Small & 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.  

 

Page one of my flowers journal. I am enjoying it.  Very crude I know, but it is an exercise in creation and I am loving it.  This is three days of work.  I know they are not exactly as the flowers probably work, but it doesn't really matter. It only matters that I am creating again and painting again and that I am finding joy in the journey.  Forgive my wonky lettering. I never could do anything in a straight line! 

 

Phone calls with friends  . . .  my friend Val and I were able to talk on the telephone yesterday and we had a wonderful conversation. We had not spoken on the phone in a while and it was so lovely to have a catch up.  Friends are always special to me, but you know they are really special when you can go for a while without talking and then just pick up again where you left off!  

 

This is a photo of Vermont in the autumn. I belive it is near Woodstock.  I have family that I love very much who live in Vermont and close to this area I believe. My mother's first cousin Polly and her daughter Martha and a few others I am in touch with.  I have wonderfully happy memories of visiting with Polly and her family when I was a child and with Polly's mum in Massachussetts, and of Martha and the times Martha came up to Nova Scotia with her grandmother, my Great Aunt Melva.  We have been in touch on facebook for a number of years now.  Yesterday Polly and I talked about stuffing and mom's stuffing and Polly related that it was the recipe her Grandmother, my Great Grandmother Elsie used to make . . .  a recipe which had come down through the generations.  That made me feel all lovely inside . . . 

  

This is Polly's and Mom's Grandmother and Grandfather Woodworth, Elsie and Eslie Woodworth.  They are also Martha and my Great Grandparents. It is a wonderful thought to think and know that here we are two and three generations later still communicating, still sharing, still loving.  They were long gone by the time I was born, but I loved hearing stories about them and I look forward to meeting them both one day in the hereafter.  I wonder what Elsie thinks about us still making and enjoying her stuffing many generations later, and probably a whole lot of other things also!  

 

I know it would really please me to think that my grands and great grands were still connected to me in that way.  Family, it truly is forever, and it is everything. 

 

(Pilgrim Fathers, Bernard Grimble)

I was reading This Article  from  the Martha's Vineyard Times about Susan Branch, and discovered that she, too, is descended from passengers on the Mayflower.  I thought how cool is that!  I am curious as to who it is she is descended from.  I am a descendant of Elizabeth Tilley and John Howland.  It is cool to think that some of our DNA came over to North America on the same ship way back when.  As you know I really love and admire Susan Branch. I have done so since I discovered her back in the 1980's in Country Living magazine.  Her art charms me to no end, and she is just a nice, nice, nice person.  Kindred spirits.  You should read the article. Like her it is charming to no end.  

 

Grandsons who play chess.  Jake and Josh.  Seriously impressed.

  

I will never take being pain free for granted again. Every moment I am is bliss to me.  It only hurts when I move, but when I am completely still, the pain stops.  I am going to try to get in to see a Doctor today.  Usually, however, you only get to see a nurse practitioner.  I think I need some x-rays or something. This is the third week of this and I am pretty sure now its not going to go off on its own.  I can't bear the thought that I will have to live like this for the rest of my life. Its very wearing on the spirit and mind, and completely debilitating.  Just pulling on my trousers in the morning is a painful exercise . . .  I have a lesson to teach in Relief Society later this month and I want to be able to do it standing up. 

 

The power and comfort of prayer. I don't know where I would be without it. 

I must off here now.  I need to move if I can. I also need to phone the Doctor's office so I will leave you with a thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *Prayer is the most

important conversation

of your day.

Take it to God before you

take it to anyone else. •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Cranberry & Apple Turkey Meatballs. Very tasty!

I hope your week ahead is filled with lots of small and wonderful blessings.  Don't forget along the way! 

 

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And I do too!