A Daybook . . .

 

FOR TODAY, October 21st. 2025

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...

The leaves are mostly down now. It's still dark outside, so I am showing you a photo I took last year of the magnificent colors of the leaves down the street that runs adjacent to the street I live on. They are always so pretty and when you get to the end of it they are even prettier because that is where the North Mountain begins. rolling hillsides and even more color. I live in such a beautiful place.

 

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I'VE BEEN THINKING ...

A friend had sent me a link to a video on YouTube a number of days back and I finally got around to watching it yesterday. When Your Children Break Your Heart, the Homespun Wife. While our situations are completely different, some of the advice this woman gives was quite good. My two estranged children are not drug addicts or mentally ill. They are quite intelligent, successful adults with good jobs and families, but they are Gods children. They were Gods children before He gave them to me, and it is time to just hand them back to God and stop fretting about them or allowing their bad behavior (and it is bad behavior) to affect me so negatively.  There is probably nothing I will ever be able to do to change this situation. It's on them. It does me no good to keep dwelling on it and wondering what I might have done differently.  This is on them. 

 

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I AM ALSO THINKING ...

It's time to go up to Pelton's again and get some eggs. Cindy's neighbor across the way has chickens and he gave them some eggs. She says they are very small. Young hens. I guess they are going to start selling their eggs.  I like the ones we get at Peltons.  Plus I like the chicken they sell also.

IN THE KITCHEN ...

A Classic Monte Cristo sandwich. I made this last week with some of the leftover ham from my roast dinner. Ham, cheese, mayo, mustard, dipped in egg and pan grilled. Served hot, dusted with a bit of sugar and with some strawberry jam for dipping.  This was delicious. 

ON MY "TO COOK" LIST ...

Nonnettes. French Gingerbread Cakes.  The Daring Gourmet. These have been on my radar for quite a while now. Maybe it's about time I baked them.

 

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THIS I BELIEVE ...

If we cannot value ourselves, how on earth do we expect anyone else to?

 

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SOMETHING THAT IS NICE ...

Hot Buttered Toast and Jam. I like strawberry jam most of all.

 

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SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS NICE ...

Homemade Pumpkin Pie. Funny, I didn't really like it when I was a child, but I do like it now. Especially cold from the refrigerator with a nice dollop of real whipped cream on top.

I AM WANTING TO CREATE ...

 

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A needle-felted squirrel . . .  so cute.

 

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A little rabbit. His crocheted radish is so cute.

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Awww . . .  that carrot hat. So cute.

 

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Needle-felted hens  . . . 

 

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Needle-felted pigs. Seriously sweet.

I was starting to teach myself how to needlefelt in the U.K. but had to leave all of my supplies behind. 

SOMETHING I ENJOY ...

 

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Miniatures.  I have always loved tiny worlds.

SOMETHING ELSE THAT I ENJOY ...

 

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Rocking chairs  . . . 

OH MY GOODNESS ...

 

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Little sleeping hazelnut mice. So cute.

I AM READING ...

LIFE'S LESSONS LEARNED, BY Dallin H Oaks 

President Dallin H. Oaks shares personal reflections in this riveting new book, recounting experiences that helped shape his life and pointing out the lessons he has learned. The book is divided chronologically into three major sections: childhood and youth, his years as BYU president and a justice of the Utah Supreme Court, and his service in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Elder Oaks speaks in a warm and candid way about such poignant experiences as being raised by a widowed mother, losing his wife to cancer, and making the transition to full-time Church service as a General Authority. The conclusions he draws illuminate major principles of the gospel in a universal and meaningful way.

I am about halfway through the book and am getting a lot out of it.

SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS ...

Why did I let myself buy these?? They are so dang good!

THINGS THAT CATCH MY FANCY ...

 

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Log cabins  . . .  always wanted one.

 

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Matching coordinated throw cushions  . . . 

 

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Transferware  . . . 

 

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Eyelet lace  . . .  ahh to be young and thin  . . . 

 

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A blue kitchen  . . . 

 

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I AM GRATEFUL FOR ...

A faith that keeps me anchored and secure.

 

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MAKES ME SMILE ...

Everything about this makes me smile.

SOMETHING TO WATCH ...

Love Life on Netflix. I like Anna Kendrick.

A THOUGHT TO CARRY WITH YOU ...

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*Happiness often sneaks through
a door you didn't know you had open.

~John Barrymore  • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 。

• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 。 

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

  ⋱ ⋮ ⋰

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

  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆ 

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

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Have a beautiful day!  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!    

   

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 had to go to Kentville very early yesterday morning to have a CT scan. Cindy went with me. I picked her up about 7:40 and off we went.  It was an easy drive. There was not a lot of traffic on the roads that time of day.  The colors of the leaves were still pretty lovely although a lot of the reds are down on the ground now.  We had a safe trip there and back again.  

I was pretty tired though, as I had only slept for about 2 hours Saturday night. I wish I was not like that. I wish that when I have something important to do in the morning I could sleep alright. Nope. Never. I always spend the night tossing and turning. And literally nothing helps.  My stupid brain will not shut down.

But  . . .  two hours sleep is better than no sleep at all.

 

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I am grateful for a sister who is willing to go and do these things with me. I love her so much. I wish that I could do even half for her what she does for me. It's impossible.

 

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Mother nature and the gifts she bestows upon us every day of every month of every year.  I am grateful for a heart that often slows down to drink it in.  For eyes that notice. For ears that hear.

Lately she has been spending lots of time close to me. If I sit down, she usually lays down quite near to me. Usually on the back of the sofa near my head, but yesterday it was next to me on the blanket that Nutmeg enjoys so much.  At once point I had them both there.  It was nice.

They are great company.

 

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Needless to say I did not get to church yesterday.  I spent most of the day trying to stay awake long enough that I could go to bed and get a good night's sleep last night.  I probably dozed through more television than I have ever wanted to doze through. But I listened to the Choir at Temple Square for a while and watched some of the other vlogs that I enjoy watching. I did try to have a nap at one point, but to no avail.

But I was able to relax.  And that was a good thing.

 

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My friend Tina facetimed me yesterday for a bit. We only ever talk for about half an hour, but we do it often and it is nice. I think we probably talk about once a week.  I always love hearing from her. She was a very good friend to me in the U.K. and has been a great friend to me since I returned to Canada.  She is just a good friend, full stop.  Good friends are one of life's greatest treasures.

 

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People these days are so inventive and are so very good at sharing.  From Monique's paint people to Paula's homemade cards, to another friend's doll houses, another's cupcakes.  Upside-down bakes, cozy cottages, etc. There are just so many talented people out there with beautiful vision, and they all so very generously share the beautiful things that they have created with the world. It cheers my heart. We are so blessed to be able to see these things.

 

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Good books to read, good music to listen to, good shows to watch, good people to pay attention to.  Faith, family, friends, home. My life is full. I am blessed.  And I know it.

More rain in the forecast for this week. The fires are all under control.

All is well.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*Style is a way to say who you are

without having to speak.

~Rachel Zoe • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 

• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 

In the Kitchen today . . .  Baked Bean Pie.  My but this was some good. Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way.

I have to take my car for its safety this afternoon. Hopefully all will be well. I want to keep this car going for as long as I can. I cannot afford to get another one.  In any case, I will deal with whatever!  I usually do!  

I hope you all have a wonderful day filled with lots of small and wonderful blessings.  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!    

   

Saturday Nice . . .

 

(source)

A South wind brought the smell of country things,

New furrows in the sun and gaudy wings,

Lilies and buttercups beside a pool,

Green pastures growing where the earth is cool.

The West wind brought the salt of stormy seas,

It blew against my face and in the trees,

Made little sounds like children in their sleep,

Bringing to us the stirrings of the deep.

The North wind hissed above the frozen snow,

Bringing vast silence, Northern lights aglow;

Long bitter wastes where stillness reigns complete,

Mocking the little noises of our street.

The East wind brought us fog and gusts of rain,

Beating like hands upon the windowpane,

Grey mists and sodden streets and dripping caves,

Bedraggled flowers in their sheltering leaves.

And when October gales blow cold and high,

We shut the door and let the wind go by;

And turned our backs and pulled the shutters tight,

Glad of warm rooms and shelter from the night.

~Edna Jacques, Winds

Beside Still Waters, 1952

I have always loved the wind. All kinds of wind.  Gentle breezes that tease your hair, and raging winds that take your breath away. To me they are the evidence of the presence of a power that is much higher than you or I.  I think of the Disciples out in a boat on the raging seas calling out to their sleeping Master, saying "Carest thou not that we perish?" And his response to the wind . . . "Peace. Be Still."

And the wind obeys. Even the wind obeys. It stills and the Disciples look at each other and wonder, what manner of man is this that even the winds obey Him . . . 

I woke up this morning with the hymn running through my mind, Master the Tempest is Raging. And I have been thinking about the many times in my life that the Master has calmed the tempests in my life.  

Master, the terror is over, 

The elements sweetly rest; 

Earth’s sun in the calm lake is mirrored, 

And heaven’s within my breast; 

Linger, O blessed Redeemer! 

Leave me alone no more; 

And with joy I shall make the blest harbor, 

And rest on the blissful shore.

No, when asked how I know He is real. I just point to my life and the tempests He has served to calm. How can I deny it.  I cannot. He is the strength that carries and calms me and in doing so . . .  blesses me.

 

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"In the morning when I arose the mists were hanging over the opposite hills, and the tops of the highest hills were covered with snow. There was a most lively combination at the head of the vale of the yellow autumnal hills wrapped in sunshine, and overhung with partial mists, the green and yellow trees, and the distant snow-capped mountains. It was a most heavenly morning." 

~Dorothy Wordsworth, Friday 10 October, 1809

Sister to the great poet William Wordsworth, a poet and diarist in her own right. I can picture the very spot I believe that she was writing about. I was lucky enough to visit Dove Cottage on the edge of Grasmere in the Lake District. The two of them spent much of their lives living and writing in the Lake District in various abodes.

Dorothy kept a remarkable journal during the family's years at Dove Cottage. The journal was published in 1897 as The Grasmere Journal, providing intimate details of the family's daily life and of their visitors. Wordsworth often took poetic inspiration from his sister Dorothy's journal. An entry in her journal from 1802, remarking upon daffodils near Ullswater, was the inspiration for his poem "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" in 1804.

I felt greatly inspired walking through the rooms of this cottage, which was not really all that big.  Wordsworth moved into it with his Sister Dorothy in 1799. They were later joined by Wordsworth's wife and her sister when they married and then three children quickly followed. I wondered at how they all coped living in a home which was really not very large.  But  . . .  I could easily see how it was very inspiring to their writing. Built almost into the hillside on one side of the lake, you could see quite well over to the other side and I just felt in reading this excerpt from her diary this morning, this might have been the view she was describing. 

Oh, how wonderful it is that I have had such an opportunity as to walk the ways of some of the great poets.

 

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I was reading yesterday on Diane Schiffer's IG page how she accidentally ordered too many flowers with her grocery order.  She often does this . . .  orders too many flowers and then is scrambling to find spots for them in her home.  I think perhaps it is not really an accident.  Perhaps.  But how wonderful to be able to fill your home with blooms. 

I do so love flowers. I have fake flowers. They never grow old, or fade, or droop, or die. But constantly delight me, day after day, week after week, year after year.  I have a huge potted fake red geranium and two smaller ones, and I have a vase of very realistic looking poppies which sits on my dining room table. It is only when you get really close to them that you realize that they are not real.  Or at least that is what I think anyways. They seem real enough to me.  And they delight me every bit as much as real ones would.

 

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Little bits of Christmas are creeping into the shops, by stealth . . .  but I am not ready to let go of October just yet. I am enjoying it far too much. The sights of rows of pumpkins and squash. Corn stalks, yellow and drying in the fields.  Baskets of apples with their heady scent.

Ghosties and ghouls hanging from branches, drifting back and forth in the wind as the leaves laying beneath the trees dance their October reels.

It just brings me so much joy.  There will be plenty of time for Christmas when November makes its startling debut, but in the meantime  . . .  pumpkins and squash, ambers and golds . . .  they are bringing me far too much joy.

 

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November has never been a month that has brought much joy into my life. Grey and dismal for many years it only reminded me of my second husband's drunken escapades and the heartache they caused. Remembrance Day was never a day for me to remember the fallen dead, but only a day to dread what was coming at the end of his military parade. Too many days I lived in fear, I thought to change that with the last husband, by getting married on that day.  Replacing a day rifled with sorrow with something sweet and for a time it was, but now it is only a nasty reminder of something horrible. 

On the 6th of November it will be five years since I landed back in Canada and made a new beginning. Perhaps that should be a day of celebration for me. A day when I can replace all of the nasty memories with something sweet. Not everyone is blessed to be able to have such a new beginning and to be able to wipe the slate clean and start as fresh as I did.  I look around me now and can see how very clearly, I have been blessed. 

Maybe I should throw caution to the wind and throw a party.  It should be a celebration of fresh starts and new beginnings.  And there will be cake.

 

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Me, bounding into the future with joy and abandon.

No more tears.

 

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I love Herdwick Sheep. They always look like they are smiling and they have very loving, friendly, and cheerful dispositions.  The fact that they have wool growing on their faces rather than hair makes them look almost as if they are smiling, very teddy bearish. 

I remember seeing a whole flock of black sheep once. It was outside Chirk Castle in Wales.  We were with Peter and Audry Lee on one of our walks. I thought it was pretty amazing to see one black sheep, let alone a whole flock of them. 

I just looked out my window and look what God has blessed me with this morning. A rainbow!  Harbinger of fresh starts and new beginnings!  What a beautiful sign!  Grace. I know it was meant just for me.  It's gone now. I had only a short opportunity to see it and I did.  What a blessing.

I have always loved rainbows. People spend their lives looking for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  I am living in the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  Beauty that appears at the end of the storm.

I mean . . . what more proof do I need?  God is real and He is mindful of me. And I am mindful of Him. He sees me and I see Him. I am on the right path.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day  . . . 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*The bad news is time flies.

The good news is, you're the pilot.

• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 。

(From my calendar this  morning.)

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Two Big Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Oh boy. These are amazing. The recipe makes only two bread and butter plate sized cookies and they are fabulously, dangerously delicious!

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for spending some of it here with me this morning.  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 . . .

 

(source)

 

FRIDAY, October 17, 2025
Estate Lane, Nova Scotia
10*C/49*F
Mostly cloudy 

Dear Neighbor,

It's a bit warmer this morning, but the temperatures are not supposed to get much higher today than what they are now. We had some glorious rain from Wednesday night and off and on through the day yesterday. My grass is actually starting to look a tiny bit green again. It has been brown and dry all summer and in fact, they have not had to mow it at all. I am sure that those in the lawn care business have been hurting this summer as nobody had really needed them.

 

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Pumpkins and Halloween decorations are starting to go up all over the place.  Dan has all of his up. A few on the street have jack-o-lanterns in place. I have not bothered yet. Decorating for Halloween is not something I have ever really done much of to be honest. It's never really been up there on my list of things to do.  

Some people get really inventive with their Halloween decorations. I can remember when I was a child and out trick-or-treating there would be the odd house that went all out with spooky lights and music, etc.  We would think that was pretty cool.  Some houses would make you tell a joke or some such in exchange for your Halloween treats. I was not a fan.

My friend Kathy was relating on FB yesterday how one year she had run out of candy and had started tossing in little packets of jam. (You didn't want to run out of candy for fear that you would have your windows soaped or egged.) Someone had given them some cartons of tiny restaurant packets of jam. The next day my husband had remarked to her about some idiot giving the kids jam, not realizing that it was her. (We had a good laugh about that yesterday!)

I remember when we moved to Meaford, we lived in an area of town where there were mostly Senior Citizens. My kids got some pretty weird stuff that year. The Seniors were not used to kids trick-or-treating at their doors and so were tossing in cans of soup and sodas, etc. They had probably never had kids come to their doors in years. 

This year I am not handing out chocolate bars or bags of chips. (Considered the mother-lode when I was growing up.)  I have candy eyeballs, bones, etc. Something different. I hope I don't regret it.

 

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Mom used to love it when our cousins would bring their little ones over to her place on Halloween. She always made sure that she had a special treat for them.  It meant a lot to her that they would stop by.  These were my mother's younger sister's kids and grandchildren. They always enjoyed a close relationship with mom and with us. Her older sister's kids not so much, although mom was very good to them also through the years. They never even came to mom's funeral, I guess. One of them said that they didn't consider mom to be family. I admit that statement has rankled with us ever since we heard it. Especially knowing how kind mom had been to them through the years. I know we are supposed to forgive others and I do, but I have a difficult time understanding how family members can treat each other that way.

But then again, knowing the way that some of mine are to me, I should really not be surprised.

Remember when we would get apples and paper bags of popcorn in our Trick-or-treat bags?  Or little bags of home baked goodies?  Or even popcorn balls! (What a treat!) Such things do not happen anymore. As a child I was not so fond of the apples, but I did like the popcorn, especially the way that it smelled. And popcorn balls! Well, those were like gold dust.

 

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I was reading this morning that Diane Keaton passed away from Pneumonia. I have had my pneumonia shot. I have also had the RSV shot. I had to pay for that one and it was quite dear. Worth every penny however. I have not had my flu shot yet this year. I am not sure if they are giving them out yet or not. I must check into that.  I know they don't seem to be giving out many Covid shots anymore either, and it's become next to impossible to get Covid testing kits.

I was thinking in the shower this morning about how expensive prescriptions are. In the U.K. once you reach 60 you get your prescriptions for free. Along with free eye care and dental. Housing benefit, a free bus pass, etc. It is the same in the Scandanavian countries. If they can do it, why can't Canada?  I, personally, know people who don't get prescriptions they need because they cannot afford them. I know there is Pharmacare Insurance for Seniors here, but I pay a premium of over $400 for that each year. It isn't cheap. Also, there is one of my prescriptions (the one I take for GERD) that is not covered at all, and I have to pay full whack for it each time, which is well over $100.  My iron tablets were over $100 last time I had to get them. 

Still, it is better than in some countries, so I guess I shouldn't complain.

 

(source)

A bit of mail has started to get through. I got two catalogues yesterday from this online fabric shop I often get fabric from.  Nice catalogues, but the sales in them were expired.  I love quilting fabrics. I love looking through the catalogues. I haven't bought fabric in a while now, however. I haven't used up the fabric I already have so there is no point in me buying more.

I was watching Olesya and House on YouTube yesterday and she was making some table and cushion covers. She has the nicest gingham fabrics that she uses.  She has a red one, and then a pewter one and yesterday it was a bright yellow. She color coordinates everything to match in her house.  The kitchen curtains and table runners, placemats, cushion covers, etc. She changes them with the seasons. It's so pretty.

I bought fabric last year to make cushion covers for the throw pillows on my sofa.  I still have not made them. No excuse really.  Lack of motivation on my part I suppose.

 

(source)

We went out to supper with our father on Wednesday night this week. They had a special on, Two-Piece Fish and Chips for what was essentially only $1 more than the One-Piece Fish and Chips dinner. We had fish and chips all around the table.  I was expecting them to be smaller pieces of fish, but they were actually quite large. I could not eat all of mine. I ate one of the pieces of fish and some of the chips.  Dad managed to polish off all of his. I was surprised. I got a take-out container to bring home what I couldn't eat and brought it next door to Sheilagh.  She never gets out to eat, and I thought she would enjoy it. (There was nothing wrong with any of it.)  She was really pleased with it.

Almost everyone in the restaurant was ordering the fish and chips. I noticed the next day that all of my clothes and even my jacket smelled like fish and chips. I had to wash it all. I like fish and chips, but I don't want my clothes or jacket smelling like it, lol. I expect the waitresses all had to take showers after work on Wednesday!

I can remember that one of the apartments I lived in when I was married the first time was over top of a small cafe.  Our apartment often smelled like Chips/French Fries.  I did not think it such a bad thing at the time, but now that I am a mature person, I would not like that one bit. I can remember back then thinking also that I would have loved to be able to decorate my home like a Chinese Restaurant with black lacquer furniture and red lanterns and screens.

It makes me laugh now to think of it.

 

(source)

I would love to do a journal page in my art journal of toadstools and mushrooms. I do not take enough time to do my art. I take no time at all. There was a time, before I left the UK, that I spent every afternoon doing art or crafting of some sort.  I had a hard time getting back into it after mom died. I don't know why. I lost a bit of my mojo, and then with what happened with my husband, I really lost my mojo.  I have had a very difficult time getting into it ever since. I do sit down and journal from time to time. I did an hour or so of journaling yesterday, and I felt good afterwards. I need to allow myself more time to do things like this  . . .  to feed my creative side.  All work and no play is not a good thing.

I did have a bit of a nap yesterday as well. I sat back in my easy-boy chair and listened to the Rosary for half an hour with my eyes closed. I know, I am not a catholic, but I find listening to it very relaxing. Meditative.

 

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 It is still very dark when I get up in the mornings now and gets dark quite early in the evenings as well. The clocks are changing later this year, in November.  I know it is a gradual change, but you never notice it sneaking up on you until BANG, all of a sudden it happens and you cannot ignore it any longer.  The days become noticeably shorter. And if it is a rainy day, like it was yesterday, you need to put your lights on earlier and earlier.

I do not mind the drawing in of the nights too much. For some reason it somehow seems odd to be going to bed in daylight.  I cannot imagine what it is like to live somewhere that it stays light for half of the year and dark for the other half . . .  the Polar night. 

The year we went to the Scottish Highlands I noticed that it was still light out, albeit dusky, at 11 P.M. 

That was such a wonderful trip. Scotland was a place I had always wanted to visit.  That was right around the time the problem started with my left knee however and I wasn't able to do as many walks as I would have liked to do. I remember tripping over a box a few months prior to the trip and to be honest my knee has never been normal since.  If it wasn't for that left knee I would not have near as bad a mobility problem as I have. It is close to crippling most days.  You tell yourself that you are just going to make yourself walk through the pain, but in the end, you cannot. It just hurts too much.

 

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I might make some turnip lanterns this year. I did some a few years ago and they were not that hard to do. I used a melon baller to scoop out the turnips, and it worked well. They are much smaller and a lot easier to carry into the house than big pumpkins.  I think they are just as creepy looking don't you? Very ghoulish indeed!

I was watching Kirsten and Joerg yesterday and their latest weekend away in the Lake District.  The long walks they took, etc. brought back some lovely memories of the times I spent there myself. Such a beautiful part of the country with the rolling hills and stone walls, the Herdwick sheep in the fields, glassy lakes and woodlands.  So much history there as well with many of the Romantic poets having lived in that area and the Dales. 

It is a landscape that evokes deep feelings in the soul.  It speaks to the heart in a beautiful way. That is probably why it is such a popular destination.  Steeped in history and superstition. A land of legends and folklore. I am not surprised that Beatrix Potter loved living there so much. 

 

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The lawn is the leaves dancing floor. I like to stand leaning over the wall above watching them. The wind is their music and impulse; it is billowing the trees with half a gale. There are leaves from the creeper on the house, scarlet like soldiers, and green leaves, fresh as summer from the lime. Away they go, and even the dowager leaves of sober brown and silver grey awake and scamper after them in a gallopade. Then the gust dies, and they stand in groups stirring as in conversation. The wind swoops again; some run to the middle and the rest form a wide circle and revolve around them.

~Adrian Bell

This was me the other day, sitting in my chair by my front window and watching the leaves dance around. My soul was delighted at the sight of them. Some up and onto the deck, dancing right in front of the window glass and my eyes. It was such a treat to see them twirling about in their tattered golden gowns. 

My sister's neighbor Albert was out raking them in his beekeepers suit the other morning when I went over to her place to pick her up for my foot appointment. He had a huge pile of russet and gold that he was adding to, sweep by sweep of his rake. It was a pretty picture. I am so grateful for a heart that notices these things and gathers them in.

I have not a lot planned for the day. I will do a bit of work and hopefully a bit of play. My cushion covers are really playing on my mind. I need to just buckle down and do them, and a few other things I have been wanting to do as well.  It's like I tell myself every night when I go to bed . . .  who says I have to go to sleep at a certain time each night, or get up at a certain time each morning. There is nobody standing over me with a whip making me do anything. I am free to do anything, anytime . . . and at my own bidding. I am a slave to habit and routine. Perhaps I should shake things up every now and then.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*Go not to the elves for counsel,

for they will say both no and yes.

~J. R. Tolkien  • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。

• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Crispy Parmesan Chicken, tender and juicy with a delightfully crisp and flavor filled coating. I have also shared a recipe for a really great Caesar dressing that is quick and easy to make.

I wish for you a Friday filled with joy and color. Be happy.  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!