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.   

 

(source)

Weekends with Eileen. Living over in the U.K. like I did for so many years, I never thought I would be able to enjoy something like this. I lived so far away and family times were few and far between. She did have tickets bought to come over and spend some time with me with her brother Anthony, but then covid happened and that got put off and then we all know what happened next. Here I am and we are both really enjoying this time we get to spend together each weekend. It's not like we do anything special. We are just here . . .  together.  We enjoy each others company. It is a cozy, comfortable companionship.

In studying the Old Testament this year one of the stories I loved and have always loved was the story of Esther. I am not comparing myself to her in quite the same way, but recently the thought came to me that I am here when I am now for a purpose.  To help Eileen to get through this challenge in the way that only a mother can. Had the things which happened to me not happened, I would still be over there, obliviously living a life built on a bedrock of sand and I would not be here to see my daughter through her hour of need. 

Another blessing which has come from the ashes of what I thought was failure.

 

(source)

Lunch with Jacqueline.  My friend Jackie had invited the two of us to come have lunch with her on Saturday. Eileen was really keen to go. She's not so keen to spend time with a lot of my friends, or to go to any of my church activities (like the corn boil) but she likes Jackie and so she really was looking forward to seeing Jackie's home and spending time with her. We really enjoyed the time. Jackie had made a nice homemade chicken and rice soup and there was sour dough bread and a few other goodies. Best of all was the company, and seeing Eileen enjoy herself as much as she did.  That did this mother's heart good.

 

(source)

I love this. Autumn IS the season of my soul. With purple hued morning mists and the colours of the changing leaves  . . .  the smell of woodsmoke  as the sound of wild geese flying over head echoes through the skies as the temperatures drop a little bit day by day. I am in my element. I am where I want to be and I feel recharged and invigorated. I love the Autumn so much . . . the colours of the landscape have changed every time I pull my car out of the garage and hit the road. Each new journey being more beautiful than the last. 

 

(source)

Church on a Sunday.  I love going to church on Sunday. Sometimes I would rather stay home and be comfortable, but I make myself go and I am always glad that I did. It is always worth the effort taken.  I love the routine of it.  Knowing that each week I can go and no matter where the church is located, things will happen in the same way. The beautiful hymns and prayers, the partaking of the sacrament, the talks that lift and inspire. The lessons in Sunday School and Relief Society afterwards.  Seeing people I care about and sharing thoughts and feelings about how the week just lived has brought us closer to God, or inspired us in some way. Shared experiences and feelings.  It's all good, and I always feel better for having made the effort.

No matter where I go or for how long, there is always someone waiting for me when I get home. These two add immeasurable joy to my life. Yes, they are hairy and shed . . .  sometimes a lot, but that is nothing that a good vacuum can't take care of and they pay out huge dividends in love and comfort. I would not be without them.

 

(source)

Warm feet  . . .  I love warm feet, especially during the day. If my feet are warm, then I am warm.  I especially love the feeling when I get into bed at night and take the socks off. The sheets always feel so lovely against my toes.  But yeh, warm feet. I love warm feet. How blessed am I that I have warm feet.

 

(source)

Family times. They ARE the best of times.  Moments spent with Cindy and Dad and Dan. Dinners out, dinners in. Having Eileen here and taking her out to eat as well.  Time spent with family. Time well spent and memories made. Priceless.  Absolutely priceless.

I know I say the same things week after week.  I probably lead quite a boring life when compared to some, but it is also a life that is full of the things which matter most and for that I am truly grateful.

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

 *.˛“Most of the time the universe 

speaks to us very quietly 

in pockets of silence, in coincidences, 

in nature, in forgotten memories, 

in the shape of clouds, in moments of solitude, 

in small tugs at our hearts.” 

~Yumi Sakugawa  ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

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

In The English Kitchen today   . . .  Pear, Vanilla & Cardamom Jam. A small batch. Delicious. Warmly scented and spiced. Lovely, simply lovely.

I do so hope that you had a great weekend and that you have a fabulous Monday filled with small and wonderful things that put a smile on your face.  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!    

   

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.   

 

(source)

Change is in the air and I welcome it. I can feel it and smell it and see it and it seems to be happening overnight.  I am loving the earlier nights.  It feels cozier and comfier. I like to be nestled all in with the lights low and a blanket across my lap, enjoying something on the telly, or some good music. Perhaps a bit of crocheting. One cat nestled next to me, the other guarding my head. It's all good.

 

(source)

I heard a bunch fly over the other day. Maybe they were just going down the road, but soon now, they will be heading south. This is the sound of autumn. And it rings of melancholy to me. It is a sound that has accompanied most of the autumn's of my life.  It is a sound that "rings" with change and signals and end of one thing and the beginning of another.

 

(source)

Weekends with Eileen. I love them. I think she does too. We really enjoy each other's company and get along so well. Still no word on what comes next. We keep checking her health app and no results have shown up. It seems to be taking a long time, but we remain positive and hopeful.  Prayers help.

 

(source)

Church on Sunday. Partaking of the sacrament and renewing my covenants, taking the Saviour's name upon me. Fellowshipping with the Saints.  Its just one of my favorite days of the week. I love all of it. Yesterday was Fast and Testimony meeting so I also got to enjoy sharing in the Testimony's of others. It is always one of my favorite meetings. I love to hear how the Lord has been working in other people's lives. It is very encouraging and uplifting.

 

(source)

Sunday dinners with the family.  Cindy, Dan, dad, Eileen.  Cindy usually cooks.  She always makes a fabulous meal. Its just so hard getting dad in and out of the house these days. Its easier for us to go there.  Yesterday Cindy made this fabulous Tortellini Casserole, with cheese tortellini, homemade Italian sausage, cheese and marinara sauce.  It was really delicious. We enjoyed it with salad and then for dessert we had peach pie. That was also delicious.

Great food. The company of the people you love. What more could you ask for?

 

(source)

I got one of those phenerome infusers for the cats. So far so good. It seems to be working.  There has been peace and tranquility since I plugged it in. They are supposed to last 30 days. We will see how it goes. Things are a lot more pleasant anyways, or at least seem to be. Right now they are having their early morning naps.

 

(source)

Scripture study. We are starting the book of Proverbs now, having finished the Psalms. I would never describe myself as a scriptorian. I cannot say that I understand everything I read, but I do love to read the scriptures.  Beautiful words and they make me feel better, more hopeful, more at peace. I do subscribe to a few podcasts that expound on the scriptures and I get a lot out of listening to them. I admire anyone who has an ability to take so much out of these inspired books and bring them more into our own understanding. I am not such a one, but I do love to read them and ponder them, and I love reading/hearing how they inspire others. Doing so inspires me.

 

 

(source)

I wish

I love my little home. It is perfect for me. I couldn't really handle a place much bigger than this. I do wish I had a bit more storage, but that is nothing that can't be solved by getting rid of a few things. I can be a real packrat at times. I am just grateful to have a place to call my own. Where I feel safe and comfortable.  Warm and happy. At peace.  That means everything. In a world where so many do not have the blessing of having a place to rest their heads, this is something I will never take for granted. It means everything to me.

God is good. I have enough and then some. Life may not always turn out the way you expect it to, but that doesn't mean it isn't still a blessed and wonderful thing. I am just grateful to still be here and to be enjoying all the things that I do.  Making each day count. 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

˛*To make the world

a better place

see the world as

a better place.

~alan cohen

Today in The English Kitchen Garden Herb Dip. Fresh, delicious, easy to make. You can enjoy this with fresh crudites, or crackers, as part of a buffet table, as a snack, inside packed lunches, etc. There is no end to the pleasures you can get from this quick and simple make.

I really hope you have a lovely day today. I believe it is the Labor Day holiday in most places, so I hope it is a safe one for you. Filled with people you care about and good food. It's quite chilly here today, but that is how it is going to be more and more.  Happy day all . . .  don't forget!

═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═════════════ 

⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ════════════  

And I do too!    

   

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.   

Time spent with David and Christine. I really enjoyed their visit. It was lovely to get to see Christine and spend time with her. I had not seen her in several years as she had been unable to leave her father. We all really enjoyed spending time with the both of them. Dan got to go up in a small plane and fly over the valley. Cindy, Christine and I got to visit together. Dad got his computer cleaned. We got some things sorted for when the time comes for Dad to go.  We got to eat some really good food. We got to spend quality time with the people we love. Win/win all around! 

Weekends with Eileen. Eileen and I both really enjoy these. We just love spending time together like this. We did some work in our mindfulness books. She did some diamond art. We did some cooking. We watched a good film (It's Complicated). We laughed, a lot. We went to the store together.  We just plain enjoyed each other company. So much fun. Love her very much.

Still waiting on results. 

 

(source)

I did not get to go to church this weekend as it was being held down in Annapolis and I didn't want to be away from Eileen for that long, just in case.  It wasn't being zoomed either, so I did church online. For me that meant watching Music and the Spoken Word, Unspoken (scripture study) and listening to a few good talks on YouTube by some church leaders. I was spiritually well-fed regardless of not being there. It's all good.

The sight of this by my front door still brings me joy. I love it. I am not sure where I will put it when the season ends. I suppose I will have to try to find some space for it in my garage. (the wagon) I do love seeing it out on the porch. It is sweet and cheerful. And I love the pop of color.  I never did get a new doormat. 

 

(source)

Spending time with my sister.  We don't always see eye to eye on things, but it doesn't matter. We always agree to disagree and we do see eye to eye on enough of many things that count. I have been richly blessed by the Lord with a good family. Love my sister so much. She means the world to me. She has been my best friend for more years than I can shake a stick at. She is one of my life's richest blessings. I am so grateful for her presence in my life.

 

(source)

I am so grateful for my wee little home. God really blessed me when I found this place. It is the perfect size for me to cope with. I don't have to worry about yard work, Winter or Summer. It's all taken care of. I am also very grateful that I have the ability to work to pay for it. That has been another great blessing in my life. God has been very generous with me, and His timing in all things is perfect.

Each of you. You come here to visit me each day and leave your lovely comments, even though I am often very tardy in responding. I appreciate each one of you so very much. Probably even more than you know.  I feel your presence and support and it means a lot to me.

Its hard to believe, but today marks 29 years since we lost Princess Diana.   I can still remember exactly what I was doing when the news came over the telly that she had been in an accident.  I was living in Georgetown, Ontario and I was playing Yoshi's Island with the boys on the video player in the boy's bedroom when my husband called out from our room to say that she had been in an accident.  I remember sitting in the room and watching CNN until we went to bed that night and then dashing out and turning the news on first thing in the morning to discover the news that she had passed away.  Oh what sad news that was.  This was one of life's defining moments, much like when President Kennedy was assassinated or when man walked on the moon.   One of those moments where you remember exactly what you were doing, feeling, etc. when the incident happened.

Forever young and forever in our hearts. Never forgotten.

This is the key to a happy life.  Gratitude.  Focusing on what you have instead of what you don't have.  Finding joy in the now.  Every single day has a silver lining.  Dwell on that.  When you choose to be happy and live life seeking for the positive, life just gets better.   It is better to appreciate what we have already been given.  Why would anyone give us more if we can't find joy in what we already have?

My life is a happy balance of good, bad and everything in between. All things that I can handle with the Lord's help thank goodness. I am blessed.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

˛*What if you woke up today

and the only things you still had

were the things you thanked

God for yesterday  . . . 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Easy Oven Baked Breakfast Tacos, for one.  I made these for Eileen yesterday and she loved them.  I love to make her happy.

I hope you have a beautiful day and a beautiful week. It is considerably cooler this morning, but it should get warmer as the day progresses. Our niece is coming back and has rented a place by the shore for two days. I hope she will be warm enough.  In any case I hope your day rocks!  Don't forget! 

═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═════════════ 

⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ════════════  

And I do too!    

   

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.   

 

(source)

I am a bit late getting started this morning. I had to take a trip over to Eileen's to make sure she was okay. She had asked me to wake her up at 8 a.m. and I did not get any response when I tried. I even tried calling her on the phone, but no response, so I thought I better drive over to see if she was okay.  I was worried that maybe she had started to hemorrhage again, or worse that someone had broken into her place and done something to her, or that she had choked (a real fear when you live by yourself), etc.  Thankfully when I arrived the only thing wrong was that she was still asleep and she had her phone on silent. Whew!  Crisis averted.

I am grateful that I live close enough that I can just hop in the car and drive over to make sure she is okay.

 

(source)

I have been enjoying spending time together as a family. It's been nice to be in each other's company. All three of us siblings, our father, etc. My sister in law and Dan. We've enjoyed catching up and reminiscing, eating some delicious meals together, making new memories, etc. My brother and his wife leave to go back tomorrow. I will be sad to see them go.

Dad has also really enjoyed this family time. That has been really nice to see and be a part of.

 

(source)

We did not get the nasty weather that had been predicted for this weekend. It did rain a bit but it was not really torrential which had been predicted. I am grateful for that. It is quite humid out there this morning however, and really cloudy.  It says 100% humidity on my weather ap, but I am not sure what that means. Sticky I guess. Thank goodness for heat pumps which work as air conditioners when it becomes unbearable.

 

(source)

I was able to get to church again yesterday. Glenna is actually back from her holiday away with her male friend. He actually drove us yesterday. Glenna took a fall when she was away and dislodged one of the lens in her eyes, so she didn't want to drive. She will see the eye surgeon later this week and hopefully it can be repaired. Anyways, it was nice to see her and hear about her trip and to go to church. Partake of the sacrament, sing the hymns, hear the talks, etc. The Relief Society lesson was also very good. This is the last one we will be having on the old hour-long format.  Starting in September they will be moving to having an RS lesson as well as a Sunday School lesson each week, each of a 25 minute duration. Our time in church will remain the same, but more will be packed into the two hours than is now.

 

(source)

Eileen and I got  a sweet little package in the post from Virginia. Thank you so much Virginia. That was so kind of you.  I wish I had thought to get a photograph of the cute little Hallmark dolls she sent to Eileen. They are adorable.

 

I found an example on Pinterest. So adorable. Eileen just loved them. And the stationary was lovely that Virginia wrote her notes to each of us on and a couple little vintage cookbooks. I mean  . . .  what a delightful package. Again, Virginia, Thank YOU so much. You were so very kind to us. 💛

 

(source)

Life is a mix of many things which bring me peace and joy. I truly am blessed. Each night when I say my prayers I try to find three things which have happened during the day that I am grateful for, and I can't stop at three. I always find way more. I am living the life I never thought I would have again. I am at peace with myself and I am content.  God is good.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*The quieter you become

the more you can hear.

~Socrates 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Curried Pineapple Glazed Ham Steaks.  Simply delicious. You can have this tastiness on the table in less than half an hour.

I hope you have a beautiful day and a week filled with a multitude of blessings, both large and small. 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!    

   

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.   

The kindness of others.  Seed from my bird feeder has been falling into the front patch in the mulch and had sprouted and was growing. It is hard for me to get down and pull it out.  Yesterday there was a knock on the door and it was Zillah from next door. I have often seen her weeding other's gardens on the street. On this day I was the lucky recipient of her kindness. It was such a sweet thing to do and I really appreciated it!

 

(source)

I got to go to church yesterday. I actually drove myself this week. I was grateful to be there and to be able to partake of the sacrament, etc. I am always grateful to watch it online as well, but it was especially nice to be there in person.

 

(source)

Weekends with my daughter. I enjoy these special times we get to spend together. This weekend we did some fun things. I taught her how to use a sharp knife and we made fajitas together. We did a bit of crafting. We laughed a lot. We watched Steel Magnolias on Saturday night. I had not seen it in a long time and she loves that movie. We both enjoyed it very much. We just enjoy spending this time together. It is an extra special blessing to me.

 

(source)

I love my comfy bed. It has taken me almost six years to get used to sleeping alone but I love it now. I stretch right out. It's a full sized bed and I use every inch of it. I am now a greedy bed/blanket hog. I love it.

 

(source)

Time spent with family. I had a lot of it last week starting with Sunday dinner at Cindy's, Wednesday supper out and then my birthday on Thursday, shopping with Cindy on Friday, etc..  Time spent with family is always precious and never wasted. After having been so far away from everyone for so many years, it means a lot to me now to be able to enjoy these special moments.

Birthday wishes and cards, etc. My cup runneth over. I thank everyone so much for all of them.  The cards, the wishes, etc. It is a special blessing to be remembered in such a beautiful way. I felt and feel very loved.

Having so many that it is impossible to respond individually is a nice problem to have.

Autumn scents, colors and temperatures are on the way. It won't be long now. Really we have not had a bad summer weatherwise. We have had very few hot muggy days. It's been quite tolerable for which I am truly grateful.  There have been no nights where I could not sleep comfortably. What a blessing that has been. Mind, there are a few weeks left to go so I better not jinx it.

I am starting to crave the smell of apple orchards and pumpkin spice however.

 

The king of my castle  . . . 

And my little burrito  . . . 

Love them both to bits.

My life is a happy mix of things which bring me peace, comfort and joy. I am truly blessed.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*People usually

are happiest at home.

~William Shakespeare

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Fresh Green Peach Salad. A delightful way to enjoy hard peaches that are never going to soften. Delicious and simple. 

I hope you have a lovely week filled with an abundance of small and wonderful things. Be blessed in all ways. Don't forget! 

═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═════════════ 

⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ════════════  

And I do too!