Ogunquit Library

Oldies like this always charm me in library shelves and used book stores - the kind of book I would have found appealing. This is from the children's section of the Ogunquit Public Library - more a shelf or two reserved for kids in this small but gorgeous library. The librarian was seated at a large desk before a magnificent stone fireplace so there is no photo of that. It is library old school, the hushing kind.

Just a stone's throw from out home base right off the Marginal Way.

Someone should do a tour of New England libraries and produce a book. They would have to include the tiniest library I have ever seen in Chatham, Mass. and glories like this stone beauty.

Was amazed to see an actual working card catalog.

Sunday Quote

If you stumble about believability, what are you living for? Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe, ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is your problem with hard to believe? ― Yann Martel, Life of Pi

Doorway to a new season

I love this time, the opening of a new season, stepping through the doorway into another world like the discovery of the wardrobe that led to Narnia. All seasons feel this way to me, the way the soul grasps the significance of the slight turnings of the seasons before my rational mind attends to it. The pause as summer considers leaning into fall, of the new greens and muddy achievements of spring, of summer stretching out long and lean like a cat waking as spring wanes. And this, the doorway opening in November and I see the bones of trees again, the gray cool tone to the light thrown across the walls as curtains are pulled wide, the way the mind settles back, stirs the sediment of old thought and thinks, ah, right, it is time for this now. There is a gratefulness in winter, perhaps it is just the appreciation of warming blankets and sweaters, of steeping mugs of tea, of yellow light from the kitchen window as you pull into a dark and frosty driveway. But I think it is more - I think we feel what waits ahead, a necessary ending of all things, and winter graces us with the knowledge that there is beauty in such endings, there is such beauty that perhaps there is no need to hold on to whatever we might fear. There is so much to be grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Sunday Quote

Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling. - Margaret Lee Runbeck

Sunday Quote

The striped and shapely Maple grieves the loss of her departed leaves. The ground is hard, as hard as stone. The year is old. The birds are flown. And yet the world, nevertheless, displays a certain loveliness -- The beauty of the bone. Tall God must see our souls this way, and nod. Give thanks: we do, each in his place around the table during grace. - John Updike, November. A Child's Calendar.

Fingers crossed for continued power...

Really weather report? I recall you saying something about snow not sticking...

The little Halloween bats never did see too many trick or treaters...but now they have seen Hurricane Sandy and the Nor'easter's snow...

The same dog who runs around like a nut in the snow having a fine old time likes to come inside and try to capture the sympathy vote as he is dried off...

Prior to the storm some lucky squirrel raided one of our pumpkins ... perhaps the squirrel family is riding out the storm enjoying some pumpkin ravioli and a nice chianti...

Seriously hoping we have no return to our long spell of cold and darkness...

or any more very upsetting damages...

anymore scenes of destruction, flood, squashed cars, damaged roofs, etc...

no trees coming down, no more lines coming down, no power outages...

and absolutely no more flooding. Prayers and hopes we all stay warm, well-lit, safe, dry, and able to rest and recover.

Post Sandy...library thoughts

Was really impressed and touched to see how the libraries played such an important role for our community - we were rocking with huge crowd of folks, people came in for lights and heat and to plug in their phones, etc. but also for information, for cheer, for the relief of a good book (can always read by flashlight!), for a place to hang out and feel their spirits lift - I feel very fortunate to be part of the library world, feeling at times I get to do some small part in helping out - even if it is just offering a bit of goodwill when life becomes overwhelming... we finally got power back after midnight Saturday...at first the power came on and then went off immediately and my poor youngest just got so upset...we had been without since Monday evening and no heat or light is very wearing after a spell...happy to report we have power back and yesterday even cable came back on. Fingers crossed the Weds. Nor'easter does not cause any more troubles for everyone... Hope everyone is safe and warm.