The Simple Woman's Daybook . . .

 

FOR TODAY, June 19th, 2018

Outside my window ...
The sky is a mix of brilliant blue and very dark whispy cloud. All is quiet except for the birds. Wondering what the day will bring. Its cool, but not at all unpleasant. We will have to pick strawberries today (yay!) as the plants are loaded with beautiful ripe berries. I feel a strawberry shortcake coming on!

I am thinking ...
I haven't seen as many bees this summer as we usually do. This is a bit worriesome. The honeysuckle and lavender are usually buzzing with them.  Not this year, although I see plenty on the palm.

In the kitchen ...

 

Yesterday I made some Lemon, Lime & Ginger Curd. I had limes and lemons that needed using up and decided to liven it up with a bit of fresh ginger root.  Wowsa! Sweet, tangy and a tiny bit firey. This stuff is amazing! I have discovered a new weakness! 

On my "To Cook" list ... 

I have always wanted to try a Manchester Tart, and this one I found on the BBC Good Food page by James Martin (a dish himself) looks fab!  He is the King of Dessert Makers.

Good to Know ...

  
I am creating ... 

  

Picot Pals  free pattern for an Icelandic Poppy. Very pretty. 

 

The Painted Hinge.  Fall Maple Leaves.  

 

Love this cable cardigan. Vera Sanon on Ravelry.  Free pattern.

 

Astor by Nora Gaugn on Ravelry. LOVE this! Free pattern. 

 

Plus I finished Todd's Blanket, which was based on the Ora Keily Blanket from Eight by Six. This is such an easy make.  I want to do another one.  Sigh  . . .  I love them.

I am reading ...

 

The Pattern Artist, by Nancy Moser 

 Born into a life of hard work, English housemaid Annie Wood arrives in New York City in 1911 with her wealthy mistress. Wide-eyed with the possibilities America has to offer, Annie wonders if there’s more for her than a life of service. Annie chooses to risk everything, taps into courage she never knew she had, and goes off on her own, finding employment in the sewing department at Macy’s. While at Macy’s Annie catches the eye of a salesman at the Butterick Pattern Company. Through determination, hard work, and God’s leading, Annie discovers a hidden gift: she is a talented fashion designer—a pattern artist of the highest degree. As she runs from ghosts of the past and focuses on the future, Annie enters a creative world that takes her to the fashion houses of Paris and into a life of adventure, purpose, and love.  

Set in 20th-century New York, Nancy Moser’s novel explores the nature of courage, obsession, revenge, religion love, loss and more as she introduces us to THE PATTERN ARTIST, a tale sure to be embraced by fans of inspirational romance, historical novels and Christian lit.
Born to parents whose jaded view of a world where elites rule does little to dissuade Annie Woods in her belief that there is something better in her future. At the age of fourteen she leaves home and accepts employment with the wealthy Kidd family, where she is allowed to ply her talent for sewing and design (but receives no personal recognition for her efforts). A sea voyage to the United States with the family and their domestic entourage brings Annie into a world she had never imagined, some of it positive and some negative.

LOVE this. 

I am looking forward to ...

Feeding the next set of Missionaries later today and having Tina and Tony over for lunch on Friday! 

Dreaming about ...  

   

Pillow shaped like bows . . .  

  

French Floral covered boxes  . . .  

   

Geese in the garden  . . .  

  

Romantic Trellis  . . .  

   

Such a tiny waistline   . . .  

Something to watch ...

  

The Edge of Seventeen on Netflix.  

A goal for the week ...

No sugar. At all.  

A quote for the day ... 

(¯`v´¯)
 `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ¸. •´¸.•~♥♥♥~•. ~ ღϠ₡ღ¸. ✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ.
         ( ¸. ❀⁀ ⋱‿✿“` * .¸.* ✻ღϠ₡ ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ.

Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate

what they already have.  ~Buddah

   `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ¸ `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ¸. •´¸.•~♥♥♥~•. ~  

Makes me smile ... 

  

This daisy tea set  . . .  

Corners of my Kingdom ... 

 
 

 

 St Nectan’s Glen & St Nectan's Kieve, Cornwall. It is believed locally that the 6th century Saint Nectan had a hermitage above the waterfall, and rang a silver bell to warn ships of the dangers of offshore rocks at the mouth of the Rocky Valley during storms.


 And that's my daybook for this week!



  ⋱ ⋮ ⋰
⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small *´¯`.¸¸.☆
  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆ 



✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.• ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥
░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░ 

Have a beautiful day!  Don't forget!  

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And I do too!    

Small and wonderful things . . .

 

 

"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard 

A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best. 

 

To some my life might seem pretty boring.  There is no "clubbing" going on, not much out of the ordinary here.  Each day passes in much the same way as the day before, for the most part, with the exception of Sundays, where we shake things up a bit by going to church. There is a great comfort to be found in the sameness of my days. I am at heart a very simple person who is quite happy with my life just as it is. Comfortable in my own skin and the sameness of my days. 

 

This is the 10-day forcast for this area.  I can live with that quite happily.  Sunny/cloudy days. No rain. moderate temperatures, although it looks to be getting quite a lot warmer next week. I don't mind it getting into the low 80's, but when it gets up towards the 90's I am not a very happy camper, lol. Heat and me don't get along very well.  I am not a great lover of too much heat.  Cool and comfortable.  That's my scene. 

 

The opportunity I have each week to go to church and commune with the Saints, to partake of the sacrament and renew my covenants, to repent and start anew. One might look at me and think I don't have a lot of repenting to do, but trust me. I do. Everytime I have an unkind thought or do anything contrary to what I should be doing, to what I know better than to do . . . is an opportunity for repentance. I had some pretty unkind thoughts about a certain individual this weekend and so had a lot of repenting to do yesterday.  I just let it go . . . unrighteous indignation.  Its never nice to feel that way. 

 

Popped over to Ariana's last night just for a few and had a peek into their nursery which they have prepared for the new baby. (Only 4 weeks now!)  It is just beautiful. Its small, but beautiful. I love the wallpaper she has chosen.  Etsy. I did not know you could buy wallpaper on Etsy! 

I facetimed a couple of times with my sister, brother, etc. this weekend. It was nice to talk to them all face to face.  Todd and I were very lazy yesterday. When we got home from church, we both got our PJ's on and just lazed around.  It was really funny when I was talking to my brother, I saw what I thought was my mother and got all excited because she was moving around and going to wind the clock, but it was really Todd from the back in his robe winding our clock.  DUH!  There is a small area up in the corner where it shows what the other person is seeing from your side.  haha  They say the first thing to go is the mind, lol.

I got to with my father a Happy Father's Day in person. 

And listen to him snoring on the sofa next to my brother.

Good times! 

  

The return of Sunday Nights with Poldark. No spoilers here, but in the first episode there is a scene early on where he is coming out of the ocean with his shirt off. 

 

Holy Moly guacamole.

'nuf said.

  

Prayer.  I often find myself praying . . . silently, sometimes out loud. Together with Todd or alone. It matters not.  Just prayer . . .  for self, for others. In thanksgiving and gratitude . . . sometimes beseeching . . . it is a gift. A wonderful, beautiful gift.  I know He answers them. We don't always get the answers we want but we always get answers one way or the other, and in His timing, not our own.  He loves us and wants the best for us, and He loves it when we open the lines of communication between us.  Sometimes just the act of praying is enough for me and a source of great comfort.  You can share ALL of your secrets with Him.   

 

The Lavender is blooming . . .  I love it.  This year I must pick some just for me. Maybe slip a few stalks in between some bookcovers to delight me later on in the Winter months . . .  perhaps some in my undie drawer . . .  some for cooking . . .  

   

Each year I say I will and then  . . . I don't. 

  

They once were filled with colour and now are not . . .  I think I like this this way better . . .washed out and bleached by the sun. I think they look very ethereal and somewhat magical  . . . 

  

The promise of things to come.  I love peas.  Especially freshly picked.  Do you like pea shoots?  I do.  Funny how I never would have thought of eating the shoots years ago, but love them now.  They're fabulous in salads.  The trick is not to eat too many so that you end up with no peas. lol  

   

Little garden visitors . . .  they love the honey suckle  . . . so do I.  It smells fabulous.  

 

Its fledgling time  . . .  I love watching them in the garden. They are getting braver and soon we won't be able to tell the newbies from the old hacks  . . . 

And those are my small and wonderfuls for this week.  My life is very blessed.  Boring . . .  but very blessed.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

 .° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.° ˛°. .“Think the best of each other, 
especially of those you say you love. 
Assume the good and doubt the bad.” 
~Jeffrey R Holland   .° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •  

 

In The English Kitchen today   . . .  BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Dinner.  Simple, easy, economical, family friendly and very delicious.

Have a great week.  May it be filled to overflowing with an abundance of small and wonderful things  Don't forget . . . 

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And I do too! 

 

What makes a dad . . .

 

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagles flight,
The joy of a morning in the spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
And then there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so . . . He called it . . . Dad.
~author unknown 

I love my father. As an adult I can look back on the years with all the knowledge that maturity and growth has given me, and I can say with assurity that my dad was a good dad. My dad IS a good dad.  

 

I owe so very much to him . . . my gentle spirit, my easy going nature . . . my sense of humour, my loving and sensitive heart. I also owe my rather robust waistline to him, but . . . I forgive him of that! lol I will call him later today and tell him that I love him, because I do, and because I still can. I will tell him of the countless ways that he has blessed my life and I will be grateful that I still have the chance to do so.  

Happy Father's Day Dad! 

 

My sons are both good dads and my son in law Tom is also a great dad. So grateful for all the good dads in my life.  Yesterday Todd was able to do the work in the Temple for his youngest son Darren.  Its quite unusual that a father would outlive all of his children, and I have to add, more than a little bit heart-breaking.  Todd has three sons, and he outlived them all.  The oldest son, Peter, passed away when he was 18 months old, so many years ago now.  The middle son Paul, passed away about 10 years ago, and Darren, passed away only two years ago.  Through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings of the Holy Temple, Todd has been able to have all of his children sealed to him for time and all eternity, which is a great source of comfort to him.   

 

I took another photo of the palm tree this morning. As you can see it is still blooming. I don't think the bloom will get any larger than it is right now, but I could be wrong as I know nothing at all about palm trees.  Someone told me it is a Yukka.  They are probably right.    This appears to be the year for flowering palm trees as I have noticed that anyone who has one of these has the same thing going on.  The bees quite simply adore it and can be seen flitting from blossom to blossom.  I wish I could see the blossoms closer up so that I coud see what they look like, but alas, I am too short to see the blossoms on a twenty five foot tree!!  

Isn't nature magnificent!   

I had the blessing of being able to video call with my mother a few days ago. My brother is there visiting at the moment and he helped to sort out my sister's tablet so we could do that every now and then. I don't think it will happen very often though, as my mother couldn't hear very well, and to be honest, I don't think my mother enjoyed it very much at all. I'm not even sure she knew who I was. I think she thought I was her Aunt Vera who has been dead a very long time.  I don't even really remember Vera myself, so I can't say if I look like her or not.  I thought I looked like my dad, but maybe I don't look entirely like him after all! 

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.The sacred title of Father

is shared with the almighty.

~Ezra Taft Benson •。★★ 。* 。 

 

Baking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Mochachino Brownies with a Creamy Mocha Sauce.  For the dads. 

Have a wonderful Sunday.  Be blessed!  Don't forget! 

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And I do too!

 

 

In a quiet garden . . .

In a quiet garden
Where birds and flowers abound,
Speak gently and tread softly,
You walk on Holy ground.
For unto every garden
God cometh secretly
His presence there disclosing
To all with eyes to see . . .

"And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." ~Genesis 3:8

It is raining again today . . . the sky is leaden and it pelts against the window panes . . . I can hear it splashing up from the tires of a car which just passed by the front of the house.  It will be a rather boring day for Mitzie I'm afraid . . . she does so love to go out in the back and run up and down the yard, keeping it safe from those feline interlopers that try to gain entrance to the drive through diner at the bird feeder from time to time . . . today, she will just have to be happy here in the house.

I thought it would be fun to show you some of the flowers in our garden that I took photos of the other day.  I often used to do that when we lived down in Brenchley, but I haven't done it here very much. 
 

 

 Todd has a whole area planted in the back with a variety of rose buses.  He remembers that his father had a rose garden and I think that roses have an extra special place in his heart.  We have these lovely pink ones . . . I think they are so beautiful . . . 

 

We also have some very beautiful yellow ones that are climbing roses.  They are growing up over the metal arbor we put out in the back garden last year.  They are not quite to the top yet, but in a few more years they shall be and that will be so beautiful.  They are looking very lush at the moment . . . with beautiful big blooms and lots of buds filled with promises to come . . .

 There are also these lovely red ones . . . I know they each have names . . . but I can't remember names of these kinds of things.  I am not a real gardener in that sense . . . I only know that they are roses.  Now Todd's brother . . . he studied horticulture and he can tell you the name of every plant.  He has made his living as a gardener, and he is a very good one too . . .

 They're all so very pretty . . . I suppose I should try to make some rosewater or rose petal jelly this year . . . I will have to look up a recipe for that.  We have so very many that it would be a nice thing to do . . . or maybe we will just enjoy looking at them . . . 

 

 

A lot depends on just how lazy I am feeling I suppose.  We have lots and lots of these yellow and orange daisy type of flowers growing . . . I have no idea at all what they are.  They were here when we moved in and just come up every year, both at the back of the house and in the front.  They seem to grow wild and spread each year.

The bees in particular love them.  They were all over them the other day.  I tried to get a photo of one of them up close.  (I know!  I was so dancing on the precipace of danger and being so brave!  So unlike me!  Oh, the sacrifices and chances I take for you, my beloved readers!!) 

I don't know what those little white puffy things are . . . again, I'm not a horticulturest! 

The sage is looking particularly beautiful at the moment . . . and also very popular with the bees, as you can tell.  It was just humming with them, and I was able to get a pretty good photograph of one pretty close up!  Next year we plan on putting in a lot more herbs. At the moment we have the sage . . . and some mint . . . two varieties of thyme , sweet woodruff, lemon balm, oregano, basil and flat leaf parsley.  The mint needs to be replaced though . . . it's rather old and isn't doing well . . . 

 

 

We also have some chives . . . I love chive flowers.  They're so pretty and remind me of my favourite batchelor button flowers . . . but those are in the front garden and we are in the back right now . . .

 

 

We also have lots and lots of pansies . . . one of my absolute favourite flowers of all . . . I especially like these tender blush coloured ones . . . they are overflowing out of the troughs and planters at the moment . . . 

 

 

As well as some sweet pale violet ones . . . and of course yellow.  Out front we have other colours . . . deep purples and reds . . . but here in the back . . . just tender colours . . .  

 

 

I do believe though . . . that the slugs love them as much as we do . . . which is not a nice thing as they eat them.  We don't like to have to do it, but we've put out slug pellets finally.  With all of the rain there are just too many of them.  Snails and slugs . . . not good in gardens . . . they really annoy me with their voracious appetites. 

 

 

We have little fucsias just waiting to come into bloom . . . oh, I do so love baby anything, don't you??? 

Cosmos are particularly beautiful don't you think??? In a delicate sort of way  . . . the bees love them too.

 

 

And the lavendar is coming into bloom as well at the moment.  Every year I say I am going to cut some to dry . . . and every year I let it go . . . the bees do love it so . . . and I am far too afraid of being stung! 

 

 

The columbine are particularly beautiful as well.  I have always loved them . . . they remind me of little Court Jesters with their jaunty hats atop their heads . . . they make me smile.  

 

 

Then too, we have geraniums, which are not yet in bloom, as well as loads of sweet peas, filled with great promise as well as a late blooming clematis that should be blooming in a few days now . . . it's purple I believe.  We also have fox gloves and larkspur which is just showing promise as well . . . then there are our fruit bushes and trees . . . 
 

Out front we have a lot more . . . hydrangea, holly hocks, poppies, more pansies, dahlias, lupins and the like . . . but I shall save them for another day.  I do so love being surrounded by God's beautiful wonders don't you??? 

In God's garden you will find
No formal paths for you to tread . . .
No ornaments of lifeless stone,
No plan, no trim and tidy bed.
It has no fence to close it in;
No privet hedges and no wall.
No bolted gate to keep you out.
The countryside is free to all . . .
Flowers of every kind and colour here
Grow wild beneath your feet;
Clover, poppy, honeysuckle,
Pimpernel and meadowsweet . . .   

  

We are off to the temple today  . . .  I am always nervous about going up there in the rain. I really dislike motorway travel at the best of times, but in the rain  . . . its worse. 

I will leave you with a though for the day  . . .  

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.To plant a garden is

to believe in tomorrow.

~Audrey Hepburn  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Angel Cake.  A triple layered cake of delicious sandwiched together with vanilla buttercream.  

Have a beautiful day. Don't forget along the way  . . .

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And I do too!