Deer Serenade

 

as crows fly
in the dawn light
on the cold hill
the deer are running

the thud of their hooves
on the bed of the stream
is the drum that rocks
the roots of the birch
and the wind that shakes
the birch tree’s leaves

rain is their tribe song
rain is their robe

snow is the dust
of the bones of deer
falling to earth

and earth is the dark
deep silence of things
where you dream yourself
human, alive
watching the red deer running
on the wall of a cave

    

Deer by Chris Powici, via 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Outfit:

Pink Dress: gift from my Mum from a Boden sale a few years ago

Pink Silk Patterned Skirt: made by granny Kiki in the 1950s/60s

Cowboy boots: very old from R Soles

Wooden Bracelet: Granny Penny's

 

 

The Soundtrack:

Kate Bush: The Jig Of Life

 

 

All photographs taken by me in our garden, self portraits using the self timer.

 

I'm posting this a bit early as will be very busy over the next few days.

Looking forward to catching up with your new posts over the weekend!

 

Heat Haze

 

It seems like you could, but

you can't go back and pull

the roots and runners and replant.

It's all too deep for that.

You've overprized intention,

have mistaken any bent you're

given

for control. You thought you chose

the bean and chose the soil.

You even thought you abandoned

one or two gardens. But those

things

keep growing where we put them -

if we put them at all.

A certain kind of Eden holds us

thrall.

Even the one vine that tendrils out

alone

in time turns on its own impulse,

twisting back down its upward course

a strong and then a stronger rope,

the greenest saddest strongest

kind of hope.

 

 

A Certain Kind Of Eden, by Kay Ryan via 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Outfit:

1930s style dark floral dress: from a charity shop

Vintage 1950s rose head scarf: inherited from granny Kiki

Black sunhat: old from the high street

Nude pumps: old from New Look

Silver earrings, just seen: from Accesorize

 

 

 

The Soundtrack:

 Sergei Rachmaninov: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in A minor

 

 

 

All photos taken by me in our garden, using the self timer during the final gasp of our hot summer.

 

 

 I am delighted to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by Patti from Not Dead Yet Style, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.

 

 

P.S. Not that any of us need any help with dressing and living well, but I found this recent documentary about inspiring octogenarian beauties absolutely brilliant and think you would too. Click on the link here to watch it:

Fabulous Fashionistas: Channel 4 Documentary

 

 

Shepherd's Hut Love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms.”  

 

 

Extract from Walden: Or, Life In The Woods, by Henry David Thoreau via 1

 

 

 

The Outfits:

Vintage 1970s denim hot pants: inherited from my dear Mum, along with the legs!

Green & Black Breton Top: from a charity shop

White & Blue Swan Breton Jumper: old from Topshop, in the days I still shopped there

Watercolour Painted Top: gift from my Mum

Capri Pant Jeans: old from H&M

Hunter Wellies: from Ebay

 

 

 

The Soundtrack

Mazzy Star: She Hangs Brightly 

 

 

All photographs taken on holiday in Dorset about 4 years ago, long before my blogging began. It was one of our loveliest ever shepherd's hut adventures, and that's saying something as we've had a few! Details of Sam the shepherd's hut, available for holiday let, can be found at the glamping website Canopy & Stars.

 

This seems a fitting post with which to celebrate the first anniversary of this blog Kiki & the Gypsy, which started life simply as a wardrobe of old clothes, a love of nature, and a photograph from our stay in a gypsy carriage to use as the header.

  Enormous thanks to all of you who read and comment on this blog, I feel very lucky to have found this welcoming and inspiring community, you're amazing and have brought such pleasure to my life.

 Here's to the next year of blogging!

 

 

 I am delighted to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by Patti from Not Dead Yet Style, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.

It's also a great pleasure to be joining Ariane at her Show Me Your Style link up at Style Sud-Est.

I'm also popping by Jane from The Flight Platform for her link-up, themed this week Behind The Bike Sheds (hope these hot pants are rebellious enough for you Jane!).

Femininity

 

 



“Like no one else,' I told him in a letter written at the end of July, 'you share that part of my mind that associates itself mostly with ideal things and places....The impression thinking about you gives me is very closely linked with that given me by a lonely hillside or a sunny afternoon or wind on the moorlands or rich music...or books that have meant more to me than I can explain, or the smell of the earth after a shower or the calmness of the sky at sunset....This is grand, but still it isn't enough for this world, whatever it may be like "when we're beyond the sun." The earthly and obvious part of me longs to see and touch you and realise you as tangible.” 

 

 

Extract from The Testament Of Youth, by Vera Brittain via 1

 

The Outfit:

Vintage 1940s/50s Crepe & Satin Cerise Sheath Dress: bought from lovely Jill the Vintage Baroness at Adeline's Attic Vintage. Thanks again Jill!

Black Lace Peep Toe High Heels: old from New Look

Amber Earrings: my Mother's

Amber Bracelet: gift from a friend

 

 

The Soundtrack

Nina Simone: See-line Woman 

 

 

All photographs taken by me using the self timer in my parents' beautiful garden.

 

 

I'm delighted to link this post to Shoe Shine, a great event hosted by Bella of The Citizen Rosebud, click on the website to see her cute shoes and those of many others.

 

 I am also pleased to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by Patti from Not Dead Yet Style, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.