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.

 

Parts of Britain are being lashed by the latest winter storm, Storm Imogen and the Camelia Bush by the front door is beginning to break out into blooms.  I could not believe my eyes yesterday when I noticed the blooms.   It seems awfully early.  In fact I would say that it is at least a  month and a half early.  When we first moved into this house six years ago on April 1st, the bush was in full bloom.  They were a beautiful greeting to us after all we had just been through.  It is only the first week in February.  I hope the storm doesn't blow the blooms and buds which are becoming heavy with colour all off the bush.



Yesterday being the first Sunday in February, it was Fast and Testimony meeting at church.  I love Fast and Testimony meeting.  It is probably my favourite Sacrament Meetings of the month.  After we partake of the Sacrament, the members are free to get up and bear their testimonies of the Gospel.  The many testimonies which were borne yesterday were so very uplifting and beautiful to hear.  The testimonies of others always help to enrich and strengthen my own.  We were able to bring a  man with us who is seeking and he enjoyed the service very much.  He also enjoyed the lessons in Gospel Principles class etc. and was quite happy he had gone.  Later in the afternoon we went to visit a shut in and Todd was able to administer the Sacrament to her, and we had a nice little visit together.  I spoke to my mother in the afternoon as always, and it was good.

 

Sunday Evenings with Call the Midwife.  This show just gets better and better.  No spoilers from me, but Episode four was another hanky gripper.   Stock on the tissues you fans in North America.  You will surely need them.  I love this show.   I really do.  I think of all the series on the telly, this one is my favourite one of all.   It is real and it is raw with emotion and it touches the heart without profanity or gratuitious sex and violence.  It is a show filled with love and feeling and yes . . .  goodness.



Another program which we enjoyed this weekend was "Back in Time for the Weekend." by the BBC2. 

"A family gives up their 21st-century technology and travels back in time. As they enter the 50s, it's goodbye to the flat-screen TV and hello to a piano and some darning."

I really enjoy these types of programs.  They are very well done. This family had a real culture shock as they had to give up all of their mod cons and technology for the 1950's.  The wife who was the main bread winner for the family had to reverse roles with the husband and become a housewife whilst her husband went off to work.   The kids had to muck in and come to terms with having no video games or mobile phones and the like.  They actually had to amuse themselves.  Of all of the family members, I think the only two who enjoyed the 1950's were the son and the dad.  It made for some interesting viewing.



The whole time I was talking to my mother yesterday this little madame mithered me.   I tried sitting on Todd's chair and she  managed to stretch herself between the sofa and the arm of Todd's chair to gaze at me and paw at me.   I reckon she was looking for attention.  She was very compelling.   My mother could hear her murmuring to me over the phone.  She thought it was cute.   We decided that our pets add a richness to our lives that we would not otherwise have or experience.   The love of a pet for it's family can never be under-estimated.  It is a beautiful thing.

 

A Sunday supper of Beans on Toast.  Simple and very satisfying in it's simplicity.   You can try to dress it up and over complicate it as much as you want . . .  but  plain old hot baked beans ladled over crisp slices of buttered white toast is pretty darned good.  It truly is.




Testing pancake mixes for pancake day.  I don't think anything will ever take the place of a good homemade pancake.   This weekend it was gluten free pancake mixes and they were rather close to the normal pancakes.  Its nice to know that if you are a coeliac you don't have to be denied simple pleasures such as pancakes.   When I was a child Pancake day was the only day of the year where we got pancakes.  (Shrove Tuesday which was the last day before Lent began.)  We stuffed ourselves with them.  It's a tradition I love.  Over here they have pancakes races and pancake flipping contests etc.  They really get in the spirit of things!  I quite like the fluffy puffy pancakes of home, but I also quite like ths crepe like pancakes of here in the UK . . .  sprinkled with lemon and sugar and then rolled up to enjoy.



So simple and yet so good!  Yum!!




Finally today, after three long months of waiting . . .  this afternoon I go to the Clinic at the hospital to find out the results of my Upper Endoscopy.  It's been a long time of not knowing what's up.   I can only think that it cannot be too serious or they would have had me in long before now.  As they say no news is good news.

Here's hoping!

And with that I will leave you with a thought for today  . . . 

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ
"Life is wonderful, even in the hard times, 
and there is happiness, joy, 
and peace at stops all along the way."
~Howard W Hunter
Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄ƷღೋღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ

Spiritual Enlightenment



Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Ham and Cheese Crusted Chicken.  Simple and tasty.  Kind of like a deconstructed Chicken Cordon Bleu.


May the week ahead of you be filled with loads of small and wonderful things! Don't forget . . .

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════

And I do too!

The Things I get up To . . .

I thought it would be fun this morning to show you this Recipe Album I have been working on these past couple of weeks.  It's been a lot of fun and has really inspired me to want to do more of this type of work.  Of course these papers are just gorgeous from the Graphic 45 Home Sweet Home series.  They speak to the country girl in my heart!

For this one I used their Black album, which I was able to get through Amazon.  I love the way it really makes the papers pop, especially when I left a black frame around each picture.  I used my MS Lace border punch to do a lot of the lacework in the album.  It is nice to finally be using some of the things I have had in my craft room for a while now.  I loved this particular illustration and so I used it for the cover and I applied a chipboard embellishment on top.  I don't think I have finished the cover yet.  It is a work in progress.


.  

 I also applied papers to the insides of the covers.  I used an old fashioned quilt paper inside the front cover . . .  and more of the same inside the front cover.



On the very back cover I used this beautiful floral print.  With holly hocks and bees and butterflies, Emily  Dickenson quotes, etc.  I really love it.   It reminds me of the botanical prints I love so much.

 There are four main divider pages in the album which also have pockets on both sides.  I have tried to do each one differently so as to divide different sections in the album.  I am not sure what I will put in each section yet . . .

 

These photos are really not the best, probably because I just took them and had to use the flash.   This is the back of the first divider.  The front of it came out pretty over-exposed.  (A photographer I am not)  Anyways, you can see the back of the divider with it's pocket and index tab.   I tried to use different papers for each one.



I love this little old lady print of a grandma trimming the crust on a pie and the little boy watching.  I chose it for a highlight page, which is one of the smaller pages I made scattered throughout the album, one per section.  the grandma picture is on a hinge, which opens up  . . .

 

To reveal a little surprise inside.  A recipe for Grandma's apple pie and a cute apple pie saying.  And on the back of this . . . there is another, smaller pocket page, which you can use to pop in some recipe cards etc.




I did a few of these smaller hinge pages.  This is another one.  The East-West, Home is Best is also a tab that you can use to open the little hinge page . . .



And inside more home sweet home sentiments with a tag you can pull out of that little envelope which you could write a speial message on and on the left a space where you can write a special cooking memory or whatever . . .



And I made another pocket page on the back with a slide in tag to do some more writing and of course you could also fit in more recipe cards.  I just love these papers.




A Pocket page made using vellum for the pocket and there is a chipboard embellisment on the lower right hand corner.




With velum pockets on both sides and pretty papers decorating them.   I love this.




Another Divider page with pockets and spaces to write some special hints or tips on . . .




And on the back.  I just love these papers.   I think they are so sweet and it is great fun trying to come up with different combinations and arrangements of them.


 Another mini page with a hinged top . . .   what's inside?



Some men make the best cooks doncha know!  I left a space on the inside hinge so that you could perhaps put a photograph of grandpa cooking or a grandson cooking, or even a man enjoying something which has been cooked for him!



And of course another little pocket page on the other side.



My final divider page on the front . . .



And on the back . . .  and in between all of these pages are plain ivory and kraft paper pages with recipe cards to fill in that have been set in place using picture corners so that you can take the cards out and read the instructions on the back.

It would make a beautiful gift for a young newly wed couple, or even a nice album to keep for oneself.  I haven't decided yet what I am going to do with it.   Of course I also have more work to do on it, but it's sure been a lot of fun thus far!



And of course it makes a great companion to the Ivory coloured one I did earlier this  month.  I am really enjoying this.  Almost as much as creating my own art.  Close at any rate.  I have been thinking to myself . . .  what kind of album could I create using my own artwork.  We will have to see!



Look who stopped by yesterday afternoon.  Its Elder Judd and Elder Candland.  What great lads.  Mitzie always loves it when the Missionaries stop by.  I fed them up with some sandwiches and cake and we discussed some teaching opportunities and ways in which we could help them out.

 So, yesterday ended up being a very full day and now I have to go because it is already seven and I have a ton of things to do before I leave for church, so I will leave you with a thought for today  . . .


~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~
“As you take the normal opportunities 
of your daily life 
and create something of beauty and helpfulness, 
you improve not only the world around you 
but also the world within you.”
~Dieter F. Uchtdorf 
 ~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~

Spiritual Enlightenment




There isn't too much going on in the kitchen today . . .  I just did a round up of finger food treats for game day!

Have a wonderful Sabbath Day.  I hope it's filled with pockets of love and of joy, no matter what you get up to.  Don't forget . . .

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════


And I do too!

 

How To Spend a Week . . .

Sunday began my week much as it always does with Spiritual sustenance and inspiration.   This is recharge the battery time.   Time for reflection.  A day when I get to see people that I love and don't get to see oftimes at any other time of the week.  A meeting of souls and kindred spirits.   I love going to church.  In today's world when things seem so crazy and God-less, it is a great reminder to me that things are not God-less and that He is always there for those who seek Him.

I called my mom as I always do on Sundays.  I love these weekly calls and conversations, even if I do get to hear the same stories over again that I get to hear every week.  It is just good to hear my mother's voice.  I would give anything to be able to touch her hand and see her face.  I miss my family over here in the UK, but I think I miss my mother most of all.  I love her with all of my heart and I know that she loves me with all of her heart also, always has, always will.  I think mother's are one of the greatest blessings this life brings to us.
I know that this is not true for everyone, but it is true for me.




Monday was our Prep Day, where we prepare for the rest of the week . . .  deciding what we are going to do.  We do our laundry, clean the house, etc.  I prepared a meal to take to a member who needed a meal taking to the family.   I made a casserole, salad and baked cookies.  I did some clearing out.   Downstairs is looking really nice now.  The trick to clearing out is not to look inside things.  If you have not looked inside a box or a closet for a very long time, you can't really need what is in there . . .  once you start looking you start thinking . . .  ohh . . .  I need this or . . . .  ohh . . .  might be able to use that one day etc.  There is a certain amount of ruthlessness that goes along with a good clear out.  I am getting better at it.




On Tuesday we had our District Meeting.  This week it was in Wrexham, so a bit further away.  It is good to sit down with all of the missionaries and talk about things we need to talk about, get training in areas we need to improve, discuss what has worked for us and what hasn't, develop ways to do things better, etc.  It was freezing in the chapel as the heat was not on, and there were men working on the roof, so it was also noisy with banging and drilling.  There were times I couldn't hear what was being said because of all the noise.  But it was good.  I took a lot of notes this week.    We talked about what it was we desired as Missionaries and how we could go about making it happen . . .  how could we move out of our comfort zones.    I spoke about the story in the Bible where Peter, in keeping his eyes on the Saviour, was able to walk upon the water, sinking only after he took his eyes off of the Saviour, and about how most people see his trying to walk on the water as an act of faith, and it certainly is . . .  but his first act of faith was in actually getting out of the boat.  Out of all that were there, he was the only one with enough courage and faith to "get out of the boat."

We need to be willing to get out of the boat.  This can apply to all areas of our life.  What are we missing in life simply because we lack the courage and the faith to just get out of the boat?




On Wednesday we had our nightmare trip to Runcorn in the morning.  As I told you before, it was simply horrendous.  Both of us were feeling ultimately stressed out and confused and I think more than a bit anxious and afraid!  Poor Todd with his having to actually be driving like that.   I told him that we needed to find a place to pull over to and just be quiet for a few minutes and we did just that.  For those few minutes we were actually able to focus and make a decision on what to do next.  We prayed about what to do.  We felt the comforting hand of the Saviour, and a peace of mind which came with the decision to abandon our plans and just go home.  It wasn't easy just getting back out of Runcorn, but we managed it and were home by the early afternoon.

Wednesday evening we had our Missionary Correlation meeting which we have each week with the Ward Mission Leader.  We talk about the people we are teaching and working with.  Make plans as a team for the week ahead, etc.  It is an opportunity for the Ward Missionaries to also get involved, etc.   The chapel is a very busy place on Wednesday evenings.  There is Young Men's and Young Women's at the church, sometimes Faith in God activities for the Primary children.  It's like a beehive with little bees coming in and going out.  It's nice.



Todd had a Doctors Appointment on Thursday morning and I had my Cooking for Diabetes Class in the afternoon.  It was the last class of the course and this week it focused on Healthy Snacking as well as Smoking and Drinking Alcohol.  Of course the smoking and drinking were not an issue with me as I don't do either one, but it was fun talking about the different snacks that we could eat that were healthy and to think in terms of crunchy raw veggies and hummus rather than crispy potato chips and the like.

I really enjoyed this class and I was sorry to see it ending.  I found that I learned a lot and it was especially nice to be able to get together with people who are battling the same illness and compare notes and ideas with each other.

Our instructor was a lovely lady.  We all liked her very much and she was interesting and just had a very pleasant personality.  I think that is half the battle of any course . . . liking the instructor.

One set of the Elders (young missionary males) happened to be in our area later in the afternoon and stopped by.  I asked them if they would like a hot chocolate and so we made them hot chocolates and grilled cheese sandwiches because they looked hungry too.  It was nice having them in our home.  I have always enjoyed having the missionaries in our home as you know and I love to feed them.



I think yesterday was our busiest day of this week.  In the morning we went to sit with an elderly man so that his wife, who is his primary care giver, could get out and about and have some much needed respite and a change of pace and scenery.   It was interesting to be able to sit with this man for several hours and listen to him telling us about the various things he had done throughout his life.  Since he and Todd are of a similar age, they had a lot in common and shared some common experiences.  It was just nice to be able to do something for someone else.

While we were there the Sister Missionaries called us and asked us if they could bring someone to our home to teach last night.  We said sure!  We love that sort of thing.  They then asked if they could come a bit early and bring their supper with them.  I said no way!  They were not bringing their supper with them.  They could come early and I would feed them supper!  (There is no way I am going to let these sweet young girls get away with bringing their own food into my house, lol  See above.  I love to feed the missionaries!)  I didn't do anything too fancy, just a curry and rice and some naan breads, then a cake for dessert.




We had a great teaching experience. I love teaching in our home.  It is a wonderful way to invite the spirit into the house. Of course just having the Missionaries here does that.  I love having them in our home, as you know!

We both fell into bed pretty exhausted at the end of the day, but it was a good kind of exhaustion.



Mitzie, silly girl  . . .  was exhausted too.  She loves having company, and thankfully they love her too!

And now it is Saturday and who knows what I will get up to today!  I think I will be testing out gluten free pancake batters!

And that is how you spend a week!

A thought to carry with you through today   . . .


 ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿
You define what is important to you
by what you dedicate your time to.
~Dallin H Oakes
✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿

Spiritual Enlightenment  

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Another Oatmeal Cookie. These are really good!


Hope your Saturday is as special as you are! Wherever you go and 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!

My Friday Finds . . .

 

A few of the things I find each week which strike my fancy and I hope that they strike yours also!

 

How bad can they be?  I like to try copycat recipes sometimes.  From DIY Joy.  There are some pretty tasty recipes.  I want to try the Olive Garden Salad Dressing!

 

I love this crochet Heart Shaped Bowl Basket.  How cute!  (Useful too!)  From Craftsy.

 

From One Good Thing, how to clean your dishwasher.  I am so going to try this.  Those dishwasher cleaner things you buy are very expensive!

 

 From Amigurumi, how to do needlework noses on your stuffed animal proects.  Great pictorial tutorial.


































  How to make beautiful paper roses from old book pages.   From 2 Bees in a Pod. So very pretty.

 

Coffee Filter Easter Baskets.  So cute.  From Urban Comfort.



Origami Bunny Garland. Sooooo cute!  From Hello Bee. There is a link as well to a fantastic video tutorial on how to do the bunnies.




Free Downloadable and Printable from Graphic Design.  This adorable Bunny Box and a whole lot more.  This would make a fab table centre piece, or place cards, if printed smaller.  You could put jelly beans in them.

 

Cheetos in a disposable cake decorating bag, tied up with green ricrac.  How cute.  From Creative Organization.  These would make cute little treats for any Easter Egg Hunt Activities you might be haing.

 

Crochet Vintage Flower Pot Holder.  What a great way to use up some colourful scraps.  From Colour N Cream, Crochet N Dream.

 

And while I am at it, I just can't resist, from Free Vintage Crochet, a  Scottie Dog Potholder pattern.  How adorable is that!



For the little boys in your life.  Free Printable Matchbox Car Valentines.  From The Kim Six Fix.

 

Thirty Non-Candy Valentines from Bomb Shell Bling.   I love the paper airplane one.  Lots of printables and great ideas.

And that's it for this week.  I hope you found something useful here!



I think that I am officially the worse Grandmother on the planet.  Little Luke turned 6 on the 30th of January and I totally forgot it.  I feel so bad about that.   I need to figure out a better way to remind myself of these dates.  I kept thinking that I was forgetting something and lo and behold, this was it.   A gift is on it's way to him, belatedly, but that is the second Birthday in a row we have forgotten.  Bad Grandma.  Luke is my oldest son's youngest son.  I have only ever gotten to see him a few times.  I love him very much as I love all my grandchildren.  He has personality plus and an adorable little smile.  He's very inquisitive and very intelligent.  I wish I could spoil him in person.

Oh, and I meant to tell you how the flat inspections went.  They are doing tons of roadworks in Runcorn.  From the minute we got off the motorway onto the expressways/roundabouts we were in traffic cone hell.  The Sat Nav kept telling us to turn left and we couldn't as the road would be completely shut off and closed, and so then it would say recalculating and take us in a round about way back to the same cut off road.  We literally spent about 2 hours going around in circles.  I finally said to Todd, find a place where we can just pull off and park, which he did.   We said a prayer and then decided we were going to go home and skip it.  There is no way on earth we were going to find three flats in that nightmare of a maze.  Especially when we did not have a clue in the first place where we were supposed to go,  not having gone there before or even being familiar with Runcorn at all.  It was a nightmare just finding our way back out of the maze and onto the motorway back home.  As it was we ended up in Warrington, which is even further North than Runcorn and had to turn around and go back.  Todd ended up having to go lay down when we did get home, just from nervous exhaustion.  Never again.

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~
"Some days there won't be
a song in your heart  . . . 
Sing anyways.
~Emory Austin
~•~♥♥♥~•.~•~♥♥♥~• ~

Spiritual Enlightenment 

 


In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Tuna Tug Boats.   These are old fashioned delicious sandwiches.  I had not made them in years, and then wondered why I hadn't.  Must make these more often.



Have a fabulous Friday. Wherever you go, whatever you do, don't forget!


═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════


And I do too!