It doesn’t happen often. When it does happen, I somehow feel an obligation to explain. Where have I been? Why have I been ‘absent’?

Leisure by W. H. Davies

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
And stare as long as sheep and cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

You could say I’ve metaphorically been standing and staring. I’ve quite intentionally taken a soft break from writing. Part of the break was necessary simply because I had a series of quite wonderful family & life events to prepare for and to be completely immersed in, rather than busying myself with the online world. In brief, there was a buoyant week with my adult granddaughter visiting; the return home of my husband after a month-long road trip; a big party being planned for a milestone birthday; my son arriving for a week to help me celebrate said birthday; and then there was another great mentoring workshop from (photographer) David du Chemin that has had me standing and staring (and doing a LOT of introspection).

That’s where I have been — standing, staring and planning.

As always, I am grateful you are here and, I hope you’ll bear with me and follow along as I develop my future bodies of work.

focus on dried weeds at the edge of a lake with an (intentionally) out-of-focus, multi-coloured dog in the water of the background.

Although all photographs on this site are mine, the lead photograph of the person in the yellow sweater at the top of this post is by:

Cassandra Friesen

2 thoughts on “stand and stare”

  1. From all that has taken place, you must now need the time to “sit and relax”. It’s been a whirlwind of welcomed opportunities for you. And Happy Birthday to you! A beautiful photo by Cassandra with the light filtering through the towering pines with verdant hues.

  2. This was delightful to read, Diane. I’m so glad to hear you are living your days with exuberant joy and presence. Happy Birthday! Enjoyed the lovely poem you shared by W.H. Davies. He did get to the nub of what’s important in life. Thank you!

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