Small and Wonderful Things

 

"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny? It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. What you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard 

 A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.

Sunday dinners with the family.  Cindy, Dan, dad. It means a lot to me to be included.  I always really enjoy our time together. It's not really about the food, although that is always very good, it's about being together as a family and making memories. All those years I was away in the U.K. I missed having family times very much and used to long to be able to sit down with my family and spend time together.  This is an extra special blessing that I do not take for granted.

 

Being able to go to church on Sunday, fellowship with the Saints and partake of the sacrament. I love going to church. I was so grateful to be able to do so online during Covid and now it is an extra special blessing to be able to do it in person.  I love singing the hymns, renewing my covenants through the sacrament, listening to the talks, sharing with the sisters in Relief Society afterwards. It is all good and always makes my heart feel full. There really is nowhere else I would rather be on Sunday mornings.

I have enjoyed reading and studying the Book of Mormon this year. Right now, we are in Third Nephi and studying the account of the Resurrected Jesus. It has often been referred to as the fifth Gospel of our Lord because, like the New Testament, it focusses on the ministry and teachings of Jesus Christ. I think it is my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon.

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Most of the leaves are off the trees now. We had a very windy weekend, and many fell. They spent the weekend dancing, skittering across the pavements and twirling through the air. As I drove to Greenwood yesterday afternoon for my Covid booster, they were raining down on the car. It was just lovely. It reminded me of Autumn in the old Disney Fantasia film. 

I loved that film when I was a child. The music . . .  the pictures . . . 

I think the dancing mushrooms were always my favorite part, but I did love it all.

Fantasia and Disney's Once Upon a Wintertime, two of my favorite childhood cartoons.

 

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Hot drinks on cold mornings. I have lovely, spiced apple drinks for the Keurig machine.  They are perfect for frosty mornings.

 

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Having a comfy bed with warm blankets to snuggle into at the end of the day.  It always feels so good to get into bed and sink down into my mattress which just hugs me. It is so comfortable.  And then to have warm blankets to wrap around me.  I am truly blessed.

When I went to my sister's yesterday, I popped into dad's bedroom to see him before Supper.  He was all snuggled up on his bed watching an old movie on TCM. He got himself one of those mechanical beds when he moved to Cindy's, and he had it positioned just so that it was cradling him. He looked very comfortable. It made my heart smile.  We had a nice visit.

I am so grateful for Cindy's loving care of my father, and I know that he is too. That is a gift to all of us.

 

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This. It is a good reminder to always be kind. 

I managed to get another video made this weekend and uploaded to YouTube. This one was for a Jelly Roll.  It took over 8 hours to upload for some reason.  The important thing is that it did in the end. You can see it here if you wish to have a look. 

 

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The warmth of lamp and candlelight in these increasingly darkening days.  The clocks go back an hour this next weekend. They went back an hour this past weekend in the U.K.  I wish they would stop messing with the time, in all honesty, but it is what it is, and you just have to live with it.  But I am grateful for light in the darkness.

 

This was Cinnamon lying next to me on the sofa yesterday afternoon. She was so happy and content, wanting me to stroke her belly.  She was in seventh heaven. The look on her little face was pure bliss. She is much more affectionate than Nutmeg in many ways. I love them both very much.

I really do have much to be grateful for. Faith, family, friendship, home, pets, prayers.  I do appreciate them all . . . 

A thought to carry with you . . . 

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

 *Never lose an opportunity of seeing

anything beautiful, for beauty

is God's handwriting.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

~Ralph Waldo Emmerson° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

 

 

In The English Kitchen today, Pickled Apple Slices.  These are really good and very simple to make.  If you can make a brine and slice vegetables, you can make these.  They are a delicious mix of sweet, tart, and spicy. They would be lovely on a Charcuterie or Cheese tray for the holidays.

I hope you have a beautiful day and that your week is filled with an abundance of blessings. Whatever you get up to, don't forget!

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And I do too!