Saturday, September 18, 2010

Timeworn





Two weeks ago, the word prompt for "The Sunday Creative" was timeworn.


What a conundrum! I live in Vermont!

I looked out the window at our 5 crumbling barns - too obvious!

Trees?

Too obvious!

old cars?

Too obvious!

Tom quipped, "take a picture of me!"

Too obvious!

Oops! No, I didn't mean that!

I was really in a sticky situation! Everywhere I looked there was something that was timeworn; so, I decided to give it some time and think about it.


What a beautiful word timeworn is!


At first it could seem sad. Something that is worn away - decaying, even. Everything gets older. Instead of being worn away, some things seem to just have "worn" time.


Well, a few days later, I had to go shopping. I took my camera with me as I was still thinking and the day was fine and I thought that I might be able to finally get a picture of one of my favorite old colonial houses. (Look at what my commute to Wal-mart is!!!!)







Glory!

It was when I took this photo that I realized it was not only tangible things around me that are timeworn but, also, the impalpable. Unsubstantial and abstract things like "the year" are, also, timeworn. Summer has just about finished her life. The woods are old - not new like they were in June. Most of us have worn summer's flamboyant fun and, now, it's old to us. We're craving establishment and the old and familiar to renew us.


Timeworn is a beautiful word! It speaks of depth and maturity and life lived - wisdom, gentleness, mellowness and mildness. It is a word that seems very well rounded - full of joy and beauty if not a little bittersweet.


Now, I am no longer confounded by the plethora of timeworn that is around me.


Vermont - autumn - old fashioned - vintage - quaint - historic - well-weathered -

absolutely lovely!


There are:

The woods













The People






Their homes that have seen generations before them!





The artifacts .... clues and evidence to what has gone before.












There are the barns!

Now I know why I loved the sight of them, in the spring, with the buds from the ancient crabapple tree reaching towards them. It's like the whiff of a gentlewoman's worn and faded scent of lilac. Old fashioned and fresh - sweetness itself!




















.... "as old as the hills" ....

Vermont must be where this saying began!




As I went out the door to take a stroll around the barn and through the woods with my camera, I glanced at my bible. As I walked on I thought, "IT is definitely timeworn!" =] and this verse came to me.


"The grass withers and the flowers fade
but, the Word of God lasts forever."




Perfect! =]



Now, just in case I sound a little melancholy to you, just remember that us "Marianne Dashwoods" are never fully happy without a little bit of romantic sighing. The weather has been glorious - even the splashing rain (so long waited for and so seriously needed)! Things are going along well (except for the fact that there are more and more ripening tomatoes) and we're going to light our first fire in the stove tonight. Add to that the fact that the next "Sunday Creative" word that I'm behind on is comfort and you have one happy girl, here! Wonderful!

(I think that I will share a recipe and have a party first, though.)


I wish you all were here!

Love,

Katy Noelle xxo




The Sunday Creative



P.S. There are two more photos - one of the silver teething cup and one of the broken child's cup and saucer - on my photo journal.



23 comments:

  1. You took "timeworn" to an amazing place - above and beyond.

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  2. Priceless...Absolutely amazing! I did so enjoy this journey! Cathy

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  3. Beautiful post! I love all the photographs. The one of the sweet lady at church is my favorite. I think it's wonderful you live somewhere with all that beauty around you! I guess there can be beauty here in the desert, but I'm bored with it! LOL!

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  4. Sometimes 'timeworn' means history, knowledge and beauty and you have captured it all here my friend. Good for you!

    I hope you are having a beautiful weekend dearest Katy!
    xo Catherine

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  5. Well that is just beautiful. I love the pieces you choose. Very neat post.
    Sherry

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  6. Such a poetic and beautiful post Katy. I think you have summed up timeworn so well and I agree it is a lovely word x

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  7. you make such simple things look so incredibly beautiful. To me it seems Vermont must be one of the most exquisite places to be. I love the simple shots of the window and the rust with the daisies, you make it all look magical.

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  8. What a lovely post......Katy!....i like your bunny at your site bar did i tell you??...happy sunday ...hugs from me........

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  9. Dearest Katy Noelle,

    This blog should have been published in several Fall Magazines! So beautifully worded; you must have gotten a head full of great thoughts for writing THIS well. Thanks for it, a great way to start Sunday breakfast and going to Church... Timeworn; Pieter is too but all the prayers have lifted him up and I am grateful to live and see the beauty around us. You pointed it out so well and indeed, you live almost in the BEST part of it. Autumn colors in Vermont will be hard to beat! Oh, yesterday I did serve freshly baked 'heart' waffles with Vermont Maple syrup so I was as close to your beautiful surroundings as one can get! HEART has been my theme lately and Pieter's is timeworn in a special way.

    Sunny greetings from Georgia,

    MariettesBacktoBasics

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  10. I wish I was there, too! It is all so achingly beautiful! And I love how you have interpreted the prompt -- a lovely and well-thought out essay on the joyful yet bittersweet nature of time passing. Each photo is lovely by itself, but all of them taken together, culminating in that beautiful image of the timeworn bible -- well, wow! So wonderful!

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  11. Dear Katy Noelle, you weave magic with both your words and your photographs. Breathtaking, all of it! It's one of those things I'll read again and again. So rich. And that Bible gave me a brief shortness of breath--timeworn and so sacred. Have a beautiful Sunday in them there hills of Vermont, my friend.

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  12. Dearest Katy, What a perfectly lovely collage of ideas and pictures which captures so well the mood of the season and your beautiful countryside. Your posting is a tapestry of delights and does make me, as I am sure you, feel great joy in the bounty of good things which we have in our lives.

    Thank you for your email. I have just returned to London so I must apologise for my delay in replying, but reply I will when not so timeworn!!

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  13. Timeworn is such an evocative word--you captured it with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. I think of timeworn items as tumbled, used, polished and loved until only the pure essence is left. Happy Sunday!

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  14. Hi Katy,
    I really enjoyed your post and how you view timeworn. You do have a way with words!

    Take care,
    Carolyn

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  15. Wow, those photos of Vermont were so evocative. I grew up in St Johnsbury (now living in the UK) and feel a kinship with those weathered houses and "timeworn" mountains. A lovely post, thanks.

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  16. Such a wonderfully poetic and evocative post. You have summed up timeworn (a lovely word indeed) with so many of my favourite things. Thank you dear Katy for making my evening so restful.

    Jeanne
    xx

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  17. beautiful post - text and photos! i hope you plan to frame some of these photos -- they are lovely!

    happy almost-fall ~

    xo
    elyse

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  18. My dear sweet Katy, you have no idea how much I LONG to live surrounded by "timeworn" everything! I absolutely love this post, the way you describe it's meaning, the photos, everything! Thank you for sharing your wonderful world. I also want to thank you for your comments on my blog. I will check that gypsy website you mentioned, I am sure I will love it :0) I send you a big hug and LOTS of wishes for a magical Autum. Enjoy! XO (I will be checking your other posts. I'm sure I've missed quite a few)

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  19. You live in SUCH a beautiful place! The word timeworn is so deeply imbedded in your countryside. I'm a bit envious because I live in California - too new for me, actually! The only truely timeworn things around here are the treasures I bring home from the flea market. ::Jill

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  20. What a lovely post -- both words and photographs. So glad I found your blog. Please know you're welcome at mine anytime.

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