Poetry Saturday . . . A Mother's Love

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A mother's love is something
that no one can explain . . .
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain.

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It is endless and unselfish
and enduring, come what may,
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away.

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It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking.

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It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems.

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It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .

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A many splendid miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender, guiding hand.
~Helen Steiner Rice

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Nobody can touch the heart or put it's yearnings into words like Helen Steiner Rice.    I just love her poetry.

It is not Mother's Day, nor is it my mother's birthday, or any other special day regarding my mother.  I am quite simply overwhelmed with love and feeling for her this morning.   My mother has always been my biggest fan, next to my father.  I know I have disappointed her many times in my lifetime, but she has always loved and supported me just the same.  She's always tried to steer me in the right direction, and even if I didn't always want to listen to what she had to say . . . I always knew that her words came from the core of her loving heart . . . her love for me has always been her motivation in all things.

 

I will be calling her a bit later today . . . I know, I usually call her on Sundays, but this weekend is different.  I woke up to an e-mail from my brother this morning telling me that there is a strong possibility she may have lung cancer.   Her heart went out of rhythm yesterday and so she went to the hospital to have it checked.  They did x-rays and there was a unexplainable shadow.  They think it may be lung cancer, but have no idea how bad it is or not.   She will be in the hospital for tests from Monday on to determine whats what.  I am trying to remain optimistic, but I don't mind admitting to you I am terrified and that is only a fraction of what my mother may be feeling.  I need to be strong for her.

 

It is hard being so far away, but I will cross that bridge when I come to it.  What I am asking for this morning is your deepest most heartfelt prayers for my mother.  I love my mother with all of my heart . . . no different love than any other child might have for their mother . . . but I don't want my mother to suffer.  I know that we all have to die some day, and my heart has known all along that my mom would not be with us forever . . . but it's something you shove to the back of your mind isn't it.  I know that when she does leave her for her Heavenly Home . . . I will miss her dreadfully because she is my best friend, next to my sister . . . but that isn't why I am crying this morning.  I don't want my mom to suffer, or to be all alone like she is now.  I know I am putting the horse before the cart . . . and it may be nothing at all . . . but please pray . . . pray that it's not what they think it is . . . and if it is, please pray that we all have the strength to do what we have to do.
Thank you so much.  God bless you all.

 

Baking in The English Kitchen today . . . Lemon Streusel Drizzle Cake.


 

Friday Show & Tell

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There's a little girl we know who is in need of a bit of a pick me up, and so yesterday afternoon I decided to create a special little Matchbox Doll just for her.  I should have actually been doing a special project for my Bishop, (I'll get to that today!) but instead my heart was filled with love for this young girl and I had this idea and it just had to get done.  That is the way art works . . . you must strike when the iron is hot!



I knew the image I wanted to use.  This little girl here with all of the hearts.  I wanted something which would express love a caring and how very much we think of her, so I thought this would be perfect.  I wanted to make this one a little bit different though.  I wanted the part of her apron holding the hearts to be three dimensional so that I could actually put heart into it.  I had to put my thinking cap on.

I worked on it for about 4 hours yesterday afternoon, with Girls Aloud, and Robbie Williams and Lady Antebellum playing in the background.  I like to listen to music when I work.  I wanted something bouncy yesterday.



I tried out a few different ideas to get the apron three dimensional.  I can't tell you how many aprons I cut out before I came up with what finally worked!  First I tried cutting them larger than the actual apron and cutting little tabs all around, but I wasn't happy with that . . . nor with the next few ideas.  Finally I came up with the idea to use a piece of baker's twine, which I glued at the outer edge of it all.  Then I covered the outside of it with a thin strip of paper and then I overlaid another cutting of the apron, but including the hands and bottom bit of the dress sleeves so that I could taper it down onto the actual matchbox and it worked like a charm.

 

(Sorry for the poor pictures, but it's early morning here and my flash keeps going off when I try to take a snap and if I don't use the lash, it shows all blurry and I did want you to see it!)  I was really happy with the way it turned out.  I put some little sparkle red heart jewels into her apron, and there are musical notes all behind her and she is dancing on a field of red glass glitter . . .



And on the back more musical notes and the words from the picture and another little glass heart.  I was really happy with the way it turned out and will be making another one to put into the gallery for the miniature showing in March.

 

I have decided I am happiest when I am creating.  It has been ever so.  Oh, I do love to cook as well . . . but I really love combining that with my artwork and so have been working on an illustrated recipe book at the same time. It's a slow slog though, because I have so much other work to do. (That above sketch is one of the ones I have done for the children's book.  I am now colouring them all in.  They look much, much better in colour.  That cat is cooking, a big surprise for it's human friend!)



I've decided that the cookery book will be seasonal and this is a part of the Spring into Summer chapter.  Those are yellow Primrose and of course a few Bumble Bees . . . the harbingers of spring.

 

I also like to play with photographs and put words on them as well.  This is one I took in the very early morning one day last week . . . through our dining room window.  The air was filled with an autumn mist and a blackbird was sitting on the back gate, whilst the light from a street lamp glowed just over the back of the hedgerow.  I thought it quite nice . . . you can just barely see the rooftops and chimneys of the houses that lay at the end of our garden . . .

I love it in the autumn when the birds come back to our garden to feed.  I am just a nature lover . . . and Todd is too. It is one of the many blessings we share with each other . . .



And then of course there was this one I did last month of a spider in the front garden . . . his web all bejeweled by autumn drizzle . . . I love that quote by Lucy Maud Montgomery, who I have decided is a kindred spirit . . .



Another photo played with.  I had picked some late sweet peas from the garden.  I don't know why I hadn't done it sooner and waited until they were almost played out . . . their fragrance was so beautiful in our home. It  made me wonder why I didn't pick bouquets of them more often . . .

I guess I am a person who just sees art all around me . . . and enjoys creating things in a myriad of ways, be it something as simple as a cake, or as complicated as a little matchbox doll.  I am grateful for that blessing.  And if it is a blessing which allows me then in turn to bless others . . . then that is so much the better! ☺

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul."
President Dieter F Uchtdorf



I'm talking turkey leftovers today in The English Kitchen.

Happy Friday everyone!

Mitzie . . .

Two and a half years ago, I fell in love  in a way I never thought possible again.  When we lost our Jess in April of 2010, I was so devastated that I never thought I could open my heart to the possibility of  allowing another fur baby to enter our lives.  My heart was so broken that I wasn't sure that I wanted to risk my heart breaking in such a way ever again . . .



And then we met this little lady.  It was pure and utter love at first sight.  We had been selling Betterware products door to door, and one of our customers had two lovely English Cocker Spaniels.  They were so endearing that a chink appeared in the armor I had built around my heart.  I went back to the car after visiting with them for a time and told Todd, that if we did get another dog I would like it to be a Cocker.

It only takes a little crack in a dam to make it burst . . . and before too long I found myself scouring ads for Cocker puppies.  We had decided that since we had never gotten to see our Jess as a puppy (she was a rescue dog) we wanted to experience raising a puppy ourselves.



I had decided that I wanted a brown one, and a female.  The day we went to see this particular litter of puppies there were only two brown ones and they were already spoken for.  The only female left and not spoken for was this one . . . Mitzie.  (I called her that right from the start.) Once I met her . . . brown, black, purple . . . none of it mattered. She wrapped herself around my heart with one look into those sad little eyes.



We brought her home to our house on my Birthday that year.  She took right to the place, making it her's in a very short time.  She was so brave coming home with us in the car . . . and exploring her new domain.



Inquisitive and beautiful . . .

 

Charming and loveable . . .



With a sweet and gentle personality which suited us to a "T."

 

Nothing fazed her.  It didn't take her very long to have us completely twisted around her little paws.



There is something really special about being able to bring up a puppy.

 

I'm not sure what it is . . . but this lady captured our hearts in a very special way.



An ever present, vital force in our lives.  Probably the most photographed dog in the UK . . . and certainly the most loved.



Totally laid back and comfortable with us . . . as we are with her.  Able to show us and trust us with all of herself . . .



These pictures of her first year with us are doing it to me all over again . . . grabbing my heart and touching it in that special Mitzie way . . .



Now, it is hard to believe that she was every that small . . . but she was . . .

 

Enjoying her little patch of sunlight . . . she is a dog that abandons herself to the joy in every moment . . .



And takes us right along with her . . .



She grew a lot in that first year . . . and yet we didn't seem to notice her changing.  Funny how that goes . . . she was always just Mitzie . . .



With her own unique and adorable personality . . . this is how she sits with Todd to watch telly.  At first I used to worry that it would hurt her back . . . but she's completely comfortable with it and so . . . are we, now.




She puts up with all of my craziness . . . even when I dress her up in Santa Claus Hats . . .

 

And then add insult to injury . . . and humilation.



She takes it all in her stride . . . with a certain style and grace . . . 



Sometimes sneaky . . .



Always cuddly . . .

 

Willing to humor my every whim . . .



An ever present vital force in our lives . . . we love her so very much . . .

 

And of course she loves us too.

She's been very unwell for three days now.  I had hoped to take her to the Vet yesterday, but Todd didn't think she needed to go . . . besides we don't have any pet insurance anymore.  Two months ago we decided we just could not afford to pay the £15.99 it was costing us each month.  It's hard when you have to make tough decisions like that . . . but you grit your teeth, make them . . . and then cross your fingers and hope for the best.  Vets are expensive at the best of times . . . but emergency vets, even more so.  We went to Pets R Us, or whatever it is called and got some things for diarrhea and have been following the council given to us by the Vet via the telephone . . .



But this morning there was more of the same, albeit not in as large a quantity as yesterday . . . but it's Monday and so we will take her down to the regular Vets this morning and hang the expense.  It has to be done., we'll  just have to try to make the petrol in the car go further . . . etc. etc.

Please continue to keep her in your prayers.  I don't think I could bear to lose her . . . not yet at any rate.  I know that someday we will have to say goodbye to each other, but this . . . this is far too soon.