This weekend I scored 2 coats from the mega-chain Old Navy, made famous for those American Flag T-shirts that made you feel wayyy more American before the re-branding of L.L. Bean. I shelled out a mere $17 for this coat! They were having some 5-hour special and I got suckered in. (Things I am blocking from my mind: 1) the factory where this coat was made; 2) the conditions at said factory 3) blah blah blah et al 4) I’m a terrible person)
Here’s how I’ll style it:
North Country
In the north country now it is spring and there
is a certain celebration. The thrush
has come home. He is shy and likes the
evening best, also the hour just before
morning; in that blue and gritty light he
climbs to his branch, or smoothly
sails there. It is okay to know only
one song if it is this one. Hear it
rise and fall; the very elements of your soul
shiver nicely. What would spring be
without it? Mostly frogs. But don’t worry, he
arrives, year after year, humble and obedient
and gorgeous. You listen and you know
you could live a better life than you do, be
softer, kinder. And maybe this year you will
be able to do it. Hear how his voice
rises and falls. There is no way to be
sufficiently grateful for the gifts we are
given, no way to speak the Lord’s name
often enough, though we do try, and
especially now, as that dappled breast
breaths in the pines and heaven’s
windows in the north country, now spring has come,
are opened wide.
-Mary Oliver, 2004-2005
How are you doing with your thankfulness this year? I feel like just when I’ve got it figured out, something comes along and leaves me stammering. Or something hard happens and I’m still trying to figure out how it measures up against the good things. This year though, and probably every year, I feel like I could do better with my gratefulness, like the poem suggests. Somewhere between the fight to be the best and the fear of being forgotten, I get lost, I can’t hear the bird’s song. Though I also think, like the bird, I have my own song–a song that celebrates the victory of the good things over the hard things. And one year I’ll know the words and another I’ll know the tune, but–I hope–it is the one song I will always try to write.
P.S. I was loading up my freezer with turkey broth and it spilled all over me. At 6am. No one should have to mop at 6am.
Photo from Everyday Musings.
(I thought I posted this on Friday! Hope everyone had a good weekend!))
Hope everyone enjoyed gift guide week! It was fun putting it together, hope you found some good ideas for your loved ones. If anyone wants to get me any of those things… you know where to find me.
Tonight I am so excited to attend my 2nd annual “friend-Thanksgiving” – a night where my friends make their favorite dish (I made my aunt’s cornbread dressing, Will is making challah bread!), and give many warm and fuzzy vibes of love. What are you doing tonight?
Some things I’ve been reading/listening to this week:
-Did you know you can read A Christmas Carol for free online? There is some beautiful prose hidden in that familiar story.
- A poem that’s been inspiring me this week.
- This record has been getting me through my day-job.
-Found the image through Pinterest – lovely thought, right?
Have a good weekend! I am thankful for all of you who have stopped by lately! Can’t wait to share new music with you! xo, allie
