Wednesday musings . . .

Every now and again take a look at something not made with hands . . . a mountain, a star, the curve of a stream. There will come to you . . . wisdom and patience and solace . . . and, above all, the assurance that you are not alone in the world.
~Sidney Lovett

It is so easy sometimes to feel like we are all alone in the world and that nobody cares. We live in such a busy world and things happen around us very quickly. People have so many places to go and things to do. Our lives seem to rush by at a frantic pace and it can sometimes be very difficult to catch our breaths.

We owe it to ourselves to, every once in a while, slow down and just take in our surroundings . . . all the majesty of our Heavenly Father's creations . . . it could be something as simple as a flower which has sprung up in a crack of the pavement . . . or as stunning as the beauty of the far off Welsh Hills, or a star lit night time summer's sky.



That is when it all comes home to us . . . that "you are not alone" feeling that can only come from taking stock of all the majesty and beauty that surrounds us. "This" did not all happen by accident. There is a deep purpose and plan in all things, and I, for one, am so grateful to the great Creator of all things! Slowing down to take note of His wonder is sometimes all one needs to be able to get on with the day and can be as refreshing and as invigorating as a holiday! (Or at least it is to me at any rate!!)



I was so thrilled yesterday to learn that Lura's operation went well and that they found no cancer, only scar tissue! Praise God and many thanks for answered prayers! She is in some pain (to be expected) but they are planning on sending her home today. I know that she must be feeling a HUGE sense of relief right now as are we all! Now she can begin to heal in earnest, knowing that all is well. Let us keep praying to that end.

I did another little painting yesterday afternoon. I hope you don't mind me sharing it with you. I don't know where these little fancies come from. I simply sit down at my work table and grab a pencil and then start sketching . . .



They seem to evolve as I go along . . . I only very rarely have something in mind before I start. I am always as surprised to see what springs from the end of my pencil as anyone is.



I am really enjoying using my water colour pencils lately and am learning as I go along as far as technique goes. I don't have any idea if I am using them properly or not. I only know for sure that I like what I find when I am done! I called this one "Moments." It is available as a print or as a card, just like always . . . and just like always you can send me a message to let me know if you would like one! Thanks!

You know . . . I look at my work, and at first I cannot see that it has any value. It is only later on when I step away from it for a time, that I can see that it appears to be pretty good. I just wish that someone who had the means to do something with it, and take it beyond my little sphere of reality, would catch my vision and afford me the means to go further!!! That is my dream, to one day be able to make a living with this. And since I am already 55 (56 on the 13th August) it should happen fairly soon as I ain't getting any younger!!



I have my fingers crossed that today will be sunny. We are off into town after my reading student leaves as I have some legal papers that need signing by a Notary Public and we have an appointment to have this done. Once that is done I can breathe a huge sigh of relief and pop all the papers into the post and then begin the long wait for things to be resolved. Once they are, then Todd and I will be a tiny bit better off financially, which will be a rean bonus! This has been a long time coming, and I am filled with a mixture of anticipation and fear. I expect that is quite normal!

I am rambling now so will close with my daily recipe. Today I am sharing one for an appetizer pizza. Well first course really. It cuts into six nice servings. Of course you could cut it into 12 appetizer nibbles if you wanted to, by simply using smaller tomatoes and laying them out a bit differently. No matter how you cut it though . . . this is quite simply scrumptious!




*Appetizer Pizza*
makes 6 servings
Printable Recipe

A delicious light first course. Simply garnish with a few salad leaves and you are set to go.

1 packet of puff pastry (ready rolled)
2 teaspoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
3 medium plum tomatoes, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh basil strips

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the paper with some nonstick cooking spray.

Unroll the pastry and cut into two equal portions, length wise. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. Mark a border all the way around each portion with a sharp knife, without cutting all the way through. (about 1/2 inch in from the edge) Brush the middle area with the melted butter. Top with the cheese and the tomatoes. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until crisp and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the basil. Cut into six equal portions to serve.

Note: In order to cut the basil into strips (chiffonade) stack the leaves and then roll tightly into a cigar shape. Using your kitchen scissors cut the roll into thin strips. Voila! Basil Chiffonade!



In The English Kitchen today, a delicious Potato, Tomato, Corn and Basil Salad!