I am adrift with the blog – not from lack of ideas or energy but somehow I feel I’ve lost direction.
Sin rumbo!
‘What’s it all about, Alfie? ‘
So here are some photos from my week with just a few words….
Reading too many books
But enjoying them all!
‘How to speak so your children listen and how to listen so they speak’ is wonderful!’
My hairdresser recommended it one day when he noticed how sad and tired I was. Nice man!
Ken Follett. No words can describe how much I enjoyed this book. Finished it this morning.
In the Garlic is written by two women who live in Spain/Catalunya. Written in dictionary form it is funny and informative. E.g. about the endless bureaucracy here, there is the law of Falta Uno. This means whatever papers you bring there is always one missing!
On the Kindle I am reading Caroline Myss – Sacred Contracts. Fantastic!
I really enjoyed the first essay in Matthew Trees book about how to explain this country to foreigners. He is dedicated to spreading the word about Catalunya and writes very well. I find it good to read Catalan written by a British writer. He thinks in a familiar way which makes it easier for me.
I’ve had this Derek Jarman diary for years and never picked it up. Now I am dipping in every day and loving it. The sort of person it would be great to know. The diary is a mix of gardening and poetry, poems, landscape and practicalities.
How does he know so much about plants and herbs and history in those days before the internet?
I’ve known people like that and envied them. He was alone in Prospect Cottage, writing and gardening and looking out over his life. At times he seems to be grieving, at others, deeply content and at peace.
Looking out over life!!!
I am making roses from the ribbon reels that fill the shelves in the backroom. It’s easy and very satisfying but I have no idea what to do with them!
Catching water in Santa Fe – No! No! that is a reverse translation from Catalan – Going to get water from the fountain in the woods. Now we have a full cellar.
Starting my new vegetarian life – just like the old one that I strayed from 10 or so years ago but in a more challenging environment and with more flexibility when necessary. One of my goals is to be visible in restaurants and not just eat the bits I can, timidly accepting the meaty menus that dominate in Catalunya. In a typically traditional Catalan country restaurant I ordered the side dishes and it made a lovely lunch. Chips, white beans and samfaina!
The Kings are coming! Tomorrow I am going to see them in Barcelona when they arrive by boat.
And all through the week and the weeks before – my lovely dog – Bonnie. What a friend!
Lovely post! And that is a LOT of water. Chuck is lying on the floor talking, whining to himself, sighing too, not really sure why. Now dozing off…….maybe that was the problem, pasts his bedtime. YES! Just looked at the clock, he usually zonks out by 11, and we’re at 11:20 now.
Lovely diverse mix,,K, summing up life at the moment.
I and many around me are just stuck in inertia at the moment (post Christmas?) ……it just IS, so am going with it.
Feliz Reyes.
I loved this post, maybe it’s easier for others to see your direction.
I definitely think I need to read ‘How to speak so your children listen and how to listen so they speak’, more for communication with my students and others than with Emma.
I have at least one suggestion for what you can do with all these beautiful ribbon roses: just Google ‘American Beauty’ in pictures!
Loved the photo of collecting water, it brings back great memories of my visit, we did so much.
Hope you enjoyed the arrival of the Kings. I still have to dismantle my tiny Christmas tree. I was always amazed that the tree sometimes stayed up so long at Carbarns but it was a good lesson in the pleasures of nonconformity haha.
And fitting that you finished with your friend Bonnie, thank goodness you collected both the dogs. She must be a constant source of all manner of positive warm things. And is a connection with ‘home’.
Christine xxx
Thank you all so much for responding! Yes I do wonder sometimes why I do this blog – it just meanders along, much as I do, without knowing what it’s for or where it’s going.
Yet, I can’t stop writing it. I almost need to write it.
Today – I am thinking about taking down the few decorations we have and I also remembered how we left things up in Carbarns for ages. Not just the tree! Sometimes it seemed easier to leave the paper chains in place for next Christmas! Certainly my mother taught us not to get too caught up in worries about what ‘should’ be done!
Anyway, perhaps I’ll do more bits and bobs posts – they seem the most interesting. And my head is in that mode almost all the time.
Happy Kings! Kate x
Oh… I think You have enjoy a nice winter days… and You hav read good books. Winter, some times, can be a soft time.
Greetings!