Dear friends and fellow bloggers, the writing gods have withdrawn their inspiration from me, and have made it clear that this is a moment for Hestia, the goddess of peace and replenishment, solitude and silence to make her entrance.
So for now, it is a hiatus – an interruption. I shall follow you all from afar, knowing that you too will come and go in the rhythms of life; and lacking all inspiration myself at the moment, I will share and sign off with words from an inspirational poet, Rabindranath Tagore. It is our golden autumn here in the southern hemisphere, and this is how it was in Bengal a hundred years ago when Tagore was writing:
Autumn
Today the peace of autumn pervades the world.
In the radiant noon, silent and motionless, the wide stillness rests like a tired bird spreading over the deserted fields to all horizons its wings of golden green.
Today the thin thread of the river flows without song, leaving no mark on its sandy banks.
The many distant villages bask in the sun with eyes closed in idle and languid slumber.
In the stillness I hear every blade of grass, in every speck of dust, in every part of my own body, in the visible and invisible worlds, in the planets, the sun, and the stars, the joyous dance of the atoms through endless time – the myriad murmuring waves of Rhythm surrounding Thy throne.
valeriedavies 
Hey! I don’t think you’re allowed to leave us without the proper authorization. I’m checking with the NZ authorities now, so don’t make any sudden moves.
Seriously, I will really miss you, Valerie. Please come back soon. Be well. Take good care.
With love from Claire
PS Don’t be gone long.
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Good friend – thank you… your official tone reminded me of one of my favourite jokes – lights shining into a window in suburbia, sirens – the lot, and a loud speaker shouting – Okay, throw out your copy of David Copperfield and come out with your hands up, Love, Valerie
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Yes, and don’t forget Bleak House and Great Expectations!
Be bak sun, as I think, Winnie the Pooh phrased it.
XXOO Claire
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Look after yourself, dear Claire XXX
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What you mean is a ‘Bye-atus? Next Hi-atus eagerly awaited.
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How clever you are ! you are so right !!!
Thank you….
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Dearest Valerie,
I will miss your illuminating writing. Time for me to delve deep in the archives and sample all the treasures from elsewhen. Rest now and wake to beauty. You are ever in my heart.
Kia Ora,
Aloha,
Doug
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Dearest Doug,
Your beautiful words overwhelm me. Thank you from my heart,
with love, as you know, from Valerie
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May the autumn rhythms be a time of refreshment and reflection for you Valerie – and I look forward to your lovely posts next season. Be well and take care of yourself.Garden of Eden Blog
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Dear Susan, what lovely words you have sent me – thank you so much, Valerie
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Dear Valerie, we all have these times when we need to withdraw and wait for the well to fill up again. It takes wisdom to recognise such times and not to force things.
I like to think of you being with Hestia. She’s also the goddess of the hearth, a word which has ‘heart’ in it. You are returning home to the heart/h and there you will be held and sustained. Be warmed and rest well.
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Dear Juliet, what beautiful words, thank you so much good friend…Hestia is special isn’t she – in fact, my favourite archetype…
I look forward to you joining me on my hearth Juliet, when your busy times are over – let me know…Love Valerie
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Yes, me too. You are not forgotten!
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Dear Valerie,
I’ve enjoyed and looked forward to your weekly installments of inspiration and magic. I’m sending prayers and hopes for a time of refreshment for you. I’ll miss you. But you’ll be in my heart during this time as always.
shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Thank you so much for your lovely words, so much appreciated, you have always been such an encouraging and enthusiastic blogging friend, thank you, I shall be thinking of you and keeping up with your inspired little tour de forces, Valerie
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Valerie! Didn’t you see Calliope, your muse of heroic poems and rhetoric art, checking out for an Easter break? She will be back. Even a superior muse needs a break so now and then.
Hestia is my favourite Greek Goddess. Keeping Hestia in mind is a powerful antidote to home-keeping crankiness.
Blessed Easter.
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Dear Paula, Lovely to hear from you… yes, we are agreed on Hestia, and I’ll be keeping a watch for Calliope – thanks for the reminder!Love Valerie
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I hope your muse is just taking a temporary break and returns soon Valerie. You’ll be missed while you’re gone.Hopefully you’ll return full of inspiration and the joys of the season.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
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Dear David,
Lovely to hear from you and thank you for your encouragement as always. Hope all goes well for you while I’m in retreat, Love Valerie
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Very sensible decision Valerie.
Great to see you (and canine friend) this morning.
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Thank you Richard… it was lovely to see you all too… I expected to be prosecuted for trespassing !!!
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I will look forward to your return. Enjoy your time of replenishment, peace and solitude.
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Hoping all is well with you and yours. Will miss you, but am sure you will return. Have N.Z. storms anything to do with taking a break?
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All the best, Valerie!
Big hug. Dina xo
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I have missed your last few posts, Valerie, so they will keep me going until you return. Enjoy your hiatus – very wise! x
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Enjoy your time off, get refreshed and entertain us again when you are ready!
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Wishing you all the best, Valerie. I will miss you.
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Seek and find that for which you long.
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You will be terribly missed. However, wishing you great peace in your rest.
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The Hi At Us 🙂
I am getting used to these, they’re a little like the other H word – Holiday 🙂
Well, tis the season to prepare for a little Hibernation downunder.
And we know that replenishment and quiet stir the pot of inspiration.
Enjoy doing the things that fill you up 🙂
Claire
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Rest, Dear Friend! You are in my heart and in my prayers!
✿♥ღLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
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Dear Valerie, I hope that the joyful words you share with us on your blog will still resonate in your mind. I will miss you, and send warmest thoughts to you.
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Can we protest? I’ve just finished tax season and now have time to read blogs and you are one of my favourites. Sigh. Enjoy your time though. 🙂
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Hoping your rest replenishes yourself. Take care.
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Enjoy your quiet time to pause…
we’ll be here when you get back…
Take Care…You Matter…
)0(
maryrose
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My hiatus came upon me unannounced, Valerie. Thanks for giving us notice of yours! xoxoM
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Well, to put it in a nutshell, this stinks. Valerie, please don’t be gone long!
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Dear Valarie, I will miss your words of wisdom, your wit and endless food thoughts. I can’t help but think of the Byrd’s song, “Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is a Season)”. This is your season…renew and refresh. Even if you never returned to blogging, I know your creative spirit will be channeled into something positive and fulfilling. Blessings to you. Lynne
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I have been rather uninspired lately, too. Perhaps it is the changing on the seasons. I will miss you but I have much reading to catch up on as I couldn’t find the energy to read either. I hope the hiatus won’t be too long. Peace. Maggie
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How in tune you are! I was feeling something similar but not really listening to it. In the spirit of allowing for the creative to grow, I wish you well!!
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Hugs ~ I will be waiting for your return with bells on! 😉 I know this time will be beneficial to you.
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A well deserved hiatus too Valerie. As the autumn weather becomes more crisp and chills into winter, and as the garden goes into hibernation, I will imagine you curling up before the fire and catching up on several books you’ve been dying to read. Walking and watching the every-changing sea. Preparing and enjoying some delicious meals with good friends and family. Enjoying the theatre, listening to music, visiting galleries, sleeping well. Hope you re-emerge in the Spring or whenever you feel re-inspired. Thank you for your wonderful blogs.
Elly
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My dear friend, what a wonderful post. As you know, I have been meditating on time within our existence. We are fixed to time and space, which does not allow our physical bodies the fluidity to move backwards. And when we move forward, it is only with the permission of an external clock. But we have been granted freedom within us to dance in whatever direction we chose.
“Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.” Rabindranath Tagore
Let us dance….
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Be well and enjoy this time of restoration, repose, re-creation. I look forward to reading your poetic stories once again.
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I have only recently met you and your blog but I understand that you have been blogging since a while. Pausing is not disappearing. Recharging is necessary to anyone. The content but also the format of your blog are original, and I hope to see you again, here or on another venue of your choice. Meanhwile I wish you the best.
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Autumn is a beautiful time of year, Valerie. Wish you all the blessing of this moment of withdrawal. Love from across the sea xo
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I’m really impressed with your writing skills and also with the
layout on your blog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself?
Anyway keep up the nice quality writing, it’s rare to see a
nice blog like this one today.
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Enjoy your hiatus. Rest and renew. Sometimes we all need “peace and replenishment, solitude and silence.” I’ve enjoyed meeting you on your blog and hope to see more of you again.
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Do you know when you may return?
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Dear Dave,
how lovely to hear from you, and to think that you’ve thought of me….
to answer your question, I’m not sure at the moment… just coping with a family situation… but I must tell you how much I loved your bluebell post ( still keeping an eye on you! ) it made me feel very homesick for an English spring… Best wishes, Valerie
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That is very kind of you. I hope you’re ok and things work themselves out for you.
Dave x
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Take care of yourself–miss you.
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Dear Alice, how lovely to find you your message – how lovely to think that you haven’t forgotten me ! I’m keeping a very low profile in the blogging world, but keeping up with people like you… hope you got some good answers to your query about the unknown plant !
I’m coping with a family situation…and can’t see my way ahead at the moment… so good to hear from you… warm wishes, valerie
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I hope you return, Valerie. Your writing and your most incredible stories are a gift to us all. Blogging is difficult, and finding the time to keep up with it is mind-numbing. I wish you and your family the very best.
Elisa
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Dear Elisa,
How lovely to hear from you, I’m so touched to think that you haven’t forgotten me ! I hope all is well with you and yours.. I haven’t seen a blog from you for ages… does this mean that you’re having a break or is it one of those infuriating Word Press things and you’ve dropped off my following list?
Yes I miss blogging, for the moment… so good to know I have friends like you in the blogging world, warm wishes, Valerie
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glad to have come across your awesome blog, do hope you’ll be back asap… my very best, tons of inspiration and positive vibes… Mélanie
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Dear Melanie,
what a lovely friendly message from you, thank you so much, Your blog is wonderful, and it’s this sort of connection with people like you that makes me know I will come back to blogging when I get my head above water..
So good to hear from you, thank you again and warmest best wishes,
Valerie
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I saw a plain, smallish ,bright green glass plate (not see-through) in a thrift store window. Inside,I looked around and there was a small oval table cloth made of thickish yellow cotton, with just two red stripes. I never buy vases, but I saw a quite small, plain red china vase and brought my stuff home. ,My little side table loved his yellow coat and my neighbor gave me some small yellow flowers from her front lawn (garden) which fit perfecty in the red vase. The plate preferred to observe from above, so I just nailed a short, fat tree branch into the wall, and there she sits on a perfect shelf. I gazed at it with satisfaction and thought about more plates.
I thought briefly of my landlord and the holes in my wall, but that was no fun, so I quickly moved on,
And then! I realized that I had been thinking of you ever since the thrift store. So I’m writing to tell you that, my good Valerie.
Don’t worry about writing back. I know you are resting. I hope something sad didn’t happen.But whatever the case, we’ll all be here regardless – so just obey your own internal clock (compass? )
Meanwhile, it’s nice to see your smile when you stop by for a Like,
Hugs from Claire
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Claire I know exactly what you mean… those gorgeous colours, that grouping of little found objects… these simple things can really make the heart sing can’t they. I remember once many years ago, when I didn’t have a lot of money (not that I have much more now!), buying a little yellow honey pot to cheer me up… it was not expensive and I didn’t really need it… but it so appealed to me and just gave me so much pleasure every time I looked at it or used it. I still have it and it still gives me pleasure! PS: Love the branch shelf! Sooooo anarchic!
(See Valerie, while you are having your hiatus, your blog followers are starting to write to each other!!! 🙂 Look forward to your re-entry to the blogosphere whenever the time is right).
Elly
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So the children have come to play while I’m away !!!
If you’re both very good and eat all your vegetables, I”ll tell you the whole wonderful fairy story one of these days.
IN the mean- time I love it that two of my favourite people have been visiting – and on my birthday too… you are invited to birthday tea, just like I did for a friend last week – starting with hot scones from the oven to be eaten with strawberry jam and cream, then lots of cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese spiked with mayonnaise, garlic salt and lemon pepper, then dark moist gingerbread sliced and buttered, chocolate cake with layers of thick choc icing, and some shortbread. Lapsang souching in the big silver tea-pot, lace cloth an’ all. Can you make it? If you do and stay long enough we could find the sun is over the yard -arm and open a bottle of champagne. Love to you both XXX
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Happy birthday Valerie! Everyone will be delighted to see this interim message from you – from the hibernation cave so to speak. Thank you for the invitation to your scrumptious birthday tea which sounds perfect i.e. wickedly indulgent. I am just around the corner in Australia and should be there, oh, any minute now – with a bottle of bubbly of course. Have a lovely celebration and hope all is working out for you during your hiatus. xx
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There IS something so pleasurable about arranging objects, especially when they seem to know exactly where they belong,
Is yours an American honey pot? I bet not – we squeeze honey from ugly plastic bottles when we eat it at all. But I can almost imagine the sort of honey pot you describe, What does it look like – and do you keep small objects in it?
You know, it’s quite leisurely to hang out on Valerie’s blog when she’s away. We should think of this as our summer cottage. Perhaps we should have an afternoon tea party – oh I forgot, I can’t cook. No problem, Valerie is a cooking genius and I’m sure we’ll find something elegant, yet simple and thrifty in – do they say refrigerator in New Zealand? I could pretend I cooked it and bask in undeserved glory,,,
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Hello Claire! Summer cottage – what a good idea. I see that somehow we’ve managed to briefly lure Valerie out of her cave and you’ve even shamed her back into the kitchen, preparing a marvellous birthday tea for us … pretty clever.
That honey pot is cylindrical, about 5″ high, smooth ceramic with a little ceramic lid and a slot for a spoon. It’s a muted yellow, like a soft gold. I bought it in London and now use it for brown sugar (to sprinkle on hot porridge – it’s winter here in Australia and there’s nothing nicer than a pot of porridge bubbling on the wood burning stove each morning). Cheers!
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So the children have come to play while I’m away !!!
If you’re both very good and eat all your vegetables, I”ll tell you the whole wonderful fairy story one of these days.
IN the mean- time I love it that two of my favourite people have been visiting – and on my birthday too… you are invited to birthday tea, just like I did for a friend last week – starting with hot scones from the oven to be eaten with strawberry jam and cream, then lots of cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese spiked with mayonnaise, garlic salt and lemon pepper, then dark moist gingerbread sliced and buttered, chocolate cake with layers of thick choc icing, and some shortbread. Lapsang souching in the big silver tea-pot, lace cloth an’ all. Can you make it? If you do and stay long enough we could find the sun is over the yard -arm and open a bottle of champagne. Love to you both XXX
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Oh, Valerie! XXX OOO
Now go back to resting before I must deal severely with myself, threatening banishment to my room unless I “leave the nice lady alone!”
Elly, I now covet an Australian honey pot, and will see you later in the summer – oh bother, I mean the winter.
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Hey there Valerie, just wanted to stop by and say I’ve been thinking of you, and I see it was your birthday recently! I hope you had a lovely time and that you are well. Sending warm wishes across the winter waters… xox
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Dear Alarna,
Dreadful that I’ve taken so long to get back to you… I find it almost impossible to write a word at the moment… so much going on, and my energies soaked up looking after my 85 year old husband…
Thank you for your lovely message and even noticing it was my birthday… am keeping below the radar at the moment, but still read your thoughtful provocative posts,
Much love, Valerie
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