Saturday 23 August 2014

When the heather blooms on the hillsides . . .



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Now is the quiet time for the birds.   Down in the woods . . .  where shadows lie deep and dark beneath the heavy canopy of late summer . . . the air rings with silence . . .

It is as if they are storing up their energies for the cooler months which lay just around the corner.   Where now are the little black caps, the whitethroats . . .  the warblers.  Larks hold now their peace . . .  how lonely it seems.

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The garden is beginning to look tired now as everything begins to fade in colour.   The white hydrangea which were once a brilliant white are speckled with pinkish spots and the bright pink is turning to dull purple . . .

Seed pods begin to dry and droop . . . the roses turn to hips . . . but pansy still bobs it's pretty little head and dances amidst the lines of fading colour . . .

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The plum tree hangs with fruit and it will be a race now to see who gets there first . . .  us or the wasps.   They feast upon cracked plums, clustering thickly around the broken flesh . . . feasting, whilst the apples turn their rosy cheeks to the sun . . .

The fruit on the pear tree hangs, ripening and becoming juicy on overladen branches . . .

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Corn stands in the field . . . cut and stacked, ready for the threshers . . . stubble awaiting plough . . .  and on the hillsides there comes a pink and purple and mauve flush as the heather begins to bloom.

This is the hour of maturity . . .  the season of fruiting and fulfilment . . .  of gathering and garnering . . . the crowning of the year.

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This weekend is August Bank Holiday.  I am not sure if it is a four day weekend or a three day weekend.   Once you stop work . . .  these things blur into obscurity.  We took Mitzie to the groomers yesterday and she is now looking very pretty, all clipped and plucked and smelling sweet.  She looks like a completely different dog once she's been groomed.   She looked a bit wooly and worn when we took her in and all sleek and shining when she came out.   They were late finishing her and we sat in the car outside for almost an hour waiting.  I was glad that I had bought a pot of jelly beans.

We listened to a cd of rock and roll oldies and tried to guess who was singing which song.  Why must I be a teenager in love . . .  sixteen candles . . .  puppy love.    Most songs are about relationships we concluded . . . either in the hopeful flush of new love or the dankness of forlorn and misbegotten affections.

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Mitzie is always quite exhausted when she is done . . .  either that or she is sulking.  She spends the rest of the day in a heap on the sofa, sighing . . . I know it is not her favourite thing and I don't think I would like having my ears plucked either, and so it's extra cuddles all round . . .  and yes, she gets a jelly bean or two as well. 

I think I am going to make some pancakes this morning.  I know Ariana loves them and it is Saturday.  When my kids were growing up Saturday was pancake morning.   As a child we only had them once a year, but I liked to treat my children more often than that.   There is nothing like  a nice stack of hot cakes, butter gilding the top and syrup dripping down the sides to get the weekend off to a good start!    We are having a Ward barbeque at our chapel later today and I have a cake to bake for that as well, so our day will be a busy one and I am off to get it started.

I shall leave you with a thought for the day . . .  

✻ღϠ₡ღ✻(¯`✻´¯) 
           ✻ღϠ`*.¸.*₡ღ¸.✻✻ღϠ₡ღ✻(¯`✻´¯) 
                                                   ✻ღϠ`*.¸.*₡ღ¸.✻

"It is impossible to stand upright when one plants his roots 
in the shifting sands of popular opinion and approval."
~Thomas S Monson    ღ¸.✻✻ღϠ₡ღ✻ღ¸.✻✻ღϠ₡ღ✻  


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Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Late Summer Berry Crumble . . . with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries and a surprise ingredient that will have you smacking your lips in anticipation! 

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Have a wonderful Saturday!


7 comments:

  1. Good Morning Marie. I can understand a post grooming sulk! My cat has an infected eye which is to be treated three times a day. I think she hates me right now. I am forever finding her and holding her snug while the greasy ointment goes in.

    I love the odd pancake as long as there is bacon to go with it. Yum. You should have a happy household this movie. A few days ago I would have said spring is on the way but now it is day two of rain and it feels wintry again.

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  2. I think I'll make pancakes too as I'm having my daughters little 2 year old here for breakfast. She's going to an exercise class and I'm watching him for her. Hope you have a super Saturday!

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  3. Sounds just like here Marie..

    The colors..the gardens..
    I have grooming sulk too.
    I actually hate getting cuts or streaks etc and leave with wet hair.
    Primping outside of the house is not my idea of special and fun:)
    So I am with M.

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  4. Another lovely post of course, I loved it. I always love the unique pictures and your sweet thoughts. Mitzie looks adorable. Our Sammy hates the groomer but I always love seeing him all gussy up.
    pancakes sound so good; I wonder how that would be for dinner.
    Blessings, hugs and love for youl

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  5. Oh yes, simple days bring simple pleasures which are the best kind.

    Poor Mitzie. She's exhaling her bottled up anxiety from the groomer. She will feel so much better tomorrow. :-)

    Those Rock and Roll oldies are so fun to listen to. I always have to sing with them. Oh yeah! :-D

    Love ya! xoxo

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  6. Suzan, poor Nimbus. I hope her eye will be okay! I like bacon with pancakes too, but Ariana doesn't like bacon. I know crazY not to like bacon! xxoo

    Pam, I hope you had a lovely time with your grandson and enjoyed making pancakes together! How perfectly wonderful! xxoo

    Going to the hair dressers is not my favourite thing either Monique. It's such a personal thing. I like my hairdresser though and she does a good job so endure it I do! xxoo

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  7. LeAnn, I was actually pooped by dinner time and so I made tomato soup which we had with garlic bread!! Your cards are almost finished! I'll be e-mailing you soon! xxoo

    WE sing with them too Valerie! I love that I have someone to share that quirk of mine with! xxoo

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