The White Sky by William Stafford
Many things in the world have
already happened. You can
go back and tell about them.
They are part of what we
own as we speed along
through the white sky.
But many things in the world
haven't yet happened. You help
them by thinking and writing and acting.
Where they begin, you greet them
or stop them. You come along
and sustain the new things.
Once, in the white sky there was
a beginning, and I happened to notice
and almost glimpsed what to do.
But now I have come far
to here, and it is away back there.
Some days, I think about it.
sometimes i like to swallow poems whole. but that one i kept going back to nibble at it. i've featured poems of william stafford here before. they're all good. edible even.
like the epis blooming out back.
even the ones that are wilted are still luscious.
this week i got some ultra inexpensive acrylic craft paints from the martha stewart satin line. lots of pretty colors! they have a matte finish when dry which is kind of a nice change. the periwinkle purple color is one of my usual liquitex brand paints. 
i started this visual journal below in january 2011. i just have a few pages left. it's been left alone to fend for itself for months at a time while i was off galavanting with other lovers. like my travel journals or sketchbook or inspiration journal. i also have a stack of wood panels out in the garage i've been wanting to dig into, but that means i would have to drop everything else for awhile. NO CAN DO.
i saw this quote today and it spoke to me. screamed at me actually. i took notice and wanted to share.
I love MS Satin paints!
I even love the pearl, but I have to be in a clammy mood.
hahahAHAHAAA!!!
see?
…can I just come and sit in that orange chair, put all my books on top of yours, put a big mug of coffee on the table and just sit a spell and ponder that tiny little spiders life of spinning it’s web between succulents?
Your flowers are lovely as are your journal spreads, but what I really covet is your orange chair. I think I read a long time ago on your blog that it was a Craig’s List find. I would have driven from Kansas to pick up that treasure!
Loving that room! It looks so cosy. I want to sit and read there!
Wow! And I thought the only Roosevelt who ever said anything worthwhile was Eleanor! You’re journal pages are sooooooo cool!
That first picture of your interior with the cat walking in front of it just makes me swoon and I’m not even sure why. It just looks so cosy and homey (is that even a word?). The poem is beatiful. Thanks for sharing.
I just stopped and stared at the interior photo, with I believe Wyatt, traipsing through the morning light that seems to be dancing across the room.
The balance, harmony and color all just seem to sing. The personal art composition above the vintage lamp and table with the bright orange chair grounded by the woven rug and the lace window coverings that allow all the light in, yet hide the exterior view, and the jumble of books begging to be read…oh my, it just draws the viewer in for more.
It is like a great piece of art that tells a story, or a William Stafford poem, that causes one to stop and consider…
I really enjoyed my visit today. Thank you for sharing all the beauty Mary Ann!
thank you – I needed that.
Very intrigued by your Epi photos. Beautiful shots. Do you grow your epis indoors our out?
Your pictures of your flower just about bring tears of “BLISS’ to my eyes! you captured not just a picture but an emotion….Thank You!
Thank you for that! My garden just began.I just planted a few things. But, I compared it to last years garden, where I grew flowers for my daughters wedding, mixed in with the vegetables. It was HUGE. This year it is only 3 raised beds and that is all. And that is okay with me. No comparison, special each. Your blogs are such a refreshment!
I love every glimpse you give us of Moss Cottage…so warm, so cozy, so inviting. And that orange chair!!
As someone who has fallen victim to the peril of comparison too many times, I know just how true that quote is. However, I refuse to fall into that trap again. As long as I continue to love the process of creation and do the best that I can do, then I am happy. I will continue to admire the art of others (like you!!!) but I won’t worry about whether or not I measure up—the only person I have to measure up to is ME!!
Thank you for the diversity of your postings–art, photography, poetry, travelogue, humor, food & drink etc. You are a fascinating person, Mary Ann and I know I am not the only one who feels so fortunate to have discovered you out there on the WWW!!
Oh I love William Stafford’s poetry! My favorite by him is called (I think) At the Bomb Testing Site.
Although I’m reading this on Sunday morning, I want to say “Thank you” for putting this smile on my face. Great way to start the day. Great inspiration! Gorgeous color, cute kitteh, lovely poem and a spot-on quote to enjoy with my coffee. Thanks Mary Ann!
High Five.
That’s all.
just an enthusiastic, jump-out-of-your-chair: High Five.
I always thought comparison was the mother of motivation….
a lesson is needed, and I am ready. Educate me.
I just want to move into that room, sit in that chair (with a cat in my lap) and look through those lovely journals. Of course, last week I wanted to sit in that outdoor studio and paint. Such a lovely site, thank you.
That is a great quote! You have inspired me to get out the paints today and create. Happy Sunday:)
Love your orange chair. I have one too, but it is covered in a scratchy fabric. Love the quote. It is so hard for us not to compare and feel like we are not good enough!
laura b
Ah, Moss Cottage. Books, milagros, tippy-toe kitty – delightful. Bonus! – art, poems and quotes. Thanks, Mary Ann. And thanks, Franklin Delano.
It’s the first time I see that quote, and it did, indeed, screemed at me, like it’s meant for me, right at this time. (I work at a high performance job where everyone has a Master’s, MD or PhD. It’s hard to feel good about oneself!) I will certainly write it my journal. Do you remember the poem “The Word” by Tony Hoagland you posted months ago? It has been with me since. Thank you!
I love seeing the interior of Moss Cottage (as well as the interior of your journals and inspiration!) Thank you for continually inspiring us to live life fully.
The poem, the quote, all the pretty colors…lovely.
I get excited everyime I open google reader and I see a new blog post from you. I just love looking at your quirky and colorful journals!
Hi Mary Ann. That quote is ever present in my mind. My eldest (7) has autism and whenever I’m getting anxious about his development in comparison to others in his class, I remind myself of that quote and the anxiety goes right away and I can just get on with things. I’ve written it down for other mums too. It’s a great one to share and applies to everything.
Gorgeous. Mary Ann, you should have some of your journal pages made into postcards to sell and make a little dough-re-mi on the side.
Mr. Roosevelt’s quote rings true…
It is ultra tempting in the time of the Internet and specifically sites like pinterest (which I adore, btw) to lose one’s own voice when creating…what with all the comparisons we are apt to make to each other’s creations. It is darn near impossible to create in modern times without feeling the influences all around us. But when we’re “in the zone” our voices are quite loud.
Your visual journal pages are yummy, M.A. Lick-able!
goosebumps here
and not just from the
morning chill.
wonderful poem
echoed in a line
from the song
playing at that moment:
I’ll miss you til I meet you.
greetings from chilly
massachusetts.
Love all the photos…the cat tippy toeing across the floor is precious. The epis are beyond beautiful…I love those plants. Sounds like you’re having a good weekend. More pix of Moss Cottage interior, please.
Such wonderful inspiration Mary Ann, love visiting your blog for a dose of pure bliss!!!!!