I loved this piece and Mary Oliver’s words which describe so well the necessary movement between different parts of ourselves and how hard it can be to move from one to another.
December I’m London felt boggy and I have lifted myself out of the cloying mud to find summer in Tasmania. I don’t know how much we need winter to regenerate the seeds of our souls? Or does reflective time in the sun have a similar effect? I’ll let you know!
Thanks for dropping by from Tasmania, Debbie - what a contrast! Do let me know if you can be as reflective in the sunshine, Is certainly like to give it a go at the moment. Frozen solid here this morning! 🥶
Someone once said to me that he liked the rain... for the first fourteen days. It made me laugh. You sum it up above with the idea that the rain became a way of life rather than an event. Your writing took me right back to our wet December, which is juxtaposed with this cold dry day. However your daily self matches my daily self with no juxtaposition - I too am facing admin. My child self and creative/spiritual self always rebels against it. Maybe I should just stop fighting Lynne, and accept the ebb and flow. Your piece absolutely hit the spot - thank you.
The juxtaposition of this with our early wet-wet winter of New England floods was profound. I've also been working on revising a long essay, "Two Thirds Water" (a two-part draft on my Substack), so have lots of water in/on my spiritual brain of late. Lovely writing, as always.
Thank you for your kind words and I very much look forward to reading your essays on water, Arnie - you always have such a great take on things. Wet winters are pretty much par for the course in our temperate maritime climate, but I will be interested to see to what extent this period was wetter than normal when the figures come out (hard to find though!). Your winter certainly sounded like it was well out of the normal parameters.
The contrast between Devon and Spain is stark. I've spent a few winters in Valencia where the air is usually dry, if cold. And here, in the east of England, I'm sheltered as the rain tends to fall first in the west. I really enjoyed reading this post, Lynne. So much wet, so much life in it too. Wonderful writing.
Ah you know that feeling then of a winter in Spain, nothing quite like it. Were you in the city of Valencia? We were up in the Valencian mountains above Benidorm. Beautiful place. Thanks for your kind words Yasmin. I’m always inspired by your posts about place writing and beginning to think that’s a better description for what I do than nature writing.
I love all parts of Spain. But I wintered in Valencia several times. Stayed in the hills just outside the city.
There's a fine line between Place Writing and nature writing, and you may be right about your own work; I've seen some writers use the description 'nature and place' when describing their genre.
A thought-provoking piece Lynne, gloriously written. Reading it in the bath as the rain lashes against the window. The gap between storms so short.
Oh what a perfect place to read it! Thanks Christina 🙏 stay safe up there x
I loved this piece and Mary Oliver’s words which describe so well the necessary movement between different parts of ourselves and how hard it can be to move from one to another.
December I’m London felt boggy and I have lifted myself out of the cloying mud to find summer in Tasmania. I don’t know how much we need winter to regenerate the seeds of our souls? Or does reflective time in the sun have a similar effect? I’ll let you know!
Thanks for dropping by from Tasmania, Debbie - what a contrast! Do let me know if you can be as reflective in the sunshine, Is certainly like to give it a go at the moment. Frozen solid here this morning! 🥶
Someone once said to me that he liked the rain... for the first fourteen days. It made me laugh. You sum it up above with the idea that the rain became a way of life rather than an event. Your writing took me right back to our wet December, which is juxtaposed with this cold dry day. However your daily self matches my daily self with no juxtaposition - I too am facing admin. My child self and creative/spiritual self always rebels against it. Maybe I should just stop fighting Lynne, and accept the ebb and flow. Your piece absolutely hit the spot - thank you.
Thanks Juliana for your thoughtful response (as ever!) - oh yes the admin! Why do we do it to ourselves??!
I loved reading your words again. i experienced rainy frustration, and you saw the juxtapositions and yourself reflected in the water. Beautiful
Thanks Bel, much appreciated. 😘
The juxtaposition of this with our early wet-wet winter of New England floods was profound. I've also been working on revising a long essay, "Two Thirds Water" (a two-part draft on my Substack), so have lots of water in/on my spiritual brain of late. Lovely writing, as always.
Thank you for your kind words and I very much look forward to reading your essays on water, Arnie - you always have such a great take on things. Wet winters are pretty much par for the course in our temperate maritime climate, but I will be interested to see to what extent this period was wetter than normal when the figures come out (hard to find though!). Your winter certainly sounded like it was well out of the normal parameters.
Good stuff Lynne! Amazing how quickly the water table has dropped here. Everything soaked and flooded, now frozen and dry.
Thanks James. Loving your Substack by the way...
The contrast between Devon and Spain is stark. I've spent a few winters in Valencia where the air is usually dry, if cold. And here, in the east of England, I'm sheltered as the rain tends to fall first in the west. I really enjoyed reading this post, Lynne. So much wet, so much life in it too. Wonderful writing.
Ah you know that feeling then of a winter in Spain, nothing quite like it. Were you in the city of Valencia? We were up in the Valencian mountains above Benidorm. Beautiful place. Thanks for your kind words Yasmin. I’m always inspired by your posts about place writing and beginning to think that’s a better description for what I do than nature writing.
I love all parts of Spain. But I wintered in Valencia several times. Stayed in the hills just outside the city.
There's a fine line between Place Writing and nature writing, and you may be right about your own work; I've seen some writers use the description 'nature and place' when describing their genre.
Aw thanks Mark, praise indeed from a photographer such as you! How's your book coming on?
Excellent news! Wish I could say the same 🤔