August 26, 2010

The Place I Want To Get Back To


The Place I Want To Get Back To


is where
in the pinewoods
in the moments between
the darkness

and first light
two deer
came walking down the hill
and when they saw me

they said to each other, okay,
this one is okay,
let’s see who she is
and why she is sitting

on the ground, like that,
so quiet, as if
asleep, or in a dream,
but, anyway, harmless;

and so they came
on their slender legs
and gazed upon me
not unlike the way

I go out to the dunes and look
and look and look
into the faces of the flowers;
and then one of them leaned forward

and nuzzled my hand, and what can my life
bring me that could exceed
that brief moment?
For twenty years

I have gone every day to the same woods,
not waiting, exactly, just lingering.
Such gifts, bestowed,
can’t be repeated.

If you want to talk about this
come to visit. I live in the house
near the corner, which I have named
Gratitude.

- By Mary Oliver from Thirst -

This white-tailed deer stepped out of the woods early one morning while I was visiting my Secret Garden. We stared at each for a minute and then she raised her tail showing me the white underside and ran back into the trees. The white underside of the mother's tail helps her fawns follow her.

My family and I have been on a medical merry-go-round with my father for the last month making it impossible for me to spend any time in the world of blogging and I've had no time in the garden. You all know what happens to a garden when it's not watered, fertilized, deadheaded, pruned, talked to and loved on a regular basis. It's not pretty.

This post has been in draft form since July. This morning I decided to go ahead and publish it. I hope the month of August has been good to you and your gardens.





26 comments:

  1. I am so sorry about the health issues, Donna. I hope your Dad will be better soon, if he is not quite yet back up to par. Don't worry about the garden, you can get to that whenever. Hey, that is a beautiful poem, and I can hear what you are saying. Things will come around again to normalcy...I can say that after having lived it the last year...and things are coming back for me, and I know they will for you too! Hang in there! Have missed you! Hope CooCoo Kid is doing well...is he back in school already??? Talk to you when you can!

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  2. My heart hears you in your words and photo ... blessings of peace.

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  3. So good to see you post, and to bring a little Mary Oliver into my day was just perfect. Kind of settled my spirits.

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  4. What a pretty deer and I enjoyed the poem.
    I hope things will get better for your Dad and your family. I'm sure it's very stressful for all of you. I'm sure your garden will be just fine, you always have next year to work in it. Mine's been ignored quite a bit this year as well.

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  5. Sorry to hear about the medical rollercoaster. But, it was nice to see a post from you.

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  6. Again Donna -- I am so sorry about the medical difficulties == you are doing what you need to be doing right now -- don't fret about the garden.

    This was a beautiful post; I'd never read that poem -- that you for sharing it andthe picture and your own experience.

    Take care of yourself through all of this. My thoughts are with you.

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  7. Donna we completely understand, life events happen and sometimes it changes things or puts our goals and other activities on hold.

    Sorry to hear about your dad...please take your time caring for your dad and for yourself...

    Love the poem and the new look of your blog..very nice.

    Take care...

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  8. Donna, I'm so sorry to hear about your father; I hope that he is well soon. Blogging definitely has to take a backseat to family concerns.

    This is such a lovely poem; blogging introduced me to Mary Oliver's poetry, and now I'm a big fan, too. I hope that you have time to visit your Secret Garden again soon and have some time to rejuvenate; take care, Donna.

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  9. Oh Donna, it is so hard when loved ones are not well. I will keep you in my prayers. Take care of you too.

    Very beautiful poem reminds me of when I was a child and would sit alone in the back part of our property watching the wildlife and enjoying the flowers.

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  10. Hello Donna, I'm so sorry to hear this news and I do understand what life must be like for you. I hope the thought of your Secret Garden, and all the friends thinking about you, will help sustain you.

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  11. What a beautiful poem. It says what I often feel. Hoping all is now well with your father. My mother had Alheimers...those were hard days.

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  12. I thought of you on Saturday night. I was able to see #4. It was so much fun.

    Praying for you and your father.

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  13. Thank you for the beautiful poem. We have a similar situation with my mother. Sometimes I get a chance to pull a week as tall as I am. It helps me to walk through the garden and see the flowers - no matter how messy. My thoughts are with you.

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  14. Happy thoughts coming your way.
    Hugs,
    Rosey

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  15. Lighting a candle for you, Donna. Hope everything is okay with your Dad.

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  16. I'm sorry your dad is having health problems. My parents are approaching their 80s and are on all kinds of medications for this and that. My mom can't drive at night, and I don't think my dad is driving at all. They are able to take care of each other so far. In time, I'm sure they will be needing more of our attention.

    I love that poem and the things you wrote about seeing deer.

    One thing about the garden, is that there is always next season. I sometimes get behind this time of year, and have to back off of gardening. I look forward to a new start in the next season. It is hard, though, seeing the plants struggle.

    I'm sending a hug and prayers your way. Tell Phillip hi for me, too.

    Sue

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  17. Sorry to hear things continue to be hard. I've been thinking of you. The return home from hospital/nursing home is a difficult time. We went through a lot this summer when my Dad came out of hospital. Things are picking up slightly now, and I do hope you will see a gradual improvement.

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  18. Hope you Dad continues to improve daily. And I understand how blogging has to take a back seat sometimes. My garden is also a total mess as I have not been able to work in it this summer. Things always get better.

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  19. Hi my friend, so gladd to be back in blogland. And what have you done to your blog? it's wonderful.
    Love this story made me sigh big time. Just lovely.

    Talk soon and I'll try to catch up on your latest post dear Donna.
    Wonderful hugs.
    Dagmar

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  20. Hi Donna, I am sorry I haven't visited in a while...and didn't realize you were struggling with family health issues. I did notice I hadn't 'talked' with you in a while, either on our blogs or on FB. I really like your 'newest' layout on your blog...see, it's been quite a while since I've been here. Don't tell me how long you've had it like this...I don't want to know because that's how long it's been since i've stopped by! I hope things will smooth over for you soon. No one is going anywhere so whether you post or not, you're still on my blog-friend-list and will stay that way;-) I love to watch the deer, although they are destructive to my garden, AND, they bring in the ticks. I'm a bit paranoid of ticks now, after having lyme disease last summer...
    Take care of yourself, as I am sure your energy is usually focused taking care of others. Stay well!

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  21. Dear Donna,

    It meant a lot that you stopped by to say "hi" and I really hope that you are doing alright.
    Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
    (((HUGS))))
    Rosey

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  22. It warmed my heart to have you visit today ... think of you often.

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  23. I am so glad to hear from you Donna. I am sorry to hear about your Dad and I hope he will get better soon. Gardening can wait and there is still another time. I love the photo of the deer and poem. Thank you for sharing it with us. You take care always.

    Hugs

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  24. wow, maybe I would like to go there too some day!

    sorry i haven' been on very often but ill try catch up to blogging

    have a great time!
    Horsegirl >_<

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  25. Hi Donna,
    I have sure commented a lot on this post, Ha ha!

    How is life? It is hard to believe that Halloween is almost here. What sorts of stuff do you do with your grandkids for that? What is the coo-coo kid dressing up as?

    Hope you are well. It was good to hear from you again. Sometimes, most times, bloggers just disappear and I am glad you haven't.

    Take care,
    Rosey

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  26. Hi Donna,
    Thanks for stopping by my GBBD post. How have things been going with your dad and rest of your family? I hope you are able to spend some time outdoors.

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For you to take the time to leave a comment means a lot to me. You make my heart happy.