it's that time of year

it's that time of year

a middle tennessee garden blog


finding beauty in the natural things around us makes for one happy self and a lovely life. ~marmee

dash home farm, leiper's fork, tennessee

Monday, November 10, 2008

cloistered



Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife
Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;
Along the cool sequester'd vale of life
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.

Thomas Gray (1716 - 1771




I was never less alone than when by myself.

Edward Gibbon (1737 - 1794)







My dreams were all my own;
I accounted for them to nobody;
they were my refuge when annoyed—my dearest pleasure when free.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797 - 1851)




Nobody can have the soul of me.
My mother has had it, and nobody can have it again.
Nobody can come into my very self again, and breathe me like an atmosphere.

D. H. Lawrence (1885 - 1930)







We must reserve a little back-shop, all our own, entirely free,
wherein to establish our true liberty and principal retreat and solitude.

Attributed to Michel de Montaigne (1533 - 1592)





And I was taught to feel, perhaps too much,
The self-sufficing power of Solitude.

William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850)


I stood Among them,
but not of them; in a shroud Of thoughts
which were not their thoughts
I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs: A palace and a prison on each hand.
Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)




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32 comments:

Anonymous said...

How lovely are your images and deep are your thoughts. All this poetry has me speaking in prose, LOL. That LOL will break the spell for sure! :-)
Frances

ps Hope you don't mind such a silly comment for your beautiful post.
f

Unknown said...

Well that was pretty, the words and the photos. Love the path to the little building.

marmee said...

thank you frances, i am totally in love with humor, it's what makes the world keep smiling.

marmee said...

darla,
i loved that path too, it makes my imaginative side come alive. thanks for reading and looking.

Brenda Pruitt said...

Perfect words, poetic in tone, for the imagery provided along with it. I too love the path. Meandering, like our lives seem to be most times.
Brenda

Wendy said...

Lovely pics. I also loved the meandering path. And the poetry - so wise.

Meems said...

Marmee, Great images. Some I recognize... some not. Where is that little house with the stone path? I left my camera in MLM's diaper bag yesterday. She took it home of course. I feel naked today.
Hope you are having a great night. It was beautiful here today... I was in the garden alllll day!
Meems

Susie said...

That was a lovely post Marmee. The pictures were nice but the words were very strong. I think all of us can definitely use solitude.

I'm afraid I'm like everybody else, love the stone walkway by the little shed.

Gail said...

Lovely Marmee...your photographs are excellent and so are the poems and quotes you've chosen to add to them! You are having such a good time with your camera;-)

Gail

Rusty in Miami said...

Well done, excellent quotes to reflect on

marmee said...

brenda,
thank you, i am in need of some time alone. i should be able to have some tommorrow.i love putting the words with the images. it is soothing to my heart.

marmee said...

wendy,
if only i could write the words like the ones i posted. it's in my heart and head but eludes my pen.
that path makes me want to explore or imagine what was used for.

marmee said...

meems, we are very chilly here but the consolation is the fire in the hearth. i have had a little bit of time sitting, reflecting.
that stone path and little house was from cheekwood. i thought you might remember it. i love pathways that you can't see where they end.
good for you to be in your garden all day. we took mr. phil for a drive on the natchez parkway and
ate at the famous loveless cafe'.
he went home late this afternoon.
so we are without company for the first time in three weeks. i have loved it all but am ready for some solitude.

marmee said...

susie that pathway picture is one of my favourites too. i love to use my imagination to think what could be on the other side, or dream of what i would like to see or build on the other side.
there is a time for everyone to be alone.

marmee said...

gail,
i am a photographer, a romantic, an artist, an imaginator extraordinare...thank you...it is fulfilling to me that you liked it and felt something from it.
my camera is my partner to get my thoughts and feelings out.

marmee said...

rusty in m,
thank you it is my joy to do this!
glad you liked it!

Q said...

Dear Marmee,
I too need solitude every day.
I need time out in nature. I turn off the radio and listen to my own thoughts.
I also express through the lens of the camera. I love your photographs. Not only do I love the captures, Monarch on viola is a great one, but also what your eye sees. The single wildflower express solitude as quickly as a well turned phrase.
Thank you for a lovely stroll.
Namaste,
Sherry

marmee said...

sherry,
your words are always laced with kindness and for that i am grateful. i am thankful for being able to express what i may not be able to articulate thru my lens.
there is a release that happens and feels necessary.
thanks for coming along.

Thistledew Farm said...

Thanks for allowing us a few minutes today to enjoy beauty and just think about simple things!!!

Roses and Lilacs said...

I really enjoyed this post. Quiet and contemplative. I love to look at stone used in the landscape. Very nice examples.
Marnie

marmee said...

thistle dew,
i hope to give everyone who visits a little solace. thanks for coming by.

marmee said...

marnie,
thank you i have been doing some reflecting this week so far. i am happy you were touched.

Arissa Mae said...

Loved the poetry...my dear dear Wordsworth...can't ever get enough!
And BYRON too!! Ahhh....

Cheryl said...

Beautiful post...lovely words.....and my favourite W.Wordsworth......
I love the single bloom of verbena bonariensis....it really speaks to me.....it is so solitary.....

and can I sit on that bench please....it looks so perfect......

marmee said...

arissa mae,
i thought you'd like this post but i wasn't sure you would get around to it but i am certainly glad you did. i have been thinking of you alot lately. i know God is faithful.

marmee said...

cheryl,
yes please have a moment on this wonderful stone bench, i would really like to add one like it to my garden. it spoke volumes to me from the gardens of cheekwood.
i absolutely love poetry, my dh is an wonderful poet.

Anonymous said...

Nice - Rach

Unknown said...

I have been trying to access your most recent post a day walking, it will not come up. I don't know why this happens sometimes, I will continue to try. I do enjoy your blog.

joey said...

Heavy thoughts, lovely photos, beautiful post, dear Marmee!

marmee said...

thank you rachel!

marmee said...

darla,
i have been spending countless hours trying to post a movie i made unsuccessfully. so i finally made a regular post with words. arrggghhh! oh well i have always said i was challenged technologically. it is posted now but not the way i wanted with music.

marmee said...

joey,
i have deep thoughts that need expressing. thanks joey!