The Simple Woman's Day Book . . .

FOR TODAY, May 10th, 2009 ...

Outside My Window...
There are bunnies in the garden, munching on the tender shoots of grass that grow along the hedgerow. I am trying not to be annoyed that they ate all the leaves off of the new rose bushes that we put in . . . . I know they have a right to live too and to eat. I just wish they had picked on something else!

I am thinking...
I had such a great day yesterday. I was a bit sad in the morning because it was Mother's Day in North America and I really hadn't heard from my children. Some years they are very good at it and others . . . well, you know. I had an e-mail from my eldest daughter (the Special Olympian) several days back. She wanted to ask me a question and added an early Happy Mother's Day in that, so I really didn't expect to hear from her. When I got home from church, my son in law had left a Happy Mother's Day wish on my facebook. He's married to my youngest daughter and is a really sweet man. My daughter is so lucky to have him. After I called my mom, Todd and I went for a walk with Jess. When I got back there was a message on the telephone, and my eldest son had called. I quickly called him back and we got to talk for a while. It was really nice. He is a good man and a wonderful father and husband. I know I am biased because I'm his mother after all, but it's true! I Love him to bits!

I am thankful for...
Four little words and the little voice that said them. Yesterday for the very first time I heard a sweet little voice say over the telephone wires . . . "I love you Grammy." It brought tears to my eyes and was the best mother's day present anyone could ever have given me, ever!!! I shall cherish them always.

From the kitchen...
Ohh . . . there's some fresh Ginger and Lemon scones sitting on the countertop and the leftover blackberry squares. I am thinking it's not a good week to start a new diet . . . hmmmm . . .

I am wearing...
my jammies . . . the ones with the pink bottoms and the yellow top. What can I say? It's 5:30 am and I haven't been up long. Pajamas is all you get!

I am creating...
I kept thinking about fairy tales at the weekend and I was thinking I'd like to do a series of drawings based on them. I did sketch the princess and the pea at one point, but I never got any painting done at all this weekend. I had too much else going on. On Saturday I took the train for the first time all by myself. That might not seem like a big deal, but to a girl from a small Nova Scotia town it is quite an accomplishment! I had to go to a town just outside of London for Seminary Training and I took the train all by myself. I didn't get lost. I even managed to find the right train and get back home safe and sound afterwards as well! Just goes to show that you can teach an old dog new tricks some of the time!

I am going...
I'm off to the shops first thing this morning for work, but really this week I have a fairly quiet week planned. (Knock on wood!!) I do have the Young Women's Mutual activity on Thursday evening and then on Saturday morning we are making pizza's at the chapel for the Ward. It is a fund raiser for this year's EFY event. EFY stands for Especially For Youth. It's a special week long camp for the young men and women that only happens about every second year and the kids just love it. It's a wonderful program and they come away from it inspired and uplifted and strengthened. We'll be having a lot of different fund raisers before August so that we can raise as much money as we can to help send them all.

I am reading...
I am still working on the Discourses of Henry B Eyring, and being inspired by his words. He is such a wise man and we are very lucky to have him as one of our church leaders. Here is a quote from his words: (He's talking about journal writing.)

As you start to write, you could ask yourself, "How did God bless me today?" If you do that long enough and with faith, you will find yourself remembering blessings. And sometimes, you will have gifts brought to your minds which you failed to notice during the day, but which you will then know were a touch of God's hand in your life.

I am hoping...
We had such beautiful weather at the weekend. I am hoping that it continues. I know we need rain too, but when you are getting so much sunshine in a country that doesn't get an awful lot of it, it is hard not to be greedy and ask for more!

I am hearing...
We have a bird feeder just outside the kitchen window hanging from the eavestrough. (It is only one of several) There is a rose bush just under it and the birds often sit in the rose bush and talk to each other, chittering and chattering. That is what I am listening to now. The chitter chatter of birds in the rose bush as they each take their turn at the feeder. We have another feeder just at the edge of the garden that has all sorts of seed holders hanging from it. It's quite a busy spot. I would love to have a cat, but am afraid that it would chase the birds away and so we don't . . . have a cat that is! We both enjoy hearing and watching the birds so very much. We have had a Jack Daw coming daily and we saw the nuthatches yesterday for the first time this season.

Around the house...
I look around and see all the things that make this house a home. Pictures of children and grandchildren set in small frames and grouped together. Pictures of the Saviour. Small nic nacs, my cream and sugar collection, not to mention my salt and pepper collection. Gingerbread men sit on the edges of the steps of the staircase which leads upstairs, almost all of them gifts from much loved friends . . . it is very evident from all these special treasures that love . . . lives . . . here.

One of my favorite things...
Is looking through old photographs. I don't have a lot of my children. When my last marriage broke up my ex husband would not allow me to take any, so what I do have are ones that my mother has given me, and the ones that I managed to squirrel away. It is fun to look at them and think about the special memories associated with each one. My mom has also given me copies of some of her older photographs . . . pictures of my grandparents and great grandparents and other relatives. It's so wonderful to look and see their faces and wonder about their lives. I also love to look at other people's old photographs. I guess people just fascinate me!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
I have work, and then I have the mutual activity on Thursday Night of course. I think we are playing badminton. I haven't played that in years! It should be fun! I really don't have anything special planned for this week other than that and the pizza making on Saturday morning. Sometimes that's a good thing. We quite often fill our lives up with endless activities and wear ourselves out! It is nice to have a week from time to time that is quiet, or at least more quiet than usual!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is a picture I took yesterday afternoon when Todd and I were on our walk. Can you believe that I have lived here for six years and did not know until yesterday that we have our very own hidden Blue Bell wood??? I know, I was so amazed to discover it! There are tons of them. The ground beneath the trees is a virtual carpet of blue and it's so very beautiful! For six years we have been driving miles to see the bluebells and all this time we had them right here in our very own back yard! (Well, the back yard of the Big House at any rate!!)

And there you have it, 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! It's not that hard and I am betting you would enjoy it!)

We often eat our Sunday lunch right after church on Sundays so in the evening we will only have a light supper, perhaps some bread and jam, or toast . . . you know how it goes. Yesterday though I made us some lovely ginger scones with a lemon curd filling. Can you spell D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S???

*Fresh Ginger Scones Filled With Lemon*
Makes 8
Printable Recipe

You can make your own lemon curd for these or use purchased lemon curd. There are some very good ones out there. Make sure you let the finished scones sit for several minutes before you cut them apart to eat. Hot lemon curd can really burn. These are lovely and, can you believe they are relatively low in fat? I got the recipe from the Betty Crocker Eat and Lose Weight cookbook. They're just wonderful!!

2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup stick butter
2/3 cup fat free buttermilk
1 TBS grated fresh gingerroot
1/2 cup prepared lemon curd
demerara sugar for sprinkling on top if desired



Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F. Spray a baking sheet with non stick cooking spray and set aside.

Place the flour, sugar and baking powder in a bowl, wisking well together. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingertips until it is well rubbed in and the mixture resembles fine crumbsl Stir in the gingerroot and mix in well. Stir in the buttermilk until the dough leaves the side of the bowl and forms a ball. Divide the dough in half.

Place half of the dough on the cookie sheet and pat out into a 7 inch circle. Spread the lemon curd over top, up to within 1/2 inch of the edge of the circle. Pat the other half of the dough into another 7 inch circle and place over top of the lemon curd. Gently pinch the edge to seal. Brush the top with a bit more buttermilk and then sprinkle demerara sugar evenly over top. Score the surface of the dough into 8 wedges, being careful not to cut all the way through to the lemon curd.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on the top and bottom and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 5 mintues before cutting into wedges to serve. Serve warm.