Monday 25 January 2010

Melted Snow...


THERE IS A KNOT in my heart made of old string, melting snow and hesitant birdsong.
I cannot tell you its tale, for it is far too sad. But I will tell you some things I have been thinking these last days of quiet...

I have been thinking of home and what that means to me and to all others.
For me, I must build my nest of beautiful sticks and have that always to return safe to. I believe that if we surround ourselves with that which we find beautiful, then the air in our homes will humm with our unique magic, a magic that is smelt by visitors and which is ours alone. How interesting the different feelings we get on entering the homes of others. How warm or cold or unnerving or welcoming they can feel. Some folks can sofa-hop happily, but not I. I must have my ephemera and imagery about me. In stretching yourself out as far as your walls, you are making a place which affirms your vision whenever you sit in it.


I have been thinking of journeys and of the pot-holed roads down which those journeys wind. My own journey has brought me in the most beautiful home I have ever had to a village in Dartmoor which I felt on arrival was itself home, and so, for now, my hat will rest here. There is a sixteenth century cottage with uneven floors that is to become my home in a few weeks' time. I must gather all my selves from all the ends of the dripping tree branches where I have hung them and bundle them up in a cloth bag along with books and paints and pots and pans, and start down this new fork in the road with a set jaw and a pocketful of tears.
The road is still muddy of course, from where the snow has melted, and it is uphill too I see. There may be wheels again further down this road, for I do love them so, but for now I must just put one foot in front of the other.


I have been thinking of the stories we tell of our lives, stories for those we know and stories for those we do not. I have wound out for you this story right here like a ball of string down a long long road. You have seen my life, though of course only a ladleful from the top of the soup. I love to tell you stories, true though they are, they are my tale... my life painted as in my pictures. You people whose unknown friendship I treasure, cannot share in all the pains of my real life. I have agonised over how to write, how to be true and yet hidden. You are a sea of strangers, and yet you are also each and every one of you a single person, a me, a someone with hurts and joys of your own, who thrills at walking in step with another through this strangest of media.


I have been thinking of winter and of the spring that follows all the same. How I find such beautiful in the snow, and its grey-hushed land-blanket. How it can all disappear in just one day if the air is warm enough, and a view is transformed. How life changes with the seasons and how much solace there is amongst the trees.


It is a new year, a new decade in a still new century, and January is nearly gone.


Soon I will show you the paintings I have been making of late, and in time pictures of my new walls, but for now, forgive me if I am quiet or overwhelmed, or if I give you poems that talk of loneliness...


WILD GEESE
by Mary Oliver


You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

For a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.


183 comments:

FairiesNest said...

I think this may be one of the most beautiful posts that I have ever read. Thank you for sharing these thoughts today.

Christine--RHP said...

Rima--be comforted in your sadness that yes, we see you, we hear you, we are listening. The deep sadness in your heart will move you in ways you cannot know now, as the spring will come, a new home will embrace you and time will stitch new chapters in your world. A heartfelt warming hug from the desert.

KeKe said...

What a beauitful post! I know how you feel...One's stopping post is another's end of the road...Our journeys intertwine and mingle for their duration until new paths emerge, forcing us to make a decision. Once you've settled in, you'll see things in a new light~

Hugs

Jess said...

A beautiful post filled with love. I was excited to see you back and hope all is well. love Jess xx

Gail said...

A lovely, moving and mysterious post. Hope all turns out well in the end, things usually work out for the best even though it may not seem that way now. Hang in there ... ((((((((((HUGS)))))))))) from me to you :-) xx

Meg said...

I agree, I prefer to have one place to call home and know I run to, whether it be a hole in the ground, a parking lot, a tent, the inside of a giant shoe, or a house.

Shayna said...

I do not know you - but yet, in a way, I feel as though I do. Your beautiful and sad sentiments brought tears to my eyes. Your post is like a great sigh of beauty - I send you kind and smiling thoughts! ~Shayna

mermaiden said...

you certainly raised the gooseflesh with your words. you're tuned in to Earth's emotions and your path is on somewhat of a parallel with Hers. we must all of us touch the sad and bleak landscapes at times, i think, in order to let the joyful Greening go as deep.
Bright Blessings on your journey.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I am thinking of you.
Life is never easy, with a mind all her own.
Thank you for posting one of my all time favourite poems. I am sending warmth and goodness your way.

Della Marinis said...

May the wealth of your thoughts be your company in the next few weeks. All will be well.

Folk Heart said...

Beautiful Rima...I can feel that incredible weight that presses down, down.. between each heart beat. Don't yield to that weight, don't allow yourself to go down there. Face the sun and take charge of your heart. You are such a strong woman and you must use that strength now to face your challenges. Shoulders back, chin up, turn and face the sun. We need you!

jaihn said...

Such a rich wistful ladleful. Thank you.
I haven't said hallo before now, but am moved to do so today.
I've been thinking of the stories we tell online too - "how to be true and yet hidden" is such an exquisite expression of the concerns.
I wish you Deep Comfort, and patience while you move on through.
xxx

mycuriousteaparty said...

I hope that your sadness is easing and that your new journey is a bright and happy one.


Paint through your sadness
Draw through the hopelessness
Listen to the wind as it blows...
A new day.. A new life.. A new pathway
We may never pass in the street
But remember
We may be strangers in face..... Not in heart.

I wrote this for you...take care sweet Rima, none of us are far away.

Julie

jfidz said...

In the words of the immortal song -'Always look on the bright side of life..'. This is not meant in any flippant way, but only to encourage and let you know that we vicariously share your trials and tribulations. 'May your god go with you' as Dave allen would've said. (Us blokes aren't always too good at the touchy, feely kind of stuff- but it's heartfelt).

Acornmoon said...

If one journey has ended then surely a new one must begin, I hope that you enjoy your new chosen path.

Snippety Giblets said...

Wonderful post & poem, Rima.

Stay strong, stay safe and know that you are very much loved.

xxx

Dusty Dudley said...

As many have said, your post is indeed beautiful, and while I'm just some random stranger a world away, I am sorry for your sadness. I am sure I'm not alone in wishing I could help somehow. Meanwhile, please know there are concerned and caring thoughts for you here in Texas.

Regina Rozenbaum said...

Rima
I know how you feel...Sometimes the life wheigt so much. But the day ends by midnight and midnight and one necessarly it becomes to clear up!
With love
Regina
www.toforatodentro.blogspot.com

farmlady said...

I love what Julie said ..,"We may be strangers in face..,(but)not in heart."
I was so excited to see that you had written a post this morning.I always look forward to what you are doing and where you have traveled. I admire your art and your lifestyle so much.., but life changes and we change.
Whatever it is that you must do can only be decided by you and the challenges that come your way, sometimes, determine which "Path" you take.
I hope that you listen to your heart and find a life that allows you not only your artistic endeavors but love and comfort too.

susie said...

Think of all the beautiful things ahead in the cottage you will call and make home.

kerrick said...

I'm thinking of you, too, Rima--it sounds like what you are experiencing is very difficult. It's a good thing to honor your capacity for sadness, and know that you still have capacity for happiness. I have loved that Mary Oliver poem as a reminder for myself.

It will be different to hear stories of your cottage that doesn't move, when I have been so enchanted by the tales of your cottage on the move. Everything is smoke, curling and taking different shapes, my Beloved said to me yesterday as we talked about my upcoming journey and his rootfulness, and none of the shapes can stay. Since it is that way, we gaze at the shapes and call one beautiful, another we don't like so much, but at our most successful we enjoy the flowing from one shape to another as a beauty in itself.

That in itself is strength--to allow yourself to feel sad when you are sad, and to know that with just as much strength you will feel happy when you are happy, and may it be soon.

Laurie said...

Sob!!
Laurie

beadbabe49 said...

Holding you in the light...may it always rise when you need it most.

giftsofthejourney said...

Dartmoor is close to me ... 50 miles away at its most distant point. You don't know me ... not really, but much of who I am can be found in my words and images. If you need the companionship of a stranger who understands loneliness and deep sadness, but also knows how quickly joy can find you again ... we could perhaps meet for a walk.

If a virtual walk in another's space would help, I have several of those and one posted for today.

Warmest regards for good health and healing, Rima.

B said...

I hope all will be well in your world, Rima. And if you ever feel loneliness, just remember that we are all here for you in spirit as well.

Shelley Noble said...

Rima, of all the lives being led on our earth, of all the stories being spun as we speak to each other this way, surely their never was more of a poet with her tale than you.

All is well. May you feel well always.

danielle v. said...

oh, rima...

thank you for holding this space... for letting us see you and for seeing us as well...

thinking toward you as you build your new nest...

if you can, treat yourself to this book:

Egg & Nest
by Rosamond Purcell


light,
danielle

Sarah said...

It made me feel sad for you Rima, reading your beautiful words today. I hope that whatever changes you are going through will turn out to be alright in the end. What you said about how we know each other and yet don't was expressed so very well.
Best wishes in your new home,
Sarah :)

Nita Van Zandt said...

In this time of great sadness, may your woods creatures and spirits gather around you and bring you strength and ideas for new opportunities. We respect your privacy and send you our love.

nina said...

beloved, beautiful rima... my heart is with you, you know that it is. every step of the way.
follow your star.
sending love,
nina

Basht said...

i'm sending many mental hugs. and with the ending of winter remember that spring will blossom, the world will begin to grow again and your new walls will show their own magic.

We may not really know you and you really know us, but remember that we are all here for you, to listen and offer comfort, to help through whatever we can. We may not know what exactly is going on but we all have similarities in the circumstances. Remember that you have an abundance of love and light and happy healing thoughts sent to you from everywhere.

In short, the language we share in this blog is caring.

Heather said...

I have thought of you during this cold winter and hoped you were warm. This is a beautiful, haunting post and I share your thoughts and feelings about 'home'. I hope you will find comfort and contentment in your new home and that your sadness will gradually fade.

Tina said...

Incredibly beautiful. You write with such emotion. I'm touched every time. Gorgeous, beautiful, special blog.

Claire Dean said...

A beautiful post and a beautiful poem. I hope your new home soon feels like home and the spring brings you lots to treasure. x

Earthenwitch said...

Long-time reader but I think this is my first comment - just wanted to say I'm glad to hear that Devon feels like home, which it continues to do for me after a decade (which was only supposed to be three student years) here. If you ever want a cup of tea and a piece of cake with a sympathetic ear, I am only about a forty-minute drive from the village I think you might mean, and would love to take advantage of cake-eating as an excuse to buy one of your beautiful pieces.

Anonymous said...

This is simply beautiful Rima. My heart goes out to you in your sadness, knowing that time will bring you joy again. I hope your new home will become home for you very soon, steeped in the all the beauty you bring into the world. Thank you for sharing the Mary Oliver poem, which I love very much. You're in my thoughts and prayers. AC xx

Lesley Todd said...

Rima, I hope your cottage will feel like home before you know it and your sadness starts to melt away like the snow did, whatever has caused it. Sending you warmest hugs and brightest wishes. x

Peacocks and Sunflowers said...

Hello Rima, I'm sorry the new year is starting with sad thoughts for you. A friend happened across your blog some time ago, looking for prosaic Bedford conversion ideas, and we both stayed for your spellbinding stories in words and pictures. I thought it was about time to say hello. When you are ready, please keep ladling us those delicious stories from the top of the soup. May your new home be a place for all kinds of stories to grow into life for you. Spring will come in its own time.

Chris said...

I love reading everything you write and looking at all of your beautiful art.

Thank you so much for what you do.

Chocolatesa said...

I somewhat understand as I am going through a pain of my own at the moment. I've been yearning to find a cottage in the country as well. Hugs and prayers.

Anonymous said...

There is such harsh beauty to the winter. Within and around deep sadness there is a serenity and dignty that will out sooner or later. Whatever has been happening Rima you have expressed 'things' with beauty and serenity and may you feel the love that that introduces to others in a feedback loop back to your heart. You have Dartmoor now and I dearly wish that you find its comforts and healing grace as I have on Exmoor.

Dragan said...

Spring is almost here - there are snowdrops in my yard and you'll get there too.

Christiane said...

Perhaps the fact of a change is sad at the beginning, but our choices make us what we are, so I really believe it all will be good.
You were a tiny flying seed, lost in the wind, and now finally you have found the place to root.

Dear Rima, all my blessings.

Tygrland said...

Hello Rima. What a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and the poem by Mary Oliver.

Wishing you the best for this New Year.

d. moll, l.ac. said...

The sadder a dream does end,
the sweeter shall the next one be.

Who said that?

You take care.

ox
d

Sidereal Day said...

Dear Rima,
I'm sorry to see you are feeling down. Hopefully it is comforting to you to see so many people here sending you their thoughts and well wishes.
It's a time for new beginnings and spring is on it's way. My hopes are that soon your spirits will rise.
Take care,
Lynn

Jan said...

I hope you find serenity in your new path and that it turns out to be a wonderful direction in your journey.

shadows and clouds said...

Hello Rima, it's been a while since I left a comment (though still regularly and happily reading your updates). Today though, after reading your very touching post, I felt I wanted to leave you a comment sending warmest wishes for you. I'm sorry that now sounds like such a difficult time for you, and I truly wish you well..

My very best of wishes, Nadia in Italy x

Rebecca S. said...

Oh, I hope as this post seems, that you are gaining some ground on this sadness of yours, whatever it may be.
You are such a genuine artist, Rima, and it is a gift to receive your ladlefuls.
My sister sang once, in a song, "You feel, you feel, you feel too much. But it's better than nothing".

My Walkabout said...

A writing that speaks to feelings in mine own fair heart. Thank you.

Waterrose said...

A person tweeted your name and I followed the path to here. And, what a joy to find. Now to spend an enjoyable evening reading...

Linda Byrd said...

What you give us -- those who read your beautiful posts -- is a part of your self and your life. It cannot always be jubilant and happy. You are courageous to share your emotions with us. I feel honored to have read your post today. I will pray for you.

Lia said...

Hello Rima,
I thought about you during the cold spell and hoped that you were warm and snuggled up some where, hiding in your little nest.
Spring is not far off now and you will soon feel and see the sun again.
Don't be sad a new chapter in your life is about to open up to you.
Much love
Lia
xx

tlchang said...

Ah Rima love. Hugs and well wishes to you.

xxxTara

Karen said...

We never know where our paths are going to lead us. Yours may have taken an unexpected route now, but keep following it and I'm sure it will lead you to somewhere even more beautiful.
Take care Rima x

Joan Tucker said...

Rima, May you find as much strength and and solace in Dartmoor as you have given to all of us in illustrations and in your writing. Joan T

Von said...

Another step along the road of life's journey, may you find your way and be content in your new home.
Great post,lovely blog.

Anonymous said...

Dear Rima,
"we are the dreamer of dreams ,we are the music makers." You have introduced me to magic,of words,imagination,art,and dreams. Your pictures and quotes led me down a path of wonder and discovery. When I look at your pictures and see your words I know there is magic in the world if you look for it. You my dear Rima are one of the magic makers and dreamers of dreams. It cant be bought or faked . It comes from within and you are made of it and inspire it in others. stay strong sister. carol

Lunaea said...

Just sending you a soft warm blanket of blessings across the many miles.

Kari Lønning said...

I am sorry for your sadness. I wish for you, whatever you most long for. We'll be here when you're ready to write again .....

Ruby Louise said...

May your sadness be fleeting, may joy take up residence with you in your ancient cottage and may you find solace in your solitude and be at peace. *hug*

Mary Lee said...

I am so sorry that you are in such pain. I am sending a hug from Virginia and best wishes for peace and happiness in your new home.

rjerdee said...

No matter how long the winter,
Spring is sure to follow.
--Proverb
Dear Rima, may you find peace.

fairiemoon said...

Rima,
We have all known loneliness at one time or another of differing sources and origins. Sometimes one can feel lonely surround by a sea of people one knows and loves.

Know only this...that we have all been there and felt that pain. Hopefully soon that pain will begin to feel, just a tiny bit, like freedom.

You will be in my thoughts!
Erin

Anonymous said...

In the aftermath of Christmas in the dark days before Spring it is natural to think of home. It can be a place within you as much as one with wood or stone. Surround yourself with familiar beauty and embrace new beauty in your new home. This is just another chapter- another adventure. Crocuses and primroses will appear in their own time. Adjusting takes time.

NAL said...

I have followed your blog for some time, and worried when there were no posts.

I am sorry to hear you are in a sad time, but feel strongly that your new cottage and village will be healing.

Thank you for a beautiful post; I join the many who offer you warm hugs and best wishes.

dinahmow said...

Peace and strength, Rima. From all the goodness you have sent out, may some return to you.

Unknown said...

I know the sadness you feel. I wish I could offer you words that will ease the sadness, but I too feel sad, lonely and alone.

Melissa Shaw said...

And as you speak the words out loud from a place of isolation, they echo thousands of times in the silence of others minds. And as you turn the mirror outward from your reflected self to see what all these echoes be, you see a thousand hands laid down across the muddy and upward road in want to make your journey sound. And in the trees a thousand more reaching up to carry your heart to elated realms. All these hands in want, despite the knowledge that nothing can make your journey any the easier, nor lift the weight of your heart. Maybe all these hands weave the echoed story of your passage, and there they know an end and a new beginning. Be strong, and all the best to you.

bellananda said...

may your new home bless you as your beautiful thoughts and art have blessed those you reach in this wide world. know that there are so many souls here holding you dear and sending the gentle spring sun your way to warm and relax your shoulders worn from your cares. indeed, "we may be strangers in face, [but] not in heart." with love from kansas city...

A mermaid in the attic said...

Rima, I was so excited to see a new post, and I'm so sorry for you that your recent silence has been because of sorrow, rather than just the busyness of life. I thought blogs were silly things until I found yours and discovered a magical world, filled with community spirit and incredible creativity and beauty. It inspired me to start my own, though it could never be as beautiful and inspiring as yours...yours is the benchmark I aspire to. I hope your sorrow will fade as the snow disappears, that joy will find you again with the first new leaves, and that your new home will become a haven for your remarkable talent and generous soul. We are all out here in the cyber-ether, thinking of you and sending lots of hugs. Take care.

Morna Crites-Moore said...

Dear Rima, Your sadness is touching us all. I hope all our love is touching you.

Anonymous said...

Hello Rima,
I heard a chickadee sing a beautiful song today. Let my joy be your joy.
Gwen

Jeanne-ming Brantingham said...

Spring always comes after a long winter

Pat said...

If it were possible I would give some of the happiness your work has given me, to replace some of the sadness that is yours at the moment. May your new home bring you comfort.

roxanne s. sukhan said...

We each move across our own landscape ~ that's existing, i think. Do you think that the trees and other flora feel loneliness, waiting for time to pass, waiting for mother earth to give birth?

Nyxie said...

You put so beautifully into words an emotion that so many of us can barely stand to have, let alone articulate. I have always admired your blog, and on hard days it has help me feel not so trapped. Sending good thoughts your way, I hope it all turns out for the best.

Goldie said...

Spring is not so far away...
Take care of you Rima.

Anonymous said...

Dear Rima,
It is the fist time I post a comment...English is not my first language.
You made me cry this morning and I felt I needed to give you a hug.
Curiusly, I visited your site yesterday in case you had posted something and I thaught I was not on your list anymore. This morning I understood you had some pain and needed time for yourself. Eventhough I live so far from you (Canada) I feel you and I tell you that I support you in the invisible. Keep in touch with your creativity and the imaginery world you live in, this is a good therapy, like mother's warm arms.
Take care,
Monique Lemieux

suzeeez said...

I look at all major changes in life as new chapters. I've loved reading of your travels and looking at all of your beautiful photos and amazing artwork. As you settle into this new home and this brand new chapter in your life I hope that you will still include us in your daily thoughts . You will be happy....each change in life soon settles and you begin to nest again and make your haven. A haven that makes you feel relaxed and sfae and warm. My best wishes go out to you . Enjoy the journey.
hugs, Sue

Alan Richardson said...

Home, journeys, stories . . . winter.

A poem.

No forgiveness need be sought for silence. Looking forward to seeing new pictures . . .

Alan

Vitor Chuva said...

Hello Rima!

This is my first visit to your blog which I stumbled on by mere chance, attracted by the fact that it's written in English, not my mother tongue, but one which I'm very fond of, and keep learning.
This world of bloggers is indeed one of wandering souls, and having discovered yours was a lovely surprise as it's so different from all those I know. It manages to take us back to childhood, to a different reality we then knew and that you manage to re-create here so well-in such an enchanting and enchanted way.
And from now on I'll be keeping an eye for your new posts, I'm most certain of that!

All the best!
Vitor

CIELO said...

Dear Rima, I have been reading your blog for a while now; always marved by your tales, your words, which have the unique power to transport the soul to higher altitutes, but I’ve never felt compelled to write, as I am now. Look up, look up, and let your faith continually increase. I have a gut feeling of what your pain might be, and I just want to say this: “no my friend, darkness is not everywhere, for here and there soon you’ll find again faces illuminated from within; paper lanterns among the dark trees”

Blessings

Cielo

rossichka said...

Dear Rima, your post touched me deeply! I read it twice and now I can't "gather myself". You woke up so many different thoughts and emotions, each one of them with its path, that I cannnot follow them at one and the same time...
You are not simply an intelligent, but a wise young woman, that has keen senses about the world around us. I think you must have some kind of courage and confidence to make your life close to all the strangers that read your blog. And I'm sure there're lots of people who love you So... don't be sad for too long... "Sad eyes, moon face/why cry, moon face?" This verse, from the time I was a student, came up to me.
By the way, if you have time to visit mt blog, you'll find out that I have awarded you in the beginning of the year! :-)

Tejasplants said...

Rima, I've missed you and am sorry for your suffering. Thank you for the beautiful post. Please know that you have brought me immense joy with your writing and art, and my wish is to pay it forward to you!

May the days ahead grow brighter and more peaceful and may our sympathies gladden your heart. Your are a gift to me. Much love and major hugs from TEXAS!

Ciara Brehony said...

Oh Rima, dear~heart, my heart is filled with sadness as I read this. And the poem brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye.

Take heart, dear one, though the road has become uneven and misty, know you can follow your own heart and it will lead you to sunight.

Thinking of you. C x

Rebecca said...

So much has already been said in response to your beautiful and sorrow-filled post, Rima. I will just add that - as you grasp and gather nettles of your own - you are in my thoughts. I hope that with the spring thaw comes peace and healing.
With writerly love and painterly blessings.
xox

Rosaria Williams said...

I came in from Abbystyle. I'm in awe here. How do I become a follower?

Suse said...

Wishing you strength and warmth and good healing thoughts for your new journey.

Sparklyjools said...

Rima, I have followed your blog for a little while now, and you have inspired me so much.

The beautiful comments posted here just demonstrate how much joy, love and creativity your words and images provide to all those who follow you.

May your sadness turn to joy as you travel your new path.

Komyo said...

I once considered to be a wanderer. I am a wanderer at heart but need a place to settle. Like I was too sensitive for too much travelling in this world. I pray Jizo to your nest...

Susan said...

Rima, I couldn't express a heart better than you have. Yes, we all have so much more to our lives than the stories our blogs tell. Yes, I know of aching loneliness even when with loved ones. There's a place in us that no one else can ever enter. I also learned young to find my greatest peace in solitude - in the woods. You take "home" with you wherever you go and transform each new place into YOUR home. Happiness is inside. I wish you joy, wherever you lay your head, and look forward with anticipation to your new chapter.
God bless,
-Susan-

knutty knitter said...

I missed you. I was worried even though we have never met except here.

Look after yourself in your new place

viv in nz

Anita said...

I ,too, have entered this year( that held so much promise) filled with loss and grief...In some pathetic way I've wrapped your grief around myself and found comfort. I have journeyed with you for some time now, but as a peeping Tom. Going along for the ride and enjoying your adventure... I imagine I know, as do your other travelers, what sadness you carry but will not speak of it for the words are yours to share. I have found comfort in a poem given to me at age 17,by a friend,when my father died. I would share it with you because over the years it has continued to give me hope in the darkest of times.
Snow sculptures the rough contours of the land in cold perfection…. and spikes of ice, like frozen tears, cling to stark black branches…. as the earth sleeps through the white silence of winter. But beneath the ermine robes of snow beats the heart of spring. For there are sleeping seeds dreaming below the drifts…. filled with life…. waiting for the warm winds and the strong sun. Little packets of life cling to the barren branches of trees. And all the animals are content in their hiding places…. knowing that spring shall come. ~ Dean Walley

Susan said...

Congratulations, I have chosen you to receive The Best Blog award! Here is a link to the rules:
http://thereliantself.blogspot.com/2009/12/wow-i-unexpectedly-went-out-of-town-on_17.html
And here is a link to the award image:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6C7GTnQdl64/SyMRGFARuoI/AAAAAAAAAI4/vgIBqUccAtI/s1600-h/bestblog_award.jpg
See Jan. 26 post for all my picks, and thank you for helping to enrich my life!
-Susan-

Chris Bell said...

Hi Rima,
Like many of the posts above i am making my first comment!I discovered your blog just before Christmas and have been reading all the posts since,facinating,wonderfull artwork!!And the words are wonderfull too!

Sorry to see you are having a sad time at the moment,life changes and sometimes its very hard,but you'll come through im sure!

Your cottage sounds nice,and what a lovely part of the world!

Take care!

Chris

Louise | Italy said...

"I believe that if we surround ourselves with that which we find beautiful" - I believe this too..objects finely made, beautifully designed, and that fit perfectly with our lives...these are things that make the heart sing.

Anonymous said...

Ah Rima, what a strange and beautiful community of strangers/friends we create in our online homes as we bump along the roads of our lives. I hope that the comments here will give you some comfort, and show you the warmth of the human heart.

tui said...

I am still right beside you love x just over there x I love you

Melissa said...

Hello Rima. I have been enjoying your tales and art for a while now and am so grateful you share them with us. I am sorry for your sadness. Best of wishes on your new path.

Anonymous said...

Just wanted to say Hi from Finland. Outside snow reaches my knees and it's -20. Inside I'm building a fire that will keep me and the cats warm.

Just found you the other day via Spirit Cloth and read through the archives in one sitting.

Take care, keep warm and should you ever find yourself in our neck of the woods please do come in. Tuija

Yarrow said...

Dear, dear, Rima. I am so touched by your sadness and understand your need to gather yourself about you in privacy and dignity. Know that you are so highly thought of, cared for and wished peace and solace. With much love and best wishes. x

laoi gaul~williams said...

i am someone else who entered this new year filled with sadness and a grief i feel will never leave me~sending warm hugs across the miles
xoxoox

Mimi and Tilly said...

Hello Rima, thank you for your beautiful post. I don't know if you participate in blog awards but I wanted you to know I am passing on an award to you in honour of your beautiful creativity. Please feel welcome to collect it by stopping by and visiting my latest blog post. Sending smiles.

* said...

Haunting, glorious.

Mary Oliver is a saint, a poet, a Goddess of words.

Thank you for this.

Alice said...

what a beautiful and heartfelt post... wishing you peace inside. I very much connected with your words about being hidden yet true, about only sharing a ladleful from the top of the soup - it is a tricky balance, but I think many of us understand and feel truly what you are saying xxx

Mo Crow Girl said...

(((Rima))) you bring such deep heart & soul to your words and art, thank you for enchanting us all around the world!

mama p said...

in my darkest hours, always i would turn to your hermitage for inspiration on what wonders are possible in this world, and the hope that humans give each other. what now can i give you now that you are the one who suffers? a reminder that it is all hummus, which feeds us; and in the end we glow. hugs to you, may you find tenderness in unexpected places!

Elizavetta said...

Hello Rima,
I just recently found your beautiful place. What a treasure! Thank you for being here.

It's true we can never know what the road ahead brings, but we can always count on the fact that Spring has never failed to follow Winter.

I wish you many blessings on this new chapter in your life.

Chris Daly said...

Wishing you a warm hearth and a bright path to follow as you start your new journey.

Anonymous said...

Hello, I occasionally stop by your lovely blog to admire your magical words and pictures. I just want to wish you all the best on your upcoming paths and directions. You bring so much light to the lives of your readers.

Gilli said...

My wish for you is that you feel the support and love, for you, from all around the globe. It is sincere and it comes from the heart. Peace, Gilli

ByLightOfMoon said...

You have the most beautifulblog and I am in love with YOUR Wandering House! I hope you have photographs of the inside.

I have little Daisy but yours is bigger! My magic carpet ride ticket is #708at One World, One Heart, ByLightOfMoon blog!

Smiles, Cyndi

Mel said...

Your words and pictures and emotions are a thing of beauty to my eyes. I have spent many happy hours wandering the adventures and magic thay lie waiting in your blog. I wish you peace and contentment in your little cottage and hope you continue to share bits of yourself with pieces of us.
That you post a Mary Oliver poem is a just another sure sign we are kindred souls.

Anonymous said...

Rima, I have loved your posts for so long - took me back to a truck I lived in many years ago in UK. Now I sit in my house in a desert very far away from England and you really took me back to the first night that I came here- a horrid bare house in a place I hadn't been for years, around people I didn't know.. Now? now I look around me tonight and the animals that have somehow invaded my home and think of the friends and how much I love my life here. I even have photos and paintings on the walls I thought I would never be able to even look at again. I put all my strength in an envelope and send it to you- Yoiks. Hippy nonsense! Any action in the fullness of time sinks to nothing. However much now hurts- you will come out the other end

Monty said...

I send you hugs across the miles
Laughter, love and lots of smiles

Take care Rima, that which is lost will be regained in time - just in a different form. X

Maggie said...

My Da always told me that there isn't door that closes but that another one opens onto something better. I used to roll my eyes at him, but I've learned that he's right.

Rima, you're such a talented artist and writer. Take solace in your work for now, and keep going through those doors with a light heart.

Thank you for sharing your stories with us.

Anonymous said...

Endure and save yourself for times of happiness...

Anonymous said...

Dear Rima,

Although I don't have a blog, I follow your lovely online journal full of beauty of heart, words and art that sing to my soul. I have experienced magic and wonder through your beautiful artworks and words.

I'm sorry that you are feeling so sad. But know, have faith that just as winter is the time of endings, and your very soul will feel fallow, spring is certain and new life will sprout and you will be filled again with hope.

Take nature to be your teacher; everything has a life, death, life cycle. As humans we are not exempt from this process.

And just as we cannot appreciate daylight without having experienced the dark of night, we cannot feel that blissful state of happiness and joy until we have experienced deep sadness, too.

I'm sending you warm vibes across the Atlantic and hope that you will be touched and uplifted by all the messages and know that you are not alone.

Angie
coatlique@hotmail.com

Aileen Clarke Crafts said...

Dear Rima,
I won't try and say anything profound. Sometimes we feel the necessity to sort things out, with our own thoughts, for people who are feeling less than their usual selves, but as time goes on and years go by, I realise that people just need to be listened to and know that they are never alone. Thinking of you and wishing you well,

Aileen.

Anthropomorphica said...

(oops)
Tis where you are now but not where you'll remain, there's beauty out there for you. Thank you for always posting a heartfelt blog and may love rain down on you wherever you are.

Jen said...

Dear Rima,

You have my thoughts. And my mental hugs. Lots. Every minute.

Jen.

Swati said...

Wishing you joy in your new home.

Vicki's Bit-o-earth said...

Rima, I'm old(er) and have found one thing to always be true... where one path ends, another always begins... even though at the end of each path it appears to me like a cliff... it has always turned out to be nothing more than a bend in the road, however sharp. And I walk on~ Let your voice be heard. Though we are strangers out here, its obvious to see (by the number of comments here) that we are attached by silvery strings of human love.

Vicki said...

Rima, child of myth and magic and truth that is stranger than fiction, thank you for the ladleful from the top of the soup pot! It is a generous portion, enough to intrigue us, satisfy us and then make us yearn for more. I hope this fork in the road will add much joy and peace to the soup pot and raise your creative passion to new heights! Bless you dear child, old soul that you are, wise beyond your years and thank you for allowing us to take a step, however small, through the doorway of your world. I offer up to my God a prayer for you for comfort as you enter this new phase of your journey.

Penny said...

Rima, there are endings and beginings, but all of them help to make us what we are.
I feel for you at the moment but also look forward to seeing what comes next.

Linda said...

I've been reading your lovely posts for several months and want to thank you for the world you have created and shared. It is a wonderful gift.

I'm 61 and can tell you that pain is so much a part of life that you will not avoid it, nor should you. Honor it. The experience of being alive is worth everything.

You will know when it is time to put sadness aside. And you will dance in the sun again.

Trust yourself.

Tiffany Gordon Wilson said...

Oh Rima, even in your hour of sadness, you write so beautifully and every word so heartfelt. I love the poem you shared with us too. I hope you can take heart from all these beautiful comments. You are someone unique, special, wise, an artist, writer and sheer gift to us all. I so love your writings and send you such a huge heartfelt hug. Every visitor I have to our flat I show them your drawings on the wall of our baby's room, and I sing to my baby all the time 'There was an old woman ....'. Thinking of you. Tiffany xxx

Lauren & Tien Sng said...

i'm sending peace for your heart. take care, rima.

Lieselotte said...

I´m sorry to read that you have gone through pain, but glad to see that you are back. I hope your new place in Dartmoor - a place which I envy you for - will give you rest and peace and bring happiness back to your life . Enjoy this new start as much as you can - with the beauties of nature supporting you.

Lady Lavona said...

Oh Rima...I have been feeling quite blue lately too! I wrote something that I think you should read.

http://ladylavona.blogspot.com/2010/01/dark-energydark-matter.html

This too shall pass...Sending you love & light!

xo Lavona

m said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ruthie Redden said...

dearest rima, all these comments, all these folk u have touched with your beautiful self. May the sunlight find you again over the days & months to come and slowly bring healing into your heart. May you find peace whilst laying the pieces of your nest x ruthie x x

Lisa Falzon said...

I just want to send you a ♥.

You are very dear to many people Rima. I hope your sadness melts away with the snow.

There will be wheels in your future soon I am sure! But the world still spins so in a way, you are still on the wheel even if you sit still :)

♥♥♥

Anonymous said...

Do take care and gather those that support you close to your heart. May the road ahead not be too steep and may you find some simple pleasures along the way to brighten each day. from a caring lurker...Jenny McH

Anonymous said...

Dear Rima,

I'm sorry to read of your sadness and struggle, however beautifully you have expressed it.

It will pass; and I hope that your journey will soon descend into soft meadows and woodlands filled with spring flowers, and that your new home will bring you happiness and inspiration. Until then, know that you have the strength to keep going and friends all over the world who are thinking of you, I hope it brings some solace.

Best wishes,

Helen

Anna-Mari said...

My heart aches for you. Your beautiful words have touched me deeply, and I feel so sad you have to go through difficult times right now.

But just like the winter is slowly melting down and the new spring rises her fresh young head with all her joy; so when one journey ends, another unknown path begins. I wish this new path of yours will be as beautiful as the old ones have been. And I wish you will share some of your new tales and stories with us to bring some more beauty to our longing hearts.

Dixie Redmond said...

Rima - I learned the word "chuffed" from you when I bought one of your prints. Your drawings and paintings and writings warm my heart. I am sending you warm thoughts from my little corner in Maine to your new place you're calling home.

Anonymous said...

Dear Rima - thank you for your lovely sharing from both happy and sad days - I am so sorry for your pain now and sending you much love and caring to come through to the other side of the conflict.
peace - Irene

Cobalt Violet said...

I am so moved by your post ... your lovely, melancholy ... even sad post. But alas ... it is true we belong in "the family of things" and though loneliness can feel so all encompassing, there is a place inside us we can reconnect ourselves, that place of knowing that we are all connected. That we are all one.

Blessings and light to you.

Lydia said...

And it came to pass, in the days of darkbreak, that Rima touched her readers with words that were lightspokes coming from the center of her lonelinesss - and the people gathered together alone together and wove thoughts of love and caring into the mists of winter gathering above Rima's doorstep, a weaving so airy that it will dissolve with the scents of spring that surely will come.

tracy said...

Hi Rima and Tui,
Both Troy and I send you our love and hope that this new journey will bring much joy and happiness to you both. We have often thought of you and wondered at your travels.
We have spent the year in Canterbury and at present can not see us leaving yet. The coffers are empty and need replenishing, so long distance travel is out.
Some day our paths may cross again, but until then I will look on you from time to time and wish you lots of love and light to shine through the darkness. x

herhimnbryn said...

My Dear One,
There is a lump in my throat after reading your words.

You sound so sad, but strong too. Take heart, what ever has caused your grief, all will become good again. You don't have to struggle on your knees....head up, stride onwards...

miakodo said...

Your silence, like your voice, is welcome. We can't share our deepest feelings in such a public forum, and I hope to hear from you again when you've settled into your new cottage and received the comfort you need. My thoughts are with you.

Stephanie Alice Rogers said...

Much love from across the sea, Rima. I'm just as touched by the outpouring of comfort and unity among your readers as I am by your post. Rebirth is near. Many blessings... can't wait to hear about life along your new path.

The Shitty Astrologer said...

This is one of the most beautiful and creative blogs I've ever seen...

Rusted Wings said...

rima, your voice and quiet words are so strong and pure, and you are being so true to your heart strings pulling you in a new direction, which will be a wonderful dwelling place to heal, and inspire with new fire and cleansing waters nearby.
blessings dear one,
abigail

Mehdi Haghshenas said...

Hello Rima
I Cordially Invite You,Visit the my Blog,the Graphic Design Works.
www.mehdihaghshenas.blogspot.com

With best regards.
Mehdi Haghshenas

lynda Howells said...

hello Rima. l have just stumbled on your wonderful blog. you write and craft and draw and creat so beautifully. l don't know why you are sad but january is never a happy time for a lot of people. I work as an Art Therpist and know that Art helps a lot of people through their sadness and sorrow. I hope your Art helps you. I know the place you are in now and l hope the peaceful [place will ease your mind. Your travelling home looks amazing. Saw a lot of home like this when we were last i New Zealand. Also wanted to say love your parents work too. Although l live inlondon now l spent a lot of my life travelling and l must admit at times l miss it. Home is where the heart is and that in my case...is where my husband of 37 years is!!Corny as that may sound. I know you don't know me but here if you need to rant or what ever..rant away. elemaitch@yahoo.co.uk or pop over to one of my blogs and say hi! i am now one of your dedicated followersxxlynda
ps...read you dissertation piece..beautiful. I took a BA(Hons) in Art and Design a few years ago.Thanks for sharingx

a pink dreamer said...

hi! i'm eleni from rhodes,greece! i admire you so much! you are so talented! these words you wrote today touched my soul!keep writing and creating please...

pRiyA said...

Dear Rima,
I noticed that we were on Tumblr together and you kept liking my pics as I kept uploading them. It was so nice :-)
I think though if I kept liking your posts I'd have to like each and every single one of them.

You are one of those few people who has set a standard not just with your soulful pictures and writing but with your blogging as well. It is something I aspire to - each and every post filled with so much food for thought that the reader comes away moved and changed. You are truly an inspiration because every single thing that you create is so beautiful. I wish I had that quality stay with me all the time like it does for you.

I dread offering platitudes for the sadness that you are going through, but I find it is always through moments of great sadness that one's work evolves into its most beautiful. I see it already has by the way you've written this moving post.

All my love to you,

Priya

My Walkabout said...

Rima,
I wanted to thank you for the prints you sent me. They are perfect! I am now on the hunt for frames to which i can showcase your art.

diane.ca said...

Dear Rima,
Your sorrow crossed the ocean and my heart weeps for you. I hope that joy will find it's way back into your life as winter fades and life is reborn with spring

robert mealing said...

Rima,

I always look forward to coming to visit, and when not here, often find myself thinking of you.

You're one of my idols, someone who embraces life, lives life, really does it. Your journey encourages me to be bolder in my own.

I look forward to your return, the path is more wondrous with your company. Until then, know how very much you are appreciated and loved.

Rima Staines said...

Hello dear sea of strangers :) I have been genuinely touched and quite bowled over by the intensity of emotion and warmth sent here towards me. Thank you. Your words helped.
And thank you too to those who have written me emails.. I intend to reply to you all, but do forgive the delay.
I shall be posting here again soon.
Love and gratitude to you all
Rima

Diane Dehler said...

Very moving. You have a very fine blog.

... said...

I don't make a habit of resorting to flattery.... that's not what this is. In fact, it is a simple thank you. The work that is attended to by yourself and the ones who surround you in this life is so purely elemental, in the most harmonic sense of the word. I feel grounded, watered, breathed and totally fired up, all in one, every time I come and go from your pages. Thanks for that.

Penelope Grey said...

Hi Rima, I just wanted to say I have missed you and your posts on your blog. I truly hope things improve for you in your new home. I know exactly what you mean about the energy of different places, I feel it too. I love the poetry of Mary Oliver, have you read The Journey, a wonderful poem. A link to a copy of it on the net is here. http://www.panhala.net/Archive/The_Journey.html Hugs, Beverley, Buckinghamshire (I think we used to see your van on the road when we travelled out to Bicester, in a large area of land on the left hand side of the road, surrounded by carvings.)

Jo James said...

Sweet, sensitive, brilliant girl- Loneliness sucks.
Here's a warm blanket for you. And a hug. Albeit from afar.

Susanna Pantas said...

Warm thoughts from the wintery cold of North Carolina in the United States. In my own life, I too have felt mixed feelings of trepidation and sadness when I am about to make a change. I have been comforted when I allow myself to "observe" my feelings as if I am an outsider looking down on my life. Then, ever so slowly, I adjust to the changes & come out a stronger person! You will too!!!

G said...

Dear Rima,

There's nothing I can add that hasn't been said. I, too, am bowled over constantly by the beauty of your blog, and - more largely - the wondrousness of your art.

As for whatever you are going through, I am with all your fans/friends sending hopes for healing and peace. xoxo

Suz said...

I am being optimistic that you will read this after over 160 comments but here I go.

I have loved reading your blog. I am excited to read your blog from your new world. I am sorry that your are entering this world because of a great sorrow but you will survive.

I learned at a Grief Recovery workshop, that you will find a new normal. That the world will not be the same,ever, but your life will continue in a new way. It gave me great comfort to think about that.

Obviously, many strangers care about you.

Dusty Dudley said...

Like others, I'm wondering how you are, and hoping your sadness turns to joy and hope for the future. As a wise woman I knew often said, Mother Earth has a great way of taking BS and turning into fertilizer.

jamjar said...

Dear Rima
Simply wishing you well, hoping you are warm in this so cold a winter and sending you kind thoughts and hopes for a beautiful spring.
Joy x

inklenaomi said...

any new lyrical whimsy to share? Your painting starts up a soundtrack in my head. Thank you for the beauty.

Josh said...

Get better

Brianna said...

Hullo, Rima!

I just discovered your wonderful artwork and started to follow your blog. And now you've posted my most favorite poem in the world!

Thank you!

Sabine / Kultur* Vintage said...

Thank you. : )

Anonymous said...

You share so much beauty with others Rima, with your touching words,and your paints and brushes...if the beauty of heartfelt emotions and love here could be gathered and knitted into a blanket,it would wrap around you a hundred times and more to keep you warm.From Australia I join with others here to send my very best wishes to you and further encouragement.I hope you sparkle soon, like the Jack Frost footsteps you capture,that the snows of the soul thaw,moonbeams tease you through your cottage windows,and the sun warms your spirit and hopes. You are indeed a most special person.

Griffin said...

Oh Rima, I do hope you can shed your tears and sigh and let go. The journey is not yet over and while you cannot go back there is nothing to say that in the future... the wheels may turn, the heart quicken and the road rise up to meet you.

What a thing is a home? It is all that you make of it and it's core is in you.

Be safe and well dear one. It is a hard world to live in, but with many who love you there are all those hands reaching out to hold you up.

BT said...

I have just had a wonderful catch up Rima, before bed. I loved the stories of your childhood and those beautiful childhood books. I am sorry you are feeling wistful and a bit down at the moment. I need a place to plant my feet and my plants for that matter. Yet sometimes I feel like just disappearing somewhere. I hope you are feeling better. My clock is keeping good time and is hidden behind some books until 6th March. Thank you again for such beauty. I felt the painting was a little 'subdued' in its colours, maybe that was your mood showing through, but I love its mellowness. Take care
Gina
x

jenmouse said...

I read this post over and over... and sometimes, after a few weeks or a month, I open it again, and re-read. Today especially, when I can relate to your post more than ever. I read that poem again. I love that it speaks of loneliness, of letting yourself feel what you feel. But knowing, the world is open to your interpretation of it, yet all the while, it just is. It is... just the way the sun rises in the morning showing the dew on the grass... and life goes on. Anyway. Thanks for posting it, I struggle too, and it is what it is, and time will wash over it like the clear pebbles of the rain move across the landscapes.

erin gergen halls said...

i know about sad pain to the bone.
paint it down, rima. draw it down.
write down the bones.

and be tender to yourself,
first and foremost.
bright blessings,
erin

erin gergen halls said...

i know about sadness that goes to the bone.
paint it down, rima.
draw it down,
write down the bones.

and be tender to yourself, first and foremost.

Aleks said...

Dear Rima I just made 2 posts about you on my 2 blogs,with all the credits for other artist you worked with,love,light and peace to you!
Aleksandra :O)

ether said...

hi there, hope you're well! missing some updates on your blog.
do take care of yerself...

lea goldberg said...

dear rima,keep afloat in this sea of turbulence we call life
hugs
lea

Chris said...

Rima, The Fish & The Doll is beautiful & haunting. Hopefully you will do some more animation like this one. Thank you.

tut-tut said...

A beautiful rumination, and lovely Mary Oliver poem.

Michelle said...

(((Rima)))

All last month I felt niggly worried about you. :-( I am sorry to see my gut feeling things weren't happy was right. (((BIG HUG)))

I haven't been to your blog in ages. :-\ Last year was a total stinker of a year for us - so many things went wrong and were/are still going wrong in February this year. It's been like a rite of passage and I feel beaten up, worn down and kind of mangled. In other words I can guess how you might be feeling, even if the reasons and story are different.

Love to you and best of bright wishes for a spring that brings you sunshine, love and good growth in every possible way.

the dafthermits (Mel n andy and wee clan) said...

Hi Rima

just wanted to say we are sending you loads of hermit hugs and love from the wee tin can xx

peace and light my friend and stay strong

we will phone you

Kari Lønning said...

I'm thinking of you and hoping that spring comes to your heart, your body and to the land around you ... soon.

Joana Su said...

I wish that your new home brings you a lot of creativity, light, happiness and new paths into your life.
Joana