The Simple Woman's Daybook . . .

 

FOR TODAY, April 30th, 2019

Outside my window ...

Sun's up. Birds are singing.  Its chilly, but its dry. Can't complain! Yesterday ended up being fairly mild, so here's hoping!

I am thinking ...

I can't believe that we are sitting on the last day of April and tomorrow it will be May already. Somebody please stop the world from turning around so quickly! 

I am thankful for ...

I was going through an old jewelry box yesterday and I found some letters two of my children had sent me not too long after I moved over here. They made me smile. 

One of my favourite things ...

 

Vintage kitchens  . . .  oh how I would love to have one. 

In the kitchen ... 

  

Spiced Carrot Soup with Lime.  Best soup I have ever made.  Seriously.  You need to make this.  Low fat and healthy! 

On my "To Cook" list ... 

 

Dulcisss in Forno. Pizza Bianco.  Saw this on the Rome epiode of the Metropolis Series.  I hope they get my oven working today! The recipe is in Italian, but I think I can figure it out! 

Good to know ... 

 

I am creating ... 

  

Craft River.  How to paint on White Porcelain.  Love this. 

 

Mia Lani.  No instructions, but what a wonderful needlework sampler.  Inspirational.  I love it! 

 

Cute as a Fox.  Rustic hand painted woodland animal ornaments.   

 

Letting in the Light.  No instructions, but plenty of inspiration.  Paper Mache Bowls. 

 

 

Will Made. This is me shawl.  Love this.  

I am reading ... 

 

Every Last One, by Anna Quindlen  

In this breathtaking and beautiful novel, the #1 New York Times" bestselling author Anna Quindlen creates an unforgettable portrait of a mother, a father, a family, and the explosive, violent consequences of what seem like inconsequential actions.

Mary Beth Latham has built her life around her family, around caring for her three teenage children and preserving the rituals of their daily life. When one of her sons becomes depressed, Mary Beth focuses on him, only to be blindsided by a shocking act of violence. What happens afterwards is a testament to the power of a woman's love and determination, and to the invisible lines of hope and healing that connect one human being with another.

Ultimately, as rendered in Anna Quindlen's mesmerizing prose, Every Last One" is a novel about facing every last one of the things we fear most, about finding ways to navigate a road we never intended to travel, and about living a life we never dreamed we'd have to live, but find ourselves brave enough to try.

I'm hooked.  Its a page turner.

I am looking forward to ...
The Engineer coming today and HOPEFULLY fixing my oven! 

Dreaming about ... 

 

Light filled rooms  . . . 

  

Wire plant stands  . . .  

 

BP and Peter Rabbit  . . .  quilt  . . . 

  

1950's fashion . . . 

 

Lace collars and pin tucks . . . 

Makes me smile ... 

  

My sisters recent find.  She got it at a flea market.  Isn't it cute! 

Something to Watch ... 

 

Game of Thrones, Season 8.  We are on the edge of our Seats  . . .  a bit scary also. 

A thought to carry with you  ... 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *I sometimes wonder if

all pleasures

are not substitutes for joy.

~C. S. Lewis •。★★ 。* 。 

Corners of my kingdom ... 

 

 Laugharne Castle (Castell Talacharn) Laugharne, Carmarthenshire. The original castle was built in 1116 by Robert Courtemain. Famously, it served as a meeting place for Henry II of England and Rhys ap Gruffudd – who led the Welsh Uprising (1164-1170) against English rule. 

And that's my daybook for this week!



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



✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.• ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥
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Have a beautiful day!  Don't forget!  

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And I do too!    

   

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 from the past week which brought untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.  

 

 

 

 

Its stopped raining and looks like its going to be a fine day.  This early in the morning and its so bright out.  The birds are singing and I am enjoying seeing the golden glow of my glass birds in the window.  The sparrow looks like it is sitting on a palm tree nest, cute.  Love these birds. I may not be able to have a stained glass window in my house, but I can have pretty little glass birds in my windows.  ♥♥♥♥ 

 

 

  

 

Little reminders tucked here and there that remind me of people that I care about.  Small tokens gifted to me from much beloved friends.  I smile each time I notice them, and my heart says a little prayer for each one of them.  The friends . . .  not the tokens. 

 

 

 

 

Our cosy little home. Our mantles a bit messy at the moment with an old candle I need to throw out and some lighters sitting there.  I had actually thought about getting tid of the cherubs, but Todd loves them. He played rescue.  My little sparrow reminds me that His eye is always on the sparrow.  It meets his tender view  . . . 

 

  

 

Family  . . . its everything and I love mine. The family is ordained of God. Its central to His plan of happiness for us, His children  . . .  I am so grateful for all of my family and that I had good parents when I was growing up.  They were not perfect.  I am not perfect.  Nobody is.  But there has always been plenty of love, and that is what counts most of all.  

 

 

 

Being able to go to church yesterday and partake of the Sacrament, renewing my covenants, and being with the Saints.  The talks were lovely, the lesson in Relief Society was lovely.  Its just a wonderful way to recharge your spiritual battery each week.  We have a very large congregation and it is composed of people from all ages.  I think Todd is one of the oldest ones in the Ward (which is each area congregation is called) at the age of 80, although there are a few that are possibly older than he is.  We have a huge primary (children's Sunday School) and lots of young families and newborn babies also.  I think 5 have been born since the beginning of the year with another few on the way. One of our young men is on his mission at the moment in South Africa and another is getting ready to leave on his mission over the next few weeks.  He is going to Bavaria/Alpine mission where he will need to speak German.  We also have a young Sister who just left a few weeks ago to serve her mission in Spain where she will need to speak Spanish.  Such brave young people.  I admire them and their families. They do it because they love the Lord and want to serve Him.  

 

 

 

These Babushka Bread Boards hang on the wall just as you are going into our kitchen, so in the dining area.  I painted them many, many years ago now  . . . an idea gleaned from a magazine.  I love them.  I also love my wooden chickens and apples which were bought at a craft sale.  The Amish Victorian Peg Doll my sister made me hangs there along with an old Amish Clothes peg doll that someone gifted me with one year. Again, reminders of people, times and places that have a special niche carved in my heart. 

 

  

 

I found this the other day and it really resonated with me.  I think sometimes we can forgive and love just about anyone but ourselves.  We tend to forgive others before we forgive ourselves, if we can bring ourselves to forgive ourselves at all.  We need to do better at loving ourselves, forgiving ourselves, and I don't mean that in a narcissistic way.  I mean in a humble and caring way. 

 

 

 

 

There have been some really heinous crimes committed in recent weeks towards people who have been in the act of worshipping their God.  New Zealand, India, California  . . .  these acts of violence are terrible anyways, but to attack people in acts of worship, even more so . . .  I am reminded to not dwell on the acts, but to instead look at the love and support which quickly gathers around the victims and survivors.  The tenacity of the human spirit is a beautiful thing to witness as is our capacity for loving others and reaching out in service.  Dwelling on the positive is a choice I must make each day, or else my spirit would crumble  . . . 

 

 

This is so, so, so true.  Losing our mother has taught me something about stuff.  Use the things you love and love the things you use.  Don't save them for an unknown future. Don't hang onto things that you are never going to use.  If they are stored in a closet and you haven't even looked at them in months, and can't even tell anyone what is in the closet.  Just get rid.  Don't even go there. You will never miss it  . . .  

 

 

 

Waking up each morning to a new day  . . .  a new page to write on  . . .  another chance to do better than the day before . . . the opportunity to just be alive and living and loving and being.  Being able to see each day as the gift that it is.  

 

 

 

Our Oriental Poppies are blooming again and they are beautiful.  They don't last for long so I am enjoying them while I can.  Simply gorgeous.  

 

  

 

The show Metropolis on Netflix.  This series is amazing!!  Each episode explores one important city in the world, uncovering rich historical secrets behind its location. So far we have watched New York City and San Francisco.  Next up Rome.  These are all cities that we may never have the opportunity to visit so we are both fascinated with this show.  I love that we both enjoy the same things (to a degree, lol) and can sit and enjoy them together.  Armchair travel.  You gotta love it!  Cheap, you don't need to pack a suitcase and you can come home anytime you want. 

 

And those are my small and wonderful things for this week! 

 

A thought to carry with you . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.Your home is a living space,

not a storage space.

~Francine Jay  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

 

 

 

In the kitchen today . . .  Tomato & Herb Sauced Alaskan Black Cod.  Quite simply delicious!  

 

Have a wonderful Monday.  I hope your week ahead is filled with plenty of small and wonderful things. Don't forget!  

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And I do too! 

 

 

Something for Sunday . . .

 

(artist Heinz Geilfus) 

I hardly ever have enough time these days to do a proper post on Sunday mornings, so I am just going to post a picture, and then you can tell me what it makes you feel or think in the comments.  I will too. 

 

Design for Living . . .

 

A room with curtains snugly drawn

A red coal fire that oozes cheer,

A radio with golden hands,

Turned up just loud enough to hear

Yet not disturb or irritate

Dreams in the making by the grate.  

 

 

 

 

 Bookshelves where all the wealth of time

Is gathered in like golden sheaves

And bound like faggots on the hearth

Holding within their precious leaves

Romance and wonder, pride and worth,

From all the corners of the earth. 

 

A baseball diamond, rimmed with grass,

A kid with cokes and "Chocklut" bars.

A gleaming driveway by the lake,

Where you can catch a glimpse of stars,

A park for quiet walks and hikes,

Where one can saunter as he likes. 

 

 

A church where quiet prayers are said

And golden light is sifted in

To lie among the family pews,

A place remote from taint of sin

Where people wearied of the day

Can cast their troubles all away.  

 

 

A home . . . a church  . . .  a loved one near,

To share a bit of heaven here.

~Edna Jacques 

 

 

 

Oh reading this poem this  morning made me feel so nostalgic for the past, and for my growing up years.  It was the simplest of times, without a lot of the modern conveniences we take for granted these days, but in many ways it was the best of times . . . a time when you knew all your neighbours and they knew you too  . . . there was a strong sense of community. You didn't have to lock your doors, and you knew what day of the week it was just by what your mum was cooking for your supper, or if there was laundry hanging out on the line.  A time when the utterance of two words . . .  "I'm bored!" . . .  could elicit a list of chores to do as long as your arm, and there was no better feeling than that of your mum tucking you into bed at the end of the day and kissing you on your forehead. 

It just all felt so safe and familiar.

 

Oh but it is a horrible blustery, windy, rainy, cold day out there this morning.  Our bins have been blown around out back and are missing their lids. A far cry from the beautifully summer weather we were enjoying last weekend! You won't want to be moving very far from your hearth in this!  I have had to put the heat on this morning as it was feeling rather chilly in here!  Brrr . . .  

A thought to carry with you  . . .  

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *No matter our circumstances,

no matter our challenges or trials,

there is something in each day 

to embrace and cherish.

There is something in each day

that can bring gratitude and joy,

if only we will see and appreciate it.

~Dieter F Uchtdorf  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

Todd was wanting some cake yesterday so I baked a cake in my bread machine!  It turned out beautifully!  Apple & Ginger Cake! 

Have a great Satuday.  Stay safe and stay warm.  Don't forget! 

 

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And I do too!