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Many of you know that among all things tabletop, entertaining, gardening and baking, I am incredibly passionate about art and artists. This blog is about sharing passions to inspire others and bring more joy, more love and more laughter.
It’s been a while since I have shared anything about art or artists, so I decided to turn that around and have an exciting lineup of fabulous artist spotlights for you, which will unfold over the next few weeks.
The first artist spotlight is on Donna Dodson, who I met years ago in Boston. I reached out to Donna and asked her what she’s been working on during the pandemic and in quarantine. I am delighted to share Alpha Female, the first sculpture in her series about the Amazons. Donna shares her thoughts below.
This sculpture is the first one in my new series about the Amazons. I call her the Alpha Female. She has an eagle head, because the nomadic women of the ancient steppes used female golden eagles to hunt. Also, this sculpture is dedicated to my great aunt Alice, who was one of the first 40 women to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Corps during WW2 from Illinois. The eagle is also a patriotic symbol honoring her military service. When I was researching the Women’s Auxiliary Air Corps, I learned that eventually it became the US Air Force, but it started out as a branch of the army, and they used Athena’s helmet as their emblem on their uniforms. Since ancient amazons had tattoos, I decided to give this sculpture a tattoo of Athena’s helmet on her calf. Athena is always portrayed with breast shield, so that I made metallic breast shields on my sculpture celebrating the lineage of amazing women warriors from ancient times to the modern era. This sculpture has shoes similar to the ones I found in historic photographs of women in uniform during WW2. And the women are always dressed in skirts, never pants.
Donna Dodson is an American sculptor who has been honored with solo shows nationwide for her artwork. In addition her monumental works have been exhibited internationally in sculpture parks and museums. In 2015, Donna participated in a residency in Cusco Peru at the Escuela de Bellas Artes and international exchange exhibition at Museo Convento de Santo Domingo Qorikancha. In 2016 she had her first solo museum show of “Mermaids” at the New Bedford Art Museum. In 2017, Donna was invited to the International Wood Sculpture Symposium in Ringkoebing Denmark. In 2018, her life size chess set, Match of the Matriarchs premiered at the Boston Sculptors Gallery. From 2017-2019, Dodson’s solo show Zodiac was on a national museum tour.
Dodson has won grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the New Hampshire Guild of Woodworkers and the George Sugarman Foundation. Her work is in the permanent collection of the Provincetown Art Museum, the Art Complex Museum and the Fuller Craft Museum in Massachusetts and the Davistown Museum in Maine. Donna’s work has been reviewed in the Boston Globe, Sculpture Magazine and Artnet.
Dodson is a graduate of Wellesley College. Dodson enjoys public speaking, and has been a guest speaker at conferences and panels in museums and universities throughout North America. Donna regularly contributes articles to newspapers, magazines and blogs that demonstrate the economic impact and global reach of the arts sector. She recently contributed an Introduction to the monograph “The Contemporary Art of Nature: Mammals.”
This smoothie is a dream in a glass. It tastes like dessert but is made from healthy ingredients so it is 100% guilt free. Peanut butter and chocolate are one of my favorite combinations of all time. I always have the basic ingredients in the pantry so that I can make this smoothie for breakfast, lunch or a snack any day.
The banana can be fresh or frozen. If fresh, I add more ice. If frozen, I use less. I always have bananas on the counter and a bag of peeled frozen bananas in the freezer. Dates are a must have as well. Get the fresh Medjool dates and remember to remove the pits.
For the protein powder, I use the chocolate flavored Complete by Juice Plus, but you can use whatever protein powder you have on hand. The cacao nibs are for sprinkling on top or for adding an extra spoonful to the glass for a little crunch.
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana (fresh or frozen)
2-3 dates (pits removed)
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I use Complete by Juice Plus)
2 tablespoons cacao powder
2 tablespoons peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
2 tablespoons oats (uncooked oatmeal)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple syrup
8 oz oat milk (or other milk of your choice)
2 cups ice cubes
Cacao nibs for topping
Put all of the ingredients in a high speed blender (I use a vitamix) and blend until the smoothie is a rich and thick consistency, ensuring the dates and oats are fully blended. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy with cacao nibs sprinkled on top.
Enjoy!
Stay safe and be well.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
This year your Spring table is no doubt going to be different than years past as we cannot host gatherings of friends and family at our tables. We also are seeing a limited supply of certain items in the grocery store, so planning more extensive menus can be tricky.
I would suggest simplifying this year. Make it easy on yourself, and those at home with you, by pulling together a simple menu, while still making the occasion feel extra special. Pull out those linen napkins and a tablecloth if you have them.
If not, check out our offerings at August Table, we can get them to you! Put flowers on the table. If you have a yard, cut flowers or branches and put them in a vase, jar or anything fun. Mix up your prints, plates and cutlery for a fun boho look.
As with any of these recipes and ideas you can substitute ingredients for what you have on hand. No eggs? Buy a carton of egg beaters and use those. No fresh veggies? A bag of frozen broccoli or spinach makes a delicious quiche! I’ve noticed that if the milk is not in stock at the store they likely have oat milk or almond milk. You can use any milk substitute – just make sure you get the plain flavor. You get the idea. Be creative.
In addition to quiche you can throw together a board and have fun with it.
Another idea – create a yogurt parfait station with yogurt, fruit and granola. Other fun items to consider: muffins of various flavors, hard boiled eggs or deviled eggs. Delicious and fun to assemble.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
The days are starting to blend together as we seem to be hunkering down for a long stretch of quarantine. Like most people, I am trying to make do and be creative in the kitchen while using readily available ingredients that we have on hand.
Bananas, one such ingredient, seem to still be easily found at the supermarket; yet, I’ve noticed that they, for the most part, come nearly banana bread ready, peppered with brown spots. This is the perfect time to grab as many bunches as you can. You can peel a bunch and freeze the bananas for smoothies, banana ice cream and other recipes for later, and whip up a batch of banana pancakes or banana bread today.
I have included a variety of recipes that use bananas for you here. Also, some ingredients are hard to come by these days… like eggs! You can buy a carton of egg beaters or the like to keep on hand for everything from banana bread, quiche to whipping up scrambled eggs.
Did you know that you can blend frozen bananas and make the most delicious creamy ice cream without any other ingredients? Or just add in whatever additional flavors you like: peanut butter and chocolate, yes please!; strawberries blended in and sliced on top with banana; coffee… oh yes!; vanilla, definitely… the possibilities are endless.
Have you ever had that moment when you bite into a warm, freshly baked piece of banana bread and the flavors explode in your mouth and you think you’ve hit nirvana? The recipes following can have that effect, just a warning.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
Shutterstock is offering free backgrounds for your virtual calls!
How are you doing? I can imagine your days are filled with highs and lows, anxiety, coupled with feelings of joy, love, fear and worry, perhaps with moments of boredom in the mix, as you adapt to a new and different normal.
Uncertainty is stressful. The world is facing an economic crisis and the coronavirus pandemic is the deadliest threat to ordinary life that we have experienced in modern history. BUT we are experiencing this adversity collectively. We cannot let fear consume us. We will get through this. We will beat the virus. The economy will bounce back. We need to shift our fear into hope, faith and courage.
Be present. Dig Deep. Make choices with love, practice kindness, to yourself and others. Be grateful. We owe so much to the healthcare workers, doctors, nurses, hospital staff, truck drivers, grocery store clerks and everyone on the front lines who are working on our behalf.
This global pandemic is shifting us, shifting our daily lives, shifting our priorities and shifting the way we work, live and interact. This is an unprecedented time for us globally. Focus on your health, both physical and mental. If you are experiencing anxiety, address it. Self-care is essential during this time. Everything is upside down with most of the world forced to stay home.
These are dark days indeed, but I am seeing the goodness that is rising up around us. We may be forced to be apart but we are coming together as one in so many new ways.
When the school systems closed down, their first concern was to make sure the children that relied on school lunches for food did not go hungry. (If you are able, consider making a gift to #nokidhungry.) Only after local school systems figured out how to bag breakfasts and lunches and disseminate them safely did they focus on the learning. Once they did, they offered chrome books for loan to the families that did not have computers at home, and internet providers were offering free wifi.
I worked for a decade trying to make change in the education system with the ArtScience Prize and it’s difficult. We did a lot of good but shifting schools and systems to make big changes is very, very hard. Yet in a matter of weeks, across the globe, education systems quickly shifted to remote learning almost overnight. This will no doubt help us conceive new ways to educate equitably going forward.
Across the US people of all ages are banding together to make face masks for our doctors, nurses, emergency care workers, truck drivers and grocery store workers. People are gathering together in new ways both virtually and in person. There are online social cocktail hours. There are gatherings of neighborhoods from their balconies, windows and driveways in order to interact.
In Arlington, MA the community has launched 6 Feet at 6PM to connect as a community, visually and virtually, each evening at 6pm. They are asking everyone to come out of their homes or look out their windows to wave to neighbors in an effort to check in with each other at a safe distance to make sure “we are all OK as a community.” #Arlington6At6
In Italy people are coming together for song from their windows and balconies, here is one hauntingly beautiful video. One of the people who sang wrote “Imagine the whole world singing like this from their houses. No hate, no nothing. Just unified for once. Love this so much,”
Remember during this time filled with anxiety, it’s important to move your body, practice self care and eat healthy. Yogaworks is offering free virtual yoga classes with teachers from across the US. This morning I took a virtual class from an instructor in Atlanta and had others participating from India, Norway, Sweden, Texas and more. 86 people turned on their computers and practiced yoga at the same time. Amazing. You should try it. If you are new to yoga, it’s ok there are classes for everyone.
This is also a time to try something new, alone or with your family. Faer is painting every day and taking online piano lessons. Ellie has taken up embroidery and is creating beautiful things. Alexander is learning new skateboard tricks.
Get creative. Grab a book and read. Listen to music. Pull out your mixer and bake something. Embrace this time with your immediate family and friends, whoever you are with during this time. Connections are important. Conversations are important, especially with our children to help them process this historic time with all of the ambiguity and unknowns.
It’s also important to get out in nature if you can safely do this. Look at the clouds. Watch the wind in the trees. Take a deep breath. Listen to the birds. Be happy that you are alive.
I’ll close with the same words the yoga instructor said this morning as she ended class:
May you be happy. May you be healthy. May you prosper in ways that bring you joy. May we all be free. I love you. Namaste.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
We need to talk about toast. Toast is one of the simplest ways to pull something fabulous together for breakfast, lunch or dinner and anything in between. It can be savory, sweet, simple, complex and the combinations are endless. Toast is comfort. The bread can be sliced bread, white bread, wheat bread, rye bread, sourdough, gluten-free or a bagel, french bread or flatbread. You get the idea. Anything goes.
And guess what? During this time when everyone is inside and balancing this new life of work and family and everything all together, toast can be your saving grace. It’s simple. Seriously, you can prepare a meal with toast in 5 minutes or less.
For the kids in the house (regardless of age) make it fun. Play with shapes and even get them to help assemble… or make a toast bar, putting a variety of things out and letting everyone assemble their own toast.
Consider toast your blank canvas and share your toast ideas below! Next up I’m thinking about french toast… but that is altogether different.
Be well.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
It’s been a minute since you’ve heard from me, for which I am very sorry; however, I made a conscious decision in late November to unplug over the holidays and spend quality time with the family. We had a fun family vacation in Vermont, and amazing meals rich with connections and conversations throughout the holiday season with loved ones from Vermont to Virginia, and many tables and cities in between.
The holidays quickly turned into 2020 and here we are in March already! During February Krister and I participated in the NY Now Winter Show, our first ever trade show and I am delighted to share that our linens are now sold in boutiques across the US in 15 states.
But what’s this reboot, refresh about any way? During the holidays I spent a lot of time journaling and creating vision books to help me get crystal clear on what I want for myself, for my family, for August Table and how I want to engage with you.
Ultimately, this blog is about passion with the intention of bringing more joy, more love and more laughter to you, my friends. You will find posts about mindfulness, healthy eating, my favorite recipes, food photography, paintings, design, coffee shops and more. I will also be curating more content from friends and inspiring things that catch my eye, which can be on any topic.
What would you like to see? Do you want to share a story or a passion? Truly anything goes so please reach out or drop a comment below.
Today you cannot go anywhere without hearing about the coronavirus, the flu and germs. I think this is a great time for everyone to think about what’s on your plate, what are you putting in your bodies, as well as making sure you wash your hands as much as possible. For most people, 55% of daily calories come from processed foods. This is not healthy – the more calories that come from processed foods high in salt, preservatives, sugar and saturated fats the worse it is for your body. Try to substitute processed foods for more fresh fruit and veggies. Please. It’s good for you.
One way to do this is to make smoothies and juices as well as adding in more greens to each meal. The more nutrition you put in your body the stronger your immune system will be to help you fight off viruses and germs. I’ve pulled a few favorite recipes and photos to inspire you here.
Over the last few months I have been talking about the benefits of drinking celery juice to just about everyone who will listen. We start our mornings with 16 oz of freshly juiced celery juice on an empty stomach – before coffee, I know… The results have been transformative! Why not give it a try? Celery juice helps clean out toxins, viruses and heavy metals from your body.
In addition to the celery juice I’ve focused on what’s on our plates, trying to ensure we have as many colors as possible on the plate and that our meals are loaded with nutrition. One of my favorite go to any time meals is eggs with greens – not to be confused with green eggs and ham. The recipe below of Turkish fried eggs coupled with garlicky greens and avocado is delish.
I hear you – sometimes it feels like a lot of work to pull together a healthy meal. I know what it feels like after a long day when you want to put your feet up and relax but have hungry faces looking at you. The more you plan your weekly meals out and shop on the weekends the easier it is. Also you need to simplify. And guess what, if you get the rest of the house to help you prep it becomes a fun activity. I look for things to have on hand that put a delicious meal on the table in less than 30 minutes, like the Saucy Garlic Butter Shrimp with Coconut and Rice Noodles below from Half Baked Harvest.
On the weekends I like to make big pots of soups, chilis and stews and put extra in the freezer to pull out on those extra hectic nights. I’d love to hear what you have on your table.
Stay healthy and be well.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year with its focus on gathering people around the table for a meal, connecting with loved ones and expressing gratitude for all that we have. I find meaning in the cooking, the eating and the gathering around the table with friends and family, and for me it is an ultimate expression of loving and being loved. Slow down and savor the connections, the conversations, the flavors. Remember to focus on the present moment… and during the busyness of the day perhaps take a moment to pause for a delicious cup of matcha tea. If possible try to get outside as a group and maybe take a walk after the meal
I have always taken my cues from my Virginia grandmother, who all summer long canned fruits and vegetables from her gardens, which were set up in lovely rows on the banks of Carters Creek just off the Rappahannock River. Everything she cooked was fresh and made from scratch with love and attention to detail. She was a bundle of energy (a ball of fire really) and had routines in place for every day, and special traditions for the holidays.
This year we are spending Thanksgiving at our friends’ house where various families and multiple generations will come together to cook together, share a meal and give thanks. My friend Mia has always made sure her family is intentional about their choices for the day around food and activities, the only requirement is that everything needs to be stress free and everyone comes early in the day so that we all cook together.
I have offered to set the tables (we’ll have multiple tables of guests) and hope to create a serene scene with rustic centerpieces, lovely linens (natch), and personal touches for the celebration so that everyone feels special.
Recently I’ve been perusing cookbooks and social media for inspiration on the sides that we’ll bring to complement the meal. Below are a few that inspire me along with their recipes. I hope you find some inspiration too.
Starters
I always love having appetizers around the kitchen and house when guests arrive. This allows everyone to nibble while they catch up, cook and prep for the meal to come.
The Little Plantation Beet Hummus
Beets are a versatile vegetable that when used as a dip add a beautiful ruby color to the table.
Mia served her beet dip last week at a Holiday Market
Mia’s signature dish is her beet dip, which is divine, healthy and colorful. She purees beets, soaked cashews, lemon juice and salt. You must try it – it is earthy and addictive, served with sliced cucumbers and crackers. I hope she’s making it on Thursday.
London’s Yotam Ottolenghi makes lush gorgeous vegetable dishes. His Plenty and Plenty More cookbooks are some of my favorites to flip through, especially when I’m looking for sides. This muhammara with feta would be an amazing starter for the meal along with elements from a board of olives, pita bread, chopped veggies, rice crackers and more.
I love cranberry sauce, seriously love it. Any way it comes, relish, chutney, from the can, all of it. And no holiday meal goes unadorned without it. My sister Coree is famous in our family for her cranberry sauce (and pies) but since I won’t have hers this year, I think I’ll try this recipe from Fare Isle.
I think the side dishes at Thanksgiving are where you can get really creative, and not only rely on the standard traditional fare, think bright colors and varied flavors.
For this stuffing recipe you can add or subtract as needed. Gluten-free? No problem, swap out for a gluten-free loaf of bread. Vegetarian? Use veggie broth instead of chicken broth. You get the idea.
In addition to the green beans, salads, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, think about pasta as an option too!
Banana Trifle and chocolate cake in Charlottesville with Krister's parents.
Thanksgiving is a time to bring out many types of dessert for the dessert table. Three years ago I made a banana trifle and chocolate cake to mix things up a bit; however, traditional apple and pumpkin pies are always a hit.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
Each season brings with it an abundance of varied flora, fruits, vegetables and natural elements that can all be used to decorate your table. During the fall and winter months I like to incorporate a mixture of flowers, gourds, pine cones, branches and more. I’ve pulled together a collection of images here to hopefully inspire you and your table.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
Thanksgiving is fast approaching us and many people have started to plan the details: the guests, the menu, the sides, the desserts, the decorations for the table and so on. It’s a day that, hopefully, brings families and friends together, is rooted in tradition, and is primarily focused on gathering folks around the table for a meal, all the while expressing our utmost thanks for all that we have.
The Thanksgiving meal holds a special place in my heart because it brings people together at the table, which is a passion of mine and the inspiration behind August Table.
Connecting with loved ones at the table is so important. Thanksgiving can be many things and any way you do it is just perfect.
I love the big and boisterous meals, which tend to happen when you bring my family together; as well as the meals shared with friends when we bring our families together and each contribute various traditional and nontraditional favorites for the meal, like we are doing this year; and the quieter ones too that buck the traditional fare altogether, like last Thanksgiving when Krister and I rented a little cottage on Cape Cod (since our four children were all off doing different things) and we ate oysters and fish and other yummy fresh things coupled with delicious cocktails made from Rye, spiced honey syrup, lime and ginger, and after took a very cold walk on the beach with our dog.
While I love Thanksgiving I would challenge everyone of us to try to bring the goodness of giving thanks into our lives every day by practicing gratitude. With gratitude people acknowledge the goodness in their lives.
Science says that people who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they’re thankful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness. You need this and so does the world.
Happiness comes from a place of feeling good. You can tell yourself short, good feeling stories multiple times throughout your day. Reframe a negative thought to view it in a more positive context. If you are not feeling joy, pause and focus on something small – maybe you like the way the clouds look, or the way the wind feels on your cheek, or the way a cup of coffee tastes, or the way the sunset is bursting with color.
Focus on how they make you feel and then feel gratitude that you can experience them. Then notice another and another. Until suddenly you start feeling really good. This helps you be your best self, every day and at the table with those you love.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
Apple season is upon us and regardless of whether or not you are venturing out to pick your own, visiting a local farm store or getting them from the corner market, there is no doubt you cannot ignore these vitamin-packed fall fruits. Apples are everywhere this time of year, and they are at their best fresh from the orchard. Apples are delicious on their own, cool and crisp, dressed up or down, in savory meals, slaws, smoothies and the myriad ways of turning them in to show-stopping desserts.
As I am wont to do, and with my passion of inspiring others to gather ’round the table with others, I share some lush photos and recipe links to inspire you with apples from the savory to sweet, healthy to decadent, and mouthwatering and exquisite, like the beautiful Very Berry Apple Pie recipe above from the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen.
Crisps are super easy and delicious and this recipe will not disappoint. This version is gluten-free and vegan so that you can serve it to any crowd and not worry about allergies.
Brie and Apples are a delicious savory pairing from the Brie and Apple Tart recipe above to simply slicing up some of your favorite apples, like Granny Smith, for your cheese board.
Water is one of my other passions, ensuring we are all drinking enough, thinking about the quality of our water, and our impact on the planet and our oceans. One way to dress up your water intake is to load it up with fruits and herbs. I love the idea of apple and mint – with a paper straw of course.
I saw this recipe for Bourbon Apple Pie Ice Cream on the Good housekeeping’s list of tastiest apple treats to try for fall. I was like holy smokes! Boozy Ice Cream? I love bourbon, I love ice cream and I love apples and apple pie. I will definitely be giving this a try. Click the link above to learn how along with ice cream making tips by Broma Bakery.
I want to highlight the versatility of the apple and I love slaw… so a Mustardy Cabbage and Apple Slaw sounds delicious and can complement so many things.
Those are apples folks! Can you believe how beautiful the apple rosettes look on this pie? Preppy Kitchen says it takes time to make this one, natch, so save this recipe for special occasions or for a weekend when you have extra time on your hands to roll those lovely apples.
I’ll close with an easy no bake recipe. The Caramel Apple Trifles are loaded with cinnamon and layers of apples, cinnamon whipped cream, caramel and granola. You can whip these up in no time!
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
Undoubtedly Autumn is one of my favorite times of year. The air is cooler and crisp, the lighting stirs something inside me and then there are the colors… the magical golden hues of the leaves everywhere you turn. Pulling on more layers before heading out for a walk, the crunch of leaves underfoot, the smell of wood burning in the air as folks start their nightly fires to warm the body and soul, pumpkins, cider, apples – just a few things I love about Autumn. During the fall I also find that I tend to look inward and crave mental stimulation with books, poetry and learning. I thought it would be fun to share a few poems about Autumn here for you too. Enjoy!
When I Am Among The Trees
Mary Oliver
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks, and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness.
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,”
they say, “and you, too, have come
into the world to do this, to go easy,
to be filled with light, and to shine.”
Fall, Leaves, Fall
Emily Brontë
Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree.
I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night’s decay
Ushers in a drearier day.
To Autumn
John Keats
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.
Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap’d furrow sound asleep,
Drows’d with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
Steady thy laden head across a brook;
Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.
Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they?
Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,—
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
Among the river sallows, borne aloft
Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.
Carrie Allen created this site as a way for people to share stories about things they love. She loves chasing quiet, authentic moments and sharing them with her family and friends. Read more about her inspiration here.
