FRIDAY, April 18th, 2025
3 Estate Lane, Nova Scotia
2*C35*F feels like -8*C
supposed to get considerably warmer as the day goes on
Also supposed to be a sunny day today
2*C35*F feels like -8*C
supposed to get considerably warmer as the day goes on
Also supposed to be a sunny day today
Dear Neighbor,
I took that photograph last night while I was sitting on the sofa crocheting. I thought my glass birds looked nice. I love them. They bring me joy. That other piece of stained glass, the clear etched one was a gift a while back from my next-door neighbor. And, as you can see, I hung up my hummingbird feeder yesterday. I expect the earliest ones to be back any day now, so I am prepared for their return. There is not a lot blooming at the moment, that's for sure.
I popped to the grocery store later in the afternoon yesterday as I realized I had no onions, and I needed some for tomorrow. The store was really busy, but then it won't be open today so expect people were getting in some last bits for the weekend. I had to park quite far from the store itself as there were no blue badge spots left. Thats okay. I managed alright. My left knee has been giving me quite a lot of gyp lately. It seems to flare up every now and then. It's been doing so since just before I went to Scotland back in the spring of 2017. That's quite a while now. I thought it was because I had tripped over a box and pulled a muscle at first, but clearly it was not. Because. Here I am. And it still hurts all these years later.
(source)
I've been participating in the Pray 40 sessions on my Hallow App in the run up to Easter. This past week they have been sharing videos of Jonathan Rumie (who plays Jesus in the Chosen) and Jeff Havens in the Holy Land, following Christ's last week. It has been very touching and fascinating to be able to pray my way through Jerusalem and follow the Savior's last steps. Yesterday and today, we have been following the Savior down the Via de la Rosa on His way to the cross. It's been a wonderful way to draw closer to the Savior over these past weeks.
I am a person who feels pretty close to Him anyways, as you know. I am a Latter Day Saint and belong to the church of Jesus Christ. The Savior is a HUGE part of my life. I try to walk in His footsteps daily. Some days I do better than others. It is the way I choose to live my life, evenly yoked with Him. It has made a huge difference to me. No, that doesn't mean I don't have struggles or challenges, but it does mean that I handle them in a different way . . . for me . . . a better way. I know this way of life is not for everyone. It works very well for me.
I find beauty in many of the world's religions. There is truth to be found in all of them. Anything which draws you into deeper communion with your Heavenly Father is a good thing in my opinion.
(source)
I was talking to the son of my next-door neighbor on the right yesterday. I was hanging up my feeder and he was in the driveway right there. I asked him how his father was doing, and he said that he has a place at Mountain Lee Lodge now and will be moving there and hopefully will be moved to a facility much closer in the future. They have been emptying out his house over the past few weeks. It is a long slow process as I believe that this gentleman and his wife had lived there since they first built these places. She passed away last year.
It makes me think about my place and how much work I want my children to have to do when I am gone. I don't want it to have to take them weeks to process. I want it to be quick and painless, which means I have a lot of work to do myself. I am an accumulator. That is not like a hoarder, I promise you, but I do have a desire to pare down.
There is a Japanese writer Fumio Sasaki who wrote a book entitled Goodbye Things: The New Japanese Minimalism. He pares down his possessions to such an extent that he can pack up everything he owns in less than half an hour. That is a bit extreme I think.
I have been reading about the Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. Its about a permanent form of organization that is supposed to make your everyday life run more smoothly. The intent is not that we should remove things that make our life more pleasant and comfortable, but if you cannot keep track of your things that is an indication that you have too much. I hate when I go to tackle a bit project that I have to search for things that I need to do it. A clear indication that a paring down is needed, or at least some form of organization needs putting in place. The fact that I talk about it a lot is another indication that something needs doing. 😬
(source)
The accountant is supposed to pick up the stuff to do my income tax this morning. At least that will be out of my hair and taken care of. I don't know why I dread tax time every year. I suppose anyone who is self-employed finds it a bit of a pain to cope with. It is what it is. It will be good to get it done and have it over with. Then I can breathe easier and just get on with my life.
The lady who moved into the place across the way from me has a very large dog. It looks like a bulldog of some sort. Most of the ladies here on this street have some type of dog. Mostly just small dogs. The lady on the end across the way has a black tuxedo cat and I have mine. We are the only cat owners.
Speaking of cats, no news yet on little Mac. They are closed now for the weekend, so it will be next week before we hear anything. He is doing much better however and is eating, which is good.
We are all rooting for him.
(source)
Cindy and Dan are coming over today to help me in my garage. That will be nice. I am so blessed to have people around me that don't mind helping me out with things. Were it not for them I really would be quite on my own around here. I do worry about being a burden from time to time. I am not an old woman by any stretch, but my arthritis does make it difficult for me to do some things. It means I cannot bend down to do stuff. I can't get down on the floor and with my shoulder, which is still causing me trouble, I cannot reach very far either.
Who was it who called these the "Golden Years"? LOL They still beat the alternative, so I am not complaining. It is a blessing to still be here. There are many that I went to school with that are not.
(source)
Nice, but a bit "too" pared down in my opinion.
It's also a bit too modern, very Mad Men. I much prefer a style more like the 40's and 50's. For me, that ere, although somewhat austere in many ways, well the 40's anyways, is much more comforting and cozier. There is no cozy above. Not for me anyways. I suppose I am wanting to decorate huggy granny style. Post WW2/Pre Sexual Revolution. June Cleaver/Aunt Bea-ish. They are my heroes.
Not that I would ever wear pumps and pearls to do my housework. That is also not me. I am not seeking perfection.
(source)
I have discovered the most delicious looking Tumblr account. Food in the Morning. There is nothing but photographs of delicious breakfasts. Loads of photos of hot breakfast sandwiches, eggs, bacon, pancakes, muffins, etc. I used to love to go out for breakfast. It used to be much cheaper to eat out for Breakfast than Dinner. I think that is no longer the case these days.
Some places do breakfast much better than others. Cindy and Dan went to the Big Stop in New Minas not so long ago and it was supposedly very good. Cindy had pancakes and they were so big and the stack so tall she couldn't even put a dent in them. Dan had the big breakfast which was good by all counts.
My father goes to the Big Scoop for breakfast on Saturdays and the Green Elephant on Sundays. He is a man who loves to go out for breakfast on the weekends.
Myself, I think there is no lovelier smell than to be sitting outside on a warm sunny morning and to smell toast and bacon in the air. That smells like Home Sweet Home to me.
(source)
In the U.K. I loved to go to the Cafe at the BHS on a Saturday and enjoy one of their breakfasts. You paid by the number of items you chose. There were eggs (any style you wished), bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, baked beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, black pudding, fried bread, toast, etc. Coffee or tea was extra. I think the very basic was a four-item breakfast and then you paid extra for every add on from there. I used to get bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, baked beans and fried bread. Fried bread is a real extravagance and not very healthy, but I have always felt that eating out is supposed to be a bit of a treat.
Of course the Full English, which is what a full breakfast over there is lovingly called, unless you live in one of the other countries such as Scotland or Wales, is a wonderful British tradition and something which you can enjoy at any B&B the whole country over.
I also love a good Continental breakfast. Heck, I just love breakfast, and I love it even more if someone else is making it! Even a cheeky McDonald's Egg McMuffin has its place!
(source)
When I was a child, I would have loved a chick or a baby bunny for Easter. Thank goodness my mother never indulged us in those fantasies. Chocolate chicks and bunnies were all we received. Much easier to care for. When I was at the store yesterday, I looked for some chocolate Easter bunnies, but they did not have any left at the store I was in. I thought it would be nice to have one at each place on my Easter Dinner Table. Alas, that is not to be. I think this will be the first year in a very long time that I have not had a Lindt Easter Bunny to enjoy. There is something about that little red collar and bell. And the chocolate of course. The best in my opinion. I have never been one that enjoys the Cadbury's Egg with all of that super sickly-sweet runny filling, but a Lindt bunny? Well, I could happily gobble that right down, even though I know I shouldn't.
There are certain things that are traditions at Easter. Like Ham and chocolate bunnies, and I am a traditionalist at heart.
I remember one year when I was a child, we got foil wrapped hollow Easter bunnies. They were so pretty. I had a bookcase headboard on my bed that had doors you could close. I was determined that I was going to save my bunny as long as possible. I put the bunny into the closed partition of the headboard on my bed. What followed was a pleasant Easter Sunday with Sunday School and Church. Our cousins came up to visit in the afternoon. I am not sure if they stayed to dinner or not. All day I put off touching my Easter Bunny, but I was thinking about it, tucked up all safe and sound in its hiding place Later in the day I thought I just might enjoy a nibble on its feet, but just a nibble. I went to get it out of its secret spot and lo and behold, all that was left was the foil wrapper. Someone else had helped themselves.
Ever since then I feel an obligation to devour my Easter Bunny as it comes and not save it for later. If I don't eat it, someone else will, and we can't have that!
This was Cinnamon making herself quite at home laying in front of the television the other evening. As you can see she was quite comfortable and snozzing away. Of course, she was in front of the channel changer light thingie (whatever it is called) so I could not change the channel. I did not have the heart to move her or chase her down, she was having such a sweet nap.
She has been really affectionate lately and very demanding also. Coming to me and asking me for things, like pipe cleaner play time, brushing time, treat time, etc. Usually, it is just the big bumbler that is asking, but she is becoming quite vocal and demanding in expressing her wants as well.
I had the ribbon wand out yesterday and was playing with Nutmeg. He just loves it. I was not doing much with it but walking back and forth through the house dragging and waving it behind me, but he was galloping after it and jumping up. somersaulting in the air to catch it. It was quite fun to watch him being so happy with it.
Oh, I do so enjoy their company. There are times when I wish that I had a dog, but I am also a realist in many ways and realistically speaking I could not properly care for a dog.
And with that I best leave you with a thought for the day as the tax man will probably be here soon.
A thought to carry with you . . .
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
*.Excellence does
not require perfection.
~Henry James° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
In the kitchen today. Amish Refrigerator Pickles. A small batch. Something lovely and fresh and crunchy for your holiday table. Only 24 hours to perfection! Simple ingredients done well.
I hope that you have a beautiful day on this Good Friday. I hope your day is blessed and filled with people you love and pockets of pure joy. Whatever you get up to, don't forget!
═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═══════════
⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════
And I do too!
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════
And I do too!
.jpg){kind=spacer}
.jpg){kind=spacer}