Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Summer Days drifting away...to those Summer Nights!



The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand

~ Frederick L. Knowles ~




There is nothing I enjoy more after a hot Summer's day than relaxing in my garden in the cool of the evening...day's tasks completed, I succumb to the pleasurable condition of simply 'being'. At one with my surroundings, I immerse myself in the wafting scents and 'let go' of the need to do anything. Another day has passed, busily. Now is my time to recharge.

Quietly strolling along the garden path lit by dozens of twinkly little lights, I am able to still my racing thoughts and permit myself to simply 'be' tossing aside concerns about the next chore to be done. I take a slow, deep breath content that whatever lies ahead can wait until a new day dawns. I know I have done my best on this day and have earned my moment of stillness.

Everything looks so pretty bathed in the soft glow of our assorted garden lights and the night is hushed after the noisy, frantic rush of cars speeding by during the day. I can hear myself breathe. I allow myself to breathe!

I stand, silently delighting in the peacefulness of my surroundings, knowing that, at day's end, I deserve this time of gentle reflection...

Each morning sees some task begin, 
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted,
Something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow ~

Yes, an altogether perfect way to wind down and enter a dreamlike state as I ready myself for a restful, peaceful night's sleep.

And if tonight my soul may find her peace
in sleep, and sink in good oblivion,
and in the morning wake like a new-opened flower
then I have been dipped again in God, and new-created.

~ D.H. Lawrence ~






41 comments:

  1. These pictures are breathtaking. Definitely my kind of nirvana. Thank you for sharing them. What a lovely garden and patio you created. Can I come over some evening and just 'breathe'?! Hugs.

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  2. Even having to enjoy the peacefulness of the evening view on a computer screen was so relaxing and fulfilling. I enjoyed how these shots give a feeling of mystery that would not have been there at noon. I had been missing you my friend and this was a very pleasant surprise today. Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week. Very good post today.

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  3. really beautiful. peaceful and calm and satisfyiing...

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  4. Can I come live with you? What a beautiful backyard. Truly special. And I like how you wrote about it in this post!

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  5. How I missed your posts Desiree, again a very soothing post, thank you!

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  6. Hi, my name is Heather! Please email me when you can, I have a question about your blog!

    HeatherVonSJ[at]gmail[dot]com

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  7. Yay Des I'm so thrilled to see you back! What a delightful post on your return. I'm just going to go for another moonlight stroll in your garden and ease my soul...
    Hugs and you made me so happy just by appearing in my blog roll!
    Hugs~

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  8. Welcome back. I love this it is such a beautiful peaceful post I can almost drop off to sleep reading and seeing this post.
    I love your quotes and your surroundings are truly restful and peaceful. Enjoy my friend. I find the same peace ind relaxation in my bush. B

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  9. W takim ogrodzie po dniu pracowicie
    w nim spędzonym, przy świetle księżyca i delikatnych światełek można z pewnością się zrelaksować. Ja bym jeszcze wskoczyła do basenu i popływała :-). Pozdrawiam ciepło. ***
    In this beautiful garden, after laboriously
    spent in it, by moonlight and fine lights can certainly relax. I would have jumped into the swimming pool :-). I greet warmly.

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  10. Hello, Desiree! Permit me to introduce myself. My name is Shady Del Knight and I am very pleased to make your acquaintance. Can we be friends? (I missed you.)

    At first I thought you were showing us night time scenes at another world class garden in your district. The first picture alone is an award winner. Then it dawned on me that you actually reside in this enchanted place! Oh, my goodness, Desiree! I wouldn't know how to act if I could close out each day in such exquisite surroundings.

    I particularly enjoyed your last entry by D.H. Lawrence. At the end of the day we need to be at peace with ourselves and the world. We need to let go of worries over unfinished business and give ourselves permission to relax, unwind and allow cares to slip away. If you don't set the stage for a good night's rest you set yourself up for an even more challenging day tomorrow.

    It's wonderful to have you back on the blog, dear friend. I hope 2012 is treating you as kindly and gently as I would.

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  11. ((it's been a while Desiree...hope all is well with you...))

    WOW!!!! what a gorgeous place...to unwind...relax...

    i LOVE twinkle lights...mine stay up all year outside...but yours...draped through the trees...it all looks so very magical!!

    the first shot with the moon is amazingly beautiful!!!!

    love the quotes...the pictures...thanks!

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  12. These pictures of your garden at night are just beautiful! And such a welcome sight here in the PNW today, where it is snowing! I love the fairy lights in the trees. So peaceful. Maybe before I go to bed at night, I should just come here to re-read this post, and I will have a good night's sleep unplagued by insomnia.

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  13. Hi Desiree, What lovely photos you are sharing today. I love the evening picture of the pool, nice reflections of the lights. Enjoy your evening in this beautiful surroundings! Big hugs x Eva

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  14. Thank you everyone for such a warm welcome on my return to my tiny spot in cyberspace! I have so many visits to catch up with and will do my best to pop round as soon as time permits. Mr Shady Del Knight, I am delighted to make your aquaintance again, since I do believe we've met before. Heather, you are more than welcome to post your query here. Thank you for dropping by.

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  15. Lovely to have you here in our cyberblog world again. Again a lovely post!

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  16. Excuse me?! Who is this strange person appearing on my computer screen?! Desiree? Desiree Who? Have we met before somewhere?! I seem to recall the name from a long time ago! Hee Hee! Well, well, well - welcome back to us dear friend Desiree. How lovely to see you back here. How I've missed you! Beautiful post, and your garden looks so utterly delightful bathed in the twinkling lights. So peaceful and truly breathtaking. I think we all want to come over there with you to share that peace and quiet. I know that you've been working very hard in the garden, but it must be so absolutely worth it when you can walk there at the end of the day. Hugs to you !

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  17. Your first photo is so magical, Desiree, what a heavenly scene you have to relax in, whenever you like. Such a lovely paved path along your home and through the garden. That moon shot is superb!

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  18. Hello Desiree! Thank you for sharing your beautiful oasis in evening. I can just feel myself slowing down and breathing as I meander through your garden, down that darling path.

    I've missed your lovely photos, and I'm so glad you are sharing again! I forget that it is summer in your neck of the woods!

    Big hugs!

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  19. OH, Dearest Desiree.
    Wow, it is long time no see and I missed your GORGEOUS, LOVELY photos a lot, my friend♬♬♬
    Elegant touch of the night scene of your garden in summer. I love the first one with moon☆☆☆
    Wishing to be able to walk there with you, really!!!
    Love and Lots of Hugs to you, xoxo Miyako*

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  20. Oh my word, I wish I had your garden. We've been having fantastic summer evenings here in PE as well and its not even Feb yet. The days are just a bit heavy.

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  21. I love-love-love all the lights in your garden nighttime sanctuary!! What a delightful, serene place to end your day. Love the quote, too. Perfection!! :)

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  22. You sound very content and happy with life at this time of the day and who wouldn't be in such beautiful surroundings.

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  23. Your garden is still beautiful and STILL makes me think of the secret garden. I have to say my friend... I'm still jealous.

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  24. Thank you for sharing your delightful garden and all the twinkling lights...
    it's great to have you back.
    Shel

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  25. Dear Desiree,
    Welcome back to all of us who have waited for your return and hoped that you were resting and delighting in your garden and the dogs and life in general.

    Your garden and home, lit by fairy-lights is enchanting. Thank you for sharing it with us. And thank you also for those quotations. What book do you find them in or did you memorize them at some point and they simply come to mind when you need them?

    I especially liked the ending of the Lawrence quotation: "dipped again in God, and new-created." That's a wonderful way for us to think of one another.

    Peace.

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  26. Dear Dee:

    I wish I could claim to have memorized all the quotes I use, but in truth, my brain is far too dull for that. What invariably happens is, that while I'm preparing a post, I will google a word requesting sayings/quotes to match and see what comes up. When I find one that fits the bill for me, I use it.

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  27. What a piece of paradise! No wonder you find such tranquility at the end of each day. Do you ever float in the pool at night?

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  28. I missed you Desiree! Welcome back! I love your night shots of your incredible habitat! And D.H. Lawrence to boot? I'm in heaven!

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  29. So glad that you and your gorgeous pictures are back. I love the garden lighting -- especially that moon! Your night musings remind me strongly of ELIZABETH AND HER GERMAN GARDEN which I just finished reading.

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  30. Hi Desiree, Belated Happy New Year! I hope that you had a nice holiday.
    We used to have little twinkle lights in our first house/garden. I miss them and wish that I had some in my present-day garden. The little sparkly lights are pure magic in the evening.
    Your garden looks beautiful, when lit in the evening. I can see why it is a favourite place to recharge after a busy day.

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  31. How beautiful! Your pictures are the exact opposite of what it is here: daytime, winter and snow everywhere. I'd love to switch places. I love how the lights look in your garden, I think I might try that this summer.

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  32. Your words and pictures do for me what being there does for you. I feel peaceful and calm after reading them. Thank you.

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  33. Absolutely breathtaking! Your patio and pool area put anything I have ever seen before to shame.
    I am having such a terrible time with my blog..getting things posted..trying to get to my comments. I finally had to go back to the old blogger..and that concerns me.
    Anyway...Your compliments about my children were so very sweet. Thank you so much.
    Do give us more photo's of your yard and garden..of your home..and of you and your husband and pets.
    It's...the next best thing of being there and getting to know you.
    You are my daughters age and I think this is one of the most interesting times of their lives..children grown or nearly so..time to garden and do wonderful things. Now I am wanting the little fairy lights on my patio. :) I am such a copy cat!
    OH that garden of yours!!

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  34. Desiree, You have a Shangri-la in your own back yard. How peaceful, how winsome, how comforting it is. The little lights with the moon in the backdrop is mesmerizing. How wonderful it must be to sit in the pool of an evening and stare at the moon.

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  35. Thank you so much for this beautiful reminder that summer lives and that winter won't go on forever. You've stated perfectly all that I love about summer evenings. I love the moon quote you started this piece with.

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  36. Happiest of New Years and not only are the photos lovely but I also appreciate your choice of poems. Yes, you deserve the peace and the quiet lure of your own garden oasis. Thank you again for sharing a tiny bit with us and sweet dreams!

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  37. A perfect place to unwind in the stillness of the evening :)

    That moon is HUGE!!!

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  38. When I saw this photo I thought, "This is my idea of a perfect back yard," and I guess it is yours! Peaceful and beautiful and not only that, you can take a swim.

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  39. Your photos are always so beautiful.

    The local tourist promotion board needs to use them...but I would have to say, I hope they don't - the private, peacefulness of your scenes are entrancing - and a tourist would ruin them...

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  40. 'Absolutely breathtakin' sweetie, I fear I would never come in!!!

    Loved the D.H. Lawrence pose, "wake like a new~opened flower"!!!

    Love that thought.

    God bless and have a magnificent day sweetie, 'looks like your nights are taken care of! :o)

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