Tag: Common Ground
Common Ground – June 2023
“Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling.” Walt Whitman A passing walker asked me if I wasn’t depressed to be deadheading the last of spring’s daffodils. I replied that this…
Common Ground – May 2023
“May, with alle thy floures and thy grene, Welcome be thou, fair fresshe May.” – Chaucer Back in the depths of winter I was asked, probably rhetorically, why we live here. I will answer…
Common Ground – April 2023
“The drama of spring is not always very well staged…. too often it proceeds jerkily, with the halts and repetitions of a rehearsal instead of the sustained rhythm of a finished performance.” Jason Hill…
Common Ground – March 2023
Tossing his mane of snows in wildest eddies and tangles, Lion-like March cometh in, hoarse, with tempestuous breath William Dean Howells The tops of the first bulbs of the year, species crocus and Iris…
Common Ground – February 2023
“Ah, shall winter mend your case Set your teeth the wind to face Beat the snow down, tread the frost All is gained when all is lost.” William Morris The days are finally getting…
Common Ground – December 2022
“So when some dear joy loses Its beauteous summer glow Think how the roots of roses Are kept alive in the snow” Alice Cary Snow we certainly did have in a freak snowstorm towards…
Common Ground – November 2022
“November glooms are barren.” William Ernest Henley It turns out that I spoke too soon about the ladybug swarming. Here in the valley we had at least four days of it. It was moderate…
Common Ground – October 2022
“Obstacles don’t block the path. They are the path.” Buddhist proverb The rituals of fall are well under way here in the valley. The chimney has been cleaned and the kitchen wood stove taken…
Common Ground – August 2022
“I am His Highness’ dog at Kew; Pray tell me sir, whose dog are you?” (Engraved on the Collar of a dog which I gave to His Royal Highness) Alexander Pope I was thinking…