Blog Archives - A Cottage by the Sea

Always seeking meaning~

10/31/2016

     I’m still working on the article, and plan to send it our after I tweak the title to my satisfaction.
    Today, however, I’ve been think about friends I see only occasionally. We get together once in a while, maybe just a couple of times a year, exchange a few emails, and that is enough--unless something comes up, and then communication picks up. Because we are not involved in the details of each other’s lives, our conversations are free of judgments about what one of us should do. Instead, we get right to the point of life--what we are doing to find meaning in our lives.
    The other day a friend acknowledged that his ninety-year-old mother-in-law on hospice is still searching for meaning. In accompanying her, the family is also finding personal and collective meaning. Death, one of our biggest teachers, shows us that meaning making is communal.
    Hmm, here’s a post script: for those of us who love silence, solitude and simplicity, that longing can only be satisfied in community.

Writing spots in Florence

10/26/2016

Here’s an update on the article I’m writing about Florence that I’ve mentioned from time to time on this blog. Once again it is coming along. My current plan is to submit it to Huffington Post, which means I’ve had to reduce it to the Post’s requirements—no more than 1000 words. They also seem to like numbered, bold-faced headings.
I’ve changed the title from “Seven Days Writing in Florence” to something along the lines of “Seven Writing Spots in Florence”. I still want to publish the longer article, but for now, I’m going to try this. Thank goodness for computers with that ‘save as’ feature.

Alone time~

10/23/2016

It pays to be sensitive about our need for solitude. I’m talking about time alone in the midst of a busy life. When I notice myself fading away from the social scene, I look for an opportunity to remove myself for some quiet time, rather than rudely stare off into the distance. Then when I am with people, there is a better chance that I can be present to them.
This weekend during our visit to Lancaster, I stayed back at the house while the rest of the family went antiquing. I napped, wrote, read and walked. I was renewed. It wasn’t enough just to have silence; I loved being completely alone with no other human being in view.

Be positive~

10/21/2016

I have to admit how very difficult is for me to keep away from politics on TV and in the newspaper. I’m trying to balance the negativity with expressions of gratitude and by being kind and positive. I have faith that our country will rise above the negativity and learn from it. After all, we have done so before.

I've had it with the news~

10/17/2016

I’ve had it with the news. I have never watched soap operas, and yet here I am glued to the reality show being played out on all the news channels. How easy it is to get pulled into salacious events!
My attention to the news has effected me in several ways. It has usurped my time, which is bad enough. It has unwittingly directed me to view many of the routines in my personal life negatively, rather than seeing positive possibilities. I have forgotten to express gratitude. It has made me feel slovenly, purposeless and closed off.
I’m about to take a walk on this beautiful God given day. I have time, even to start a jigsaw puzzle My heart is open.

Knitting into solitude

10/14/2016

I know I’m not the only one challenged to find ways to ‘get out of my head’. We human beings can think too much for our own good; at least I can. Solitude isn’t just about being physically alone; there is mental solitude as well.
Although immersing myself in jigsaw puzzles has been a satisfying solution for me in the past six years, I haven’t started one in the past few months. Instead, I have taken on two knitting projects. One is a prayer shawl, with a simple back and forth of knit three, purl three. The other is an afghan, with a knit row of 215 stitches, followed by a knit, slip a stitch row, all with two strands of alpaca. The heaviness of this afghan takes more concentration and physical effort than the prayer shawl, but each provides me the freedom to ‘get out of my head’, along with the satisfaction of creating meaning.

Columbus Day in New England~

10/12/2016

Just the right balance of solitude and life energy on my walk this morning.

Musing about beauty~

10/8/2016

Every time I visit the Museum of Russian Icons I take new pictures. By new I mean that I photograph the same icon again. It’s the same with my trips to Florence; I can’t resist snapping my favorites every time I see them. Then there are the hundreds of sunrises I took during my five years at the cottage by the sea that I need to delete from iPhoto. And what about the fall foliage?
What is it about beauty that is so universally noticeable? Granted, people might disagree about a particular painting, sculpture, or piece of architecture, but not so about nature. We might have a favorite sunrise, but do you know anyone who thinks one is ugly?

Random favorites

Casa Guidi in Florence~

10/5/2016

    Since returning home, I’ve been trying to schedule daily, morning writing time to work on the article, “Seven Days Writing in Florence.” One of the themes is inspiration, and as you can imagine, Florence is overflowing with it.
    Today I wrote about my visit to Casa Guidi, the home of Elizabeth and Robert Browning from 1847 until 1861. The apartment is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3 to 6. Ring the bell and the door will be unlocked; in you go, and up the stairs to the first floor to be welcomed by a host or hostess of the Landmark Trust, UK. I wandered through the Browning’s bedroom, sitting room and studies, and onto the portico where Elizabeth spent much of her time, and spent time examining many of the original furnishings.
   One can make a reservation through the Landmark Trust, UK to say in the apartment, but I understand it is booked for many years to come.

"Just throw it on the grill"

10/2/2016

We have an expression in our family ‘thrown’ out there by both women (those in charge of the kitchen) and men. “Just throw it on the grill,” we all say when company is coming or when there are many feed. It means different things to different people, depending on their role. I’m sure you get it.
Last night I was in charge of throwing it on the grill, although it was not the grill but the oven; roasted chicken with potatoes, carrots and a side of green beans. Delicious. I was happy to prepare it and the family was grateful. As I peeled and cooked away, however, I recalled the delicious meals I savored in Italy, and why I cherished eating out. I would sit for a long time being in the moment, sometimes writing in my journal, sometimes reading on my Kindle, always appreciating the preparation, always taking the time to eat and be grateful.