All Things Nice . . .

 

(source)

I love the little special days that dot

The year's long length, like nosegays set to catch

The highlights of a common round of days,

Like marigolds set in a garden patch,

Making a little zone to stand apart,

Warming the lonely cockles of a heart.

Birthdays and Easters . . .Hallowe'ns and such

Christmas and all of its hallowed joy and cheer,

The bells of New Year's Eve . . . Thanksgiving Day

St. Patrick's Day. . . Palm Sunday . . . how the year

Grows lovely with its garland of bright days,

We celebrate in oh so many ways.

St. Valentine when lovers send their love,

In quaint old-fashioned couplets and quatrains;

The festival of harvest when we bring,

The wealth of field in fruit and golden grain,

Barley and wheat tied up in heavy sheaves,

The scarlet glory of the autumn leaves.

These special days dotting the year's long length,

Giving life new beauty and new strength.

~Edna Jacques, Special Days

Fireside Poems, 1950

I love Saturdays when I get to pick another poem to share with you. I always choose one of Edna's because she is one of my favorite poets. Not only being Canadian, but also because she seems to "get" my heart. We think alike, which to me is in no way a bad thing.

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The lawns are covered with clover at the moment.  I love to watch the bees buzzing from flower to flower. So much abundance for them here.  When I was a child we used to pick the blooms and suck the sweetness out of them.  We would also spend hours lying in the grass looking for a four-leafed one. I have never found a four-leaf clover, have you?

Clovers, or Trifolium, typically have three leaves. Finding one with four leaves is incredibly rare—statistically, about 1 in 5,000 clovers have this extra leaf. This rarity is part of what makes it so special. But there’s more to it than just scarcity. The four-leaf clover has been revered across cultures and centuries for its symbolic and spiritual significance.

It has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. Ancient civilizations, including the Druids of Ireland, believed that the four-leaf clover had magical properties. They thought it could ward off evil spirits and bring protection to those who carried it. In Christian traditions, the four leaves were said to represent faith, hope, love, and luck. Over time, the four-leaf clover became a universal symbol of good fortune and positivity.

Each leaf of the four-leaf clover carries its own unique meaning. Together, they create a powerful symbol of balance and harmony.

First leaf - FAITH -Represents trust in the divine and the universe. It reminds you to believe in something greater than yourself.  

Second leaf - HOPE - Symbolizes optimism and the expectation of positive outcomes. It encourages you to stay hopeful, even in difficult times. 

Third leaf - LOVE - Stands for unconditional love, both for others and for yourself. It reminds you to nurture your relationships. 

Fourth leaf - LUCK - The rarest leaf, symbolizing good fortune and serendipity. It’s a reminder that blessings can come when you least expect them. 

 

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I am in love with this book. It speaks to me, just seeing this one page. I love painting flowers and plants myself. I started a wild flower journal when I was in the U.K. 

It is sadly ignored, although I do have many sketches done in it, just waiting to be painted. I wish that I was a much better printer/writer of script.  I fear I spoil the pages with my handwriting.

This is something that I have worked very hard at over the past few years. I do believe I am getting better at it. I have had a lot of weight in my basket with one thing or another.  A part of what I have been doing is writing letters to people who have been heavy stones in my life. Not letters that I would ever send to them because that is not me. Just letters where I can get my feelings out and onto the page. It is a great exercise. I don't keep the letters. I burn them. It has been quite cathartic to be able to vent in this way and to be able to express my feelings. My feelings matter too and all too often I have kept them bundled up all inside where they just stew and fester. It is much better to get them out, even if you are the only person who ever sees them.

Amazingly enough, I do feel a tiny bit lighter each time.

 

(source)

I saw on the Instagram this morning that Stephanie Neilson's oldest daughter, Claire, has gotten married.  There was a photo of her in her wedding gown. She is a beautiful bride. I have followed Stephanie Neilson since she was in that terrible plane crash all of those years ago. Her blog is called NieNieDialogues. She has always been a wonderful example to me of being able to overcome much of life throws at you with faith, even the most horrific of things. 

Anyways, the children are all pretty much grown up now, except for the baby they had after the plane crash, and she is a teenager. The three older children have all gone on Missions and returned. Their youngest son is about to go on his in August.

Life is difficult even for what might seem to be the most charmed lives. We never know what life is going to throw at us at any given moment. How we handle these hurdles is the making or breaking of us, and if they break us, there is the Great Physician who can and will help heal us.

I am always so inspired by those who have been able to overcome their challenges with faith.  Their faith helps to strengthen my own.

 

(source)

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Cindy's Birthday. I won't tell you which one because she doesn't like people knowing how old she is. Dad is taking us out for Fish and Chips, which will be nice. I am going to get a cake baked today, and then we will go over to Cindy's place after supper to enjoy that and give her our presents and cards. Well, I will anyway. I expect everyone else will have already given theirs to her earlier in the day.  But it is nice to be able to spread the celebrations out over the whole day, I think.

Personally, I think that we should celebrate our loved ones every day.

 

(source)

I am looking forward to seeing Douglas and his family this next week. The house will be full and there will be lots of activity, on the day they arrive at any rate. The rest of the week, they will be at the camp. Doug says he will try to come and see me every day, but I do not expect him to.  I expect him to enjoy the camp with his family which is as it should be. But, it will be nice to see them all even if only for a short.

I am so grateful to be in a place where I can spend time with my family more often. It is much better than being thousands of miles apart.

Eileen and Tim are doing speeches in the town park today for their People's First Group. I may try to get in and see them. A lot depends on how far away from the park I will have to park and of course there is nowhere to sit when I get there.  But it would be nice to hear them speak.

I don't really have much else to say this morning. I need to get out to the store to pick up something before it gets too late and they get too busy, so I will leave you now with a thought to carry with you!

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*We tend to forget that happiness

doesn't come as a result of 

getting something we don't have, 

but rather of recognizing and 

appreciating what we do have.

~Frederick Koenig  •。★★ 。* 。 

In The English Kitchen today . . . Quick Cherry Croissant Pies. Quick to make, easy and delicious. The perfect dessert to throw together at the last minute!

I hope you have a perfectly beautiful weekend filled with nice and sweet things. Whatever you get up to, stay safe and don't forget!

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And I do too!       

Dear Neighbor . . .

 

FRIDAY, July 4th, 2025
Estate Lane, Nova Scotia
17*C/63*F
Light rain falling

Dear Neighbor,

First of all, I want to wish all of my neighbors to the South of us a very Happy Fourth of July.  I hope you have a safe and happy day, and that nothing spoils your plans.  I remember being in the US many, many years ago on the Fourth of July and being impressed with all of the flags, etc. the sense of Patriotism. It was lovely to see.

We have quite a few relatives who live in the States, mostly in New England, and Vermont in particular. I also have some very dear friends who live down there, so my happy wishes are quite sincere.

 

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Cindy and I went out for a little bit yesterday morning. I had to pick up my glasses, which were ready and a few bits at the grocery store.  I call them my old/new glasses because they are an older set of frames with new lenses. It is surprising how much better I am seeing with them.  I did not wear them until I got home, but put them on then and have worn them ever since. I am quite used to them now, I think.

I had wanted to pick up some things at the grocery store to use in making the supper for Eileen and Tim last night.  Eileen had remarked on a recipe which I had posted on Facebook.  She had said that she would really love to try it and so I decided to make that for their supper, with a few adjustments for Tim's portion.  I made them the Chicken Dinner Poutine.  I knew that Eileen would enjoy it and that I could deconstruct it enough that Tim could enjoy it also.

I worked the rest of the day to make the stuffing for the poutine, etc. and it was soon time to go and pick them up. Time really does fly when you are having fun!

 

(source)

We did have a lovely visit together.  Eileen's lip was certainly very banged up and looked quite sore, and of course her hand as well. I am so grateful that she did not break anything. She did put a good scratch on her eye glasses, but that can be easily fixed.  If she had hit her head she might have gotten concussion and that would have not been so easily fixed.

I washed her hair for her after we got back to the house.  She asked me to. She did not want to get shampoo into the cuts on her hand, which was understandable. Washing her hair at the kitchen sink reminded me of when she was a girl and I would do things like this for her.  It was a nice feeling to be able to do something extra for her.

They both enjoyed their supper very much.  It turned out that Tim does like Poutine, just not with chicken, peas and stuffing on it. So I just made his poutine on the side of his plate and added chicken and peas to the other side of it. He had second helpings with the peas as they are his favorite vegetable.  Eileen of course really enjoyed hers. I sent the leftovers home with them, along with the watermelon that I had bought.  We had dishes of ice cream for dessert and there was no room for watermelon!

I took them home about 7 p.m. after having spent a really enjoyable time together. 

 

(source)

Doug and his family will be here overnight on the 9th of July (which happens to be my mother's birthday). They are coming over from the Island for the Ashram Camp, which starts on the 10th.  He is feeling back to normal now, which is an answer to many prayers. I am really looking forward to seeing them. It will be all chaos for the night, but a happy kind of chaos. It will be so good to see them all.

The boys are growing up too fast.  Jon will be 20 on his next birthday, which seems hard to believe. Doug and Kayla are celebrating their 20th Wedding Anniversary this month. That is also hard to believe. 

So much water has flowed under the bridge since then. I was quite happy to have been able to come over for their wedding.  My brother was also able to come down for it, and of course mom was still very much alive.  David drove us over to the Island for the wedding and mom paid for our hotel room.  I stayed with mom and David shared a room with you know who. 

It was a very joyous occasion as I was able to see all of my children at once.  I believe that was the last time I saw them all together.  There were no grandchildren yet and now there are eight.

Time flies as they say!

 

(source)

Tim got in all of my Canadian flags yesterday and took my compost down to the green bin for me, which was such a big help. I had noticed that all of my neighbors had taken down their flags so I thought I should as well.  It was really good of him to do that for me.  He didn't mind.  I wish that they could get themselves a bungalow or at least an apartment somewhere on the first floor. They are on the top floor of the apartment building that they have their place in.  Heat rises and it can get quite oppressive in the summer months.  If I could afford it, I would get them an air conditioner to help cool their place, but alas, I cannot. 

They are on a waiting list to get one of the low rental bungalows in town, but at the moment the bungalows are not habitable.  Everyone in them has been moved out to other places while renovations are being done. Apparently, they were full of black mold, which is not surprising, really.

There is a new apartment building going up in town, but with luxury apartments, and underground parking. The rents are going to be quite steep for it.

I question the judgement in building such a place when we have so many homeless people about. Surely the money would be better spent to build apartments that are much more affordable.

I do feel very blessed to be where I am. It was a gift from God in my opinion. A real answer to my prayers and so far so good. I have managed to be able to pay my rent every month without problem. I just pray that continues.

 

(source)

We are going to take Dad out this afternoon and pick up his friend Maryann. Cindy and I will do a bit of window shopping while they have their visit together at the A&W.  Dad always has himself a buddy burger and Maryann buys her scratch cards, etc. They sit there together and do them.  She buys quite a few of them. Sometimes she wins big and sometimes not, but she enjoys doing them and that's what counts. 

Cindy and I will probably have a boo around Dollarama and perhaps even Walmart, maybe Sobeys.  They are doing work on the bridge on the road into Kingston so we will avoid that area altogether.  Yesterday we noticed on our way back down the Valley that the traffic was in a tailback almost all the way to Wilmot because of the roadworks being done in Kingston. No fun in the summer heat and humidity.  The key is to plan ahead and avoid those areas whenever possible.

It is Cindy's birthday this weekend.  Dad is taking us out for Fish and Chips on Sunday for her Birthday and probably mine as well.  Kill two birds with one stone. I am going to bake a cake tomorrow and we will go back to Cindy's after supper to enjoy it. I will just make a small one so there are not a lot of leftovers.

What a blessing it is that I am back in Canada and able to enjoy these special moments. My Patriarchal Blessing said that would happen and here I am. 😃 It's great!

 

(source)

It is very quiet in here this morning.  The cats are both snoozing away and all is well in my little corner of the world.  I can hear the fan buzzing, but that is all. I have turned off the heat pump because it tends to blow cold air on me when I am sitting at the computer and I don't really like that. I will turn it back on a bit later as it is sure to get humid as the day goes on.

We are in for quite a few rainy days coming up. The ground and the farmers need it as it has been quite dry. I have been watching videos on my Facebook page of tornadoes put on by Storm Chasers. I don't know how these things pop up but it seems that once you watch one of them, then you see more of them. These people who chase the storms and tornadoes are either the bravest people on the planet or the most foolhardy! 

Watching them is fascinating, to be sure. It does make me feel very grateful that I do not live in an area where such things are a problem.  I cannot imagine chasing them for a living or for fun.

 

(source)

Lemonade is not something which I have had in a very long time now. I can remember making lemonade syrup when I was much younger to keep in the fridge and the freezer for the hot summer months. It was always so refreshing on a hot summer's day. 

When I was a much younger child, I can remember some children in the neighborhood setting up lemonade stands. I cannot think they made much money at it but they probably had a lot of fun doing it. I used to make cool-aid  by the bucket load when my children were growing up. I cringe at the thought now. So much sugar. They did not mind, of course!

Do you remember those colored tall metal glasses that they had back in the day?  Everything always seemed to be so much cooler, temperature-wise, in them.

I did not have any, nor did our mother. But I had friends who did.  I believe Mom had plastic Tupperware glasses, and indeed that is what I had for my own children to use. 

I have not seen Tupperware in ages. It used to be all the rage and I think over the years I had pretty much all of it that you could buy. I even sold it at one point, but not very successfully, as I was far too shy. I was only ever my own best customer for any of those schemes, even Avon.

I still have my old Tupperware Cookie Cutter set. How I managed to save that I will never know! There was no rhyme or reason to it.

And with that I best leave you now and end this missive with a thought for the day!

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

 *.To be kind is more important 

than to be right,

Many times what people need

is not a brilliant mind that speaks

but a special heart that listens.

~F. Scott Fitzgerald * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

 * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

In The Kitchen today, a delicious Ramen Noodle Salad. Quick and very easy to make. Perfect for BBQ's and get-togethers!

I wish a happy day today for all!  May it be blessed and filled with light and joy.  Don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!    

   

My Favorite Things . . .

 

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens . . . these are some of the things in life that I enjoy, and which make me happy, inspire me, or put a smile on my face. Maybe some of them are yours too.  Let's share!

Today I am celebrating summer.

 

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Fields of Daisies . . . 

 

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Magic wands  . . . 

 

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Dandelion wishes  . . . 

 

(source)

Sand Castles  . . . 

 

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Outdoor swimming  . . . 

 

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Tents  . . .  makeshift or otherwise  . . . 

 

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Icy drinks  . . . 

 

(source)

Pin wheels . . . 

 

(source)

Sandy beaches  . . . 

 

(source)

Eating Al Fresco  . . . 

 

(source)

Fire flies . . . .

 

(source)

Fresh berries  . . . 

 

(source)

Sunlight and shadows  . . . 

 

(source)

Blue Skies  . . . 

 

(source)

Ice Cream  . . . 

And so much more.  Summer is a beautiful time of year that we can enjoy being outdoors, gardening, picnicking, camping, swimming, etc.  Just a short one this week, I have run out of time. But hopefully some of these are things you enjoy about summer as well!

I am picking up Eileen and Tim today and bringing them over for a meal and some quality time together. Eileen took a really bad fall yesterday in the parking lot behind their apartment.  It is a disgrace really, that parking lot.  All uneven and full of potholes, etc. She banged up her face pretty badly and cut her hand badly as well. Not enough to go to the hospital, but enough for her to not go for her hearing test and she was pretty shaken up. I was crying about it in bed last night, just thinking about it. I love this sweet daughter of mine and I need to spend more time with her.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

 *.˛.° ˛In the midst of our crazy lives
having a home you love
is vital to having a life you love.
~unknown

In The English Kitchen today, Easy Pizza Quesadillas. Everything you love about a pizza, and just as tasty, but made in a fraction of the time. Delicious!

I hope you have a beautiful day. It is going to be hot and hazy here. Another heat warning is in effect!  Whatever you get up to stay cool and keep hydrated.  Don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!

 

Wednesday Witterings . . .

 

(source)

With the onset of July, officially we are now more than halfway through the year. July is a month that has always been a month for great celebration in our family.  First there is Canada Day (not to mention the 4th of July in the states) and then there is my sister's birthday on the 6th and our mother's on the 9th.  School has ended for the year; the warm weather has hit in earnest and the summer holidays have begun for many people. 

For us here in Nova Scotia, the humid weather has begun. There is a heat warning already in effect for today. UGH . . .  I hate humidity. It ruins summer for me every year, at least here in Canada.  One thing I liked about living in the U.K. was that the weather didn't really have great extremes.  If you did get hot and humid days, they only lasted for about a week.  Other than those few days summer was beautiful and very tolerable. There is no real need to air conditioning over there.  It didn't get that cold in the winter either, which is probably why palm trees grow and flourish in many places.

This is a photo of the palm tree in my old back yard in the U.K.  I got it from my next-door neighbor there. I can't believe how big and full it has grown.  To think that started off as a tiny plant about the size of my index finger that was given to me as a welcome gift when we first moved into that house. That's amazing!

I was talking to my next-door neighbor over there the other night.  She's been through a really bad patch in recent months. She was always such a good neighbor and was so kind to us during Covid. Always bringing us bread and milk from the shops, etc. And she wouldn't take any money for it.  

I have been blessed to always have had good neighbors. 

 

 

(source)

Yesterday, Canada Day, was pretty uneventful around here.  Apparently, there was a Canada Day Parade in town, but it was very under-played as I did not even hear about it until it was over, and I haven't seen any photos of it anywhere. I know that some of my American cousins were up and going to one out in New Germany.

It was a beautiful sunny day for the most part. I ended up going to Cindy's for supper.  She cooked a fabulous meal as always.  Smash burgers and salads.

Speaking of neighbors, they have some new ones across the road.  They have three big dogs, some cats, chickens, goats and their yard is full of cars, trucks, boats and a huge RV.  

A little old lady owned the property previously, so a huge change. Hopefully they will be good neighbors.

 

(source)

There is light rain falling here at the moment which will add to the humidity.  Last night when I was on my way home from Cindy's there was a huge downpour. It was raining quite hard at one point. I spent some time going through some old weather reports for July of 1932 for something I am writing. That was quite a wet July from what I can find out and it figures in perfectly with what I know about the month and was told about by my mother. That is the month and year she was born in. The Doctor had to jump the creek to get to the home to help out with the birth. His car could not get through as it was swollen, so he ended up going on foot.

It is sad that the house she was born in is no longer there. We have never been able to find out what happened or why it burnt down. Was it deliberate or an accident?? We will probably never know.

 

(source)

Growing up July was always a magical month for me, aside from it being a Birthday month for the family.  School was over and the days just tended to blend one into the other. A lot of families went away on Vacations. We didn't do Vacations in my family as such. We did go several times to visit my father's mother and family in Northern Quebec but other than that the summer was spent at home. Swimming lessons in the morning and lazy afternoons at the pools. Lots of bicycle rides, berry picking, jam making. We had not yet got bored and were still excited to be on our summer holidays from school.

When I wasn't at the pools, I was reading. Oh, I spent many an hour with my head buried in a book. I was a daily visitor to the base Library.  I am sure they got quite tired of seeing me. I would spend ages going up and down the aisles looking for the perfect read.  Enid Blyton was a favorite as were the Trixie Beldon and Nancy Drew books. I did love a good adventure.

And then there were the classics that I read many times. Little Women, Five Little Peppers, Leaves of Grass. Yes, Leaves of Grass. I was hungry for the written word and would read anything I could get my hands on. There was an abridged version of Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman in our family encyclopedia. I can't begin to tell you how many times I read through those books.

There was the encyclopedia itself, but there were added volumes of geography and classic literature. They all got a good going through by myself.

 

(source)

Quite often in those days all of the children in the neighborhood would get together to play games. Tag, British Bull Dog, Red Light/Green Light, etc. We all seemed to get along well, boys and girls together and I can remember having great fun.  Back in those days if it wasn't raining, we were banished out of doors for most of the day. 

I don't remember having a paddling pool, but my sister remembers us having a square one. Two blown up rings.  We did have a swing set.  One swing was mine; one swing was my sister's and the teeter totter on it was my brothers. We also had an orange waxed canvas teepee with an Indian head printed on it. It had no bottom. We sat in it on the grass. It had a smell very peculiar to tents.  Wax and canvas. Similar to a box of crayons. Especially when it was hot outside.

I don't remember ever being really bored. Not in July anyways.

I don't really have a lot else to share this morning. It's been a very quiet time here. I am not going to complain about quiet times. Quiet times are the perfect times to relax and gather your breath. I am not sure what I will get up to today. A bit of this and a bit of that I predict. I also have to catch up on the course I have been taking. I am a few lessons behind.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

 *.As we work to create light for others,
we naturally light our own way.
~Mary Anne Radmacher° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

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

In the kitchen today, Turkey Smash Burgers.  These were the best turkey burgers I have ever made. So delicious. I highly recommend you give them a go!  Prepare to fall in love.

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday. Wherever you are stay safe and keep cool. If it is really hot and humid where you are, don't forget to hydrate!  Whatever you get up to, don't forget!

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!    

   

A Day Book . . .

 

FOR TODAY, July 1st, 2025

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...

 

(source)

Happy Canada Day! The first of July is the day we celebrate our sovereignty here in Canada. Some places will have parades.  Most people will be displaying a flag. There will be BBQ's, fireworks, etc.  It is a day to celebrate all that is Uniquely us as a country!  The true North, Strong and Free!

The weather is expected to be cloudy off and on today with some rain expected tonight at some point. But this can always change. It is expected to get up to about 25*C/77*F.  so, a fairly warm day.

I AM THINKING ...

 

(source)

I don't really expect I will do much today.  I picked up some ground turkey yesterday and some buns to make myself a turkey burger and I got some lovely new potatoes at the farm market and some fresh berries.  Last night I boiled up the potatoes to make a potato salad today. I enjoyed some of them warm for my supper with lashings of butter, salt, pepper.  I had some cooked broccoli and cauliflower as well.  I didn't need any meat. I was quite happy with just that. I also had some of the strawberries afterwards. Just washed and eaten as is. It was a simple repast but quite satisfying.

I AM ALSO THINKING ...

There are worse places to be than snuggled into the comfort of my own home. Just me and Cinnamon and Nutmeg. There is no place I would rather be. They are having a BBQ at my church today, but I won't be going. I am not really up for things like that. They make me very uncomfortable, and I would be ill at ease the whole time.  I am happy in my place of safety, here at home.

IN THE KITCHEN ...

Nothing new today, but I am resharing my recipe for Strawberry Devonshire Tart.  Its an easy tart to make with a crisp pastry base, topped with a creamy layer and fresh berries, with a fresh berry glaze to finish it off. Delicious as is or with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

ON MY "TO COOK" LIST ...

Rhubarb and Vanilla Sponge.  Delicious Magazine. That used to be one of my favorite food magazines in the U.K. I had a subscription to it.

THIS I KNOW TO BE TRUE ...

There is a special wisdom that comes with old age.  Life comes into perspective in a way that is seldom appreciated by the young.  

SOMETHING THAT IS NICE ...

 

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Lemon and Poppyseed Cake  . . . 

SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS NICE ...

 

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A hot drink to enjoy along with it  . . . 

I WOULD LIKE TO CREATE ...

 

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Knitted Hen Tea Cozy . . . 

 

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Sun shine  . . . 

 

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Angels on skewers  . . . 

 

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Tin Can Wind Chimes  . . . 

 

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Tin Can Buckets  . . . 

SOMETHING I ENJOY ...

 

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The quiet of early morning   . . . 

SOMETHING ELSE I ENJOY ...

 

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Sunsets  . . . 

OH MY GOODNESS ...

 

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What a cute hen house  . . . 

JOYMAKERS ...

My two babies  . . . 

SOMETHING TO READ ...

LATE MIGRATIONS, by Margaret Renkl

From New York Times contributing opinion writer Margaret Renkl comes an unusual, captivating portrait of a family—and of the cycles of joy and grief that inscribe human lives within the natural world. Growing up in Alabama, Renkl was a devoted reader, an explorer of riverbeds and red-dirt roads, and a fiercely loved daughter. Here, in brief essays, she traces a tender and honest portrait of her complicated parents—her exuberant, creative mother; her steady, supportive father—and of the bittersweet moments that accompany a child’s transition to caregiver. 

 And here, braided into the overall narrative, Renkl offers observations on the world surrounding her suburban Nashville home. Ringing with rapture and heartache, these essays convey the dignity of bluebirds and rat snakes, monarch butterflies and native bees. As these two threads haunt and harmonize with each other, Renkl suggests that there is astonishment to be found in common things: in what seems ordinary, in what we all share. For in both worlds—the natural one and our own—“the shadow side of love is always loss, and grief is only love’s own twin.” 

 Gorgeously illustrated by the author’s brother, Billy Renkl, Late Migrations is an assured and memorable debut.

I am in love with her work and have ordered a third book of hers.

THINGS THAT CATCH MY FANCY ...

 

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Eyelet lace . . . 

 

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Fields of poppies  . . . 

 

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Vintage stoves  . . . 

 

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Pretty jugs  . . . 

 

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Ice cream castles . . . 

I AM GRATEFUL FOR ...

Such moments as these   . . 

SOMETHING TO WATCH ...

We Were Liars on Prime.

A THOUGHT TO CARRY WITH YOU ...

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

 *.If you don't like something, change it.

If you can't change it,

Change the way you think about it.

~Unknown  ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

And that is my daybook for this week!  Thanks always for being here!

  ⋱ ⋮ ⋰

⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small *´¯`.¸¸.☆

  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆ 

✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•. ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥╬

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Have a beautiful day!  Don't forget!  

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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

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And I do too!