Those of us who love windmills and dandelions (they remain in my yard) share something of your daughter's imagination. It is a beautiful thing--Imagination. It is the creator of stories, of dreams, and, yes, of reality.
"It is a beautiful thing--Imagination. It is the creator of stories, of dreams, and, yes, of reality." I love how you put that, Perry. You have a wonderful way with words, and I look forward to reading more of your writing here 🙏
I think the world might be divided into those who rigorously remove those invasive weeds from their pristine lawns and gardens and those of us who think them charming and inspiring. So glad you champion those bright faces.
There is a third category: those of us who tell our neighbors we are wilding our yards for the wild things who enjoy eating our “lawns” and our “gardens” so the wild things don't eat their Lawns and Gardens. It requires self sacrifice, but someone must do it for the good of others.
I wait for your newsletters because they make me feel so wholesome! It's true, I can never look at a dandelion without thinking about you, and I'm grateful for that :)
What a wonderful comment this was to read, Mohika :) I'm delighted to hear you enjoy what I share here, that's such lovely encouragement to keep creating -- thank you! 🙏🤍✨
Whoa! I've always loved the first few lines of that passage by Eliot, but I can't say I've ever read the rest of it, and now I'm so struck by this line: "Not known, because not looked for." That will be making its way into a future essay for sure, thank you 🙏
PS -- I saw your recent post about all the snowfall in the Sierras right now, wishing you all the best as you figure out the right next steps!
Ever since discovering you, I can’t see a dandelion without some drawing in the newsletter popping into my noggin. Now, I’ll be adding windmills… so if you catch me in the wild looking out into nowhere, with a smile or a tear on my face… it’s probably you…
Like your daughter, I find windmills fascinating - especially when they just pop up in the wild (on the side of the motorway). If you’re ever in the north of Germany, I’d really recommend the Molfsee Open Air Museum, they have some wonderfully preserved houses and spectacular windmills that still work.
Ohh, thank you for the recommendation, Cathy! I'm just looking up photos of the museum now, and it looks like not only would Elena be beside herself to see the windmills there, but my architect husband would love the design of the new buildings as well 🙌 We'll definitely have to try and make our way up there soon -- are you also based in Germany?
The whole set up is very impressive - the way they've designed the new building to juxtapose the old buildings is fantastic (there's also some very good cake and local drinks in the cafe), it's a great day out.
Yessss, I'm in a city called Schwerin which is in the north east of Germany, between Hamburg and Berlin. Belgium has been on my list to visit for ages, it's not too far away (relatively speaking) and the photos from your day trip have convinced me.
So beautiful to read the story behind that wonderfully momentous "click"! ❤ I am honoured, Candace, that you picked my poem to handwrite and share in this special essay. Thank you so much. 🙏❤
PS: I love windmills too, and was fortunate enough to see a still functional flour mill when I visited my Godmother's hometown in Holland, a few years ago.. 🙂
Hi Candace, I just discovered ”Windmills and Dandelions“ (a few days after I took a trip to the North Sea and passed Antwerpen) – and I’m quite impressed. The things you do look like the grown-up versions of the work that I do ... I also write and draw pictures, but I do it in addition to my everyday work (and my countless side-projects). So I can’t take the time that those things deserve and in my eyes they always look (and read) unfinished. I dream of a life as a full-time-artist, but I am not the youngest person here and I have three children to feed ... When I saw your work here I immediately felt really inspired, but then a bit sad, because of the things mentioned above. Thank you very much for sharing your work! If you’d like to have a look on mine (here the few pieces in English), I would really appreciate it: https://joergscholz.substack.com/s/the-english-department
It turns out that the Tokyo area has its own sub species of dandelion, which has a special area set aside for it at my local park. Good to see this flower getting its due!
Those of us who love windmills and dandelions (they remain in my yard) share something of your daughter's imagination. It is a beautiful thing--Imagination. It is the creator of stories, of dreams, and, yes, of reality.
"It is a beautiful thing--Imagination. It is the creator of stories, of dreams, and, yes, of reality." I love how you put that, Perry. You have a wonderful way with words, and I look forward to reading more of your writing here 🙏
I think the world might be divided into those who rigorously remove those invasive weeds from their pristine lawns and gardens and those of us who think them charming and inspiring. So glad you champion those bright faces.
I loved this comment, Joyce -- here's to making room for more bright faces in our gardens, and in the world around us 🌼💛
There is a third category: those of us who tell our neighbors we are wilding our yards for the wild things who enjoy eating our “lawns” and our “gardens” so the wild things don't eat their Lawns and Gardens. It requires self sacrifice, but someone must do it for the good of others.
1%
How wonderful. 🙂.
Thanks so much, Ross!
I wait for your newsletters because they make me feel so wholesome! It's true, I can never look at a dandelion without thinking about you, and I'm grateful for that :)
What a wonderful comment this was to read, Mohika :) I'm delighted to hear you enjoy what I share here, that's such lovely encouragement to keep creating -- thank you! 🙏🤍✨
“Especially with a little person
not quite two, but [much louder] than one”
There, I fixed it for you.
I love to see places and things through the eyes of a child or someone who is seeing them for the first time.
“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Through the unknown, remembered gate
When the last of earth left to discover
Is that which was the beginning;
At the source of the longest river
The voice of the hidden waterfall
And the children in the apple-tree
Not known, because not looked for
But heard, half-heard, in the stillness
Between two waves of the sea.”
—T.S. Eliot, from “Little Gidding,” Four Quartets
Whoa! I've always loved the first few lines of that passage by Eliot, but I can't say I've ever read the rest of it, and now I'm so struck by this line: "Not known, because not looked for." That will be making its way into a future essay for sure, thank you 🙏
PS -- I saw your recent post about all the snowfall in the Sierras right now, wishing you all the best as you figure out the right next steps!
Right next steps? ISWYDT!
I think I will head to the Canadian border and head south. It will be easier going south toward the equator? I hear the snow isn’t as bad over there.
Ever since discovering you, I can’t see a dandelion without some drawing in the newsletter popping into my noggin. Now, I’ll be adding windmills… so if you catch me in the wild looking out into nowhere, with a smile or a tear on my face… it’s probably you…
What kind words these were to read, Gérard -- thank you so much 🙏
Like your daughter, I find windmills fascinating - especially when they just pop up in the wild (on the side of the motorway). If you’re ever in the north of Germany, I’d really recommend the Molfsee Open Air Museum, they have some wonderfully preserved houses and spectacular windmills that still work.
Ohh, thank you for the recommendation, Cathy! I'm just looking up photos of the museum now, and it looks like not only would Elena be beside herself to see the windmills there, but my architect husband would love the design of the new buildings as well 🙌 We'll definitely have to try and make our way up there soon -- are you also based in Germany?
The whole set up is very impressive - the way they've designed the new building to juxtapose the old buildings is fantastic (there's also some very good cake and local drinks in the cafe), it's a great day out.
Yessss, I'm in a city called Schwerin which is in the north east of Germany, between Hamburg and Berlin. Belgium has been on my list to visit for ages, it's not too far away (relatively speaking) and the photos from your day trip have convinced me.
lovely!
Thank you, Meg! 🤍
love this!
I'm so glad you enjoyed this, Michele! 🤍
Dandelions seem so hard to capture in illustration and I could look at yours for hours! ❤️
A charmed life indeed, Candace.
So beautiful to read the story behind that wonderfully momentous "click"! ❤ I am honoured, Candace, that you picked my poem to handwrite and share in this special essay. Thank you so much. 🙏❤
PS: I love windmills too, and was fortunate enough to see a still functional flour mill when I visited my Godmother's hometown in Holland, a few years ago.. 🙂
Hi Candace, I just discovered ”Windmills and Dandelions“ (a few days after I took a trip to the North Sea and passed Antwerpen) – and I’m quite impressed. The things you do look like the grown-up versions of the work that I do ... I also write and draw pictures, but I do it in addition to my everyday work (and my countless side-projects). So I can’t take the time that those things deserve and in my eyes they always look (and read) unfinished. I dream of a life as a full-time-artist, but I am not the youngest person here and I have three children to feed ... When I saw your work here I immediately felt really inspired, but then a bit sad, because of the things mentioned above. Thank you very much for sharing your work! If you’d like to have a look on mine (here the few pieces in English), I would really appreciate it: https://joergscholz.substack.com/s/the-english-department
Beautiful, Candace!
It turns out that the Tokyo area has its own sub species of dandelion, which has a special area set aside for it at my local park. Good to see this flower getting its due!
what a beautiful post! Thank you for sharing it with us !!! 🌸
Thank you so much for reading, Jodie, and for letting me know you enjoyed this -- I'm so glad to hear it 😊