"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

"Gather ye rose-buds while ye may." Robert Herrick

Hello Friends!

Friends, Romans, countrymen...y'all. Foodies, gardeners, artists and collectors - let's gather together to share and possibly learn a thing or two in the mix.

Donna Baker

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

A Winter's Day



I am making a New Year's resolution.  Yes, I aim to cut out sweets in my diet, nothing profound, but at my age, this is a near impossibility; this brain is hardwired for sweets.  I am going to try anyway as I never learn.  Not a great feat to start out a new year, but it is something to strive for, however trivial.

On this snowy day, I am become philosophic; remembering a piece of literature I always return to.  Alexander Pope's ESSAY ON MAN was a seminal work in his time and much acclaimed, and, it is profound. The theme being, "what is, is right."  My main go to line though is (not verbatim), we are all part of the chain, whereby one part is broken, the whole will fall.  It is so timely today.  As an aside, another favorite writer/philosopher of mine, Voltaire, wrote CANDIDE (another fav) as a satirical response to Pope's ESSAY ON MAN (and his "what is, is right" theme.)

In the recently read JUST KIDS, Patti Smith writes about her mother's oft quoted maxim, (not verbatim), that what is happening on New Year's Day, so goes the rest of the year.  Well hey, I am going to be busy, painting and reading on New Year's Day (and eschewing sweets just in case that old saw is true.)  Here is more from Alexander Pope's ESSAY ON MAN.  It is worth a study/read again.

"Hope springs eternal in the human breast;
Man never is, but always to be blessed:
The soul, uneasy and confined from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.

Hoping 2016 is filled with goodness and light for all of you.




33 comments:

La Table De Nana said...

I'm on the waiting list for PS's books..

Hope Does Spring Eternal...or else..
My wish for you too..:) What you said..same snow here..falling falling...

angryparsnip said...

What a beautiful photo today. So beautiful.
That is what my tourist idea of what snow looks like in most of the States.

cheers, parsnip and thehamish

Joanne Noragon said...

I had to give up sweets when my stomach revolted. This from the person who considered two pieces of whole grain toast slathered with butter and homemade elderberry jam a perfect bedtime snack. Or peach praline pie. I guess you haven't reached that stage of life yet. PS--I still eat butter and told the doctor to deal with it.

Michelle said...

I can resist sweets and have even given up soda, but a little chocolate now and again is necessary.

Elephant's Child said...

Good luck on the sweet front. I need to follow suit.
Here on yet another HOT day, looking at your snow gif is incredibly soothing.
A wonderful 2016 to you. Full of wonder, love and laughter.

donna baker said...

My wish for you Monique is an incredible 2016. Hope you like JUST KIDS. It is pretty raw. I haven't read M TRAIN yet but do have a stack to read.

donna baker said...

I can understand since you live in Tucson. For me it is over-rated; I enjoy seeing a few flakes fall and that is it. Thank you though and have a wonderful new year.

donna baker said...

Oh no Joanne, never butter. The peach pie sounds good and I need to try the bread and butter with elderberry jam. The jam doesn't count as sugar, or sweets, does it? I didn't even think of jam. Oh well, that resolution is toast. My stomach has revolted. I've had IBS for several years now and I am hoping no sugar will help.

donna baker said...

I am always so jealous of people that don't like sweets.

donna baker said...

Thank you so Child. It is so cold. It always seems colder when it has been warm of late. But, I can't take the heat either. Wishing you the best too.

elaine said...

Dear Donna
Definitely a reflective and philosophical post this bodes well for your 2016 posts. Wishing you all that you wish for yourself in the coming year. It is always a joy to come over here and read about what you have been up to. Best wishes to you for 2016 from your blogging buddy who is glad to have made your acquaintance this year. Elaine x

donna baker said...

Thank you Elaine and I too am happy to have made your acquaintance this year. I love blogging and all that I learn from it. Hoping your new year brings all good to you and yours.

Bohemian said...

Ah yes, the Resolutions... well, I'm going to give it a heroic Try too, we'll see how long any or all of mine last this New Year? *Smiles* Wishing you a Happy New Year from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

donna baker said...

Well hello Dawn. Some years they work and some years they don't. Going to give it the old college try anyway. Happy new years to you also.

elaine said...

Donna - just in case you don't come over to my latest post to see my response to your comment - I must just tell you about Patti Smith's fabulous DVD 'Dream of Life' that I received in the post this morning - it is FAB - you must get it I am convinced you will enjoy it - let me know what you think if you do watch it.

Frances said...

Donna, by this time next year, I hope to learn how to have a virtual snowfall gracefully descend over my own posts. Perhaps in a year's time I might master that technique?

Meanwhile, I am reminded that I do owe you an email re PS. New Year's resolution. Promise.

Wishing you and yours a very happy 2016. xo

donna baker said...

Frances, I hope your new year is a good and happy one too. I'll try and spot you in the crowd tonight. The snow story is funny. While posting one day, I clicked on the post from iPhone and there in the folder were a few of my snow pictures and they were snowing. I didn't do a thing. I have a thousand pics in my iPhone but there were just a few snowy ones there. I don't know if my phone, or Picasa or blogger did it, but I have lots more I wish they'd make snow. If you find out how it happened, please let me know. I can barely walk and talk at the same time and am challenged big time in the technology department.

ruma said...

Happy New Year 2016 !!

I pray you and yours to peace.   And, Peace of the earth.



From Japan, ruma ❃

John Going Gently said...

Happy New year old bean , hoping 2016 will be a cracker xxxxxxx

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

My mantra is everything in moderation Donna . I always think that if you cut something out completely, you are going to want it !!!!! That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it !!!! haha.
Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year and I look forward to continuing our blogging friendship in 2016. Lots of love from the UK. XXXX

donna baker said...

Oh Ruma, I do hope your new year is as beautiful as the old one.

donna baker said...

Thank you John. You've never commented here so it is better already. Hope you and Hubby and the menagerie have a wonderful 2016.

donna baker said...

And lots of love to you too Jacqueline. I can't seem to do the moderation thing; brain challenged in that respect. Hoping you and yours have a wonderful 2016 and look forward to sharing in the new year too.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Ooh, I fear to give up eating sweets would be akin to living without oxygen...I truly couldn't.
But I will try to cut back, and hopefully that will make a difference :)
Wishing you and yours a New Year filled with much love, peace and happiness.
Hugs,
~Jo

donna baker said...

And back to you Jo. I won't be able to cut out all sweets as I'll still have fruit and... I just need to quit eating desserts and cookies and candy. I'm shooting for that. I am hoping for those changes and I'll be ahead of the game. I waited too late to eat tonight and my blood sugar fell; I was shaking and thought, how's this going to work. Anything will be an improvement though. Big hug to you too.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Donna, I did recomment Cider with Rosie to you as a bit of light, pleasant reading. Good luck with cutting out sweets. Luckily I have not got a sweet tooth.

jerilanders said...

You can give up sugar, I actually did it for 6 months along with wheat products. I can hardly believe I managed it for that long, and would have continued but "fell off the wagon" on Thanksgiving. I'm going back to it though, I felt so much better, and lost 10 pounds the first month!

donna baker said...

Well thank you Pat. I really enjoyed it.

donna baker said...

Well, I am eating a Red Rome apple, so I made it a day. My brain is hardwired for sweets so it is going to be a struggle. I have pondered wheat; I think that would take a lot of planning, but possible.

Heather Robinson said...

Pope, Voltaire and Patti Smith all in the same post? Thank you especially for the beautiful quote at the end. It moved me unexpectedly and will stay with me today.
Bisous,
H
PS. Good Luck with your sugar reduction. I don't have a sweet tooth but cheese and wine? Oh dear. And I really overindulged this holiday season...and we still have so much left in the fridge! I will start cutting back...soon...

donna baker said...

Linking those three writers is just how my brain makes connections. I read Pope's ESSAY ON MAN in a humanities class and it always stuck with me. The teacher was the best of all time. Made such an impression with the work. It was hard at the grocery last night, resisting sweets while my husband placed handfuls in the basket. Most, luckily, were not things I like. Cutting back. That is what I am striving for now (the resolution slipping?)

Kirsten Steen said...

Good for you! Today is Day 1 back on the diet, a diet we actually enjoy... for the most part. We lose weight and feel better. Have let things go over the holidays and it really shows...and feels. There are so many ways to create sweet alternatives with Stevia or Xylitol and healthy fat, one doesn't have to feel completely without! We feel so much better without the white flour and sugar...and feeling better is a fabulous byproduct. And along your lines, Eckhart Tolle says, 'Accept every moment as if you had chosen it.' Try that one on for size...it's a doozy!

donna baker said...

Thank you Kirsten. I am the sort nowadays, that doesn't want to have to think too much about eating this and that, grams etc. Just want to eat healthy or at least more healthy than I have been.