"tis the gift to be simple tis the gift to be free, tis the gift to come down where you ought to be…" excerpt from a Shaker Song "Simple Gifts" With thanks to Esther for the reminder of this!

Cartoon (c) Michael Leunig

"Without contraries there is no progression." – William Blake,  The Marriage of Heaven and Hell "I am picturing waves – their rhythmic motion, their patterns of slush and light and white, their depth, their sounds, their movement… what better a reminder of simultaneous constancy and motion, than breaking waves spiralling towards a shell lined shore?" – Natalie Shell         "The imagination is [...]

What joy to discover Andy Goldsworthy - with thanks to friend and possessor of many gifts, Seanan. This man clearly speaks with our system. – do you ever get that feeling when you learn something new:  How wonder-full and amazing that this exists! How amazing and wonderous that I went through life without knowing so until [...]

"Row, row, row your boat Gently down the stream Merrily, merrily, merily Life is but a dream." It seems so obvious, this little ditty we sung growing up – but until I was sent it in an email today by Paul, I didn’t concentrate on the words at all. Go on – go back and [...]

"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." – Edgar Allan Poe, poet and short-story writer 1809-1849 A dear friend, Martin, sent me this quote today and I couldn’t help but grin upon reading it. But as I went to put it online for you to experience the same [...]

You have a magic carpet That will whiz you through the air, To Spain or Maine or Africa If you just tell it where. So will you let it take you Where you’ve never been before Or will you buy some drapes to match And use it On your Floor? – Shel Silverstein

The Magician He collects drops of light and juggles them with laughter, so we know it doesn’t matter if they fall – Karla Andersdatter, Naked in the Garden, 1998   Thank you Paul – what a delightful poem to read this morning!

"Through all the world there goes one long cry from the heart of the Artist: Give me leave to do my utmost" – Isak Dineson – Babette’s Feast Thank you Kovari. Thank you Martin.  Thank you Alice. Thank you Nicole. Thank you Andrea. Thank you Diana. Thank you. PS Isak Dineson is actually the pen [...]

Once in the dream of a night I stoodLone in the light of a magical wood,Soul-deep in visions that poppy-like sprang;And spirits of Truth were the birds that sang,And spirits of Love were the stars that glowed,And spirits of Peace were the streams that flowedIn that magical wood in the land of sleep. Lone in [...]