All Things Nice . . .

 

(source)

I love bright things -- a blue cup for my tea

A pottery plate bright as an orang skin,

A drinking glass with yellow tulips on,

The gaudy sparkle of a jewelled pin.

I loved a table cloth where roses bloom

Cheerful and gay as any flower bed,

Red hollyhocks beside a garden wall,

A pewter plate to hold my daily bread.

I love bright curtains draped in tiny folds

To let the gleaming bars of sunlight through,

A cushion on a chair of colored blocks,

 A tiny woven rub of turquoise blue.

I love a crimson coat gay as a flag,

A white sail poised above a quiet sea,

The royal blue of grapes . . . the sheen of silk,

Red candles shining on a Christmas tree.

I love blue lightening . . raindrops on a wire

A golden hilltop  . . planes with silver wings,

The world is beautiful and fair to me,

I have the company of lovely things.

~Edna Jacques, I Love Bright Things

Aunt Hatties Place, 1949

I, too, love the allure of bright things. Pretty things. They catch my eye and I cannot help but look and smile.  We have been given such a beautiful planet to live on, full of majestic wonders and miracles. I love to watch the nature shows and see these things up close. Funny that. When I was a child I hated television on Saturdays. It was always filled with fishing and hunting shows, nature shows. A show called The Untamed World. I felt them to be very boring. After all the excitement of Saturday morning cartoons and a film at the local Cinema in the afternoon, these shows that were on the television in the late afternoon while we waited for our supper to be done could hardly hold a candle.

But now, as an adult, I love them. Well maybe not fishing and hunting shows, but I do enjoy the nature shows. David Attenborough. Michael Palin.  . . . travel shows on YouTube. I find them all very entertaining and interesting. 

To me there is nothing more beautiful than a field of daffodils, yellow heads dancing in the gentle breeze on a sunny spring day. The sound of water trickling over the stones in a brook. The song of the blackbird delights. I love it all.

 

 

 

(source)

Today is Valentines Day. I am sure that is not news to you.  Many would argue that its a day invented by card companies to help take away your cash . . . and there are some who would say that you shouldn't need a special day of the year to show your loved ones that you love them, and that would be right on both counts, but it is a day I love all the same.   I do try to show my loved ones that I love them every day, but it's kind of nice to "celebrate" that every day love in a special way on Valentines day!  I think so at any rate.   And who doesn't like to get a card or special object of remembrance or appreciation? 

I have Eileen's gifts sitting in the place she likes to sit at on the sofa, just waiting for her to get up.  I hope that she is surprised. To make her smile and bring some light into her life is something which makes me really happy. 

We have plans to cook a special meal and bake some cookies today. We can be each other's Valentine. Perhaps we will watch a movie and have a special snack.

I love the film Forest Gump.   There are lots of memorable scenes and lines in it like . . .  Life is like a box of chocolates, etc.   But one of my favorite lines from the film is when Forest says to Jenny, "I am not a smart man, but I know what Love is."  That line always touches my heart in a special way.

You DON'T have to be smart to know what love IS, and you don't have to be smart to know what love ISN'T!

Love . . . its the one thing which we cannot thrive without, next to food and water.   Scientific experiments have shown this to be true.  Love even makes flowers bloom better, and can soften even the hardest of hearts. 

 

 

(source)

Love comes in many shapes, sizes, types . . . there is no one single kind of love.  Love is wine and roses, and yet it is much more than wine and roses.  Love is selfless, all-consuming, giving, patient, kind, long-suffering, generous in thought mind and deed, courageous . . . love does not fail, no matter when, what or how.

Love is the greatest commandment . . . which is two fold.  The first part being to love God with all your mind, heart and souls, and the second being to love others as you would love yourself.  Christ taught that on these two aspects of love, all the other commandments hung.

And indeed, if everyone in the world practiced just those two things, this very world we live in would be utterly and totally transformed.

 

Love can turn our enemies into friends. The Saviour taught us to "Pray for those that despitefully use you."  It is pretty hard not to love someone you are praying for, and in turn . . . it is very difficult not to love someone who thinks enough of you to pray for you.  Love transforms everything.  It makes the unlovable somehow loveable . . .

It's like a magic potion that changes everything in it's wake . . . 

 

(source)

February is the month of love.  There are many kinds of love. I think my days of Romantic love are long over now, but I am grateful for the opportunity I had to live and experience it.  Romantic love is fleeting for the most part and if you are one of the lucky few who has managed to keep it alive, then you are very blessed indeed. 

The Greeks had several words for love, helping them to distinguish through the different types.

• Eros: This is the type of love that is often portrayed in movies and novels. It is characterized by passion and desire, and is often associated with physical attraction. 
•  Philia: This type of love is based on friendship and mutual respect. It is often seen in long-term relationships, where the partners have a deep understanding and appreciation of each other. 
•  Storge: This is the type of love that exists between family members. It is characterized by a deep sense of affection and loyalty. 
•  Agape: This is a selfless type of love that is often associated with religious or spiritual beliefs. It is characterized by a deep sense of compassion and empathy for others. 
•  Ludus: This is a playful type of love that is often seen in the early stages of a relationship. It is characterized by a sense of fun and excitement. 
•  Pragma: This is a practical type of love that is often seen in long-term relationships. It is characterized by a sense of commitment and dedication. 
•  Philautia: This is a type of love that is directed towards oneself. It can be either healthy or unhealthy, depending on the degree of self-love. 

"Love is the very essence of life. It is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Yet it is more than the end of the rainbow. Love is the security for which children weep, the yearning of youth, the adhesive that binds marriage, the lubricant that prevents devastating friction in the home; it is the peace of old age, the sunlight of hope shining through death."
~Gordon B Hinckley

Many of us have an armchair view of what love is. We manifest a staid, comfortable boundary for our feelings, and then we sit back, comfortably . . . safely within the limits we have imposed for ourselves. We don't go to love . . . we expect it to come to us.

We may read novels, and watch movies and television programs . . . seeking for them to bring us love vicariously . . . content merely to be passive observers. We are fearful of feeling things and doing things that might make demands on us, that can get out of hand and take us out of our comfort zones.

Love is not known to thrive and grow in such an atmosphere. Real lovers do more than just seek out the comfort of love. They work hard to make it an art, which requires a continuous expanding of their senses and sharpening of their perceptions in order to keep them up with the challenges that loving, and being loved, might bring to them.

Love is like a blank canvas that awaits the stroke of an artist's brush, except that this is a painting that will and should never be finished, but always be a work in progress. As with all creative works, our vision gets clearer as we labour. The joy comes, not so much in the finishing of our masterpiece, but in the journey we took to get there.

 

 

(source)

"It is when we ask for love less, and begin giving it more, that the secret of human love is revealed to us."
~Leo Buscaglia

Love isn't in the card, the flowers and the candy that may come your way on this day. It is in the touch of a hand that you know cares every single day of the year, or a gentle smile from a warm, friendly and understanding face, a sincere word spoken in comfort and true compassion. It's in the everyday caring gestures that we should all give and be given . . . just . . . because. 

 

(source)

If only everyone in the world could learn to love unconditionally, with forgiveness in their hearts for all mankind, and acceptance. There would be no more wars, no hunger.  Children would not go to bed afraid. There would be a place for everyone to lay their head.  Everyone would be fed and clothed and cared for.  Maybe one day  . . . .  

Faith, family, home, friends . . .  I am surrounded by abundance.

I wish for each of you a beautiful Valentines Day. Be loved.  Be safe. Be happy.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

 *.˛. You are your home.

Take care of yourself.•。★★ 。* 。 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Strawberry Almond Cream Cheese Danish.  Easy to make and delicious, of course.

Have a beautiful weekend all.  I wish only the best for each of you. Don't forget! 

═══════════ghೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒgೋ═══════════ ‎

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

And I do too!

Dear Neighbor . . .

FEBRUARY 13th, 2026

Estate Lane

Middleton, Nova Scotia

-7*C/19*F

Mostly clear

rain/snow ahead

Dear Neighbor,

I think we have officially gotten to that point in Winter where we are all more than a little bit fed up by it.  Those fluffy flakes that pirouette down so beautifully from the sky have begun to lose a tiny bit of their charm. Even my heart has begun to long for the sight of green shoots and the sound of peepers in the ditch echoing through the evening air.

We can be such impatient creatures. In thinking of the fires of last summer I am reminded about how much I longed for a Winter with lots of snow and rain so that we could end the drought. I will not complain if we got exactly what we were asking for.

 

(source)

Eileen went to her Valentines Party yesterday and appears to have had a good time. She came home with a smile on her face and some Valentine cards.  Tim was there with his "friend." But she says she did not sit near them or talk to them. Instead she sat with her friend Calvin and his fiancé and she went there and back in a car with some other people. She is coping with everything quite well I think, at least outwardly. I am trying to be as supportive as I can for her, as are we all.  Our days have settled in to a bit of a routine. We laugh a lot. At ourselves. At the cats. At life's little happenings. Dwelling on the positivity of things rather than the negative. 

She has already gotten a phone call from her Doctor's office about her blood tests. She is dangerously low in Iron.  They are arranging a CT scan, a stool test and Iron infusions for her. I am not sure when these things will be happening, but I expect soon. I really hope that there is nothing untoward going on and am praying that all will be well.  I, myself, have struggled with anemia my whole life off and on. It's no fun.

 

(source)

Late yesterday afternoon our next door neighbor on the right, Zilla, knocked on the door and she had a little plate of Valentine Cupcakes for us to share. That was such a thoughtful gesture. I have been blessed with very good neighbors. Caring and thoughtful. We all get along well. It has been no hardship living here. Good neighbors make all the difference in the world.

The other day a fella was going around trying to get new customers for an internet company. I took so long to answer the door that he went away. I was not sorry. This same man had been around in the autumn selling the same thing. I am not interested in changing my provider. I am one of those people who likes to stay with what I know works, and I really dislike pressure sales. I feel sorry for those who need to earn their income through door to door sales, but I really am quite content with all that I have now and am not comfortable being pressured to change what I already know works, and works well.

Anyways.  Valentine Cupcakes are a lovely gesture on the part of a caring neighbor.  A silver lining in our day. They were little mini ones. I confess, we each ate two while we were watching television last night. Naughty us.

 

 

(source)

I seem to have pinched a nerve in my left buttocks last night while I was sleeping. I do not know how that happens when one lives and sleeps alone but there you go. I woke up to go to the loo around midnight and it was already pinched. I found myself wincing through the bedroom to the bathroom.  I had hoped it would go off the same way it came on through the night, but it is still there this morning. However does one pinch a nerve in their left buttocks without doing anything but sleep on it? It boggles the mind.

I would so love to be able to soak in a hot bath this morning, but alas, I fear I would not be able to lower myself into the tub nor lift myself out and I do not have a plug for my tub anyways. I used to love long soaks in hot baths. Especially with a good book in tow.

 

(source)

Today is Friday the 13th. I am not a superstitious person, or at least I try not to be. I tried to look up the origins of how this superstition about Friday the 13th being unlucky began, but there were far too many reasons for it's beginning. And, as I said, I am not superstitious.  The number 13 has always been lucky for me. I was born on the 13th, how much luckier could you get!! I love the number 13.

Eileen has a busy day ahead of her today.  She has her bible study this morning and then she is walking from the church to Tim Hortons and waiting with some friends until she gets a drive to the community college for a People's First meeting at around one. I am not sure how long those last but someone will drive her back here to home when it is done.

I am going to cook something with cauliflower while she is out. She and I both love cauliflower. We also happen to both love cheese, so no doubt whatever it is I cook will contain both ingredients. But you never know. I could surprise even myself.

 

(source)

My new health card came in the mail yesterday. Somehow with all of my medical appointments over the past few weeks I managed to lose mine. I don't know where. I have finally gotten my new one though and for that I am grateful. I did have to pay a $10 to get it replaced, but I didn't mind. It is like the magic key card that gets you into all of your medical appointments, and something you really need to must have. I kind of think that I left it at the lab when I had to drop of my last urine specimen as that is the last time I remember having it. It was not until I went in for the last procedure at the hospital that I noticed it missing. I called to have it replaced the next day and to be honest it really didn't take them very long to issue a replacement for it. I am impressed.

I also got this cat toy in the mail yesterday. It is a ball with a long tail. Supposedly it acts like a mouse and they will "revel" in chasing it all over the house as it mimics prey for them to hunt. We will see how that goes. I have had it charging all night and the light on it is still red. I will have to read up about it. 

Reading instructions for use of anything is not my strong suit. I am a person who learns much more by doing than by reading. I am not sure what that says about me, but it is what it is and I am who I am.

 

(source)

We have been really enjoying that Everwood series. I love these series about these small towns, like the Gilmore Girls. Small towns where everyone knows everyone else for the most part and they celebrate every holiday with gusto.  I wonder do such small towns really exist? I live in a very small town and I am sure that they do celebrate things, but they are not really very good at promoting them because I rarely, if ever, hear about them until after the fact. But then I am not very social so I don't keep abreast of what is happening . . . anywhere. Had I children going to school and were I a Tim Horton's junkie, I would probably know a lot more. Those two hubs seem to be where most people get their information.

Do you remember way back when that they used to have community newspapers?  I remember our mother getting one and there would be news updates in each one about the going's on of each community. 

"Mr. and Mrs. Smith were visited this past week by long lost relatives from the village of Timbuctoo. All were received and honored with a special reception in their favor at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Doe, where a lunch of homemade sandwiches and lemonade were served."

Everything that happened was duly noted with names and dates and various personal details. They were like the jungle drums and heart beat of each community.  We used to love reading them.

Things change I guess.  They call it progress.

 But something has been lost along the way.  I call that heart.

 

 

(source)

All things being well next Friday I should be having this stent removed. I am a  bit nervous about that. I will not be put to sleep but frozen for that. I am not sure how they freeze you for that so that is what is making me nervous I guess. The unknown.  I can tell you I won't be sorry to have this all over with and I hope I don't have to repeat it again. Not for a very long time . . .  if ever. It has been a most uncomfortable state of affairs. I am so longing for what is considered to be normalcy in my life. This has not been much fun I have to admit.

I am afraid to be over-hopeful about things getting back to normal, just in case I am disappointed again, but secretly I am longing for it with all of my heart. I will never again take for granted the mundanity of my days. All of this extra excitement is highly over-rated. Give me normal any day of the week!

And with that I will return you to your regular programming with 

a thought to carry with you through your day  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*The purpose of a relationship is not

to have another who might complete you,

but to have another with whom you

might share your completeness.

~Neal Donald Walsch • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 

• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 

I did end up baking a cake the other day. A Moist and Delicious Chocolate Bundt Cake.  We are both very pleased with it. It is almost too dangerous to have around!

I hope you have a beautiful Friday. May your day be filled with light and love. May I figure out how to use this latest cat toy.  May none of us forget that . . . 

═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═══════════ 

⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════  

And I do too!    

   

 

My Favorite Things . . .

 

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens . . . these are some of the things in life that I enjoy, and which make me happy, inspire me, or put a smile on my face. Maybe some of them are yours too.  Let's share!

 

(source)

A vintage style kitchen. Love the colors.

 

(source)

 

Vintage 1950's Tipp City Milk Glass Range Shakers. Love. Love.

 

(source)

Pretty ceramic spoons   . . . 

 

(source)

Embroidered bed linens  . . .

 

(source)

Greengate  . . .  I love their fabrics and designs . . . 

 

(source)

Look Boo Boo, a picnic basket!  I love picnic baskets and this one is especially pretty.

 

(source)

Pretty napkins  . . . 

 

(source)

Vintage aprons  . . . 

 

(source)

Peter Rabbit  . . . 

 

(source)

Jam jars wearing pretty caps . . . 

 

(source)

Apples  . . . 

 

(source)

Pears  . . . 

 

(source)

Moomin  . . . 

 

(source)

Little cardboard houses  . . . 

 

(source)

A suitcase filled with cuteness . . . 

 

(source)

A tree house . . . 

 

(Source)

Tea Cup flower pots  . . . 

 

(source)

Blue and white anything  . . . 

And those are my favorite thing for this week. I hope that some of them were also yours!

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*I am grateful for being alive today.

It is my joy ad pleasure to live

another wonderful day.

~Louise Hay  • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 。

• ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Cheese, Spring Onion & Bacon Scones.  A delicious update of an old favorite. These go wonderfully with soups, stews, salads or even on their own with some butter and chili jam.

Happy Thursday all. We got quite a bit of snow yesterday, but Eileen was still able to get out for her blood tests, which was good. She is off today to a Valentines party with her CSS people.  I really hope she has a good time.  I hope you have a beautiful day also! Don't forget!

═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═════════════ 

⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ════════════  

And I do too!