of blue

We passed a blue field on our walk yesterday. Honest!

See?

Borage in English : Gurkört in Swedish.

Dance

Dance, when you're broken open.
Dance, if you've torn the bandage off.
Dance in the middle of fighting.
Dance in your blood.
Dance, when you're perfectly free.

Rumi

Desire and the Importance of Failing

"You know how it is. Sometimes
we plan a trip to one place,
but something takes us to another.

When a horse is being broken, the trainer
pulls it in many different directions,
so the horse will come to know
what it is to be ridden.

The most beautiful and alert horse is one
completely attuned to the rider.

God fixes a passionate desire in you,
and then disappoints you.
God does that a hundred times!

God breaks the wings of one intention
and then gives you another,
cuts the ropes of contriving,
so you'll remember your dependence.

But sometimes, your plans work out!
You feel fulfilled and in control.

That's because, if you were always failing,
you might give up. But remember,
it is by failures that lovers
stay aware of how they're loved.

Failure is the key
to the kingdom within.

Your prayer should be, "Break the legs
of what I want to happen. Humiliate
my desire. Eat me like candy.
It's spring, and finally
I have no will."

* part of one of my favourite Rumi poems : Desire and the Importance of Failing - Translated by Coleman Barks *

my plants

The sun is out again - after a few weeks of rain. Before that it had been consistently hot, sunny and dry for something like 7 weeks, so we certainly deserved to be poured on, but nevertheless it lifts my spirits to have warm air and light pouring into my room instead.

I'm taking the opportunity to introduce my green friends in the window today. The climber sprawling across the top has been with us for three years now and seems happy to not explore any further. The wee succulent in the left corner was a birthday present for D's brother two or three years ago but he never made it as we liked him too much having kept him for a week before the event. The tree next to him is an olive variety I got a month or so ago. I love trees and climbers, and succulents as of late (the wee birthday one has been in D's room until I nicked him this year).

This other succulent I found yesterday. I've spotted this plant in quite a few blogs lately so I expect it's popular. It certainly has an amazing colour.

The aloe vera was smuggled by me into Britain three years ago when I moved country from Sweden. Its mother is thriving just the same in my old room in my parents' place (they've got a lust for life for sure!) and it's time for a new pot very soon.

Have a nice Thursday!