Saturday, 1 August 2026

Saturday Nice . . .

 

 


Out of the fullness of years I sing,
Out of the wind and rain,
Songs that are forged by the heat of life
Welded with peace and pain.

Out of the harvest of years I sing,
Bringing my sheaves of song,
Garnered from fields that have known the storm,
Reared where the winds belong.

Out of the furrows turned and brown,
Wine of the sun and sod,
Mellowed and aged in the out-of-doors,
Scourged by the chastening rod.

Out of the heart that won it's peace
And claimed the right to be free,
Come friend and sit where the sunlight falls
And sing along with me.
~Edna Jacques, Fullness of Years
Beside Still Waters, 1952


Some days I feel older than others. Yesterday was one of those days.  I ended up not going out. By late morning I just felt depleted and I just didn't feel like I had the energy or the will to wander around the shops, etc. So I ended up messaging Cindy and letting her know. I did not like to disappoint anyone, but there will be other days and more opportunities. I will have to try to get out today to get some cat food. I will be picking Eileen up around 1 and she wants to go to the grocery store to get herself some drinks and snacks for the weekend, so I will get a few pots there. The cats will eat it or go hungry. It's as simple as that.  They can be very stubborn when they want to be. But I know that they will not starve because food will be there and if you are that hungry you will eat it.


 

Do you remember that I told you earlier this week that two ambulances were down the end of my street. One left with the siren going and then the other one followed a bit later. Well, it was Jane.  The lady who lived at the end. She passed.  I was sad to learn of that yesterday. She was one of the first people to speak to me when I arrived on the street. Such a kind lady. An avid birder and gardener. I knew she must not be well as nothing had been done in her garden this year at all. Her partner of 45 years was pretty much bedridden so she was probably in the second ambulance.  It is sad, but Jane is out of pain now. She is soaring with the birds she so loved to care for.



It is hard to believe but we are in August now. The days are becoming that little bit shorter. It is dark now when I go to bed, or darkening, and only just beginning to get light when I get up in the morning. I went to check my post box this morning and the guinea fowl were across the way. There were only two of them this morning so I am wondering what happened to the other two. Perhaps they had just gone on ahead.

There was a tiny white moth on the mail box. It was shaped like an airplane in it's resting state. I think it is what is called a plume moth but I can't be sure. I should have taken a photograph of it, but alas I did not. It was not a very big moth, but quite interesting.

I remember one time when I was working at the Manor there was a large Hawkmoth that had gotten into the kitchen overnight. (They had a habit of going to bed and leaving the kitchen lights on and the windows open.) I went to put the Mr.'s toast into the toast and it flew out at me from behind the toaster. It was huge and had the most beautiful wings. They looked like large oak leaves. Very pretty to see.


 

It has rained again in the night. We have gotten a lot of rain this week and it is cloudy this morning. The forecast says scattered rain showers are expected this morning. We will see. We can use it. It's been too dry and the gardens will soak it up. I did not have to water my plants yesterday as they had gotten a lovely soaking the day before. I may not need to water them today either. We will see. 

Molly from down the end of the road came to my door last evening. She has the prettiest blue eyes. She had an invite for me to a Birthday celebration for Glenna across the way. it is on Tuesday afternoon. Thankfully I have already bought a card for her. her birthday is not until the end of the month, but I do think Glenna was planning on going out West with her son and his family to visit her daughters sometime this month so perhaps she is not going to be here.

Cindy asked me for some ideas of what I wanted for my Birthday, but I really cannot think of anything. I am so blessed to have all that I need. Just love I guess. I don't know who couldn't use a bit more of that. Time. I could use more of that as well. I need my cats nails trimmed and some help trimming Cinnamon's bottom. (It gets matted.) I don't really need anything else.


 
 



You love the roses -- so do I. I wish
The sky would rain down roses, as they rain
From off the shaken bush. Why will it not?
Then all the valley would be pink and white
And soft to tread on. They would fall as light
As feathers, smelling sweet; and it would be
Like sleeping and like waking, all at once!
~George Elliot 

I miss all of the roses we had in our gardens in the U.K.  We had them of all colors. Red, pink, yellow, peach . . . in the back there was an arch with a gate separating the patio from the grassed area. The arch was covered in yellow climbing roses. So pretty when they were in bloom. 

I don't seem to see many roses around here. Perhaps the weather is too cold in the winter?  I see lots of wild briar roses, but not a lot of cultivated ones. Other flowers grow well however.  Roses do require a lot of care.

I was thinking last night about how this street has changed since I moved here. On the other side of the street there are now only two people who were here then and on this side only two people who were here then.  I suppose that it the nature of living in a neighborhood filled with Seniors. The residents living here can change quite a bit from one year to the next. But what a wealth of experience and knowledge are held on these streets. Its quite remarkable really when you think about it.

There is one lady across the road who belongs to a dinner club. Once a month, every month, they get together for a meal. But everything in the meal, all of the dishes have to have one main ingredient, which is the choice of whoever is hosting it that month. She was talking about this at the last Birthday get-together I went to. She was saying that she had to come up with a dessert that used potatoes. Someone suggested potato fudge. I find myself wondering now what everyone made.  What an interesting concept that is. A dinner club like that.


 



I just messaged Eileen to make sure she was awake.  She has been going to Tim Hortons each day in the morning. It's great that she is getting out and about and getting some exercise.  One of her workers took all of her air fresheners and threw them away.  Apparently one of the workers is allergic to scents. I didn't think that was right that she should do that. Eileen has a different worker every day and she might not even have the same ones from one week to the next.  But they got thrown away anyways.  At Eileen's expense. They were not cheap. Not much I can do about that but I don't think it is right.

I know that scents do bother some people, but I am not sure if it is an actual allergy. Then again, who am I???  Not an expert for sure. I don't like really strong scents and there are some things I don't like the smell of, but I wouldn't say for me it is an allergy. 

You have to pick your battles I guess.


 


I am going to try to go to the Farm market behind me this morning for just a few things.  I need some potatoes and I want a few vegetables. Maybe some beans and some corn. I would like fruit too, but I can get that later when I go to the grocery store with Eileen. Probably watermelon and perhaps even some blueberries. They seem the safest bet. I was hoping to make a blueberry cake one day. August is the season of blueberries, and corn.

And beans. Another few weeks and we should be seeing some of the early Winter squashes arriving. I love squash. Corn, Beans and Squash. A trinity of flavors that are usually ripening at the same time. I think the native people's called them the Three Sisters.

I think they used to be planted together as well, with the idea in mind that the hardy stalk of the corn would be able to support the vines of the squash and beans.




I started to try to watch this film on Amazon Prime yesterday. I have to say I gave up before it was even half through. It was not really a nice movie I didn't think. Perhaps I did not give it enough of a chance. I have quite a short attention span anyways, but this was not holding it at all. There are much nicer and worthier ways to spend my time.  I just thought since I was having a bad day physically that I would watch a film.  This was a poor choice.

On a bright note, I finally did catch the fly that was buzzing around.  It finally lighted on the window out front and I was able to electrify it with my electric racket.

Oh, speaking of electrics. My microwave oven appears to be not working right. The panel on the front with all of the number buttons. The bottom three number buttons seem to have stopped working. I suppose I can still use it with the other six.  I am not wanting to buy a new microwave oven at the moment and what do I do with the old one? I cannot lift it down or carry it out and I don't believe you are allowed to leave it out by the road for pick up. Oh, and I was reading yesterday that due to a fire at the local rubbish depot, pick up times for rubbish are going to be much longer as it is needing to be driven much further away to dump off. 

I just bought Eileen a microwave oven too   . . . I will just have to keep using mine until it gives up the ghost entirely. As long as most of the button still work then it's still okay. That's my theory anyways!




I don't know if I have told you about this girl before or not.  I have been watching her on YouTube for a while now. I enjoy the soft gentle pace of her videos and she doesn't seem to have an agenda like so many of them have. It just seems like a soft space to land in. I really enjoy it. Old ways, values, etc.

On a side note, I really don't know how these young moms do all that they do. I never had much time to explore things like this when I was bringing up my children. Mind you, because my husband was in the Military and was  away a lot, I was on my own more often than not.  I had double the responsibilities. When I had my fourth baby, I had three in diapers. Not to blow my own horn or anything but, they were cloth diapers also because . . .  who could have that many kids in diapers and afford disposables. It seemed like I was always washing diapers.  

I was always washing diapers. lol  Anyways, with  that and everything else I had to do I would never have had the time to produce and curate such interesting videos. MY hat is off to these young moms who seem to be able to do it all.

One thing I really like about Jennilee is that she doesn't seem to be using her children like so many other influencers do.  You do see her children occasionally but mostly in the background. I am not sure how I feel about these moms who are always making their children the focus of their videos. I don't actually think it's very healthy for the kids. It's probably not safe either. It smacks of "stage door" moms to me. I could be wrong. It is just my opinion.

Anyways, if you are looking for a nice video channel to watch The Pioneer Home is a good one. They are fixing up a small building on their property for use as an Air BNB as well. I think it is a really cute small space.  I quite enjoyed watching that video.

I am fast running out of time this morning so must bring this to a close.  I used to be able to write one of my blog posts in under an hour's time. It seems to be taking me longer and longer these days, and I am not sure if any of them are all that interesting any more, but oh well, it is a habit I am not about to stop even if nobody comes to read. It's my journal and I really do enjoy the writing. If you are still here after all this time I applaud you!  And I thank you.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ° * 。  
• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★
*The winds of Grace
are always blowing,
But, you have to raise
the sail.



Mini Lemon & Raspberry Cakes


In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Mini Lemon & Raspberry Cakes, No Bake.  These are so simple to make, quick and easy, using only a few ingredients. The perfect dessert to make for a last minute group.  Filled with raspberry jam and toasted almonds and frosted with a lush lemon cream cheese frosting.

Have a beautiful weekend. Whatever you get up to I hope it brings you peace and joy. Don't forget!


═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═════════════ 
⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ════════════  

And I do too!    

   

Friday, 31 July 2026

Dear Neighbor . . .


 


JULY 31st, 2026
Estate Lane,
Nova Scotia
18*C/64*F
Mostly cloudy

Dear Neighbor,

I hope this finds you well on this last morning of July, 2026. How did that happen?  How are we already at the end of July? It seems that it was just yesterday that we were celebrating the new year and now we are halfway through the summer. This year has been going by far too quickly. I wish it would slow down just a bit so that I can catch my breath. I am sure you probably feel the same. Time, it passes by far too quickly . . . minutes, days, months, years  . . .  that we can never get back. Oh boy . . . I guess we better make each one count for even more eh?


 

It feels quite humid this morning, which isn't really surprising. We got bucket loads of rain yesterday. I didn't even venture out to check my post box. It was just bucketing down for most of the day. There was no need to water the garden last night.

I have been going to check my mail early in the morning most days. This is going to sound really bad. I hope you will forgive me.  The lady across the way, the one whose birthday we celebrated a week or so ago . . . if she sees me go out my door to check the mail, she comes out and sits on her porch and then grabs me as soon as I turn to go back to my place, and then I cannot get away. She beckons me over and then she talks and talks and talks. I end up sitting there on an uncomfortable stool forever, not able to get away.  It is not that I am mean-spirited, but I end up with a really sore back and I get behind on my work, etc. 

So I have been checking my mail around 6 every morning. I don't know what else to do.  I am not totally anti-social, but I want socialization to be on my terms. I totally understand that she lives on her own and has mobility issues. I do too, although mine are not as severe as hers. I can walk to my mail box. I just don't really have the time or will to sit like that, uncomfortably . . .  for ages, knowing that I have work to get done.

So I take my usual route. Avoidance. I alter my life so that I don't have to confront the problem.


 

I have ascertained that Nutmeg is afraid of flies. I have always known that he is a bit of a chicken.  For instance, when someone strange comes to the door or he sees someone approaching the house he takes off and runs under the bed.  My cleaners have only ever seen him once. The other day I decided to lay back in the easy boy and he came and lay down on my lap only to take off like a bat out of hell when the guy who was dropping off the flyers came by and walked past the front of the house throwing the flyers onto the deck. At first I wasn't sure why Nutmeg had done that, but then I noticed the flyers and it all made sense.

These last few days I have noticed that every so often he takes off running and hides under the table seemingly for no reason at all. His eyes like saucers.  Yesterday I figured it out. There is a small house fly in here. He is terrified of the fly.  He never used to be afraid of flies. He used to try to catch them along with Cinnamon. 

I am wondering if one of those wasps stung him when I had the wasp problem and if it has made him afraid of anything that flies? I am not quite sure what to do about it. Flies are going to get into the house. I do try to catch and kill them every time that they do, but this one has been particularly evasive. Its small and quick. It was on the ceiling in my bedroom last night and I hair-sprayed it. I thought I had gotten rid of it, but it was flying around the bathroom this morning, so it must have revived.

I do have an electrified battery operated insect swatter thingie. But in order to use it the insect has to be within reach and standing still. 


 

Eileen is coming to stay overnight for two nights this weekend.  Monday is a holiday here so she doesn't have a visit on that day so she asked could she stay over on Sunday night as well. I couldn't see why not, so we will be having a sleepover on Saturday and Sunday nights. She is really looking forward to it, as am I.  It will be nice to spend the time together.

It won't be long now until her biopsy on the 10th of August. She will be spending the night that night as well as she has to have someone watch her for 24 hours.  I am happy to be that someone.

I am praying really hard that this hasn't spread anywhere else, and that when they do the hysterectomy they are able to get the whole lot. I am hoping that it won't be long after the biopsy before they do the operation, and that hopefully we will be able to put this behind her and start the healing process. 

And that all will be well  . . . 


 

My knees have been pretty poorly this week, especially these last few days. On Wednesday night I could barely get from my car into the restaurant and then back again after our supper. I can only suppose it is the weather? I know it can affect people with arthritis quite a bit . . .  the weather. I should be going with Cindy to take dad this afternoon, but I am not sure I will be able to cope with the getting in and out of the car several times and then walking around Walmart. I may have to give it a pass, which is a bit of a nuisance as I do like to get my cat food there, and I do enjoy spending the time with Cindy. Chronic pain is no fun. But, there are people who are much worse off than I am, so I count my blessings that I can still do what I can still do. And not all weeks are like this. I have many more good weeks than bad.


 


In the utter stillness she heard the tinkle of the fountain, and smelled the roses, whose blossoms hung rich and motionless. So she drifted, drifted on the wistful feet of beauty, past the water and the swans. to the noble park, where, beneath a great oak, a doe all dappled lay with her four fine feet together, her fawn nestling sun-coloured beside her. 
~D.H. Lawrence, The Rainbow

What a talent it is to be able to string words together like this  . . . words that are able to transport another soul into a world so sweet and tranquil. I am reminded of all the parks and gardens that I visited often when I lived in the U.K. Country walks and gardens so beautiful as to take the breath away.  Knole Park was one not too far from us when I worked at the Manor. It has a herd of 350 deer, so majestic, all wandering about.

It was the place where the Beatles filmed the Strawberry Fields Forever promotional video and where they filmed the 2026 film version of Wuthering Heights. (I have not seen that yet.)

But my favorite of all the gardens to visit was Sissinghurst. We went there many times. Also Scotney Castle gardens. They were a real favorite.


 


This was a photograph that I took of Scotney Castle on one of our visits there. It was such a beautiful location and the walk around the lake was lovely.  You could not go into the castle. It was largely a ruin. The ruins of a medieval, moated Manor House. But breathtakingly beautiful as you can see and when the gardens were in bloom  . . . simply amazing to visit. 




But that was the U.K. in general once you got outside of the cities. It was a country where stone walls and garden gates were all swathed in greenery and colour.  Colour that bloomed and sprouted from every nook and cranny, nature seeking a toehold in every opportunity which presented itself. 

How very blessed I was to have been able to live and work in such an environment. Memories of beautiful things that I get to carry with me forever. 


 


This was a photograph that I took in the gardens at Hever Castle.  This was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Another favorite place of mine to visit. I remember when I took Bruce there on one of the times I brought him over to visit me, there was jousting on the grounds of the castle. So much fun. Henry the VIII and Anne Boleyn were walking around. (Of course only actors.)

A land steeped in tradition and charm, filled with history and beautiful customs, and colours, and wonder and common sense.  A land filled with people and accents as varied as the colours on a map.  this is a land that I quite . . . simply . . . loved. What a great blessing in my life it was to get to experience all of that. My life is a lot quieter these days, but blessed in other ways.  Living near my family is something I am particularly fond of, and would not change for anything.

And with that I best end this off now and leave you with a thought to carry with you  . . . 


° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★

 *.˛.
Be a pineapple,
stand tall, wear a crown 
and be sweet on the inside.  
~unknown •。★★ 。* 。 


Fresh Tomato, Cucumber & Cheese Sandwich



This is a delicious sandwich I made for myself from what was in the refrigerator the other day. Fresh Tomato, Cheese & Cucumber Sandwich. It was too good for me not to share it with you. Rich sourdough bread, layers of cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, a lovely creamy dressing, etc. What a tasty mouthful it was!

I hope that you have a lovely Friday. Whatever you get up to, I hope that it brings you joy! Be happy and be blessed. Don't forget!

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════

And I do too!! 




Thursday, 30 July 2026

My Favorite Things . . .

 



Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens . . . these are some of the things in life that I enjoy, and which make me happy, inspire me, or put a smile on my face. Maybe some of them are yours too.  Let's share!


 

Farm markets  . . . especially during fresh vegetable season.


 

Spindle beds  . . . 


 

Homemade jam  . . . 


 

A thatched roof and a cottage garden  . . . 


 

Fresh air  . . . 


 

A deep sink  . . . 


 


Fresh plums  . . . 


 

A good fresh loaf and plenty of butter   . . . 


 

This  . . . 


 

Cinnamon buns  . . . 


 

Country church architecture . . . 


 

Viaducts  . . . 


 


A bucket full of posies  . . . 


 

Love, love, love  . . . 

 

Red barns  . . .  rail fences  . . .  and wild flowers  . . . 


 

Candle light  . . . 


 

A well set table  . . . 


 

Nature  . . . it fascinates me.


 

Old book covers  . . . 


 

Outdoor water pumps  . . . 

And those are my favorite things for this week. I guess I just like pretty pictures of pretty things  . . . 


A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ° * 。  
• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★
*The strength of your spirit
is not measured by the storms
you avoid, but by the way
you rise with grace and courage
through them.
~Dede Hawkins   

Nova Scotia Hodge Podge


I'm sharing an old Nova Scotia recipe in the EK today. Traditional Nova Scotia Hodge Podge.  A much beloved Maritime classic, created by using fresh, young summer vegetables . . .  carrots, beans, peas, new potatoes, cauliflower, etc. in a creamy buttery broth. Simple and delicious.

I hope you have a lovely day today. It's raining heavily here today, and that's not a bad thing. We need the rain. I just wish it didn't make it so dark in my house. Oh well!  Whatever you get up to today, I hope it brings you peace and joy. Don't forget!
═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═════════════ 
⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ════════════  

And I do too!    

   

Wednesday, 29 July 2026

Wednesday Witterings . . .

 


My goal this summer has been to bring order out of chaos in my home.  I am afraid over the last six or so months I have let things slide a bit.  Probably because I spent the first few months of the year quite unwell, and then because I had Eileen with me and we were busy making memories. And so, this summer I have challenged myself to sort things out, organize and get rid of things I either don't use or don't need.

Yesterday it was the large walk in closet in my bedroom. I am happy to say I made great progress and I have a box of things to take over to Eileen that I know she can and will use.

I am not sure why, but whenever I accomplish something like this I feel refreshed and renewed. It makes me happy. 

One spot down . . .  a bazillion to go.  And that's okay. Rome wasn't made in a day.  And you can only eat an elephant one bite at a time.


 
 

I watched something on YouTube yesterday that was a real eye opener for me and solidified just why I decided not to do any more YouTube Videos. (Aside from the fact that I just don't have the time, and couldn't do them well.)  It was a basic story about two cake pop creators. One very successful one, quite established on TikTok and another one just starting out.  The one just starting out had been inspired by the success of the established one and had made some cake pops. The established one reckoned she had stolen from her and did a whole video on it that was quite scathing and bullying. This created a whole backlash for the newer creator. We all know how vicious the social media world can be. Anyways, to make a long story short, she posted a very tearful video about it, claiming she had not stolen anything, etc. yada yada yada.  

Popularity truly turns on a dime.  The established one ended up losing followers by the thousands because, to be honest, she came across as being quite nasty. The newer one ended up gaining followers by the thousands. The established one was getting death threats and everything.

All over cake pops. (I am not even sure I like cake pops. I don't get what all the fuss is about them.)

I came away thinking to myself, boy oh boy, I would not want to be popular like that for anything in the world. You build a rod for your own back that you have to keep up. And what people build up on the one hand, other people like to tear down on the other. And they are vicious and nasty about it.

The nasty soft underbelly of social media and digital popularity. Cancel culture. Nasty business.

I am grateful that my food blog continues to keep a roof over my head, but at the same time I am grateful for relative obscurity. I am happy with things just as they are thank you very much. 


 
(source


I also discovered a new YouTube channel called Food Museum. I watched one of their videos, Afternoon Tea with Mrs. Wilding and it was completely entrancing. A glimpse into the past. I really enjoyed it and ended up subscribing as I am interested in watching some more of their videos. Food and food history really interests me.

I also discovered some new books yesterday. One of my readers on my EK Facebook page suggested these books to me: 

"I would like to recommend a book series to you, Marie, and to anyone who dreams of a sweeter time and place, but not in the far distant past, rather in a little village in England called Finch. The family lives in a "honey coloured stone cottage in the midst of the Cotswolds" but I get ahead of myself. Nancy Atherton is the author of the Aunt Dimity series, cozies, yes, I suppose they are, mysteries, yes, but they are NOT murder mysteries. Don't let the title of the first one put you off "Aunt Dimity's Death"...it sets the backstory for the entire series. The subject of your post today made me think of this series, which I am reading/listening to again, for the umpteenth time. I really think you would enjoy these books."

I went onto Amazon and read a sample of the first one, and was completely into it immediately and so I bought it. I have already read 6 chapters. I almost couldn't put it down once I started reading it.  


 


I don't know how many books there are in the series, but I am a new fan. Hook, line and sinkered. What a cracking read this first one is.



 

It was a very busy day on the street yesterday.  Bright and sunny. First the lawn care people went around whipper snippering and then mowing. Always noisy. I am not sure how the cats feel about it, but what choice do they have. It's one of life's little necessities.  Then there was not one, but two ambulances that arrived down the end of the street and one left with it's lights flashing and siren going. So I am sure that is not happy news.  I think they were at Jane's place. Jane is the one who told me that she had leukemia last year. I had been going to send her an "I'm thinking of you." card.  Now I think I best wait and see what's happened before I do anything.  I am sure that the "talking drums" of the neighborhood will kick in soon and I will find out.

I hope that Jane is okay, but I have a feeling that all is not well. Sheila, on the other hand, appears to be doing very well. The last time I spoke to her she seemed very chipper and is hopeful that she will be able to return home soon. 


 

I noticed in the flyers which came around yesterday that Local Corn is beginning to arrive in the shops. In one shop it is on special for 50 cents a cob and in the other it was 89 cents a cob. I may have to get some and see how it is. I love fresh corn on the cob that has just been picked however, so I will wait until it is in the farm market.





This is a screen shot I took this morning of all the wildfires burning in North America.  There is one just to the South West of us where I live, but it is not too close and is deemed under control. This is an unsettling photo of North America to say the least, but what is even more unsettling is the world wide view.

The summer of 2026 is witnessing unprecedented global wildfire activity, with multiple continents affected and record areas burned due to heat, drought, and a developing El Niño. 

I have seen the videos of the fires in Spain and the South of France.  

How can anyone not believe in Global warming or Climate Change as I believe it is now called. This is not good.


 


We are rapidly getting through what is called the "Dog Days of Summer."  The Dog Days of Summer run from July 3 to August 11 each year. Far more than a modern saying, the phrase comes from ancient sky-watchers who noticed that the brightest star, Sirius (the Dog Star), rose with the Sun during this period. 

"For centuries, this hot part of summer has carried both astronomical meaning and layers of folklore. The term “Dog Days” has been used for millennia to describe the hottest, most sweltering weeks of the Northern Hemisphere summer. Ancient peoples linked it with both astronomy and folklore, often viewing it as a time of drought, disease, or unrest."

I have not found it to be really uncomfortable heat-wise so far this summer. I have not had to have my heat pump working on the "cool" function very often, and when I have had it on, it's only been for an hour or so at a time. Of course that could all change and probably will. Summer is only half over, afterall.

I was thinking that if we have a nice day on Saturday next I might take Eileen up to the shore for a picnic of some sort.  I am sure she would enjoy that. I think we both would, and it would be something different for us to do. We will see how the weather is. At the moment it looks like it will be sunny and warm. I only wish my mobility was a bit better.


 


It has been a long time since I have felt the coolness of grass beneath bare feet, but I always loved going barefoot in the summer, and in fact I never used to wear any socks or slippers in the house. I do wear slippers in the house all the time now. In fact I caught myself going out to check the post in my slippers the other morning. I thought, oh boy, I am turning into Peter Lee.  

Peter and his wife Audrey were good friends of mine in the U.K. and he was always going out and about in his house slippers.  I miss Peter. He continued to email me after I moved back to Canada.  We lost Audrey in 2017 and Peter passed in June of 2022. They were the first friends I made when I moved over to the U.K. in 2000, and stayed good friends the whole time I lived there. We took many walks together in the countryside. They were avid walkers. They are the people we went on holiday with to the South of France that time. Thoroughly enjoyed that holiday and built many happy memories. Indeed I have many happy memories of our friendship throughout all the years.

What a blessing it is to have had such good friends in life.

And with that I best leave you with a thought for the day as the hours are marching on and I have a lot to get done today.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ° * 。  
• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★
*Adapt the pace of nature.
Her secret is patience.
~Ralph Waldo Emmerson


Creamy Corn Chowder 


In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Quick & Easy Creamy Corn Chowder. Simple and delicious. This was my dinner on Monday and it filled the gap beautifully. It was just the ticket for a bit of a ticky tummy, and went down a real treat. Comforting and nourishing.

I hope you have a beautiful Wednesday.  Plans to go out for supper tonight with Eileen, Cindy, Dad, etc. I wonder what the specials will be. They were closed yesterday due to a broken dish washer. Hopefully it got fixed! Whatever you get up to today, I hope it brings you joy. Don't forget!

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And I do too!