The Simple Woman's Day Book . . .

FOR TODAY, February 23rd, 2009 ...

Outside My Window...
The dawn chorus is beginning to twit and twitter. What a difference from this same time a few weeks ago. Light is beginning to appear across the horizon and the earth is waking up to face a new day. Can spring really be very far behind? I think not . . .

I am thinking...
About the lovely talks given in Sacrament meeting yesterday. The theme was on God's Love, something that I am so very familiar with. I know God loves me. It was not always so. As a child I always knew that there was a God and that He loved people, I just didn't consider myself one of the ones He loved. I am so grateful that changed, and that I now KNOW He loves even me.

I am thankful for...
the life that I am living. I have a secure roof over my head, clothes upon my back, a job to go to, family and friends that care about me, my faith . . . what more could a body want or truly need.

From the kitchen...
Oh my . . . there's some yummy bars for tomorrow and a nostalgic cake sitting there waiting for me to show you. I made Todd pancakes yesterday in honor of pancake day, which is tomorrow by the way. Oh and there are a few Eccles Cakes left from Saturday. You can find my recipe and some yummy pictures for them HERE.

I am wearing...
No new song to sing here, it's my pajamas of course! Pink and grey flannel ones. Comfy, comfy, comfy. I sure with I could wear them all day! Truly, madly, deeply and forever.

I am creating...
I have a sock monkey waiting for me to sew him up. I had better get cracking on him, as my grandson's birthday is on the 7th! Not much time left to get him done and in the post! I have sketches waiting to be put onto my art paper and painted and songs in my heart waiting to be sung . . .

I am going...
hopefully to the Temple later this week. I was thrilled to have been able to see the Salt Lake Temple when I was in Utah, something which I had always wanted to see, both in the night and all lit up and then in the day time. I got to touch it. I had planned on going inside, but woe is me, didn't I go and forget my Temple recommend at home! I know!!! What am I like!!! Never mind . . . it just means I have another excuse to go back, and the thought of that makes me smile. I did get to go to the open house at the new Draper Temple and walk through it. What a beautiful building . . . but then again, all our Temples are beautiful and I am so blessed to be able to go inside them and worship with my Heavenly Father in a special way.

I am reading...



A delightful and compelling mix of the story of a polygamous wife from the 1800's and a murder mystery in a modern day polygamous sect. It's very, very good and I am really enjoying it. Oh and before anyone asks . . . No, true Mormons do NOT have more than one wife. It is NOT allowed. Any man who did that in this modern age would be excommunicated!

I am hoping...
I have so many fingers in so many pies that I am hoping that I get them all baked! I think I am a bit adhd. I always have tons of projects on the go. I get bored quite easily and so I like to keep my brain active and moving forward. Does this mean it takes me a long time to finish something? Well, err . . . yes, if I am being honest. I have a whole room full of boxes of unfinished projects. (Don't worry if you come to visit, I won't make you sleep there!) The only ones I seem to finish these days are my art pieces. I suppose those are the projects that inspire me the most. I used to do a lot of counted cross stitch and make dolls and teddy bears. I haven't made a new doll since last year . . .

I am hearing...
my play list playing softly in the background while Jess snozzles at my feet. I love my play list. It is filled with music that at once inspires me and fills my heart with joy. That is the kind of music I love to listen to. Music that swells the heart and fills the mind.

Around the house...
Um . . . err . . . I am ashamed to admit it but I still haven't finished unpacking. I must do that today, I absolutely MUST. That is one of the failings of the creative mind. We find it very hard to do boring things like unpack suitcases, or put things away. We take things out and there they sit . . . until someone makes us put them away. I know I drive Todd crazy, but in a good way. There shall never be any doubt in his mind that he is not alone, not ever again.

One of my favorite things...
is sitting in the garden early in the morning on a warm spring day. I can almost hear the earth waking up as the dawn chorus starts . . . at first a few twitters here and there, building one bird song at a time, until it grows and echos all around me. The rising sun warms my face and I can almost hear the dew drops tinkle on every blade of grass. It is my favourite time of the day . . .

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
I have a seminary lesson to teach on Thursday night and we are having a combined Young mens/Young women's activity on Thursday night as well. I am hoping to get to the Temple and we have the missionaries coming over for their tea on Saturday evening. I just love feeding the missionaries. It seems like not that long ago my table was filled with the hungry faces of my children and now it seems a bit bare with just Todd and I, so the healthy appetites of the missionaries do my heart good! I also love the wonderful and caring spirit they bring into my home. It's truly a double blessing!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...



No, you are not imagining things. That is Todd having a conversation with Lamb Chop. (although to be sure it looks to be a bit one sided!!!) I got this Lamb Chop puppet when I was away. I saw it in a shop in Sun Valley and it was love at first sight. It's the only thing I got for myself and is totally unrelated to the Winter Games, but . . . I loved Lamb Chop when I was a child and I still love Lamb Chop. I have so many happy memories and warm feelings associated with her. Besides . . . it's fun to sit on the sofa and make irreverent faces at Todd with her . . . especially when he tries to change the channel.

And that's my Simple Woman's Day Book for today. Don't forget to hop on over to the Simple Woman to check out the other day book entries! (Or better yet, do a simple day book entry yourself! )

When I was a girl, Pancake Night, or Shrove Tuesday, the last Tuesday before Lent started was one of my favourite nights of the year. My mother would cook us oodles and oodles of pancakes and we would gorge ourselves with them! That was the only time my mother ever made pancakes. Small wonder . . . I think we must have tired her out with the amount that we ate!!! When my own kids were growing up pancakes were very often my traditional breakfast offering on Saturday mornings and always, always when we had company overnight! Here in the UK, pancakes are quite different than they are in North America. They are more like crepes and they eat them sprinkled with lemon juice and sugar and rolled up. Quite good actually. I have an excellent recipe for the British ones HERE. Yesterday though I made traditional North American Buttermilk pancakes, just for you . . . and I served them with Erin's wonderful homemade syrup. Oh my but it is delicious!



*Rise and Shine Buttermilk Pancakes*
Makes about 8 large ones

These are the epitome of the perfect pancake. I've tried many versions, but this one remains my favourite.

1 cup flour
2 TBS sugar
1 heaping Teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
3 TBS melted butter
Syrup and butter for topping

Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk them together well. Set aside. In another bowl beat together the buttermilk, egg and butter. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and whisk together only to combine. It's ok is the batter is a but lumpy.

Lightly grease or oil your skillet. Preheat over medium heat until hot and then spoon the pancake batter into the pan by 1/4 cupfuls. Cook over medium heat until the surface fills up with bubbles and they are lightly browned on the bottom. Carefully flip over and cook until the other side is lightly browned as well. Remove to a plate in a warm oven to hold until you finish cooking all the pancakes.

Serve warm with plenty of syrup and butter for dotting on the tops. Delicious!

Have a Happy Pancake Day!!