Saturday Nice . . .

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The wind is whispering April

And the woods are all aflame

Today a robin sang for me

From southern lands he came,

He brought the springtime in his song,

And practiced it the whole day long.

The sun is whispering April

And the buds are swelling green

The little creek is running wild

Its foolish banks between,

The pussy willow's silver fur

Is making vain the heart of her.

And we have tidied up the yard,

Raked up the tangled grass,

The little pool that father made

Shines like a looking glass,

Reflecting sky and clouds and trees,

The neighbors clothes-line if you please.

The wind is whispering April

And all my heart is knowing,

There will be clover in the fields

And new grass growing,

Daffodils on a sturdy stem

And golden bees to talk to them.

~Edna Jacques, April

Aunt Hatties Place, 1949

 

Each day now brings with it a new joy, a new pleasure. The days gradually are becoming a bit warmer and most night's now the temperature does not go below zero. Spring has us in her gentle grip and all is well. Hearts and fingers are itching, longing  . . .  to play in the dirt once more. Mr. Chippy has returned to taunt the cats and empty my feeder. The days  . . .  longer and brighter . . . tis not dark now until getting on towards 8 o'clock in the evening.  The air is filled with anticipation and hope. Spring has sprung.

Cindy and I took dad out yesterday afternoon to spend time with his friend Maryann. We usually drop them off at A&W.  They enjoy a lunch together and a nice visit while Cindy and I go off and do our own thing.  First we went to Walmart. I got Eileen some shampoo and conditioner and loaded up with cat food. Hopefully I have made a better choice this time.  The last lot I got neither of the cats were interested. 

After that we went to the grocery store to get a few bits. Both Cindy and I were intrigued by these Grona Cushions Puff Pastries and picked up a package of them each. They are a product of the Ukraine. We are both into pastry. If something has pastry we are invested, lol.  These are filled with strawberry filling and had such a pretty packaging. 

And, they are good.  It didn't take me long to test them out. Nice and flaky with a lovely strawberry jam like filling.  Jam. Another thing we are invested in. If you see these in your shops, you can be assured that they are delicious.  They were $3.49, so not too expensive a treat either.

 

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The people that moved in across from my sister have chickens and a rooster. When I got out my car at her place yesterday the rooster was crowing like crazy.  There is something about these barnyard sounds that really appeals to my heart. I could sit outside and listen to them for hours.  Chickens cluck clucking, roosters crowing, sheep and goats baaing and bleating  . . .  cows mooing. They are sounds that comfort me and make me feel safe. Familiar sounds. 

Like rain falling, waves crashing, pavement skittering dry leaves . . . 

Almost all of our teen years we lived in a small military house nestled amidst tall pines. I used to love to lay in bed nights and listen to the wind whispering through those pines . . .  the sound lulled me to sleep and made me feel cozy and at home.  The sound made me think of Heidi and how she felt sleeping in the loft in her grandfather's house in the alps.  Safe and loved. We should all feel so blessed.

 

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Cindy and I were talking about what we would do if we ever won the lottery yesterday in the car. Oh the dreams we have. Of course you have to buy a ticket to win it. Interestingly however, you don't need to buy a ticket to have the same dreams. My mind immediately went to that house that I wanted to buy before I even returned to Canada that is now for sale again. I would snap it up in a heartbeat.

Speaking of houses, apparently Tim is looking to move into a new apartment as well.  He went to look at one yesterday which just happens to be right across the road from the house I grew up in, a stone's throw from where I am now. He told Eileen that he would like to go to Avery's farm market which is just behind me, but is afraid that he will run into me there. The thought of that apparently makes him feel nervous.  I would never be mean to him. I am not that kind of person. But the fact that he feels that way must mean that he knows that what he did was wrong. That brings me a tiny bit of satisfaction, I have to admit.

 

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We make a living by what we get,

but we make a life by what we give.

~Winston Churchill

When I was a much younger woman I used to love walking through the shops looking at things, dreaming about buying this or buying that. Now I am older, I recognize that there is far more time stretching behind me than I have that is stretching in front of me. I no longer feel the urge to buy things. Instead I am wanting to pare my life down. After having had to pare down Dad's when we were getting him ready to move to my sister's, I came to the realization that everything I choose to bring into my life now is something that my children are going to have to get rid of when I am gone in the not too distant future. I seriously doubt that any of them will want much of what I have managed to accumulate over these past five and some years. 

The thought of that makes me seriously think twice about anything I choose to bring into the house.  It is funny how your perspective on things changes as you age. I used to dream of having my own home and decorating it just so. Now I dream of just being comfortable and filling my days with joy, peace, love and family. Comfort. Hobbies that I love and enjoy. Blessing the lives of others in whatever way that I can. If I was fitter I would happily volunteer at a soup kitchen or some such. Standing for hours at a time is no longer in my remit, sadly. I do what I can. Write notes and letters. Make telephone calls to check up on people I know are alone and are glad for the company. Share the bounty from my own table with my next door neighbor.  That hasn't happened as much since Eileen moved in with me, but once she is in her own place I can share the bounty again. There is never much left over at present to share.

 

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Dan is coming over today to help with the front garden. I am having him pull out everything in it and get rid of it. I know she and Cindy will take the Bleeding Heart and the rest is not really that important. Then he is going to lay down a barrier and top it with gravel.  My plan is to get several large pots that I can fill with dirt and annuals, and perhaps down the line get a standing birdbath.  Nothing high maintenance. Nothing that requires me to spend a lot of time or money on. I want to get a nut feeder that I can hang up. I need several more hooks and chains so that I can have all three hung. Bird seed feeder, Nut feeder and Hummingbird feeder. That's all I want or need.

Realistically speaking, I cannot cope with more than that. 

I would like to get a little table for out the front to put on the deck so that in the warmer months I could sit out there and read with a cold drink or something.  We will see what happens.

Simplify.  My word for 2026. 

 

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I spent quite a bit of time last night going through photographs. There was one specific one that I was looking for but could not find. Our friend who passed this week. I had a photo, or thought I did, of him sitting at a table with my sister at my wedding back in 1975. Cindy wanted it. I know there is one in my wedding album which is in Fredericton with my son, so I have sent a message to him and he says he will look for it today, scan it and send it to me.

It was nice looking through all of the photographs. Eileen enjoyed doing it with me as well.  There is her original birth announcement, with her weight, newborn photo (they use to take them in the hospital back in the day), time and date of birth etc.  She enjoyed seeing that. It is hard to believe that it was 48 years ago now. They say time flies when you having fun and I have had a fun life I guess! 

His obituary was listed at the local funeral home late yesterday. It made me sad.

Many of the photos that Eileen and I were looking at made me feel a bit sad and a bit happy at the same time. Sad that the time has passed, but happy that you had the experience. 

And with that I best wrap this up. I have a few things to do before Eileen wakes up.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*The friendly cow, all red and white,

I love with all my heart,

She gives me cream with all her might,

to eat with apple tart.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

In The English Kitchen today . . . Get Well Custard.  A simple dessert that is delicious and comforting. Using only five simple ingredients.

I hope that you have a lovely weekend. it is going to be sunny and warm here today, so that will be nice. Whatever you get up to, I hope it brings you peace and joy.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!