Wednesday wanderings of the mind . . .

 I was sitting and thinking yesterday . . .  as I was working on my portfolio . . .  what are the things which make me happy in life.  It's a simple list really . . . but it is a living list which changes and evolves with the changes that accompany my life as it ages and goes on . . .

When I was younger, I had different priorities.  My children and home were uppermost in my thoughts.  Making sure that they were happy and our home was comfortable were always uppermost in my mind.  Now I am a lot older and my nest is empty, my children living independant lives  . . .  and I am able to concentrate on the things which make me happy and bring me joy.  I suppose that is one of the blessings of old age . . . even though there are many moments when I yearn for a full nest again.

My heart longs to live closer to my family, but for a variety of reasons that option just is not possible at the moment.  I could dwell on that sense of loss, but I do not . . . for to do so would steal the light from the many joys in my life that I do have . . .




It was quite simply a gorgeous, gorgeous day here yesterday.  The sun shone and had a tender warmth to it that has been missing in these past weeks . . .  Todd sat out in the garden at our little table almost all day, reading and studying.   I had to remind him to put his hat on . . .  I was worried he would get sunburnt, it was that sunny and warm.  We took Mitzie's bed out onto the stoned area of the patio, thinking she would find it more comfortable to lay in that whilst she surveyed her domain . . .  but I think she just thought we were a tad crazy and lay on the cement anyways.

Come to think of it  . . .  the cement was probably a lot warmer.

The bees buzzed and the birds chittered . . .  and I puttered.  I like puttering.   It makes me happy.



A bit of cooking.   A bit of cleaning.   A bit of sewing.   A bit of painting. That was most of my day right there. And I was happy.  Seeing Todd enjoying the sunshine . . .  and Mitzie too.  That made my heart sing it's special song.  Of course there were plenty of Mitzie cuddles as well.

Her feet smell like popcorn.   I love that.  She knows how to hug.   Her hugs involve her pushing her head into me and tucking in close.  Mitzie hugs make me happy.



When it came to cooking dinner . . . I went to the refrigerator and picked out a bit of this and a bit of that and created something edible. I had two chicken breast portions . . .  albeit quite large ones . . .  and a half each of a green, red and yellow pepper and some leftover cooked pasta of the noodle variety.  I channeled my inner Nigel Slater and came up with something which was quite tasty I thought . . .  with the addition of an onion, some seasoning, creme fraiche and a bit of cheese.  Todd would have rather it had been potatoes instead of pasta . . .  but saving money makes him happy and so he did not complain.  A slice of jam tart for afters made it all better anyways  . . .

Jam, it makes us both happy.




At one point I went down to the bottom of the garden with the idea in mind to count the apple blossoms.   Too many to count.   A blessing in and of itself.  Perhaps this year we will have enough to make a pie . . .  and the pear tree is heavily laden with bloom along with the plum.  Very promising indeed . . .  very promising.

And I watched the fish in the pond.   We only have one really large one left. It is very yellow, but we have two medium sized ones as well, an orange and a variagated one with orange, black and white . . .  and then some that are a bit smaller, orange, yellow and a dusky black one which we had not noticed before at all  . . .  and here and there little glimmers of really tiny ones flit back and forth, so quickly that you cannot count, but there are quite a few . . .  so again much promise is held in the waters of the pond . . .  and the lilies are growing up and the reeds also, and polliwogs wiggle along the edges.




And the flat leaf parsley has survived the winter and is coming back.   I am able to use a few leaves of it here and there for garnish . . .  and the chives are abundant, and the marjoram, and sage . . . thyme and oregano too . . . and mint . . .  always mint.

I do not know about the lemon balm . . . and I doubt the tarragon will have survived, but I
 may yet be surprised.

And there are buds on the snap dragons and the lobelia is in bloom and while the camelia bush is dropping her blooms like rain falls on the plains . . .  I see the furry leaves of the Oriental poppies bursting forth and the lupins and holly hocks . . . all are unfolding before my very eyes . . .

And across the way . . .  lilacs and cherry trees.

Oh tis a beauteous time of year.  Not a word?   Perhaps, but you know what I mean.

 

I love days when I can wash the bedding and then hang it out of doors to dry . . .  and it comes in at the end of the day all smelling like sunshine and that beautiful English air . . .  filled with budding blooms and nesting birds and growing grass . . . the scent of spring everywhere . . .



And I think to myself this is where I belong  . . .  this is where my happy lays.  It may not be the life I started out to have, or the life I thought I would have . . .  but it is a beautiful life, filled with much good and much joy and much love.

Life is happy when your joys are simple ones.

A thought to carry with you through today  . . .


❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥.¸¸.✿¨¯`❥✻❥
"A friend is one to whom we may
pour out the contents of our hearts,
chaff and grain together,
knowing that the gentlest of hands
will sift it,
keep what is worth keeping, and
with a breath of gentle kindness
blow the rest away . . . "
~Unknown
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Baking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Simple Vanilla Cupcakes.   A real doddle to make and bake.
Have a beautiful Wednesday.  I hope the sun shines wherever you are, even if it is only in your heart. 

Don't forget . . .

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And I do too.  See you soon!