A lot about naught . . .

We were doing a bit of re-decorating yesterday.  We can't really afford paint, new furniture and such, but it is amazing at the change a couple of cheap new bedspreads can make in the bedroom.   The old ones we had were so thin and I was so cold in there.  I thought perhaps some new thicker ones would make a difference and I am happy to say last night I was nice and toasty warm in bed for a change.  Result!

I also wanted to move all the fairies from the top of the bookcase beneath our bedroom window and change it out  to something a bit busier.   So we moved all of the fairies into the spare bedroom and I put a vase with some pretty silk flowers in it on top of the bookcase instead, which looks really lovely, and much less cluttered.  I love my fairies but too many is just . . . too many!

When we were in the spare room with the fairies, I felt something snap in my right forearm, just like a bone was snapping.  This often happens in the area on the top of my right foot and I could almost fall over when that happens.  It's so painful and I feel just like the bones in my foot are breaking.   This is how it felt in my arm yesterday.  Since then I have not been able to pick up anything or move my arm away from my waist area without it being really painful, which means that whilst I can type, I am having difficulty doing much of anything else.



Todd cooked our supper last night.  We had a tin of baked beans with some pasty bakes and potato nuggets.   Remind me never to buy those pasty bakes again.   They were only a pound last week at Morrisons, frozen food . . . and they were supposed to be steak and onion, but they were mostly gravy, pastry and onion.  I think I found one piece of meat in mine . . . well, it was chewy like meat at any rate!  You get what you pay for and for a pound I guess that is what you get!   It was a man meal.  I am grateful however for a husband who is willing to jump in and help out when I need the help!  He also did the dishes!

It woke me up a few times last night.   I kept noticing my hands were numb.  I am not sure if the two things are related.  I am going to try to get in to see the Doctor today.  I know it's not broken, but it is possibly some type of tendonitis related to my arthritis and I may need some splints or a brace to help with it.   I tell you . . . arthritis is no fun.   And to think . . . disability keeps turning me down.   Who on earth would ever hire me the way I am.   Makes me a bit sad and a lot frustrated.  But I know God has a plan . . . and so I leave it all to Him.



Are any of you familiar with the "Outlander"  series of books by Diane Gabaldon?  They are some of my favourite books.   The premise of them is a woman, Claire Randall, a 20th century nurse who has accidentally been transported back in time (whilst on holiday in Scotland)  to the 1700's.  I just adore these books.   Romantic fantasies involving strong men in kilts have always thrilled me.   I am not sure why.  I was so excited to learn yesterday that a movie is being made and will be out later this year! 



Filmed on the Isle of Skye I believe.  I can't wait to see it!  Sigh . . . such exciting news.  I really hope they do the books justice and that it's not a big disappointment, fingers crossed!



I do confess I have always picture Jamie from the book as looking more like Eric Stolz in Rob Roy . . . with flaming red hair . . . very Scottish to me . . .  

But  I am sure that the guy they have picked to play him in the movie will be just as good.  Perhaps Eric Stolz is too old to play that character now.  We'll just have to wait and see how it all pans out!

Oh, I do so love men in kilts . . . and time travel.  Oh, and a bit of romance too!

  

Sigh . . .

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

(¯`•.•´¯)¸.•´ ¸.✿´´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
.`•.¸¸.•´
Look at everything
as though you were seeing it
either for the first or last time.
~Betty Smith  

¸.✿´´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.¸.✿´´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.  


 

Layered Ravioli Bake is being served in The English Kitchen today . . .  

Have a wonderful Thursday!

Wednesday whitterings . . .

 

Now and again in January, amidst the grey and dismal we get a bonus day.  The skies are clear, with nary a cloud to spoil their blue brilliance . . . the sun is clear and warm . . .  the air as soft as a baby's breath upon the cheek . . .

Looking out the back window I see  clouds of midges hovering  near the pond, doing a dance in the air.  They look like little gold and glittering jewels in  a month where nothing sparkles . . . and the trunks of the fruit trees glow in this rare light.   



Even the birds seem happier.  They flit about on gay light wings, twittering their tweets and flapping their wings in an aerial dance both joyous and endaring.   The tits flock to the nuts that hang from the feeding pole and cover it, enjoying this rare January picnic in the sunshine and warmth.

Even Mitzie enjoys it.   She sits by the back door surveying her domain . . . her ears quickening at any sound, ready to do a good job at protecting the home front . . . a much easier and more pleasant job in the warmth of sunlight rather than in  cold drizzle . . . all seems right in her tiny kingdom as well . . .    




I am almost tempted on such a day to enjoy a late lunch in our quiet garden, but common sense prevails . . . I know the seats will still be cold despite the warmth of the sun and we settle on fish and chips in front of the fire, a surprise from Todd who has just gotten in and back from town, and they are good, very good, despite having travelled on a bus . . .

It is exciting to have such a day . . .  it is a rare and precious jewel of a day, set amidst the silver banded crown of winter . . .  and we feel very blessed, the three of us . . . so very blessed indeed. 

 

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

❀• . • ♥ •° •• ° •.. .·*♥*·.¸  
Keep your mind continually
turned toward God
so that your every work
and all your activities . . . 
physical and mental,
may be prayers.
~Ven Louis of Granada, 16th century
(¯`·.¸*♥*¸.·´¯) . •❀·*♥*·.¸   

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Irish Pancakes.   Delish!

 Have a wonderful day.  I hope it's a jewel!

The Simple Woman's Day Book

 FOR TODAY January 21st, 2014

Outside my window...
It's dark and cold. I think there is frost.  It was very mild at the weekend and we had a dry day yesterday, but today I don't know.  It remains to be seen!

I am thinking...
`•.¸.•´¸¸.¸.☆¨
"The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice ☆
~ Peggy O'Mara

I did not have a lot of confidence when I was a child.  As a result I was bullied and teased at school.  (Thank goodness there was no social media then, at least I was able to get away from it when I went home!)  I always felt like I was never going to amount to much and that was partly because I never seemed to be able to do anything right at home.  I was always at fault because . . . "I was the oldest and should have known better!" or a mulititude of other things.  I don't think that my parents meant to undermine my confidence, but I was very careful when I was bringing up my own children to make sure that they knew that they were the absolutely most important people in my life.   At least I thought I did!  They may have a different opinion! 

I am thankful...
I am very thankful that in later life I have come to realize that my parents are actually quite proud of me and my accomplishments.  It took me a while to get there but very grateful that I did!

In the kitchen... 


 

WE have a delicious Bacon, Tomato, Cheese and Leek Pudding.  It uses up stale bread and a host of other little bits and bobs.   It's pretty tasty!

I am wearing...
Blue fluffy nightie with white polka dots all over it and lace across the front.  It's cosy and warm.


I am creating...  


 

First I am really excited to tell you that I have finished my latest Cookbooklet, Recipes to Keep.  Like the others it is filled with little bits of artwork and tastiness.   It has over 40 recipes which I have not published anywhere else and that are some of my absolute favourite fail proof recipes.  In other words Recipes to Keep.   It is bigger than my other booklets, but the price is remaining the same.  I had ever so much fun creating it.  It has taken me several months.   You can find a link to it here. 

 

I thought these water bottle cosies were just the cutest thing ever.  Love the bright colours.  You can find the patter here on the blog Our Colorado Home Front.   



Now here is a really novel idea.   Wine corks used as plant markers.   You can see more on  Shine Your Light.  She calls it a craft for the uncrafty!  Cute.  We don't get too many wine corks in this house.  Kinda makes me wish I was still working at the manor.   They had an abundance of corks! 


Some really cute fabric pot holders.   I have to say I like these pinch type of pot holders most of all.   They are so easy to use and not cumbersome in the least.  You can find a tutorial HERE on Miss Mary Sewing Class.  



Dishmats from Noodlehead.   It's a great repurpose of old towels.   There is a tutorial to download.  A brilliant idea I think!


I am going...
There is not a lot planned for this week either.  I am not sure what it up with that.   We have had a few quiet weeks.  We do want to see the Nelson Mandela film at some point.  Probably on Wednesday.  I can get two tickets for one using my phone plan on Wednesdays, which is a real bargain.   Movie tickets are so expensive these days.  When I was a child my parents would give me a quarter (25 cents) and it was enough to get into the movies and buy a drink and popcorn!

I am wondering...
How long photo bucket is going to be out of commission.  It's still not working this morning.  I am using google albums.

I am reading...


What Alice Forgot, byLiane Moriarty
This winning not-quite amnesia story parses what happens when Alice, a married mother of three whose marriage is disintegrating, takes a knock on the head and comes to thinking she is herself, but 10 years younger and in the middle of a blossoming young marriage, with her first child on the way. As younger Alice adjusts to her older life and body, she finds much to be surprised at: a wealthy lifestyle she never dreamed of, a rejuvenated mother with a surprising love interest, and a sister whose life has turned out unexpectedly disappointing. And everyone is so sorry for something that happened with her best friend Gina, whom she doesn't remember, but apparently who helped sow the seeds of her marriage's collapse. But as the young Alice takes over the older Alice's life and applies her goofy, laissez-faire approach to living, the tension builds: what will happen if old Alice regains her memory? Alice's journey of reconciling herself to how her life came to be what it is, and her slowly building understanding of how the threads of her marriage began to unravel, is moving, well-paced, and thoroughly pleasurable.  Early days yet, but quite enjoying it thus far.

I am hoping...
That my mother's toe heals a lot faster than they say it will.  The big toe on her left food was damaged extensively last April when she had her heart attack etc.   It was necrified and so they were just letting it dry and fall off.   Then a couple months ago the Vascular Surgeon removed the affected part in his office and she has had the VON coming several times a week since to change the dressings etc.   When she asked the Dr how long it would be before it was healed, he was not optomistic that it would be healed by this summer, which seems a long time to me.  It makes it difficult for her to walk, or course, and is sometimes quite painful and of course she is very limited in what she can wear on her feet, which is a real downer to a woman who always loved wearing her high heels.  I am hoping that it continues to heal well though, and that there are no further complications.   Other than that she is doing superdy duperdy!

Makes me Smile...




This is a picture of the snowman that my sister's partner Dan made just a few days ago.  It made my mom really happy and that makes me really happy and filled with gratitude as well.   I don't think any of us, not even she, realized how lonely she was prior to my sister moving home.  I am so happy that they are all getting along well and that Dan is such a fun person and does little things like this which help to make my mom's life more interesting and exciting in little ways.   That makes me smile.

I am learning...
 "The flower that follows the sun does so even on cloudy days."
~Robert Leighton

I am learning to follow the sun.

Around the House ...




How to paint Kitchen Cabinets.  You never know when this will come in handy.  A tutorial from BHG.   Sometimes I think I would love to change the colour of mine. 



I love, Love, LOVE this idea of a gallery wall featuring the telly.  I am still looking for an old wooden low dresser to use as a tv table.  This black glass one we have is just a magnet for dust.

  

Do it Yourself Slipcovers from Opulent Cottage.  
It is a fabulous tutorial which will lead you through the whole process!



I want a Peter Rabbit room like Susan Branch has.   It is my dream to this year make it happen.  Watch this space.

I am pondering...
With all of the climate change, uprisings,  and increase in freakish storms, earthquakes, Tsunamis, Flooding, Tornadoes, etc of recent years, all of which have been predicted in the scriptures towards the end times . . . why don't more people see it and recognise it for what it is and want to make changes in their lives, to prepare?  Tomorrow never comes.  Today is the day.

A favorite quote for today...  

 

`*.¸.*✻ღϠ₡ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..
(¯`v´¯)
 `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
  ¸.•´¸.•~♥♥♥~•.~
Do stuff.
Be clenched, curious.
Not waiting for inspiration's shove
or society's kiss on your forehead.
Pay attention.
It's all about paying attention.
Attention is vitality.  It connects you with others.
It makes you eager.
Stay eager.
 ´´¯`•.¸¸.☆

I love this quote.   I believe it is one of the secrets to a very happy life.

One of my favorite things... 




Reading, studying and pondering the scriptures.   The three go hand in hand.   I love to do this.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Not too overly much.  Another quiet week!

A peek into my day...




I spend a great deal of time with my head in the clouds.   I am a day dreamer.  It's a good thing that you can still do other things while you are daydreaming, or else nothing would ever get done!


 ⋱ ⋮ ⋰
   ⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small*´¯`.¸¸.☆
   ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆
   ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿
   ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬
   ░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░░  


Wherever you go and whatever you do I hope there's a wonderful day planned for you!

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.

(I am still having a heck of a time with Photo Bucket.   Does anyone else use it???   It is very, very slow to get anywhere on it.   Usually it is a quick as a whistle.)



Don't you just love these little Salt and Pepper Shakers?   I know!  They are so cute.   So Susan Branch too.  I picked them up at Gordale Nurseries after Christmas and they only cost me £2.  They were marked down 75%.  I could not resist them.  I Love Salt and Pepper Shakers.  I have been collecting them for a while.   When I was a girl there was a restaurant in town called The Shaker Restaurant.   It was a place to hang out and buy cokes on Saturday afternoons with my friends.   One whole wall was covered in shelves filled with Salt and Pepper Shakers.  I always loved looking at them.    They also had a waitress that looked like she had stepped off a 1940's film set.  I wonder what ever happened to her.   She had the hairstyle and everything.    The restaurant is still there, except now it is the Chinese Restaurant in town and has been a Chinese restaurant for years and years now.   Best Chinese food in the area!    I always get a number 9 when we go there which is Beef and Broccoli, Egg Fried Rice, Sweet and Sour Chicken and Egg Roll.  My mother always gets the same.  What can I say . . . we are creatures of habit!



This is a little cloche, my very first one ever, that my friend Rachel sent to me before Christmas.  All through the holidys it sat on the mantle with a tiny nativity scene in it she had also sent which fit just perfectly.   Now that Christmas is over I have filled with another of my favourite things . . .

 

A little tiny fairy.    She is captured in a glass cage.  I feel a little bit sad saying that . . . like birds I think fairies should be free, so maybe I will change what I have in the cloche.  Food for thought there . . .



I found this old picture of my business cards.  I love my business cards.   They are what I put in with each order that I send out when someone orders a piece of my artwork.  I need to carry some in my wallet I think, and then I could hand them out when I meet people.  I am just not very good at putting myself forward.   This year I hope to be better and to do better.   We shall see.

 

This is another old picture I found today.  It reminded me of my trip that I took to Utah several years back.   This is Jen from Tater Tot's and Jello (on the left) and her mom on the right.   They met me at the airport and drove me to Lura's daughter Erin's home where I met up with Lura.   It was so nice of Jen and her mom to pick me up at the airport.  I was sooooo tired!   That was such a lovely trip though.  I got to spend a whole week with one of my best friends in the world, Lura.   I got to meet most of her family and we got to go up to Idaho and watch my Eileen compete in the International Winter Special Olympic Games, along with our friends Lenis and Dick, who had been Missionaries over here in the UK prior to that.  What a fun week it was.  It was great seeing my Eileen and watching her win two gold medals and a bronze.  It was wonderful getting to spend some special time with my dear friend Lura and to meet her family, and it was really wonderful getting to see and spend time with Lenis and Dick again.  It is hard to believe that it is almost five years ago now that I went on that trip.   I came home on Valentines Day . . . so, yes, it was five years ago.   Time has just sped by since then! But . . . I still have these lovely memories that I keep in my special memory box and that I take out and hold every now and again.

Memories . . . small things, but beautiful things.



This is a picture of Todd that I took on our trip to Austria a few years back.  We were at some special water falls, whose name escapes me right now.   Todd loved hats.   He has quite a few of them.   He had gotten himself this Austrian hat and delighted in wearing it.  It had a very small feather on it, but the coach driver told him that the size of a man's feather was a sign of his prowess and so he went out and bought a bigger feather to put on to  it.  Men . . .

In any case he has never worn the hat since.   I suppose there is not much opportunity to wear a hat like that here in the UK.  (Thank goodness!!!)



This is a page I did for an illustrated cookbook I was working on.   I never did finish it.  Perhaps I need to.   I don't know!  What do you think?  I found it this morning on my google images that I am taking these photos from.   Darned Photo Bucket!!



This is a picture of Pendragon Castle that I took when we were on holiday up in the Lake District a couple of years ago now.  I love going to that area.  It's my favourite place to go . . . when it is sunny and warm at any rate.  It's the pits when it is raining and miserable.   The last time we went there it was exactly that and we had Mitzie with us, so we couldn't really go to very many places as it was not fun sitting outside with a dog in the rain.  We cut that holiday short, but when it is nice and sunny, there is not a much nicer place to be.

 

Those are the salt and pepper shakers I got in the Lake District.   They are Henny Penny and Jemima Puddle Duck, of Beatrix Potter fame.   I love them.   They have never been used . . . I just like looking at them and having something which is Beatrix Potter.  I could not afford much so I got these and they were a bit of an indulgence.  Like Susan Branch I am in love with anything Beatrix Potter.  Unlike Susan Branch, I have never ever been able to get into Hilltop Farm.  It has always been full up when we've been there.   We have seen the museum in nearby Sawrey though, which was quite nice.  You can't have all your dreams come true at once you know . . . you have to keep something to look forward to.



Todd and Mitzie on that trip, on the one day it wasn't raining.  He has another hat on!  That's his Crocodile Dundee hat.   That one he does wear all the time.  He loves it.  The only thing it is missing is all the corks  . . . thank goodness!   (Now that would be embarassing, if he walked around in a hat with corks hanging from the brim!)   Mitzie was only about a year old there.   It's hard to believe she will be four this year.   Time flies and all that! 

I guess I do have a somewhat interesting life . . .  looking back on some of the pictures I have taken.  I suppose when it comes right down to it, life is about as interesting as you make it to be.  And with that I am going to leave you with a thought for the day, only because I am getting terrifically frustrated with my pictures in Photo Bucket.  I think I will have to find a new storage place.   Any suggestions? 

A thought for today . . .

✫*
(¯`♥´¯).✫* *´¯`.¸¸.☆ `*.¸.* ´

"Do everything with so much love
in your heart, that you would
never want to do it any other way."
~Yogi Desai 

*´¯`.¸¸.☆*´¯`.¸¸.☆*´¯`.¸¸.☆  


 

Baking in The English Kitchen today . . . Carrot Cake Doughnuts.

Have a wonderful Monday! xxoo

The art of making a home . . .

   


 I've been embroidering pillow cases lately and quite enjoying it.  I sit here in the evening as the light from the television flits back and forth across the room as the pictures change . . . the flames from the electric fire flickering up and down the walls . . . and feel very content as I ply my needle and thread in and out of the cotton fabric.   Every so often I hold what I am embroidering away from me so I can get a really good look at it . . . and I am pleased.  I  do so enjoy the quiet gentle arts . . . mending, embroidery, hand sewing etc.  They make me very happy . . . right into my bones. 

My mother taught me how to embroider.  She always embroidered and our home was filled with dresser scarves, doilies, tea towels and pillow cases she had plied her arts upon.  I have a few of her pieces and do so treasure them with all of my heart.   When I was about 8 or 9 she gave me a piece of cotton and stamped something upon it with a hot iron and one of those old embroidery transfers and then gave me a needle and some threads and sat me down and taught me to embroider.  It was very simple at first, and so not very hard to catch on to.  I fell in love. 



In my younger adult years I did a lot of crewel embroidery, none of which still exists except in the anals of my mind.  I did tons of pillow covers and wall hangings . . . I also did a really pretty Swedish Huck embroidery runner in navy and white, which disappeared on one of our moves.   It always really surprised me when things disappeared like that from our moving boxes . . . they were sealed, so how did it happen?   I will never know . . . but, I do like to think that they live on in someone else's home and are as loved as they were when they were with me.

In later years I really got into counted cross stitch embroidery.  I did lots of samplers and pictures, Christmas ornaments, bookmarks, etc.   I just adore taking a blank piece of fabric and decorating it with needle and thread.  I have not done any counted cross stitch in a number of years gone since . . . it drive my eyes wonky . . . trying to find all right the holes you know.  Old eyes don't take well to them.  I also have a problem reading small print these days.  I keep saying I need to buy a magnifying glass, and then . . . I forget all about doing so until the next time I need a magnifying glass and then I tell myself all over again . . .  I need to buy one.  Sigh . . .

Is anyone else like that?   Forgetful?   When I get all forgetful I get worried about alzheimers and such . . .  



I used to have several sets of flour sack tea towels I had embroidered  for the days of the week.  I don't know what ever happened to them.  I should do another set I think.  One day soon perhaps.  When I am done with embroidering pillow slips.   

At school we did home economics.  One term was cooking.   One term was machine sewing.   One term was homemaking.   I like to think that I loved them all in equal measures, but in all honesty I do think I enjoyed the homemaking one just a tiny bit more than the others.   It was there I learned to do hand sewing and mending, darning . . . how to wash dishes properly, how to do smocking how to sweep a floor, dusting, etc.  I did not find any of it boring in the least.  I could hardly wait to grow up and have a home of my own to care for.

I was just thinking about how my mother taught me to embroider and knit, and my sister taught me how to crochet . . . my thoughts made me smile.  This act of teaching next generations is a legacy we women have and share . . . handing down the skill of the gentler arts . . . mending, cleaning, cooking . . .  homemaking . . .




I have always enjoyed making a home most of all.  I am a natural nester.  I like that.   If someone was to ask me what my career was I would have to say . . . Nester.

It is what makes and keeps me most content.

A thought to carry with you through today . . .  

*•♥*¨`*•ღღ*•♥*¨`*•ღღ
"The grand essentials of 
happiness are:  
Something to do,
something to love,
something to give,
and . . .
something to hope for. 
~Allan Chalmers
*•♥*¨`*•ღღ*•♥*¨`*•ღღ  


 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . a delicious Coconut and Orange Crumble.

May you have a blessed and wonderful sabbath day.