Marie's Sunday Six

Is it Sunday again?? My goodness but the weeks seem to be rolling around quickly. Here we are almost into the end of May! We've been living back here in Chester for almost two months now. The time has gone very quickly don't you think? Time to share my weekly smile makers again. I love doing that. It is food for the soul to take time to pause and reflect on all that is good in life . . . those small and simple pleasures that bring joy in a very big way. So here are some of the things that have been bringing smiles to my heart this week!



Sunny warm days. Oh how I love them. Spring has finally spring in a big way and the temperatures are rising and the sun is shining. The world seems a brighter happier place when the sun is shining. All your sorrows seem that little bit smaller. It is good to feel it's warmth on your skin and to hear all the sounds and smell all the smells that go along with a sunny day! Lawn mowers mowing . . . children playing . . . barbeques doing their thing . . . insects humming . . . flowers blooming . . . oh, it's all so very wonderful!



The birds in the garden make me smile. I have always loved to watch the birds. From our table in the dining area of our home we can look right out at the back garden and we have several feeders placed here and there. They are well visited by the local birds and we get so much pleasure out of watching them. Not quite as many pretty birds as we had down South . . . but entertaining all the same. We just love it. Watching them perch on the bird bath and flutter their wings . . . watching them chitter and chatter amongst themselves . . . watching them feeding . . . or just scratching about the grass and garden looking for worms and insects . . . It doesn't matter that they are mostly sparrows. When I was a girl my favourite hymn used to be God Sees the Little Sparrow Fall. I think Sparrows are wonderful creatures and they must be very important to God as they are mentioned in the scriptures by name.



Our little vegetable garden makes me smile. We don't have a lot planted, but it is all starting to come up now. I am not sure what is planted where, as Todd did it all and it's kind of willy nilly, but all the little shoots are now popping up and heading towards the sun. I think baby anything is cute . . . animals, birds . . . plants. Isn't nature wonderful and amazing?



Walks along the River Dee. With the warmer dry weather we have been taking long walks along the River Dee each evening when we can. It's so beautiful to take in. We walk hand in hand down the paths . . . feeling the breeze that comes off the water, watching the swallows doing their aerial dance . . . talking, stretching our legs and minds . . . and just being together. I cherish each and every moment of our togetherness and am grateful for it.



Lovely telephone conversations with much loved friends. I had several of them this week and they always make me smile. Lura, Hazel, Angie . . . my mom and my dad, my sister . . . It is good to talk, and to share, and to remember. Todd always wonders what women have to talk about that they can talk for so long . . . I don't know! I only know it's special and wonderful and makes me smile! (seriously my mom could talk for hours about dust and it's always interesting!)



Breaking bread with friends. We had occasion to have several friends over last evening for an impromptu picnic. Nothing fancy . . . just plain old food and good company. Those are the best of times . . . I didn't get to do that very often when we were living down south . . . I worked most evenings, so it's really nice that we can do it more often up here. I have always thought that one of the finest ways to show your love for another is to feed them . . . there is something very special about sharing food with people you care about. It doesn't matter what you are eating . . . it only matters that you are together . . . even bread and butter becomes a feast.

And there you have it, my Sunday Six for this lazy late week in May . . .

We did have a lovely time with our friends last night. I did mostly cold food . . . some chicken breasts that I had marinated in honey and lemon and grilled. We had them cold and sliced over salad . . .then there was potato salad, coleslaw and this delicious macaroni salad. I have been making this for years. You could mess with it of course and add different things, and there are fancier pasta salads you could make . . . but sometimes simple is the best of all.



*Main Macaroni Salad*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

A delicious, simple macaroni salad. No frill and thrills, just good old fashioned flavour.

2 cups macaroni
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 TBS sweet pickle relish
2 TBS chopped spring onions
2 hard boiled eggs chopped
3/4 cup salad dressing or mayonnaise (Low fat or no fat work very well)
1 cup chopped ham (optional)
salt and black pepper to taste
sliced radish to garnish

Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain very well. Rinse with cold water. Drain well again. Place in a bowl. Add the celery, relish, onion, chopped eggs and ham. In a small bowl combine the salad dressing, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and mix gently with a spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Cover and chill for several hours. Serve garnished with slices of radish.



For dessert we had my delicious world famous Carrot Cake! Check it out over on The English Kitchen!