See the land dropping away from the cabin? What a crazy landscape.
My friend Rod (with whom I just stayed at Tanglewood) says sometimes you have to get in a car and "go fast" down the highway. All your cares peel away, fly away, or so he says. I'm inclined to agree. Almost the moment we got outside DC, onto the freeway, I felt my late summer consternations evaporating. I like the idea that troubles are slow-moving. I really like the concept that troubles can be left behind in the dust. Oh yeah.
I'm not sure this works if you're in a car all the time, zooming up and down the freeways, but for people like me, (I'm rarely even in a car, let alone zooming), it's a real change of pace.
One of the tenets of Chinese medicine is "moderation in all things." My Shi'atsu teacher used to say, "moderation in all things - including moderation!" I love that idea - that sometimes, in order to break congealed energy, we have to go too far, too fast, we have to step into the extremes. Too much of the too far, too fast, too extreme is very unhealthy, but a little bit of it here and there? It really helps.
Today is another code orange day - toxic air, extreme heat and humidity. Summer this year in DC was way too much of too much. In fact I was so entrenched here over the summer that I lost my faith in the turn of the seasons. The trip up to Tanglewood, coupled with a break in the weather (for a day or two - love the synchronicity, weather gods!) reminded me that things DO change, that life unfolds to the better way. The relentless heat and terrible air of this summer got inside me somehow, where it congealed, made me so cranky and hopeless. Getting in Rod's car, zooming up to W. Virginia, helped me leave a rigidity of mind and heart in the dust.
I believe, once again, in the turn of the seasons. I know that this awful summer must end. Woolly socks season will come, it will. Onwards & upwards. Shalom.
Screened-in porches are just the thing in a swampy landscape like DC (or up in the mountains, at the beach ... well ... anywhere really). A porch is outside, but also inside. Love screened in porches!
22 comments:
That has been the guiding principal for my life though I usually vocalized it as 'all things in moderation'.
I'm happy that you got that big ole knot knocked out of you. It is a beautiful place. I love the screen porch. When I was a kid, my aunt and uncle lived in the country outside a small town in the piney woods of east Texas. They had this wonderful two story field stone ranch house that my uncle's father built. On the back side all the way across was a very deep porch, maybe 15', and at one end it was screened in. I spent so much time in that screened porch. I loved sleeping there when the nights weren't too hot.
Yes, I agree with you & Ellen too much of a thing is usually too much. Moderation prevails.
Screened porches are wonderful especially is the cool of the evening or in spring or autumn. Where I live it is difficult for a breeze to get through in the summer, but I guess that's the reason for ceiling fans on the porch.
I'm so glad you enjoyed your get-away as they usually are very restorative.
your photos make me breathe deeply with gratitude. thank you!
I alwasy love to see pics of that cabin -- although small, it has an abundance and luxury about it. I'm so glad you had a good time, and also so sorry that I will miss you today. Hope to see you soon.
yup, screened in is better than bug spray. that's livin'
I pretty much live in my screen porch from about April until some time in October. Loved your pictures; like a mini vacation for those of us who can't get away right now.
Tom - 10 words said it all. Oh yeah.
Difficult to leave Tanglewood...the sunflowers on the table, the porch , the river, the air...sigh...I have always had trouble with "moderation" I like to OD on things I love too much so that I get over it...including carrot cake from the co-op, haven't OD'ed yet but am trying...still haven't had a summer.
That screened in porch is almost heaven, West Virginia.
man BEAUTIFUL place! wow!...and completely agree with you on all words...xxx j
Janelle I guess you do this when you mount your hoss and take off across the landscape. Very cool.
reya i love going fast in cars and strangely - for someone who has never had his license - i've been in all sorts of cool wheels including ferrari's, lamborghini's. lotsa jags, roll-royce, bentley, intermeccanica (google it), morgan (ditto), a coupe of lotus, aston martin, lotsa mercedes, and the usual run-of-the-mill american iron. i love the push back into the seat - same when a plane takes off or lands . . . i absolutely love that feeling!! i love the roaring whooshing sound!
porches - well they're in the other end of the rush spectrum. a soft rush. whooshing sounds are usually wind-driven and include leaves and sometimes waves. i love returning to them after a walk, especially if the weather gets sketchy. i love being inside them. especially in a storm.
moderation? hmmmm. i've tried that route but it got me in all sorts of trouble. better to lay it all out on the table and see what comes of it. that seems to have worked best for me!! steven
I don't want to wear wooly socks...
The cabin is so splendid and simple.
So glad you had a change of pace and ZOOMED.
phewy to moderation.......
Love the idea of a screened in porch.. something so peaceful about it all. So glad you were able to find this escape. Such a beautiful place!
Dr. M isn't much for zooming - he's in the mosey phase of his life. Wears me out. I have a lead foot. So, actually, when we go on a weekend ramble, like today, I appreciate his moseying - I can actually SEE the landscape around me. So, yes, I think a change of pace is a good thing whether you're speeding up or slowing down.
Steven have I mentioned recently that I LOVE the way your mind/heart works? If not - then - wow!!
Bug how funny. You always describe Dr. M as the productive one, you as the more laid back. I guess when you walk, it's a whole different story. Very cool.
Elizabeth you need never wear woolly socks. That phrase is a Willow-ism I've adopted. Please. Don't wear socks!
BTW .... Steven noticed I put the opposite of speed here, with the pics of the screened in porch, a place of rest. Oh yeah. Steven picks up on all of it. Wow.
I just LOVE Tanglewood. Thanks for sharing the photos - what a special place!!
What a great little cabin! My family has a place in West Virginia too, near Martinsburg, but to my knowledge none of us have visited for years.
I think your experience with "zooming" was similar to my drive to Southampton. Sometimes getting away from the familiar makes all the difference!
seems each state wants to lay claim on the screened-in porch - up north they're 'michigan' porches and down south they're 'florida' porches.
right now a michigan porch sounds good. your vacay looked lovely and i agree - i can just feeeel that change in the season lurking....
This is an idyllic looking cottage and porch. Wonderful revitalization.
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