Sunday 7 June 2015

In Search of Flowing Streams ...


I collect words - strange, but true.  I have a page on pinterest   specifically for words that I like the sound of; words that we don't use any more but say exactly what we are trying express.  Querencia is one such word.

n. A place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home; the place where you are your most authentic self.

  
That place for me is beside water; especially shallow moving water; streams, rivers, brooks and creeks.  Delighting in the sound of water tinkling over stones, glimmering and sparkling in the sunlight - watching small fish darting amongst the flowing weed.



This morning I went in search of a flowing stream down in the hollows behind my home.  Since my last visit in February here everything has become so overgrown, with knee-high buttercups and mares tails, that the water wasn't visible; tantalisingly I could hear the trickle as it meandered through the long grasses and overhanging trees.
 

 


I had to settle for the pond with its dark shadows, murky depths and brackish weed-filled  water; still and silent; moorhens hiding in the undergrowth afraid of humans - used only to cows, who come to drink from the water's edge.

 
 
 


My quest failed; the longing for moving water remains - to sit on the banks of a stream and look into the depths; watch the infinite patterns as the water makes its way downstream; clear and pure, tumbling over rocks and stones - tempting me to dip in my toes and feel the icy chill - alas, it will have to wait for another time, another place.

via Tumblr
Elaine
thank you to all who commented on my last post on Friday - I had to delete it as something had gone horribly wrong and it wasn't working properly.

47 comments:

  1. Such a beautiful word my friend!! And such amazing photos as well! I am so with you on the movement of water. I have always liked how it moves over rocks and when I take the beans to the aboretum they have such a stream where the children can move rocks to create dams and bridges. They and I can sit there for hours watching the water in that tiny stream! Wishing you beauty today Elaine! Nicole xo

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    1. There is something special about moving water - I am always drawn to it - the arboretum sounds delightful.

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  2. Wonderful word... I'd have to say my place of querencia would be home where I am most at peace. Plus the fact I can putter around in my well worn jeans, baggy shirts and pursue what ever pleases me at the moment. Rhubarb jam is on the agenda today.
    The cows look so content in the tall grass. Even the still waters of the pond would have yielded reflections from the trees and the stillness moments of quiet to enjoy.
    Susan x

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    1. Well, of course, it goes without saying that I feel myself most authentic at home - but being next to water is something special for me. The cows in the meadow are always a wonderful sight but a bit scary when you get close to them they are just so big - even though they are pretty harmless I am always wary.

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  3. A lovely post, and wonderful pictures. There's certainly something about shallow moving water that soothes the soul!
    Flighty xx

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    1. Thanks Flighty. I agree, there is just something about it that I love.

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  4. Beautiful photographs of such a beautiful time of year.
    There's nothing nicer than a babbling brook or stream …….. water plays such pretty music and is very relaxing isn't it Elaine ? Hope that you are enjoying the lovely weather today. XXXX

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    1. Thanks Jackie. It is lovely at the moment and I am making the most of it.

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  5. I've always wanted a house with a river or stream at the bottom of the garden; so far, no luck. Instead we close our eyes and listen to the water circulating around the pool, which is also nice; in its way.

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    1. When I was young we used to gave a garden with a brook at the bottom, aptly enough it was called Brook Drive. I used to spend hours playing in the water.

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  6. A good choice of location in which to gain strength. I sat in the summerhouse this afternoon. Out of the wind and through the glass the sun was warm, the birds were singing and water was trickling into the pond

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    1. I wish we had room for a summer house - a perfect retreat.

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  7. I remember your last post on this piece of land. It seems to have been forgotten, and I love that.
    I to love to be near water. We have friends who live in a converted water mill in France. I never want to leave there.....it is like Eden. So very beautiful.....

    Love your secret space :)

    Could not comment on your last post for some reason.....most peculiar.

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    1. Perhaps it is because we are Pisces that we love water. My last post was a disaster I had to delete it Cheryl - some technical glitch that I couldn't solve.

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  8. Querencia, never heard of it before, but now I know it´s an untranslatable Spanish word. I love moving water too, like to be on the seaside and look for hours to the rolling waves, but also babbling brooks and mini/waterfalls are just fascinating.

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    1. I too love watching the sea but prefer streams hidden away in woodland - somewhere secret is a bonus.

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  9. I miss living next to the river, we have a small beck that runs through the park, one of my favourite places to go, it starts up in the field running past the now growing meadow which is full of wild flowers. At one side there is a wood were I took time to sit to day, and watch the sunlight chase across the field due to the strong winds.
    I too like a good quote and save them to, I like how a few words can explain a thousand ideas....
    Amanda xx

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    1. It's funny how many names there are for the same thing - I had forgotten about it being called a beck, another one to add to the list.

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  10. Such a lovely post. I hope you find the water you seek. My house is very close to a little river, and at night especially we can feel its secret spirit waking from sunlit dreams of the sea. Personally, I would love to live near a place like in your beautiful photographs - meadows, windflowers, old wise trees.

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    1. Thank you Sarah. There are lots of streams around here but they are hard to get to - but I will persevere and maybe one day I will even be able to get a decent photograph. I often think I would love to live by the sea but I am sure I would miss the beautiful countryside that surrounds where I live at the moment.

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  11. It looks like a beautiful place to enjoy! I hope that you find the water one day. xx

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    1. It is a beautiful, secret sort of place only visited occasionally as groups of walkers pass through - I like to think of it as my special place.

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  12. A lovely post Elaine..
    The moors look so lovely this time of the year.
    Your dreams sometimes can come true. I hope you get to sit by the little stream one day and twiddle yours toes in the river.
    Thank you for your kind comments over at my blog Elaine.. I am hopefully catching up during this week with everyone.
    Just to let you know.. there is a town here in Portugal called Quarensa.. I am going to look up if its the same meaning as your word. What a great thing to do ..collect words.
    val x

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    1. Thanks Val. I should imagine the word is from Quarensa as the word originates from Spain. Hope you are feeling a lot better.

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  13. i'm so enjoyinh meandering through your online place here....

    i discovered this word a couple of years ago and, as a word-lover too, it's one that has remained with me.

    my Home is a horizon, or perhaps that's more my temple. i also need to hear water. i don't really enjoy being in it, but the sound of it's living soul is infinitely soothing.

    thank you for sharing your 'place'.

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    1. Hello and welcome to my blog - thanks for visiting and leaving a comment.

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  14. To someone who also collects words it doesn't sound odd at all. And my happy places are generally found beside water too, the sea as well as the babbling brook.

    Have you read McFarlane's Landmarks, about all the different landscape words, if not I think you would enjoy it very much.

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    1. No I haven't read Landmarks but have read one or two of his other books - it sounds like my cup of tea thanks for the recommendation.

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  15. What a great word. I guess it could also be an internal place, that place within yourself where you are most at peace? I love your header pic by the way :-)

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    1. It is isn't it. Yes I guess it could be a place within yourself. I love the colour blue of the cornflowers it makes for a colourful header.

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  16. I am also a bit of a 'word nerd' and my favourite place is by water too - luckily for me I live near the sea .... have a good week!

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    1. Glad to know I'm not the only one! I love being by the sea too - in a couple of weeks that's where I'll be. Have a good week yourself.

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  17. Dear Elaine- that is a new word for me. I love it and will be certain to jot it down ad well as its meaning. I enjoy slow moving bodies of water too. In fact there was a creek that ran behind my childhood home. I still love to visit it when I go to my folks. Beautiful pictures my friend.

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  18. Thank you Debbie - I love finding these new words and am pleased I found the opportunity to use it. There is nothing like water for contemplation.

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  19. I like that word very much and will have a think about what it means for me. A falling asleep thought perhaps.

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  20. Petrichor is another good word. I expect you already have it in your collection being a gardener.

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    1. Yes I do - the earthy scent of soil after rainfall.

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  21. I've never known anyone that collects words before, what a marvelous quirky thing to do! I love that and querencia!
    I love running water too, shame you didn't see any, but it looks like you had fun anyway by that last pic, I do love that! Look at you, with your lovely bunch of flowers looking as cute as a button! A lovely post, with some gorgeous pics!xxx

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    1. Thanks Snowbird. I shall be shopping tomorrow and right next to Sainsbury's there is the river - I shall have to content myself with that - for now. I have never been called as cute as a button before - I can't say that I can see it myself - but thanks anyway. LOL.

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  22. Querencia ... it is a lovely word.

    We are blessed to have so many at our disposal - and perhaps we should use them more.

    Enjoyed your photographs, thank you.

    All the best Jan

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    1. It is isn't it. I agree there are so many words and our vocabulary so limited.

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  24. This is a new word for me. I found myself wondering where I was my most authentic self. Gently flowing water is instantly soothing isn't it? I can see why it is your querencia.
    P.S. Your header is especially nice. I love the cheery mix of blue and yellow.

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    1. Surely your most authentic self must be in the garden - in my mind's eye you are always surrounded by flowers and beautiful gardens. Thank you re the header - one of my favourite photos taken in a country park last year.

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  25. Hi Elaine
    Just found your blog (on Anxious Gardener) & thoroughly enjoying it, but wanted to ask if you've any way of providing your photos full size? I'm trawling everywhere grabbing ones for my Win 7 desktop slideshow as some are just wonderful & bring the outside in when you can view them on a large monitor at full res.

    I'm disabled & currently housebound so this is my only means of recapturing the wonderful enjoyment I used to gain in my youth wandering the fields round my local village, No worries if not - just thought I'd check. :)

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    1. Hi Romayne - As far as I know the photos are as large as they can go with Blogger within the width of my blog. Sorry I can't be of any help.

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