The Simple Woman's Daybook . . .

FOR TODAY, February 21, 2017 

Outside my window ...
Its cold and dark, but the sky is beginning to lighten to the East.   Already I am noticing a lengthening of the days.  The camelia bush is in bloom already.   A full month earlier than normal.   Daffodils are sprouting.  Methings tis much too soon, but  there are signs of spring everywhere.  I am loving it.

I am thinking ... 
A great deal of my childhood was spent in Nova Scotia.  One of the places I loved to visit was the Habitation in Port Royal.  This is the site of the French explorer Samuel de Champlain's original 'Habitation' in 1605, which is something we were taught in history in school.   Over the years I have gone there many times and each time I go home, even now, it is on my list of places to visit.  I have always had a sense of the familial that I cannot explain when I go there.  It has always been a place I felt a sense of Deja Vu as it were.  Never more so than the last time I went when there was a huge TeePee erected outside the fort and a Mi-kmaq woman was demonstrating Native North American life inside.  We were fascinated, totally fascinated, but then The Habitation has always fascinated me.   This past year I had my DNA done and found out that I do have Native North American Blood.  I always figured that it was from my father's side of the family.  My Aunt Freda always said that there was a story that we had Native North Americans on my mother's side of the family also.  Yesterday I was researching my family tree and I traced one line back to this man.

Meet Henri Membertou. Henri Membertou was the sakmow of the Mi'kmaq First Nations tribe situated near Port Royal, site of the first French settlement in Acadia, present-day Nova Scotia, where the Habitation is situated.   He was a great Chief of the Native people.  He would have traded there and dealt with the French there, etc.  Conversed with Champlain and Jacques Cartier.  Goosebumps went up my spine.  I checked and re-checked.  Now I know why I have always felt this odd feeling in going to the Habitation.  I am still processing  . . . his one wish when he was dying was that his children would all remain devout Christians.  In 2007 Canada issued a stamp to honor him.  I wish I had one of those.  I really do.

In the kitchen ...

Vegetable Chow Mein.  Fresh flavours, lots of veg, quick to make.   Healthy too!  There is no cloying sauce.  Its light and very tasty!

On my "To Cook" list ... 

 

Homamade Chicken Gyoza from Katie Cakes.  I love Chinese Dumplings and these look VERY good!

Good to know ...

Every little helps.  From Jane Travis.

I am creating ...

Would love to do something like this in our kitchen.  Love these colours.  From The Turquoise Home.

Needlefelting AND embroidery.  Two of my loves combined.  From This is Colossal.

A Cultivated Nest.  15 ways to re-purpose an old suitcase.  Love this.

 

 Papercrafting an Airmail Booklet.   Can you still buy airmail envelopes? I could not find the source, but I love this.

 LeeLee Knits.  Free chunky throw Pattern.

I am reading ...

 

 Abide With Me, by Elizabeth Strout.
Katherine is only five-years-old. Struck dumb with grief at her mother's death, it is down to her father, the heartbroken minister Tyler Caskey, to bring his daughter out of silence she has observed in the wake of the family's tragedy.

But Tyler Caskey is barely surviving himself. His cold, church-assigned home is colder still since Lauren's death, and he struggles to find the right words for his sermons; struggles to be a leader to his congregation when he himself is lost.

When Katherine's schoolteacher calls to discuss his daughter's anti-social behaviour, it sparks a chain of events that begins to tear down Tyler's defences. The small-town rumour-mill has much to make of Katherine's odd behaviour, and even more to say about Tyler's relationship with his housekeeper, Connie Hatch. And in Tyler's darkest hour, a startling discovery will test his congregation's humanity - and his own will to endure the kinds of trials that sooner or later test us all.

From the Orange Prize-shortlisted author of Amy & Isabelle, this is a startlingly beautiful novel about love and abandonment, faith and hypocrisy; and the peril of family secrets…

I have only just started this.  I enjoyed Olive Kitteridge and so far I am enjoying this.

I am looking forward to ...
Getting stuck into my writing today.  I am loving the experience.  Really loving it.

Dreaming about ...

 

A weekend getaway to Copenhagen, once Todd is finished all his treatments, our company has finished visiting and Todd is feeling better.  We would love to go to Copenhagen. 

 

Pretty Garden Sheds  . . .  you know what it is, I always wanted a Wendy House.  I still want a Wendy House.

  

The pansies in bloom  . . .  soon  . . .   I love pansies . . .  and sweet peas.

 

Pristine and Streamlined  . . . simplicity . . . 

 

 A long hot soak  . . .  its been a while . . . we only have a shower now, which I love, but sometimes, you just want a long hot soak . . .  with candles and a good book.

Something to watch ... 

 

Birdman.   2014 Best Picture Oscar Winning film. Illustrated upon the progress of his latest Broadway play, a former popular actor's struggle to cope with his current life as a wasted actor.

A favourite quote for the day ...

 

(¯`v´¯)
 `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ¸. •´¸.•~♥♥♥~•. ~ ღϠ₡ღ¸. ✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ.
              ( ¸. ❀⁀ ⋱‿✿“` * .¸.* ✻ღϠ₡ ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..
For it was not into my ear you whispered,
              but into my heart,
                   it was not my lips you kissed,
                      but my soul.
                         ~Jane Eyre 


Makes me smile ...

  

Laughing babies always make me smile.  Look at those dimples.  Funny how if you are a baby and are bald and have  no teeth, are chubby, etc.  you are cute.  But as an adult if you are those things you are not cute.   

One of my favourite things ... 

 

Red and white anything and everything.  When we worked at the Manor, their Guest house had a red and white gingham sofa I coveted.  Yes, I know  . . .  coveting is a sin.

Corners of my Kingdom ...

 

The Cavern Club, Liverpool.  Where the Beatles got their start.  Remember when I went there?   A friend of mine used to go there on her school lunch hour breaks.  I want to take Lura and John there.

And that's my daybook for this week!


  ⋱ ⋮ ⋰
⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small *´¯`.¸¸.☆
  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆


✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿
╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬
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Wherever you go and whatever you do, I hope there's a great day ahead of you! Don't forget!


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 And I do too!