“A sudden light transfigures a trivial thing, a weather-vane, a windmill, a winnowing flail, the dust in the barn door; a moment - and the thing has vanished, because it was pure effect; but it leaves a relish behind it, a longing that the accident may happen again.” MayMomentsLightHappensBehindsDoorsEffectsPureLongingAccidentsWeatherDustRelishBarnsWindmillsTrivial Things Book:The Renaissance: Studies of Art and Poetry Source: The Renaissance: Studies of Art and Poetry
“It is not just nature that defies us. Human life is as overwhelming... If we spend time in it [the vast spaces of nature], they may help us to accept more graciously the great, unfathomable events that molest our lives and will inevitably return us to dust.” IfsLifeHumansMayHelpingLife IsSpaceAcceptingOur LivesEventsReturnDustHuman LifeOverwhelmingEnd TimesSpend TimeUnfathomable Author:Alain de Botton
“These sprays, dusts, and aerosols are now applied almost universally to farms, gardens, forests, and homes-nonselective chemicals that have the power to kill every insect, the 'good' and the 'bad,' to still the song of birds and the leaping of fish in the streams, to coat the leaves with a deadly film, and to linger on in soil-all this though the intended target may be only a few weeds or insects. Can anyone believe it is possible to lay down such a barrage of poisons on the surface of the earth without making it unfit for all life? They should not be called 'insecticides,' but 'biocides.'” ShouldBelieveMayStillsHomeEarthFilmSongBirdGardenLaysFishesSurfaceForestsDustStreamsPoisonSoilTargetWeedFarmsChemicalsCoatsInsectsSpraySilent SpringInsecticides Book:The house of life: Rachel Carson at work Source: The house of life: Rachel Carson at work
“Things cannot always go your way. Learn to accept in silence the minor aggravations, cultivate the gift of taciturnity and consume your own smoke with an extra draught of hard work, so that those about you may not be annoyed with the dust and soot of your complaints.” WayMayHardSilenceAcceptingHard WorkComplainingDustSmokeExtrasMinorsComplaintsAnnoyedAggravationDraughtAlways Complaining Book:Osler's Source: Osler's