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. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.




This is Easter Week.  I love Easter Week almost more than Christmas.  First of all, it's not hugely commercialised and more Spiritual than anything else, and secondly it includes chocolate, and lots of it.  Over here in the UK, Easter Eggs are really big, and all of the chocolate companies sell them.




And I'm not talking little here . . . although we do have plenty of little eggs, our main Easter Eggs are HUGE.




Back home the emphasis used to be on the bunny . . .  here it is on the egg, and you can get whatever kind of egg you want.   Kit Kat.  Mars.   Etc.   They are basically just a plain large Easter Egg, wrapped in foil and filled with the attendant candy bars depending on which candy bar they are.

I have never seen a solid chocolate Easter Bunny here.



There are plenty of these however . . .  in a variety of sizes.   I would like a big one.

Just sayin'  is all.  I hope the Easter Bunny is listening.

 


Because of the sacred nature of this holiday, last week I was pondering on why our church doesn't hold special Psalm Sunday services, or Good Friday Services, etc.   and then it dawned on me.   We celebrate the Atonement all year round.  The Atonement of Jesus Christ is at the centre of everything we do, and at the centre of the lives we live.   That is our whole focus, 365 days a year.  It was an "aha" moment.



Our Freesia bush is in full bloom.  I can see it every time I look out my back window.   The garden is flush with yellow!  Daffodils and Freesia.  Have you noticed that seasons have colours?  Some seasons have more than one colour.  Right now it is the season of yellow, but it will soon be the season of blue and mauve once the bluebells and lilacs start to bloom.

But I love the Season of Yellow most of all.It signifies renewal and  re-birth.


 (Martha Stewart)

Do you do an Easter Tree?  This one from Martha Steward is way over the top.  Hard not to notice that one!  When we were down South the Estate Manager would give me an armful of freesia branches each year to make an Easter Tree in our Cottage.   I have a whole bunch of little wooden bunnies and eggs to decorate a tree with.   Maybe this year I will get Todd to go and get me some branches to use . . .  we will see.  I'm not hacking any off our Freesia bush as it is only a tiny one and not yet mature.



The fields are filled with lambs right now.  I love to watch them.  They don't stroll anywhere.  They gambol and prance.   So sweet.



I almost did not go to church yesterday.   I had a tummy ache, but I made myself go.  I just felt like I had to be there.   Turned out the Mission President and his wife were there and we were able to have an interview with them.  One step closer to our mission.  It's exciting.   I hadn't considered this before but I will have to cut back on the blogging once our Mission starts.   Not this blog, I am fairly certain I can keep this one up, but the food blog I probably won't be able to do every day like I do now.   That one will have to cut back to about two times a week in all probability.  That's okay.  It will be worth it.

I think I have a bladder infection.  No pain as of the moment, but I am feeling like I constantly have to go to the bathroom.   That is not a small and wonderful thing.



This is not just Easter Week for us Latter Day Saints, but also Spring Conference Week.  Twice a year we have a General Conference for our church, in the Spring and in the Autumn.   Regular meetings are not held on those weekends.  Instead we gather in our chapels and Stake centres, around our televisions at home, etc. to listen to our leaders speak in four general sessions, as well as a Priesthood Session and a Women's Session.   We get to hear wonderfully uplifting and spiritually energising talks.  I love General Conference.  It, too, is a time of renewal and re-birth.  If you would like to listen to and watch the talks you can too.   You don't have to be LDS to do so.  You just have to click here to find out more.  Come listen to a Prophet speak.



Saw this on Facebook and it made me smile because  . . .  sharing is always important . . .  and cake sharing is special.   This was a very cakey weekend here.   It was Ariana's birthday on Friday and so I baked her a Peanut Butter Cake (that's her favourite one I make) and then she brought home a chocolate cake her friends had given her.  Lots of cake sharing going on here.

And I guess that is my small and wonderfuls for this week.   I hope your life is full of many small and wonderful things too.

A thought to carry with you  through today  . . .


❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥ 
It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have
a taste for collecting shells,
than to be born a millionaire.
~Robert Louis Stevenson 
❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥ 




In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Blueberry Cake with a Brown Sugar Sauce.  Simple goodness.


Have a wonderful Monday and a beautiful week. Don't forget . . .

 ═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
 ═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════

And I do too!