{"id":12575,"date":"2026-06-09T15:35:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T15:35:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/?page_id=12575"},"modified":"2026-06-25T21:34:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T21:34:57","slug":"landmarks","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/?page_id=12575","title":{"rendered":"Landmarks"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Possibly a \u201ccumhang\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I read Robert Macfarlane\u2019s \u201cThe Old Ways – a journey on foot.\u201d It\u2019s a beautifully written collection of stories describing ancient walks that are disappearing now through lack of use. \u201cLandmarks\u201d is not a book about walking, however, it is a book about loss, mainly the loss of language. MacFarlane\u2019s concern is that once you lose the names for \u201cthings\u201d you lose the \u201cthing\u201d itself. Your experience is diminished and your world is compromised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Landmarks”” is an attempt to preserve these words, thereby preserving a small part of the world and enriching our experience through language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will hold on forever to the word \u201csmirn.\u201d It describes an extremely fine misty rain almost imperceptible until you are quite wet. I encountered it in Scotland on a mild spring evening while walking to the Castle pub in Dirleton<\/a> with my husband.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MacFarlane records the word as \u201csmirr.\u201d But this was not my experience. Mine was softer, warmer with a touch of love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Landmarks” is a labour of love for those who cherish language and experiences preserved through words. It is also a journey through cultures that are disappearing with the loss of their vernacular. It\u2019s worth a re-read.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I read Robert Macfarlane\u2019s \u201cThe Old Ways – a journey on foot.\u201d It\u2019s a beautifully written collection of stories describing ancient walks that are disappearing now through lack of use. \u201cLandmarks\u201d is not a book about walking, however, it is a book about loss, mainly the loss of language. MacFarlane\u2019s concern is that once you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"narrow-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12575","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12575","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12575"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12575\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12644,"href":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12575\/revisions\/12644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeiswhathappens.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12575"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}