As I was driving to work yesterday - my first day back after a week of vacation - I listened to Patty Griffin sing "All Creatures of Our God and King".
O brother wind, air, clouds, and rain,
by which all creatures ye sustain,
O praise ye! Alleluia!
Thou rising morn, in praise rejoice,
ye lights of evening, find a voice!
O praise ye! O praise ye!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
(stanza 2)
St. Francis of Assisi's words of praise could have been my vacation theme song and as I listened to the music I replayed many of the scenes from last week in my mind.
We started the week at my family's home on Lake Norman. This house - especially its porch - has provided solace and comfort to many over the years.
On the porch we shared a glass of wine and watched the moon rise.
We watched the blue sky reappear after the rain and the ducks come by for a visit.
But not all of our time was spent on the porch. We went for walks, seeing wildflowers and butterflies everywhere. We spent time with family. We read. And we floated.
Late in the week we left the lake and drove to the mountains for a family reunion. There we found another porch perfect for relaxing.
Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.
John Muir (1838 - 1914)
10 comments:
Hi Ginny,
PLease take me with you next time!
What a beautiful couple of places. I would love that morning spot you had in the forest. I can almost smell the coffee and feel the sun on my own legs when I saw the picture.
What a fabulous vacation you had ... both locations are just beautiful. Love the views from those porches! Sounds like the break restored both you body and soul!
What a wonderful vacation! The views from the porch are spectacular. I'm glad you had such a restful, enjoyable time.
That hymn is one of my favorites. Looks like you had a wonderful vacation. Thaks for sharing such a feeling of peace with me today.
I love that hymn! Thanks for sharing some of your vacation with us. The photos are refreshing and lifting to the spirit!
What a wonderful quote and so true. Your vacation looks heavenly to me. Days spent at the lake just can't be beat! We are lucky enough to live near one and it makes the summer so fantastic. Thanks for finding my blog and leaving me such a nice message.
lovely!
Ginny, I felt it: the slight chill of the evening, the warmth of the sun on that wonderful porch, the scent of the early morning... Our kind of way to relax. Fall is upon us.
Dear Ginny with your lovely pictures I am practically transported back to summer holidays in the States when I was little. Very evocative.
I feel refreshed just looking at the pictures!
Post a Comment