I want to describe to you what I saw today, but I can't. We have so many words to describe and represent the most complex of concepts. Why then is it almost impossible to describe something so simple and ordinary as the colour of the water earlier today? Kathleen Jamie and Thomas Merton (with a little excursive with Hana Videen) help us to find some answers.
Journal entry:
17th May, Tuesday
"The hills are painted a dusty grey and the world is filled with the quietness of sheep, the cry of distant crows and drip and splash of rain upon young oak leaves.
The warm touch of bark beneath my hand and the shiver of a silvery mist. A perfect way to watch the slow dance of dawn."
Episode Information:
In this episode I cite or read extracts from:
Kathleen Jamie’s (2004) Dublin Review article ‘Sabbath’ (open access), which can also be found in her (2005) book Findings published by Sort Of Books.
Hana Videen’s (2022) The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English published by Princeton University Press.
Thomas Merton’s (2015) When the Trees Say Nothing: Writings on nature published by Ave Maria Press.
For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters
You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com. It will also allow you to become more a part of the podcast and you can leave comments, offer suggestions, and reviews. You can even, if you want, leave me a voice mail by clicking on the microphone icon.
General Details
In the intro and the outro, Saint-Saen's The Swan is performed by Karr and Bernstein (1961) and available on CC at archive.org.
Two-stroke narrowboat engine recorded by 'James2nd' on the River Weaver, Cheshire. Uploaded to Freesound.org on 23rd June 2018. Creative Commons Licence.
Piano and keyboard interludes composed and performed by Helen Ingram.
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Contact
I would love to hear from you. You can email me at nighttimeonstillwaters@gmail.com or drop me a line by going to the nowspod website and using either the contact form or, if you prefer, record your message by clicking on the microphone icon.
For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters
You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.