Samantha,
I realized today that suddenly it was September, and that perhaps it was time to say hello to you again. It's been a while, I suppose, and I see you've been rather busy with more weekends in your months than we mere mortals on the other side of the camera from where you are will ever find. I hope you're enjoying a restful long weekend of your own, laying low and not bothered by any of us. Increased celebrity must cause you a deeper appreciation for your own solitude, and for time with only those who matter to you most. May you have many more Samanthan weekends just for that, wearing not that bright red coat of recent note but a cloak of wished for anonimity where you can swish right past the rest of us while being just yourself.

It's been a busy weekend here, awash by Southern Cal football fans making a triumphal trip East, but today I was off, a gorgeous day here (our hurricane chances begin next weekend) and deep in domesticity at Tuttle Manor "mowing" grass and trimming back the ivy on the manor's big brick chimney into the correct architectural form (and scraping knuckles and thumbs in the process). Not the kind of Weekend to make any travel show, and Tuttle isn't going to England this September either, although good deals are said to be out there, and the pound is happily pulling back to about a buck eighty-four or so. Next year, I promise. Or maybe Ireland this time. We'll see. In the meantime, it will be next September before we know it anyway, and I can always replay earlier trips in my mind like newsreels. I'm sure you do that too of your more favorite ones and your favorite workmates of the past. The nice thing about travel is that part of each trip stays forever with you. Your mental refrigerator door must be covered with your memories, some even of a single weekend.

I thought I wouldn't name this another September Bottle as I don't in truth have a bottle's worth of words to send you now, Sam. To call it a half bot. seemed kind of dumb, or verbal carafe. For those of us who still feel an academic world around us, the new year seems to start right here in September, though, and that may well be the case for you, too. So it just seemed like I should say hello to you today, Samantha, even with nothing travelesque to pass along to you (well, there is one thing - somewhere I heard recently the Mirabeau Palace in Salzburg is actually being turned into a Sound of Music Museum. A little late, I'd suggest).

But as you've bounced around the country in what must be very trying circumstances at times, bereft of husband for so much of it, and likely your sanity for other parts, a perfectionist and professional when I'm sure you cannot always be, in one part of the world when you likely wish you were in another, please remember that there are those of us whom you've never met who do think of you and hope you're finding happiness in your own Samanthan world, and that we enjoy our virtual brushes with it. So maybe not a bottle here, but I'll raise a glass, at least, to you, Sam, and whatever awaits you and your travels this September, this autumn, and this year, I and I'm sure many others wish you great happiness (and your own bed from time to time) in your coming adventures. Tacit wishes travel both ways - always remember you have ours, and always keep your spirits up, Ms. Brown.
Capt. Tuttle

Captain Tuttle,

I do believe what you have written here is absolutely beautiful and extremely warm, genuine, and heartfelt. What a marvelous way to begin a new month.

As I can't think of much of anything to add, I'll simply say it's nice to see the message in a bottle and hope that Samantha sees it as well.

Keep smiling.

Eloquently written, as always, Capt. I second your sentiments.

Hi Sam,

Many thanks to the good Captain for getting this September bottle off to such a nice start. I feel compelled to appear here to add my thoughts and thanks for all you do to give us such interesting vicarious travel experiences.

Many here have posted that you have the best job in the world, and perhaps you do. But part of the magic of what you do is that you are able to brush off the inevitable travel nightmares that must afflict you just as they do us. Your shows mimic our own travel memories in which we forget the bad experiences over time and retain the good. The difference is that you have to put the bad experiences behind you immediately so that we don't hear them in your voice or read them in your expressions. It's taken five years, but Mother O and I have reached the point at which our good travel experiences in Ireland, England, and Scotland in the fall of 2003 have supplanted the horrifying, yet ultimately humorous, night we spent on the floor of JFK Terminal 1 during the great New York blackout of August of that year. Heaven help either of us if we had to start shooting a TV travel show on arrival. These days, getting to destinations seems never to be part of the fun.

So thank you Sam for being our travel filter and sharing the good with the good. Your programs allow our spirits to soar with you.

Our summer of travel is over and we are both back to work tomorrow, although I've already put in a week at the university. The best of the O's travel experiences this summer? A night at the Aria Hotel and three visits to Susta Strudl in Prague for Father O. Eric Clapton, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer and the Robert Randolph Family Band performing in London's Hyde Park. The lobsters in Maine were just perfect this summer. The dogs and conversation at Flo's Hot Dogs are always good. The talk was all about the shooting of your segment for the Portsmouth show, which was just wonderful by the way. Visiting the Timberline Lodge on Oregon's Mount Hood. Great fun to find that the hotel exteriors for Kubrick's "The Shining" were shot there. We got to throw some snowballs there in August (as though we don't get enough of that in February.) We visited the world's only suspension bridge for squirrels (called the "Nutty Narrows") in Longview, WA. We drank deeply from the "Spooky Coke Machine" in Seattle. And then there is the bounty of the season; blueberry picking in Maine, picking lavender and raspberries in Sequim, WA (the lavender capital of the world), and harvesting 55 lbs of Italian plum tomatoes in central NY this weekend. With experiences like these, we will soon forget the torrential, choking rain that bombarded southern Maine for the end of July and beginning of August.

Mother O says to tell you she says hello and we both wish you Bon Voyage on all your future travels.

Father O

Thank you ladies (I thought Kelsey was supposed to be reading Hindu religion tonight) and the exceptional Oranges for adding thoughts for what seems to be a bottle after all. We've always been here, Sam. Just haven't had much to say of late, I guess. But as you see, our thoughts are with you.

Don't worry, Capt, I read. I was in desperate need of a break.

Father O, your summer sounds like it was amazing. I'm sure all those concerts were spectacular, and in London too! And please elaborate on the Spooky Coke Machine! Is it haunted?

Well, Cruiselover, all those concerts were actually rolled into one. It was an all day affair and it was spectacular. I was there with 85,000 of my closest friends. The day before, Queen and Amy Winehouse played there. The day after, it was KT Tunstall and The Police. Got to hear Sting perform "Roxanne" from outside the gate. But I only paid to see the concert I mentioned.

Is the Spooky Coke Machine haunted? It might be haunted, but it might not. That's what people think, except for some. Suos cultores scientia coronat. Leave it to a professor to answer with a riddle. One other bit of information if you are into geocaching. Try:

N 47 ° 37' 12.4"
W 122 ° 19' 12.6"

Father Orange

Ah, another bottle! Well done, Capttuttle. [Message in a Carafe – that’s quite good too, although likely too sophisticated for our new edgy friends. Perhaps, Message in a Flintstones Glass instead.]

SB, welcome to a promising, new September! I’ve always been a fan of fall and spring; indeed, it is transition that makes nature beautiful and as a New Englander you’ve doubtless seen this phenomenon firsthand. Spending the morning in my home-office today, attempting in vain to get a little writing done but, alas, it’s far too beautiful outside and my eyes wander frequently from this machine to the window. At long last the hummingbirds have discovered the feeder that hangs in a covered corner of the porch adjacent my desk (stubborn things ignored it for nearly a year), suspended over a noiseless wall-fountain and surrounded by sago palms. Even potted date palms at the porch rails seem to be surviving after a hot spell or two - or three. An iron table and chairs are centered thereon, at which I usually have breakfast at dawn or share a cigar (and an occasional red wine) with friends in shaded late evenings; but, frankly, the place is so serene that it draws the industry right out of me and makes me lazy as my fat, old (now late) cat. I yearn to be there now, happily wasting the day. SB, I hope you have a place like that, I truly do. It restores one’s humanity, I’ve found.

Allow me to echo Capttuttle’s wish for peace, even in the face of travels that are rarely peaceful, SB.

My sincerest best wishes,

Intl Doc

September never used to be a favorite time of the year for me. As a teacher it meant back to school, lesson plans, teacher meetings, papers to correct etc. But now, since I'm retired, it's a wonderful time of year. There's a slight nip in the air in the morning and things quiet down as the children go back to school. Soon the leaves start to turn as we come face to face with the holidays. I have a squirrel in my front yard who is hiding his stash for the winter. I always leave some walnuts for him. Take care everyone, especially you Samantha...wherever you are.

quote:

Originally posted by fatherorange:
Well, Cruiselover, all those concerts were actually rolled into one. It was an all day affair and it was spectacular. I was there with 85,000 of my closest friends. The day before, Queen and Amy Winehouse played there. The day after, it was KT Tunstall and The Police. Got to hear Sting perform "Roxanne" from outside the gate. But I only paid to see the concert I mentioned.

Is the Spooky Coke Machine haunted? It might be haunted, but it might not. That's what people think, except for some. Suos cultores scientia coronat. Leave it to a professor to answer with a riddle. One other bit of information if you are into geocaching. Try:

N 47 ° 37' 12.4"
W 122 ° 19' 12.6"

Father Orange

Father, O, I've only had 4 Latin classes. But I'll try plugging the coordinates into Google.

Oooh I would have been there for all three concerts! I like all those people. Though Queen wouldn't be the same without Freddie Mercury. But my cousin LOVES Brian May.

I think Kelsey will be ready for the Latin grammar scene in Monty Python's 'Life of Brian' pretty soon and will be able to write "Romans go home!" fluently in her archaic new language. Isn't college great?

When I first glanced over Father O's geographical message I thought I saw that The Queen performed in Hyde Park. Bit of a difference there. It reminds me of a train ride up to the north of England once where the conductor on the PA system announced that "due to a staff shortage (i.e., some guy didn't show up) there will be no refreshments trolley on the outbound portion of our service this morning." Of course it was garbled, in Scottish accent at that, and sounded like it was spoken through a pillow. An elderly gentleman in front of me then turned to his wife, fairly shaking with indignation, and barked out in confused anger, "No OUTPATIENT service!?!?" You never forget these little travel experiences, and if I ever suddenly smile in the middle of doing something else, it's because I just remembered one of them.

And a quick financial update, the pound is stunningly down to $1.77 now. This is like England is 20% off from just a month or so ago. Too late for me to go this year, however... and Tuttle's finances are still not looking that healthy anyway.

Intl Doc's morning sounds very pacific indeed, and Samantha, we hope yours are too these days. Or just as you wish them to be.

Haha, well thanks to Spanish I got that scene... "See, because it's a command..."

Well I'm sure the Queen has a very nice singing voice. Unfortunately she had to be royal instead of following her dream of being a rock star. Oh well. Speaking of concerts, I just found out that one of my favorite bands is coming to my school. Yessss.

Sam, for a great weekend, I recommend the Chicago lakeshore. There's even a beach with palm trees on it . Well happy travels (or staying at home) wherever you are, Sam.

Kelsey (or Dejardins, or even Kel, whom we miss here), you'll have to tell me sometime approximately where Loyola is in Chicago. I know where the U of Chicago is (rather precarious location, but there used to be some good bookstores there), Northwestern up in Evanston, and Depaul is sort of Lincoln Park-ish, right?

Wet weekend-to-be here (note that it never seems to rain somehow in the Travel Channel Weekends) with a tropical storm due in late tonight and the air already has that tropical smell to it. By late Saturday night it might already reach Samantha, if she is home.

And one of the few people who knows my identity here has alerted me to the fact that at 10:30 p.m. Monday night Eastern on TV Land the "Capt. Tuttle" episode of M*A*S*H is supposed to be run. I guess I'll have to watch it.

DePaul has campuses (campusi?) both downtown and in Lincoln Park. I know the joint well, as it is where Son-of-Intl-Doc studies music and makes his father quite proud.

We shall all tune in Monday night to get a good look at the real Capt. Tuttle. Yes, there is a joke in there somewhere.

Intl Doc

Loyola's main campus is located on the far northside of the city along our beautiful lakefront. There is also a more centrally located campus right off of our Magnificient Mile shopping district and since it is located a stone's throw from the famous Water Tower (a survior of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871) it is called the Water Tower Campus.

I used to get a kick out of visiting the U of Chicago campus and its Hyde Park location and seeing all the cars with east coast license plates. It was as if a piece of the northeast had broken off, drifted down the seaway and Lake Michigan and attached itself to Chicago.

I would never joke, Intl Doc ( ). But thanks, Dejardins, for the Chicago lay of the land, and I hope the White Sox hang on in their division. The Orioles have in the last week or so clearly demonstrated that they still, alas, really stink. Samantha was just a spunky little toddler when the O's last showed their former greatness.

The tropical storm has passed through here and the sun's beginning to peek out, crisp and breezy now, but Leia will see it by tonight, and Ireland supposedly by Weds.

And somehow in the writing of this thread I've become a distinguished Senior Member, evidently aging just within the week while Samantha stays forever young for us. I'd rather have the 2002 back in my registration date than this loftier designation. Dejardins goes even further back in his Samantha fandom and I'm glad he's added to the thread here. Kelsey, I'm hoping, is in the midst of a fun college weekend in Chicago. Samantha, I trust, is having a good weekend as well, I hope cozily dry.

What was left of Hanna wasn't enough to keep people home. We had some wind and rain but it was less of a storm than the near daily ones in Miami.

I will tell you of a recent weekend excursion I took in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I arrived on Friday mid-afternoon in North Conway after winding through mountains and keeping an eye on the sides of the road for moose. Had you seen signs every few miles that read: Brake for moose, it may save your life, you'd be on alert, too.

A few highlights were driving along the Kancamagus Scenic Byway and enjoying the incredible landscapes. They were simply breathtaking. Spent some time in the usual attractions like Clark's Trading Post, Storyland, and Conway Scenic Railroad.

I'd go back for another weekend anytime possible.

Hope everyone is doing well.

I'll be traveling again later this month to NYC and Florida.

Leia,
Glorious late summer weather here today, and the recent rains have finally turned the pastoral countryside around my town once more lush and green, just like that.

I've never been to New Hampshire; maybe I should some day - did your White Mountains travels pass the ex-Old Man of the Mountain? (Perhaps there's no way of knowing now.) But I think I did see a Clark's Trading Post t-shirt go by here one day this summer, if that counts for anything.

And this forum respond box is appearing slightly more towards the right each time I post these days. I want to go on record as saying I do not necessarily approve of that stance and may not like what that could portend.

[Edited for grammar, and I'm not sure the box didn't nudge a tad more rightwards.]

[Edited a second time because the first correction was in fact incorrect, and also just to see if I could edit this days later.]

It looks as if I have a way to go to get to senior member status so I better jump into this bottle. Leia, I am so envious. I have always loved Story Land for its tacky charm and wonderful whimsy. The recent addition of the flying house has impressed Father Orange, though I will always be most fond of the pumpkin coach. I could never figure out if Heidi really was somewhere or if Grandfather always lied about her being off playing with the goats.

I used to laugh at those Moose Warning signs up there on the highways until one night around midnight when Father O and I were driving across the New Hampshire border into Maine in two cars, with me bringing up the rear. All of a sudden I saw this clueless looking moose flashing out into the road. Father O slowed way down, but the moose attacked the side of his car anyway then ran around the back and started chasing it, looking very ticked off. He will always remember the sight of Bullwinkle in his rear view mirror, lit up by my headlights, running after him for nearly a mile before he gave up the chase.

The Oranges had a bit of a Samanthan Great Half Weekend yesterday, making a road trip to Queens, transporting a carload of heavy stuff from our garage to our son’s third floor walk-up. Not fun, although I must say that once there,the rooftop view of Manhattan was rather nice. Before turning around and driving back home at 5 PM, we went to Coney Island where we skipped the dogs and long lines at Nathan’s and went for a walk on the beach, noting that it was Astroland’s very last day. Our trusty Garmin GPS got us to the cookie shop on Dean St. featured this week in Passport to Great Weekends, actually not far from my other son’s Brooklyn apartment. I was happy to spot a perfect parking space and pick up four of the tiniest whoopie pies I have ever seen, in pumpkin and chocolate. I’m sorry Sam, but I’ll take the New England variety any old day.

I’m glad to see your Message in a Bottle still bobbing around, Captain. My TV listings show that 4 episodes of MASH are on between 10 and 12 P.M. With great curiosity, I will be recording, in hopes of catching the Captain Tuttle episode. This certainly is exciting news.

Mother O.

The "Capt Tuttle" episode is on at 10:30. I'm curious to see it.

Well, I must admit I had not seen that episode in eons and had forgotten much of it. I'd vaguely recalled sheep somehow being involved so I'm glad to be wrong there, but could have done without the bed wetting inference. I deny that strenuously. Tuttle does indeed have hazel eyes but the six foot four part is a couple inches high, I confess. And I've never been to med school in Berlin (although I was pre-med for two years in college). Wasn't born in 1924 either, but a good while before Samantha was (long enough ago to have seen this episode when it first came out). Everything else sounds about right, but, as Hawkeye said, "There's a little Tuttle in all of us," and that applies to those who fly under pen-names on Samantha's board (Mrs. O'Leary's to keep things presumably correct) to keep her verbally rewarded and entertained.

Mother O has been a leader in this regard for some time now, happily. But to have ventured into deepest Brooklyn - quite an adventure there. Seems to be a lot of Orange rubbing off on that borough, I'm sure for the better. But two posts in one night is quite enough for Tuttle, especially as he seems to have disappeared over Korea some years ago.

[P.S. Love the moose story.]

Well, at least you were Hawkeye's imaginary friend when he was a kid. But it's fun hearing your name on TV. In the 50's there was a show called "The Millionaire" and the main character was Michael Anthony which is my name. I didn't like the show much but I watched it just to hear my name.

Mother O. - Your moose tale is just the reason why I searched inbetween the trees while driving. I'm glad that Father O. came out unscathed. Better to only have to repair the car.

My time in Story Land was very short, 45 minutes to be exact. My friends and I were given free admission when I asked if there was a gift shop entrance from outside the gates. The kid let us in to shop and run amuck and so, we did. I didn't see much but in that short time span I did manage to find lots and lots of cute things to photograph, a T-shirt for myself and one for my friend's infant. That will of course be put away for later. We went on one ride, a penguin themed coaster.

It's funny how we all have different experiences with the same thing. For instance, my memories of Nathan's Hot Dogs are from Miami. The place was pretty big, well to a kid anyway. They had picnic tables inside and an arcade. I think it was located around Miami Beach. I recall being devastated when they closed.

I've never been to Brooklyn and my trip in just over a week is to NYC for my brother's wedding. It's be nice if I can get to 2 shops in particular. We'll see if time allows.

Hope you all have a great weekend of your own.

I'm thankful for the Captain casting off this "Message For September" for me to drop in and give my greetings to everyone. There are always so many quality written posts to read through whenever the forum veterans get together that it actually feels equivalent to getting a free Readers Digest delivered to my front door.

My background in story telling is very limited and I usually don't have much to say or write whem trying to relate with other posters, and why I don't post very often too. For instance, I have done no travelling this summer and been busy renovating my home living like a hurricane victim who has revamp his house from top to bottom in central NY.

But if I were assigned to write what was the most exciting thing that has happened to me all summer then I would comment on my trip to a local used book store. (See what I mean!) I know I have used Robert Frost's poetry in the past as a way to make a contribution to the forum and I hope you don't mind that I continue to do so every now and then as a way to put my foot in the door for lack of expertise in most other areas.

At Ithaca Commons there is a used bookstore called "Autumn Leaves" and I came across a Robert Frost book called "Frost: Collected Poems, Prose, & Plays" published in 1995. Although it contains all his work that I already have in my book "The Poetry of Robert Frost," afterwards there is a whole bunch of uncollected poems he wrote beginning in 1890 when he was only 16 years old, and proceeds on up to 1962 the year before he died that I have never seen before!

This book also has plenty of letters he wrote and lectures he gave on writing his own poetry and on the poetry of others, and the topics he use to teach as well. I am gaining much in-site on how his mind works and how he views art and life. I find Robert Frost a very unique artist in that not only could he create wonderful poetry from his imaginative gifted mind, but that he could also operate from the other spectrum of the mind and be a wonderful teacher!

Some of his letters are even written in rhyme. What a wonderful discovery! I am reading a whole bunch of new work from him that I never knew existed after studying him over the last five years. My friend Alan, who is more read than I am, is happy about the discovery too and was unaware of the book.

Most of them are so good that I can't understand why they weren't published with his other works? And the book doesn't give an explanation either on why they were overlooked too. Either way, it feels to me that Frost got to live another 5 to 10 years in which to produce a bunch of work that I knew nothing of. I was amazed before by his output and now I'm even more amazed after discovering his uncollected works. And doing all this while being a full-time farmer or full-time college teacher and a father of 6 children.

I wrote down some of his quotes here on his approach to poetry (because there are too many others to list here in long explanations) and conclude with his poem "God's Garden" that he wrote in 1898 when he was only 24 years old.

I think it is a good example of his aim in poetry of "words that have become deeds" and is a good example of a poem that I feel was certainly good enough to be published when his first book, "A Boy's Will," came out 15 years later in 1913.

SOME DEFINITIONS

"Sometimes I have doubts of words altogether, and I ask myself what is the place of them. They are worse than nothing unless they do something; unless they amount to deeds, as in ultimatums or battle-cries. They must be flat and final like the show-down in poker, from which there is no appeal. My definition of poetry (if I were forced to give one) would be this: words that have become deeds."

"All poetry is a reproduction of the tones of actual speech."

"There are two types of realists: the one who offers a good deal of dirt with his potato to show that it is a real one, and the one who is satisfied with the potato brushed clean. I'm inclined to be the second kind. To me, the thing that art does for life is to clean it, to strip it to form."

"A poem begins with a lump in the throat; a home-sickness or a love-sickness. It is a reaching-out toward expression; an effort to find fulfillment. A complete poem is one where an emotion has found its thoughts and the thought has found the words."

- Robert Frost: The Man and his Work, 1923.


GOD'S GARDEN

God made a beauteous garden
With lovely flowers strown,
But one straight, narrow pathway
That was not overgrown.
And to this beauteous garden
He brought mankind to live,
And said: "To you, my children,
These lovely flowers I give.
Prune ye my vines and fig trees,
With care my flowerets tend,
But keep the pathway open,
Your home is at the end."

Then came another master,
Who did not love mankind,
And planted on the pathway
Gold flowers for them to find.
And mankind saw the bright flowers,
That, glitt'ring in the sun,
Quite hid the thorns of av'rice
That poison blood and bone;
And far off many wandered,
And when life's night came on,
They still were seeking gold flowers,
Lost, helpless and alone.

O, cease to heed the glamour
That blinds your foolish eyes,
Look upward to the glitter
Of stars in God's clear skies.
Their ways are pure and harmless
And will not lead astray,
But aid your erring footsteps
To keep the narrow way.
And when the sun shines brightly
Tend flowers that God has given
And keep the pathway open
That leads you on to heaven.

[I see BeyondWords has arrived while I was pecking out this...It's been a while.]

Isn't it interesting, Leia, how two people can see the exact same thing completely differently? For that matter the same person does for a certain place on different visits. So many subtleties and complexities to consider, not to mention a sky has different clouds above an hour later, and a toe poked into a moving stream won't touch the exact same water twice.

The London I've seen, with my different interests and reading background, is not really the same London Samantha's eyes perceived. They can't quite ever be. But that's why her Europe and Latin America passports were so intriguing. They presented her observations, and then reflections born from her thoughts, not like yours or mine, but hers. No staff of hired writers who weren't even there cranking out bland lines of filler between commercial breaks, but someone we wanted to spend time with, and someone's thoughts we wanted to know. Lasting impressions, too.

And another weekend in September is upon us, one that's supposed to shoot back up to summertime temperatures here. I hope you have a good one too, and always our best wishes for Samantha.

[edited for a typo this time...I can never see them all at first.]

Beyond Words! It's been a long time... good to hear from you. I must admit that I'm not in the least a poetry buff, so I'm sure there are MANY Robert Frost poems I haven't read. But what an amazing discovery... just when you think you've read everything of his there is to read, there's more! That's how I feel when I find out there's an episode of a Sam show I haven't seen (though I know that at this point there are many... I need to catch up). Or when I find a new book by my favorite author. I love that feeling.

It's nice to see you and Mr. Frost here again, beyondwords. I knew you'd show up eventually. Though we often stray far from the lofty goal of keeping things Samantha-related here, we know she doesn't mind. And I think she would be proud that she turned you on to Robert Frost years ago, with a simple answer to a question here.

Whenever I read a poem like that, I find myself thinking in rhymes. I don't understand it, it just happens. Now you've started something brewing, and I will post it if it starts to make any sense to include it amidst these ramblings.
My poetic effort would be entitled something like "How to get Sam's Job." So many people come here wanting to know. I'll post it here in Samantha Central. I'm not sure if my words can become a deed, though.


Thanks for your kind words, Captain. Keeping Samantha verbally rewarded and entertained is part of the purpose of a fansite, I think.

I was surprised to see that the Travel Channel showed the three China Passports this morning. I hope cruiseluver and others who missed the initial airings in August got to catch them this time around. They are quite amazing. Samantha at her very best.

As always,
Mother O.

I also think that Sam was her very best in the China series. Beautifully done. Sam was funny, but not too funny. Just a fun, pleasant person to be our host. Hope this series will come out on DVD!

No thanks needed here, Mother O, your civility as well as kindness on this forum is well known, as is your obvious thoughtfulness for Samantha. I look forward to your poetic offerings elsewhere on this board, and hope you've had a good weekend where things are very orange.

I'm thinking it must be time to go to page two on this thread; perhaps this is the one that falls over the brink... into another September week.

Subject: Proper Forum Etiquette

Maybe my post will push this to page two?

I'm sorry, Captain, for coming out of nowhere (and not the first time too) to make a post that is not related to the topic you are talking about, thus interrupting the flow of discussion you already began with others. Like what Mother O did with her wondrous poem, she was courteous to create a separate Topic Starter with it when first mentioning it here, and I will learn to do the same henceforth. If this were a Robert Frost Topic Starter that he began, I think he would make me sit in the back corner facing the wall wearing a dunce cap to learn proper forum etiquette.

One reason I haven't done so is being very shy and not looking to seek attention or make a big splash. But the next time I feel the urge to share a Frost poem, or an unrelated topic, I'll be sure to create a separate topic for it so the thread you have created is not disrupted again to go in a different direction. That is not fair and I apologize.

Thank you Cruiseluver and Mother O for your nice acknowledgement. One reason I disappear so often is that I find myself too tired to write after having written many long emails and letters to my family and friends about the work and progress I'm doing on my house, and such. And lately I've had to deal with many business and legal letters too in order to get things accomplished for me.

When I usually enter this forum, I already feel tapped out to do more writing, and after reading so many quality materials that everyone is capable of producing, specifically the Captain, Intldoc, Mr. and Mrs. O, among others, I feel too fatiqued to jump in and fear being asked to follow-up with more when not feeling up for it, especially after seeing how well they can do it with such ease. I can only imagine how Samantha must feel when doing a Respond Session when she is not up for it too! God bless her because she certainly will always have more going on then I ever will to carry that kind of responsibility. She should get paid extra for it along with the quality journals she writes.

But I am here reading a good deal of the time and if I'm in that fatigued mental state then I'll try to make a brief post more often to at least let you know I'm still around, and to give you all proper acknowledgement in return.

Thank you for your patience.

Jeff

This is, indeed, a very long Page One, isn't it? The Old Forum was never like this... But do not feel any need to apologize to anyone for your posts, BeyondWords. I assure you I am no moderator here or that your thoughts are ever unwelcome; I'm just an occasional guest as well and I only want to entertain Ms. Brown if she ever flits by for a quiet few minutes of surfing, that's all. She may wonder about all of our sanity, but I hope she does enjoy reading her distant mail on this site. I merely popped the cork on this thread in hopes of Septembrish chatter to follow (and by the way, I heard yesterday that a bottle of champagne contains on average 49 million bubbles, although I have no idea who actually counted them). And after all, a good conversation takes on a life and form of its own.

Yes, Samantha no doubt did wear down her little manicured and, if I recall correctly nail-nibbled, fingers in her visits. They were above and beyond the call of duty, I know, but they sparkled with vivacity, wit, and remarkable honesty and freshness (like champagne bubbles, come to think of it). I hope they've been appreciated for the effort she gave to them. And I hope we didn't tucker you out on the forum today, BeyondWords, but inquiring minds want to hear sometime about this new house of yours (and of course also in how this all relates to Sam, the focus of All That Is Good on this forum).

Times seem to get a little stranger every day in the world (hope no one here works for Lehman Brothers), so it's very pleasant to have this curious little corner to return to. And I was home today, and was able to see one of my very favorites again, the Bath and Cotswolds episodes of Passport. I've never been to Prior Park before outside of steep and stony Bath (there are three Palladian Bridges in England and that one is wonderful) but I always smile with Sam's hike around Stanton (which I missed by about five miles a few years ago). She is glorious in that episode and I hope enjoyed the filming of it. These forum threads are fleeting things, but some of Samantha's shows are quite enduring, that one as memorable now as it was when first aired. Thanks, Sam, again.

[Edited to correct the number of bubbles per bottle]

I agree, Captain, that was a most memorable episode in my mind also. That sequence from the purchase of the chunk of cheese to the Palladian bridge and cows in the rain was just golden. I loved those Passport segments that provided lovely lingering views accompanied by soft music. They made a lasting impression.

Beyond words, when I referred to staying on topic I was actually thinking of my own digressions on to the moose story, etc. I wasn't being critical of your placement of the Robert Frost poem. I created a new thread because so many people post to ask Samantha for career advice and want to know how they can get a job like hers. No one looking to find my definitive poetic answer would ever locate it in the middle of this Bottle, now perhaps on to page two?

Subject: Turn Off The TV

Thank you for restoring some confidence in me that I'm not as instrusive as I fear to be. It might be awkward to write about the progress on my house while trying to make it coincide with what influence Sam's show has had on me, but I thank you for the invitation to speak about it.

But to get started in that direction, I would like to point out that I write to my older sister in New Jersey with such thorough step-by-step detail, and so frequently, that I fear duplicating what I write to her here. I remember doing it a couple of times in my ignominious past and became aware not to do it again, thus writing less frequently in here too. I do so because she is a CPA and is helping me to budget my house. But the trivial information seems to get so stamped on my brain that I have inadvertently wrote in this forum as if I'm still communicating to her!

And, to be even more frank, I enjoy the distraction of cable television and become just plain lazy to write something worthy to post here as frequently as the veterans do. Thus, being influenced by "The Boob Tube" is another ignominious stamp I have inflicted this homebody brain too often on as well. On reflection, I remember when I was in the first and second grade and my school bus stop use to be located right in front of my house. So instead of waiting outside for it with the other neighborhood kids, I would stay inside to watch TV as I wait for it to arrive. And of course, whenever I watched the Flintstones, I would miss the bus everytime. My mother put a stop to that so she wouldn't have to drive me to school anymore. Some things haven't changed since then.

But at least the biggest virtue of "The Boob Tube" has been that it has brought Samantha into all our lives: a kind of special revered light that has distinguished itself from the ordinary pap rays that lack any real value most other shows is drowned under by. Like in the poem "God's Garden," Samantha's shows is like a straight narrow pathway of pure shining light to help guide us out from the monotony of mundane TV.

But if I can coincide Sam's shows with my house renovation in some way, then her influence on me would be to make it feel like a cozy hotel getaway that even she would feel as if being home away from home ... in case she ever drops by unexpectantly! I actually had a new bathtub and shower surround installed in July with a single handle delta faucet that has a temperature control knob feature. When it was all completed, I honesty thought to myself that Sam would approve of this update if she was here, as she has seen many quality tubs throughout her experiences.

But this could be my last post I get completed for the next two weeks because my small two-bedroom one-bath ranch house is about to go under a major interior transformation. Besides getting a new roof in June and all new windows in July, as with the new bathtub, this Monday my house is getting all new sheetrock installed on all the walls and ceilings, and will take at least a week to get completed. This weekend I am preparing to move all my belongings into my attached garage to get ready for it, including my computer, and will sleep on my camping cot until completed. Last March when the temperature was warm enough to open the windows, I demolished every single wall in the house except the ceilings. I am going to have new sheetrock placed over the old ceilings instead, which I think will heat my small ranch house better.

I already got new electrical work completed to prepare for the new sheetrock, like a new bathroom vent that has a light and 1300 watt heater with a 3-way switch. Lowes Home Center gave me a new kitchen design and I had the electrician install two recessed lights for the new kitchen. I thought this would be a good idea with the lowered ceilings and give the kitchen a modern look. One by the sink and one in the center that will be close to where the new kitchen island will be placed on the opposite wall from the sink. I want my small kitchen to be featured as an eat-in kitchen for the resale value (for whenever I do move), so the designer put an island with cabinets underneath for storage and countertop for an eating table. I selected Spice Maple cabinets, Butterrum formica countertops, and all black appliances. The gas range will have a microwave mount on top and the new dishwasher is only 18 inches wide to save space. I already picked out paint, vinyl sheet floor, and new carpeting to go with the new kitchen colors. The cabinets are ordered and will arrive once the sheetrock is done and my carpenter will install them for me.

My small house needs to utilize storage space for its lack of size, so I'm also having an attic ladder installed for easy access to put storage up there. My house does not have a linen closet or a coat closet, only two closets, one for each bedroom, and they never had shelves in them. Right now they are empty cavities of 2 x 4 studs. So my carpenter will do a frame-in for bi-fold closet doors and install vertical shelves in both just wide enough to store towels and linens on one side, and two horizontal poles in each to hang clothes on the other side. This should solve my storage issue with the house.

Gosh, it now feels like I'm writing an email to my sister again. Thank goodness my house should be completed before October is over and next year I will work more on my yard.

Thank you for listening and see you soon!

About a half dozen years ago, I bought a signed cartoon from Wiley, the author of Non Sequitur for my girlfriend in San Diego. It was a depiction of a man standing at the threshhold of two towering gates and the devil was standing next to him. Over one gate, a sign read "Hell" and over the other a sign read, "Live in Your House While it's Being Remodeled." The devil said to the man, "Tough choice, isn't it?"

When I contacted Wiley, I mentioned the cartoon was for a woman who had spent 6 years living in her home while it was remodeled. He signed it, "To Cindy, with sincerest condolances, Wiley."

We feel your pain, BW.

Intl Doc

Surely, surely we must be teetering on the edge, staring down from the precipice of Page One into the dreaded Page Two (well, I guess not...). But there you have it, BeyondWords, a concise description of a massive house project that satisfies curiosity, and even Samantha would revel in a 1300 Watt 3-way switch bathroom heater, I feel it's safe to say. My main bathroom in Tuttle Manor is quite archaic and a most unmanly pink tile, but I persevere somehow, mostly because I'm too cheap to do anything about it and am very near-sighted in the morning anyway. And an old house should remain old where functional, I feel. I join IntlDoc in wishing you patience and good luck, and can't help but point out that Thos. Jefferson lived in basically a construction site for roughly forty years, but it didn't seem to bother him since he was the architect, and it all turned out pretty well for posterity.

This probably (actually certainly) belongs over in the Weekends section, but last night by sheer accident I found Samantha in Florence (evidently from about a year ago). The Travel Channel never mentioned this Weekend in advance, but it almost became for me the missing Tuscany episode I felt her own Passport to Europe truly lacked (along with Budapest, Loire Valley, a few others maybe...). Sam gave us some lovely phrases in it, and there was some luscious videography from it, along with a mysterious "thanks to PineRidge Productions" in the fleeting end credits. If Stan and the hardy crew were involved in an earlier version of that show (the editing seemed to be of the more recent company), then I wanted to send a little word of thanks here. And a glass of chianti, to Sam. It's another weekend in September after all.

Speaking of remodeling, etc., I kicked around whether or not to post this, not really Samanthan related, but it occurs to me I might be saving someone's eyesight - and maybe even SB's.

About a month or so ago, I decided to decorate the patio just outside my office. Schloss Intl Doc has a 10 x 10 concrete slab with sliding glass doors to my office and the wall with the back of my living room fireplace (like I really need a fireplace) forms an L shape. To give you an idea of the utility of the thing, I used it to store my wash bucket and some ancient canvas furniture for the last several years. However, this summer I decided to spruce the place up a bit.

I bought some very nice wrought iron furniture, a small fountain, a canvas canopy, and both sego and pygmy date palms to form a "green" fence. Whilst picking up a date palm, a frond slipped into my right eye and neatly chopped up my cornea. Turns out the things are razor sharp and it rather efficiently blinded my right eye. Most unpleasant.

Long story short, the neighborhood kids thought I was Captain Jack with my new eye patch, so not all was lost, and my students get endless amusement from it. It still is a problem, but I can see well enough to, say, type a note on the Forum.

The bottom line is that if you're going to handle ornamental palms, no matter where you are, use safety glasses (and who would have thought this was necessary???). I keep a pair in the breadbox these days and if I'm even watering the things, the glasses are on.

Hey, let's be careful out there!!!!

Intl Doc

Aaaaaarrrr. Now we are officially off-topic. The thread has been - pirated.

Thanks for the heads up, intldoc. I’m truly sorry for your troubles, and I trust things will get better. It’s good that you can still have a sense of humor about this and seize the opportunity to express your inner pirate.

If, as we learned in the Santa Fe episode, the purpose of Samantha Brown is to somehow weave both people and things together, (did I get that right?) then this purpose is oddly accomplished in this Message in a Bottle, for it turns out that I too have had recent uncomfortable dealings with overly aggressive, dangerously sharp date palm fronds. Honestly.

Back in 1988, the family Orange was touring the Mission of San Juan Capistrano. My son was three years old then and would have preferred being at Sea World. He became interested in exploring objects on the ground, and happened to pick up a date. We brought the seed from it back to the East and it is now an 8 foot tall potted date palm tree, as Father O has a seriously green thumb. When he goes away, I am responsible for keeping this living souvenir alive, but many times I swear the thing is trying to kill me. I will most certainly heed your advice, and hope others will too.
Don’t say you were not warned, people! Ornamental plants can be hazardous to your health.

Mother O.

Great stuff, Intl Doc and Mother O. I have a far more benign relationship with plants, and the gardens of Tuttle Manor have mellowed fairly nicely, even with something like 7 years of drought out of the last 10. Roses and clematis have done pretty well this year and I have a couple of roses still in bloom. The wonderful black-eyed susans that self-seed among the cracks of the flagstoned terrace in back are almost done for the year and the same for the butterfly bushes. The one lily in the little Lake Tuttle is barely hanging in there. But somehow most everything comes back in the spring. No plant has tried to kill me yet (although I'm actively trying to kill a wisteria I once planted myself before it turned evil) but the millions of Asian mosquitos back there certainly are.

Arrrrr. And we all may have to become pirates in the world the way things are going, Intl Doc. Hope the vision heals completely. But as you may recall from a scene in 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High', there's a discarded pirate's hat somewhere in a California highway perhaps not so far from you if you need it.

Will Samantha follow us if we ever get to Page Two?

Yarrrrr I supposed I missed International Talk Like A Pirate Day. Actually I didn't, I spoke like a pirate that day, I just didn't post anything piratey here. I'm glad Intl_doc remembered.

I just think that sams show is wonderful I been watching for years she is a great host and I also hope she gets our messages

Wow, still page one??? This is crazy! Perhaps this post will put it over. Or not.

I was looking up some Wallflowers lyrics today and I click on a link... and BAM! Sam's picture showed up! I saw 2 advertisements for Great Weekends... I don't think I've seen those on unrelated sites before.

In the mail today, I received an envelope filled with coupons. To my surprise, one of the coupons was for Champion Windows with a nice picture of Samantha Brown wearing red! I didn't know that Sam was still with Champion Windows, so I was pleasantly surprised by this! So, I also came across a picture today too!

At my house we always get a book of ads and coupons, and Champion is usually in there. I wonder if Sam's doing new stuff for them or if they're using older pictures... Maybe her contract with them is still good.

I've never actually seen a whole TV commercial for Champion with Sam... I caught the tail end of one once.

Oh but I think I may have seen a billboard with her on it... Most likely for Champion. I'm not totally sure if I did see one, but get the feeling I did.

And now it's almost to the end of September, Samantha, and a quiet Monday afternoon for me, good perhaps for wrapping matters up for now. I've enjoyed posting here and if you've been reading from our thoughts, I hope you've found them entertaining, although I doubt as much as we've been entertained by you.

I don't know where you are today, of course (you may not know yourself on some occasions), pin-balling around the country as you do, quite the Life Samanthan I could never hope to match, nor really want to. I'm far more stationary here by place, although I like to travel more in time. But this month's conversation I hope has shown to you your travels have indeed mattered to us, and that message always bears repeating, to bring that home to you, and remind you that your many friends vicariously have been with you. Don't forget.

It may take us a year or so to catch up with you, of course. Last week's Paris airing left your shadow ten or twelve months in your wake. There was a pleasant whiff of PineRidge I sensed in that nice episode, too, and your closer connection with the camera seemed to show that in my eyes although, as always, I could be wrong. You seemed quite happy there, too, and I hope I'm right in that.

We only got a weirdly hacked up sequence in the Shakespeare English Bookstore there, but it looked to be a charming place. For years I supervised a big university library's stacks with a kingdom of eight floors to rule, and I love the smell of books and all they stand for. Wish I were a more leisurely browser - I suspect you're more patient than me - but I love the sense of anticipation when stepping in a store each time.

I don't go burrowing through used bookstores as much as I used to (I presume you've nosed around in the Strand in Manhattan once or twice) and sad to say that world is disappearing anyway. Those along Charing Cross Rd. in London are not really what they were and Oxford's have all but vanished to the internet. There's still a wonderful one up in York in Micklegate St. that has that sense of timelessness within and where they still wrap up your purchase in brown paper as of old.

I know bookstores aren't as photogenic for television as, say, loud drunken cross dressing bars, but it was truly nice to see that one in Paris. Jefferson claimed to have spent every free afternoon in his Paris years haunting the many bookshops. I'm glad you kept that tradition alive, Sam, for a few seconds of Travel Channel time. (He also sent 86 packing crates of stuff back home, too, and I suspect you didn't quite manage that.)

Tuttle Manor's rooms are, not surprisingly, pretty well full of books - this room is lined with them - and many are from quite far away - a different way of travelling, although they do not have your smile (or very few your charm). But we're getting one last summery day and my front door is flung open now. Leaves only occasionally are tinged with color yet here at the end of the month.

And if, in coming months you feel a chill around you, do remember the names of those above (or back on Page 1 if this post finally tips the balance to a second page) like the trusty Oranges, Leia, Dejardins, IntlDoc and the studious Kelsey, and maybe this reaffirmation of best wishes sent to you, wherever you may be, will help to warm things up. You can open us like a favorite book. I think I'll keep my toes on this side of the month's borders, but have a wonderful and maybe even literary October, Sam, and far beyond.

I feel that fall has its own kind of beauty. It's all tied up with school and football and falling leaves. I don't know about you, but I miss the smell of burning leaves from the curb as neighbors gather with their rakes in the streets to swap the pleasantries of the day. Our air quality is supposedly better now that it's banned, but our neighborhoods are not. We don't even know our neighbors. Thanks Capt. for your wonderful message in a bottle.

The good Captain is trying to cap this bottle, but I hope he'll forgive a quick word or two from Father Orange in the last few minutes of September.

Samantha, as we near the end of the first year of Passport to Great Weekends, I'm given to reflect on our years of knowing you through your many programs and these message boards. Can we actually claim to know you without meeting you in person? I suggest the answer is "Yes, we can." We have you to thank for answering questions and sharing many happy times with us on this forum. Who else in the world of television would take the time to do as much in this regard as you? You've been a most worthy friend to all here and we appreciate the many ways you've included us in your exciting life and achievements.

Although you've been distant from these boards in recent times, I've come to understand that you've given us new insights into your life, in a most personal way, within the confines of Passport to Great Weekends. In one short season, we've met your father, mother, sister, sister's baby, college friends and husband. We have a more complete picture as a result.

So I thought I'd take a few of these last minutes of September to thank you for once again sharing your life with us. Tell your family members that they all came across wonderfully well on television and that they are stars.

Thanks for everything, Sam, and may you have many happy travels to share with us as you begin your next year of television adventures.

Father Orange (no longer a Junior Member!)

Oops I'm late, I'm late. I was on a plane yesterday so at least I have a good excuse.

MotherO, I used to wander the area by the mission in San Juan Capistrano. My uncle owned a business down the street and I lived with him and his family for 2 months. That was a good 7 years after your visit that resulted in transporting plantlife.

With September over I just want to express a heartfelt thanks to Samantha for bringing us all together. May October bring us all endless happiness.

I'm Capt. Tuttle (not really) and I approve of the preceding messages.

Wonderful several posts to finish off. "Yes, we can", Father O... And very glad that Leia's safely home. But I think it's probably time to end the thread with those above as it's crisp October now. I guess this was a bottle after all, decanting far more than I anticipated, wending its way from Paris to Chicago to Capistrano (a fun word to say) and points in between, even Tuscan. A pleasant conversation of travel.

But I promised to retire and stay out of October, so Sam, just remember, to carry further the simile from your Parisian guy on the plane, Life is like a coconut, tough on the outside but softer within. Except I don't really like coconut very much. So let's try this -- Life is like the plane carrying that Frenchman and the coconut: metallic and hard on the outside (and likely behind schedule and missing your luggage) but full of warm humanity within... and bad movies, airline food, screaming babies, lines for the toilets... Hmmm... Bad metaphor after all. No, let's go back to the coconut. Or better yet, the productions of plays in the wonderful Shakespeare In Love: it's a mystery how it all works out, but it somehow always does.

And thus to cork this bottle for you, so many people wish the very best of luck in everything you do, Ms. Brown. And that most certainly includes

Capt. Tuttle

Hi, just happened to passby again in this site,
not knowing the reason; maybe I happened to watch in the Travel & Living channel here in Spore, the episode on Argentina of Ms. Sam, just this morning .
It's been a while, being off here in the Message in the Bottle page. And I cant recall how long anymore, less a year or two? But, I've seen a lot of changes in the site, more places visited and revisited by Ms. Sam? I wonder, doesn't she get tired? Any energy drink she takes while having a trip?
I have passed by also, your posts, still very
nice to read on and on, BEYONDWORDS, I am still beyond words to describe how "eloquent" your writing is (but are you still writing about stars?; I once tried to look for Robert Frost book here, but found unavailable, is it available anywhere else in Asia?

And Capt. Tuttle, seems the same also in his writing; Capt. Tuttle I just wanna share something on coconut, but maybe you know this already, in Phils., you can come up with a particular dessert using the coconut, just mix the white part with several fruits, sometimes you can find it in can, and just add up condensed milk and cream, manually mix them altogether; then behold, your own version of fruit salad in coconut nut . You can let it cold, or eat them straight. My tip is, let it cold, but not frozen.

Intl Doc, I must say, I love the existence of Fall and Spring too. It accentuates, a frequency of life's variation.
Ok, now I'm out of the topic. Happy weekend.

Subject: Take Something Like A Star

Hello Simplicity1! It's nice to see you back on the message boards. I've been gone for a while too. Too bad you haven't found any Robert Frost books so I'll be glad to share a poem from him about a star called "Take Something Like A Star." I haven't written about any stars lately so I think this poem helps to fulfill the need within me, and one that I especially appreciate.

"Take Something Like A Star" is a good example of a poem that I didn't understand at first so I didn't pay it much attention with so many others to read and analyze. It was published in 1949. But I've come to understand and appreciate it more after I studied some words to comprehend it better, and now I truly love reciting it to friends with the wise message it gives at the end. This poem also kind of feels like a prayer too and why I enjoy it.

Because I had to look up some words I will write down their definitions beforehand in case you need to be reminded of their meanings. Robert Frost also made a reference to a John Keats poem and I found the poem online and included it afterwards so you understand what Frost is referring to, thus giving more meaning to this poem.

I had mentioned to friends earlier this year that "Take Something Like A Star" was worth while to share during a political election year for it does not come across to be outdated. Like the wise message given at the end, I said to friends: I will not carry too much "praise" or carry too much "blame" on any one candidate but will remain centered within myself "and be staid", which we often don't see with the press and cable news these days.

Hope you enjoy!

Jeff the Eremite

Fairest - "Beautiful."
Loftiness - "Of imposing height."
Obscurity - "Out of site; hidden."
Wholly - "Completely; entirely."
Taciturn - "Habitually untalkative or silent."
Reserve - "Have or keep a right or power; Self-restraint."
Keats - "John Keats 1795-1821. British Poet."
Eremite - "A hermit, esp. a religious recluse."
Sphere - "A round solid figure in which every point on the surface is at an equal distance from the center."
Sway - "Make someone change their opinions. Influence or control over people."
Staid - "Respectable and unadventurous. Sedate and dignified; proper.
Ablution - "A washing or cleansing of the body, esp. in a ritual manner."
Moors - "A high open area of land that is not cultivated."

TAKE SOMETHING LIKE A STAR

O Star (the fairest one in sight),
We grant your loftiness the right
To some obscurity of cloud -
It will not do to say of night,
Since dark is what brings out your light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn
In your reserve is not allowed.
Say something to us we can learn
By heart and when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says, "I burn."
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.
It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats' Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may take something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.


BRIGHT STAR, WOULD I WERE STEDFAST
By John Keats

Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art---
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors---
No---yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillowed upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever---or else swoon in death.

At randomhouse.com I found:
Eremite
Harry L. Heffelfinger wrote:
I recently received a question from a colleague of my wife's asking about the word eremite. I believe that the word means 'religious recluse.' The question arose because Robert Frost made reference to Keats's eremite in one of his poems. Could you help us to understand the word and who may have been Keats' eremite?

An eremite (pronounced ERR-uh-mite) is indeed a 'religious recluse,' someone who, from religious motives, has retired into a solitary life. Both eremite and hermit came into English late in the 12th century and were used interchangeably for over 400 years. Hermit is now the more common word. In Modern English, especially since the 16th century, eremite is most often used poetically or to create a certain effect. Time magazine referred to J.D. Salinger as "the eremite of Cornish, N.H." in a 1999 article.

The Greek adjective eremos means 'empty or desolate.' From this came the noun eremia 'desert.' Toward the end of the 3rd century, it became common for Christians in Egypt to go into the desert, where they lived a solitary life of contemplation and asceticism. A person who did this was known as an eremites in Greek or an eremita in Latin. An eremite is, therefore, literally 'someone who lives alone in the desert.'

Among the more famous of these early recluses was St. Anthony, who is regarded as the founder of Christian monasticism, and who is said to have withstood numerous temptations from the devil during his 20 years of rigorous solitude. St. Jerome, who made the first translation of the Bible from Hebrew into Latin, also spent a number of years as an eremite. The eremitic life was especially popular during the centuries which saw the demise of the Roman Empire. After the Counterreformation, the practice largely died out in the Western Church but remains in the Eastern Church.

In the poem "Bright Star," Keats speaks of "nature's patient sleepless Eremite." The reference is to an unidentified star which, like a hermit, sits apart from the world. Frost, in "Take Something Like a Star," refers to the steadfastness of "Keats' Eremite."

Here are a few more words to expand your vocabulary: "eremic" means 'relating to deserts;' "eremophilia" is 'a love of solitude;' and "eremophobia" is 'a fear of being alone.'