Wednesday 2 March 2016

Wednesday this and that . . .



 Daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares
And take the winds of March with beauty;
Violets, dim,
But sweeter than the lids of Juno's eyes,
Or Cytherea's breath. 
~Shakespeare's Perdita, The Winter's Tale

The first day of March came to us yesterday  . . .  not blustering in like a hoyden bursting boisterously into a quiet room . . .  but dancing upon golden rays of sunshine and of daffodil.   Gleams of sunlight stole about the garden and the skies were blue and full of the blessedness of an unutterable peace . . . it gamboled in like a Spring Lamb and all was well.

I ventured out of the house for the first time since Saturday.  Todd came in all agog and said to me . . .  you have to come and see this.  We dug my wellies out (because the back garden is that saturated) and I followed him out to the pond.

(If you are the least big squeamish, look away now.)


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The pond was all agog with froggie romance.   They were pairing up all over the pond . . .  fighting each other for the ladies . . . yes.  They have returned to their birthplace to spawn, which is a sure sign of Spring Springing.


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Todd counted over 30 of them, and that was just the ones we could see.  The water has gone very murkey over the  winter and not very nice.

The daffodils are in bloom and narcissis in abundance . . . 


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Crocus and snow drops hiding amongst the grass  . . .


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And this is what greeted me when I squelched my way back to the back door.   Oh, she did want to come out and run through the grass also . . .  but it was far too mudy and wet.   Yes, we need to pain our back door badly.  It is the only door/window which our landlord did not replace last year, and it badly needs refurbishing.  It seems a shame that he did the whole house and left that.  You can stand in the kitchen on a windy morning and the bottom of your night dress flutters from the wind that comes in from all around the edges.

Not my pound to spend.

 

Sister Holmes (our Canadian Sister) stopped by with her companion Sister Dalton to say goodbye last evening.  We are losing her in the transfers today.  I am sad to see her go.  This was her first area on her mission and we took good care of her.  She will now be blessing people in Oldham now.   It was so kind of her to take some time out in her very busy last day here to come and say farewell. We are also losing Elder Hollingsworth (left) and Elder Judd (right)  We will miss all three of these fine young people.  I know that the ones coming in to replace them will also be exemplary folk, and feel like family also.  We wish these three all the best in their new areas.

 I had to go back to bed this morning.  I am still feeling very rough.  My ear is not hurting, but it is still blocked and my head is just banging, despite having taken two co-codemol.  I thought yesterday would be the worst, but it seems the worst was yet to be.  At least I slept last night, once I managed to calm down my coughing.  I think I coughed and coughed until gone 1 am.  Poor Todd. I am sure it disturbed him as well, but he never said.  Bless him.

A thought to carry with you through today  . . .

ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ
We were not placed on this earth to walk alone. 
What an amazing source of power, of strength, 
and of comfort is available to each of us. 
~Thomas S Monson
ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ

Spiritual Enlightenment 

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In The English Kitchen today  . . . . Breakfast Oats with Dates and Marmalade.

 I hope that you have a lovely Wednesday!  Don't forget . . .

 ═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════

And I do too!!


 

9 comments:

  1. I hope you feel better soon Marie. It is rotten to feel sick. It must have been joyful to see the first signs of spring. I eagerly await the time when things cool down.

    God bless your day.

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  2. Thanks Suzan. I am feeling pretty rough this morning. No fun at all. xoxo

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  3. Thanks for sharing your bits of Spring ! Here we have snow covering the ground once again. Hope you are soon better. Rest is the best thing you can do.

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  4. Looks like Easter:)

    Until the door is replaced..lovingly look at is as a Rachel Ashwell SC door:)
    It's got charm..just don't want you cold..
    Take care..

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  5. I visit your blog daily and it gives me such inspiration - I hope you feel better soon - try Vicks or Mentholateum rubbed on your feet to ease the cough at night - sounds strange but it works! Have used it on my kids for years

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  6. You're welcome Pam! We are now back to rain and snow on the high ground! That's March for you! Xoxo

    Easter won't be long now .monique! Xoxo

    Thanks Susan, I will try that! Xoxo

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  7. I love the picture of all the little frogs and also the beautiful spring flowers. Thanks for taking such good care of the missionaries in your area! As a missionary mom, I always hope and pray for kind people like you to look out for and help my son. Sure hope you are feeling better soon!

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  8. Hi Marie~

    I'm so sorry that you are still feeling sick, that darn bug has certainly been a bad one! We had something like it, (probably the same bug) a month or so ago, it was not good . . . the cough was the worst part.

    Last Sunday we were surprised to see a missionary, who had been here last summer, living in our ward! He is from Arkansas, so we were really surprised. He loved our area, and wanted to live here. I thought that was a wonderful compliment for our little community.

    Your door has character!

    Get well soon!

    Hugs,
    Barb

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  9. Thanks Deb. I admire Missionary Mums. As a mum I used to harbour a secret desire that when my youngest turned 19 some amazing miracle might happen and he would convert to the church and want to go on a mission. Nineteen came and went and he is 27 now. This mother's heart still longs for her children to be in the Gospel, or at least on the same page. I have a partriarchal blessing and a letter from President U which tells me that Heavenly Father is mindful of the desires of my heart and loves me. For the life of me I could never see that happening, but then again, there was a time when I would never have thought I would ever, even in my wildest dreams, be able to be Baptised. And so I continue to hope that some way, some how. I may not see it in my lifetime, but I know my HF is the maker of Miracles. God bless you for your sacrifice! People's lives are changed for the better because of it. xoxo


    Thanks Barb! You must live in a great area Barb if they want to return and live there! It is a real compliment to your community and to the people who live in your Ward! xoxo

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