Thursday 9 November 2017

My Favourite Things . . .

 

A few of my favourite things that you might also enjoy.  Lets enjoy them together. 


Jacqueline Kennedy.  As a girl I always admired her.  She had style and grace and impeccable taste.  I remember being given her autobiography when I was 11.  Actually it was an award.  I had won the National Temperance Essay  Award for an essay I had written.  The book was a part of that award, which I received along with a cheque for $25, which was quite a lot when I was 11 years old! I think I probably read that book at least 10 times.   I was so annoyed when my ex gave it away along with some other precious things to a friend of his for her granddaughters one day.  My mother says that my little white bible was one of the books he gave, so I may have finally solved the mystery of where it went.  I don't know why this still distresses me so many years later but it does.  Change of subject!  I like Jacqueline Kennedy.

  

"Let it go, let it go!!"

The Disney film Frozen.  I love this film. I often listen to the soundtrack when I am painting. I have always wanted the dolls, but have never bought myself one because I know it would just end up collecting dust, and so I don't.  I adore the music from it, all the songs, etc.


The music of Mindy Gledhill. I could listen to her sweet voice for hours.  I think she and Michael Buble are my favourite singing artists. 

  

Chocolate Covered Almonds. I used to buy up all the kids boxes when they were doing a fund raiser for school.  Okay, maybe not all, but quite a few!  I don't know why but I just adore the taste of chocolate covered almonds.  I also used to really love Hershey's almond bar, but then I discovered Cadbury's.  


Good bread.  I adore bread of any kind but a really great Artisanal loaf is my most favourite of all.  I love a good sour dough.  I love bread filled with seeds and nuts, and Oh I adore raisin bread.  I just love bread.  I don't even need butter on it.  Just bread. 

  

Old barns.   I love old barns, and years ago I wanted to go around photographing old barns. But I never did.  Its one thing to have an idea but its something else to follow up on it.  I have decided in my later years to never let a good idea pass without doing something about it.  Whats the worst that could happen?



I adore Chickens.  If we lived in a more rural setting, and had our own place, I would have chickens. I love chickens.  They each have their own personality, they really do. I had a friend once who had chickens and I used to love to go over and watch them. It was so much fun.


Granny Squares.   Granny Square anything.  I love Granny Squares. 

  

Poppy Day and the opportunity we have to be able to remember and honor the price which was paid for the freedoms we are able to enjoy today.   I have always loved Remembrance Day. Well, when I was married before it was not my favourite day, for sure, but thankfully that's not my problem anymore, and I can now feel good about that day!  Plus its Todd and my anniversary. (I thought he would never be able to forget our anniversary if it was on Remembrance Day, lol)  And now its the day my book is officially launched!  So three good things to remember about November 11th! 


I love this song, "Be My Forever."  Its so upbeat and just a happy, happy song!  


Love really does make the world go around.

  

Window boxes filled with red geraniums.  I think they are so pretty and so welcoming.  They make me feel all happy inside. I think next year I will get Todd to put up some window boxes out front with red geraniums in them.  


Vintage Potato Mashers.  This one reminds me of my mother's potato masher.  Nothing did the job better than one of these, with the exception of maybe a potato ricer.   What works, works.  You cannot improve upon perfection.  I have a Zyliss one now with that same mashing part but the handle is huge.  So while the mashing part is perfect the handle is too big.


Mashed potatoes, another one of my favourites.  Topped with a pat of butter, or a spoonful of gravy, or with sauerkraut.  Oh, I just love them.

  

Gingham.  Red and white, or blue and white.  They are my favourites.   


Anything with cherries on it.  I love cherry things.  To me they are "cheery" things.

  

AGA stoves.  If I had my way I would have a big kitchen with a big AGA in it to keep the kitchen warm and to cook in.  There was one in the big house kitchen when I worked there and I loved using it.  I used to miss it in the summer when they turned it off.  There is something very, very cosy about an AGA.


Pie.  I adore pie.  Sweet pies. Savoury Pies.  Custard pies.  Fruit pies.  Cream pies.  Meat pies. Pies topped with meringue, or cream.  Veggie pies.  I just love PIE! 

 

Orchards.  I love fruit orchards.  I love them in the winter, when you walk through them and can see all of the gnarls and knots  . . .  in the springime when you are walking through an oasis of pink fluff . . .  in the summer months, when you are walking through the growing fruit and seeing it getting larger, pinker, redder every day.  Autumn when the fruit is ready to be picked and they are humming with noise, smell and activity.  I love Orchards. 


 Art.  Watercolours, oils, acrylics . . . .  modern, old, illustration, masters, landscapes, portraits . . .  you name it, I love art and looking at art, and creating art.  I never tire of it.  Never. 

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day  . . . 

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

 *.˛.°A strong woman doesn't need
to break someone's spirit down 
to build herself up.
She is empowered by kindness.
~Abeer Fahim  •。★★ 。* 。



 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER - Today's reading - 1 Nephi 15:1-18  
Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? Why is it so important to avoid the spirit of contention?  

What I learnt - Contention is concerned with being right, at all costs. The Spirit will not be with us when we have chosen to replace Him with the spirit of contention. Which is ironic because He is the source of knowledge to us! Verse 6 stood out to me and my thoughts today have been on the enabling power of the atonement. When Nephi was weighed down it says 'he RECEIVED strength' . . . not 'he gathered all his strength'  . . . to keep going. We can receive strength beyond our own to help us move forward too. When we understand the enabling power of the Atonement, we will be changed; we will have access to strength beyond our natural abilities, our weakness can be turned to strength, and we can know that in the strength of the Lord we can do all things. 

Tomorrow's Reading (Day 21)- 1 Nephi 15: 19-36 
 Question -What have you learnt from the reading today? What power is there in the scriptures? 

  

Baking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Oatmeal & Blueberry Cookie Pie.  Scrumptious!

I hope you have a day filled with some of your favourite things!  Don't forget! 

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And I do too! 


  

 


5 comments:

  1. Much the same coups de coeur!
    So many of the same..ss

    Jackie O yes me too..that whole JFK era.I was so young yet it is just ingrained..Our little black and white tv on legs and the horror of it all..the end..Little JFK and his salute.

    Caroline..
    I think seeing and re-seeing photos over the years..make lasting impressions.

    Marie..it bugs me he gave your books away.

    To me that is plain mean.
    I miss my autograph book..my diaries..so many things..but I can't blame anyone.
    I guess at one point I felt I was grown up..Probably the year I painted my room black and had my first real boyfriend.
    Oh lala.



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  2. She was just so classy Monique! Always. I think because we are of a similar age, we like many of the same things. My ex was just a person who cared more for other people than he did for his wife. What he did was a kindness for this woman and her grandchildren, but to do so without asking me was very disrespectful to me. So in the one hand a gracious act, but on the other totally lacking in care. I have had to bury many feelings now or they would continue to spoil my life. I have a pretty good life now, not perfect, but very good! Oh, I wish I had my diaries, and my autograph book. Probably very cringe worthy, lol xoxo. PS my ex was my first boyfriend.

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  3. Hi Marie~

    Oh my goodness, I've been so busy the last few days...but I've missed your posts! When will your beautiful book be for sale here in the states? I checked, Amazon, and can only get the Kindle version - I really would love to have the hard copy! I will keep checking!

    Once again, I love it all! But, Jacqueline Kennedy, seriously, she was such a lady in every way...so beautiful.

    It took me the longest time to watch, Frozen. I'm not sure why, but I just never got around to it. When I finally did, I loved it, I think it has such an amazing soundtrack!

    Mindy Gledhill does have the most amazing voice - so talented. LeAnn's maiden name is Gledhill, I'll bet they're related....;0)

    Nothing better than a homemade loaf of bread right out of the oven! I have a sourdough start in my refrigerator, I'm getting it out tonight!

    Old barns just remind me of simpler times, when life was slower and we had more time for each other. I can remember going into my grandfathers barn, a very small building, but I loved it. I loved the smell, the way the light would come through the cracks and holes in the walls, the old leather bridles hanging on the wall, it was wonderful, I miss it, and I miss him.

    Yesterday, my sister was telling me about a granny square vest that my mother gave her, she loved it. I think granny squares are so pretty.

    Happy anniversary on the 11th! No doubt you will never forget that day!

    Apple orchard, apple pie, old ovens...oh my!

    What a lovely post!

    The book I was telling you about is called, Brother Joseph, Seer of a New Dispensation. It's just a wonderful book, so interesting. It is beautifully written by, Richard N. Sckousen and W. Cleon Sckousen. Richard is Cleon Skeousen's grandson. I think The book is written by notes taken from Cleon Skousen, who was a religion teacher at BYU. It's really a good biography of the prophet, and I think they are available at Amazon. I got mine at the library. There are two volumes, and I'm really looking forward to Vol. 2.

    Hugs and Love,
    Barb

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  4. The hard copy should be available as of tomorrow Barb! On Amazon. Thanks so much for the details of the book/books. I just know Todd will love them. Right now he is reading the First Two Thousand Years and The Third Thousand Years, by, yes Cleon Skousen! So I know he will love the ones you are reading! I am pretty sure that Mindy must be related to LeAnn. In fact I think she told me that once, but I could be mistaken! Love and hugs! xoxo

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  5. I do love your favorite things too. I too thought really like Jacqueline Kennedy too. She has such style. I will always remember her standing at the funeral with those two little ones. She was so beautiful and stoic. Amazing in so many way.
    I loved reading aobut your winning your writing contest at the age of 11; just so wonderful. What a talent you were blessed with.
    I love the theme song from Frozen too. It just sticks in your mind when you start to think about it.
    Mindy Gledhill's husabnad is my cousin. I did meet them both plus her father-in law a few years ago. He would be my second cousin, I think.
    Regretfully, I didn't get to know that side of the family very well. My Dad was raised by his maternal Grandmother and so he didn't spend as much time with hiis father's side. His mother dies when he was 5 montha dn his Dad died when he was 18 months in the 1st World War in the trenches of France. I am so grateful for all those who protect our countries.
    I love love bread just liek you. It's a downfall for me.
    I also love old barns. They remind me of barns that I used to lay in once in a while as a kid. I asked my Granson to paint me one. He is a very good artist. I hope he will someday.
    Granny Squares are always so colorful; I really love them too.
    Happy Anniversary sweet friend! I hope Todd and you had a good celebration.
    Sending happy thoughts your way and big hugs too!

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