-

-
Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Wednesday Vignette - A Moment of Peace

Wednesday Vignette is hosted by blogging pal, Anna at Flutter and Hum.  Click here to see her WV post and to find links to those of other participating bloggers.

Sometimes the plantmobile stops at places other than gardens or nurseries.  Between gardens in the Olympia area a couple of weeks ago, Carmen (Elantra) pulled off the side of the road to allow us to see this.


A moment of peace as butterflies came to drink on the shore and neon blue bodied damselflies glittered all around.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti's  words came to mind:

Silent Noon

Your hands lie open in the long fresh grass, -
   The finger-points look through like rosy blooms:
   Your eyes smile peace.  The pasture gleams and glooms
'Neath billowing skies that scatter and amass.
All round our nest, far as the eye can pass,
   Are golden kingcup fields with silver edge
   Where the cow-parsley skirts the hawthorn-hedge.
'Tis visible silence, still as the hour-glass.

Deep in the sun-searched growths the dragon-fly
Hangs like a blue thread loosened from the sky;-
   So this wing'd hour is dropt to us from above.
Oh! clasp we to our hearts, for deathless dower,
This close-companioned inarticulate houre
   When twofold silence was the song of love. 

The poem was set to music by Ralph Vaughan Williams and is one of my favorite songs.


17 comments:

  1. My favorite ! I love watching the John Shirley Quirk version ...over and over .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wonderful! My blood pressure slowed down just listening and seeing those calming views. Just beautiful! ~ Anna

    ReplyDelete
  3. That first shot is beautiful! How wonderful that Carmen had the presence of mind to stop and let you drink in that loveliness. Thanks for sharing the poem and the song with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carmen usually has better sense than I do about such things.

      Delete
  4. Peter ... this is shear bliss ! .. what a perfect moment in time (as if it almost stands still for you) ..drinking in this beauty is what our soul needs to restart some times .. the element of peace is such a gift .. I envy you this wonderful moment but love that you have shared with us as well set out this poem and music to enhance it. Thank you !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Always a pleasure to share special moments like this one.

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Someone in the OG has to have good taste as I certainly don't.

      Delete
  6. Ah, that PNW water! That song feels like a memory of summer in the wilderness to me. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a beautiful scene! I think dragonflies (somewhat unusual here) are magical too.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I enjoyed seeing the calm stream with the reflection of the sky in the water. Fun to hear the poem as a song too.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Damselfly. I learned a new word. Beautiful creature and beautiful view!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Beautifully peaceful, esp when accompanied by music and poetry.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Looks like a little piece of heaven on earth. Thanks for that moment of peace as July transitions to August.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for the peaceful moments and lovely scenery. We used to canoe small rivers like that (haven't gone for two years now, too busy...) anyway, there is nothing like simply drifting along on the water with a dragonfly perched on the front of the boat. (And we name our vehicles too!)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.