The daffodils were thigh high this year. The Tiger lilies now reach to my lips. They’re not orange like the fruit orange and they give off a soft radiance - a lustre. Magnificent blooms of ‘almost’ orange.
Spring and summer are wet. Cool days and little sun allow the emerald green of new growth to settle.
Christmas consumerism is limited to Enid Blyton’s ‘The Faraway Tree’ collection for the new born’s parents and a two man tent for the ten year old boy.
Presence rather than presents are the order of the day and the retail sector will suffer accordingly. Exit Babylon, stage left.
The best laid plans often come to naught on both a personal and a national level. This is often a bloody good thing and gives hope for the future.
I usually avoid New Year’s Eve like the plague but this one is different because it will be musical. Time spent daily with the guitar and the pic is becoming less like a pick - or a mattock - and starts giving moments of clarity.
Thanks to Griff Hamlin for his guitar lessons. He’s a generous man and introduces his students to Bob Murnahan who breaks down licks into manageable chunks. Neither of these men are hard sell. They don’t spruik their wares and both have a humility which is heart warming.
They come to mind because they’re nourishing. I’ve now got enough nourishing material to last decades. As yet, I’ve got no speed and very little clarity but the five blues boxes are pretty much imprinted on my mind. Wrapping my head around the major/minor - is it three frets up or down the neck? ...... anyway, it’s all progress.
The signs and portents for 2012 are mixed - depending upon your point of view. I’m calm about ‘what will be’. No purpose served in being any other way. It’s always darkest before the dawn.
Before I go off for a shift at work, we’ll play croquet on a tiny strip of lawn. This will be on Christmas Day and if Christ hadn’t existed, we wouldn’t be seeing that spirit manifested in each other.
Who the hell is Santa and how did something that looks like a fat can of coke cola - complete with foaming beard - supplant Christmas....... ah well ...... you have to ‘Yo ho ho ‘ sometimes and you can’t just go by appearance.
Have a joyous moment........ four notes and a bend are still keeping me in a state of wonder .....
As to the machinations of the threadbare ‘Powers that Be’ - clever is not the same as intelligent - the smallest spark of light dispels the dark.
Last night we travelled a few hundred kilometres to witness an end of year drama concert in which the ten year old grandson participated.
His group had put together a series of monologues where the actors had two minutes each to - not so much define their lives but illustrate what was important to them.
With the innocence of childhood, the most searing personal stories were entwined with good humour, stoicism and hope - and they all wanted to BE something when they ‘grew up.’
They want to be something in a world that makes sense.
Not only did they have light in their eyes - so did the audience.
More real joy in that night than in a thousand palaces.
I don’t have anything to say apart from stray thoughts seeking a home.
Whoever you are, good wishes to you.