A Pear Tree From Another Orchard

This is a painting by a very talented artist Berry Connell, known to us all as 'Boneman' or 'Boney' as I like to call him...he is very special to me and I hope I can call him 'friend'.

I wish my image was larger so that you could see more detail of the greens, the variation of the colour of the grasses, the background, all of which I find beautiful...I think it should be hanging in an art gallery, it is as good and as befitting as any works I've seen.

I believe this is a pear tree which grows in the orchard where he lives in Indiana; so here is the painting I was talking about Boney, I believe the pears are very hard but the fruit makes a wonderful pie.

The Orchards at Arles

The Pink Orchard

Blossoming Peach Tree 1888

Blossoming Pear Tree

Orchard with Peach Trees in Blossom

Orchard in Blossom 1888

The White Orchard at Arles 1888

These are some of my favourite paintings by Post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. These were painted when he moved into the Yellow House in Arles in 1888 where he sought sunlight and peace, many of his masterworks were created here.

I love the colours and textures and the subject matter of the fruit trees in the orchard, the greens and yellows... these painting are a contrast to some of his other works, I would like to think that there is an element of tranquility in his life when van Gogh painted these.

I am not going to embark on a long history of his life here, he was a troubled soul with a long history of deep depression, then a tragic death. I think all of you are aware of this man but if you need more information of course you can research him on the Internet.

I would like you to enjoy these paintings for the beauty he has given us and the thoughts these images evoke,take a moment to imagine the fragrance of the blossoms and of the beautiful fruits when they are borne on leafy branches...a small insight into the rural life at Arles in the 19th century.

Vincent van Gogh 1853 - 1890

I am lost ... I am alone

I am lost...

Every road I have taken has brought me to this place in my life...

I feel that somewhere along this journey when I reached the crossroads I chose the wrong path

I have had glimpses into this world which could have been

A life that I would have chosen

Got so close I could almost touch it

Always just beyond my reach

Having seen it I wanted it more

But so far it has eluded me...

So I wait...and want...alone...

For my Dad - 10.08.1915 to 10.03.2009

I cannot find the words to describe how much you mean to me or how much I shall miss you...they are feelings...I cannot believe you have gone...rest peacefully my darling Dad. ♥

Arwen's Song

With a sigh
You turn away
With a deepening heart
No words to say

You will find
That the world has changed forever

The trees are now turning from green to gold
And the sun is now fading
I wish I could hold you closer

Arwen's song from Lord of the Rings - Return of the King
Lyrics by Howard Shore

A Memory of Autumn

I visited my dear friend Corby today at her blog Alae and read her beautiful post...it brought back the memory of something I had experienced and it all came flooding back to me...a 'moment in a memory' as I called it.

And as it is now early Autumn or Fall here, the days have a familiar feeling to them, to that time which I will relate to you... when the days are getting shorter, the mornings and evenings are cooler, something which I welcome and the sun is getting lower in the sky.

It was a morning in late Autumn, in the month of May when I was walking along a path that I had taken so many times before, past many trees, some evergreen and others deciduous which were now stark branches naked of their colourful autumn foliage.

It was very cold, the sky was a bright clear blue but I could still feel some warmth from the sun as it beamed in the sky touching everything with a slight golden hue, including me. I walked along observing my surroundings and some of the time lost in my thoughts like we all do, when something stopped me and interrupted my meditation.

There were some leaves of many autumn hues, golden, orange and russet swirling around just above the surface of the gray road, for a slight breeze had picked them up and they moved in circles swirling around being moved by the breeze, it would let them rest for a few seconds then pick them up again and continue with their merry dance, moving in one direction then another back and forth.

I watched with amazement at this colourful display of movement until they had all been dispersed and disappeared just like the breeze and now rested amongst and blended in with the many other leaves of colour beside the road; I thought how beautiful this is, a moment in time that I shall probably never see again.
I felt something welling up inside me, from deep within, something that was familiar but something I had not felt in such a long time and as I felt a lump in my throat and the tears filled my eyes and ran down my cheeks I realised what I feeling was happiness...
I cried and dropped slowly to the ground, I sobbed but I didn't realise why until I felt the release of so much pent up sadness...
I had not realised until this very moment that it had been such a long time since I had felt happiness...as sadness seeps into us slowly and unknowingly over time, when life's disappointments bring us down, it is not something we can touch, it is not tangible but it is there just the same and we can feel it eating away at us.

I love Autumn for all of the reasons I have described and hope one day I will see the leaves dancing again, for that moment to me was profound and defining, as I realised when life and people let you down you can always look to nature for beauty and some much needed happiness. ♥

Softly into the night...

So softly into the night I go
like the light fades into darkness
Along with it I take my dreams
and any hopes of happiness

For I know I will never hear from you
never hear your voice again
It breaks my heart to think
that this is how it ends

I look up into a starless sky
a sky that we once shared
A time when I felt loved and wanted
when I thought that you cared

A time when all seemed bright and new
sweet moments that we shared
But they are gone and so are you
since you took your love away

So I look to the sky through misty eyes
wondering where you are
Maybe I can catch a glimpse
of one wishing star

I look at the moon shining bright
it seems so far away
I wonder if you have seen it too
as your night turns into day

Maybe we were watching
from our own parts of this sphere
And as I watched I thought of you
and wished that you were here

So when next you look upon the moon
when it lingers in your sky
When you look into the darkness
Can you sometimes think of me...

Poem by Dianne