A Little Tolkien Love

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

This has been a favourite poem of mine for some time now... and it's absolutely true. Do you find yourselves wandering, dear hearts? I certainly do. And there's not a drop of negativity to it. We're always on a journey, and I plan on making the most of mine.

PS. I just have to say thank you SO MUCH to everyone who's been voting for me, for the Top 25 Canadian Mom Blogs. I'm currently in 2nd place and would be honoured if you'd keep voting. Just click here & vote once per day til November 17th. Merci, merci!

I Am Half-Sick Of Shadows, Said The Lady Of Shalott

I am half-sick of shadows, said the Lady of Shalott

JW Waterhouse

But in her web she still delights
To weave the mirror's magic sights,
For often through the silent nights
A funeral, with plumes and lights
And music, went to Camelot:
Or when the Moon was overhead,
Came two young lovers lately wed;
"I am half sick of shadows," said
The Lady of Shalott.

Tennyson

...

I still remember seeing this painting for the very first time. Sitting on that bench, inhaling deeply and finding a kind of stillness that can only be found in a gallery.

The Naming of Cats

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey—
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter—
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover—
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

T.S. Eliot.

...

Several years ago friend gifted me with a copy of T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. This poem is one of my favourites.

Hmmm, perhaps I should start sharing more of my favourite verses... I think I just might.