a woman, a dog and a stick being thrown into the ocean - retriever heaven
It's grey and overcast this morning, and it's just beginning to get light . It's breezy and the leaves on the trees outside my window are rustling and the branches are swaying back and forth. The air is warm, I love having the windows wide open ... all the time. We heard a loon early this morning and we could hear the flapping sound of the flags (Canadian, Nova Scotian and the Union Jack ? - once a colony always a colony) in the park and a dog barking way off in the distance, across the harbour somewhere. You know I love this time of day. It's so quiet. It's fresh and new and always full of possibilities.
Sunday July 13th is this blog's one year anniversary and oh what a year it's been. From my perspective this blog is a mostly comforting visual and written record of our life here at 29 Black Street. A life, this past year, filled with simple everyday joys, small struggles and ongoing growing pains and aching sadness like I've never known.
I began this blog completely on a lark with no set intentions and absolutely no idea what a huge and important part of my life it would become. I had no idea the friends and kindred spirits that I would come to know, the kind words, prayers and hugs that I would find waiting for me here. Lifting me up, over and over again, when I felt sure I was sinking. That such a large part of the content of this blog became a loving tribute to my hero dog Jake (both in life and after his death) continues to be an enormous comfort to me - and that my family of animals, past and present can live on, vividly, here. I've always been a compulsive journal keeper and I've always loved photography and taking pictures. The rest is now history, my history, our history here in the old brick house at 29 Black Street, here in this tiny seaside village in Nova Scotia.
Watch Sunday's post for an anniversary celebration give away. More packets of beach treasure - mermaids tears (beach glass), tiny orange and yellow periwinkles, and perhaps a shard or two of well worn crockery.
And thank you again friends and cohorts. You all know who you are ....
I didn't know that beach glass was called "mermaid's tears"! The name itself is a little found treasure for me this morning. :)
ReplyDeleteSorry you missed my 14 things post. I think I buried it with a torrent of words, but you can find it here: http://stripeypebble.blogspot.com/2008/07/14-things.html
The double Gourmet-Bon Appetit subscription sure is tempting. I feel a half-birthday present coming on...
Congratulations on your blog's 1st year anniversary! More power to you!
ReplyDeleteI am a long way off my first year blog anniversary.With curiosity and delight I find it has been a wonderful adventure,following trails and by-ways that eventually led to 29 Black Street.I am so glad you started a blog twelve months ago.Congratulations on this milestone. I always feel it is a privilege to stop by, and appreciate that you share you life as beautifully as you do.
ReplyDeletewoohooooo
ReplyDeletehappy blogiversary!!
happy blogiv..what? stop singing? but..but... I'm only just half way through it... I.. oh, alright then... I know it is pretty awful seeing as I can't sing AT all. ...
But... really.... congrats on a special blog Susan. A wonderful tribute to that special retriever...a photo journal extra-ordinaire...and the words... yes, especially the words. Your way with words is something else......you put them together so eloquently and interestingly... describing the feel of an ocean breeze...the colours of a seaside morning... the sounds and thoughts of life.... you take us on magical tours.... it is much like reading a book but allowing myself only a chapter a day.
Congratulations on your one year anniversary. I cannot remember how I found your blog, but I have been reading it ever since. Although we have never met, I know through your words that you are a very kind and gentle person. I love to come here and see your photos...they are so calm and peaceful.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your one year blogaversary! :)
ReplyDeleteSo very lovely and serene. Your blog has become a little daily treat I give myself, a gentle pause to appreciate a quieter world. I'm very glad you take the time and effort. Thank you, Susan, and happy anniversary!
ReplyDelete"that my family of animals, past and present can live on, vividly, here"
ReplyDelete--That is a lovely way to put it.
It maybe nearing one year for you, but for many of us we only stumbled on your blog later (thanks to Willow for me). In that time, it has become one of my essential reads, like reading good contemplative literature. I often can almost smell the sea breeze and hear the sound of your dogs splashing in the water.
"Delightful" is close, but doesn't quite do it justice. Something in me is stirred each time I visit.
Susan, I have a question for you though: what will you do with this blog once you sell and move? Will you want to rename it?
I am brand new to this wonderful place and I want to thank you for it. Has anyone mentioned you remind them of two literary essayists/journal keepers: May Sarton and Gladys Taber? How magnificent to find a current writer who moves me and gives me such a sense of place. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHI,
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who makes jewelery out of beach glass, I will have to tell her the name mermaids tears, so sweet.
hugs.
My, such nice comments ... merci beaucoup !
ReplyDeleteAnd Mmm to answer your question ... first I guess there is part of me that hopes that my creative empire will burst at the seams and gold coins will fall from the sky and I wouldn't have to sell or move. However if I do decide that I still "want" to move to something smaller or perhaps even something more urban I would have to say goodbye to 29 Black Street (the blog) and begin a new blog with a new name. I would just leave this one, existing here in the ether, our history and memories always here with a link back and forth between the new blog and old.
People ask me all the time "how you could you think of leaving, you love it here so much?" and yes I do but I know that I could love "it" somewhere else too.
I think I'm lucky that way, I think I naturally seek out the things that I love wherever I might be. And I'll always "have" here. I'll always have 29 Black Street.
Very well put and a good way to look at things, Susan. touching indeed.
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