Wednesday 26 February 2014

The Simple Woman's Day Book

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  FOR TODAY February 26th, 2014

Outside my window...
The sun is rising in the east, or at least the light is.   I don't know if it will shine today or not.   Here's hoping!  We could use some really dry weather and wind to help to dry up the ground.

 I am thinking...
 "The garden of the world has no limits
Except in your mind.
It's presence is more beautiful than the stars
With more clarity
Than the polished mirror of your heart."
~Rumi


Think beautiful thoughts.

I am thankful...

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I am so very thankful for the good friends in my life.  They mean the world to me.  This is Lura.   She is a dear sweet friend and still needs your prayers so very much.  She had her gall bladder removed around Valentines Day, was sent home and was back in the hospital within a week with a severe infection and absess on her liver.    After treatment, thinking she could go home, another CT scan showed it had gotten bigger.   Please let us build a prayer chain and hold her up in our deepest most heart felt prayers for comfort and healing.   I know she must be feeling very discouraged by now, although she remains upbeat.  Let's get her back on the road to recovery, healed and home!  I believe in the power of prayer.

In the kitchen... 



Baking in The English Kitchen this morning, a delicious Blueberry and Almond Breakfast Bake.
So very good!  You know how much I love blueberries!

I am wearing...
White flannel nightie with pink trim and flowers on it, my brown shoes.   Will I ever crochet those slippers?   I sure hope so, but don't hold your breath on that one.

I am creating...
Are any of you familiar with that new ap for the iphone and ipad called Waterlogue?   I got it the other day and have been having fun turning some of my photographs into watercolours.  They would make brilliant cards for my own personal use.

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First I did this one.   I was really pleased with how it turned out.  It's such a fun ap!

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Next I did this one.  I just love it.   It's so much fun picking out quotes to put onto them.   I love quotes anyways, and I love watercolours and photography.   Combining the three is a lot LOT of fun for me!

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Then I did this little Austin-like girl.   She just popped out and then I found the quote for her after.  Normally it is the other way around.  I find the quote first and then paint to fit it.  It's not usual the painting happens first.

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And then a little missing you girl.  A nice sentiment I think.  I do so enjoy painting little butterflies.   Perhaps one day I will do a butterfly one with nothing but butterflies on it.

We shall see.

I am going...  
Having my hair cut this morning.   That came around very quickly.  It doesn't seem all that long ago since I had it cut, but it was 7 weeks or so ago already.  Next week it is Mitzie's turn.  I like the cut when it is done, but my hair dresser always leaves my face etc. full of hair clippings and I can hardly wait to get home and wash them all off.  It drives me crazy.   I don't know why she does that.  I need to remember to carry a wet one in the car so that I can wipe them off right after this time.

I am wondering... 
It's a lot brighter out now than when I started this post.   Is the sun going to shine?  It looks dry so far!

I am reading...  


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Diana, her true story, in her words, by Andrew Morton
I had always admired the late Princess Diana.  I can still remember exactly where I was when I heard that she had been in the car accident and how I felt when I learnt the next morning that she had died.   Those moments have been thoroughly etched in my brain.   I had always resisted reading about her, but then the other day I saw this in the Kindle store and downloaded it as it was not very expensive and I thought it would make for an interesting read.

So far the first chapter has been the most interesting part of the book for me, and I suspect that it will be the only really truly interesting part of the book.   I am about a third of the way in by now and I have to be honest, Diana comes off as being vapid, boring and dull.  A real whiner and not very intelligent.   And supposedly these are her own words that are used in the book, except for Andrew Morton's additions which are set in brackets.   I do not like this character which is being presented to me.  She sounds very immature.  It's just sad.  I hope it improves or I don't think I will be finishing it.   I loved Princess Diana very much, but I find myself asking, was this who she really was??   A dumb tragic blond with rampant bulimia and severe mental problems?  It's just all so very, very sad and tragic.  I am not sure about this.  I am hoping that the strong woman I admired and looked up to emerges soon.

I find it also jumps around a lot.   There doesn't seem to be much of a sequence to it.   The Royals, if anything, come off much worse than she does, which may be it's only redeeming quality.


I am hoping...
Yes!  The sun is shining!  I am hoping that it stays all day! 

Makes me Smile...  

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This photograph of Maryn always makes me smile. I can see so much of her character in it.   The mischeviousness and intelligence in her eyes, that charming little smile.  It makes me want to know what she is talking about because it looks like, whatever she is saying . . . it is something which I would really want to hear.  I may be biased, but i think she is beautiful.

I am learning...
That the more I think I know it all . . . the less I really do!!

Around the House ...   
  
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i know they are not real piano keys, simply painted ones, but it does make me smile to think of tip-toing and prancing up a stair case painted thusly.  Oh, I know . . . my prancing days are long gone, but that doesn't stop me from imagining myself prancing up these stairs . . .

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I am a bit of an enigma when it comes to such things.  I love, LOVE colour and then I see a picture like this and I fall in love with it.   Shades of white.  Is there such a thing as shades of white?  I don't know.  I am in love with those mirrors, and the pristine beauty of this room.

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Can you imagine having a conservatory this size and shape?   I know!  Isn't it magnificent!  It looks and feels like a cathedral to the sun!

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And yet, at the same time I quite simply adore the simplicity of this dining area.

Yes, I think I am an enigma. 

I am pondering... 
"The place where you are right now, God circled on a map for you."
~Hafiz

 What is that called?  Divine something or other, this idea that we live the lives we chose to live prior to our coming to this earth.  I am not sure about that.  I think we certainly may have chosen to develop certain strengths and overcome certain weaknesses . . . but the rest is all a bit of a mystery.  I mean, given the choice, who exactly would choose to be born in a mud hut, living in extreme poverty in a third world country?   Perhaps they are the choicest spirits of all . . . if they did indeed choose that, instead of us who chose the easy way.

A favorite quote for today...  

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`*.¸.*✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..
(¯`v´¯)
 `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
  ¸.•´¸.•~♥♥♥~•.~  


The flower that follows the sun does so even
on a cloudy day.
~Robert Leighton  

 One of my favorite things...   
 
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Downton Abbey.  Need I say more?

A few plans for the rest of the week:  
I am going to a pot lunch lunch with the girls tomorrow.  It will be nice to get out and about.  I don't think men are quite as sociable as women, but  I could be wrong about that.  I have a LOT of work to do for the cooking blog, so I must get all of that done.   And I have some art work to do for someone as well.  So pretty busy.

A peek into my day...   

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One is most lucky if they can always feel that their husband is courting them.  I am a lucky woman, yes indeedy.

 ⋱ ⋮ ⋰
   ⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small*´¯`.¸¸.☆
   ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆
   ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿
   ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬
   ░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░  



Wherever you go and whatever you do I hope there's a wonderful day planned for you!


 

13 comments:

  1. Morning Marie. My day is nearly over and I am tired. Some jobs were done and I feel better for that. Good bless.

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  2. The Andrew Morton book is okay, it caused quite a sensation in the early 90s. The thing to remember, you are reading it as a woman nearly 25 years later. She was immature, she was, to me now, a kid when that was written. Charles really was not very kind to her, which makes the entire situation even sadder. However, I think, in retrospect, she was a marvelous mother and to Charles credit, he finished the parental job admirably.

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  3. Valid points Lisa. I don't think any of the Royals were very kind to her actually. I am finding this a very painful read. I had always wanted to believe in this fairytale princess story. I can remember getting up in the middle of the night just to watch the wedding. I haven't gotten into the mother parts of it yet but I would have to agree with you from what I saw, she was an exceptional mother and Charles has done an exemplar job in bringing up the boys. I think Charles should have been allowed to marry who he wanted to to begin with, then a lot of this could have been avoided, but then again . . . we wouldn't have Prince William and Kate and I believe theirs is a true love story!

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  4. Have a wonderful day Marie..
    Loved the season finale of DA..
    a nice happy note..

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  5. I love your watercolor images Marie - that one with the flowers is quite stunning - looks very vintage and beautiful!

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  6. Thanks Brenda! It's not hard to do. The ap does all the colouring and I just take the initial photographs and do the lettering!

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  7. Your watercolour images are beautiful, Marie. I am so in awe of your creativity - it's truly amazing.

    And I MUST HAVE that conservatory! What a dream, eh? I'd never leave the room, that's for sure.

    Being brought up in Australia, we were inundated with stories about the British Royal Family and like you, I really wanted to believe in the fairytale princess romance. I watched the wedding with my mother-in-law. I remember that my little girl was 16 months old and I found out that same day that I was eight weeks pregnant with my son. I certainly remember the wedding. And her death - I was at my son's soccer game when it was announced and we had a 2 minute silence.

    She was certainly a very troubled young woman, thrown into an im possible situation with very little support or understanding. But she adored those boys of hers and it shows. I've not read the Andrew Morton book (he annoys me) but one book about Diana that starts with a rather intriguing "what if..." proposition is Monica Ali's "Untold Story". I liked it and a part of me wished it was what really happened.

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  8. Isn't Maryin a gorgeous wee girl..just wish like you taht you coudl see more of her. It is so sad about our dear Lura, I have a prayer chain going down here ofr her as well. We were praying for her in church on Sunday and I know many of ur members continue with the requested prayers all week...I do hope she is a bit better, Like some of your commentors I havn't read the Andrew Morton book either and don't intend to. I think I have told you I have actually met the Princess when she spent about 15mins. with Mum and me when we lived in Bath (when she was visiting the RNID, our home was her "loo" stop !!) she was just lovely and not at all dim..just a loving caring Mother...she well may have been troubled but it would have been a miracle if she hadn't been, married so young to a man who had no love for her as was seen later...it was no wonder she looked elsewhere for the love she so desperately needed... It has been a nice sunny spring day down here Marie, hope it has been same with you an dthat you got your hair cut and are happy with it. xxx

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  9. Last Sunday was the finale of Downton season 4 for us here in the US...I can't get over how quickly the series flew by! Now I have a whole year to wait for Downton to return. I thoroughly enjoyed this season and it was nice to have a happy ending this time.

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  10. Maryn is indeed a beautiful little girl. That is a darling picture of her too. I want to try that fun app. It looks like a winner. Miss Downton already and waiting for the Midwives. Carson and Mrs. Hughes. Intriguing! XO B

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  11. Prayers for your Lura! She has had a rough time hasn't she?

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  12. Hello Marie,
    So sorry to hear about your friend Lura, yes, I will keep her in my prayers for healing.God bless her.
    I love your watercolour photos, they are beautiful, who would have thought you could do that, we could all become artists.
    Thoroughly enjoyed your post as usual, love the piano staircase, what a treat.
    God bless Mandy Currie xx

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  13. Thanks Sybil, Lynney,Bonnie and Mandy! Yes poor Lura has been through the mill. Your prayers are so very much appreciated. I hope she is able to get out of the hospital soon. xxoo

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Your comments mean the world to me, and while I may not be able to address each one individually, each one is important to me and each one counts. Thanks so much!