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.   

 

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We had our first frost warning at the weekend. I don't think we had any, although it must have been very close. I did cover my geraniums just in case. I am loving these cooler nights and mornings. I sleep much better and I love the crispness of the morning air. I am a lover of autumn, but you already know that! 😉

 

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Tomorrow evening at 8:05PM EDT marks the first official day of Autumn. I am all in.  I've been waiting a year to share this poem that I found last year, a bit too late. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Church on Sunday. I love attending church on Sunday. It helps to recharge my spiritual battery and is an opportunity for me to slow down and reflect on the things of life that really matter, at least they matter to me. I love the prayers and the hymns, the talks, the lessons. I love being able to partake of the Sacrament and renew my covenants with the Lord, take His name anew upon me.  It's a great finish to the old week or a fabulous beginning to the new week, depending on how you look at it.

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With each day now comes change. What was barely perceptible at first is now rushing forward and the changes are becoming more and more noticeable. It won't be long before all the leaves are dancing down the street.

 

Those sweet little gingers I get to share my life and home with. Last night after I had taken Eileen home and gotten in my jammies, Nutmeg was curled up next to me on the sofa, Cinnamon behind my head.  Nutmeg was really leaning into me and he kept looking back and up at me, willing me to scratch his little head. His purring machine was going at full throttle. It felt so nice. It is no small thing to have these wee creatures that love me so much living in my home. I feel so blessed.

 

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Weekends with Eileen. I so enjoy them. This weekend we watched Little Women, a newer one, on Netflix on Saturday night. It was different but quite good. We made supper together on Saturday and she did her diamond art. (She keeps a project here.) She watched her church online yesterday morning while I went to mine. We went to my sister's for supper last night. And then I took her home after that. Two weeks from today she will be going in for her surgery. She has been feeling quite nauseous. I am not sure what is causing that. On Thursday this week there is a pre-op phone call which I am taking. Eileen will be staying overnight Wednesday night so she can be here to get the calls. Apparently there will be three in a row, beginning at 8:45. It's best that she is here for them so I can help her with anything she needs help with.

 

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Family dinners. We went to Cindy's yesterday. She made a beautiful dinner. Cowboy Beans. I am going to make them myself one day, a much smaller batch. They were so delicious. We dined on them, sourdough bread, potato salad and then for dessert we had butter tarts. Some of those fancy ones that I had gotten from Carla's Cookie Box. Cut into quarters so we could sample more than one kind. The food was great. The company was even better. Its nice to be able to spend this time together with Cindy, Dan and Dad. Dad is really slowing down. I see it more and more. He is declining. At least yesterday he was using his walker in the house.  So much safer for him to be doing so. These times are special to me. I never thought I would get to see my father alive again. Silver lining.

Susan Branch

Having a place to call home.  So many in the world do not, or if they do, it is not a happy place.  I have both.  A happy place, and a place to call home.  God is good. 

 

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As Cindy and I were driving dad to the mall on Friday last,  I was impressed with what a beautiful part of the world we are blessed to live in.  I suppose you can tend to take where you live for granted sometimes. It is nice to take pause from time to time and recognize the beauty of your circumstances and to acknowledge God's goodness in all of it.  I do believe that this place, this Nova Scotia . . .  is a little piece of heaven on earth, with its rolling hills and small mountains, pretty valleys and riverbeds  . . .  fields of corn and small villages and fishing inlets and woodlands.  It is just a beautiful, beautiful place and I truly am blessed to call it home.

I am so grateful for this simple life of mine. A life filled with simple pleasures and joys.  A life filled with faith and family and friends. I don't need a mansion on a hill or a bank account filled to overflowing.  The joys, blessings, and pleasures I receive on a daily basis may be simple, but they are priceless.  Treasures in heaven.

I think it is no small thing to be able to stop and count the blessings and good fortune in your life.  Those small and simple things that many  might take for granted.  Faith and family, health and friendship, home and comfort  . . . I know from whence they come, and I am grateful for each and every one of them.

A thought to carry with you . . . 

☾ ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

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

*Fill your paper•。★★ 。* 。

with the breathings•。★★ 。* 。

of your heart.•。★★ 。* 。

~William Wordsworth•。★★ 。* 。

•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Spiced Irish Applesauce Cake. I baked this on Friday last for the weekend. It's so good. I had not made it in a very long time. I had a small jar of applesauce that Cindy and I had canned a year or so ago that I wanted to use up and so dug this recipe out of my Big Blue Binder. Moist and delicious!

I hope you have a wonderful Monday.  May it be filled with light and love.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!