Loved this view into the fabric of your life. They (not sure who) says your home reflects your personality (spirit?). I think I’ve imagined your home as a cozy cottage surrounded by gardens, then forest and wildlife. A little like Snow White and her animals at the window. Now I know what you like wear and your home style. I enjoy hearing about this dear Frances xxx
Your dear comment warmed my heart on this minus 24C morning. Your idea on the cottage surrounded by gardens, woods and forest is spot on. Inside it's quieter than the riot of outdoor colors in spring and summer. When I lived in NYC, I was Annie Hall meets Darth Vader but in my dotage, there's no rhyme nor reason, just what strikes my fancy.
I hope you are busy but not too busy and enjoying life. And, I wish we lived in easy travel distance to be able to enjoy tea together.
How interesting that you majored in Psychology and Religion , they overlap in so many ways don’t you think ?
I have found some interviews of Carl Jung on u tube when an elderly man
They are wonderful! He has a fine nuanced intelligence, with kindness and compassion, His views on the importance of Individuation are so important for us collectively and individually, I love his work with dreams, with his imaginative insights and fine intuition . You can tell he has done the work !
Your lamp is lovely
We need to shine so much light in these very dark times
Hello, Maria. It’s 5F right now where I am. ..I prefer your mild and damp but the dawn is earlier and dusk a bit later so I won’t complain.
So long ago when I was an undergraduate, I thought I might go to divinity school later but ended up making another choice. It was only in mid-life that I came to appreciate Jung. You mentioned youtube…in addition to the clips of him, I can recommend This Jungian Life. I took their year’s course on Jungian Dream Analysis and for a long time was in a small dream group of internationals who met weekly on zoom, each taking turns presenting a dream. I still pay attention to my dreams but nolonger to that degree.
Oh my, Frances, your Mary Oliver quote exactly says what is going on now. Thank you for reminding me of Jung's thinking. And your descriptions of your winter clothing and kitchen supplies are lovely and enlightening -- in at least two senses of that word. Forward into February, dreaming of spring!
Mary Oliver certainly spoke fto/or me and I'm pleased you agree those words hit the mark. As much as I value the writings of Carl Jung, sometimes he seems a bit too out there. I did not include in this post the bit about his visions of seeing literal rivers of blood which he spoke of when enumerating fears for the future. Just seeing news clips and reading accounts of current events is fearsome enough.
The presence of earlier sun rises and later sun sets are encouraging gifts.
I loved that you shared the purchase of your surprises. Self care and attending to our needs is important these days. A few items to freshen the wardrobe, the home or the kitchen can bring a much needed boost to the morale. Simple joys and the steady comfort of our quotidian life will get us all through this time…along with supporting others in whatever capacity we can.
It has been so cold here -25 and that’s without a windchill, going out has been limited to groceries or appointments but last night I braved the chill to attend the ballet with a few friends I haven’t seen since the fall. So lovely to catch up during intermission and to walk back to the car park amongst the ice sculptures and lights of our annual Winterlude was warming to the heart. Here the winter chill is cause for celebration or at least a skate on a winter’s night with promise of hot chocolate to fortify the skate back home.
My son introduced me to Jung many years ago, although there is much to discover in his writings they can be depressing at times, I much prefer Mary Oliver and her feisty, screaming ‘Hope’.
Your imagery of attending the ballet and walking back to the car among the ice sculptures is superb. And the thought of skating back home...aah. Years ago in Holland (the last being in 2012), people looked forward to the De Elfstedentocht. or 11 cities canal tour on frozen waterways...200 kilometers. Imagine.
I'm pleased you, too, enjoy Mary Oliver. I miss her.
This admonition of Jung’s is important. I once heard a woman read her poem that began, “If I were not a Jew, I could have been a Nazi”. This is what she meant, that capacity. I have been texting all day with friend who lives in NYC on LES, speaking of the presence of the govt’s masked men entering coffee shops, bodegas, warehouses.
On a lighter note too, your lamp looks beautiful-all those columns of light- and I too love the rollneck. Mine is violet and the women’s cut which is a touch shorter.
Hi again, Frances. I want to 'like' your latest reply here, and reply back, but I keep getting a pop-up 'Subscribe' window from Substack and I don't know how to get rid of it! Do you have any idea? Anyway, thank you for that reply! Yes, I'm working on extricating myself from all the companies owned and influenced by the Bezos empire. I haven't bought anything on Amazon for the past several months, but my problem is that my email is the connection between Amazon and the rest of the family (who DO use it, a lot); and, according to the Dear Husband, there's no way to change that. There's got to be a way (right?) so I'm working on it, in spare moments. Meanwhile I've completely stopped shopping at Whole Foods, even though it's terribly convenient and I love their salad bar. BTW, the DH is actually seriously considering cancelling his Washington Post subscription, which he's had forever.
Hi back to you, Elizabeth. I don't understand the substack machinations of late; all I can say is that I don't like them. BTW, I've seen a number of Chris Best interviews on Youtube talking about the business model of substack...I didn't think this platform was a philanthropic undertaking but now it's very clear it's about the money. In the post for Sunday, I write a bit about that.
Unsubscribing...you go, Girl. I agree, amazon is all about convenience but inconvenience should be the worst thing we have to put up with.
For clarity on Substack, I found this podcast helpful: https://offthegrid.fun/podcast -- the second-to-latest episode. If you scroll down the Home page you'll see a list of recent episodes. The one you want is "The Tension of Platforms & Why I Haven't Left Substack (Yet)."
I just subscribed to Off the Grid podcast and listened to the one relevant to Substack...so good. Thank you. It helped me clarify my thinking or at least, provided guiding notions. Not many things are at all simple these days...
You are so right -- hardly anything is simple these days. I agree with you, that episode helped me, too. Amelia Hruby has a Ph.D. in philosophy, and she uses her skills well to think things through so I don't have to. I don't listen to all of her episodes, but it's surprising how many of them I find relevant and interesting, given that I'm not a business owner and never will be.
Regarding your love for the Netherlands, have you read The Safekeep, by Yael Van der Wouden? I'm reading it now. To quote a Vogue review: "A novel about mothers and daughters, and the struggles women faced to find a place in the postwar world." Set in 1961, its main characters are two women in their 20s who were children during WWII. It's excellent.
I haven’t read this…found it on ebay and will order. BTW, you’re probably aware of the ‘resistandunsubscribe’ movement directed to corporations supporting ICE,,,Amazon and Apple being at the top of the lists. Amazon makes it impossible to cancel until the end of your current subscription (me, 8/26) but I’m not ordering.
I have to update my recommendation of this book. When I wrote that comment I was still reading the first part, and now that I'm about halfway through, my reactions have changed. I was okay with a few sex scenes, but then they became gratuitous, for me anyway. I'm skimming along, hoping to get back into the deeper themes. Just wanted you to know. Also, oh my, I think I knew a little about Apple's ties to the fascists, but nothing directly about its support of ICE. I've just subscribed to Apple Music on my phone, in order to get my playlists before I cancel Spotify. None of us is entirely free of complicity with all the evil built into our environment; we just do the best we can with what we know. Blessings to you, my friend.
Whew, the book is on my ebay list and I’m about ready to order so thanks for the timely update on your opinion.
I use Alexa only for Apple Music which i think is a good use of the device which my hair cutter says is always eves dropping. It’s a strange world we’ve managed to find ourselves in.
On a better note, please tell me I am crazy to be thinking about a miniature wire coated dacshund …7-10 pounds of cuteness. In Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, they are not unusual but here…difficult to find. The ones I’ve seen may be as delicious as Tjikko. Advice, please.
Hi there. It's cold in FL too, but not as cold as your place. Soups abound here! I did order the vegetable peeler; the Kuhn Richon Swiss one. I always love to hear Mary Oliver.
As punishing as the cold is here, I imagine in Florida, the cold is just as jarring. I wonder how the wild things manage. I recall reading that some creatures fall to the ground when the temperatures drop.
Sometimes I listen to my audios of Mary Oliver reading in her gravely voice and I so miss her.
The days are lengthening and at least we have that.
It is very cold here, my friend, and the answer is hot libations, fleecy tops and bottoms, and comfort food like soup and casseroles. Even my salads have a wintry aspect to them, topped with bits of sweet potato (or roasted squash) and pomegranate arils.
Fashion will trump warmth (or at least give it a good run for its money) when warmer days make an appearance. I think of these gelid wintery days as "fey days", cozy garments, heaps of unread books, healthy munchies and pot after pot of tea.
Frances, I recently started following you (follow me back?) and really enjoyed this piece! And I loved hearing about the surprises you bought for yourself. Thank you for sharing! It’s always nice to get a glimpse into someone else’s life. I also enjoy making soups, stews, casseroles. Always wanted to get into bread making but never have. I live in the U.S., in Southwest Louisiana. Enjoy your surprises!
I’m happy to meet you, Lisa. I know where you are b/c a million years ago, I was married to a man in the oil industry who used to have business in SW LA. I accompanied him a few times.
I’m an octogenarian retired psychotherapist who loves encountering people via the written word. I don’t ‘follow’ on substack which I think is a totally ridiculous concept. Rather, I subscribe and will do so on your substack because, in my mind, we’re either in or out.
So interesting and such a small world at times! I’m happy to meet you too. And thank you for subscribing! I was a newspaper reporter all my adult life. Retired from papers but freelancing. And now writing on Substack. So much to learn!
There's always a lot to learn on this platform because things are so often being changed here. It's not ideal but I haven't found better. The people who subscribe to me and really read the posts (and not dive into 'chat' looking for a hook-up) and comment are an absolutely wonderful group, as you will discover.
Why is it SO hard to get subscribers (not paid, just any?) I know it will take awhile. I also don’t understand how, when going through the feed, I can’t see comments or comment (I guess unless I’m a subscriber?) And I’ve shared a few posts and notes and get maybe one like. I see some with 83 likes. I don’t get it. Did it take you awhile??
I started with 5 subscribers and thought that if I ever reached 100, it would be a miracle. It took me at least 18 months to reach that and then I decided to turn on the option of being a paid subscriber. I have just one and for some reason, I reached 200 free subscribers afterward. I doubt there's a connection and honestly I'd rather have 15 people who engage with me and each other than those who subscribe and never comment.
IDK why you aren't able to see subscriber comments. Maybe try asking the app.
Oh, Maria, thank you for commenting and for telling me it was Lao Tzu. As an under graduate I had a double major of psychology and religion so it was then I became aware of this wise man. Taoism and Buddhism have long cross fertilized one another and my memory is that there are many threads of thought and writings which came to be known as Taoism. If only we could live long enough to learn all there is to know.
I hope you are weathering this season and world upheavals as well as can be expected. What a world.
Loved this view into the fabric of your life. They (not sure who) says your home reflects your personality (spirit?). I think I’ve imagined your home as a cozy cottage surrounded by gardens, then forest and wildlife. A little like Snow White and her animals at the window. Now I know what you like wear and your home style. I enjoy hearing about this dear Frances xxx
Your dear comment warmed my heart on this minus 24C morning. Your idea on the cottage surrounded by gardens, woods and forest is spot on. Inside it's quieter than the riot of outdoor colors in spring and summer. When I lived in NYC, I was Annie Hall meets Darth Vader but in my dotage, there's no rhyme nor reason, just what strikes my fancy.
I hope you are busy but not too busy and enjoying life. And, I wish we lived in easy travel distance to be able to enjoy tea together.
xxx
Annie Hall meets Darth Vader brilliant 🤩 😆
I wish that too and cake of course xxx
Frances hello
Here it is mild and damp in southeast England
How interesting that you majored in Psychology and Religion , they overlap in so many ways don’t you think ?
I have found some interviews of Carl Jung on u tube when an elderly man
They are wonderful! He has a fine nuanced intelligence, with kindness and compassion, His views on the importance of Individuation are so important for us collectively and individually, I love his work with dreams, with his imaginative insights and fine intuition . You can tell he has done the work !
Your lamp is lovely
We need to shine so much light in these very dark times
Hello, Maria. It’s 5F right now where I am. ..I prefer your mild and damp but the dawn is earlier and dusk a bit later so I won’t complain.
So long ago when I was an undergraduate, I thought I might go to divinity school later but ended up making another choice. It was only in mid-life that I came to appreciate Jung. You mentioned youtube…in addition to the clips of him, I can recommend This Jungian Life. I took their year’s course on Jungian Dream Analysis and for a long time was in a small dream group of internationals who met weekly on zoom, each taking turns presenting a dream. I still pay attention to my dreams but nolonger to that degree.
Thank you Frances
And thank you for the recommendation
Oh my, Frances, your Mary Oliver quote exactly says what is going on now. Thank you for reminding me of Jung's thinking. And your descriptions of your winter clothing and kitchen supplies are lovely and enlightening -- in at least two senses of that word. Forward into February, dreaming of spring!
Mary Oliver certainly spoke fto/or me and I'm pleased you agree those words hit the mark. As much as I value the writings of Carl Jung, sometimes he seems a bit too out there. I did not include in this post the bit about his visions of seeing literal rivers of blood which he spoke of when enumerating fears for the future. Just seeing news clips and reading accounts of current events is fearsome enough.
The presence of earlier sun rises and later sun sets are encouraging gifts.
Yes, onward.
xx
I agree with you here, too!
Hello Frances
I loved that you shared the purchase of your surprises. Self care and attending to our needs is important these days. A few items to freshen the wardrobe, the home or the kitchen can bring a much needed boost to the morale. Simple joys and the steady comfort of our quotidian life will get us all through this time…along with supporting others in whatever capacity we can.
It has been so cold here -25 and that’s without a windchill, going out has been limited to groceries or appointments but last night I braved the chill to attend the ballet with a few friends I haven’t seen since the fall. So lovely to catch up during intermission and to walk back to the car park amongst the ice sculptures and lights of our annual Winterlude was warming to the heart. Here the winter chill is cause for celebration or at least a skate on a winter’s night with promise of hot chocolate to fortify the skate back home.
My son introduced me to Jung many years ago, although there is much to discover in his writings they can be depressing at times, I much prefer Mary Oliver and her feisty, screaming ‘Hope’.
Keep warm dear Frances, the light will return.
Allison...Good morning!
Thank you for your lovely comments.
Your imagery of attending the ballet and walking back to the car among the ice sculptures is superb. And the thought of skating back home...aah. Years ago in Holland (the last being in 2012), people looked forward to the De Elfstedentocht. or 11 cities canal tour on frozen waterways...200 kilometers. Imagine.
I'm pleased you, too, enjoy Mary Oliver. I miss her.
Enjoy today and the rest of the week, allison.
xx
This admonition of Jung’s is important. I once heard a woman read her poem that began, “If I were not a Jew, I could have been a Nazi”. This is what she meant, that capacity. I have been texting all day with friend who lives in NYC on LES, speaking of the presence of the govt’s masked men entering coffee shops, bodegas, warehouses.
On a lighter note too, your lamp looks beautiful-all those columns of light- and I too love the rollneck. Mine is violet and the women’s cut which is a touch shorter.
Good morning, Kathleen. It's the first morning in my neck of the woods that the temperature is not below 0 so hopefully some things are looking up.
I so agree with that woman's poem. Another poem which I forgot to include in the post was this one by Martin Niemoller:
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me."
The least we can do is speak out.
It delights me that you have the rollneck too...violet, how beautiful. I settled on the mens b/c of the longer length tho color choices were limited.
Thank you for commenting (and liking the lamp). I'm happy you're here!
xx
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing “
I will add to this “good women”
John Stuart Mills
Hi again, Frances. I want to 'like' your latest reply here, and reply back, but I keep getting a pop-up 'Subscribe' window from Substack and I don't know how to get rid of it! Do you have any idea? Anyway, thank you for that reply! Yes, I'm working on extricating myself from all the companies owned and influenced by the Bezos empire. I haven't bought anything on Amazon for the past several months, but my problem is that my email is the connection between Amazon and the rest of the family (who DO use it, a lot); and, according to the Dear Husband, there's no way to change that. There's got to be a way (right?) so I'm working on it, in spare moments. Meanwhile I've completely stopped shopping at Whole Foods, even though it's terribly convenient and I love their salad bar. BTW, the DH is actually seriously considering cancelling his Washington Post subscription, which he's had forever.
Hi back to you, Elizabeth. I don't understand the substack machinations of late; all I can say is that I don't like them. BTW, I've seen a number of Chris Best interviews on Youtube talking about the business model of substack...I didn't think this platform was a philanthropic undertaking but now it's very clear it's about the money. In the post for Sunday, I write a bit about that.
Unsubscribing...you go, Girl. I agree, amazon is all about convenience but inconvenience should be the worst thing we have to put up with.
xx
For clarity on Substack, I found this podcast helpful: https://offthegrid.fun/podcast -- the second-to-latest episode. If you scroll down the Home page you'll see a list of recent episodes. The one you want is "The Tension of Platforms & Why I Haven't Left Substack (Yet)."
I just subscribed to Off the Grid podcast and listened to the one relevant to Substack...so good. Thank you. It helped me clarify my thinking or at least, provided guiding notions. Not many things are at all simple these days...
You are so right -- hardly anything is simple these days. I agree with you, that episode helped me, too. Amelia Hruby has a Ph.D. in philosophy, and she uses her skills well to think things through so I don't have to. I don't listen to all of her episodes, but it's surprising how many of them I find relevant and interesting, given that I'm not a business owner and never will be.
Regarding your love for the Netherlands, have you read The Safekeep, by Yael Van der Wouden? I'm reading it now. To quote a Vogue review: "A novel about mothers and daughters, and the struggles women faced to find a place in the postwar world." Set in 1961, its main characters are two women in their 20s who were children during WWII. It's excellent.
I haven’t read this…found it on ebay and will order. BTW, you’re probably aware of the ‘resistandunsubscribe’ movement directed to corporations supporting ICE,,,Amazon and Apple being at the top of the lists. Amazon makes it impossible to cancel until the end of your current subscription (me, 8/26) but I’m not ordering.
I have to update my recommendation of this book. When I wrote that comment I was still reading the first part, and now that I'm about halfway through, my reactions have changed. I was okay with a few sex scenes, but then they became gratuitous, for me anyway. I'm skimming along, hoping to get back into the deeper themes. Just wanted you to know. Also, oh my, I think I knew a little about Apple's ties to the fascists, but nothing directly about its support of ICE. I've just subscribed to Apple Music on my phone, in order to get my playlists before I cancel Spotify. None of us is entirely free of complicity with all the evil built into our environment; we just do the best we can with what we know. Blessings to you, my friend.
Whew, the book is on my ebay list and I’m about ready to order so thanks for the timely update on your opinion.
I use Alexa only for Apple Music which i think is a good use of the device which my hair cutter says is always eves dropping. It’s a strange world we’ve managed to find ourselves in.
On a better note, please tell me I am crazy to be thinking about a miniature wire coated dacshund …7-10 pounds of cuteness. In Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, they are not unusual but here…difficult to find. The ones I’ve seen may be as delicious as Tjikko. Advice, please.
x
Hi there. It's cold in FL too, but not as cold as your place. Soups abound here! I did order the vegetable peeler; the Kuhn Richon Swiss one. I always love to hear Mary Oliver.
Hi, Old Friend!
As punishing as the cold is here, I imagine in Florida, the cold is just as jarring. I wonder how the wild things manage. I recall reading that some creatures fall to the ground when the temperatures drop.
Sometimes I listen to my audios of Mary Oliver reading in her gravely voice and I so miss her.
The days are lengthening and at least we have that.
xx
It is very cold here, my friend, and the answer is hot libations, fleecy tops and bottoms, and comfort food like soup and casseroles. Even my salads have a wintry aspect to them, topped with bits of sweet potato (or roasted squash) and pomegranate arils.
Fashion will trump warmth (or at least give it a good run for its money) when warmer days make an appearance. I think of these gelid wintery days as "fey days", cozy garments, heaps of unread books, healthy munchies and pot after pot of tea.
Random thoughts indeed… all worth thinking about!
Indeed, you've precisely said it all.
As long as the power is on and one can use the stove and electric kettle, it's manageable.
Better days are ahead, Dear Friend.
xx
Frances, I recently started following you (follow me back?) and really enjoyed this piece! And I loved hearing about the surprises you bought for yourself. Thank you for sharing! It’s always nice to get a glimpse into someone else’s life. I also enjoy making soups, stews, casseroles. Always wanted to get into bread making but never have. I live in the U.S., in Southwest Louisiana. Enjoy your surprises!
I’m happy to meet you, Lisa. I know where you are b/c a million years ago, I was married to a man in the oil industry who used to have business in SW LA. I accompanied him a few times.
I’m an octogenarian retired psychotherapist who loves encountering people via the written word. I don’t ‘follow’ on substack which I think is a totally ridiculous concept. Rather, I subscribe and will do so on your substack because, in my mind, we’re either in or out.
So interesting and such a small world at times! I’m happy to meet you too. And thank you for subscribing! I was a newspaper reporter all my adult life. Retired from papers but freelancing. And now writing on Substack. So much to learn!
There's always a lot to learn on this platform because things are so often being changed here. It's not ideal but I haven't found better. The people who subscribe to me and really read the posts (and not dive into 'chat' looking for a hook-up) and comment are an absolutely wonderful group, as you will discover.
Why is it SO hard to get subscribers (not paid, just any?) I know it will take awhile. I also don’t understand how, when going through the feed, I can’t see comments or comment (I guess unless I’m a subscriber?) And I’ve shared a few posts and notes and get maybe one like. I see some with 83 likes. I don’t get it. Did it take you awhile??
I started with 5 subscribers and thought that if I ever reached 100, it would be a miracle. It took me at least 18 months to reach that and then I decided to turn on the option of being a paid subscriber. I have just one and for some reason, I reached 200 free subscribers afterward. I doubt there's a connection and honestly I'd rather have 15 people who engage with me and each other than those who subscribe and never comment.
IDK why you aren't able to see subscriber comments. Maybe try asking the app.
xx
I’m looking forward to it. Thank you for your insights!
Oh, Maria, thank you for commenting and for telling me it was Lao Tzu. As an under graduate I had a double major of psychology and religion so it was then I became aware of this wise man. Taoism and Buddhism have long cross fertilized one another and my memory is that there are many threads of thought and writings which came to be known as Taoism. If only we could live long enough to learn all there is to know.
I hope you are weathering this season and world upheavals as well as can be expected. What a world.
Are you contemplating another 4 legged companion?
xx
I am contemplating rehoming a cat .
A friend of mine rescues and rehomes our feline friends so I am waiting for the ‘right one “
Nice, Maria. The lucky kitty will be fortunate to be in your home.
Ah thank you Frances
Thank you Frances
My phone is playing up so I didn’t finish completely
I will try again soon
I really enjoy your thoughts
Frances