Sunday 1 January 2012

A Kind of Hush


Started my new diary today. I've kept a diary for about the last 20 years, though heaven knows what I'm going to do with them all. Do you keep a diary? I think I will bury mine in the walls or under the floorboards. We've lived in the same house a long time -  35 years. None of us know what 2012 will bring.

New Year's Day 2011
A few days on from now, a year ago I wrote this  ....... remember all that ice and snow .......
(2011)  'Looking in my diary today, – the 6th January is Epiphany – the final 12th day of Christmas.  The  Christmas cards dropped into the recycling box, the Christmas lights and baubles carefully packed away and the tree deposited outside ready to be chipped at the recycle centre. The beautiful bouquet of flowers with the red satin ribbon, I received on Christmas day have faded and are now their way to the compost heap.
Another heavy snow fall during the night has brought again things to a halt. What's struck me about today is that we've all been brought to a standstill – not because we can, but because we can't. Schools closed; planes grounded; hospital appointments except the urgent cancelled; bus routes disrupted; cars stuck in the snow; gritters battling against the odds with dwindling supplies where it's most needed and the majority of us having to stay put right where we are. The lethal beauty of whiteness all around us has stopped us in our tracks. And yet there is an unexplainable sense of peace. The sheep across the field are almost like statues motionless as they bide their time quietly near the hedges. Lambing will be starting in full swing any time now. Long raw cold nights ahead for the shepherds. The birds are quiet and elusive today, even though I've put crusts out on the bird table again. There's bright sunshine now melting icicles that hang beneath the eaves. Drip, drip, drip – there's no hurry! The buds on the camellia bush outside my door are weighed down. I hope they don't succumb to tonight's frost which we will inevitably get. Every thing's waiting, waiting in the silence of the snow for tomorrow's Spring.'



Yep, we were truly grounded. The child in me filled my rubber gloves with water and pegged them on the washing line.

We awoke this morning to grey skies, blustering winds and squally driving rain. No snow as yet this year but I'm still waiting. Longing in the silence for tomorrow's Spring to come around again, which it undoubtedly will you'll see.

12 comments:

  1. Yes I have kept a diary since I was 17. I don't write so much now I am blogging, I guuess that's an extension of my paper diaries. What a good idea to put them under your floorboards.
    Loving the icy hands!

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  2. Nope...no diaries. I have started a few times and gotten one or two days done and then forgot all about it.
    Love your icy hands.

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  3. Love the Ice-Maiden Marigolds! No, no diary, aside from the relentless out-pouring over on my blog - 'A Kind of Slush'.

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  4. I have kept journals now and then - especially during difficult times in my life. I have found them to be therapeutic. I always put them away when when the rough times pass but recently retread one. It was interesting to see how I was feeling at that time, but difficult to relive old wounds.

    Your ice sculpture is delightful Molly. May you never lose that child within yourself.

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  5. oh it's so lovely Molly. No snow for us yet, it'll probley come in April! Your children will love your journels someday...actually it'll probley be your grandchildren. love linda

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  6. What a difference a year can make. We had snow this time last year too, and today it was sweater (jumper) weather! My father kept a diary after he retired, it is so wonderful to read them now that he is gone.

    Happy New Year Molly, I hope it is a wonderful one for you and your family!

    Kat :)

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  7. Turner Prize?

    Foul and wet here; even the dogs won't venture out this morning.

    For your diaries, find yourself a big strong box with a big padlock, and put it in the loft. Someone one day will find a real treasure.

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  8. If your diary is anything like your blog, it would be beautiful reading. No snow here either. The weathermen say an arctic blast is set to come down mid-January, so many the kids will get a snow day out of that. i'd like to see some myself : )

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  9. Hi Molly, you are very disciplined to keep a diary and I do not have that discipline. I like the idea of you placing yours under the boards of the house to be found at a later date and read by someone else. What a treasure it will be. We hardly ever get snow-way to warm here usually. Olive

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  10. I remember a friend of mine doing a similar thing with rubber gloves.
    But, his gestures were .....how shall I put it? Well, less than 'ladylike' and if I remember only used two fingers!
    :o
    No! it was a Churchillian salute. :)

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  11. Very interesting to go back and see how things were this time last year.

    In the Northern Hemisphere you are waiting for the snow to arrive, and here in New Zealand we are waiting for Summer. This time last year we were experiencing very hot balmy days, with lots of days at the beach. Not so this year.

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  12. Thanks for your comments
    Kath - well it would be one way of stopping the draughts
    Delores - quite riveting reading like what we had for dinner in 1986:(
    Tom, I'm one of the hundreds who happen to quite like the outpourings on your blog
    Arleen I could safely say I'm well on the way to my second childhood
    Linda -hmm not too sure about that one
    Amy - keep warm - it's getting colder here too.
    Kat - Happy New Year to you too.
    Cro - foul and wet here too.
    Olive - I wish it was warm here
    Uncle B - there's naughty
    Nana - hot balmy days on the beach - sounds wonderful

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