A quiet Thursday finds me happy.

{The first coffee of the day.}

A new, favourite way to start the day is having my coffee at a table recently moved under the window to catch the end of summer light. Sitting in the wooden Captain’s chair, I can tuck my feet up underneath myself and sit cross-legged before the table. An embroidered Hungarian pillow resting at the small of my back, a warm cup in my hands and a day free of rules, appointments and plans.

These mornings are my favourite quiet mornings. With the front door ajar so that the sounds of the street can filter through the house, with cats falling back to long slumber, and with the phone silent. Such mornings are to be savoured, relished and lapped up whole. I may have many things to do but the order in which I choose to tackle them is all my own. I am free to start one task and move onto the next when I see fit. Days free of structure, days that evolve as they please, such carefree days I hold dear.

{With a black and white shadow.}

This is perhaps, mused my Mum, why I enjoy my characters in the books I read to be nomads, roamers, and people free to govern their own schedule. Arvid (In the Wake) annoyed my Mum no end as he lay in the Norwegian snow, his feet resting against a tree trunk to stop from sliding. To me, being at liberty to lie on the ground and think of nothing seemed little short of wonderful.

I lie down again with my back in the pine needles, and it feels good to breathe the ice-cold air. I look up between the tree trunks to the sky, which is completely clear and full of stars, and it slowly turns around, the whole world turns slowly around and is a huge, empty space. Silence is everywhere, and there is nothing between me and the stars, and when I try to think of something, I think of nothing. I close my eyes and smile to myself.

Inspector Salvo Montalbano’s independent, cavalier ways irked my Mum just a little. And Zoli, as she set about finding her way to a new home, annoyed her also. I, on the other hand, responded to such characters differently.

All three of us, as we sat yesterday and sewed and stuffed linen birds for a hammer & daisy order, Louise included, agreed that we wouldn’t particularly like to meet the Radlett's (The Pursuit of Love, post Songdogs, is the next book Louise has on her list of reads), nor Brontë’s Jane Eyre (which my Mum is currently re-reading, a tattered copy borrowed from the library), nor a whole host of other characters drawn from the page for that matter. In reality, Hercule would find me a mess, and Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther would find me a poor companion to walk the streets of 1930s Berlin, but I fear I’ve lost my train of thought with this, as I so often do.

{Polar bears above the fireplace.}

In my day to day, and in the imagined life I lead through books, I like my options open. I like characters to take me where I cannot go myself, and to places I’ve yet to see. I like them to do unexpected things, and I like them to lie in the snow until they are near to freezing.

I don’t like to be locked in. I like windows flung high. I like very much my relaxed home life with its people, animals and things. I love this little sanctuary from which I am free to explore, and I am looking forward to spending my Thursday at home, all the long day and night doing as I please.

Comments

[andrea (scout)]

oh grache, i love that passage, after arvid leaves the hospital. it ripped my guts out in the best possible way. zoli too. :) how lovely it would be to join you for a cup of coffee on a quiet morning and talk characters. :) xoxo

[sarajo]

how completely delightful to have stumbled upon you and all the lovely work! is there a hungarian background in your past? thanks so for visiting me and leaving word so that i could find this...entrancing...delightful!

[Rebecca]

you left a nice comment on my blog, red kite, the first! i was so excited! this sounds like a perfect day, windows flung open, just meandering.would be lovely to join you..

[Brydie]

Grache, thats a lovely piece of writing you've composed today. It has helped me relax. You always talk about {what seems to me} quite exotic books, and they sound amazing, where do you source these gems? Norwegian snow, yes please!
I swivelled past platforms exhibit of your fine white animals and collection of zines, great work! Those famously shaped icons would make for darling bookends, don't you think? What will you do with them post-show?
By the By.... my boyfriend and I are currently searching on the internet for a nice rental property around the leafier suburbs closer to town, and happened to chance upon your next door neighbours place! I really liked the house, then realised the address, how uncanny!

[sandra]

the cup is perfect, your post made me relax :) i think i'll take my cup and go away from the computer now.

[Tiffany]

Mmmm...quiet mornings without a schedule, how I long for thee. We rush about so much that we forget to take a quiet moment here and there with a cuppa by the window or on the patio rather than on the run or in front of the TV. Your post made me think that it's time for a quiet morning - no lists, no intentions, no place to be but in that quiet moment.

Thank you. :^)

(p.s. love the mug!)

[wendy]

you talking about your day your books, characters you a drawn to made me slow down a bit and settle.
thanks.

[Zoe Pedziwiatr]

Hello!
My name is Zoe and I go to the Kansas City Art Institute (kansas city, missouri, USA).
I'm a printmaking major and next week I have to give a presentation about narrative found in printmaking--discussing artists that use it and how. I know you two do a lot of offset/zines/books and would really like to include you as I'm more interested in representing women artists--especially collaborative ones! Because I've only seen your work through a computer screen, maybe I could know a little bit more about your process, your collaborative process, and your usage or narrative. What are common themes that connect your work? I would really appreciate it if you could provide me with more information :)

Thanks,
Zoe

[Andrea Tachezy]

I am sitting in front of the school computer and missing my home-coffee cup! As I can see, you have a little animal helper too.
I love the photo with the polar bears.It is like from L.Carroll, about Alice behind the mirror.

[comfies]

i so love your way with words gracia!

[Diane]

And what a sanctuary it is! Your photos make me wish I could relax a little more.

Very nice blog! I'll visit again.

[Kait Schott]

You've captured the pleasure of reading and unplanned time so well! Thanks for the quiet moment....

[mansuetude]

this is delicate. the voice of a woman knitting her thought so others can wear its lovely shape. i am lucky to find it.

[maria]

sounds like a great morning...I love your green-man mug:)

[shari]

after reading this post, i think i would very much like a zine of your writings. i just purchased in the wake and i cannot wait. hugs.

[jenny v.]

yes, yes. this resonates with me. a certain quietude is necessary, especially on thursdays...

happy weekend dear.

[Eunice]

i too have my table under windows, and i watch birds flitter and flutter by, the dogs being walked, and the squirrels climbing trees.

i'm also enjoying reading in the wake as well, and a collection of anne fadiman's eclectic essays (in a book called at large and at small). a piece of book heaven, really. and i've read zoli, such a wonderful piece of work.

keep reading, my friend.

[kate]

This is beautiful, Gracia! You have an amazing ability with words ... I felt as if I was sitting having a coffee at your table. A lovely coffee cup and polar bears!!

[louise]

Beautifully phrased... bring on more mornings like this one, I say. xo lj

[shell]

Oh yes, I like that kind of life too! Yesterday I spent four and a half hours in the hammock on our deck reading a book - in that time I spent 3 months in an Ashram in India!

I like to sit with my legs crossed and tucked under me too - my mum always said I'd get varicose veins from sitting like this - I sure do hope not because I don't really know any other way to sit.

Love the tea cup from which you drink your morning coffee. :)

[Ana]

wonderful :) your writing on this post warmed my heart as I sip on freshly brewed coffee with a blanket around me (it's winter here), feeling all cozy.

[amisha]

i love seeing these snippets of your lovely home, g. it looks like a wonderful place to spend a carefree day! i am like you... i love nothing more than to have a day completely free of rules and structure, where i can putter about and get everything i need to done in my own way. very luxurious! xox

[julie]

i just wrote a long comment which disappeared into cyberspace..i wrote..
another beautiful post and how i would love to join you by the window..or perhaps not as i wouldnt like to disturb..maybe another corner and a meet in the kitchen later for a drink :). I love how you take us off on your day-dreaming journeys...the idea of being free.
I love to sit cross-legged nearly always and often linger off to dream world
Have a lovely week Gracia xxx

[amy cord]

Wow! Your morning sounds great. I must schedule one of those mornings in for myself really soon.

[lisa s]

oh how i love little glimpses into your open windowed world!!
xo

[cruststation]

I recently picked up a copy of 'Tale from Moominvalley'. Snufkin roams free in the woods playing his harmonica, it's a tale of freedom, being at one with nature -love it!