Saturday, February 26, 2011

Peace and Quiet

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I enjoyed tromping around in the snow, last Sunday. The snow lay like a great, soft blanket over the valley wrapping everything in quiet, muffling the usual everyday sounds. It was a peaceful day. Not many people were out. One of the few vehicles we encountered was the snow plow. As I was completely caught up in the scene at this stop, the clattering of the plow did not register until it was virtually on top of me. Then, I was startled by the intrusion on the calm.

I can't blame snow, but something certainly has made me quiet. While it is true that I have been deeply immersed in projects, that does not normally still my voice. Over the past few days, I have worked like mad—processing, printing, backing up, shooting, and exploring. But, I am virtually mute. I struggle to put five or six words together in a meaningful sequence. It is a peculiar state. I am not in a dark mood, nor am I overly reflective. Still, it isn't easy to put thoughts into words.

8 comments:

  1. You couldn't send a bit of that "peculiar state" this way could you? There again, perhaps not, my Shirley wouldn't be Shirley if she was "virtually mute" and I really wouldn't have her any other way. You brought a smile to my face though!

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  2. With work like this, you certainly don't have a creative block. Take the quiet time in stride.

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  3. Colin - This was a nice trade: a smile for a smile. I know my husband will also get a kick out of your comment. You have reminded me of a story claiming that both men and women are convinced that they get only a certain number of words to use over a lifetime. The difference is that men don't want to run out of words and women are afraid they won't use them all.

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  4. Ken - Thank you for the encouraging words. I am just shrugging my shoulders. So, the cat got my tongue. It is a temporary situation.

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  5. Well, I think that it is perfectly natural to be quiet and still in the winter. It is a time of preparation for spring. You are resting, getting ready for growth.

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  6. Paul - You are right. It does seem the appropriate time of year for some periodic hibernating. Add that to a burst of busy-ness and I haven't been able to keep up with blogging or bloggers.

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  7. Quiet is essential for us. A few years ago I needed to take a three day camping/fishing trip in the Colorado mountains. On my way back I stopped to get gas and bought a candy bar. As I paid for the candy bar I heard my voice for the first time in those three days. It startled me.

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  8. Monte - I agree that quiet is essential. Since I retired, I have more time for it, but I crave it on a regular basis. Yours is an amusing story. I would like to have seen the look on your face.

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Anita