The weather being distinctly cool signals a wardrobe changeover. I look at all the light cotton clothes I never managed to wear after a disappointing summer, folding them away reluctantly in exchange for several heavier layers until winter pulls out the woollens. Its one of those regretful “I never got to…” moments and my woodland bench, recycled and painted in cool blue ready for stifling days epitomises the fact that I hardly ever sat here.
Like leaves, the colours of my clothing changes too, becoming dimmer, duller as if it’s already late November but the best and brightest of Autumn is yet to come, if and when wet weather gives way to crisp bright days.
Someone has planted Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Boston Ivy; Virginia Creeper) in a local hedgerow which looks somewhat out of place yet delights the eye as I take a walk down an English country lane with my dog. After further research I discover that there’s a Japanese version, Parthenocissus tricuspidata, which would make a fitting climber for the boundary hedge in my Japaneseque garden.
Giving Up or Letting Go: My Qi-Ways website expires in November but since it’s outlived usefulness, I’m not going to renew. It began as a way of recording and encouraging regularity and discipline for Qigong practice. There I also collected inspirational zen-type quotes as well as an array of teaching video links. These were eventually narrowed down to the ones I value the most and transferred here under “My Interests“. The quotes I will repost here, on occasion.
Life is a balance of holding on
and letting go.~ Rumi
Giving up or Taking Up: Quite often a feeling of dissatisfaction with my writings, photography and lately digital art, tempts me to give up, not just out of defeatism but running up against my limitations. Instead I’m aiming to adopt a different set of expectations and have also signed up for a few online courses with Udemy, in photography as well as abstract art. I’ve also begun using the free version of the Art Set 4 app to practice the art lessons before going on with paint and brush.
“If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” –
Vincent van Gogh
And so as the third quarter of the year evolves, I will try and enjoy looking out from within.
PoetryPix 