A this and that kind of post . . .

It was such a beautiful day yesterday.  Last evening after we had eaten and cleared up we took a walk down our garden and ended up sitting out there for a bit, it was just so darned nice.  Mitzie was very excited that we were sitting there.  She was running up and down, trying to tell us about all the cats that had been up and down the garden during the day. She has such an amazing sense of smell.  We were watching on the news early yesterday morning and they were talking about how they are training labradors and cockers to help test for certain types of cancer.  Apparently their sense of smell is so great that they can smell cancer growing.

It was quite pleasant sitting out there, watching the gulls flying above us in the sky, circling . . . . Todd said they were Herring Gulls.  Eventually we had to come in because they were muck spreading in the farm fields which surround where we live and the smell got too horrible.  It seemed such a shame . . .  one of the nicest days so far this summer, and we had to come in and shut all the doors and windows, it smelt so bad.  It was almost nauseating.  But a part of what helps to grow the food that we eat and enjoy.




We have such a lovely and cosy home together.  Friends of ours are in the process now of moving from a large privately rented two bedroom bungalow into a one bedroom sheltered accommodation bungalow and it is so hard.  Having to go through everything you have and decide what is worth taking with you and what you can bear to get rid of.   The sheltered bungalow is less than half the size of what they have been living in, and I know it must be a great wrench for them.

When I first moved over here, Todd and I were living in a one bedroom maisonette flat.  We fit it very comfortably, but in the fifteen years since, we have accumulated more and more things so that now we would never be able to fit into one of those  . . .  and yet in my heart I know that eventually we must, and that we will be doing the same thing.

Trying to decide which mementos and parts of our lives which are worth taking into a small space, where everything that you own has to be needed and loved . . .  not just a luxury.   And really that is what most of what we have accumulated over these past fifteen years is . . . luxuries.



One thing is for sure . . .  we would never move anywhere that we could  not take this little treasure with us.   I was watching her yesterday and thinking about what a joy she is to us.   It is hard to believe that on Thursday it will be five years since she came to live with us.  She was only 8 weeks old.  I cannot imagine her not being here.  She has brought us so much joy and is such a vital presence in our lives.  Such a dear sweet personality and so lovingly affectionate.  I so wish at times that she could speak to us in words . . .  what would she say?  She tries really hard to communicate with us in doggie speak and I think we do a pretty good job at understanding what she is trying to let us know  . . . but sometimes, just sometimes I would love to be able to truly understand what she is saying and not just guess at what she is saying  . . . .




The wedding yesterday at the chapel was such a beautiful thing to witness.   An older couple who had been together for almost 20 years, now finally solemnizing their union.   They have three daughters together and a grandchild.  Some might question why after all this time they were getting married when the other way had been working so well.   You cannot be baptised in our church unless you are living the commandments and one of those is that a man and a woman cannot simply be living together without being married.  It's just one of our things.  It was so lovely and touching to watch these two people take this step after having been together for so long.   The three girls were bridesmaids.




Todd has gathered all of the poppyseeds to replant in the autumn.  He said there were a ton of them this year.   I always think that flower seeds are so magical . . .  there is so much promise held in the seed of a flower and each flower produces so many, many seeds.  They contain all the promise and inspiration of creation.  Everything living on this earth contains that God given ability  . . .  the ability to procreate and multiply in its own kind.   I think it is such a marvelous, marvelous miracle that we all seem to take for granted.  It is nice every now and again to stop and think about just how marvelous it all is . . .  there are some that think that all of this is just one big happy accident.  There are still others that cannot see the magic all around us or the wonder of each day, choosing only to dwell on all that is negative in this world.  Joy comes when you can not only appreciate the positive but also the negative . . .  knowing that were it not for the negative the positive would not be able to bring us as much joy as it does . . .

I am a ponderer . . .



Open the windows of my mind
that I may catch the morning light.
Grant me, Lord, a wide horizon,
and a vision broad and bright.
Give me eyes to seek for beauty
and a heart to understand.
Ears to hear,
the voice of conscience,
feet to run at Love's command.
~Patience Strong 




Cooking in the English Kitchen today something really fun to make, easy and delicious . . .  Donut Sundaes.


May your Sunday be filled with blessings and love.   Don't forget  . . .

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And I do too!