A bi of this, a bit of that and everything inbetween

 Cuddle time was the order of the day yesterday.  I didn't do much of anything actually.  Mitzie didn't mind at all.  I think she sometimes thinks "her pets" are a boring lot, always busying themselves with clicking keys and channel changers, pots and pans or books . . . she'd much rather be the centre of our attention than all of those!   Little does she know that she is one of our little treasures and blessings in life.  This is not her favourite time of year when the grass in the garden begins to get wet and we close it off from her as a rule, not wanting muddy paw prints over everything in the house.  When we do get a run of a few sunny days we let her wander over onto the grassed area, but with Winter looming those days will be far and few now for a number of months.

I can hear her sighs now . . . big harrumphs, as she flops her head down upon her paws in great disgust.  She loves nothing more than wandering through the grassed area having a good old sniff and patrolling it for the dreaded cats . . . barking madly as she chases them and their scent away.

 

In reality she is a bit of a woos when it comes to the cats.  This is a case where her bark is much worse than her bite, because she is afraid to go very near to them.  Instead she comes back and trys to get us to accompany her in the chasing bit.  There's safety in numbers I suppose!

This is the time of year that the kitchen seems to overflow with the things we must put away and use up before the frosts begin.   Tomatoes, peppers, grapes, the last of the roses and zinnias, courgettes and cucumbers.  You begin to despair of ever seeing the end of these I fear.   I don't mind too awfully much.  It is a labor of love and why do we grow it if it's not to be used.  It's the dealing with it "all-at-once" business that gets rather tiresome I think!

But that is autumn . . . berries must be picked, likewise the pears and apples and plums.  All must be gathered in before it is too late.  The time for sitting around by the fire all day knitting and darning will  be upon us before we know it.



We still do have the odd nice and warm days, possibly even a stretch of a few at a time, sometimes embroidered with sunshine . . . Indian Summer . . . the Farewell Summer . . . days when goldenrod makes a pathway of sheer golden delight, and the meadows are tinged with rosy violets and the golds and browns of the spent seed pods of what was not that long ago in glorious bloom.   Acorns crunch beneath our feet as we walk, and all about us the trees flicker into flame, seemingly overnight.

Oh what a glorious time of year it is . . . but then I say that with each season that passes.  I fear I just enjoy it all, and the abundance of little joys and pleasures each one brings to our table . . .

Do yourself a favor.  Scroll down and click on the music to pause it and watch this wonderful little video.  I'll wait until you get back . . . 


I found this yesterday and was totally charmed with it.  Oh my but it does make my heart smile.  What a delightful pair this is, a father and his daughter.   How can one not be charmed with a pink Ukulele playing dad and his little girl singing together in this way???  Such a sweet thing to behold.  It is just adorable.


And with that I will leave you with a thought to carry around with you today . . .

So much has been given to me
I have not time to ponder over
that which has been denied.
- Helen Keller 

It's all about gratitude.  Gratitude makes ones life so much richer . . .



I'm showing off my top ten recipes over in The English Kitchen today.   There's sure to be something for everyone!

Have a fabulous Thursday. It's hard to believe it's Thursday already isn't it?  Whew!!