At the end of class today, amidst the shuffling of chairs and clatter of books being put away, Dr. Sexson suggested that we enjoy our "day off" from class on Friday and go spend some time in the mountains/nature. My response to that suggestion is that I certainly have no time to go anywhere....... Sir Philip Sydney would probably suggest we just stay home and read about such a place because it would be an enhanced experience without all the possible flaws (bad weather, bugs, exhaustion, etc). He says something to this affect in his "Defense of Poesy"

"Only the poet, disdaining to be tied to any such subjection, lifted up with the vigor of his own invention, doth grow, in effect, into another nature, in making things either better than nature bringeth forth, or, quite anew, forms such as never were in nature, as the heroes, demi-gods, cyclops, chimeras, furies, and such like; so as he goeth hand in hand with nature, not enclosed within the narrow warrant of her gifts, but freely ranging within the zodiac of his own wit. Nature never set forth the earth in so rich tapestry as divers poets have done; neither with pleasant rivers, fruitful trees, sweet-smelling flowers, nor whatsoever else may make the too-much-loved earth more lovely; her world is brazen, the poets only deliver a golden."


So.....I thought I would post a picture I took of a beautiful place I love going (and would like to be this Friday) and write about what I would be doing there-- that way I can read about it and have an experience surperior (according to Sydney of course) to the actual one, without having to even leave my house......



Friday afternoon has arrived. As I open my eyes, the first thing that greets them is brilliant sunshine pouring from the big windows behind my bed. I know at once that it is going to be a glorious day......I pull the covers off of my warm body and swing my legs to the floor, anticipating the chai tea I am going to stop by and pick up from Rockford on my way to the golden pond (as I like to call it during this time of year). It isn't long before I have arrived, looking in awe at the bronze, gold, and red leaves scattered about the path down to the water, and falling from the trees onto my cozy blue knitted hat. I slowly walk forward, taking a deep breath and savoring the scent of cinnamon coming from the paper cup in my hand, mixed with the woodsmoke floating in the air. My camera is around my neck so I swing it up and capture the beauty that's surrounding me-ducks gliding across the smooth water leaving quiet ripples in their wake, birds singing as they fly overhead, and children as they giggle, tossing leaves into the sky and dancing as they fall back down like snow. After awhile I spread a soft quilt on the cool and delicate grass as I pull out the homemade spicecake and fresh strawberries from my satchel. I lay down after eating and look up at the blue sky, stretching to the expanses with no end in sight. It's not long before my body and mind are so relaxed that the warm rays of the sun across my face put me into a deep sleep..........


Wow......I actually feel like I just had that experience.......Sir Philip Sydney, you may be onto something after all! =)