All Things Nice . . .

(source)

I like to lie in a still darkened room

And think of all the clean things that I know,

Sand filtered water in a country well,

The white unearthly purity of snow.

A new plowed field of steaming virgin sod,

A white beach when the tide is going out,

The crumpled newness of unfolding leaves,

A small pig with his tiny wrinkled snout.

New coppers shining as the purest gold,

A scoured step . . the clean scales of a fish,

The white deck of a ship . . a gleaming sail,

The pearly lustre of a china dish.

The smell of mint and apple trees in bloom,

A field of lupins . . new hay in the mow,

The brass tipped horns of oxen in the sun

New sheaves . . the shiny moleboard of a plow.

The sheen of pewter . . old plates on a rail,

Small white washed stones in little tidy rings,

The world is never lonely to me now,

I have the company of lovely things.

~Edna Jacques, Clean Things

Beside Still Waters, 1939

I do like things like this. To lie in the dark and think of things that bless me and my life. I doubt that much would be of worth to anyone else, but to me they are the world. It is no small thing to lay in the quiet and count your blessings, no matter how humble they may be. Each is a gift, of that I am certain. Something given over to our stewardship . . . just for a time. Do we value what we hold? I like to think that I am a person who does.

And now for something completely different.

Look at this pattern of light. I noticed it on my wall yesterday at some point. Probably mid-morning. I could not figure out what was causing it. I thought it was very unusual and quite pretty.  I have never seen anything quite like it. What do you see in it. I see a trumpet bloom, an angel's horn, a goblet, a mushroom cloud, the roots of a tree, a storm falling from a cloud with lightning strikes at the bottom spreading over the ground. I think it is quite beautiful and unusual, no matter what was the cause or the source.  A gift that might have gone un-noticed were I any other type of person than who I am.

I know I have spoken of this book to you before. If you have not already gotten it for yourself, I ask myself why. This is one of the most beautiful books that I have ever purchased. I am moving through it slowly, through the year, week by week, and it delights with every page and word. It makes me ponder and think. It helps me to slow down and be. It speaks to my nature loving heart.

"On YouTube there's a video of a man pointing at a big rock. When he stops to upend the heavy stone, his companion's camera reveals an underground hollow where a broadhead skink is guarding her eggs. She is curled around them protectively.  She does not stir when her secret is revealed. She will stay there until those eggs hatch.

The man shows us the skink and her eggs and then slowly sets the rock back down. He is taking care, but every time I watch this video, I am worried for the far-more-capable mother skink. After the man puts the rock back in place, I want him to tell us that the skink is safe, that he has not crushed her in teaching us what a fine mother she is. I want proof that the skink is safe.

But proof would require him to heave the rock up again, and more than I want to be assured that the skink is whole, her eggs unharmed, I want the man on YouTube to go away."

~Margaret Renkl, Praise Song for the Skink Who Has Gone to Ground

The Comfort of Crows

I find myself wanting to look up this man on YouTube and at the same time not wanting to. There is a huge part of me, after reading this, that hopes and prays that the skink was safe, but there is a larger part of me that is dismayed at the disrespect shown to one of God's creatures who is doing all that she can to protect her young as nature intended for her to do. At the disturbance . . . I, too, want him to go away.

See what I mean?  A book that makes you think and feel. A book of substance and worth. if you are a nature lover and you don't have it already, you really need to get it for yourself. This book is a gift.

But then again, all the words which spring from the minds and pens of those who write are gifts to the world given into our care.

 

(source)

For most of my life, with the exception of the years I spent living in Alberta, I have never been much more than an hour's away from an ocean or the shore of a lake. Although I am not a very good traveler upon the waters I do love to sit at the water's edge, and to enjoy the fresh clean air that they bring, with a smell that exists no place else on earth, my toes dug into warm sand while the cool breeze from off the waters wafts around my cheeks and forehead, ruffling my hair and delighting my soul.

This is a special privilege to be able to partake of these things and I am guilty of taking it for granted more often than not.  There is a commonality that exists surrounding many of these places and yet at the same time they are quite different.  A lake is not an ocean is not a bay. And yet they are all wet and cooling and alive with pleasures and treasures you cannot find anywhere else. 

In Manitoba, it was Lake Winnipeg, in Ontario I lived in Meaford on the banks of the Nottawasaga Bay,  also near Barrie on Lake Simco, here in the Valley next to the Bay of Fundy, with the Atlantic ocean to the South for most of my growing up years, in England near The English Channel at one point and the Irish Sea at the other.

Yes, always within the close proximity to a great waterway . . . with the exception of my few years spent in Alberta. 

I love to sit and watch the waves; to see the sparkling glint of sunshine rippling across the water like a million little jewels, fresh air tinged with the slight tang of ozone and sea life. 

I have never been a great sailor. I get seasick, but there is a part of me what wishes that I could sail out over the waters without feeling ill.  To skim across the water's surface beneath the shadow of the sails . . . 

Glenna was telling me on Sunday that there is a place here in Nova Scotia on the South Shore where you can pick up Sand Dollars by the handful.  Sand Dollar Beach in Rose Bay near Lunenburg. I have never seen a Sand Dollar in real life, but I would love to. Alas, my beach walking days are over . . . 

(source)

Too much?  Perhaps. It does look a bit sterile, but I love the red and white. Red and white or blue and white, both color combinations sing the song of my heart.  I would be happy with either or.

I don't really have an awful lot to muse on this morning. I don't know why. I guess some days are just like that. I marvel most days that I have anything to write about at all, but somehow, I manage. And for some reason you keep returning.  I appreciate that. 

It is a somewhat solitary life, living here on my own with just my two furry friends and my faith. But I don't get lonely. Not ever.  I have my sister of course, and dad and Dan, and I have you. That has made all the difference in the world. My friend Jacquie complains often of being lonely. I think her life is very narrow perhaps. My life is full of purpose and well, life!  There are not enough hours in my day to do, see, read, experience, all that I would wish to. That is a great blessing that I do not take for granted.

And you are all a vital part of my daily excitement. Sad perhaps to some, but not to me.

A thought to carry with you . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
*.˛.Everyone's life is a fairytale

written by God's fingers.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

~Hans Christian Anderson° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

In The English Kitchen today  . . . Easy Swedish Spice Cake.  Simply delicious. You need to bake this. It's amazing.  Even three days later.

I hope that you have a fantastic weekend!  Stay safe, be blessed, love and be loved, and don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!! 

Dear Neighbor . . .

 

(source)

 

FRIDAY, June 20th, 2025
Estate Lane, Nova Scotia
19*C/66.2*F  just turning 7. a.m.
Partly sunny, expected high of 25*C/77*F

Dear Neighbor,

Good day to you on this beautiful morning.  I opened the front door to let in some of the cooler air and I can hear the birds singing. It seems a lovely day is in store for us, although it is expected to get quite breezy this afternoon.

My trip to the eye doctor yesterday was without incident. Everything looks good except that the cataract in my left eye has progressed dramatically over the past six months, so they want to check it again in six months' time. I also have a cataract in my right eye now. I figured that.  But no signs of glaucoma or retinopathy. New prescription of course.  Hopefully this will do the trick and get rid of the blurriness. With the new eyeglasses I should have 20/20.  He said that as long as they are able to correct my vision to 20/20 with the glasses no surgery is recommended.  

I just brought in my old frames. I liked them and they were only worn for one year.  I did not see why I couldn't get another year's use out of them, and they agreed. This saves a bit of money, but not a lot as the lens's are the most expensive part.

 

(source)

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and I am free.

~Wendell Berry, The Peace of Wild Things

I love to type out the poetry of others. It somehow sinks into my heart much deeper than if I were to just read it alone.  I begin to feel it in a beautiful way. The peace of still water and the thoughts of stars blinking in the exosphere of the earth. Just because I cannot see them, that doesn't mean that they are not there. Even at its worst we live in a beautiful world and galaxy, and it is filled with pockets of peace that are there for the taking. We just need to still ourselves and our souls and we will find them. It seems an odd thought . . .  to be able to find a peace in that which is called wild.  The two words seem quite contrary to each other, but there is a great truth that is held in that thought. It is when I am at one with nature that I feel the most peace. All the cares of the world fall away into nothingness, and I am caught in the arc of the wings of the gulls that sometimes visit from the shore, and I can almost hear the tinkling of a thousand little bells that lay in the garden across the way.  The peace of wild things . . . 

 

(source)

I have always been fascinated with light.  The way it plays across the walls of the house in the middle of the day, flickering and undulating in a dance that changes its rhythm with the hours as they pass. It moves across the wall in an unheard song as the day progresses.  

The human eye is drawn to light. It is a natural thing. Light. I cannot imagine living in a place where they get almost 24 hours a day of daylight in the summer months.  Where the sun does not sleep. It would seem quite foreign to me, but somehow people cope with it. I know when visiting the Scottish Highlands in 2017 it did not get dark until after 11:30 at night when we were there, and it was getting light again only a few hours later.

Now, with the early mornings, I am up by 5:30.  It is the light which wakes me.  A combination of that and my bladder, and I am up.  I am wanting to get on with my day. No matter that by 3 p.m. my energy will be flagging.  I feel eager and ready to go once the early morning light hits my room.

 

(source)

I had a lovely facetime call with my oldest son yesterday afternoon, just prior to leaving for my eye appointment. It was cut short because I had to leave but we are hoping to continue it today.  How wonderful it is when you are able to be friends with your children like that.  When they are young and needing to be cared for in the way that children do, there is no real time to relax and be friends in the same way. They need parents at that age and caring for and nurturing, but when they are older and adults, that is when you are rewarded with the friendship.  I wish they did not live so far away, but now at least it is closer and doable, not like it was when I lived in the U. K.   How wonderful it is also to be able to connect visually as we do even though we are hundreds of miles apart.  

Just think 200 years ago the fastest way we could communicate with our family members that did not live in our immediate communities was by letter and that could take weeks if not months for a letter to get to its destination.  Now within seconds we can be talking face to face with each other with only the click of a button.

Just like the Jetsons cartoon when I was a child.  Moving sidewalks, face-time communications, etc. Isn't it marvelous!

Life is slow here in my little house.  Not a lot changes from one day to the next, but that is how I enjoy it.  A new box comes in and as soon as it is emptied it is taken over by a furry ball of energy who seems not to be bothered that he doesn't quite fit into it.  I kept the paper in it that my vitamin bottles were nestled amongst, and he likes me to throw treats into the box so that he can dig them out. It is a fun game.  And when he isn't digging in the paper, he curls himself up into it. It doesn't matter that he has burst open one side of the box in order to fit his girth.  He is happy and at peace.

I was so tired the other day that I found myself going into the bedroom and laying down on my bed for a short.  He came in immediately and nestled in next to me. His purr machine was working overtime as I rubbed and massaged his head. He was arching his head back so that I could scratch his neck. I could feel his body humming next to mine. It was pretty wonderful. No sleep was had, but it was relaxing all the same.

Funny how he will settle down and nestle in like that during the daytime, but at nighttime it is all go and prancing across the covers.  Cinnamon was nice and cuddly for those few nights I kept her in with me after her operation.  She slept quietly by my feet and I never heard a peep all night.

Right now, they are both laying on the carpet by the open door, enjoying the fresh air.  Oh, that I could afford a Catio. But then again, it would be a great nuisance to the men who come to mow the lawns. I fear I would be needing to pull it down regularly to accommodate them.

 

(source)

I am going to have a cleaning day today.  I have to vacuum and dust, clean the bathroom. Wash the floors.  Do some laundry. I want to talk to my son and I have to catch up on my coursework for the course I am doing as I am a bit behind, so a full day ahead of me.  And then there is my work as well.  And with those thoughts in mind I will close this off now.

It is good to be busy.  I am so blessed to have a full and busy life. No time to be bored or lonely.

A thought to carry with you . . . 

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

 *.˛.Every flower blooms

in its own time.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

~Ken Petti° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

In The English Kitchen today.  A French Style Potato Salad, with a delicious mint and caper vinaigrette. Meant to be served warm. Delicious! No fuss. No muss.

I hope you have a beautiful Friday.  Be happy and be blessed. May you find peace in wild things and fill your day with the people and things that you love most.  Don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!! 

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!

 

(source)

Cherries. They have to be one of my favorite fruits. Even more than strawberries. The cherry sellers from France would come over to the U.K. this time of year and you could buy them by the paper bagful on the side of the road. So delicious.

 

(source)

I also love cherries on things. Glassware, textiles, etc.

Barbie. I had the one with the brown bubble do and I had outfit #5 seen here. I loved my Barbie Doll. My sister had the one with the blond ponytail. I coveted that one. She also had a Dutch costume for her Barbie that I coveted.

 

(source)

Old Victorian towns. We have a few of these old houses in our town. They mostly house businesses. I don't think anyone can really afford to keep and heat one these days.

 

(source)

Cameos  . . . 

 

(source)

Stone Angels and Cherubs  . . . 

Vintage Aprons  . . . 

Humanized animal illustrations  . . . 

Audrey Hepburn  . . . 

 

(source)

Ginger cats  . . .  but you knew that already.

 

(source)

Anything Beatrix Potter  . . . 

Red hair  . . . 

 

(source)

Wooden spools and silver thimbles  . . . 

 

(source)

Caps and veils  . . . 

(source)

Hope and wishes  . . . 

Isn't it marvelous the way nature works.  A dandelion, with multiple seeds, all with their own mode of transportation ready to carry them near and far to a place where they can take hold and grow. Its like magic when you think about it.

And those are my favorite things for this week. 

I had a surprise visit yesterday afternoon from a man I used to go to school with many, many years ago.  My doorbell rang and there he was standing on my deck.  We had a nice visit together. It had been essentially 55 years since we had seen each other.

A thought to carry with you . . . 

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

 *.˛.° ˛°It is better to have a heart without words,
than it is to have words without a heart.
~Mahatma Gandhi  .° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

In The English Kitchen today, 3-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream. It's amazing how these three simple ingredients can make something so utterly delicious and not that bad for you. All natural. Simple and easy to make.

I have my eye appointment this afternoon. I actually have two appointments. The first for a Field Vision Test and the second for my eye test. Hopefully they go well.  

I hope you have a beautiful day filled with lots of love, peace and joy, and a few of your favorite things. Whatever you get up to don't forget!

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too!

 

Wednesday Witterings . . .

 

(source)

Good morning, everyone and Happy Wednesday!  It's nice to be back and on the other side of the stress test. I don't know why I was fretting about it so much. I suppose it was the idea of being on a treadmill that I wasn't in control of that was spooking me. Anyways, I passed my stress test with flying colors. They could find nothing wrong with my heart, so that was good news. I was just relieved to get it over with.  It just must be indigestion and anxiety when I get these episodes. I need to learn to chill more.

 

Back to normal in her

favorite spot

Cinnamon passed her Vet update with flying colors also. She is doing very well, and the Vet was quite pleased with her recovery. Indeed, you would never know that anything untoward had happened to her now as everything is back to normal.  The Vet said it could have been a lot worse and that I was lucky I brought her in when I did.  I, for one, am grateful for the gift of the spirit which inspired me to do so.

So, lots of good news to begin with today! Yay!

About 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon I came over just exhausted and went to lay down on my bed for a while.  Nutmeg came in and kept me company. He was snuggled right into me, purring away as I scratched his head. It was very relaxing. I did not sleep, I merely closed my eyes for a little bit. I needed it. I don't think I slept really well on Monday night and I was just very tired.

Later on, he was snoozing away in an Amazon box.  (My vitamins had come along with the kitty litter caddy liners.) He loves a good box. It doesn't matter how small it is, he fits himself right into it and he loves it even more if there is some paper in it.  This morning the box was still there, and I threw a few treats into it which he really loved. Who needs expensive toys when you can have a cardboard box with crumply paper in it and a few treats thrown in for good measure!

I did sleep much better last night, but it still took me a while to fall asleep. I think I was overtired. I was dreaming about working at the Manor again just prior to waking up. I often do that.  I was making the Mr. an omelet filled with exotic mushrooms, onions and peppers. In my dream they had come back early from being away and I was having to throw together something from what was in the kitchen without having been able to go to the store to pick anything up. There is usually some anxiety involved when I dream about working at the Manor.

(source)

That was a job that I really enjoyed for the most part, but there was a certain amount of stress involved. She could be quite demanding and difficult to please from time to time.

It was the same for everyone.  We all felt it. Performance anxiety?  I don't know.  Anyways, I do often dream about being back there working and in those dreams, I am always struggling to do my job and falling short, either because there is equipment missing or the food, I need to cook is short or missing.

Or, and this is a common one, they have switched everything around somehow during my off hours and I can't find anything that I need to use in order to do my job.

I am sure there is some psychological reason behind these dreams. 

I dream vividly and in color.

 

(source)

More good news by the way. They sorted my heat pump out on Monday afternoon. They completely replaced it, so I have a brand new one and hopefully will not experience any more problems. It is nice and shiny and sleek. I have not really had to use it yet as it has not been that hot or humid since, but we did test it out and it appeared to be working fine. 

I was stressing a bit while they were here doing it as they showed up about 2 hours before Cinnamon's Vet appointment. The maintenance guy said he would stay and let them out, etc. but I wasn't happy with that. Cindy said she would come and take Cinnamon on her own, but thankfully they were finished up and out of here about 15 minutes before Cindy arrived to help me get Cinnamon into the cat carrier. She also drove. I am not feeling very confident driving any distance at the moment because of my eyes. They seem to be quite blurry much of the time. I can see, but I cannot read anything that is not close up.

I have my eye appointment tomorrow. I will need new eyeglasses, I am sure. I am going to bring in my old frames from my previous pair. I really liked them.  Rather than pick out a new pair of frames I will make do with them as there is nothing wrong with them and they were only a year old when I got the eyeglasses I am wearing now.

Hopefully this blurriness is nothing untoward. As a Diabetic this is always a concern, but my AC levels are always good and within range when I have my blood tests.

One channel I have been really enjoying watching on YouTube is Kuro. 

Description 

Hello everyone, my name is Kuro. In this channel, I will show you how my family and I live in Hokkaido, Japan. Hokkaido is a prefecture in the north of Japan. It is cool and pleasant in summer and cold and snowy in winter. It's a beautiful place full of nature and I love it there. 

I find the videos fascinating.  It seems like such a beautiful place.  There are videos of Kuro and her mother and her grandmother. The grandmother is very fit for her age I have to say. She is a very interesting person in her 90's. 

I could watch these three and this glimpse into their lives every day if I let myself. It's very interesting.  I think so at any rate. I am always interested in different cultures and ways of living.

I've been watching the new live action film of Snow White on Disney and am about halfway through it. I am not sure what to think of it so far. I don't think anything will ever replace the original one in my heart. That will always be my favorite version. Perhaps I am just old-fashioned in my way of thinking.

 

(source)

Hang on the walls of your mind the memory of your successes.

Take counsel of your strength, not your weakness.

Think of the good jobs you have done. Think

of the times when you rose above your average

level of performance and carried out an idea or

a dream for which you had deeply longed. Hang

these pictures on the walls of your mind and

look at them as you travel the roadway of life.

Whistler by Sterling W. Sill

I read this last night and thought to myself, "Yes!" How much better it is to dwell on the things you have done right in life rather than the things you have done wrong. Treasures and joys.  I think all too often we can beat ourselves up for what we perceive as having fallen short of the mark. We overlook the positives and the victories, in the favor of our losses. That is not how we should really think about ourselves or our lives.  There is no such thing as failure. Winning comes in the trying, even if we have to try again and again and again.  An old Chinese proverb wisely counsels "The journey is the reward."

Consider the rising of the sun each morning as a personal invitation to create from each day the best day ever! And even if you fall short of what you had planned, celebrate the journey. Pause to reflect on the lessons you have learned. Peace, joy, strength, understanding.  All positives. All steps in the journey forward. All plusses. Your only barrier to success is in thinking you can't.  The only failure is in not trying. Accentuate the positive! Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. 

I am not sure what I will get up to today. I want to make some potato salad. I am going to pop over to the grocery store bright and early to get what I need. We stopped at the Cambridge convenience store yesterday and I was sorely tempted to buy the big tub of potato salad they have there from Costco, but I resisted the impulse telling myself I would only get half of it eaten, if that much and how much better than that homemade potato salad would be, so I am thinking I will make some today.  I also have some of the coursework to do for that online course I am taking, and I have of course some work to do.

And so I will bid you all a good day for now and leave you with a thought to carry with you . . . 

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

 *.˛.The most beautiful discovery

true friends make is that they

can grow separately without

growing apart.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

~Elizabeth Foley° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚ ˚ 

In the Kitchen today, Molasses Crackle Cookies.  These are quite different than the usual molasses crinkle cookies that I have made in the past. We were asked to bake some cookies to bring in on Saturday to the chapel so that they could put together cookie bags for the Father's for Father's Day. These were my contribution, and I have to say they are quite delicious. Nice and spicy with a beautiful sugary crust. 

I hope that you have a wonderful Wednesday! Whatever you get up to,  be happy, be blessed, stay safe and don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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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. 

Getting to celebrate another Father's Day with my father. When I think that I never thought I would ever see him again and knowing that I have now gotten to spend five Father's Days getting to spend time with him I feel greatly blessed.  I had a nice card for him and had gotten him a Tim Horton's Gift card which I know he will use. He goes there every afternoon pretty much.  Cindy cooked us all a lovely meal of burgers and she had made her infamous pasta salad and a delicious red potato salad. My brother face-timed him from Ottawa. I think he had a good day all told. I love him so much. I am so grateful for these moments and these memories we are building.

Cinnamon continues to improve and get better. I have to take her for her follow up appointment this afternoon. I am not sure how I am going to get her into her cat carrier. It usually takes two of us. I think it is going to be really hard to do it all on my own, but we will see. I am praying and hoping I can do it. She has recovered very well however and seems pretty much back to normal. Nutmeg has stopped hissing and spitting at her.  She has her appetite and is behaving as always. Her incision looks good to me.  I am hoping for a good report!  Love her so much and am so grateful that things have gone so well.

Going to church on Sunday mornings and being able to partake of the sacrament, renewing my covenants through this holy ordinance.  Fellowshipping with the Saints.  Listening to the talks in the sacrament meeting and participating in the Sunday School lesson afterwards. All good.  This was the branch that I as baptized in on the 8th of July back in 1999, so 26 years ago now. My friend Jacquie's late husband baptized me. I have never regretted it. Not for an instant. From the moment I embraced the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I felt that I had found my spiritual home.

I am ever grateful for my sister.  She was my very first best friend in life, next to my mom and dad. She has always been on my side, even when I have been making stupid choices and decisions.  She might not always agree with my actions but has always supported my right to make my own choices.  She's been there to pat me on the back when I have done well, and to help pick me up when things have gone horribly wrong.  She has always loved me no matter what, through the good times and the bad.  She has been the greatest gift my parents ever gave to me, and I am so very grateful for that gift.  I love her so very much. She IS my best friend.

 I have had enough excitement and drama in my life to last two lifetimes, and I am at a point now where simplicity is all I crave or want.  I love my little home, and I love being able to putter about in it each day, spending time doing a bit of work, keeping my home clean and tidy, spending time with family, my cats, etc. Being able to help out my next-door neighbor whenever I can.  Talking with family and friends. Reading, writing, crafting, cooking. That is about as exciting as it gets and that is how I like it. Simple pleasures and joys.

The gift of prayer . . . I use it multiple times a day, every day.   He is always listening. I know this to be true. I have felt it. It helps to have someone to talk things out with.  My prayers have always been answered also. In one way or another.  Some get answered immediately, others take a long time to get answered.  I have some prayers that I know will probably never see any answers in this lifetime, but I keep praying anyways. I believe in miracles.

I have a long list of others that I pray for daily as well. It is something which I love to do.

I am so grateful that I have a forgiving heart.  I cannot imagine carrying all the hurts in my life around with me forever. What a burden. Forgiveness is a gift from above. It blesses both the giver and the receiver.  I am grateful for the many times I have been forgiven, and I am grateful for the many times I have had to forgive. Being able to forgive people.  That doesn't mean that you forget . . .  there are some things that others do to you will probably never be able to forget. Forgiving means, however, that you no longer allow those things to have any measure of impact or importance in your life. You just let them go.  Some things are a bit harder to forgive than others, but it is possible to forgive all things.  Forgiveness is a healing balm.

 

The gift of a new day each morning.  What will I do with this gift.  Each day is special, and I try to make them all count in some way. I try to celebrate each day as much as I can, even the not so good ones. 

Three things that embroider my days.  Faith, hope, love . . . I would not be without them.

I know my life may seem boring to some, but it is never boring to me. I do not ever get lonely. I am sometimes afraid, but I know where and who to turn to when that happens.  I am blessed beyond measure.

And with that I will leave you with a thought to carry . . . 

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _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 kitchen today, Chicken & Dumplings. This is a small batch recipe that is sized for the smaller family. It will feed two or three depending on appetites.  It is delicious. I know I say that all the time, but it's true.  This was fabulous served with some mashed potatoes on the side.

I won't be here tomorrow morning. I have my stress test and need to be at the hospital for that by 9:30. The hospital is an hour away, so I will have to be at my sister's for 8:30.  I am stressing about it a bit, but hopefully all will be well.

Have a fabulous day today. I hope your day is full of small and wonderful things.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!