Almost Autumn

 

We are in the 'almost autumn atmosphere'. A time caught in the anticipation of cool breezes and shortening days. You may wish for longer days again, where the sun shines late into the dusk hours. But lessened light gives me anchors of hope for the coming seasons. 

Whispers rustle amongst the branches outside my window that cooler air is soon to arrive. Even recently the gentle morning air reveals the hushed tones - the leaves noting a change in hue pondering ‘will it come’? Like a secret to be revealed, holding on the edge of anticipation until it comes.

I awaken every morning with the hope that a swift chill swept in overnight and suddenly I will need to don a sweater, but alas, not yet. Do you hang onto the months of jolly sunshine and rainy afternoons? It reminds me of the need we have for seasons - to have a cyclical reminder which comes around every year that change comes like tides of the seas - a rise and fall natural to our world yet continuing on without consulting the calendar. 

Do we ever give much thought as to why seasons are beneficial for us? From a contentedness standpoint, seasons help us appreciate the time of year we love the most, by experiencing its opposite. I gush endlessly about Autumn and Winter because it is the opposite of Summer. I write more poems that are drawn out by the colder seasons because they inspire me and it is a change from what it was for so long. 

I remember when I was a child in elementary school the thrill of feeling the season change. Suddenly I was sent off to school with a little jacket or sweater, and I did not fully understand why because sometimes it was not cold to me (children never feel that cold, do they?) but it thrilled me all the same because something was changing in the air. Even in Florida we felt a shift, albeit subtle, and then suddenly we will get a welcomed swoop of chilly air. I have many memories of heading off to school with a sweater and feeling so very happy about it because it felt special and different. It held an element of mystery and wonder to me.

And I still feel the same. I guess we are all still children in the core of our hearts, aren't we?

October Books

 

Tis the season for all the mysterious vibes, the cosy candles, the long walks along leaf-strewn paths, and the feeling of change in the air. Even if I am mostly pretending until the weather cooperates. One must be patient for the lovely gifts of the autumn season to come. This is by no means an exhaustive list of books I have read this month, but a few that I have finished recently.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

This is a classic I had never read, and I thought it was time, especially as October started. I decided to set a task to read a classic each month that I haven't read before. If you have any recommendations I would love to hear them! Dracula is an interesting tale, well known to some extent, but reading it at last I understand what happens in the story - how Count Dracula is visited in his castle deep in Transylvania by an English attorney, Jonathan Harker, who learns the dark secrets of Dracula over his long stay. Back in England, something strange happens in London and Whitby. A strange presence emerges. Dracula has come over to England. His first victim is close to Jonathan Harker and his wife Mina. But who is going to stop him?

Walking the Invisible by Michael Stewart

A new book released that I immediately wanted to get, following the various walks and locations associated with the Brontë family. They were known for their long walks through the moors and windy landscapes of rugged beauty and danger. I love to learn about all things related to the Brontë family. Each of the siblings had their own talents in writing, and learning about their home, their landscape, and all the things that inspired them is key to understanding and appreciating their books and poems in the best way. It would be so fun to walk some of these paths outlined in the book to feel immersed in the minds of the Brontës - there is much that has not changed since their time in the early 1800s. 

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

What an interesting case taken on by Hercule Poirot. He is taken away from his "retirement" and gardening in a small English village, to solve the case of Roger Ackroyd's murder. As usual, there are many suspects to investigate, and Poirot is always a few steps ahead of us in knowing things. Of course, using his little grey cells in his brain, he sees much more than we do at the surface. When everything seems like it is clear, when all evidence points to one particular person, it cannot be that simple. And it's not.

David's Crown: Sounding the Psalms by Malcolm Guite

Malcolm wrote a reflective poem based on each Psalm, set in a poetic style of a corona, meaning the circular nature is the last line of each poem is the first line in the next poem. I have been reading this collection for a couple months, and just finished it. Usually I read two poems each morning with my coffee and journaling (sometimes more). I admire his poetry so much (as well as his talks, YouTube videos, and books), as he has the gift of language that is accessible in today's modern world, yet it draws on all the old ways of writing poetry - sticking to the meter and structure which actually opens the capacity of the reader in ways free verse never could. He is certainly one of the most talented poets alive today.

Selador Available in Pressed Books & Coffee!

 

Am I dreaming? I am living in a surreal moment - my books are now available on the bookshelves of the cute local independent bookshop downtown, Pressed Books & Coffee! I hope that my books are having fun hanging out with the other books as they wait to be picked up.

I am beyond grateful to the lovely owner, Christina, who was excited to stock my books. This feels so undeserved, honestly. My tiny writings get to share the shelves with all these wonderful books? 

The goal of a writer, of course is to share their writing with the world, but it is a somewhat scary thing to do. Like an artist, something creative involves a lot of personal effort and work. It is something close and dear to the heart of the creator, and to see if out there rides the line of excitement and nerves.

If you are local, please go visit Pressed Books & Coffee. It is a lovely little shop stocking new releases, paperbacks, children's, teens, business, non-fiction, used books, gifts, and they have a coffee/tea bar serving all kinds of coffees (lavender latte is my current go-to) and teas, as well as fresh baked goods. In each section they have "Lkld Local" for all the local authors who have books. It's such a delight to see it - as they are unique and cannot be found in other bookshops!

If you are not local and would like to purchase my books, they are available on Amazon HERE and HERE.

Autumnal Strange Unearthly Longings

 

In the hills on autumn evenings when
We seem to hear the horns of elfland blowing
And strange unearthly longings draw us in.

- Malcolm Guite (from a poetic reflection on Psalm 67)

The breezy winds are coming in from far away places, rustling the leaves that cling to the branches. Rainy season has left behind a slight feeling that there is a change in the air, however slow it may be, it is coming. It is drawing us in with the voice of the north wind.

These invoking words and images of faerie lands forlorn and places where the elf may dwell leave me aching for that which is deeper, more alive, more awakened to itself. Maybe that seems in opposition of the autumn season as the leaves fall to the ground leaving bare branches and after harvests are reaped the grasses change their bright hues to a toned down hay. But this is exactly what awakens in me the wonders. This kind of seasonal shift resonates with me in fostering more awareness of the imaginary, the inspiring, the myth and legend. This kind of feeling arises best where there are glimpses of where faerie might dwell. The thin places in this world that link to another place. It seems more possible as the land shifts and the trees change. There might be uncovered or revealed some ancient path or stone walkway that could not be seen before. Where does it lead?

Perhaps my imagination is getting carried away, or perhaps not. Maybe that is what we need from time to time. To lose ourselves in a story or myth. To be immersed in something bigger than ourselves, reminding us that even in the everyday there is a bit of magic that can be discovered. I am looking forward to these days ahead.

On Writing in Books

 

Squiggles.
Arrows.
Marks.
Underlines.
Writing.
In books.

Does the idea make you shudder? 
Or does it invoke interest and engagement?

I like to think that when we read we are in a kind of dialogue with the author. We are reading their thoughts, their story, and ideas, and sometimes I want to talk with them in the margins. I might agree and just add a note, or link it to something else I read. I might disagree, and write a counter point.

Or I might underline or mark a paragraph that I will invariably return to later. It makes it easier to find. I so often flip through books to re-read or just dip into, re-visiting my favourite passages to ponder or consider again. 

An example - Many people have asked me over the years why I do not just check out books at the library. That is a very simple answer with many layers. Because I cannot revisit them later whenever I get a sudden recollection of a passage, essay, or book I want to re-read. Because I cannot write in library books. Because I like to be able to sit at my desk and be reminded of a passage, stand up, search my bookshelves, and pull out the C.S. Lewis or Owen Barfield book I was thinking about (I literally just did this today). I will flip through that book and find the passage I marked 10 years earlier (and maybe re-read some sections). I do this so very often, it is the most natural thing in the world to me. This is why my home is a library. It always will be.

All these things are engaging with the book, the ideas, the author's perspective, and remembering what I read to a deeper degree because all of this causes me to slow down in my reading. Rather than speeding through a book, if I am writing in it, or even just underlining, I am reading more thoughtfully and slowly. Thereby retaining the information much more than a quick read would. It also means I will likely return to it again later, setting it to dwell even more deeply into my psyche. 

Side note - I know many people like to keep their books pristine, but to that I ask, why? Unless you want to re-sell them? I don't. For most of us, our books will not be kept in a museum, and if they are, it will likely be of interest to whoever reviews your books what you wrote in them and how you engaged with the books. What I would do to be able to browse through the library of C.S. Lewis to see what he wrote in his books. To me, it would be interesting to see what he thought as he read. J.R.R. Tolkien wrote and doodled on his everyday crossword pages (I know that's not books), which are now kept at the Bodleian Library and have been put on display in an exhibit to show his creative energies.

For even more engagement with books, I write out favourite quotes in my journal and commonplace book. But that is a digression as this is a musing about writing in the books themselves, to which I think I made my meandering point.