I haven’t had much time to write today. It’s been a busier week than I’ve expected, and I’m really just happy it’s Friday. I’m hoping for a more relaxed weekend, putting up Christmas decorations and prepping for Thanksgiving. And speaking of Thanksgiving…
Do you think Annie’s excited?
(Picture’s from a few years ago. I wasn’t in the room when it was taken. I hear she was actually having more fun than she appears to be. With Annie, sometimes it’s hard to tell.)
I’d like to know
the language of the grove,
to understand the subtle
conversation of the trees.
To speak without words,
to give and to take
as they need,
to sustain and support
through heat waves and storms –
there’s a special kind of magic
in those ancient roots
and rustling leaves.
It’s beginning to feel a little wintry around here! (If you’re new or just stumbled across this blog: Hi! My name is Katie, and winter is my favorite season.)
Not quite cold enough for snow, but most of the leaves have fallen off the trees, and yesterday the sky was cloudy and silvery gray. I know some of y’all have already seen your first snowfall, and I am super jealous. But I think we have reason here in Virginia to hope for some white stuff in the coming months.
In the meantime, I’m just enjoying the cooler weather and trying to decide how early is too early to put up Christmas decorations. This week’s fine, right? RIGHT?! (I don’t know why I’m asking. I’m just going to do it anyway…)
I wrote these for the November 2021 Poetry Challenge over at Fake Flamenco (which is a wonderful blog that you should definitely go visit and follow). I’ve never written a tanka before, or done a poetry challenge, for that matter, so I had some fun and wrote a few different poems. Enjoy! And if you want to participate, too, the deadline to post is Sunday, November 16th.
**********
The moon and the sun
They are sisters eternal
Each in her own place
They bring balance to the sky
And harmony to mankind
**********
I can hold it all
Stars and moon, the midnight sky
Wrapped close in my arms
The velvet dark and blue light
A cosmic lover kept safe
**********
Paint the stars with me
Dream the dreams and name the lights
Sing songs of elders
Deep in the dark sky’s belly
Awaken the living flame
Some of you may recall a post from August of 2020 – Three Insomnia Haiku. And well, folks, here we are again, in the Land of Little Sleep. At this point, I feel like I must be among its most frequent and loyal inhabitants.
The facts are these:
I don’t know how many of you know the feeling of staring endlessly at your ceiling in the dark, or of tossing and turning and never quite finding that comfy spot on your pillow, or of flipping through the channels trying to find something (anything) that might bore you to sleep or drown out the invasive anxieties running through your head. But if you’re dealing with any of that, then know that I am with you, my friend, and man, it just really, really sucks. And if you’re not, consider yourself lucky and enjoy that blissful rest you’re getting.
Why am I writing about this now? No idea, honestly. It was just on my mind. It’s been on my mind all day, as I’ve groggily moved from task to task, never quite focusing completely and thinking way too much about the possibility of maybe, just maybe crawling into bed tonight and closing my eyes and cozily drifting off with a purring Gatsby snuggled up beside me.
But I digress.
Or do I?
You know, I’m honestly not sure. I’m sleepy, y’all.
At any rate, if anyone has any clever tricks for falling (and perhaps more importantly STAYING) asleep, feel free to share them! At this point, I’ll try just about anything. Except warm milk. Ew.
It’s Graham’s birthday today! And you know I couldn’t let it pass by without writing a little something.
We don’t have much planned in the way of celebrating – it is a work day – but I’m planning to make his favorite mac and cheese for dinner tonight, and I’m hoping the day isn’t too chaotic in between. And also we have pie. Pie makes everything feel just a little more special, I think.
*WARNING – Mushy, sentimental, and generally lovey-dovey stuff ahead. Sorry not sorry.*
I’m so lucky to have Graham in my life, and so grateful we chose each other, and continue to choose each other every day. And in the spirit of this month of giving thanks, I’m so thankful that I get to spend my days with him, and certainly very thankful indeed that he was, you know, born.
He is my favorite human, and I hope (every year) that his birthday is just as special and memorable and fun and just plain wonderful as he is.
And here we are again,
aren’t we?
A blasé Monday
spent checking things
off the list
(the interminable list).
It’s pretty mundane, sure
(but made better by sunshine
and maybe some good wine
at dinner).
And the hits, well, yeah
they do keep coming,
but that’s not so bad
because life does keep going.
And, hey, as it stands,
at least I’m not bored.
*Well, here I am, posting on a Sunday, which isn’t something I normally do. That is, until now! I’ve been thinking for a while that I wanted to add a day to my posting schedule, so here’s a new feature – Sunday Supper. A quick post (maybe) every Sunday, just talking about what’s going on, what’s on my mind, (sometimes) what’s for dinner, what’s on tap for the week ahead, etc. Hopefully you guys will enjoy it!*
It’s been a lazy day around here, which is probably appropriate, considering that we’ve fallen back an hour and so it’s now getting dark early. I always love this time of year. I know that for lots of people, the extra hours of darkness and the colder weather can be really hard and depressing, but I enjoy slowing down and taking it all in. It feels like the natural order of things. And with the cold comes the cozy, and I like to be cozy.
So does Gatsby.
It’s been chilly for the last week or so, and I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to build our first fire of the season. Today was that day.
And so now I’m sitting here with a cup of Earl Grey tea, typing away by the fire, enjoying the warmth and the yellow lamplight, and pondering what to actually make for supper. I think pasta – easy and quick, and I’ve got some good cheddar cheese and bacon, so I should be able whip up a pretty tasty sauce. As for what next week will bring, well, I’ll think about that tomorrow.
Happy Sunday, y’all, and cheers to a good week to come!
Happy Friday, and I hope you’ve all had a wonderful week so far! I was so excited and honored over the weekend when I saw that The Soul Whispers Blog had nominated me for a Sunshine Blogger Award. I’ve never been nominated before, and it put such a big smile on my face. 😊
So, what is it, and what are the rules? Well, quoting directly from The Soul Whispers Blog (and thank you so much for nominating me!):
The Sunshine Blogger Award “is a peer recognition of the inspiring, creative and motivational work done by bloggers. It is given by bloggers to bloggers who inspire positivity and creativity in the blogging community.”
If you have been nominated:
So, here are my answers:
What or whom inspires you?
I’m lucky to live in a community full of creative people, and they inspire me every day to try new things and push myself outside of my creative comfort zone. But beyond that, Dolly Parton. She’s life goals. Her constant creativity, her immense talent, her kindness and love for her hometown, her authenticity and her confidence…I just love her. And in terms of writers, Neil Gaiman. I love his style, I admire his flexibility and confidence to work in several different areas, and I just enjoy his storytelling.
What is the last book you read?
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury. Highly recommend this entertaining, and pretty quick, read. Next on my list is The Heroine with 1001 Faces by Maria Tatar.
What is your favorite spot in your home?
I quite like my comfy writing chair, which sits beside a west-facing window and right next to a cozy fireplace. Perfect for chilly days like today.
Oatmeal chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, or neither?
Yes. Give me all the cookies.
What was an unforgettable vacation?
Iceland was amazing, but Wales was just heartbreakingly beautiful. As long as I live, I don’t think I’ll ever forget how I felt walking around in Snowdonia. It was like living in a fantasy novel. So, so striking and desolate and full and alive all at the same time.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
That’s a tough question. Looking forward, I hope it will be finally finishing one of the many novels I’ve started writing. But for now, I’m really proud of the volunteer work I’ve done, and also proud to have graduated from college (I was one of the first in my family to), and especially proud that I’ve been able to really focus on my writing and creative work in the last several years.
What is your go-to meal?
Spaghetti Carbonara. Simple, fast, filling, and super tasty.
How has a set-back turned into something better?
I worked in Human Resources for many years and made my way up the corporate ladder for a while before losing my interest and my drive. I really fizzled out in my last HR position, and felt like a failure. Then, I took some time to really think about what I wanted and realized that HR was not my path. The problem wasn’t me. It was HR. I left, and I’ve never once looked back, and I’m happier now than I ever was sitting in an office all day.
What is your tool of choice when writing (e.g. journal, notepad, computer)?
I jot ideas down on whatever loose slip of paper happens to be close to me at the time, but I do keep a notebook, as well. When I actually get down to the business of writing, I use my laptop. Oh, and I only use blue ink pens. I don’t know why. It just feels right.
Which do you prefer: a few friends or the more-the-merrier?
Both, actually, depending on the occasion. I love a big, loud party with lots of chatter and music. It’s fun seeing all of my friends together in one place. But I’m also a huge fan of a quiet sit-down with a few people to really spend some time together. Either way, I get a little tired. But it’s worth it.
What brightens your day?
I find joy in lots of different things. My dog and my cat, especially when they want cuddles or when they’re being silly. Time with Graham. A good book, a funny movie. A new tea, or a bite of something sweet. Life’s all about making your own happiness, so I appreciate any little moment that makes me smile.
And here are my nominees (I love all of these blogs, and you should check them out!):
1. Suzassippi’s Lottabusha County Chronicles
2. Happy Panda
4. It Ain’t Right Till I Write
10. My Inspired Life
And my questions for them:
1. What is your favorite time of day to create (be it writing, art, photography, etc.)?
2. If you could meet one person from history, who would it be?
3. Pizza or sushi?
4. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done yet?
5. What’s one fear you’ve conquered?
6. Winter or summer?
7. The mountains or the beach?
8. Stealing from The Soul Whispers Blog, what/who inspires you? (It’s a good question, y’all!)
9. If you could go back (or forward!) in time, would you?
10. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
11. Do you collect anything? If so, what?
(And of course, there’s an implied “Why?” in all of these questions. 😉)
This was really fun! And it was exceedingly difficult to choose only eleven bloggers to nominate. So here’s a thought: Should I do a monthly feature where I link to other blogs I read? Is that something y’all would enjoy? If you’ve stuck with me this long, let me know! There are so many wonderful creators in this community, and I’m just constantly inspired by all of you. 😊
What’s left
when the leaves
have fallen
and the grass
has gone fallow?
Once the air’s grown cold
and the night sky’s shifted,
once the frost has
come and covered
the hills and meadows,
what’s left to us
in this new
season of darkness?
To rest, to sleep,
to build a hearth fire,
to watch it snow.
To breathe deep and
release a sigh out
among the coming
winter winds.
These belong to us,
are made for us and
left to us by the maiden
and the mother and the crone.
Just as it begins
when new things grow
in a world made bright,
the old year ends
quiet and star light,
with a gentle
and a loving
letting go.
A Virginia Writer's Diary 