Its been a long and lovely bank holiday weekend.
We had rain, which I’d normally moan about but it was most welcome. Thunder growled and lightning seared the sky like dancing mania. Cool drops of beautiful water bounced off parched leaves. A hush came over the land like a cooling salve on a burn. Everything sighed with relief.
It’s still beautiful weather, this week in the early twenties. T- shirt weather. Perfect temperatures and gentle breezes. I love it.
Doesn’t everybody?…
On the subject of everybody I got into a very odd debate. A student studying the English language had asked whether they should use the word everybody or everyone.
Do you know, I had never thought of such a thing before because you could really use either. I think I interchange them dependant upon the flow of the sentence. But then I’m not sure. I just know what to say, I don’t have to think about it like the student does because I’ve grown up with these words and it comes naturally.
However, it was really interesting (though I don’t think I’m conveying that well) to ponder. During this discussion it was noted that there may be a north and south divide with southerners preferring everyone, and northerners saying everybody.
And then it went on to someone/somebody or no-one/nobody.
It was finally decided that everybody/nobody/somebody holds more gravitas. Right?
Nobody cares sounds way more hurtful than no-one cares. Don’t you think?
When I think of everyone I imagine of a sea of faceless people fading into the distance. But when I hear everybody it seems to have more significance. Everybody people have eyes and opinions that matter.
After that lengthy discussion I was asked whether I thought there were more doors in the world or more wheels. I went backwards and forwards opting for doors and even texted a friend.
Their answer was also doors. The text went like this:
Advent calendars. That right there settles it.
Anyway, I clearly need to get out more…
I found some beautiful leaves on my walk. I love how the edges are fading away into leathered brown and the colour is disappearing. If it was a human face people would be telling you to fill it, or use a magic cream to make it fresh and youthful again. How can age be pretty, and yet here it is being stunning.
I take these things and paint them and print with them and build my layers with nature’s endless bounty.
Talking of bounty…
Friends bought me a russet profusion of tomatoes from their allotment. These were cut and roasted slowly with red onion, garlic, and rosemary. Basil was picked from my garden and it all got whizzed up to make a glut of tomato based sauce. I have made enough to take me through pasta heaven until December 14th.
I pulled the skins off the tomatoes but didn’t want to waste them. I spent hours dehydrating them and turned them into tomato salt which is absolutely sensational.
I think there’s a biological satisfaction to harvesting and preparing things for the future. I’ve just been outside and tended to the garden a bit - all my herbs are seeding and they look so pretty.
I could make many more things but I have so much homemade pesto and sauces that I just thought to let them be. But then I decided to make vases of herbal posies and dot them around the house.
The inside now smells like chocolate mint, lavender, sprigs of rosemary, and basil. So much better than any synthetic rubbish you’d buy in a shop.
Well, that’s me all done being homely, efficient, and delightful. I’ll be back on form next week probably feeling a bit more like this face I spotted as I had a Sunday coffee in town:
As you were.
Everybody and everyone work equally well. Except perhaps in poetry or music to rhyme nicely.
Tomatoes are good, especially on a flatbread pizza.
Age gifts us wisdom. Wisdom has more beauty than anything one sees in the mirror.