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.   

  

I do most of my baking at the weekend.  I only ever very rarely bake during the week. That's because it is too tempting and it gets in my mouth.  I'm trying to be really good and most of the time I succeed.  Whew!  Its not fair to punish Todd however and so at the weekend I usually bake him a treat or two. 

  

Yay, I've finally noticed some bees in the garden, honey bees and bumble bees.  I was getting really worried because I hadn't seen any!  Whew! Bees are so important to our planet and I don't like to see what is happening to them because of all the things that are going wrong with our environment, etc.  

  

Its been many years since I have experienced a firefly summer. I remember one in particular when I was a child. We were on our way back from Quebec, having visited my father's family, and we visited  overnight with a family that lived in a house along the banks of the Saint John River  just outside of Fredericton.  A ham radio friend of my dad's.  I remember that their house was only half built and they were living in part of it while they built the rest.  I don't know what the grownups got up to but we children spent an enjoyable evening chasing and catching fireflies!  

 

Homemade granola.  I've been a granola eater for years and I only ever eat homemade.  It is the breakfast and snack of champions. I hate storebought granola.  It tastes pretty awful in comparison. The real thing spoils you for anything else. 

  

Fresh garden greens.  We were gifted with some at church yesterday.  Beet greens and beets and new potatoes.  I adore beet greens.  Sauteed with a bit of butter and dressed with vinegar.  Its the way my mom always cooked them. Seriously yummy!  You never see beets with the greens attached in the shops over here.  Mores the pity.  They are missing out on a lot of goodness! 

 

Early morning cuddles with Mitzie. They are a great way to start my day.  She is such a playful loving creature . . . what would we do without her.  She brings us so much joy and pleasure, and . . . love, unconditional love.   Her brilliant personality and eagerness to please is a wonder to us.    She is probably one of the sweetest things in our lives and days . . . she is our baby we could not have.  

 

"It was only a sunny smile
and little it cost in the giving,
but like morning light it scattered the night
and made the day worth living"
~unknown  

Smiles, one size fits all and free for the giving and receiving.  There is nothing that can cheer a heart or light up a room like a genuine smile. I love them. 

 

Feeding the soul.  It doesn't cost much to feed a soul.  Only time, and not even a lot of that.  It can be fed by the comforting touch of a hand, or the broadening warmth of a smile . . . a fit word spoken, the colours of a delicate bloom, a few melodious notes of a song, a service given or a service taken, a listening ear and a shoulder to lean on . . . all free, and there are many, many more gifts such as these to feed your soul . . . 

   

Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved.
~Thomas S Monson

Acts of service.   They do not have to be grand or for the whole world to see.  They are the small and simple gestures we practice every day, which help to lessen the burdens in another's life.  It could be something as simple as simply listening, or the squeeze of a hand, or a hug, a smile . . . we can serve others in a multitude of ways.  It is loving and it is selfless.  It is without expectation of anything in return.  It is being the Saviour's hands.  It is what makes a life worth living. 

  

 

Daily prayer, singularly and together as a couple.  If we had children they would also be included in this beautiful experience.   There is something so very wonderful in being able to pray together as a family.  There is a beautiful power in it and a strength that comes into your family by being able to go to the Lord together. 

I am truly blessed. My life is filled with goodness, so much so that it overflows, which isn't a bad thing really.  Goodness that overflows often lands on other people. How can that ever be bad  . . . 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *“The true way to live
is to enjoy every moment as it passes,
and surely it is in the everyday things around us
that the beauty of life lies.”
~Laura Ingalls Wilder   ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • 

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  low carb  Stuffed Buffalo Chicken for Two.  Deliciously simple. 

I hope your week ahead is filled to overflowing with a multitude of small and wonderful things.  Don't forget! 

 

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And I do too!