20:30
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life
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Tomorrow is the 1st of December with just over 3 weeks left to get things done for the holidays. Like many people there are so many things I enjoy doing but I am finding a serious lack of time to do them. Of course a very large chunk of my available time has gone towards physical exercises, three days at the gym and one day at belly dance class. My health has to be taken care of, there is no way around that.
I have been asked to paint the cover art for a friend's upcoming album which involves a fair amount of research, planning and prep (then there is the painting to be done - that's the easy part!). I already know that I will not have both the front and the back done this month but we will see how far I get on one side.
I will happily be indulging in some baking this season - in part I have little choice because I was given one of those "friendship loaf" packages of already fermenting yeast, flour, sugar and heaven knows what else. I really *hate* letting food stuffs go to waste so the appropriate day for baking has been committed to. And why not squeeze in another recipe while I'm at it that day? (gingerbread maybe?)
Christmas cards will be my project for this week. Now here is where I really am cutting back. Due to time constraints I will not be making the cards this year. They are store bought but at least they will be sent.
Christmas presents are in the works. The boyfriend and I managed to find presents for a couple family members today so hooray - scratch a couple more off my list!
I am not sure how much will happen in the way of decorations around the house. This year I may cut back and just do a few things here and there. Since we are spending the holidays at the farm it will save cleaning up the mess that occurs when the cat decides he's bored with no one around.
Meanwhile we go to work each day and deal with the normal needs of day to day life, laundry, cooking, family, cleaning, getting some sleep to ward off getting sick - the usual that we all go through. I have cut back on some things, but I am still constantly busy. I'll just have to gauge it as I go along. If I am still enjoying myself two weeks from now then I guess I pruned just enough.
22:12
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Art
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Sketchbook
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I am always amazed by the power of scents and sounds to evoke memories.
I have a beautiful leather sketchbook, actually it is a removable cover made of elaborately tooled leather and the sketchbook can this way be replaced when it gets filled - not that I am yet close to filling it. But for the first time in at least a year I decided to take it out and give the cover a nice polish. This was recommended by the craftsman who made it, in order to keep the leather supple and protect the finish. So I sat down with a soft cloth, appropriate polish and the book cover and started in. What really hit me was the smell. Once the polish was in the leather the aroma was not unlike crayons! As I was polishing I was seeing - in my mind - the large box of crayons my Grandmother kept for me at her apartment. I was thinking of different colours and of the waxy texture. I was reminded of the simple joys of just drawing and colouring. I used to do that on a very regular basis as a kid. As I started painting more I drew less, I am not sure why it dropped off though. In recent years it has really seemed difficult to just sit down and draw.
I am sure that I have some crayons somewhere, although truth be told I am not in a huge rush to unpack them specifically. Instead, once I finished polishing I picked up the pencil lying on the desk and made a sketch of my sleeping cat. This time it was easy. I guess I just needed an uncomplicated reminder.
PS. in case you are wondering, the spots are actually just ink that bled through from a previous page.
19:41
Posted In
Poem
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O I forbid you, maidens a’, That wear gowd on your hair, To come or gae by Carterhaugh, For young Tam Lin is there.
There’s nane that gaes by Carterhaugh But they leave him a wad, Either their rings, or green mantles, Or else their maidenhead.
Janet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee, And she has broded her yellow hair A little aboon her bree, And she’s awa to Carterhaugh As fast as she can hie.
When she came to Carterhaugh Tam Lin was at the well, And there she fand his steed standing, But away was himsel.
She had na pu’d a double rose, A rose but only twa, Till upon then started young Tam Lin,S ays, Lady, thou’s pu nae mae.
Why pu’s thou the rose, Janet, And why breaks thou the wand? Or why comes thou to Carterhaugh Withoutten my command?“
Carterhaugh, it is my own, My daddy gave it me, I’ll come and gang by Carterhaugh, And ask nae leave at thee.”
Janet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee, And she has broded her yellow hair A little aboon her bree, And she is to her father’s ha, As fast as she can hie.
Four and twenty ladies fair Were playing at the ba, And out then came the fair Janet, The flower among them a’.
Four and twenty ladies fair Were playing at the chess, And out then came the fair Janet, As green as onie glass.
Out then spake an auld grey knight, Lay oer the castle wa, And says, Alas, fair Janet, for thee, But we’ll be blamed a’.“
Haud your tongue, ye auld fac’d knight, Some ill death may ye die! Father my bairn on whom I will, I’ll father none on thee.”
Out then spak her father dear, And he spak meek and mild, “And ever alas, sweet Janet,” he says, “I think thou gaest wi child.”
“If that I gae wi child, father, Mysel maun bear the blame, There’s neer a laird about your ha, Shall get the bairn’s name.
“If my love were an earthly knight, As he’s an elfin grey, I wad na gie my ain true-love For nae lord that ye hae.
“The steed that my true love rides on Is lighter than the wind, Wi siller he is shod before, Wi burning gowd behind.”
Janet has kilted her green kirtle A little aboon her knee, And she has broded her yellow hair A little aboon her bree, And she’s awa to Carterhaugh As fast as she can hie.
When she came to Carterhaugh, Tam Lin was at the well, And there she fand his steed standing, But away was himsel.
She had na pu’d a double rose, A rose but only twa, Till up then started young Tam Lin, Says, Lady, thou pu’s nae mae.
“Why pu’s thou the rose, Janet, Amang the groves sae green, And a’ to kill the bonny babe That we gat us between?”
“O tell me, tell me, Tam Lin,” she says, “For’s sake that died on tree, If eer ye was in holy chapel, Or christendom did see?”
“Roxbrugh he was my grandfather, Took me with him to bide And ance it fell upon a day That wae did me betide.
“And ance it fell upon a day A cauld day and a snell, When we were frae the hunting come, That frae my horse I fell, The Queen o’ Fairies she caught me, In yon green hill do dwell.
“And pleasant is the fairy land, But, an eerie tale to tell, Ay at the end of seven years, We pay a tiend to hell, I am sae fair and fu o flesh, I’m feard it be mysel.
“But the night is Halloween, lady, The morn is Hallowday, Then win me, win me, an ye will, For weel I wat ye may.
“Just at the mirk and midnight hour The fairy folk will ride, And they that wad their true-love win, At Miles Cross they maun bide.”
“But how shall I thee ken, Tam Lin, Or how my true-love know, Amang sa mony unco knights, The like I never saw?”
“O first let pass the black, lady, And syne let pass the brown, But quickly run to the milk-white steed, Pu ye his rider down.
“For I’ll ride on the milk-white steed, And ay nearest the town, Because I was an earthly knight They gie me that renown.
“My right hand will be gloved, lady, My left hand will be bare, Cockt up shall my bonnet be, And kaimed down shall my hair, And thae’s the takens I gie thee, Nae doubt I will be there.
“They’ll turn me in your arms, lady, Into an esk and adder, But hold me fast, and fear me not, I am your bairn’s father.
“They’ll turn me to a bear sae grim, And then a lion bold, But hold me fast, and fear me not, And ye shall love your child.
“Again they’ll turn me in your arms To a red het gand of airn, But hold me fast, and fear me not, I’ll do you nae harm.
“And last they’ll turn me in your arms Into the burning gleed, Then throw me into well water,O throw me in with speed“
And then I’ll be your ain true-love, I’ll turn a naked knight, Then cover me wi your green mantle, And hide me out o sight.”
Gloomy, gloomy was the night, And eerie was the way, As fair Jenny in her green mantle To Miles Cross she did gae.
At the mirk and midnight hour She heard the bridles sing, She was as glad at that As any earthly thing.
First she let the black pass by, And syne she let the brown, But quickly she ran to the milk-white steed, And pu’d the rider down.
Sae weel she minded what he did say, And young Tam Lin did win, Syne covered him wi her green mantle, As blythe’s a bird in spring
Out then spak the Queen o Fairies, Out of a bush o broom, “Them that has gotten young Tam Lin Has gotten a stately-groom.”
Out then spak the Queen o Fairies, And an angry woman was she, “Shame betide her ill-far’d face, And an ill death may she die, For she’s taen awa the bonniest knight In a’ my companie.
“But had I kend, Tam Lin,” said she, “What now this night I see, I wad hae taen out thy twa grey een, And put in twa een o tree.”
19:39
Posted In
Travel
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And speaking of wanting...
In browsing around online last week I came across a beautiful model ship for sale - it is a scale model of the tall ship that I spent three months aboard some years ago. I do not want the model itself, as I can clearly envisage the cat getting himself hog tied in the rigging. In addition, this model is of the historical vessel and not of the current one I worked on so there are a few noticable differences. I have no complaint with the model, it just isn't my ship. But what I am longing for is some advenure - to hit the high seas again (or the road for that matter)!
Just the thought of getting back aboard ship is enough to give me warm butterflies. I have found myself checking flight costs for various trips near and far. Eastern Canada? Europe? India? I have even been checking a few sail training websites for information. I don't have the money now but the age cut off for the Picton Castle is 40 so I still have time to make it!
I have been thinking to get my negatives scanned for a while so I can load pics from the south pacific trip onto the computer. Now I really want to pull out those albums! But with my whole cost concious thinking I think I will have to get the old scanner working instead. And in the meantime, I am going to have to get creative and come up with some fun adventures closer to home. There is no cure for the itchy feet except to get them wandering somewhere!
