A Day Book

 

FOR TODAY, May 5th, 2026

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...

 

Just a random photo from my front window picture folder. I love the way the sun is shining through the front of the house at sunset. The trees across the way are not fully out yet, but they have that flush that tells you something wonderful if happening. Glenna's daffodils are dancing. Her forsythia bush is dancing as well. Beautiful.

I AM THINKING ...

I watched Alan Osmond's funeral on YouTube yesterday. It was really lovely. He was more than an entertainer. He was a very well loved and respected man, and a wonderful Disciple of Christ.

I AM ALSO THINKING ...

About how what doesn't kill you actually DOES make you stronger.

I AM GRATEFUL FOR ...

The gift of prayer. I don't know where I would be without it.

I AM ALSO GRATEFUL FOR ...

The gift of faith. It's what has kept me going all these years.  Faith  . . .  don't leave home without it.

IN THE KITCHEN ...

Five Tasty Tacos for Cinco de Mayo.  My favorites are the Crispy Two Potato ones.  But I also love the Crispy Chicken ones. Oh, and the Thai ones . . . heck, I just LOVE tacos!

ON MY "TO COOK" LIST ...

Copycat A & W Whistle Dogs from Noshing with the Nolands. What can I say. I hold my hand up. I love hot dogs.

THIS I BELIEVE ...

 

We need to learn to be better at forgiving ourselves.

SOMETHING THAT IS NICE ...

This is my favorite saying  . . . 

SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS NICE ...

I am a lover of simplicity and ordinary things  . . . 

I AM WANTING TO CREATE ...

 

(source)

Pretty crochet bookmarks  . . . 

 

(source)

Embroidered jar caps  . . . 

 

(source)

A beautiful table runner  . . . 

 

(source)

Hats for cats  . . . 

 

(source)

Vintage caps  . . . 

SOMETHING I ENJOY ...

This particular flavor. I don't dare bring them into the house.

SOMETHING ELSE I ENJOY ...

 

(source)

My sister could make these. They would be so cute.

I AM READING ...

THE FROZEN RIVER, by Ariel Lawhon

A gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history. 

 Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. 

Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town's most respected gentlemen-one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own. 

 Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie. 

 Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon's newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard.

The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.

Reading this on my kindle 

THINGS THAT CATCH MY FANCY ...

 

(source)

Bumble Bees  . . . 

 

(source)

A pretty night dress  . . . 

 

(source)

Sinks with skirts  . . . 

 

(source)

Porcelain Brush Holders  . . . 

 

(source)

A pretty reading room  . . . 

MAKES ME SMILE ...

 

Cute cannisters  . . . 

SOMETHING TO WATCH ...

After The Flood, Series 2  Britbox

A THOUGHT TO CARRY WITH YOU ...

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*Children must be taught

how to think,

not what to think.

~Margaret Mead

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

  ⋱ ⋮ ⋰

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

  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆ 

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

░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░ 

Have a beautiful day!  Don't forget!  

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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)

The blessing of being able to watch church online.  I am afraid that I have done far more of that this year than I would have liked to do, but I am grateful that it is an option that is available for me. I may not be able to partake of the Sacrament when I do, but at least I get the blessing of hearing the talks and testimonies and of being able to mark out my sabbath day in a special way.

Sunday dinner at Cindy's. This week she cooked us Indian Food with a Vegetable Keralan Curry, Chicken Biriyani and Naan breads. It was some tasty. Eileen was thrilled as well.  She loves Indian food just as much as the rest of us do.  Well, Dad perhaps isn't fond, or says he isn't, but he just thought it was chicken and rice and he ate it. Thank you Cindy for another delicious meal!

I can go to Cindy's because I can get up and walk around without really disturbing anyone. I would not be able to do that at church.

 

(source)

The greening of the land.  The leaves are showing on the trees now and everything is taking on that green flush of Spring. Glenna's forsythia is bursting into yellow flame. All of the daffodils are blooming, along with the hyacinth, etc. The leaves are coming out on Cindy's lilacs.  I have lots of gold finches at my feeder.  Spring is springing.

Although this was the scene down in Yarmouth this weekend. A nor-easter blew through at the weekend. Thankfully all we got here in the valley was rain however. None of that white stuff. They say snow in May is supposed to be good for the skin and hair.  Happy with the skin and hair I already have thank you very much! Snow, snow, stay away from here. lol

 

(source)

I was so relieved to be told that I was getting a refund on the taxes I had paid for my last year's income rather than having to pay more. What a special blessing that was. I felt so lucky. I popped behind me to the farm market and bought a scratch card along with the bananas and ice cream Eileen and I were going to enjoy Saturday night with our Waltons. I won $20 on the scratch card also. I know gambling  . . . 

Anyways it was and is a huge relief. 

We were unable to watch the Waltons. I need to buy a DVD player.  The X-box that my son left for me won't work. It's been two years and hasn't worked properly ever, so I think I best just get a DVD player. I have DVD's for the Waltons, Little House and a few others, that are just sitting gathering dust.

 

(source)

I am still in pain with my lower back on the right hand side, but only when I try to stand up from sitting. So I stand up frequently and walk back and forth. Try not to sit for any more then ten minutes at a time. I thought it might be my kidney but then I remembered that I had an ultrasound of my kidney's not that long ago and was given a green-light there. It is probably a pinched nerve or something. It is okay when I am sitting. When I am standing. When I am laying down. It only hurts when I make the movement to stand up, and that is not as severe as it was.

I am not sure what the Doctor can do for that. I will probably just ride t through and hope that it improves.

Faith, family, friends, home. Life is good.

And with that I am going to leave you with a thought for the day. I am going to go lay down with a book for about half an hour. I have been up and down like a yoyo again. But hopefully this won't be forever!

A thought to carry with you.

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*In my friend

I find my second self.

~Isabel Norton

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Honeyed Tomato Soup with Cheddar & Onion Marmalade Panini. Delicious. I love tomato soups of any kind.

I hope that you have a lovely day today. May the sun shine down on you and may your day be filled with a multitude of small and wonderful things. 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!    

   

PS - I haven't gotten to respond to comments yet, but I hope to today.

Saturday Nice . . .

 

(source)

She gives herself in little ways of love

A kindly handclasp or a small caress

Calls gaily to you from her kitchen door,

Offers to help you make a summer dress,

Brings you a waterlily from her pool,

A little pan of cookies, hardly cool.

She visits strangers when they come to town,

And makes them welcome when they go to church,

Praises their babies . . . lends her garden tools,

Helps them when someone leaves them in the lurch,

Gives you a little pat when you are blue,

Thinks up some kindly thing to do for you.

She gives herself . . . her loving heart and soul

Reaches across the barriers of creed

To find the hidden core of loneliness

The deep unfathomed well of human need,

In whose rich depth eternal waters flow

Clean as the drifted fields of prairie snow.

She gives herself -- and in the sacrifice

Gathers her just reward beyond all price.

~Edna Jacques, My Neighbor

Roses in December, 1944

I read this poem this morning and immediately thought of my neighbor to the right of me, Zilla. She is always on the go, doing things for people.  Weeding Sheila's garden so that it looks neat and tidy for the spring.  Bringing Sheila the paper every day when she is through with it so that Sheila can read it.  At Christmas she had all of the ladies in the neighborhood over for tea and goodies one afternoon, which was so much fun. We got to know each other a tiny bit more than we did.  Every holiday she decorates the front of her house appropriately and drops off a tiny gift of baking to share. She doesn't pry or nosy in, but you know that if you ever needed anything at all, you could call on her, at any time. 

She is just a good person. A good, good person. Everyone should be blessed to have such a neighbor as that. I think one day I will get a bouquet of flowers and a thank you card and drop them off to her door just to thank her for the many kindnesses she does for others. To let her know she is seen, and appreciated.

 

(source)

My income tax man is dropping off my return this morning. Good news on that front. I am actually getting a substantial return this year. WHEW! I was quite worried I would have to pay.  Apparently I was very good at paying over and beyond what I had to over the past year. I knew my earnings were down by more than a third from the year before. But I still worried anyways. Even so I was paying 30% of them dutifully each month to the CRA just in case.  I was so relieved to get his call yesterday.  This was a real day brightener to say the least.

Now I don't need to worry about how I am going to get some plant pots for the front garden.

 

(source)

I did go out with Cindy and Dad and his friend Maryann yesterday afternoon. I got the cat food I needed and a few other little bits. On the way home we stopped at the chicken farm. They had the most delicious looking Cheese & Broccoli Quiche in the refrigerator which they had baked. Eileen and I had only been going to have wieners and beans for supper, but I thought about how much she loves quiche and broccoli and cheese, so I couldn't resist getting it for us for our supper. We dined on that plus some salad. She was so thrilled with it.  She already has plans to have another piece of it for her breakfast this morning. I love doing little things like this that bring her joy.  She was really chuffed earlier this week when I baked her that Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

She didn't end up going to that African Choir concert at the Baptist church last night.  She decided it would be too crowded and she wouldn't be able to find a place to sit and she wouldn't have anyone to sit with in any case, so she was just as happy to stay home. We were going to binge on The Waltons and have Banana Splits, but I had a funny turn so ended up in bed early. I don't know if it was a side effect from my Covid Booster or not. I felt fine once I was laying down. We will do the Waltons and Banana Splits tonight.

 

(source)

(MUSIC)

This week was the BYU Women's conference and I have been watching it on YouTube. I have really enjoyed the talks so far. Last night in bed I listened to one by Sister Runia and it was excellent. I thought you might also enjoy listening to it, so that is the link to it there. 

"The moon doesn't shine on its own. It reflects the light of the sun. And in a lot of ways, we are the same. On our own, we sometimes feel dim, afraid, not enough, even overwhelmed. But when we turn towards Jesus Christ, we begin begin to reflect his light. It reminds me of part of Mother Teresa's daily prayer. She prayed, 

"Flood my soul with your spirit and life. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that my life may only be a radiance of yours. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but only Jesus."

 Isn't that beautiful? Letting his radiance shine through you is not about being perfect or even pretending you're perfect. It means staying close to him so his light naturally shines in your life. 

It was a beautiful talk. I think you might enjoy listening to it as well so have linked it up there. The broadcast ended with a beautiful song written and sung by Kenzie Robinson entitled Heavenly Home. You can listen to it at the link up there. It is simply beautiful.  I have listened to it twice already this morning and I just know you will love it as well.

If something brings light into your life what a good thing it is to share that light with someone else.

 

(source)

Did you make May Baskets when you were a child at school. I remember making them in Elementary School. They were only simple affairs. Small paper baskets filled with colored paper flowers. We then left them on a friend or a neighbors door. It was something I really enjoyed.

"May Day baskets can have many different appearances—they're baskets, bags, or boxes filled with flowers, toys, or treats that are left anonymously for friends and neighbors on the first day of May. What makes them special is the way they're given. Traditionally, May Day baskets are taken to the recipient's house and hung on the doorknob or left on the porch in secret, a sweet, unexpected way to brighten up a neighbor's May Day." 

I don't know that many people do this anymore, but what a sweet tradition it is. I wish I had thought to do it for a few of my neighbors yesterday. That would have brightened a few days I am sure.

You can read more about this tradition here. It's history, how to make a May Basket, etc. Too late perhaps for this year, but there is always next year.

I know in the U.K. May Day is a big thing. There will be May Pole dances this weekend, etc. I remember going into London one Saturday to see Les Miserables and there were a bunch of children in one of the parks with a May Pole. It was wonderful to watch.

This is a long weekend over there.

 

(source)

Well, I know this is a short post this morning, but I am at the limit of my endurance sitting here at my computer. I have been up and down like a Yo-yo even so.  I am going to close this now.  My back is not as bad as it was a week ago, but it is still not great. I guess I will have to make an appointment with the Doctor.

I hope today to be able to catch up with some comments and emails.  

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*Always be on the lookout

for the presence of wonder

~E.B. White 

In The English Kitchen today. Lemon Pots de Creme.  Quite simply delicious.

I hope that you have a beautiful weekend filled with light and with love. Whatever you get up to be blessed. 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!    

   

Dear Neighbor . . .

 

MAY 1st, 2026

Estate Lane,

Nova Scotia

10*C/50*F

Overcast, light rain expected

Dear Neighbor,

I put up my hummingbird feeder yesterday. I noticed that one of my neighbors had theirs up and I went online to check and they have already been seen in Nova Scotia. With precious little in bloom I thought I best get it up. I had been going to put it up in early May anyways. There is not a lot of natural food out there for them to feed on at the moment.

My back feels a bit better, or am I just learning how to manage it. I am not sure which. If I don't sit still for any more than 10 minutes and choose where I sit very carefully I can cope. I walk a lot back and forth across my wee place. I have my father's indoor walker, which he never uses, and that helps as well. I am not too proud to use it indoors. Anything that helps.

 

(source)

I am quite disappointed with the man who does my taxes each year.  Yesterday was the last day for filing. I had heard from him on Monday. He had a question and called me. I had expected that yesterday he would call and say they were ready. Nothing. I sent him a message. Nothing. I heard nothing. If I owe money I will now have to pay a late filing penalty, plus interest, etc. 

I think next year I will have to try to find someone else. I have never had this problem with him. I have been using him since 2021. It has made me somewhat anxious. I even dreamt about it last night. But what can I do. He has all of my receipts, T4's, etc. Hopefully I will hear from him today.

I hate tax season. I start feeling anxious about it in January. Life would be so much easier if I didn't have to work to keep a roof over my head. I never thought that at the age of 70 this would be the case, but here I am. It is what it is.

 

(source)

Eileen has a busy day in front of her today. I have to drop her off for her Bible Study at 9 this morning.  After that she has one of her CSS visits and then tonight she is going to the Baptist church to some sort of African Choir concert. She is really looking forward to that.  I think she has seen them before. Her pastor is going to pick her up to take her.

She appears to be doing very well despite all that has happened. Everywhere we go people seem to know her and they are happy to see her. Its not hard to like her. She always has a smile on her face, and she is so polite to everyone. We should all be so happy.

My sister brought her some small diamond art keychains to do the other day. She had seen them somewhere in her travels and picked them up for her. Eileen was so pleased.  She has already finished them. I tried looking for some kits for her the last time I was out, but couldn't find any. I guess I am just not looking in the right places.  She really loves doing them. They keep her busy and distracted and she does a great job with them. I am a bit loathe to spend any money at all at the moment until I find out if I owe anything on my taxes and if so,  how much. I need to keep enough in my bank account to cover my rent, etc.

God will provide. He hasn't let me down yet.

How can it be that the calendar of the year has already turned it's pages to May.  The year is almost half over and I have hardly noticed it slipping away. It seems there has been one event after another to distract me from taking notice of the days in the way that I usually do. I was out on the porch hanging the hummingbird feeder yesterday and Glenna was out to check her mail. She popped over to say hello. She has a new calling at church. She is the secretary in the children's Sunday School now.  She will do well at that. When I first came back to Canada she was the Relief Society President. In charge of the care of the women in our small branch. I don't have a calling at the moment. I haven't had one really since Covid, not really. I have worn many hats in the church through the years

I noticed that dandelions are beginning to bloom in the yard across the way from my place. They get the most sunshine during the day.  When I was at my sister's the other day I could see the leaves of all the wild violets in her yard unfurling. She has so many . . . purple and white.  And wild thyme as well. I remember visiting mom and smelling it in the grass.  Plus lots of wild poppies. They always danced outside the window of the basement bedroom I slept in when I would come home.

I spent a lot of time with mom through the years. It was only in the last years of her life that I was unable to do so, living as far away as I did. My heart still aches at that thought. I let her down I suppose in not being here for her, probably when she needed me most of all.

 

(source)

I really don't have a lot else to write about this morning. I need to get up and walk around a bit before I wake Eileen up. It will be soon time for that and then it will be all go until I take her for her bible study class.  I am hoping to go with Cindy this afternoon when she takes Dad out with his friend Maryann.  Again, I need to get some cat food. I am not planning anything too spectacular for supper tonight. Baked beans and cornbread. Something simple like that. 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*Joy is the happiness that

doesn't depend on what happens.

In The English Kitchen today, an oldie but a goodie. Chicken Savoyarde. A chicken casserole. French Bistro style.

I hope your day is a happy one. I hope that soon I can get back to really writing to you without having to jump up every few minutes. In the mean time I am grateful you are still here and that you still visit. I feel your friendship and thank you for it.  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!