Tuesday, July 10, 2007

spt



ahhh, where do i go to get away from it all?

i love mornings. i love to rise before the family, drink a few cups of coffee, mentally arrange my day. in the spring, my spot is on the deck or front porch, listening to tree frogs and sprinklers, feeling the sun begin to heat the day. in the winter, my spot is by the fireplace, dawn zinging early light through my reproduction rose window. there's nothing quite like having a quiet moment before the chaos of the day.

i love late evenings, too. i love to linger awake after everyone has gone to bed. i enjoy mindless television while i write letters or plan menus. my spot is on the sofa, glass of water beading up on the coaster beside me, basket of stationary supplies at hand on the coffee table, softly scented candles burning nearby. there's nothing quite like having a quiet moment after the chaos of the day.

can you picture it? i feel relaxed just telling you about these places.

oh, how i miss them...

this summer is a whirlwind of activity!! my morning is filled with getting jack up and ready for camp, getting taylor, ahem, *up.* after burning through the days, i do my best to collect myself in the evening. all creative energy spent, i am merely that person who falls asleep on the sofa during the weather forecast, startled awake by the soft sounds of my own snoring.

there is one place left that i can visit throughout the day; strictly stolen moments while the washer spins or dinner simmers. fortunately for me, this retreat is totally portable. in a flash, even for only a few stolen moments, i can remove myself from the chaos of the day.


21 comments:

Marie said...

Reading Amy Tan? Joy Luck Club?

Your calm cozy mornings relaxed me just reading about them. I hope you get to have one again soon!

donna said...

I also love early summer mornings. What a great time of day.
What a wonderful SPT!!

Anonymous said...

Love it. I love the image of waking before the family- right now it is the littles that wake me.

I too like to linger in the evenings after the house is to sleep.

jenny said...

If you can find a good read, that is the best stolen moments. As my hubby would say reading is knowledge and knowledge is power!!

Price Cream Parlor said...

YOu totally transported me with the beginning of your SPT! So fun! Great post!

Rebekah said...

I remember my mom loving that hour or so at night when we had all gone to bed and she could do whatever she wanted. She was so protective of that time, and now I understand why. It's a wonderful feeling being in a house with where you know people you love are close by, but they won't be popping in and out of your quiet time. Houses feel so calm at night when people are sleeping and you're the only one up. Things look so differently, almost magical.

Victoria said...

Thanks for the SPT's Lelly! Summer is a bit of a crazy time for us too and I have been gone so much but I do love those tiny moments of peace. :)

chloe said...

I don't have all of the chaos you do, but I sure am jealous of your porch and fireplace. Heaven!

Bond Girl 007 said...

wow lelly...very descriptive thoughts...i was just thinking some of them are me...except while i have the candles, the tv, the living room finally tidy up and i finally sit to relax...it is like 12 midnight and i feel sooo tired, that i have to turn off all the relaxation and go to bed...maybe, hoping the next day will do, either early but not really since my children are so small they still shant be waken....they do it all by themselves.

jenn said...

your post almost makes me want to get up early! what luxurious sentiments!

we need a blogger's book club- even if just once! so many of us seem to revel in turning pages...

Amy said...

Oh, I want to be that mother who wakes up before all of the family and mentally prepares for the day. So tranquil sounding. Loved your words today. And I actually managed to post an SPT for the first time in weeks!

Thanks again for the inspiration.

Lucy said...

All good places to steal away. I'd love to be in any of those spots.

Sandi said...

My stolen moments are when we are lying in bed and out of no where my sweet husband expresses his gratitude for having me in his life. What can be better than that?

Barb said...

That is a great stolen moment.
I liked your delicate wording
ahem, *up*
I just got back from girls camp with the teenage girls and there were several that had trouble getting
ahem, *up*

Rachel said...

Ahhh, quiet early mornings. When we lived in Kansas, I often retreated to our back porch with a cup of herbal tea and a cozy blanket! Oh how I miss that country living! But, you've reminded me I need to steal those moments more often. Even if the scenary has changed! Loved your SPT!

michelle said...

At this point, I can't even imagine waking on my own, instead of to the sound of a crying 2-year-old! Serenity now! Loved it.

michelle said...

I love early mornings. I think it is really the only time that someone in this house isn't moving around rather than me. I love the quiet, and peace it offers. What a fun SPT!

patsy said...

I love your spts- and learn so much even about myself from the responses of others. I would love to start recording mine. How do I sign up? Or do I? Do I just read your post, or do you email them out? Thanks for making my day so many times! I love reading your blog. sixandholding.blogspot.com

Denise said...

A book! I forgot the most obvious, and most portable, get-away spot. Between the pages of a book.

Love it!

Amanda :-) said...

That's so beautifully written, Lelly. I think you have a real gift for descriptive writing.

Our vicar was always up with the dawn chorus and I envied him that. He said, as a vicar, it's when he got most of his work done (while the rest of the world was still snoozing!).

I also pad around the house late at night, looking at the girls sleeping and listening to my husband breathing deeply in his sleep. It's lovely when they're all fast asleep and without a care in the world.

Jill said...

I love early-morning time alone, it just doesn't happen very often. It seems like as soon as I start creeping around the house Landon gets up and ruins my solitude. Maybe that's why I read so much at night, I've never thought of that before.

Your plan seems great.