ingrid at her bath

What is better than baby's bath time, I ask?

concerning hidden beauty

                                              ...macro detail of a frozen waterfall deep in  the winter woods of Maine

(The stars) then, though unbeheld in deep of night,

Shine not in vain; nor think, though men were none,

That Heaven would want spectators,  God want praise;

Millions of spiritual Creatures walk the Earth

Unseen, both when we wake, and when we sleep;

All these with ceaseless praise his works behold

Both day and night:  how often from the steep

Of echoing Hill or Thicket have we heard

Celestial voices to the midnight air,

Sole, or responsive each to other's note,

Singing their great Creator ?....

John Milton,   Paradise Lost  Book 4

inner light

...as seen through the window of an abandoned farmhouse

on a cold and windy February day.

Doesn't this scene set your imagination in motion?

do you see what I see?

Happy Valentine's Day, all!

;o)

the landing

At the intersection of two country roads 

at the place where Bunganuc stream flows into Maquoit Bay

(just about where Freeport and Brunswick touch borders),

you can see this lovely setting below as you drive around a curve

and cross a small bridge. 

An old friend lives in a house just to the right, out of the picture.

I called her the other day to ask her for permission

to wade through crusty snow in her back yard

to get a photo of this evocative scene.

She offered me something better--

the name and phone number of the owner of this property.

She was pretty sure I could get permission 

to go down the path to the shore 

and see it all up close.

I love small towns!  If you live in a small town long enough,

doors open to you just by association.

I called the owner, mentioned my friend, and she said, "Of course you may!"

(I don't like tramping around on private property without permission.)

I spent a delightful time there looking at things

from every perspective.

It was nice to get up close for the first time.

See the open water on the bay in the background?

Although there was ice on the stream,

the sound of running water through the culvert 

was very soothing.

Those blocks of ice are the result of ice forming on the stream and on the bay,

and then breaking up and moving as the tide

goes in and out.

The higher the tide, the farther up the stream they travel.

When the water retreats, the blocks are left on the shoreline.

There are only two high tides a month

that might reach the blocks of ice

heaved to the shore during the previous high tide.

The resulting irregular chunks

are part of the winter scenery on tidal rivers and streams

that in the summer are sanctuaries of gently moving water.

Want to know something interesting about this place?

Harriet Beecher Stowe,

author of Uncle Tom's Cabin,

first set foot on Maine soil at this very spot.

She came here around 1850 by boat,

because her husband acquired a job teaching at Bowdoin College.

Uncle Tom's Cabin was written in Brunswick

during the years that immediately followed.

As she was begining her novel, she wrote this to an editor friend:

"I feel now that the time is come 

when even a woman or a child who can speak a word for freedom and humanity 

is bound to speak... 

I hope every woman who can write will not be silent."

Good advice for all time.

snow moon

I was lucky enough today to have a friend

who is studying astrology

read my chart.

I have been wary of having my chart read,

because I have wondered

if the person who might read my chart

really knew her stuff.

I think by that I mean 

that although a person might know about moons and planets

and the like,

my background as a therapist tells me

the astrologer should be attuned to emotions

and spirituality as much as to 

the astrological facts.

(Maybe that shows my ignorance about astrology.

Perhaps what I was looking for

is assumed in anyone who has a background in astrology.)

But I needed to be sure.

Today, the perfect person told me about my chart.

I was pretty astounded at how 'on the money'

her information was about me.

Kind of like that old Don Mclean/Roberta Flack song:

"As if she found my letters and read each one aloud".

Well, this is what I learned today:

It is essential that I balance myself with 'moon energy'.

Female energy.  Creative, playful, resting, being-still energy.

Listening to myself as carefully as I listen to others.

And tonight, as I was leaving work,

there she was.

Making a silver path across the river.

Reminding me...

...Reminding me.

go pats

Mike Reiss/ESPNBoston.com

Are you ready for some football?

I don't much care for the sport.

I understand the game, and

I think the scenery is nice (ahem!),

but it's too violent for me

and I keep thinking about head injury.

However,

I got snookered into it this year by my friend Jim,

who wangled an invite to see the playoff games at my house

two weekends ago.

So now, I have to see it to its conclusion.

I've got the meal in the crock pot.

We are laying low this afternoon to be sharp for this evening.

My husband has been watching Sports Pontification

on the TV since before noon.

Like most everyone in Maine, we are rooting for the Patriots.

Did you know that Maine used to be part of Massachusetts?

Before 1820, when Maine became the 23rd state,

this territory we live in was filled with 

reckless drivers who talk even funnier

than we do.

(I'm only describing eastern Massachusetts people.

Those from the western part of the state more closely resemble Mainers.

...for the most part, anyway.)

When it comes to sports allegiance, 

Mainers still remember their Massachusetts roots.

We are diehard Red Sox fans, Celtics fans,

Bruins fans and Patriot fans.

Tonight there will be no cars moving downtown

(unless I sneak out for gelato),

and after 5:30 it would be a great time to 

go grocery shopping at Shaw's or Hannaford's.

I'll be knitting in the tv room.

Watching the commercials and the scenery.

Looking up whenever the crowd really roars.

***

Do you watch the Superbowl?

If so, is it for the commercials,

the half time show,

the boys in tight pants,

or for the game itself?

I'm eager to know.

Go PATRIOTS!

  

birthday!

It has been exactly one year since my first post ever.

It had been yet another snowy day in a snowy Maine winter.

I'd been lurking around several wonderful blogs 

for several weeks,

and that day I decided to experiment by 

seeing if I could set up one of my own.

The rest is history.

I just want to say how much I've enjoyed my first year in Blog-land.

You, dear readers, have made all the difference.

Your visits, your comments,

your support and encouragement

have made the joy come so easily.

Getting to know you, learning from your wonderful blogs,

being inspired by your words and photographs

not only got me through that snowy winter,

but changed my life and how I think about things.

Thank you all...so much!