Sunday, February 3

Black Dogs & Days.

This is our outlook today. Rain, , a few lightning bolts just to 'lighten' things. Followed of course, by Thunder. So loud & close I yelped in fright, & almost fell off my chair. My nerves are not too steady at the best of times, where sudden loud noises are concerned.

Need I say, the garden is just loving all this rain! The ferns haven't looked this happy for years!
The untidy clutter that I like, is just thriving from all the moisture. The Bromeliads, who are not supposed to mind being a little dry, seem to be particularly happy, & we currently have 4 bracts of the pink one.

The herbs are delighted. Which is just as well, as I have been eating them, as fast as they grow. The Devil's Ivy, which is just a weed now, is very vigourous. The path to the clothesline runds with rainwater. The tree fern is drooping with pleasure, & the Thyme has flopped onto the path with joy.


We have been recently spoilt, with choices of movies to watch.
We last watched Juno, & both enjoyed it. It was fun. 8/10
My favourite was The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman -love that man!- & Jack Nicholson. I think this movie will go down as a classic along with Shawshank Redemption. I give it 11/10. I would watch it again right now.
We have seen Flawless, with Dondald Sutherland & Charlise Theron. 9/10 Very entertaining. Charlise is flawless looking. I am not usually a blond liker, but she is lovely.
3.10 to Yuma was very gripping. I like Russel Crowe's acting, & found it an interesting movie to watch. 9/10
Charlie Wilson's War with Tom Hanks was excellently entertaining. Gom felt it was propaganda, but the ending told the truth, I felt. Tom Hanks is a great actor I feel. 9/10.
Shiloh Falls, is boring me to tears. Still have not completed watching it... do I care? zzzzzzz
There have been other notables, whose names escape me at present...haha.
************
The Black Dog continues to lurk. Weather doesn't exactly help.
I have been longing for the ocean again.
Want to salt some wounds?
************
Pondering family stories, & legends, has made me smile.
An Uncle has long loved to trout fish. New Zealand has some wild & wonderous trout laden rivers. Some of them are very hard to access, but the 90 year old Uncle has recently been taken fishing again, much to his joy.
We privately laughed, my brother & I, about the fact that a distant ancient rellie had wished their ashes scattered in one of the rivers he loved to fish. He disliked the person concerned, intensely. We were imagining how he would never eat another trout from the river if he thought the ashes had been scattered there!
I spent a part of my childhood staying with my Grandparents beside a wild river. It ran through a very deep gorge, & when it flooded it raged in wild torrents, & was extremely dangerous. I was well protected, & someone always ensured I was never in any danger from the river. How well I remember the smell of that river, & the surrounding wonderful New Zealand native Bush.
The smell of the ferns growing on the sheer cliff on the other side, from the rocks, which dripped water, & grew moss. Such a clean fresh smell. When the river ran slowly & easily, the fish could be seen darting carelessly through the lovely clear water. I loved the sounds of that river, as it spoke to me. The soft tinkle as is flowed & played gently over the rocks. The roar of the torrent when it raged in flood.
I loved the wonderful water worn rocks, with their gently rounded curves. I loved those rocks. I loved to walk on them, pick them up, take some back to the house. I loved the noise they made when they moved under my feet.
I don't remember ever swimming in that river. My mother did, when she was a child, & later, she lost her engagement ring, whilst swimming in that river. It was sadly prophetic. I wonder if it lies there still, & will remain for eternity in the mud & rocks.
Slava Grigoryan, The Sounds of Rain, Parts 1 & 2.



24 comments:

meggie said...

I really dislike the fact that I type my posts in nice paragraphs, so they are easy to read, & dont look like one long stream of words.
Then blogger does away with the spaces, once I hit publish.
Or it inserts double spaces, when I dont need them ...grrrrr to Blogger!

Elaine Adair said...

Regarding old letters, no, I would not want anyone to read personal letters I've written to any one else. I wonder why we keep them ... ?

Read your sad poem, and I understand, a little bit.

Harmany Quilting said...

The black dog is around this time of year and then one day (hopefully soon) it leaves. We too had thunderstorms yesterday and more are forecasted. The garden breahted a sigh of relief as I did.

Katie said...

I really need to start a garden here. In the meantime, I'm really enjoying yours!

Catalyst said...

Re movies: We just watched "Hoax" about the Clifford Irving "bio" of Howard Hughes. Fascinating. And, speaking of Morgan Freeman, we saw "10 Items of Less" with him and Paz Vega the other night. It is a small movie, produced by Freeman, and made with a tiny budget in 15 days. Interesting!

The BRD brought 3 movies over this morning . . I think to get SWMBO through the rigors of Super Bowl Sunday!

Loved your writing about nature.

Flea said...

Meggie, sorry I visit so not often enough, your blog is still a fave!
Great to hear about all your rain, we suffer heat wave after heat wave :-(

Mmmm, black dog - I got rid of mine via blogging, hope it helps.

Perth greetings, Java.

Linds said...

I want to go and see The Bucket List. It sounds really good. Rain???? I have had enough of it. I know it is winter here, but I so need some warm sun! And I am sitting here in my gown wrapped up like a sausage in a fleece blanket. Style. It is all about style. Hmmm.

Jellyhead said...

Thanks for your movie reviews Meggie. I suspect I would like similar movies to you.... I saw Juno at the movies, and I thought it was a sweet & quirky movie, too, and would have given it 8/10 as well.

I'm sorry you're feeling a bit 'bleah' Meggie. You're right - rainy weather doesn't life the spirits either. Maybe a good read, a hug from GOM, and a good night's sleep will turn things around.

Mary said...

Gosh Meggie you are the movie queen ! Unless I face the horrors of Penrith we are a bit starved for movies up here. Though they are extending the local flea pit so maybe things will improve.

I obviously need something bigger than a rock to hurl at that black dog.

caramaena said...

I jump at the sound of thunder too.

Hope you can chase that black dog away soon.

Joyce said...

My daughter just emailed me about all the rain. At least their water tank will be full when we get there. Not for long I'm afraid!

Tanya Brown said...

Yeek! Thunder storms!

Your ferns are just beautiful and your stories make me smile.

Thank you, and stay dry and comfortable.

Jo said...

Meggie, you can fix the spacing by going into HTML mode and removing all the div things you see. I have to do that all the time.

Thanks for the update on the movies. I need to catch up this year, and I plan to see all of those.

There is a little something for you on my blog.

riseoutofme said...

Thanks for the movie reviews! I love to get first hand reports on them!

And as usual, great stories!

As for the rain.

We won't talk about the rain. Maybe then, it'll go away.

Q said...

Dear Meggie,
Thank you for the movie reviews. I have just become a movie buff. I am keeping a list of "want to see" and hopefully I will learn a bit more about the entire process. I am paying attention to editing and screen play and the scores.
Your rains have been heaven's gift to your gardens! So lovely.
Thank you for your story of your memories of the river. My hometown river is large and has been commercialized.
Enjoy your upcoming coming week.
Sherry

ancient one said...

Your grandparent's river sounded so nice. We just had ditches and canals to play in on my granddad's place.

I hope the black dog soon leaves. Been feeling a bit of that myself. Two good friends died last week.

Anonymous said...

It's time all these black dogs that are lurking about went back to their kennels. I am tired of mine as I am sure you are of yours.

I never seem to get to see any films. When I do I fall asleep - they wash over me and I am off.

We've had snow here!

Pauline said...

Trade you your rain and warmth for our ice and snow...

Even if blogger does mess up your paragraphs, I always enjoy reading your words.

Christine Thresh said...

It is raining here too. But we are cold and you are warm. I'd rather be cold.
Your tropical garden does look lush.

Fairlie - www.feetonforeignlands.com said...

I'd like to see Juno - I haven't heard anyone say a bad word about it.

Blogger eats my formatting too - very frustrating.

Lee said...

I believe some of the rain is heading our way - that would be nice.

Thimbleanna said...

Good movie list Meggie. I'm with you on Bucket List -- I loved it. And I know I'm the odd man out, but I'd probably only give Juno 6 out of 10. I enjoyed it -- cute movie and all, but I just had a few issues with it. 310 to Yuma is definitly on my list -- just need to get time to watch it!

CONNIE W said...

I give your post a 11/10. I loved the movie part as I rarely go TO a movie but instead wait until it comes out on DVD and then decide whether or not I dare plunk down my money and buy it, sometimes liking but other times not. I am a Tom Hanks fan and am never disappointed in his work. I hope the days brighten up. Hugs.

Jeanne said...

We saw Charlie Wilson's War over the weekend, and I agree with you on both points: Tom Hanks is always good, and I think the ending is unfortunately very accurate.
Is the dog outside today, or has he come back in?
Hugs ~ Jeanne