Phone call from a friend this morning at 0730 "Are you still ok for dinner tonight?"
Me "I thought it was the 4th we were going."
Friend "It is."
Me "But that's tomorrow."
Friend "It can't be. Friday is the 4th. I've just checked."
Me "Yes. But today's Thursday."
Friend "It can't be I've just looked in my diary."
Duh!
So it's not just me who has problems!
Phone call from the same friend at 0740 "X and Y can't come tomorrow. They are too tired after all the relatives left yesterday. Can we postpone it for a few days?"
We had lunch instead to catch up.
Friend lived in Auckland for years until retiring to Napier about four or five years ago and has become immersed in the Napier life but still has a rather Auckland pace to her life. "I still have difficulty with the fact that people stop at every roundabout whether or not anyone is on the roundabout. Then I stop thinking shouts [she is far too ladylike actually to shout] at them and remember that I came here to get away from the Auckland way and pace."
I was reminded of the poem 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 or 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.
We have no time to stand and stare.
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or 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.
I quoted this poem on Eagleton Notes some time after I started blogging. Blogging has given me the reason for stopping and staring and taking life - albeit a very full life - at a much gentler pace and living in the Outer Hebrides and Napier has assisted that.
For all of that, and for butterflies, I am truly thankful.
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| A New Zealand Red Admiral - the first I've photographed this time here. |
Posts
I'm glad you're finding some time to stand and stare. Sometimes you seem to be on such a very busy schedule! (But of course as you're a healthy young middle aged man, why shouldn't you be...) Anyway I think it's good at any age to take some time to look at butterflies. I miss "mine"... Didn't see much of them back in the rainy summer of 2012 either. So thanks for sharing yours! :)
ReplyDelete'Young middle aged man'. You are so charming Monica. Thank you. Just what a man needs first thing in the morning.
DeleteCan I steal that saying Monica??? "Young middle-aged man". I have a few friends that I can throw that their way, and they'd be walking on water after a compliment like that.
DeleteSuch a very good reason for blogging, Graham!
ReplyDeleteI am going to tell my sister next time she wonders aloud why anyone would blog at all about their daily lives. She often says she finds my topics ridiculous (in the sense that nobody in their right minds would be interested in them), and also that she hates to see each and every thing I do ending up on my blog (which is not true - there is still plenty going on in my life that never makes it to the blog, for various reasons).
Your sister is, with the very greatest of respect, wrong, Meike. And, yes, there is plenty in my life I don't blog about either!
DeleteVery arty. You may not know what day it is but you can process and take a photograph.
ReplyDeleteWell, Adrian, you know me and my plain photography. I just thought I'd see what a few of the buttons would do to an otherwise pretty indifferent photo of a pretty good subject.
DeleteI don't know who the friend was but as soon as I saw the time they called I knew who it wasn't!!!
ReplyDeleteToo true, Bruv! But then 0730 is quite late for her. She sometimes rings at 0630. Kiwi's get up early. You would never ring a Kiwi after 2100 hrs though.
DeleteGeorgia and I had a similar conversation yesterday when discussing a trip to the beach. All these holidays are too much for the old and the young, we had to refer to an in-between to get the day right. Haven't seen a butterfly as yet this summer, I wonder where they all are? I'm glad you didn't say all Kiwis get up early!
ReplyDeleteSo it's not just the older amongst us Pauline! I've seen lots of Monarch butterflies for well over a month but not very many others yet.
DeleteLovely pome, super photo... A timely reminder.
ReplyDeleteInteresting you say not to ring kiwis after 2100 hrs... it's true!
Thanks Katherine. It's long been one of my favourites. I was warned about the bewitching hour when I first came in 2005 and I've not seen any evidence to cause me to alter my view.
DeleteI Lovvvved that poem....taking time to enjoy all that is around us is something we should all strive for.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the words,
"No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night"
I have often admired the bright white lights on the surface of a river, stream, even the sea when the sun is shining on the water. When I was a little girl, I think I remember Enid Blyton describing them as fairies with wings of light that lived beneath the surface. She had a way of captivating a child's imagination right along with hers.
Oh, I also lovvvved the photo of the butterfly on the lily flowers.....stunning.
That is a lovely couplet (or stanza or whatever - I wish I'd just said 'lovely words') Virginia. I don't recall the Enid Blyton words but they sound as if they could have come from The Adventures of Pip (but then I'd have remembered them).
DeleteHow nice to see the poem again. It was one of my mother's favourites. I hope you enjoyed your lunch date. All the best, Carol
ReplyDeleteIt's one I quote a lot Carol. Lunch was good thanks.
DeleteNow I have moved my office to somewhere more comfortable I find I am spending much more time sitting and reading or looking at pictures. I'm quite surprised but it is very pleasant
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing, Jenny, isn't it how seemingly small changes in our lives can sometimes have quite disproportionate outcomes. I'm glad that this was such a beneficial one.
DeleteA wonderful poem and sentiment. I think that's one of the things I treasure most about blogging -- that it made me really slow down and look at the details, especially in my photography. I set out to focus on writing in blogworld, but gained another plus in photography, which I piddle at, yet enjoy very much. ;^)
ReplyDeleteYes Cynthia I think we've all grown one way and another as a result of blogging.
Delete