The road less traveled by
This Eve of Christmas I wish you all a peaceful and joyous festive season and the hope that whatever path you choose from here that it may bring you to the best of all things yet to come in your life.
My picture, taken in the woods near home in Massachusetts reminds me of the wisdom of Robert Frost and fit’s perfectly, at least in my opinion, the photo challenge set by WordPress this week titled ‘Path’ … if you are twiddling your thumbs for a moment you might like to take a look at the full gallery of beauteous entires here
And PS: I have tended to opt for the road not taken in my own life and it has made a difference which others will doubtless take pleasure in judging the value of. And so, living as I did this past year in Massachusetts which, though not the birthplace was the home and deathplace of Robert Frost, this poem which has been tucked snugly in my heart for as long as I can remember, seems appropriate to share with you as we all gently propel through the holiday season and towards the New Year.
‘The Road Not Taken’
Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
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Wonderful image. Merry Christmas. 🎄
Thank you! And the merriest of Christmas’ to you and yours too!
Merry Christmas!! Wonderful photos, and the poem is one I love!
This makes me happy … it is one of my favourite poems and it seemed such an apt moment to share it 🙂 Merry Christmas to you and your lovely little girl who must be quite beside herself with excitement by now!!!
That poem is always stuck in the back of my mind. My daughter is spending Christmas with her dad. I miss her like crazy, but I am happy for her. We had a good time opening some gifts before she left yesterday.
Maria, I remember that so well – the feeling of doing the right thing by the girls but missing them like a razor to the heart at Christmas when it was their father’s turn. You are a wonderful woman, a superb mother and I send you great love this Christmas time xx
<3
Breathtakingly beautiful both words and image. Happy Xmas eve 😊🌲
The poem is one of my all-time favourites – it seemed a nice present for Christmas … the picture, as with most of mine was pure fluke!! Merry happy and joyous Christmas Eve to you too, Andrew!
A perfect present. Thank you 😊
Have a very happy Christmas with your fairy land snow. We have a light drizzle falling. I think the birds prefer it like this 🙂
Thank you so much though in truth I am now in a very drizzly Oxfordshire …. I hope yours is above all else peaceful and that you enjoy a day of calm and content
So far, calm is what it is not. Roll on Boxing Day…
Nearly there!
Beautiful photo Osyth, breathtaking. Merry Christmas my dear friend, my hope is 2017 brings our paths together in person!
I will not let another year pass without our paths crossing in person. This is my resolve for 2017 and I wish you and Gary and Lady Roxie a lovely peaceful Christmas Day
You have certainly chosen your own path which has proved to be pretty bumpy in places! But now it seems to have led to a safe and secure haven. Have a wonderful family Christmas. I love you, cousin by marriage! xx
Dearest Jenny – how fortunate I am that my cousin married you! My bumpy road has been a source of ridicule to many but you have always defended me and I am grateful. They say blood is thicker than water … perhaps you are the exception that proves the rule! Happiest of Happy Festive seasons to you and my cuz and I look forward to seeing you both in 2017
Lovely photo and I have always liked Robert Frost’s poetry. May your own less travelled road be a fulfilling one for you. Have a peaceful and happy Christmas. And, like someone else above, I hope 2017 brings our two roads together.
Happiest of Happy Christmas days to you and we WILL converge our paths in 2017. I have a plan ….
Lovely poem and a beautiful photo! Merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year 😊🎅🎄
Thank you Clive … it is one of my all time favourites and it was lovely to feel it had a place at this particular time of year when we are all more reflective than usual, I think. Happiest of Happies, Merriest of Merries and most contented and peaceful of festive seasons to you, my friend 😊 🎄
And the same to you! I hope you have a wonderful time 😊🎅🎄
Chaotic is the current accurate descriptor!! X
😂
A beautiful and seasonal path. Merry Xmas…
Thank you so much Vicky and the very same to you!
Merry Christmas!
Thank you Shikha …. I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons and the best of all things yet to come in your life in 2017 and I thank you so much for your support and kindness in this blogging place!
My all time favorite Robert Frost poem. Your photo does it justice.
Thank you Bernadette … that is high praise indeed! I wish you the happiest of days today and the most wonderful festive season x
I wish you a warm, happy, twinkly Christmas and a New Year with choices! x
Filled with my choices would be lovely and I can’t better that as a wish to send straight back to you! Twinkles enhance everything and warm we are now that we have gotten the heating system working in our rented cottage somewhere in darkest Oxfordshire!!!! Xx
Heating is good.
We are all set for warm, happy and twinkly here ( my daughter’s three default settings!)
After a trying year we all need to relax, regroup and restore our dreams and schemes .
Have a fab Christmas xxxx
I’ll raise a glass to dreams and schemes and specifically yours and ours later and I must say I think your daughter has the right default settings … be proud mamma – you gave her the right values xxx
How your photos make me long for snow, simply stunning. Wishing you a very very Merry Christmas with all of your family, enjoy every second of it xxx
I can only imagine snow here in rather warm and damp Oxfordshire but nothing can dampen our spirits together in our little rented haven …. I know your Christmas will be special and beautiful but I wish you just a tiny extra smattering of pixie dust to make it extra! Xxx
Truly magical image, that blue spot!
Picked it out my lady! I love that blue spot …. even though my head tells me it’s just the sunlight and my poor photography skills converging, my heart tells me it is magical! Happy Christmas to you. I send you particularly warm wishes this day as I know it will be different for you in a way you would not have wished. May 2017 bring you peace and content and a dollop of joy and laughter. X
Thankyou, a lovely, thoughtful Christmas greeting. I hope that 2017 brings you much joy and laughter too. x
That looks very familiar! We have snowy woods close by and they are a joy to walk in all seasons. May your path be to your liking in 2017, Osyth, well traveled or not.
Here in darkest Oxfordshire it is drizzly and unseasonably warm so the thought of snow is making me itch to be back in New England … however I am surrounded by all my daughters and waiting for my mother to arrive so the weather can throw whatever it likes but it can’t dampen the delight of the day!!! Happiest of Happies to you and thank you so much for your support this year …. I’m delighted our paths converged!
Incredible photo. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Myopic point and shoot at it’s best! Merriest Christmas to you and your love and I hope the ankle biters are happy with your choices from their lists!
Beautiful photo to accompany the words from one of my favorite poems ever.
We are as one on that! I adore the poem (Frost is a favourite but that has to be my favourite among favourites of his) …. thank you so much for dropping by and taking the time to comment. I wish you a wonderful day and all that you wish for this festive season x
Now that you have lived in Robert Frost country that poem must really speak to you.
Enjoy whichever path you choose – but take The Bean!
It really does …. one of the joys of New England is the number of great poets and writers it has produced from Poe to Plath. Frost has always been a favourite since I didn’t get to study him at A Level because we followed a different curriculum. Have a wonderful Christmas Day and keep being my favourite Auntie Acerbic! The Bean, by the way, would never let me wander any path without her ….. she considers it her duty to accompany and protect from the perils of evil squirrels and mole rats!
A fine poem and a spectacular photo. Very nice interpretation of the challenge.
It’s a favourite poem and it seemed sinful not to use it given such an irresistible prompt!! Thank you for your kindness and I wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas Day and thank you for your support this last year in world of blogging
I agree! On all counts! A Very Merry Christmas to you!
merry christmas:) beautiful shot!
Thank you so much and of course I wish you exactly the same!
Or the sea less travelled! I hope all is well this holiday season and best wishes from Vinny and the weird guy!
Thank you WG & V! The Bean HB2 and I send the very best back to you from a warm and damp England … not at all seasonal but happy nonetheless!
😀
Merry Christmas to you & your family…(Suzanne)
Thank you so much Suzanne and the very best to you, Pierre and all your loved ones from us across The Pond 😊
Love the road less traveled…..I always take heed at the junction in the road….some of my paths I have taken, I would not walk down that path again if I knew what was waiting at the end, however it made it easier to take the road less traveled the next time…and there after….love your pictures….I am using it on my laptop to enjoy the snow that I wish I could blink my eyes and pop in and out…just stay to get a quick look at the beauty of it all…..fun to be the one they all point at and talk about what kind of life your living….I take it as a sign I am doing it right!!! Merry Christmas to you and all your family…..and give the Bean a piece of cheese!!!! xxxxkat
I can’t be a conformist … I tried and it just felt like an ill fitting suit so I stopped. People can judge (and do) all they like but I do no harm, I’m kind and thoughtful and I see no reason to be any different. The Bean is a cheese barrel which makes her happy!! Xx.
I feel the same way…..I do no wrong, hurt no one, besides myself…LOL I try to never judge anyone….and if I am the subject of there conversations, whoooo hoooo I love being me!!!! kat
My granny always said if people talked about me it must be because I am so interesting! You are definitely more interesting than most and that is why I call you my friend xx
I have always taken pride in being the odd duck out!!!..LOL
Quack quack 🦆!!
Wow gorgeous! Happy holidays
ANd to you lovely Lynn xxx
It’s a fit.
Beautiful!
Thank you darling!
Thank you for the white Christmas. It’s feel so magical and distant. Memories from long ago. One of those roads not taken 🙂
To be fair it feels pretty distant here in Oxfordshire where a frost is about the best we have had all week but I can dream …. !!!
A beautiful poem Osyth and what an amazing photograph! As my granddad used to say… always step away from the crowd and travel in a different direction… A good philosophy in life and I admire the road you have travelled! I hope you’ve had an amazing few days with your lovely daughters… I wish you the best for 2017 and may your dreams come true! xx
Wendy, thank you. Thank you for your kind wishes and thank you for all the support you have given me through this wondrous blogging medium. I wish you and yours a wonderful New Year and hope that 2017 will be filled with joy and laughter, peace and contentment for you all. And above all, I wish you all love because I still believe that in the end, love IS all we need ❤️ xx
Thanks so much Osyth.. one of the pleasures of blogging has been meeting some wonderful people who you just know you ‘connect’ with.. You are truly inspiring and I wish you the VERY best for 2017… I couldn’t agree more, fun, laughter, peace and Love – if we all kept that as our focus the world would be a better place! I return your love with a big hug! xx
I’ve greatly enjoyed my visits here this year. Looking ahead to another fine year in 2017.
Regards Thom.
Thank you so much Thom …. what a delightful comment. I wish you a New Year full of joy and laughter, peace and contentment and I strive not to disappoint when you hike over to my blog for a little light perusing!
Bon Jour….I read on Terrys blog your back in France…home….bet it feels wonderful….are you coming back to the USA??? I can’t remember….just want to say Happy New Year……xxxxkat
I’m here in Europe for 6 months then its in the hands of USCIS … we have our paperwork in with the good people in Nebraska and are keeping all things crossed that they will let me back in on a Green Card when we are ready. Our perfect plan is to be back in the US mid–July for 2-3 years so dance well to the moon and make wishes for me, please xx
oh happy thoughts for sure …kat
Happy happy happiest of happies …. that’s all we need!!!! Xxxx
yup….
So beautiful and lyrical with such lovely imagery. One of my father’s favorite poems too. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Best wishes for a year of light, love and peace.
Merci belle femme!
🕊
Beautiful photo Osyth and just the perfect image to accompany such a classic poem
Many thanks – I have loved that poem for as long as I can remember and it just seemed to fit the moment 😊
Best wishes for 2017 Osyth. Hope your path is green and pleasant , strewn with wildflowers and the chorus of birdsong. Robert Frost captures that moment of choosing so well.
And in turn I wish you a year full of joy and laughter and peace and contentment and mostly a year overflowing with love!
Fiona, the woods and it’s Crystal palace effects are like he magic of Christmas and the glory of life all wrapped up in an awesome gift. I cannot believe my holiday weekend of 3 days off just rushed on by. I remember those teaching yearsof having a 14 day wonderful holiday! Anyway, thank you for stopping by and sorry, maybe best to have no regrets and say, Wishing you a much better, healthy, no accidents, carefree year ahead with lots of love woven into the fabric of each day, dear friend. <3
Mille mercis ma belle amie! Xx
Mille mercis (returned) ma belle amie! Xoxo
Wish you great festivals too..though Christmas is gone but spirit is still there
Thank you so much for gracing me by following my blog …. when I have some time, I will catch up with yours and I am certain I will be enamoured. In the meantime I hope you won’t be disappointed with mine!
Beautiful pictures and the poem!!
It’s a favourite poem and it was lovely to be able to use it in a vaguely appropriate way! The picture was easy – point and shoot at Narnia landscape sculpted by Mother Nature!
I wish to get lost at such place 🙂 It’s so beautiful
I was absolutely magical and stunning and I didn’t want it to end!
Thank you for linking my post …. it is hugely appreciated! I hope you have had a very happy
Christmas