Poetry: Spring in New Hampshire by Claude McKay

Leave a comment April 20, 2016 aimeevictorianarmoire

Spring cleaning is both one of my least and most favorite yearly activities. I enjoy the feeling of getting my house in proper order and washed up from the winter season’s coating of salt and dirt. But….it can be rather depressing to spend a beautiful Saturday washing windows and cleaning out closets. While I didn’t think I was alone in this viewpoint, I was quite pleased to have stumbled across this poem which perfectly explains that conflicting feeling.

Spring in New Hampshire

Too green the springing April grass,
Too blue the silver-speckled sky,
For me to linger here, alas,
While happy winds go laughing by,
Wasting the golden hours indoors,
Washing windows and scrubbing floors.

Too wonderful the April night,
Too faintly sweet the first May flowers,
The stars too gloriously bright,
For me to spend the evening hours,
When fields are fresh and streams are leaping,
Wearied, exhausted, dully sleeping.

However, if spring cleaning is on your mind, here are a few suggested posts to keep you inspired and focused! Simply click on the picture to be view original post.

Enjoy the warm outdoors and your spring cleaning!

Sources:

Cover Photo: Sounds of Spring by Franz Stuck, 1910

Spring in New Hampshire by Claude McKay, 1889-1948

Poetry: The Holly and The Ivy

Leave a comment December 25, 2015 aimeevictorianarmoire

One of my most favorite Christmas Carols, The Holy and The Ivy blends the beauty of nature with the story of Christmas. My most favorite version of this carol is my Loreena McKennitt, who is also one of my most favorite artists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFLHWzPcwlQ

On this wonderful Christmas day, I hope you are able to reflect on the beauty of the holiday and the world around you!

The Holly and The Ivy

The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown
Of all the trees that are in the wood
The holly bears the crown
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a blossom
As white as lily flower
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To be our sweet Saviour
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a berry
As red as any blood
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
To do poor sinners good
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a prickle
As sharp as any thorn;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
On Christmas Day in the morn.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

The holly bears a bark
As bitter as any gall;
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ
For to redeem us all.
O the rising of the sun
And the running of the deer
The playing of the merry organ
Sweet singing of the choir

Source: From the Sans Day Carol

Poetry: The Log Fire

Leave a comment October 14, 2015 aimeevictorianarmoire

Around this time of year, my cable company puts on a free option of a crackling fire. It lasts for about an hour and comes with a variety of choices for music…soothing instrumental, classic carols, or just the simple sound of a crackling fire. I absolutely LOVE it and put it on often…especially since I do not have a fireplace of my own. Yet I can imagine the warmth the digital fire would produce and the gentle smell of wood and smoke it would create, and I am quite at peace.

So during these longer, colder nights, place an extra log in the fireplace, and let the calm wash over you…

The Log Fire by Daniel Henderson

Cover Painting: Carl Herpfer (1836-1897) – The Love Letter

Poetry: Bed in Summer

2 Comments August 19, 2015 aimeevictorianarmoire

Hot sunny days, warm muggy nights, and a seemingly never ending store of energy: the difficult part of being a child, especially in summer!

~Aimee

Cover Painting: By Margaret Evans Price

Look Well to This Day

4 Comments May 20, 2015 aimeevictorianarmoire

The manipulation of time may be, in my opinion, the one power that every human would want. To rewind to the good days, fast forward through the bad ones, change past mistakes or take missed opportunities would be a miraculous gift. If you add in the fact that I am obsessed with history and the future becomes an unstoppable source of frustration.

Sometimes I think too much. Well, most of the time I think too much, and I struggle with the overwhelming feeling of time slipping by and my life with it. To try to compensate, I have made changes in my life both mental and physical. There are so many things in my life that I have no control over, despite my, at times, desperate attempts. But I know what I do like, what I want, need, wish and therefore all choices I make must be true to who I am. Easier said then done? Sometimes, but often, these choices are quite natural…therefore, easy.

I am a stubborn individual. I have had to be at points in my life. And one thing I refuse to do in my life is waste it. I may be just a blip on the universal timeline, but I want to be the sparkliest, happiest blip you’ve ever seen.

How do you do that? Take a look at the last stanza of this month’s poem. “But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.”

Live beautifully today and one’s life can never be a waste. Bad things are going to happen. But how you respond to them puts you in control to make a happy life.

May you too be a sparkly blip in the world!!

~Aimee

Poetry: Celebrating Earth Day

2 Comments April 22, 2015 aimeevictorianarmoire

Early yesterday morning, it was so warm that I cracked open the window to enjoy the soft breeze, while still trying to catch a few more hours of sleep. As the smell of clean air began to reach me, so did the constant chirping of the birds outside. At first, they were all I could hear. But eventually their calls began to blend and fade into another layer of a lovely spring chorus. While the intermittent sound of a car going by seemed out of place, it was wonderful to hear the joyous sounds of nature.

Even as I enjoy the convenience of living in a urbanized area with all it’s modern charms, I can’t help but envy those who choose homes further out of town. The appeal of a different sound, nature’s sound, often keeps the idea of moving to someplace more remote, constant in my mind…we will just have to wait and see.

Since poetry is one of my favorite things, and it is my birthday, I decided to combine all three into today’s post: a poem, on my birthday, about nature. One of my favorite nature poems is by Eugene Fields, the author of Wynken, Blynken, and Nod.