What I've been up to

Its been a tail chaser week for me and I've met Friday without any of my usual Friday Finds. What I do have, though, is an update on all that's been going on in my world this past little while...just excuse my iPhone's camera quality.

  

1. Wearing red. 
2. Smiles. I know, I know...I tend to repeat myself but the smiles I wear thanks to the hand-picked-folk in my world are tops.
3. Heading out of town. Winter rain. Misty grey beauty.
4. A winter's night with a hearty, spiced chicken soup, fresh bread, a good red and my guy to enjoy it with.
5. Drinking this sublime tea.
6. Switching from my summer essential Byredo to some winter notes.
7. Translating poetry to unveil Liszt's musical inspiration. Playing things like this makes practice a pleasure...

The Poem:

Francesco Petrarca CANZONE CXXXIV
Pace non trovo
Pace non trovo, e non ho da far guerra,
E temo, e spero, ed ardo, e son un ghiaccio:
E volo sopra ‘l cielo, e giaccio in terra;
E nulla stringo, e tutto ‘l mondo abbraccio.
Tal m’ha in priggion, che non m’apre, né serra,
Né per suo mi ritien, né scioglie il laccio,
E non m’uccide Amor, e non mi sferra;
Né mi vuol vivo, né mi trahe d’impaccio.
Veggio senz’occhi; e non ho lingua e grido;
E bramo di perir, e cheggio aita;
Ed ho in odio me stesso, ed amo altrui:
Pascomi di dolor; piangendo rido;
Egualmente mi spiace morte e vita.
In questo stato son, Donna, per Voi.

I find no peace, but for war am not inclined;  
I fear, yet hope; I burn, yet am turned to ice; 
I soar in the heavens, but lie upon the ground; 
I hold nothing, though I embrace the whole world. 

Love has me in a prison which he neither opens nor shuts fast; 
he neither claims me for his own nor loosens my halter; 
he neither slays nor unshackles me; 
he would not have me live, yet leaves me with my torment. 

Eyeless I gaze, and tongueless I cry out; 
I long to perish, yet plead for succor; 
I hate myself, but love another. 
I feed on grief, yet weeping, laugh; 
death and life alike repel me; 
and to this state I am come, my lady, because of you.