Wednesday This and That . . .

Allow me to moan a bit here.  Wahhh! The Engineer was really late getting here yesterday.  We had a text saying he would be at ours in fifteen minutes, and then he didn't show up for a further forty five minutes.  Then, when he did arrive, it was to tell us that he couldn't find the parts that he had ordered for our stove.  He went back to the shop to see where they were, but no joy. He doesn't know what happened to them, so we are now waiting a further week for him to come back.  (We hope. He couldn't actually book an appointment yesterday as the computer that he carried with him wouldn't let him hook up.)  He thinks it will most likely be Monday or Tuesday.  Thinks.  *Sniff *Sniff  No oven for another week.  I have never used the top oven to bake anything in.  You are supposed to be able to use it as an oven as well, but I have only ever used it as a grill.  Not sure I want to waste time and ingredients on something that might or might not work . . .  we'll see  . . . 

 

Our Pear Tree is covered with tiny pear buds . . .  growing pears.  I also saw evidence yesterday of a fair bit of plums on the plum tree and apples on the apple tree.  Todd pruned them really back last Winter, so hopefully that has done the trick.  Fingers crossed!  We've usually gotten a lot of pears anyways, but last year we got one plum and NO apples.  So we are a bit more hopeful this year.

The strawberry patch is also full of flowers, so with any luck we will be enjoying a bumper crop of them this year and the blueberry bushes have plenty of flower on them also.  

  

We have plenty of these blooming at the moment.  Bluebells.  They grow along the base of our hedge and oddly enough quite a few have shown up in our strawberry patch, along with that annoying sticker weed, whch you can see in the above photo.  Its the one with the skinny leaves.  That stuff sticks to you when you are trying to pull it out and it is prolific. You can't get rid of it, but if you don't keep pulling it, it will choke out your plants. 

I think this is the earliest I have ever seen our strawberries in bloom.

 

These have also appeared.  Primula Verus, or commonly known as Cowslip.  I don't know where that came from either.  Its a surprise, probably carried by seed on the wind, or a bird. The common name cowslip may derive from the old English for cow dung, probably because the plant was often found growing amongst the manure in cow pastures. An alternative derivation simply refers to slippery or boggy ground; again, a typical habitat for this plant. Our yard is neither of those, so we will see how it goes!

 

I spent some time doing some more flowers yesterday while the engineer was here and Todd was watching some cheesy movie.  Its quite an enjoyable exercise in mindfulness.  I just kind of lose myself in it.  There is the beginning of what looks like bearded Iris up in the right hand corner, or some kind of orchid.  I have just been letting them decide what they want to be.   So far it has worked alright. 

 

I have started my journal on the Saviour. I am using this magnetised flap one, with a Japanese Screen Pattern.  I found the perfect quote to begin it with. 

By learning of Him, by believing in Him, 

by following Him, 

there is the capacity to become like Him. 

The countenance can change; 

the heart can be softened; 

the step can be quickened; 

the outlook enhanced. 

Life becomes what it should become. 

~Thomas S Monson 

I was so excited to find it because that is my goal, and the whole purpose of the journal.  I was encouraged by a conversation I had with my middle son recently.  It wasn't too long after I moved over here that he sent me an e-mail in which he professed that he didn't know what to think of me being a Latter Day Saint, that he was a Christian and that the thought of me being a "Mormon" scared him. He was worried about my spending eternity in "hell."  He has come to a place now where he recognises that a Christian is simply a person who believes in Christ, trusts in Christ and lives their lives according to His teachings.  I call that progress. 

  

If this doesn't make you smile, nothing will!  What a wee treasure she is.  Love her to pieces.  She is such a beautiful baby, and filled with joy.  I love that we are a part of her life even in a very small way. 

Since the beginning of the year, we have had four babies born in our Ward and several  more are expected.  Our Children's Sunday School group is huge.  I love that when we go to church on Sundays the chapel is alive with people from every age group.  I have noticed that all of a sudden it seems . . .  I have moved into the Elderly group.  How did that happen?  I guess I am a Senior Citizen.  It kind of crept up on me without me even noticing  . . .  

 

This is one of the cookbooks in my library.  I haven't cooked a lot, if anything from it.  In my effort to use my books or lose my books, I am planning on cooking from it a bit in the next few weeks.  it is composed or original fascimile leaflets which were put out by the British Government to help its citizens cop with Wartime rations during the 1940's.  We will see how it goes.  Some of it doesn't sound half bad.  

  

I e-mailed my editor back yesterday and told him that it didn't really matter to me when my book is published.  That I appreciated his taking a chance on me in the first place and I was happy to wait until he was signed with a new printer and distributor, no matter  if it took months.  So when it happens,  if it happens  . . .  it happens.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.The quieter you become,

the more you are able to hear.

~Rumi   •。★★ 。* 。 

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Crock Pot Mac and Cheese. Creamy, delicious and designed to feed only a few people.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!  Don't forget!

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And I do too!