Friday, August 14, 2009


Summer Days

They have joyfully scattered their hours like dandelion snow over the landscape of summer - a rosy afternoon here, a sun-dappled morning there - but now they are quietly preparing for their upcoming journey to other hemispheres, other lands - packing up their breezy green minutes a little bit more each day. Already the children are back in school. Already the light is changing.

If you ask them, they will tell you that their time here is as it has always been, but I am doubtful, for the Days of Summer stretched on and on to an invisible end when I was a child. Limitless, meandering days with dreamy picture-book hours, they casually unfurled under cloudless skies and firefly nights. I know they must move at a faster pace today. Or perhaps childhood simply spins atop a different axis, perhaps those days really were longer, those months as a lifetime. Perhaps this is part of the remarkable gift of youth; we are given more time to soak up the wonder of life, drinking in a myriad of magic hours to hold like a heartbeat inside us until we are older and long for the sort of inspiration adulthood cannot provide.

Since my father passed away, I have worn his watch. It is an old Hamilton, with a rectangular face and chocolate leather band, no doubt a bit too big for my wrist. A sweet reminder, this watch speaks to me of days at the beach with Daddy, of all the blessed summer hours from a carefree childhood that now and forever enrich my own well-spring of inspiration. With every slow movement of the second hand, it is as if my father is softly saying....
enjoy it all, enjoy it all.

The Painting above: The Fates - Past, Present and Future
by Egron Sellif Lundgren


57 comments:

  1. I can almost feel the light tilt between the words. Lovely.

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  2. It amazes me how often you can move me to tears....perhaps because I forcibly lost my father whom I adored when I was four and have missed him for almost seven decades.

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  3. So true Pamela...I am always feeling that time is rushing by as we grow older. I wish I could hold it close to me and never let it go, xv.

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  4. Dearest...tears in my eyes...:)
    Indeed time flies but I am so happy to have wonderful memories!

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  5. I don't know if you would care to vist my garden...there is a mouse telling a tale...You might like it..its about 'time'
    http://thegardenoftheduchess.blogspot.com/2009/08/tale-told-by-mouse.html

    Wishing you a marvelous day..

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  6. Pamela, I enjoyed this lovely post so much! It reminds me of one of my favourite quotes - "But what minutes! Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day." (Benjamin Disraeli) Leigh

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  7. This is so touching Pamela. I love that you wear your dear Father's watch. That must be such a comfort to you. Yes-as we get a bit older-time passes way to quickly. The days are shorter and we need to breath in slowly and enjoy the moment.

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  8. How often I have had these same thoughts. Summer has always been my favorite season because I, too, treasure those long days. I think often of when I'd stop riding my bike to stare up at the glorious sky and think of how big the world must be. I can still remember how salty the air tasted as I sat on the dock watching the dolphins and crabbing. Summer was long, and wondrous, not a care in the world. The world as an adult is full of cares and spins a lot faster. Even still it only takes the sound of night bugs to speed me back to a time when I'd ride my bike in the neighborhood after dusk on the off chance I'd find just one friend still out playing.
    Writing of wearing your father's watch was so poignant. I wear my father's paint clothes when I paint. You and I are kindred spirits in so many ways. Thank you for this post.

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  9. What a beautiful post, Pamela. The end of summer is full of so many mixed emotions for me. So happy the heat is coming to an end and I was always glad to welcome the order of a school-year schedule when my daughter was young. Now I'm reminded that she's grown and living away from me and her college schedule doesn't affect me at all. The end of summer also brings the beginning of the run-up to Christmas; a whirlwind full of important birthdays, an anniversary, a couple of additional holidays. And time will fly as it always does so, no matter how busy, I try to remind myself to "pay attention".

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  10. My father is 81 and each day with him is a borrowed day for one more memory. :( I really enjoyed this!

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  11. I'm always so envious to hear of your close relationship with your father, Pamela. What a treasure.

    (I'm partial to men's watches. My current fave is an oversized gold Citizen with a chocolate brown leather strap.)

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  12. I miss those long days followed by firefly dusks. We used to play hide & seek in the glow of the streetlight. Your post brought back sweet memories.

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  13. What a lovely post Pamela.It brought back so many memories of my youth and the summer days spent at my best friend's cottage swimming and sunbathing and not having a care in the world. Time is so precious and to be cherished. I'm glad you reminded me to stop and linger awhile.

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  14. Yes, Gather ye rosebuds, Pamela. Lovely writing as usual. Our children have three more weeks before they are back at school but already Autumn is beginning to make itself at home here in Yorkshire.

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  15. Pamela, this was beautiful...It reminds me of late summers in the mountains picking blackberries in the late evening and sitting on my Grandmother's porch. Sometimes we( siblings and cousins) would tell ghost stories as we ate carmel popcorn balls, and other times we would be catching lightning bugs...I miss that so much...

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  16. Yet another beautifully written entry.

    I feel as if this [above] is what I should copy & paste here, for every comment of mine. It would so fit.

    Your writing is amazingly beautiful.

    Thank you...
    'Aunt Amelia'

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  17. Your words brought tears to my eyes - they were so moving. How well I remember those endless summer days of childhood, days playing in the garden and around the woods with friends and days on the beach with Mum and Dad - lovely:)

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  18. Such a moving post.

    Though I don't wear it, I still have my father watch.
    It isn't a very glamorous one, but reminds me so much of him.


    The icy wallpaper in the post below reminds me of one of my favorite artists
    Caper David Freidrich
    do you know his work?

    Pats for Edward and Apple.

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  19. Hello P&E,

    Let's hold on to the fact that we don't have to wave goodbye to the summer quite yet. We are having beautiful sunsets lately, which is another bonus. Gorgeous words, as ever.

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  20. thank you for reminding me of lovely childhood days...hugs to you and edward.

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  21. Touching post, Pamela. My husbands father passed away 9 months ago and he has been wearing his watch. It is a great comfort.

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  22. A beautiful post, as always. Time is so abundant in childhood, so elusive as we grow older. Randomly, and often these words pass through my mind - 'Time you old gypsy man, will you not stay, Put up your caravan just for today....'

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  23. We have 3 weeks left of the hols here. Just 3 weeks to fill with happy memories for the children to help them cope with the strict routine of school and homework until Christmas. I think childhood is for filling with happy places and cherished objects.

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  24. Your words enchant me
    Love Jeanne♥

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  25. What a beautiful way to remember your father and literally capture the time with him.

    I LOVE your image of dandelion snow. Thanks for bringing some much needed sunshine into my day.

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  26. this is so beautifully expressed. I wish I had such a remembrance to embrace of my dad every day. as to time- It does stand still and in this same vein, my watch stop at the very time my father died about 6:50 pm- and I didn't know it until I conferred about the time with my brother.la

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  27. What a beautiful story. I had my Dad's ring cut and made into a pendant that I can wear on a chain. It sure is special to me. It really does make me feel close to him. I love that beautiful painting!

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  28. I usually go home to visit my parents in the summer for an entire month and I never take for granted that I am over 50 and I can still go home to both of them. This year I'll go in the winter. Wonderful post.
    Catherine

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  29. lovely post, the changing light, the changing speed of time, wearing your fathers' watch...

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  30. oh, how I'm hoping for summer to stretch through September and maybe a wee bit of October - I am hopeful :)

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  31. Lovely, lovely words as always, I love the idea of you wearing your dads watch..I have a tankard my Dad won in a golf match holding all my pens on my desk...we weren't that close in life, he had his life, I had mine, but you suddenly realise what you have lost when they're not there to phone...thanks for visiting over at mine. xx

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  32. This is so touchingly beautiful. Thank you for visiting me and leaving a comment. Your thoughts on childhood are precious.

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  33. p.s. I'm not finding a place to sign up to become a regular follower. Do you have a hidden gadget? I shall return to find the answer.

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  34. Growing up, we would return from the beach at the end of summer and open the windows to let in the night air and listen to the sound of the crickets. I know what you mean by the changing light. I feel Autumn approaching! Lovely lovely post. Thankyou!

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  35. What a wonderful post! It's true for many of us I think - time seems to move faster and faster. I remember having my first six-week summer holiday when I was in kindergarten and I was convinced the holiday had lasted for a year. Those days I hardly had any responsibilities and so had much time to play, to read, to simply enjoy life. It's good to slow down sometimes and just enjoy this life! Hugs, Silke

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  36. Beautiful post and you are so right the days used to see so long and carefree. Now they are gone in an instant.

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  37. Yet, the change you speak of is in the South. Here in Oregon, the summer days are longer than yours, but the winter days are very much shorter, and how I dread the coming of those rainy nights.

    I once had a watch such as your father's, a rectangular Hamilton. I hadn't thought of it in years, and don't even know what happened to it.

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  38. Memories like these that don't hold us back but push us forward to appreciate life, they are the best, the very best. What a beautiful gift your father has given you.
    Hugs Lynn xxxx

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  39. I came visit you so many times, now I thought it's about time to follow you, so I keep up to date!
    Have a nice weekend, Anna

    http://annasinterestingplaces.blogspot.com/

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  40. You write so beautifully, Pamela. I've thought about this so many times myself . . . the long summer days spent playing in the water or lying on my bed reading. I wonder if everyone has felt that the seemingly endless, dreamy days of their own childhood have disappeared? This summer has felt very rushed to me -- it seems like we are always out, always trying to catch up, always trying to be "on time." (On Monday, my husband and I are going to the Lake District for a week and we are going to have walks and quiet time.)

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  41. Dear Pamela,

    Today I passed through your blog finaly. I have still so much blogs to visit!
    But anyway I like your blog and your beautiful boxes! You are a real artist!!
    I love them so much!!
    I'm pleased to have discovered your blog.
    xx
    Greet
    PS Thank you for your earlier reaction onmy blog.

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  42. Hi Pamela,
    What a lovely blog you have.
    Beautiful writing and images. A very moving and sensitive post.
    I am now following you.:)
    If you have a moment please come and visit me. I am an Illustrator.

    Best wishes.
    Jo May.

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  43. Beautiful thoughts about how fast life goes Pamela. And so nice that you always carry your father with you in your heart!!
    When the light changes, which it has here my heart is overjoyed!!

    xox
    Constance

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  44. Hello, I'm loving your great blog -your posts are really interesting so thanks very much for sharing them. Pictures are really good too !

    Happy weekend,

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  45. I can envision your dad's watch on your wrist. It looks perfect.

    (The picture didn't load. :()

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  46. Lovely to meet you Pamela, Terry and Edward. Many thanks for adding me to your blog list. I have now added you to mine!:)
    See you again very soon and have a lovely weekend as well!

    Jo.x

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  47. P.S.
    Thank you also for your very kind comments about my work. I really appreciate good feedback!:)
    Jo.

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  48. I have just discovered your lovely blog.
    What a beautiful moving post.
    Love the thought of you wearing your Father's watch. Memories are so lovely to keep and to help along the way. Edward is such a beautiful dog.

    Enjoy your weekend
    Carolyn

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  49. Pamela, you have a wonderful blog! Glad I surfed in.

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  50. Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift that allows you to expand upon a thought ~ an emotion ~ and so beautifully describe what many of us feel but cannot articulate.

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  51. Oh my, I have tears in my eyes. The words you wrote seems to just leap of the page (screen), so incredibly lovely. What an impressive, touching tribute to yes summer, but even more your beloved father. You are a talented writer my friend. Xxdeb

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  52. ...Your beautiful words brought a tear to my eyes.

    Everytime I come here...I succomb to your written magic.

    Thank you.

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  53. I am always feeling that time is rushing by as we grow older.


    Work From Home

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  54. What lovely memories of your dad Pamela. My dad is 92 now and very ill. He hasn't much time left but we are making the most of his presence whilst he is with us. Time is so precious and it is definitely going more quickly now. Time didn't even exist in childhood.

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  55. How lovely and touching Pamela. I'm sure he is proud of you. God bless him.

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I love to read your comments! Each and every one! Though I'm always reading your comments, I may not respond in the comment section. If you want to write me directly, you may do so at pamela@pamelaterry.net. Thank you for reading!