I planted morning glory seeds a few months back. In this neck of the woods, we don’t see any blooms until sometime in August. There are about 6 or 7 leafy stems throughout the chicken wire fence garden. The one stem that seemed to be the most spindly, that probably wouldn’t amount to anything, surprised me this morning.
Behold: the first morning glory of the summer. A thing of beauty. It rained a bit last night, so there’s an added bonus of water droplets. And, as you can see, there are more buds on this stem. Yay!
I love my morning glories.
It’s been fairly quiet around here. I read a lot yesterday. In the days before personal computers, I used to get up every morning, make some coffee, and read. Usually the reading matter was a novel of some sort, sometimes I thumbed through a magazine in the days when magazines were chock-full of information we had yet to be able to see online. Remember those days? Seems like ancient history now.
I’ve started reading with my first cup of coffee. Not blogs, not the latest headlines online, not my email – no, I’m reading a book. I’ve gone back to my life before my laptop. It’s so lovely. Simply lovely.
It’s quiet, the aroma of coffee is in the air, my book is in my hands. In the early morning, my sleepy brain is not distracted by a long list of things that must be done. Scout, who needs a lot of hands-on care, is usually sleeping. My mind is completely receptive to the words on the page; open, ready to soak up all the images and descriptions, ready to enter into the world of the imagination.
It’s so simple. I did it for years. But when I started blogging, I developed the habit of cracking open the laptop first thing in the morning. Had to go through my email. Had to check out other blogs. Had to immediately start in thinking about what I was going to blog about that day, and what photos I was going to use in the post. Had to edit the photos.
There’s nothing at all wrong with any of that.
But reading is one of my lifelong passions. I read a lot. I also review books and am committed to sharing my discoveries with you. Grabbing a half-hour to read before I go to sleep just doesn’t cut it. I have to carve out more time in the day to read. And that, really, is no sacrifice at all.
I’ve found it’s all too easy to let the online world take over. Though it’s wonderful and valuable and the source of a lot of information, and I, of course, use that world to write my blogs, it doesn’t hold a candle to being transported into a world made real by the words on a page.
So, I’m going back to my morning ritual pre-blogging, pre-convenient and nearby laptop. Coffee. A book. It’s a wonderful and peaceful way to start the day. I’m currently reading Murder in the Bastille by Cara Black, number 4 in the Aimée Leduc series – ordered though my local library. A great series by the way, with rich, vivid descriptions of Paris, both old and beautiful and gritty and urban Paris.
And see? I’m even finding time to write my daily blog post. Yesterday, even after taking an hour or so to read my book, I found the time to write two posts. Nothing lost, everything gained.
Happy Tuesday.
My first morning-glory bloom made an appearance this morning, too. It’s the first time planting them so I was anxious to admire them. Your’s is lovely. Mine is white with a blue stripe pattern. Very pretty. I agree there is nothing better than reading a book and not from the lap-top. It’s much more relaxing. Give Scout a hug for me when she wakens. Deb
Your morning glory sounds beautiful, Deb! I will give Scout a hug from you – she’ll love that!
It is a wonderful way to start your day! Talking about starting your day, guess what started mine today? An instant message on my Facebook from Don with the link to the cd!! Oh my goodness Claudia, what a song! I was trying not to squeal, but I was doing a happy dance :) I pre-ordered it already; how could I not? I am so looking forward to hearing the rest of the cd. They are very talented musicians, but of course you know that.
Please take more pictures of the Morning Glories as they bloom. I really love the colour of that one.
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs to all,
Deb
Oh, thank you, thank you, Debbie! How wonderful that you’ll get a copy of the CD. Isn’t that song amazing? And it hasn’t even been mastered yet! Thank you, my dear friend.
Morning glories, hollyhocks, & a good book make for a good start to the day!
They do indeed! Hope your day is wonderful, Debbie.
A wonderful way to start your day, for sure. I often sit and knit or stitch with my coffee in the morning…if I were to read I fear I might become too engrossed and skip going to work – lol…which, might not be a bad idea once in awhile. Gorgeous morning glory. Our vines are lush, but no buds or blooms yet…hoping soon.
This is the only vine that has any blooms. The rest show no signs of buds yet, Vera.
The photo is stunning. I must remember to plant morning glories next year. I’m starting with a brand new garden and there are so many flowers, I need to make a new list. After grabbing a cup of coffee in the morning, I grab some books and my journal, and still have to make a conscious decision to stay.away.from.the.computer until I take a half hour to just experience the morning. I like your morning reading time.
It’s hard to remember all the things you’d love to have in your garden when you’re starting all over, Karen! Grab a little notebook and write them down as you think about them. I know my brain seems to more and more of a sieve, and I forget things immediately!
I love how you ‘ ve gone back to books in the morning. One of my favorite memories of my mom was waking up at the lake and seeing her reading at the picnic table with her cup of coffee. Best way to start the day.
Eileen
I remember seeing your mom reading in the morning. What a memory that evoked! I miss her so much! Thanks for the memory, cousin. xo
Happy Tuesday to you also Claudia. It is good for us to start our day calmly and think good thoughts! Doris
It sure is, Doris. Have a wonderful day.
You have me remembering my previous rituals before technology. A quiet cup of coffee with a magazine or book…or outside on the deck listening and watching the wildlife. Must get back to that…great way to start the day! ;)
I’m convinced it’s the best way for me to start the day.
Excellent idea Claudia…I have also gotten in the habit of jumping on the laptop as soon as I get up…then I tend to get engrossed in reading the endless articles and information available online…and then my book reading gets put of until bedtime…I start to read and then start to get sleepy…Starting tomorrow I will try it your way and see how it goes…I’m betting that I will like it much better too….I always love your Heavenly Blue Morning Glories…they are such a pretty shade of blue…
That shade of blue is beautiful. I love it. Good luck with the new morning ritual, Nancy!
What a gorgeous morning glory! I plant them , but they must need a little more sun than I have – they just won’t grow. They are my favorites. Keep the photos coming, please~
I have been picking up a book to read, instead of the computer, lately. I really miss it, and seem a little less relaxed, if I don’t get my reading in…….
Thank you, again, for the beautiful morning glory photos~
Me too. But yesterday and today, I feel more relaxed and grounded.
My morning started at 2 am when my cat threw up her dinner in my bedroom. Needless to say, I’m groggy this morning. My morning read used to be the newspaper, but there has been too many awful, sad, horrible stories so I now usually skip right to the comics and puzzles. Enjoy the rest of your day!
Oh boy, a vomiting cat is no way to start your day!
Love Morning Glories too – gorgeous. Like your idea about reading in the morning – may try that too. Get so caught up with the Internet…. I always read at night for an hour before sleep, but adding morning reading sounds good!
The internet, though wonderful, can be a real time suck- at least for me. In fact, I’m going to go and do some more reading after I write this reply! Good luck with your morning reading, Liz!
I think we need to revisit a lot of things we did in the past. I’m constantly wrestling with a certain level of discontentment in the quality of my life and finding myself rechecking the past to see why it seemed better…and let’s go back to that then. I was in the doctor’s office waiting room yesterday and every single person in the packed lobby had their heads down, looking at that thing in their hand and disengaged from the world around them. It was sort of unbelievable. And sad.
Your morning glory is absolutely beautiful. I tried to plant a lot of blue in my garden last year but the heat and drought has severely affected most everything we planted despite our careful use of water in the California crisis. Yesterday, we had a wildfire start up on one of the properties just north of us but our great fire department quickly got it under control along with some air tankers. I’m in the south but of course we’re having severe wildfire in Northern California. We’re not even in fire season yet. It doesn’t happen usually til like October. Scary. Anyway, I have lost both of my blue hibiscus. Agapathus has survived. And a hybrid lupine.
Have a continued good day, Claudia. I know what it is to have a hands-on dog. But, oh, is she worth it.
When I’m in Manhattan, I’m startled by how many heads are down, checking phones. I’ve had people run into me while walking because their focus is downward and not outward. Makes me sad and crazy.
I wouldn’t trade my little hands-on girl for anything in the world. You’re right – they are worth it.
I love to read! I read your reviews and many of the books sound like ssomething I would like. However, in this day of easy words and language I try to avoid books with objectionable language and content. It’s a personal choice I have made and I do not judge others by their choices. Is there any way in your reviews to give a heads up as to these issues? I would love to find some new authors, but it is a little intimidating out there! Thank you!
Here’s the problem: what is objectionable to one person is not objectionable to someone else. I have a pretty high threshold for language and I find very little objectionable. I have written about specific instances in the past, when even I found language a little dicey – but that has been a very rare occurrence.
All that is, hopefully, a nice way of saying that I don’t do that as a rule. I’m writing about the book itself, the way the plot unfolds, how the author tells the story, develops characters, and handles language, yes, but most books reflect real life, which involves sometimes colorful language. And I usually don’t blink an eye. I don’t feel comfortable speaking for anyone but myself on this sort of thing.
Claudia, I start my day with coffee and my laptop and I read a book at night. Love the morning glories. So pretty!
hugs,
Linda
I think I have to add in reading before the laptop….especially since I post every day and answer comments off and on throughout the day. I need some protective reading time first! Hope you’re not too exhausted from babysitting, Linda!
It’s so try Claudia when we’re passionate abou something we find there is time for it!
I have found myself waiting to blog or go to the computer and reading instead, or sketching, or working SUDOKU puzzles. This summer, I’ve even taken to sending cards and letters again… Like I did before email!
I love the morning glories but am afraid ours didn’t flourish… They have probably gone the way of the cucumbers;and dried up!
* it’s so true….
I admire your sending cards and letters, Pat. That’s something I’ve never been particularly good at doing. I think Email works better for me, but I know that a personal note is much, much better. Ah, well.
Still don’t have a first MG bloom this year as of yet. Patience, I keep telling myself!!
I have started my “notes” in my 2015 Gardening journal of what worked and didn’t work and of my favorites and not so favorites. It really does help when spring rolls around.
Love the idea of starting my electronic day a bit later. I have been trying to do that the past few weeks and getting some gardening things done early in the day instead of after dinner. I don’t know why, but everything seems happier in the earlier morning. Maybe it is the hot weather. I think by the end of the day they feel as spent as do I…possibly a bit crabby, too. We do better in these early mornings. :-)
I think this morning glory bloom was a sort of fluke, Chris. The other vines have no buds at all! I agree about the early morning. It’s my favorite time of day. The plants look happier, I’m happier, Don’s happier….Scout’s happier!
Claudia, your morning glory is so pretty, but when I saw your hollyhock, a flood of memories came back to me. I remember my Mother’s hollyhocks that were growing up along side of our little house, when I was 7 or 8, and I would pick only the pink blossoms,and make skirts for tiny doll ballerinas, To this day they are my favorite “old fashion” flower.
And I can say “me too”, enjoying my morning coffee while reading a novel. Perfect start to the day.
Bless you Claudia…
I love coffee and books and your idea of morning reading. I too open my laptop and enjoy ‘catching up’ with my morning cuppa. I think tomorrow, I will crack open my latest mystery instead :) :)
Mmm, timely post as I’ve been thinking I spend waaay too much time on my laptop and not enough time reading books – one of my greatest pleasures. Like you, my normal morning routine is to make my coffee and turn on my laptop. I read my email, scan Facebook, see if I have any new blog comments, then read a few blogs. I do pretty much the same at different times throughout the day, which is fine, but…I save my book reading for about 1/2 hour before I go to bed. Not enough time! Perhaps your post is a sign that I need to at least try the morning book routine, and not turn on the laptop until later in the morning. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Hi there!! Just came across your blog and I LOVE it!! Like you, I’m an avid reader, and I too had somewhat put reading books on the back burner a bit while I was on the computer. I agree, I love following certain bloggers and youtubers but reading an actual book is just such an experience….I can relate to exactly what this post was about….I too have recently limited my computer time and got back to reading and the void has been filled. Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work.