Got up on a cool morning. Leaned out a window.
No cloud, no wind. Air that flowers held
for awhile. Some dove somewhere…
these moments
count for a lot–peace, you know.
Let the bucket of memory down into the well,
bring it up. Cool, cool minutes. No one
stirring, no plans. Just being there.
This is what the whole thing is about.
— William Stafford, from “Just Thinking” in “Ask Me: 100 Essential Poems of William Stafford”
Photo: Mine. 5:46 a.m. May 24, 2020. 50° F, feels like 46° F. Wind 12 mph, gusts up to 23 mph. Weed Ave/Cove Island Park, Stamford, CT.
“stirring, no plans. Just being”…sounds perfect David ☺️smiles Hedy
exactly Hedy, a blissful Sunday, and another vacation day tomorrow, doesn’t get better than this!
right ☺️ sending joy and peace 👌
just being there.
Let us remember to draw deep from that well.
Yes…
Ohhhh, love this! I start many mornings on the patio listening to the gentle coo of the resident mourning dove. I can feel my heart rate dropping with every refrain. Peaceful possibility, the day stretching out ahead, a benediction.
Those mourning doves. Magic. Mallards also have the same impact on me.
That is a phenomenal photo.
I also like how the ducks are practicing social distancing…
Ha! I missed that. In fact there were several Conga lines this morning. Thanks Jim.
Great peaceful pic. And I love that 2nd part of the quote. Not so peaceful here, living in a ground floor apartment. Went in the nude through to living to put on the WiFi….. not realising that HH pulled up the stores 15′ earlier. A child with a neighbouring cat chose to walk by exactly the same moment I marched through the room…..
And now it will be my fault that this unknown child will go through life traumatised!
Laughing!
Me too! 🙂
Tell yourself they can’t see in as well as you can see out… you were more like a shadow if they did!!
Funny!
😉
Dale, I’ll find out when and if she’s screaming next time we ‘meet’ each other 😉
(I was mostly mad at HH ‘cause nobody knew why he chose to pull up the stores, as he didn’’t go outside or enjoyed the peace….)
Hahaha!!
Stores = blinds for those who don’t speak French 😉
Bloody HH… had no business doing that!
Yes! We’re fortunate to have a simple A-frame cabin immediately next to a remote wetland where a pair of Trumpeter have bred and raised their young long before we arrived. There are no sounds that break the sacred silence are the honking of the swans and Canadian geese, the primordial cries of loons, the chirping of the red wing blackbirds feeding on the bullrushes, the pecking of woodpeckers, and the night time hooting of an owl. Thank you for a lovely reminder to be thankful.
Love this Gordon. There are “no sounds that break the sacred silence”. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing…
Gordon, sounds like you live in the midst of a little bit of Heaven…in the North Country…Such a blessing to read your words…
Ooohhh.. This is delicious. A soul-satisfying feast of words and images.
Thank you for the morning bliss.
My pleasure. Enjoy your Sunday!
You too David! The sun is shining. The leaves are green. The river flows high but less angry looking and sounding than under yesterday’s cloudy skies. Life is good.
It is….
Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Indeed .. quiet moment!! … “Cool, cool minutes. No one
stirring, no plans. Just being there. This is what the whole thing is about.” … William Stafford, from “Just Thinking” in “Ask Me: 100 Essential Poems of William Stafford” .
I just love that you have been using your own photos lately, David.
This poem is sublime. As I sit here listening to the trills, cheeps, and chirps of the various birds hanging out in our backyards, a light breeze is rustling the leaves. How can one not feel everything slow down and be in the moment?
Happy Sunday to you.
Beautifully captured Dale. Exactly…
You do that, David. You provide the text that makes us stop and think and reflect and be and rejoice and….
Awww, thank you Dale.
Dave, just like Poinsettia in the storybook… “and when the sun finally rose Poinsettia was thee to see it” and you were there to see it too… “Just being there” to take a breath of morning freshness…while Peace settles in your Heart…
So true Christie. Thanks.