Maries Sunday Six . . .

"When we count our many blessings; it isn't hard to see
that life's most valued treasures, are the treasures that are free.
For it isn't what we own or buy, that signifies our wealth.
It's the special gifts that have no price, our family, friends and health."
~author unknown


What a lovely week I have had this past week, so many blessings, far too many to count. Most weeks are like that for me, I am happy to say. I just love doing my Sunday Six posts, as it is an opportunity to dwell on all that is good in my life, and I do have to say that I have a hard time each week, keeping it down to just six!



This is one of my grandsons, Jonathan. He turned three this past March. I just love this picture of him. He looks so happy and carefree in it. I have never seen Jonathan in person, or gotten to hold him on my lap. The last time we were in Canada, we were unable to afford a car to go over to New Brunswick to see Jonathan and his parents and they were unable to afford the petrol to drive over to Nova Scotia to see us. That made me sad, but his parents are very good as posting pictures on facebook and so I have gotten to see him lots that way. It is hard sometimes to be a good grandmother, when you live so far away from your grandchildren. I have three grandsons now. Gabriel who is three and a half, Jonathan, and then Jonathan's baby brother Joshua, who was born just this past January. I love them all dearly. I think Grandchildren are one of the greatest joys of life as you start to get on in years. I think that's because you have a lot more time on your hands by then, and because you have had time to reflect on all the things you would have done differently were you able to raise your children again. You realize how quickly time flys and passes us by, and you begin to see the value in making every moment count. We are planning a trip to Canada again next year and getting to spend time with all of my grandchildren is high on my list of priorities of things I am going to do when I get there!! There will be another new one on the scene by then as well, as my oldest son and his wife are expecting again! It would be nice if it was a girl, but I'll just take healthy and be glad for it!




As you all know, and how could you not . . . this past week I turned 54. That was somewhat of a milestone for me. My Grandpapa died when he was 53, and so I always held a secret fear in my heart about the age of 53. I have no such fears of the age 54 though, so bring it on! I had such a lovely birthday this year, filled with lots of nice things. The sun shone, the birds sang, and I got to do something nice for a friend. I didn't really have a birthday cake as such . . . and really the amount of candles it would have needed would have been a health and safety issue! I did bake that Lamington cake the day before, but that was for a friend. I'm not really eating cake right now, and someday I'll tell you why, but not just yet!



I had ever so many lovely cards fall through my letter box this week, and notes just filled with Happy Birthday wishes. They filled my days with joy and happiness, and made me feel very, very loved. I wish I could bundle up this feeling and put it into a jar, so that I could take a little bit of it out each day in the coming year . . . but than again, I have it in a much nicer place . . . my heart and that way I can take it out and feel it whenever, and wherever I want to in the coming year (s). I am so grateful for a heart that loves and feels, and a heart that knows and loves each of you so very much.




Special friends. My life is filled with special friends. You know who you are, or at least I hope that you do! You are the people who fill my life with light and joy, just by being in it. You are the ones that I felt an instant kinship with, from the moment we touched each other's lives. It's an "always been" kind of friendship . . . and "always will be." It's an instant recognition of someone, as spirit touches spirit, and knowing that you have been blessed to have found each other again in this lifetime. I believe that friendships, just like family, are eternal. They have no beginning, and they have no end . . . they just are. These are special friends, and my life is blessed in countless ways because of them.




Speaking of special friends, my life has been blessed in countless ways this past year and this past week by this little lady above! This is Lura, my California friend! (She is keeping her nose warm in the cold temps of an Idaho winter in this picture. I know, what's she like!) Lura calls me every Tuesday night if she can and we talk for about an hour about everything under the sun. That is always the highlight of my Tuesday. She always writes a special post on her blog Grammy's News for each member of her family's birthdays. I love to read them, as it is plain to see from her words, that she loves her family very much and is very dedicated to them, and to her lovely husband John. She wrote ever such a special post this past week on my Birthday for me!! You can read it here. That meant the world to me, because it meant that Lura sees me as family. It is a wonderful feeling to know that. I just love Lura's family. I have gotten to meet quite a lot of them and spend time with them as well. They are all extra special people and it's not hard to see where that special spirit comes from . . . it was learned at their mother's and father's knees, and I am so happy to be a part of that family.



These are the Bar J Wranglers. Last winter when I was driving in the car with Lura and her husband, they had this music in the cd player in the car. It was cow poke music and I loved it. Todd and I are great fans of country music . . . new country, old country, blue grass . . . and cowboy country! You know the kind I mean . . . the tunes that Roy Rogers and Dale Evans used to sing and that cowboys across the Western plains have sung for years, lonesome ballads, songs with feeling and a bit of good old cowboy yodeling. Lura remembered how much I had enjoyed that cd when we were together and how much I had said that Todd would enjoy it as well, and lo and behold, what dropped through my letter box this past week??? You guessed it, a cd of the Bar J Wranglers. Todd and I listened to it right away. It brought a big smile to both our faces. Thanks so much Lura and John! I look forward to the day when we can visit their ranch together and spin a tale or two! (I have always wanted to learn to yodel. Perhaps one day I will!)





My smile makers list this week would not be complete without this man. This is my Todd. He is very special to me. I waited a lifetime to find him. He waited a lifetime to find me. We both went through two very unhappy marriages before we were able to find each other, and we have found each other rather late in life. Our time together is precious. No, he is not perfect, but then again, neither am I. We both make mistakes from time to time, and we both have our irritating habits, but we both are perfect for each other. He blesses my life and I hope that I bless his. I am so happy that Heavenly Father led us to each other and that we have become eternal partners, sealed together in the promises of the Lord, for time and all eternity. This is the one that counts, and this is my forever love. Sometimes, I do wish we had found each other in time to be able to have had a family together, but . . . I am also very grateful that we were able to find each other at all. This love we share together is not something that everyone has, and is something I never thought I would have, and so it makes me smile . . . each . . . and every . . . minute of every . . . single day!

So there you have it, my Sunday Six for this, the second week of August, 2009! I hope I didn't put you to sleep with it all!

I have a great love for tomatoes. I love tinned tomatoes, and fresh tomatoes, green tomatoes and red tomatoes. I just love tomatoes. I could sit down and eat nothing but a plate of sliced tomatoes with some bread and butter and be in heaven. I could sit down and eat a tin of chopped tomatoes and be deliriously happy . . . but this . . . this is my greatest love of all. I think I inherited my love of these sandwiches from my mom. She has one every day for lunch, and when you watch her eating it, you want one too . . . she always makes it look sooooo good!



*The Summertime Tomato Sandwich*
Serves 1
Printable Recipe

I know what you are thinking. What's she like, posting a recipe for a simple tomato sandwich??? It just wouldn't be summer for me without having one of these at least a couple of times a week. You want to use the ripest tomatoes possible, and nice soft white bread. The lettuce is an optional, but plenty of salt and black pepper aren't!

1 large ripe and freshly picked tomato, with the sun still warm on it's skin
a couple leaves of iceberg lettuce (optional)
two slices of soft, fresh white bread
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Miracle Whip (Or best quality mayonnaise)
softened butter



Take your tomato and slice it into nice thick slices with a serrated knife. Place your bread on the counter. Lightly butter each slice, right to the edges, and then spread with Miracle Whip, or mayonnaise. On one slice lay your sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay the lettuce leaves on top, if using. Top with the other slice of bread, buttery mayo side down. Press lightly together, then slice in half diagonally. Eat. Now if you have used the type of tomato you should have, ripe and juicy, make sure you have plenty of napkins at your disposal, or eat it over the kitchen sink. Yum, yum!!



If you are a bit curious about what we had for our supper lastnight, why not hop on over to The English Kitchen to find out! It was some delicious, and so easy to prepare!!!