Saturday Nice . . .

 

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The hills of home are little hills,

But oh I love them so;

The purple tinted sweep of them

Against the evening's glow,

The way a tall tree bows its head

Like an old man when prayers are said.

The stony pastures climbing up

Against the mountain's base,

Whose dear familiar lines are known

Like a beloved face;

An old rail fence whose corners hold

Wild asters bright as guinea gold.

For elm and ask and stunted oak

Grow on these hills of mine,

Butternut trees and hickory

And clumps of knotty pine;

Wild apples in an old ravine,

A white birch like a virgin queen.

O silent hills I lift my eyes

To drink deep of your strength,

The comfort of enduring things,

Peace for the journey's length,

From petty cares and daily ills,

I lift mine eyes unto the hills.

Finding in them a sweet release,

A zone of comfort, joy and peace.

~Edna Jacques, The Hills of Home

Hills of Home, 1952

The above is a photograph taken several years ago by a friend on Facebook of a spot on the 101 just past Avonport here in the Annapolis Valley. This is the exact point that anyone who has lived in this beautiful valley I am from feels like they are finally home after having been away for a time.  You hit this particular spot and all of a sudden  . . .  you are home. Your heart just fills with joy. It is hard to put into words. The beauty of this place we come from just hits like a hammer. It almost takes your breath away. I can think of many times that this view of the hills of home and the valley has brought a tear to my eye. I may be an hour and some from my final destination but I am home. At last.

When this photo was first posted on Facebook, it garnered all sorts of comments from people who felt exactly the same way when they come to this particular spot on the highway.  It has been touching hearts forever it seems and probably always will.  It doesn't matter how far away we've roamed, this is the point where we Valley people all feel Home . . .  Sweet . . .  Home.

 

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I was talking to Sheila on the telephone yesterday. She is down in Digby at rehab. She seemed to be in very high spirits and it sounds like she is doing very well. She is walking daily to the dining room for her meals, etc. It all sounds very promising so that is good news.  She is anxious to get home to her little Bailey. She worries that he will have forgotten her, but I assured her that doggies never forget their owners and he will be as happy as punch to see her when he does.

I noticed earlier this week that they put her old easy chair that she sat in every day out for garbage pickup. I suspect they are buying her a new chair in anticipation of her return home, but I cannot say for sure.

 

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Eileen is looking forward to coming over later today for her sleepover. She had her hearing test, etc. yesterday. The Doctor told her that her earaches are because of a condition called Temporomandibular Disorder or TMD and that it goes along with anxiety.

"Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) refers to a group of conditions affecting the jaw muscles, temporomandibular joints (TMJ), and associated nerves, often resulting in pain and dysfunction."

Its associated with jaw clenching, teeth grinding, etc. Also injury or osteo arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

I have had this condition for years and years and years. I cannot remember not having it. I cannot open my mouth very far without the joint clicking out of place. It got worse after the last procedure I had for my kidney stones. I think that was caused from the intubation. Anyways, it is just something I have learned to live with. Nobody ever offered me any alternative.

She also needs hearing aids. Hopefully the program that she belongs to will pay for them as I am sure that she doesn't have the finances to do so, and neither do I.

I know they are paying for her Sleep Apnea machine which she should be receiving soon.

Anyways, she is looking forward to coming over this afternoon. I am going to cook that recipe I shared the other day for Chuckwagon Beef & Pasta. I think she will really like that. I will give her the leftovers to bring home with her when I take her back on Sunday.  I am not sure what movie we will watch tonight. I was thinking she might enjoy the Three Lives of Thomasina. That was a movie that I loved as a child, and it's nice and has a happy ending. I like happy endings.

 

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I enjoyed my time out with Cindy yesterday afternoon. I am so grateful to have this sister of mine.  We need to have an art day to play soon I think. We have not done one of those in a while. 

The traffic was crazy busy in Greenwood. It's the weekend of the annual RibFest.  

"The Valley Wide Ribfest in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, is a popular summer event that will take place from July 25 to July 27, 2025. The festival features mouthwatering ribs, live music, craft beer, and family-friendly activities. Attendees can enjoy professional rib competitions, a craft beer tent, and a fun kids' zone. Admission is free, making it a great opportunity to enjoy the festivities with friends and family."

Cars were parked all up and down along the road running past the location where it is being held. I was looking at some of the prices of the food on offer and it wasn't cheap. Smelled good though. This is a great activity for young folk and families, and is obviously very well attended.  They did not have things like this when I was growing up here. There would be Armed Forces Day in July where the base would be open for people to go and visit everything, tour the planes, etc. along with an airshow but that was pretty much it as I can recall.  Oh, the Kingston Steer BBQ and Heart of the Valley Days.  It has been many years since I attended any of those things. I believe it was Heart of the Valley Days last weekend. (Here in town.) It was not very well promoted I have to say.  I knew something was going on because of all the cars outside the McDonald Museum in town, but I had no idea of what it was.

They don't really seem to promote these things like they used to.

As you all know I am a lover of words. I collect them like some people collect buttons. I liked this one.  I think it applies to me much of the time. I am not sure about the eccentric bit, but I could be quite eccentric had I the resources to be so.  I would love to live in a house that took you back fifty years from the moment you walked inside the door. I would love to dress like they did in the 1930's and 40's.  Women had such style then. I love the old ways. Old music. Vintage decor, etc. I admire anyone who has the time and money to devote themselves to such things. They are not really eccentric to me, they are "living the dream."

I am a bit scatty however, absent-minded, dreamy, distracted, whimsical and lost in my own thoughts. I just thought it was my adhd. Now I can say it is because I am "wifty." A much better word don't you think?

 

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I used to have Teasle in the front garden of Oak Cottage when we lived there. The bees loved it when it was flowering and the birds loved it when it went to seed.  Ours had pink flowers on it. 

How wonderful it would be to have a cottage garden again.  One needs to be able to care for it however and I am past that now.

I am already fretting a bit about how I am going to get rid of my plants out front come autumn when they are past it. Something will happen.

I should check with Zilla next door and ask her how they got their own compost bin. I think I would like to perhaps have one of my own as well.

 

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It was quite misty out when I got up this morning. I took my usual walk down to the mail box to see if anything had been dropped off yesterday. The mist has all burnt off now and it is a beautiful sunny day. I think it is going to be quite warm as the day progresses. On warm sunny days you can smell BBQ in the wind. People like to cook out on their decks on the BBQ. If I had a shed to store it, I would have a BBQ. I don't however. I do so love the smell of BBQ.  MY father used to cook on the BBQ occasionally when we were growing up.  We also used to cook on the BBQ when my children were growing up. We started off with the old charcoal briquette one and then eventually we managed to be able to afford a gas one. There is something about cooking your food outdoors that makes it taste better don't you think? I had a beautiful gas BBQ over in the U.K. that I had been given for writing about it on my blog. We used it a fair bit in the warmer months.  We used to have the Missionaries over for the 4th of July and cook on it for them as well.  I never get to have them over these days. Not that we have any here in this area at the moment.  They cannot go to a single sister's home without being accompanied. Its for their own safety and for the safety of the single sister. 

I always really loved having the Missionaries over for supper. They always brought such a special spirit with them when they came.

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I have a few things to be getting on with this morning before I pick up Eileen. I want to cook that casserole for one thing and I also want to clean the bathroom and vacuum.  My cleaners are not coming this next week as they are on holiday.  They are coming on the 3rd instead and quite early that morning. 8:45. But I do want to tidy a bit and clean a bit before then. When you have two hairy cats you need to vacuum regularly, and I do so like a clean bathroom.  I had meant to get a big jug of handwash yesterday when I was at Walmart, but I forgot.  Eileen uses a lot of handwash, which is a good thing when you think about it. She keeps her hands almost obsessively clean. I would go through one of those large refill bottles every month when she was staying here.  When I am on my own I probably only go through one of the small ones every month. Not that I don't wash my hands, because I do.  I just don't have the need to wash them every time I touch something.  She is quite obsessive about it. She scrubs her hands after she touches anything. 

She says she never had Covid, not even once and that is because she is always washing her hands. I can remember her having some really bad colds and bouts of Bronchitis so I am pretty sure that she did have it, she just never tested herself.  And of course these days it is impossible to get a Covid test kit anywhere. You used to be able to pick them up at the local library, but they have not had them for over a year now. And the library will soon be closing it's doors for good.

Not that is a sad thing.  Most small towns here in Nova Scotia are losing their libraries. A sad thing indeed. They say that people don't use them enough. That is probably true. A lot of people read their books on the kindle these days.  I confess I am one of them. Sad but true.

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

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*Sometimes the only means 

of transportation is

a leap of faith!

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Easy Canadian Maple Butter Tarts. Delicious and not as difficult to make as one might suppose, especially if you use frozen tart shells. This is a small batch recipe and makes six tarts.

Still praying for all the wildfires throughout the world.

I hope that you all have a lovely weekend.  May it be filled with joy and light.  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)

 JULY 24th, 2026

Estate Lane

Nova Scotia

11*C/51.8*F

Sunny

Dear Neighbor,

I took a little walk down the street to check my mail as soon as I got dressed this morning. I have been doing that each day. It's invigorating and refreshing. The air is nice and cool and I can hear the birds singing. It's quiet for the most part. I like it. My knees are not too bad first thing in the day so it is much easier for me to move around. They still hurt but not like they do later in the day. Also the neighbor across the way isn't up and her dog isn't out on her deck. After seeing it jump over the railing and go at that woman who was walking back from the market the other day, I am a bit nervous that it might come after me. I was attacked by a German Shepherd when I was about 9 years old and that fear of large dogs has stayed with me the whole of my life. It is not something I have ever been able to overcome.

 

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One of the houses not too far down from me is blessed with beautiful tall daisies at the moment. Those and a lovely clematis that grows up the side of her deck to the roof every summer. It is a brilliant purple color and it delights my heart every time I see it. I do so love clematis. I think it must be one of those plants that grows easily with little to no care, but I could be wrong about that.  This neighbor is somewhat disabled and doesn't do gardening, and yet her garden is lovely. I never see anyone else out there working at it, so I can only assume that the plants which grow there have been carefully curated to grow well without any care. That's the type of garden for me, lol

Having said that, however, I do so love to look at people's gardens and I truly do appreciate the care that goes into them. I have noted that this year Jane, who lives at the end of the street on the other side, has not done any gardening at all. She has always been out there pruning, trimming, etc. The last time I spoke to her, she had told me that she has leukemia, so I am surmising that she is not well. I really should send her a card or a note.  I must put that on my list of things to do.

  

(source)

More and more I find myself doing what the sign says.  There is far too much negativity online these days. Oh, I do look at the things that are posted by people I know and trust, but I am not looking at anything. I do my own posts, I do my Facebook posts about cooking, but for the most part I am ignoring everything else. In talking to my oldest son the other day he was telling me that his children don't have much hope for their futures. A lack of jobs, failure in Governance, climate change, the rising costs of housing and food, etc. They are growing up depressed. I found myself wondering if they did not spend too much time plugged in to their devices. My son admitted that his youngest son sits in front of his all day, playing games, chatting with friends, etc. That the only way they can get him to eat anything is to put it down in front of him, and then it is iffy as he has an ED. I do not know what the answer is. They need these devices for school, etc. 

"Be still and know that I am God." ~psalm 46:10

This is a scripture that I find myself turning to more and more often in these challenging times. This is a scripture which has brought me great comfort and lets me know that despite all the scariness of this world, I have a God who knows and wants the best for all of His children. Nothing is beyond His reach. We are not beyond His reach and that if we can allow ourselves to just trust in Him we can have confidence in an unknown future. His promises are sure to all those who trust and believe in Him. My fears are quieted as I put my trust in Him and turn off the outside world. It is no surprise that if you do nothing but listen to the news and pay attention to the negativity which surrounds us, our lives can become very fear-filled and lacking in hope. And to the immature mind this can be amplified by their lack of understanding, experience, and knowledge of how things really work. Be still  . . .  that is the answer.

 

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There is not a cloud in the skies above my place this morning. It is a beautiful summer day. How blessed I am to be living where I am at the moment. This summer has not been too bad so far. We (knock on wood) haven't really had any extreme weather to speak of thus far.  It hasn't been overly hot, or humid for the most part. It's been quite tolerable. I like that.  

It is a bit dry however and we could use more rain.  It did rain a bit off and on yesterday, and Wednesday as well. But it looks to be sunny now for a few days. Every time I drive by the fields of corn they look to be another foot taller. It won't be long now before we will be enjoying corn on the cob. One of the joys of summer is corn on the cob. When we were growing up we would have several "feeds" of corn on the cob every summer.  Days when that is all we would have for our supper. Corn on the cob and bread and butter.  We could eat as much of it as we wanted to.  I can remember slathering the hot corn with as much butter as it would take. Cindy remembers spreading the empty cob with more butter and sucking on that as well.  It tasted so good.

I did the same with my own children. They would be put to work husking the corn out in the back yard at the picnic table and we would feast on as much corn on the cob as our bellies could hold afterwards.  Back in those days you could buy corn on the cob, a baker's dozen, from the back of trucks on the country side roads for about a dollar. I used to use my big canner to cook it in. What a treat it was. It still is, although to be sure I could not manage much more than one large cob these days, nor would my digestion comfortably allow it.

 

(source)

Eileen has her hearing appointment today in Kentville. The CSS workers are taking her.  She will have a hearing test and the hearing specialist will be looking at her ears. She is really hoping that she can have tubes put in again. She has had hearing problems the whole of her life.  Ear infection after ear infection has plagued her all of her days. I was much the same when I was a child and even as an adult, although I can safely say that it has been quite a while now since I have had one.  I do recall how very painful they were. Mom used to fit my ear with a cotton ball loaded with Vicks vapo-rub and give me the hot water bottle to lay on. I don't recall it helping much to be honest. I also remember having bad ear infections as an adult, when my children were small. I remember once having one where all I could hear was an echo of everything. I couldn't go to the Doctor as I had nobody to watch the children and I didn't have the money for a prescription even if I could get to the Doctor so I just suffered through it.  My children, however, I did all I could for them if they were not well. For some reason I did not think my own health worth the added expense or attention.

That's what mother's do.

 

(source)

I have not made much headway with my decluttering this week for some reason. I think I have just been too tired. Thankfully I have gotten some good sleep these past couple of nights.  I even managed a quick trip to the grocery store yesterday morning. I did not need much. I will probably be going with Cindy this afternoon when she takes Dad and his friend Maryann to the mall. We usually pop into Walmart at the same time and then on to Sobeys before heading back to the mall to pick them up after their visit together. We have a fine day for it at any rate. 

There is a flurry of activity on the roads these days with ongoing road works. Once they are done it will be a pleasure to drive on them, but in the meantime they are a real nuisance and there are long hold-ups in traffic.  The roads sorely need the work however as they are loaded with pot holes. I have always said we have two seasons here. Winter and Pot Hole Season. haha  In fact, I remember that there used to be pot hole updates on the radio when we were children. New and ongoing potholes would be announced as people called them in. 

There is no such thing as community radio these days. No community newspapers either. I miss them. That's how you kept up with whatever was going on. We enjoyed our breakfasts each morning while the radio kept us informed in the background of our lives. It would be on most of the day actually, and late at night you could catch the radio waves coming in from the border towns of the U.S. which was really important as far as the Hit Parade was concerned. That's how we kept up with the most currant music and pop tunes. The count down as it were. Local radio here was country music. I remember one of my favorite bands, aside from the Beatles, was Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and we did love The Eagles as well.  I also liked the Osmonds and Elton John.

Back then they used to quite often have dances for teens at the local Rec Center. Live bands in those days. Almost every teenage boy had a guitar of some sort and many formed their own bands. Once or twice a month a more sophisticated group/band would come to play at one of our dances.  That was always very exciting. Of course I could never stay to the end of the dances as I had a curfew to follow, dance or no dance. My parents were very strict that way.  I used to think it most unfair, but now, in looking back it was probably a good thing.

 

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I find myself in awe of these young mothers today.  Running YouTube channels and raising families, keeping such clean and tidy homes. I do not know how they manage to do it all. Even with no children in the house I could not do it all, and keep my house tidy and well maintained. Mind you, I am slowing down a lot these days.  It seems to take me twice as long to get anything done as it used to do.  

I remember when my children were growing up I barely had time to fit in anything for myself. Any knitting, embroidery, etc. was done at night time after they were in bed. I certainly had no time for frivolous activities during the daylight hours. It was all go, go, go.  With cleaning and laundry, cooking, childcare, etc. I would not have ever had time enough to film and curate videos to share. However do they do it I wonder. I am glad that they do though because I really enjoy watching them. They seem to be so smart and have their lives so much more together and organized than I did at the same age. And many of them have gardens as well. They put me to shame!

 

(source)

I don't really have a lot to share with you this morning. Now Eileen is gone there is not a lot going on and I find that I have slowed down even more. By the time I shower, dress and get my writing done and then do any cooking I need to do for the blog I am almost through the day. I am quite tired these days by late afternoon and just don't have the energy to do much of anything else but relax, read, etc. I wish I had the energy and time to sit and paint or whatever, but I just do not.  Life has not been the same since I had my fall last September. I have never regained the full use of my left arm. I cannot reach above with it, or behind me and I have no strength in it at all. Combine that with my arthritis in my knees, etc. and I do have a lot more difficulty getting around and doing things, but I do my best, which is all anyone can do.  Who was it that called these the Golden Years?  They need to re-assess. This is not golden from where I am standing, lol  These are the years when all of the misdeeds of your youth come back to haunt you with sore bones and backs, etc. ha ha

And with that I will bring this missive to an end. Not a lot I know, but I guess some weeks are just like that  . . . 

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

*A thought to carry with you  . . . 
Knowledge becomes wisdom only
after it has been put to good use.
~Mark Twain

In The English Kitchen this morning, Creamy Chicken Salsa Verde. This was delicious. It was rich and creamy. My cornmeal dumplings did not rise as much as I thought they should but they were really delicious regardless. I have already had the negative nancy tell me that there is too much dough and not enough sauce. All I can say it it was delicious.  I hope someone will want to try it. Loaded with chicken, and the gravy was really flavor-filled. The dumplings had a lovely flavor as well.

I hope you have a great Friday.  Whatever you get up to, I hope it brings you joy, peace and comfort.  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!    

   

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)

Watermelon. It's actually one of my favorite of all fruits.

 

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Red barns.  They look the most "barn" to me if that makes sense.  I also love Collies. Our Jess was such a sweet dog. I was devastated when she died.

 

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Art and Stationary supplies  . . .  I am addicted . . . 

 

(source)

Ice cold orange soda  . . .  I have not had it in years. I used to love LOVE Nesbitt's Orange.

 

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Fabrics that co-ordinate with each other. These are lovely. I love the pompom at the end of the bolster pillow.

 

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Cabbage in any way, shape, or form.  Just love it.

 

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Sunflowers  . . . 

 

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Rings  . . . 

 

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Denim. Haven't worn it in years  . . . 

 

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Owls  . . . 

 

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Ankle socks and loafers  . . . 

 

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Hedy Lamar  . . .  actresses seemed to be so much more classy and glamorous back then  . . . 

 

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Lacy valances  . . . 

 

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Vintage jugs  . . . 

 

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Red tea pots  . . . 

 

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Scandinavian cottages  . . . 

 

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Pink . . . 

 

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Pretty tea strainers  . . .  oh, I had the loveliest cup of tea yesterday. Blueberry . . . 

 

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Tea and cake   . . . 

 

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Ginger cats  . . . 

 

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Watching the sun set  . . . 

 

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Cottage garden flowers  . . . 

 

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Mile stones  . . .  they are a real thing . . . 

 

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Berry tarts  . . . 

 

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Pub signs  . . . 

 

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Fresh corn  . . .  won't be long now  . . . 

 

(source)

Rooms filled with light  . . . 

And those are my favorite things for this week. I hope that some of them were yours as well.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

☾ ° ★° * 。  

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

*You're never too old
to set another goal
or to dream a new dream.
~C.S. Lewis

In the English Kitchen today  . . .  Potato, Egg & Green Bean Salad.  A delicious salad to enjoy at this time of year.  Especially now the green beans are fresh and local.

I do so hope that you have a lovely day today. Its cloudy here, but not too warm.  No rain at the moment, but I did see thunderstorms for later on, about mid-afternoon. Its very quiet in here. Whatever you get up to today, I hope it brings you joy.  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!