Wednesday 13 May 2015

Wednesday This and That . . . .



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What a laugh I had yesterday.  I had posted this photograph on facebook with the caption "Sitting on the shed roof waiting for Todd to get out and scatter his breakfast about."

My good friend Dale came back with  "Your caption for the photo sure got my attention Marie! At first, the picture wouldn't load and I could only see your comment .... thought you talking about yourself! Hahahahaha!!!(I've never wanted to see a picture so much in my life!) Still laughing!"

This  in turn brought a big smile to my face as I could see exactly what my caption had sounded like to someone else besides myself and my day got off to a grand start!

It's the little things . . . 

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The Oriental Poppy we put into the garden several years ago is filled with massive blooms this year.  Most are not open yet and I know they will only bring us pleasure for a few days before they disappear, but what a glorious show in the meantime!  The purple lobelia are in full bloom beneath them and of course  . . .

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the Bleeding Hearts are also keeping them in good company.  I do so love this time of year when everything is waking up and shooting up.  Each day brings with it some new joy and discovery.

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We had planted double peonies last autumn and then promptly forgot what we had put in and where.   I should really keep a diary . . .  so when these beauties came up we spent a few days wondering what they were and becoming amazed when the blooms began to appear.   Multi coloured as well . . .  and there is something very strange in the back garden with very long stems that have these odd buds on the top not looking very unlike an allium of some sort.   They are a mystery to us and we are waiting with baited breath for them to bloom so we can see what they are.

I do so love a surprise!

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These delight me every year and I wonder at their beauty.  I long to pick one to pop it into my diary, but we have so few I daren't.  Whenever I see them I am reminded of this quote from Mark Twain . . .

"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that crushed it."

I have long been a collector of quotes.  I keep them all in a book . . .  each handwritten in a different ink.   It makes for an interesting collection for them not to all look the same I find, or maybe it is a way of showing my different moods and ponderances as I write them down . . .  is "ponderance" even a word?   I don't know.



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What delights the heart most of all is the tenacity of certain blooms to pop up in diverse places . . . unique spots . . .  very inspiring because they cause one to think that if they can bloom so beautifully in such an unimaginable space . . .  so can we.

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It's all a lovely, lovely show.  A feast for the eyes.   We are so blessed.  I cannot fathom anyone taking in all of these magical  amazingly beautiful  wonders and not believe in a higher power.

The kiss of sun for pardon,
the song of the birds for mirth . . .
one is nearer God's heart in a garden,
than anywhere else on earth . . . 
~ Dorothy Frances  Gurney

We got an incredible amount done in the house yesterday.   When we had Ariana move in with us last summer, a lot of what was in the spare room got displaced into our own bedroom and so we were able to re-organize everything and put things back into their proper places.  The linen cupboard (which is in the spare room) got a thorough going through and weeding out.   I decided to part with all of our double bedding bar one sheet.   We have no need for any of them now, not with only single beds in the house.   I kept one double fitted sheet which we can use on the blow up mattress we have which is double . . .  but . . . hmmm . . .  I may have to go and buy a double duvet because  . . .  DOH!  I have nothing to place on top should we ever have someone come to stay and be in need of it.
Why didn't I think of that?

Sometimes I amaze even myself.

A thought to carry with you throughout today . . .


 ❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥
"The things you do for yourself
are gone when you are gone  . . .
but the things you do for others,
remain as your legacy."
~Kalu Ndukwe Kalu
❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥

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Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Skillet Beans and Sausage.  Quite simply delicious!


Happy Wednesday!  Don't forget . . .

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And I do too!


14 comments:

  1. My day started with a smile as well Marie when I saw what your frieds had decided your caption represented !!!!!
    You garden must look really lovely , Toadd and you must have spent a long time to get it look o nice. Lyn does try to keep mine tiday but not a lot of flowers...at least round in teh garden part mostly down to grass and shrubs..best but for me is the pots out the back here where I can look after them once Lyn plants them all up.Also my clematis's I love them they grow up teh fence between Mary and me right outside the back door the biggest one has flwoers just about to bloom I think maybe today if it warms up a bit it will burst out..Hope that you have a lovely day...Take it easy xxx

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  2. My day started with a smile as well Marie when I saw what your frieds had decided your caption represented !!!!!
    You garden must look really lovely , Toadd and you must have spent a long time to get it look o nice. Lyn does try to keep mine tiday but not a lot of flowers...at least round in teh garden part mostly down to grass and shrubs..best but for me is the pots out the back here where I can look after them once Lyn plants them all up.Also my clematis's I love them they grow up teh fence between Mary and me right outside the back door the biggest one has flwoers just about to bloom I think maybe today if it warms up a bit it will burst out..Hope that you have a lovely day...Take it easy xxx

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  3. My day started with a smile as well Marie when I saw what your frieds had decided your caption represented !!!!!
    You garden must look really lovely , Toadd and you must have spent a long time to get it look o nice. Lyn does try to keep mine tiday but not a lot of flowers...at least round in teh garden part mostly down to grass and shrubs..best but for me is the pots out the back here where I can look after them once Lyn plants them all up.Also my clematis's I love them they grow up teh fence between Mary and me right outside the back door the biggest one has flwoers just about to bloom I think maybe today if it warms up a bit it will burst out..Hope that you have a lovely day...Take it easy xxx

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  4. It sounds like a very productive day. I hope today is truly enjoyable too. Your garden sounds brilliant.

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  5. It is a very large garden and a lot of work Sybil. I wonder how much longer Todd will be able to cope with it. He does really well so far, but he's a very healthy man. We take each day as it comes! I love potted plants as well and it may one day come to that. Sunny here today! xoxo

    I have a busy day in front of me today Suzan. Guests for a late lunch! I do so love to have company! xoxo

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  6. Hello Marie! I'm so glad I've finally found your current blog. And I have to say that the photos of your flowers are really lovely. We recently moved into a retirement flat and oh, how I miss our garden! We had only finished renovating it when the landlords decided to sell, so everything I planted last autumn will bloom for someone else. And it was getting to be too much work for my Rob... so a few potted plants in the flat and some cyclamen on the windowsills will have to do!

    BTW, looked up "ponderances" -- it means consequences, so I think you may have wanted "ponderings", but no matter -- we all know what you meant!

    I'm making several of your recipes over the next few days, so will be having lovely oven-warmed days indoors with the smell of baked goods escaping down the building's hallway and Rob taste-testing (his favourite job 'round the house). Hope your luncheon is a success!

    -Michelle G xx
    (An American in Derbyshire)

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  7. Michelle! I am so glad you found my daily space where I talk about everything else that is going on in my life/bar cooking. (although I always point people in that direction) I hope you will stick around! I am sure I did mean ponderings . . . that early in the morning my brain is all over the place! Not the sharpest tack in the box! I'll try to take some pics of my lunch to share! xoxo

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  8. it is such a beautiful time of year with something new blooming all the time. I used to have oriental poppies but they have now died out. I do miss them. They are beautiful. Glad you got so much done there and put back in order after having your house guest. Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday !

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  9. Pretty pretty time of year..your skillet dish looks cozy..it's a bit chilly here again..after a lot of rain.. green green grass of home right now.
    Love oriental poppies..Your gardens are growing in leaps and bounds!

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  10. Thanks Pam! We had guests for lunch today and even so we still managed to get all the bedding washed and hung out. That linen cupboard is going to smell so nice! Xoxo

    It is a cozy dish Monique. Perfect for a cool day. Now today we are back to warm and sunny,,but they say its back to rain tomorrow! One certainly learns to make hay while the sun shines over here! Xoxo

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  11. Oh the pictures are just so lovely. I haven't planted our flower garden yet for this year. In the fall I will do bulbs for a change. It would be nice to have them come up on their own.
    I always love your quotes and it is a unique way of keeping them all. I have dome on a computer, some in a book and little notes here and there. You can tell how organized I am.
    By the way could I use some of your photos of like flowers and etc. to make quote graphics. They are all so lovely. If not it is OK. I do have some other sources.
    Love, hugs and blessings for you dear one. Have a lovely week~

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  12. Thanks LeAnn, I love doing quote graphics as well. It speaks to the artist in me! It sounds like your organizational skills are about as on par with my own! xoxo

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  13. Hi Marie! I survived the wedding and both receptions. We are back home now. I'm exhausted but happy! I got a good laugh at the thought of you sitting on the shed roof waiting for Todd to awake! Heee! We all know how much you love watching the sunrise so it would be fitting for you to shimmy up there on the shed toting some tea and generous piece of cake to add to the spender of the morning happenings. ;-D
    I LOVE all of your flowers. Your double peonies are gorgeous!!!
    Also, great quotes! Hope you are doing well my friend. Will write soon! Love you! xoxo

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  14. Glad you got through it all okay Valerie! I never had any doubt that you would! I will look forward to hearing from you! Love you too! Xoxo

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