“As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand
that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives
for which we should be particularly grateful.
They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness —
just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breath it;
just warmth and shelter and home folks;
just plain food that gives us strength;
the bright sunshine on a cold day;
and a cool breeze when the day is warm.”
Laura Ingalls Wilder
I love the winter sunshine in Queensland. It is so clear, clean, and blindingly bright, wonderful comfort, especially after biting winds and winter storms.
Sunny days are my favorite time to walk in the fields, to settle my stool down among the tall grasses and just sit awhile as the goats amble and feed.
It’s warm there among the reeds and leafy things, a cozy little nook protected from the wind, a quiet spot for thinking or resting or taking pictures of beautiful weeds that you never notice until you hunker down.
It’s my calming place.
I’m always enchanted by the things I find in the fields when I have nothing to do but look: gossamer spider webs, smooth reeds, and tiny blossoms.
I feel like I’ve disappeared into the pages of a Brambly Hedge story and fully expect to find fully clad mice scurrying about underfoot trailing ropes of crab apples, strings of hazelnuts, and a few bottles of homemade elderberry wine.
The fields always calm me with the sun warm on my face and the wind in the grass soothing and gentle, like waves on the shore.
When the sun is especially warm, it’s all I can do to stay awake. One day I will bring a blanket along and curl up there, hidden away in my own little nest, and fall fast asleep.
As much as I love the fields, it’s lovely to come home again, strolling along the lane, leaves crunching underfoot, as the setting sun illuminates and burnishes everything it touches.
Where is your favorite calming place?
I have a favourite beach where during the day I might be the only one. A long stretch of rock beach hidden from the road requiring shoes to go into the water for a cooling dip. Watching the Merganser ducks and their brood pass by, the occasional kayaker, the gentle lap of the waves, and my book.
That sounds like such a gorgeous and peaceful spot, Val. I think Canadian lakes are beautiful places for solitude and reflection, and I’m so glad you have one near you. 🙂
I go to the beach. There is something about an ocean and the bizillion pebbles that make up the shore that remind me of how small I am (and all my worries are) in the over-all scheme of things. Or the Arizona and Nevada high plains country where untamed land stretches for as far as my eye can see. . .both place also put my importance into perspective. Beautiful photos and great quote today.
The beach is a happy and restorative place for me too, @95ea44c9817c2c8c2a30b7104fdf81c1:disqus 🙂 But then the plains are wonderful too! I grew up on the Prairies in Canada and those wide open spaces never fail to expand my soul. 🙂
For me, having the time to spend in my kitchen. You’ve perfectly captured the beautiful, stark, but gorgeous colours of the Darling Downs in your post. I also love hunkering down between the rows of Winter veg growing in my garden. It is warm, sweet and soul fodder. xxx
Time in the kitchen is a good, good thing, isn’t it, @bc700f7a2dff994b6fd7a151d97f18ce:disqus ? 🙂 I love it too. I’m so glad you like the pictures. 🙂 I think the winter light here is just fantastic. 🙂
I love that phrase, “a calming place”. A walk along the shore always calms me, and I love just seeing and being in nature. The last picture is amazing, what glorious light!!
Me too, @breannemosher:disqus The words themselves soothe me. 🙂 Isn’t the light marvelous??!! I was out with the animals and walked around the corner of the house and saw that. I was stunned and awed. 🙂
I’m in far north Queensland right now, recuperating from illness. It’s way too cold in my home town of Canberra…. I think we’re expecting minus four at the weekend! Loving the warmth and the beauty of the flora and the coast. This is a lovely post, I enjoyed it greatly, thanks!
I’m so sorry you’ve been so ill, @lizposmyk:disqus xo I too am recovering from long, painful illness, so I empathize greatly with what you’re going through. I’m so glad you have warmth where you are! That sounds wonderful! 🙂 I do like winter in Queensland, but I’m really looking forward to the warmth of spring and summer again. 🙂
Thanks Krista! I hope you are well on the road to a healthy place! Heading home today…. cracker frost tomorrow ; (
I sure am, @lizposmyk:disqus – slowly but surely. 🙂
wow, what beautiful photos. My calm spot is a bench by the beach.
A bench by the beach sounds absolutely blissful, @OrgasmicChef:disqus 🙂
Your afternoon sun shot is very beautiful. The ocean is my calming place.
Oh yes, @budgetjan:disqus , I love the ocean too. So very, very much. 🙂
I know that exact feeling…the feeling of warm sunshine on a cold day…and it’s the best.
It IS the best, @joanneeatswellwithothers:disqus 🙂 I imagine you would treasure those warm moments during your cold NYC winters. xo
My spot for private moments is on the shores of Loon lake just as the sun begins to disappear and the loons, who truly speak to each other, begin their mournful wails.
I have similar happy memories of lakes like that up in Canada, @OnePerfectBite:disqus 🙂 So beautiful and serene.
Enchanted’- what a wonderful word. Krista. My calming place….hmm, where is that? I am thinking…..and searching. I’m encouraged by yours though. What beauty, what amazing things to discover. For those who stop and look beyond the weeds. For those who hope….. Lots of love X X X
Gorgeous! It’s bizarre to think that you’re experiencing winter whilst we’re getting 90 degree days here in Los Angeles… but I love the fact that different parts of the world experience different seasons all at the same time. There is something lovely about that. I am trying to get caught up on my blog feed after some intense weeks of work when I didn’t have time to read… loving all of your posts. Your pictures just keep improving! xoxo