Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Monday, February 1, 2010

Musing On Our First Snowfall

We've had our first snowfall and it's Muse Day! I humbly submit this poem by Elinor Wylie (1885-1928) and the accompanying photos in celebration to Nancy at Soliloquy hostess of The First Snowfall Project and to CarolynGail/Sweet Home and Garden Chicago hostess of Muse Day.

Thank you both.


Velvet Shoes

Let us walk in the white snow
In a soundless space;
With footsteps quiet and slow,
At a tranquil pace,
Under veils of white lace.

I shall go shod in silk,
And you in wool,
White as white cow’s milk,
More beautiful
Than the breast of a gull.

We shall walk through the still town
In a windless peace;
We shall step upon white down,
Upon silver fleece,
Upon softer than these.


We shall walk in velvet shoes:
Wherever we go
Silence will fall like dews
On white silence below.
We shall walk in the snow.





Gail

My friends, I hope your weekend had moments that made you laugh until you had to hold your sides, filled your heart with joy and energized your spirit.

Snowshoeing the day away in my Yowies!

Mine sure did!

In case you want more info on the unique snow shoes...go here

52 comments:

  1. Dear Gail, while the whole post was a reverie, that final shot made my day! Love the shadow's shade of blue on the white velvet, and that footwear! :-)
    Frances

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  2. Isn't this just beautiful!!! Love the snow photos and I'm with Ms. Frances on the last photo. About the PPPP do you have yours in shade or sun or semi??

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  3. Gail girl congratulations on the snow .. you can borrow mine any time as well, when you miss yours ? haha
    What on earth are those "things" big rubber walking spatulas ??
    wink wink Joy : )

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  4. Gail,
    Glad you were able to enjoy your oh so stylish footwear. What a heavenly winter wonderland! The golden grasses are just beautiful surrounded by the soft wintry blanket.

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  5. Dear Gail,

    So glad that the first snowfall brought out your muse. A lovely poem to go with the photos of the snow that you so beautifully captured.

    I see that a lot of the South and Southeast got "gobsmacked " as the Irish say. A foot of snow in some places. Our snowfall here has been rather light this year but of course February can bring some surprises.

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  6. Beautiful snow scenes and lovely poem! Hope you keep that hand warm! :-)

    Take care,
    Cameron

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  7. First snowfall does bring out the youth in us... lovely poem to go with your images Gail. It is true that there is more silence ( except for snowmobiles) or muffled sounds when there is snow. I enjoy that aspect of it too. I love the stream and your blue shadow! I so feel there are endless miracles around us at all times... reflecting on your Albert quote. I hope you get just enough snow and that it last in the soft and fun mode. ;>) Carol

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  8. Joy, Those are Yowie Agility snowshoes! Light weight and easy to walk in! They don't get much use here! Don't they look like big Teva sandals! I ordered them from Australia, now they sell them in the states.
    Gail

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  9. Gail, I meant to say how dear your snowman with the green heart is!!! ;>))

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  10. Carol, I am so glad you saw her...She is perfect in person..

    Darla, It's planted in both shade and sun!

    Gail

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  11. We've really enjoyed the snow the past two days. Sledding and fun in the snow. It's definitely brightened up the landscape!

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  12. Such a beautiful poem, Gail--thank you for sharing this one! I will think of "velvet shoes" now every time I walk in the snow. Glad to see you enjoyed your first snowfall--those Yowies look like fun!

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  13. A perfect poem to accompany your photos. Happy GBMD.

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  14. Gail, the first thing I noticed was your wonderful snowman photo.

    Velvet Shoes, the name is as wonderful as the poem itself.

    Lucky you, you get to enjoy the beautiful snow and then almost as quickly as it arrived, it'll be gone.

    Enjoy.

    donna

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  15. What a beautiful poem. I have come to love Muse Day for all the beautiful things it has brought to me on the first day of every month. What a gift Carolyn gail has given us all - as do all those who participate.

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  16. I think I have to get to know that Elinor lady. Thanks for introducing me to her!

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  17. Lovely, Gail, for post GBMD and the Frist Snowfall -- thanks for participating. I'll put a link up today. :)

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  18. Hi Gail, what a lovely poem.

    Those snow shoes are too cool. I need to see about getting a pair.
    Marnie

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  19. I don't know why but the poem and photos put me in mind of a Kate Bush song. (Especially weird as you normally can't understand her lyrics!) I can't believe this is your first snow, but, OK! :) LOL

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  20. Cool snowshoes, I'm glad you finally got a chance to use them. The wild places look better in snow than most places touched by humans. I'm not sure why.

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  21. Wow, looks like you all had quite the snowfall. But snow and sun = fun. Lovely photos and poem Gail.

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  22. we have snow again too. Quite a bit this time! Lovely poem.

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  23. Hi Gail....the poetry made me tingle....your images fitted perfectly.

    I had a wonderful weekend and it was full of laughter. Catching up with friends unexpectedly is just the best thing, don't you think?

    Hope you are healing well and enjoy the snow while it lasts.

    BTW love the last photo....genius.

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  24. Lovely Gail! Happy 'healing' February and Muse Day :)

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  25. Funny you should own snow shoes Gail since you don't get much snow there! I also can't resist saying that I would be so happy if we didn't see snow until now. Anyway, I'm glad you got some ~ I know you were hoping. Your photos of it are beautiful and looks like you thoroughly enjoyed it.

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  27. The snow is so awesome! But I'm glad I didn't have to drive anywhere. Some roads are still most slick. Snowshoeing looks like fun!

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  28. Tina, It is so much fun! You can climb straight up a hill! gail

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  29. Beautiful pictures, Gail! And the snowshoes look like fun!

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  30. Pretty snow post and winter photos! I love the little snow(woman) on the left side of your blog...very cute!

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  31. This is such a beautiful poem.

    Happy first snowfall.

    Jen

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  32. Lovely poem. I think the qualities of whiteness and silence are why some of us look forward to the arrival of snow. I find it magical.
    I googled your footwear - sort of winter sandals with extra room for shoes :-)

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  33. Easy, They really are like giant sandals...and so much fun! gail

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  34. Great post, Gail! Fresh and crispy! Now, I guess I am the only one left who haven't had any snow...

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  35. It's wonderful to get snow every once in a while, isn't it?

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  36. Love the poem. We are enjoying the snow from inside.

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  37. I like your poem Gail. The snow pictures are wonderful---doesn't snow make everything look so different?

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  38. Lovely poem, Gail, and the photos are pretty marvy, too! So nice to meet another snowshoe gal! Isn't it fun?? :)

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  39. Finally a snow to talk about! Those shoes are something else girl. We need rubber boots here with our soggy mess...

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  40. skeeter, I totally recommend bog shoes for muddy messes! I love mine,
    gail

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  41. Such a beautiful poem. It reminded me of a walk my husband and I took in the snow in the city the first year we were married - it was eerily quiet and deserted. If only I had been shod in silk. Your post made me smile on this gray, cold day. Thanks for sharing the poem and the photos.
    Kelly

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  42. Finally some of the white stuff, eh!!! Love those shoes. Maybe they could help get around in this squishy garden of mine.
    Really wet here & due to get more. At least it's not tornadoes like a couple weeks ago. Had one touch down in this small town. No help to be gotten from anyone. It's a shame.

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  43. Hi Gail~~ I'm wondering if the deleted comment was mine. Paranoid?

    A walk in the snow on a sunny day would certainly energize my spirit. Beautiful photos and prose.

    I also enjoyed the flower photos on your previous post. The seasonal disparities are impossible to miss. I'm glad to have summer photos to remind me that my garden doesn't always look like a train wreck.

    My recent post was the first mention of my publishing pipe dream. I've been writing a memoir for about five years. I included the link to the agent blog as part of the requirements for a contest he's running. The replies from fellow bloggers have been so kind.

    So you'll be sticking with blogging. I know what you mean. It's not just a matter of impeccable writing skills, plot and character development but once an agent has enough enthusiasm for representing you [in other words they're convinced they can make money off of you] and all of the edits are completed, then you have to self promote. I will probably be rejected on this point alone. I'm not comfortable tooting my own horn so we'll see.

    Blog writing is good for honing our writing skills isn't it? Not too bad for the ego either. :)

    Thanks for asking and I hope the rest of your week is enjoyable.

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  44. The words and photos are lovely enough to make me miss snow, Gail - but only if I had a pair of those Yowies ;-]

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

    (also had to flip on the word verification for comments - spammers are a big pain lately, aren't they?)

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  45. Gail, I kept an eye on the weather for Clay and Limestone and hoped you'd had some snow but not so much as to cause trouble. Glad you are enjoying it. Lovely photos-so peaceful looking. Not at all like our snow falls with the wind blowing and bitter cold temps. :)

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  46. Hi Gail! You picked a nice poem for your beautiful snow photos! I have been missing my blogging, what with shopping for appliances and such. It feels good to be back in Tennessee with you.

    Thanks for your nice comment on my kitchen post. We are getting new windows in the kitchen. I think I'm going to leave the shades off, and just put up some simple curtains or keep the towels over them.

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  47. Gail, Thanks for plucking that poem from the air and letting it light on us. Yesterday, we also had a snowfall after a long spell of frigid brown and grey, so I'll be putting on my velvet slippers.

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  48. C&L is so very lovely in the snow. I'm going to e-mail you ... it looks like I'll be in Nashville at the end of April.

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  49. Beautiful pictures! I love the snow on the grasses...enjoy your snow!

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  50. Gail, all your snowy photos are beautiful, but that first one is a perfect sculpture with the leaf filled with snowy crystals.
    The lovely poem describes the beauty of walking in snowy surroundings so well. Thanks for sharing that.
    And oh, how I love your Aussie snow shoes! :) Love the shadow pic!
    I do hope your hand is healing well.

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