The weather might not reflect it but summer is here! As usual I will be mostly awol from WP for a few weeks as I disappear to a part of the world untouched by the internet, wifi & TV (I know, unbelievably these places still exist!). I look forward to popping in at times when possible.
I wish you all a lovely peaceful summer. May it be a time for recuperation and soul-searching, may it be a time to reflect where you are today, where you want to be tomorrow. For everyone out there, writers, artists, poets, may your creative energy flow keenly. For some inspiration I am honoured to share Thalia’s Gust’s latest poem. May we all Brave that Canvas, notebook, document…to find the courage to CREATE.
Brave the Canvas
An empty canvas can paralyse
Vincent tells us, he should know.
Let us be brave
Let us
Boldly put something down,
Even if we fail.
Try again, get up
Use your gifts, your tools,
Be it your work,
your writing, painting
or baking bread.
Boredom kills
We diminish ourselves,
automatons walking along,
eat, work and sleep
Until our days are past.
Yes, you will fail at times,
Spectacularly perhaps.
Equally, you might succeed,
Reaching someone’s heart.
Go ahead with passion,
do your best.
Glorious feeling,
when beauty ensues.
Give Birth to a dream.
© Thalia Gust
Annika Perry 
Yes! 🐞
Ditto! 😀😀
I agree with the sentiments in your poem, although for me it’s not so much “brave the canvas” as “brave the computer screen.”
I realize I should have said Thalia’s poem! Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful break.
Totally understand and yes, had an amazing peaceful time in Sweden. Back for a few days before going away again. Hope the summer is treating you well. 😀
It’s very hot but otherwise good. I hope you’re having a nice summer too, Annika. 🙂
Same for me, although it might be ‘braving the blank piece of paper’! How can something so innocuous become so forbidding?!
That’s true. There are few things scarier than an empty page.
Reblogged this on The Popcorn Daily.
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A lovely poem Annika. Have a lovely summer. x
Thank you so much, Dorne! 😀 Hope you’re having a great summer too.
When I can cool off ! LOL! x
Have a lovely break Annika. Enjoy your free time. Happy summer!
Thank you so much, Marje – I’m having a absolutely perfect relaxing holiday; odd how sometimes you don’t realise much you need the break until you’re there. I hope you’re having a lovely summer. 😀
That’s great Annika. Yes I’m having a lovely summer. All the best. Enjoy! Marje 🙂
Thanks for a lovely visit, poem and post. I am doing lots of music in many different groups with my sister. I, too, am mostly off=grid. Enjoy your summer and recharge the batteries. ^__^
Mary Ann, that sounds a beautiful way to spend your summer and I wish you and your sister much enjoyment and peace with your music. Time off the grid is vital at times I’ve found to recharge the batteries and return with new strength and ideas. Wishing you a lovely summer break from WP and see you back here soon.
Music, music, music galore. Every day with different places and groups. Stretching myself musically. Interesting and great fun too. Rest, relax and recharge. Also no television. My brain awakens to different music daily. The words flow more easily now too. Enjoy your time away. My sister and I have found new musical ways to connect. Enjoy, enjoy! ^__^
Have a wonderful summer, Annika. Enjoy your time off the grid.
Thank you, Eve and hope you have a wonderful summer! 😀 Time ‘off the grid’ is extremely relaxing and I’ve indulged in reading many books! Bliss but do look forward to ‘chatting away’ soon; still lucky enough to have quite some time in this beautiful land.
How wonderful that you can recharge in the land of your birth. In the stillness of the land, glittering lakes and sea. Just let all worries drop and blogging too. Write notes if you feel like it.
Then come back, all new, and face your canvas – your book.
Final edit and put it forward into the world.
Also thanks for sharing the poem, we all need to trust ourselves.
Mirja
Thank you so much for your warm and thoughtful comment, Mirja. Also believe me, I feel your gentle ‘nudge’ and yes, to return and face my canvas, my book! Batteries are in process of being recharged and already feel so much brighter and refreshed; with many more days of the holiday still left! The poem is inspiring and how often don’t we fail to trust ourselves, our work. Reading the poem gives me strength and belief in myself – hopefully others feel the same too. Wishing you a lovely summer too. 😀😀
I may not have waited long enough to get my message posted to you, Annika! I am sad to have you on break, but happy for you, hoping it is a wonderful and relaxing time spent away from blogging.
I have enjoyed reading your comments and “getting to know you better!” This is why I expressed a little sadness. . . Best wishes and look forward to your coming back again! 🙂 ❤
Robin, I’m on a mini holiday within a holiday so lovely to catch up with your message as I’m at a hote with wifi. Thank you so much – it’s been great getting to know you and I look forward to reading your posts and commenting soon again! 😀
Enjoy your escape! 😃
Thank you and hope you are having a lovely summer, Kev!😀
Have a wonderful break, Annika. I am dreaming of a place where I can “disappear to a part of the world untouched by the internet, wifi & TV,” a wild land where even cell phones don’t reach, “where the deer and the antelope play,” to quote an old song. –Curt
Thank you, Curt and I’m having a most wonderful break! So relaxing and a chance to gorge myself on reading! I thought you might have had quite a few chances to escape the modern connected world whilst out on your travels?! I like the quote from the song (which my husband is now trying but failing to sing to me!)- so far haven’t seen any deer on the land!
Just being free to read… one of the greatest of pleasures. My original bike trek in 1989 was just about as close to unconnected as you can get, except for my excursions into the wilderness, Annika. Our recent route review was connected most of the time, however. Sigh. I miss the peace and freedom that comes with being unconnected. –Curt
Good for you. We all need to have a break from cyberspace. And it’s a lovely poem. 🙂
Thank you, Cathleen. I must say that the first time I took a break from WordPress last year I was nervous as didn’t know if everyone would ‘disappear’. Only to realise many feel the same, take a summer break, are totally understanding. Already feel rejuvenated and clear-headed and still many days to go – just a couple of days connected to the wifi whilst travelling around visiting. So glad you enjoyed the poem, it’s message is important to all of us.
This poem inspires me! Thank you, and I hope you are having a restful, relaxing, rejuvenating holiday.
Pamela, yes, it is truly a wonderfully inspiring poem – I’ve read it often when in doubt about my writing. Still on holiday and it is already healing and feeling clear-headed and at peace. Enjoying a couple of days out on the islands visiting family and friends and staying at a hotel with wifi! Wishing you a lovely peaceful summer. 😀
What a wonderful poem! Thank you for sharing, Annika! There’s definitely something to be said about being “unplugged”. It gives you much more time to enjoy everything else the world has to offer. Great pics, too! Have a wonderful week!
Julie, thank you so much for your lovely comment. The poem is so true for us all. Oh, I’m still on holiday – lucky enough to have a few weeks. I love your phrase ‘unplugged’! Yep, the break is restoring my inner peace and wow, great to read so much, already into my sixth book! Wishing you a wonderful summer – hope you’re having an amazing writing break with on your writing retreat and that your garden/land is growing well! 😀😀 Also wishing you much joy in all your writings.
Annika, thank you for your beautiful words and also that wonderful poem. I hope you have a restful, restorative and peaceful time on your break. Happy summer 🙂
Thank you so much, Lana – so glad you liked the post and especially the poem – full of wisdom. Still on holiday and already feel like a new person – really doing wonders. Wishing you a great summer too! 😀
So good to hear from you, Annika. Glad you are enjoying your holiday.
This poem goes along with the Deepak meditation I’m doing about being unstuck. There’s a lot of focus on creativity and being in the moment. Happy summer to you!
Thank you for sharing about Deepak meditation, Katy. I read a bit about it and looks very interesting. Anything that brings you into the moment is a huge plus; still on holiday and feel my stressed mind unravelling beautifully. Wishing you a lovely summer too,😀
Reblogged this on quirkywritingcorner.
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Glorious poem and image. I will miss you but am happy you’re unplugging. I’m doing that for a weekend–I can’t wait! Let me know how the break went when you return.
I know, it’s a wonderful poem – even the title is poetic! I will miss you too, Jacqui but I’m back for a week in August and also still get emaisl on my mobile – can’t totally unplug! Hope you have a peaceful relaxing non-tech weekend and also a lovely summer. 😀😃
Back to the Swedish beach/ forest? Hope wherever you go you have a lovely time.
Tick to both! Both the forest, the rocks on the coast, then town as well, pop into Norway! Hope you and the family have a great summer, Jessica. 😀
Norway! How nice!
Happy summer, Annika! Thank you for the lovely and inspiring poem. 🙂
Thank you, Khaya and so glad you liked the poem. Wishing you a lovely summer.😃
Annika, have a wonderful rest of the summer and enjoy your time off and do something for you, that makes you happy… jc
JC, thank you…your comment made me pause and think…yes, do something that makes me happy! A glass of wine out on the land in the afternoon sun, just gazing up at the birch trees and clouds. Can’t wait! Wishing you a very happy summer too and hope it isn’t too hot!😀
Thanks for leaving us this inspiring poem. Enjoy your summer treasure. 🙂
Thank you, Debby – it’s one of my favourites and great as a pick-me-up when I start having doubts. Oh I like that…summer treasure…it really is, like a hidden gem of peace and beauty. Wishing you a lovely summer too.😃
Thank you Annika. Enjoy, and see you in the fall. 🙂
Have a great holiday Annika. Lovely photo and I agree whole heartedly with the thoughts in the poem.
Mīke
Thank you Mike, the photograph is from a friend’s garden and is so dreamy…just as I intend to be for the next few weeks! Glad you liked the poem and wishing you a great holiday too. 😀
Enjoy your time away… Thanks for the lovely poem and reminder. 🙂
Thank you, Bette and I hope you have a lovely summer. The poem is a special one to me; giving me hope that there is a point of persevering and if my work touches just one person’s heart that is enough.
Wishing you a wonderful respite, Annika. Thank you for your inspiring words and for sharing Thalia Gust’s lovely poetry 🙂
Thank you, Carol – I like that word – respite. Perfect description! The poem is definitely inspiring and I read it to give me courage. So happy you enjoyed reading it.
Enjoy the break, Annika. Everyone should have a tech break from time to time!
Thank you, Al. It’s funny as even my son is looking forward to a tech break – he just loves the nature and relaxing as well as catching up on his reading! Wishing you a great summer and hope everything is well with you.
Thanks Annika, you too ❤
Have a wonderful technology break, Annika. It sounds wonderful 🙂 Thanks for the inspirations poem too! ❤
Diana, it’s amazing how long the days become and how free the mind becomes after just a few days of rest…I do have my mobile though! That would be a step too far! Glad you liked the poem…it is easy to lose confidence and belief in ones self during the lonely hours of writing.
It’s a balancing act, Annika. Right now I’d like a few hours on lonely writing 🙂 Have a great break!
Be well♡. Such a great idea for a rest of the soul.
Thank you and wishing a peaceful and happy summer too. 😀
Summer hours. What a great concept. As a former teacher I am programmed to do just that but this summer has been different. Once I finish the edits for my final draft of The Loyalist Legacy, I hope to feel that release, too. August 1, here I come!
I can hardly wait to hear where you’ve been and what you’ve done on your glorious summer break, Annika. Enjoy!
A few of my friends are teachers and they sound at the end of their tether at the moment with so much course work, exam marking on top of normal lessons – they can’t wait for the holidays but for some schools that’s another week away!
Elaine, how exciting about your book and I can just imagine all the hard work building up to the book release.🎉🎉 Best of luck and then, have a well earned rest and lovely summer. 😀😀 This summer we will be taking it easy, visiting family and friends and some travelling around – hope to post a little something later!
Enjoy your break, Annika…it sounds wonderful! I’d love to be unplugged for even a week. We’ll miss you! ❤
Thank you, Jill. 😀❤️ As much as I love being connected to the Internet, emails and particularly with everyone here on WP, this time away is such a sanctuary from the modern world and I find I come home refreshed and recharged! I do hope you get a chance for at least a few days like this, Jill. Take care and have a wonderful summer.
Happy Summer, Annika!
Thank you and wishing you a lovely summer too! 😃😀
Enjoy your summer break. Here in Gib, we have what is known as ‘summer hours’ where people with difficult jobs in air-conditioned offices work even less than normal. And that’s saying something. But still, I like to do what the locals do (when in Rome) so I’m also on blogging ‘summer hours’. Recommended 🙂
Thank you and wishing you a great summer too! 😀 I think on the mediterranean they still take a long lunch break during the siesta and then work later into the evenings. Is this still widespread? Enjoy your summer hours blogging!
Depends where you are to be honest. When my Spanish neighbour was working in construction, he worked 7–3 in summer straight through. In winter he worked 8–5 or 6 I think with an hour for lunch. My partner working in construction in Gib had a half hour lunchbreak. Not everyone gets siestas!