66 Comments
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Jeannine's avatar

Oh, your words are magical...they transport me to a place I would love to be in now! Thank you for the respite.

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Louise Haynes's avatar

Hi Susie. x

Hi Wolfie. 🐾

🐄 Aww, she’s beautiful.

Roger, there is such a thing as too many. 🐈

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Hi Louise, hi to all your whiskered loves too 🐈 I am not certain Roger will ever understand the concept of too many anything Louise, and at 91 years of age, perhaps he has earned that right! 🙌🏽

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Louise Haynes's avatar

And, perhaps for Roger, that’s ok. 😉

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Only for Roger 😂Have good week Louise xx

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Bonnie Bishop's avatar

STRIX VARIA

At first

I did not see her

perching

on her high

branch-throne

hidden behind

the curtain

of snow

But

when I did

I was as stunned

as if

I had seen

god herself

I watched her

turn her head

this way

that way

Then her eyes

met mine

and pierced

my soul

bare and

blissed

before her

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Bonnie I absolutely adore your reply, what beautiful poetry! Thank you so much...🙏🏼

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Bonnie Bishop's avatar

With much gratitude for your kind comment. Blessings, Bonnie

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Lor's avatar

“The ravishing splendour of silence

Between beech and briar, honeysuckle and oak, a soft nose and a girl set loose.”

I do believe you have written a classic fable . All of the right ingredients. The title alone , already had me swooning ( as well as the lovely lady in the woods). Like all good fables, there is a moral of the story , I will leave that up to you .

“Come, I know you’re quite content standing between that sunbeam and Beech but you are far from home and lost, let me show you the way…”

I can wait patiently for you to design a cover and write the book.

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Oh Lor, I am buried in gardening chores, made doubly arduous by saturated soil and horror of all horrors, because its so, so damp, baby slugs by the hundred, maybe the thousand!

I always think holidays will be a ubiquitous sigh of relief, they are the opposite! Why am I incapable of remembering!

I fear my fable has a sad ending, that poor beautiful creature, so content to be free, has since been rounded up and returned to confined winter quarters with her herd. My hope is that she has a secret escape and she will show all her friends the route too!

As for the moral, I guess freedom over the familiar is never a certainty, but there is fun to be had in the trying!

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Fotini Masika's avatar

So much to love in all of this, Susie. 🖤

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

I fell in love with that beautiful creature just a little… maybe a lot!

Thank you dear one 💚xx

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Natalie Ward's avatar

Okay, but the cow. I love her. We should steal her.

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Betty Carlson's avatar

Beautifully written, as always...

I remember that in my earlier teaching years, I would often fall sick right as vacation started. I think our bodies hold on when they have to.

I hope you will get well and have time to enjoy "the hols".

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Hi Betty, thank you, it’s almost always the way, this time some of us didn’t even make it that far either… but I’m feeling much recovered and making the most of lovely springlike - or almost - weather, although mostly it’s all been very hard work. My garden is enjoying the company though…

I hope your week is a gentle one xx

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<Mary L. Tabor>'s avatar

Ah, the cow--and you so close to it. This essay has a yearning and a reply: a call from the heart and an answer. Beautifully written while generously crediting another. xx

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Mary you would have loved her soft nose and gentleness… a gift from the hill.

I am almost permanently astonished by the kindnesses offered by this community that has gathered here… I offer my gratitude in the smallest of ways but it is always heartfelt ♥️

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Carmine Hazelwood's avatar

I am loving reading about your enchanted place, Susie, the “fractured fairytale” of your days. What a delight, encountering an independent cow in the woods, claiming her own dignity and sovereignty …a heroine of a bovine, descended from the three sacred cows of Ireland, no doubt. x

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

I was hoping my bovine heroine would be of the magic variety Carmine, that she would cast a spell sufficiently cleverly to release the bolts on the gates in order that her friends may join her in her beechwood liberty, alas, she is nowhere to be seen on the hill, my only hope is that she is departed to sacred places I’ve yet to find. Perhaps she is now celebrating her successful escape with Bò Finn and Bò Duhb!

Thank you so much for reading, may the moon shine brightly upon you this week 🌙x

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Kimberly Warner's avatar

This reads like the opening to a fairy tale. In my imagination I will forever see that beautiful lady wandering the forest in easy bliss. I cannot possibly love you more for pausing in quandary and asking her wishes. And respecting her answer. I feel you will forever have an angelic heifer guardian, protecting you from here and beyond.

And it seems Elsa mouse may join her in the guardianship too.

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

If I were clever with pencil and paper, fast enough to sketch the hills behind and the sun and moon and the beautiful lady standing between beech trees, rather than a quick snap with a camera with lens insufficient to capture the whole scene, it would have been seen as such without any text! Though few minutes passed they were each infused with fairytale magic, the like of which I couldn't possibly have condemned. I can think of no guardians more lovely than Elsa and she... I would be blessed forever were it to be so! ✨

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Laura B.'s avatar

I’m so sorry for the relapse but grateful you had some quiet time. Even more grateful for the ways you share and how your words open my eyes to beauty.

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Bless you Laura - I have my fingers crossed while saying this - I think I am finally rid of the germs! I at last have energy again. My relief is huge…

I hope the week is being gentle for you 💛

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Feasts and Fables's avatar

This is bliss, Susie. I like … actually, love, that JoJo and I are relishing your words together … the sense of silence, the beautiful French (my goodness, we are so jealous and we MUST improve) … the delicate balance between engaging with the community and not ‘feeling’ all the ways they do things … we want to send hugs to restore you, have you stay for a while to restore yourself - feed you, pour wine and chat … anytime!

Love your words. So happy to see the fragments appearing, celebrated by so many voices.

Happy Monday from our little corner of France. Barrie and JoJo x

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Dear Barrie and JoJo, this is a truly beautiful and heartwarming invite, belatedly so but felt and deeply appreciated nonetheless. As I have just commented to another kindly soul - with fingers crossed just in case - I think I am at last rid of the germs and feeling much more like my usual spritely self. Though your invitation most certainly won't be forgotten! Thank you both so much. 💛

I think it most likely the reason for many voices is entirely due to your constant encouragement and sharing, I am not sure that I am deserving but am flattered beyond words and again truly grateful. I hope you are having a glorious week! 🙏🏼

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Jo Sundberg's avatar

Love this one Susie. The cow especially. ❤️ I wonder where she is now? Such a beautiful interaction.

All of us under the same moon, yes I thought about this a lot last week and I also wrote about it, not on Substack. I loved David's Substack last week too.

And your connections with others, Emily sending you a gift, so much here Susie and all of it is wrapped in connectedness and love - whether between a cow and a human or the moon or those we have never met on other continents.

Have a beautiful silent week. xx

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

I went back yesterday to search for her in the woodland Jo, found tracks but no trace of her loveliness, I guess the farmer found her and too her back to confinement… 😔

I am glad she had a few days of freedom at least!

David has a unique ability to give us, in his staggeringly beautiful photos and equally astonishing words, something we are all in need of at just the right moment, he pays attention, and tells about it as done by another dear soul who bestowed us with so much of herself. I don’t need to say who…

We are all in need of nuturing, of kindly gestures and reassurance right now, I think so many of us are looking to those moments in the day we know will be of some small comfort, the sun and the moon, the stars too, those great galactic entities that are reliable forces in our day. How ironic we have to look so very far though…

The connections unfolding here are quite overwhelming at times, far beyond anything I ever imagined or dreamed of but Jo, aren’t we blessed to have them. Emily’s gift so filled my heart with utter joy, I had tears in my eyes before id even opened the box!

Sending love from this side of our still beautiful blue dot Jo. xxx

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Pipp Warner's avatar

Such beautiful connections between you and the mouse speaking French already! I too would have done the same and let the cow have a few moments peace. But yes I really felt for you- certainly a dilemma at first

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

My dilemma was resolved for me Pipp, she was herded back to her poor sardined friends and locked in again... I hope only that she can remember her way free! Sending love, I hope life is calmer for you, how is the book coming on? xx

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Pipp Warner's avatar

Book is driving me quite mad as usual. Rewritten the whole introduction. Nearly there- hopefully this afternoon. And your short story lovely??

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Jo Sundberg's avatar

So beautiful again Susie! This brought a tear.

Yes, so many are looking for moments of comfort and kindness especially right now. When I gaze at the stars and the moon outside my window at night ( I never pull the curtains on the night's beauty) I feel more close to the truth and heart of it all than any other time. I feel "so very far" away when dealing with some human beings though - the ignorance and small mindedness, the greed and self serving ego, their hate and their love of hate.

However, I feel so loved and held and close when I hang out with the stars and the moon.

Love xxxx ❤️

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

And maybe safe Jo, I know I do… ♥️xx

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JoAnna's avatar

Enjoy the ravishing silence of your winter break, Susie, and get well soon! 🤫❤️‍🩹

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Thank you dearest JoAnna, the silence is helping, I am feeling much recovered today! Sending hugs♥️xx

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Veronika Bond's avatar

I am enchanted, Susie, as always, by your stunning photography, surprising encounters in the woods with human and nonhuman sentient beings, and your enviable skill to braid threads of light and humour into wrestling with mundane drudgery and double-sneaky flu-bugs.

May the healing fairies be with you… Oh I see, a mousey one has already arrived with the furry face of lovely Elsa xxx 🩵 🙏 🧚🏽

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Dearest Veronika, it is the strangest thing; Elsa mouse arrived with a tiny handmade bag of magic charms, on seeing my fragile state she set about casting them this way and that, all the while singing a squeaky incantation the like of which I have never heard, much less understood - though I'm certain you would have deciphered its meaning with ease. No matter, the following day I felt light of foot and clear of head again! Evidently the double-sneaky-flu-bug wasn't quite sneaky enough for squeaky-mouse-songs and magic charms, a fact for which I am deeply grateful!

I send you fresh and sprightly hugs from both of us, 🐭✨💛xx

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Veronika Bond's avatar

Oh, thank you for your confidence in my rodential language skills 😊 The mouse incantation worked its charm and magicked you back to your feet, which is the main news, and I am so glad to hear 🫶

On catching only a glimpse of Elsa's sweet face and her pink snout I instantly felt (!) a connection with her. A few years ago a very talented felt maker in Germany made some felted animals for me (all characters of a story I had written) ~ as a kind of 3D illustration. Although made by a different (equally talented) felt maker, Elsa looks like a kindred spirit animal.

And the tiny handmade accessories...!!! Such is the power of enchantment. 🧚🏽 🧡 🦇

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Sarah Savage's avatar

Your conversation with the beautiful cow! I felt like I was there with you, murmuring, being silent together, communicating without words what you each needed. Lovely!

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Susie Mawhinney's avatar

Thank you Sarah, as short as our encounter was, they was magic woven in the silent moments and a blessed way to end a day - she was a delightful encounter. ✨

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