Small and wonderful things . . .

"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard 

A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life.   It's the small things in life which truly mean the most.



Fresh chives from the garden.  I throw them on everything this time of year, reveling in their abundance and enjoying them every moment that I can.  When I eat them I think of days gone by where I would make my father grilled cheese and baloney sandwiches, with mustard and a few chives tucked in the middle.   He loved coming to my house for these sandwiches.  God-willing I will have the opportunity to make more for him some day . . .



The feeling of cool summer grass on the bottoms of my bare feet.   It feels so nice and so fresh . . . I walk through it with abandon returning to the joy this brought me as a child . . . I also love to take my socks off just prior to getting into bed at night.   The cool sheets feel so nice on my feet.

Maybe I have a foot/cool thing?   I dunno!   I only know what I like!




The Lavender which is beginning to bloom in the garden now.   Every time I walk by it and my legs brush against the blooms, I am gifted with the most luxurious smell.   This year I AM going to remember to cut some of it and dry it so that I can enjoy this smell all winter long . . .

I love Lavender . . .   mmmm . . . Lavender sugar.  MUST MAKE THIS YEAR.



The sound of the glass milk bottles as the milk float glides past our house early in the morning.   This is a sound I never thought I would hear again.  The sound of my childhood.   I am so grateful for home milk delivery and the fact that in England they still use small glass pint milk bottles.  May it ever be so . . .



Putting a few extra potatoes into the pot and making a hot dinner to take over to an elderly friend who rarely gets one.   The smile on her face was worth having one less sausage on our plates.   It didn't cost us anything much and really made her day.   It is good to think of others and serve them whenever you can in whatever way you can.    I am grateful that I still have extra sausages to share.



The sun is shining.  I think this may be the day.   Strawberry shortcake day.  I think I will have enough ripe berries today to make us some strawberry shortcakes for an after supper treat.   I can't wait!  Oh I do so love strawberry season!

And that's it for today.   What are some of the small and wonderful things which have brought a smile to your face and heart over the past week or so?  I'd love to hear about them!

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

"Real love begins where nothing is expected in return."
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery



Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . an old favourite using up some of the tarragon in my garden . . . Chicken Savoyarde.   Delicious. 

Hope your week is a wonderful one!