Monday, June 16, 2008

Evenings Full of Linnets' Wings


The kids and I spent the last week on the Katy trail along the Missouri River. They were on bikes, Daisy and I were in the car dawdling along enjoying ourselves and doing the feeding.

Our music of choice for our woodsy days was Claire Holley's salty Mississippi rendition of Innisfree and we drove from town to town singing along. We stopped at bakeries, at chocolate shops, at wonderful antique stores (nothing costs *anything* in southern Missouri, apparently!). We did massive leisurely grocery stock-ups for our sixteen hungry campers, and we enjoyed walking hand in hand down the cosy main streets of such beautiful turn-of-the-century river towns, with their ornate theatres and banks and dry goods stores.

But best of all was each night's rendezvous. We cooked and ate and did the dishes (Daisy's supreme joy: the three-dishpan system set up right at her level). I would go out for a walk down the trail for a mile or so, mesmerized by the endlessly disappearing white path, under a tunnel of trees, past honeysuckle and mimosa, and under a rising moon.

There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

22 comments:

Le said...

I missed hearing from you last week, but I am so glad that you had a wonderful time. God is good to give us such wonderful moments in life.

Rebecca said...

What an enchanting line: "evenings full of linnets' wings." Where is it from?

Davene said...

Welcome back!

What a fascinating, memory-making trip!

Janna said...

Your trip sounds wonderful. I'd love to experience something like that someday. Oh, and welcome back! I've missed your posts. :)

Linden said...

I was so happy when I woke up today because I have been waiting for a new post so impatiently! Reading your blog is one of my daily pleasures, and have missed it immensely.
It sounds like you had a wonderful, hopefully relaxing, week with your beautiful daughter! God's blessings on you and your family.

Laura

Edi said...

I would love to hear more about your adventure camping on the Katy Trail.
Our family has recently started biking and have wondered about doing the Katy Trail.

Was the trail crowded? Was it easy to find a suitable place to camp?

Katy said...

Sounds beautiful! I can almost smell the evening air!

Katy
http://mynutvillage.com/

Anonymous said...

You have very poetically spoken of my home of Missouri. I am a transplant from WA state, and I think Missouri is the most beautiful place I've seen. You captured that! I pass a Northern part of the Katy Trail quite often...it is an amazing thing! God has blessed you with the use of words and I am glad you are back.

Anonymous said...

My father was here with me this week instead of his annual Katy Trail ride. I suspected that was what you were up to, having been to Laura's home earlier. W

e are planning on all doing it next year God willing! Glad you had a great time.

deb meyers

Anonymous said...

Seems that we all missed you last week.
So glad you had such a good trip. All of that
wonderful outdoors must have just been super.
And Daisy must have very happy with such
daily responsibility and spending the time with
you. Hope to see and hear more about it.

Glad it was a safe week.
Ms. Dale

Anonymous said...

I have an idea that this Claire Holley maybe the person who recorded the video at your home. Very pretty music! I like the song Innisfree, reminds me of the Quiet Man movie.

Anonymous said...

Also, glad you enjoyed the Katy trail it's beatiful (I've ridden through it twice). There is a trail in Southern Illinos called the River to River trail, except it can only be walked and hiked and takes about two weeks. Can't wait to try it!

Tracy said...

I was just going to say that I was wondering if Claire Holley was the guest who graced your dining room stage, but see that someone else beat me to it!

Anna said...

Actually, Claire is an old college friend of my brother's! Isn't that a great setting of Yeats' poem? Love it!!

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

Sounds delightful!

Linda said...

I missed you too! Sounds like my kind of trip. I'm glad you are all home safe and sound and that you had such a memorable time.

JKaye said...

To Rebecca -- the line about the linnet's wings is from a poem by Irish poet William Butler Yeats, called The Lake Isle of Innisfree. Here it is:

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Anonymous said...

That sounds just about like Heaven to me.

girlwithmoxy said...

the beauty in the quietness of camping. we camped along a rolling river this weekend and it was beautiful. caught fireflies and heard the first cicadas of the season. summer is here!

Lynn said...

I'm a long-time appreciative quiet reader piping up to say that I live in a town on the Katy Trail (complete with ornate theater). My eyes would have popped out of my head if I had seen you and yours promenading down the main drag! Glad you enjoyed your trip...

Patty said...

So glad you are back. I grew up in one of those southern Mo. towns. East Prairie. Out from that is Dorena and Big oak Park. Then there is Cape Giradeu (sp) a beautiful old river town. I live in st louis now. Hope you enjoyed. God Bless, Patty1580

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, but now you have left me oh so homesick! I grew up at my grandmother's on the Katy Trail in central MO. I was walking it as a very young child when it was still a working railroad line. Such a joy to share it with my older children seven years ago--- this year will the the little one's turn to see where mama grew up. I'm off to plan our trip! Billie Jean

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