On Writing

As if managing one blog is not enough,

I have gone and done it again--

started another one, that is.

This one is dedicated to creative writing.

It is a place where the poetry, short stories,

and essays that have been filling up

page after page of my journal

are going to encounter a wider audience.

House of Mist and Fog is a place

where the written word springs to life.

I will share pieces of my own making,

along with the process of creation,

and thoughts about those who have

inspired me along the way.

http://http//houseofmistandfog.blogspot.com/

Please stop in for a visit.

I have only just begun, so there is

much more to follow soon.

Until next time...

Anne

Obsessed...

I am coming clean.
I can't hide it any longer.
I am bringing this out into the light and air,
shaking off the dust and cobwebs
and allowing it to breathe.
There is no shame in what I have to tell you,
though it may seem silly or foolish.
Sometimes it haunts me in my as I sleep,
and makes an appearance during times of reverie.
Other times it burns to be expressed,
and I just have to succumb.





I am obsessed with Phantom of the Opera.
With all of it-- the story, the music, the set design,
with the Phantom himself (especially when played
by the yummy Gerard Butler, as in the 2004 movie).
Thanks to Anne of Fiona and Twig
for featuring some additional images of
the lovely Gerard Butler and
inspiring me to do this post!




I can identify with Christine's struggle to acknowledge
the darker and deeper parts of herself,
while not getting lost in the process.
I can feel the pull the Phantom
has on her when he sings or calls out her name.




He leads Christine into the catacombs,
his underworld,
a den of his own design,
far away from the public life
she leads first, as a chorus girl,
and then, as a stand-in soprano
for the Opera Populaire.





The Phantom's lair is darkly opulent.
It inspires a sense of mystery
and passionate longings,
where one is free
to embrace the unknown
and surrender
as unspoken fantasies unwind.





The top-side world has some intrigue of its own;
however, much of it is instigated by the Phantom or
by the lore that surrounds him.




Then there is the darling boy, Raoul,
an old friend from Christine's childhood,
who represents safety, security, familiarity,
priviledge, and comfort,
memories of life before loss and loneliness.
He is the only person in Christine's life
who can share memories with her
of her dearly departed father.
The pain of Christine's loss is acute
many years after his death.
She seeks assistance from her father,
calling to him across time, space
and lifetimes.




I can easily feel how Christine is torn
between these two sides of herself
and her conflicting needs.
The lure of the Phantom is so strong.
There is a part of me that wants her to go to him
and not look back.






When they are together she loses track of everything
else in her life.
She both craves and fears this.

She is compelled to be near him

and repulsed by this dark side

which overtakes him at times.

In the same fashion

Christine is both turning toward

and running from different parts of herself.

The Phantom wants only to be with her

and to make music with her,

for him to compose

and for her to sing his compositions.

It seems he will stop at nothing to

obtain his desire.

In the end, he knows he must let her go,

that to hold on so tightly is to lose

that which we love the most.

And Christine knows she must leave him,

that her life in the world above can be tailored

to suit all her needs.

My heart breaks for them both,

and for Raoul, Christine's benevolent protector,

who knows he cannot be everything to her,

nor she to him,

but loves her nonetheless.

Each year, come Autumn, I give in

to my own cravings and indulge in

watching Phantom.

Are there any guilty pleasures you are willing to share?

I encourage you to bring them out into the air

where they can breathe.

Chances are that others are right there with you.

Common threads are what connect us all

as human.

Until next time...

Anne


Images courtesy of Warner Brothers.

Yummy dining spaces

There is something about a dining room
that captures my imagination.
Eat-in kitchens are purely functional spaces,
nice for a grab-and-go meal
or a bowl of cereal in the morning.
But dining rooms, spaces dedicated
to the sole purpose of
enjoying food and conversation,
make a meal a work of art.






In terms of design, a dining room offers a
unique opportunity to let one's personality
and style take center stage.
There are an infinite number of options
available for combinations of table, chairs,
and side boards (or hutches, buffets, armoires, console
tables).





In a simple room, bold elements,
like the swan and architectural salvage above,
make an even grander statement.






Natural light and a connection to
the landscape are of uptmost importance to me.





Old wood welcomes, with its dents and dings,
and speaks the language of ease.




Rustic and modern elements
play complimentary roles.




Natural accents and
architectural salvage
often make the
most fascinating accent pieces.
Each item tells its own story
and keeps us connected
to the rhythm of the seasons,
the passage of time.

Set within a larger room,

lowered ceiling heights and area rugs

define the dining space

and create intimacy.




Simplicity of design

and integrity of material

allow the meal to take center stage.

My own dining room is coming along slowly.

The room has been gutted, but no actual

building has begun.

Our carpenter friend has, sadly,

had some other things come up,

and so we wait.

I am trying to be patient and look past the chaos

that comes with any renovation project.

Afterall, I am dying,

not just to have it done,

but to share the outcome with you!

I hope you are having a lovely summer.

It is hard to believe August is here already,

and many of us are looking to fall, when children

(and in my case, spouses) head off to school.

My daughter moves into her dorm,

1000 miles from home,

exactly one month from today.

It is coming so fast, but I am thrilled

for her.

Until next time...

Anne

All images courtesy of Elle Decor

My summer style

It all started with a paisley fabric.

In the process of renovating our dining room,

I have gone through another round of

purging, minimizing, and down-scaling

possessions.

I stumbled across a super soft paisley linen shirt

in the closet that no longer fit my husband,

and rather than donate it, I decided to use it

to cover a pillow.

From this pillow, a palette was born--
time-worn reds, robin's egg blues, and loads
of ever-present white.





I "shopped" in various rooms around the house
to find things that fit.
Accents from the garden always add a
touch of life and color.





Lanterns and pale blue stones
evoke a maritime sensibility.





Fern fronds bring some height to groupings
and are a reflection of my love of nature.






The tray contains all the elements I seek--
honesty of material, simplicity of design,
and odes to both the summer garden and light.





Max, my male tabby, desperately wanted
some attention while I was taking photos.
Look at that expression!
He is quite hard to resist.





Even the cover of the latest issue of
Cottages & Bungalows fits the scheme.

I noticed many posts featuring red, white, and blue
around the 4th of July holiday.
At that point in time, my inspiration had not yet hit.
As you all know, the muse comes when she is ready,
and takes her own sweet time!

Happy Sunday, dear friends!

I hope you are enjoying the weekend.

Thanks so much for all the wonderful and

encouraging comments.

I appreciate each and every one!!

(Please pardon the test spacing.

Sometimes blogger does its own thing,

regardless of how hard I try

to exert my will)

Until next time...

Anne

Thoughts of summer

"In summer, the song sings itself"

~ William Carlos Williams

To honor this most carefree season

I am taking some tips from

style maven and "good things" expert,

Martha Stewart.

Throw open the doors,

letting air and light

infuse a home with freshness

Hang mosquito netting

from the rafters

to make slumbers

flow like dreams

Display gifts from nature,

remnants of days at the sea shore,

alongside cast-off items found

while treasure hunting




Sometimes the most important things

in life are a porch swing and a tall glass

of iced tea

Lines blurred between the out-of-doors and in

keep us connected to

the cycles and seasons of nature's dance





Fresh-cut flowers are instant room

and mood brighteners

Sunshine does a waltz across bare floors

There is nothing better than a handsome man

who has a way with food and decor.

Free-flowing arrangements are the most

welcoming and inviting.

I hope you take some time to enjoy the season.

Until next time...

Anne

All images courtesy of Martha Stewart

My favorite summertime read

"The sky is flesh.

The great blue belly arches

above the water and bends down

behind the line of the horizon.

It's a sight that has exhausted its magnificence

for me over the years,

but now I seem to be seeing it for the first time..."




image via flickr (crazyhorse)


So begins the book I Was Amelia Earheart

by Jane Mendelsohn,

a story I turn to as the heat of summer

slams into this part of the country like a

merciless wave.




image via flickr (drp)


From the opening sentence I was hooked.

The book tells the rest of her story,

the one not reported in the papers or

on the radio.





image via flickr (ecstaticist)

"More and more now, I remember things.

Images, my life, the sky...

Whether life is more real than death, I don't know.

What I know is that the life I have lived since I died

feels more real to me than the one I lived before..."

This book has the languid pace of a humid summer day.

The lyrical prose is to be savored slowly,

allowed to percolate into one's consciousness

like the residue of a dream.

There is a seasonal pattern to my reading,

which I have gradually come to realize over the years.

This book is one I turn to only in high summer,

and it has become a launching pad for my latest reverie.

Until next time...
Anne

Summer's simple pleasures

Nothing tugs at my heart

quite like white roses

in old glass bottles.

The beauty of simplicity

is what I most crave in my life.

There is a purity of being that comes

when form and function unite.

And the moment I become

aware and appreciative

of this unity,

all is right with my world.

Happy 4th of July!

Until next time...

Anne