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.  

 

 

 

 

Yesterday was Remembrance Sunday at church and today is Remembrance Day, the 11th day of the 11th month, a day set aside to remember all of those who gave their lives in service to their countrym as well as to show appreciation for all those who still serve.  It is marked by the wearing of a poppy. Having had a father who was in the Canadian Airforce, and my ex husband having served, plus now my youngest son who also serves, Remembrance Day has always played a huge part in my life.  I have always been aware of the sacrifice of these men and women, and their families.  The price of freedom is often a heavy one, and more often than not, written in blood. 

 

We had a particularly lovely service in Church yesterday.  There was a special talk given, and one of the children had a special reading.  The choir sang a beautiful song, accompanied by the violin.  We had two minutes silence followed by the Last Post which was played on the trumpet by one of the members of our Ward who plays the trumpet.   

We must never forget the price which was paid for us to enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today.  There is a danger in forgetting. Forgotten history is often repeated.  We must continuously remember and say Never Again.  It is not war mongering, or celebrating war.  It is remembering the price of Peace and Freedom and honoring those who paid that price in a special way. The average age of a Soldier in WW1 was 24.25 years, and in WW2 26 years, and many, many were much younger than that.  In WW2 my late ex-FIL lied about his age and enlisted when he was only 16. He was a gunner on a Corvette.  My late FIL also served in WW2.  My husband did not see his father for 7 years.  His father was amongst the thousands of men saved from the beaches on D Day. My children's Great Grandfather McLeod was a sniper in a fox hole and had his ear chewed by a rat while he stood still and let it,  as the Germans were so close to have made any noise at all would have meant certain death.  He also had a portion of his nose shot off and he was mustard gassed, which left him with a lung condition for the remainder of his life.  My husband still remembers the sounds of falling bombs during the London Blitz. He was born just as WW2 was starting and for the first 7 years of his life that was all that he knew. 

 

Freedom comes at a price.

Remember, remember. 

 

 

Nineteen years ago today Todd and I got married.  He was two years younger than I am now and I was in my early 40's.  It doesn't seem like it has been 19 years, but it has!  I suppose that is a good sign.  Time flies when you are having fun.  Its been a wonderful adventure, with ups and down and all arounds. We've shared good times and bad times, in sickness and in health and its really only the beginning of an eternity which we will have to spend together.  I love him with all of my heart.  I wish we could have had children together, but that was not to be.  I know he would have been a great dad and he is a great dad to our Mitzie, as he was to our Jess.  I have a chiropracter appointment this afternoon, but I think we are going to go out for supper tonight.  Looking forward to that!  Being married to the other half of you is a pretty wonderful thing.  We have made a very good life together.

 

 

Mitzie and all that she brings to our table.   I love this little dog so very much.   She's sweet and she's stubborn.  She's intelligent and loving.  Loyal.  Affectionate.   At times demanding.   Always a joy, never a burden.  I downloaded a squeaky app onto the ipad yesterday and it was so cute watching her with it.   She was looking behind the sofa and all over for whatever was making the squeaky sound at first and then she realized it was coming from the iPad and  she was trying to figure out how to make it squeak again, and then realized if she touched her nose to it, it worked.  So cute!  Such a smile maker.  

 

 

 

 

The birds in the garden that share their lives with us.   I love to feed them.  I love watching them.   I feel for them this time of year as the weather becomes colder and wetter . . .  in the colder months we put out fat balls for them.  They need the extra energy to keep warm.  

 

 

 

 

Its my favourite time of the year and it is just around the corner.  It will be different this year. I won't be able to talk to my mom on Christmas morning as she is opening my gifts to her. It will be just Todd and I here.  But it will still be a good day.  I have ordered the Simple Turkey again from Piper's Farm.  Its such an easy make, just bang it into the oven.  We will have Christmas Cake and Todd will enjoy his Christmas Pudding.  I will probably be able to talk to at least a few of my kids on the iPad.  We will watch the Queen's message at 3 and there are always special episodes of the shows we like to be watched. We will just enjoy being together. Its all good.  On Boxing Day we are going to go out to lunch with Tina and Tony and to a movie together. 

 

  

 

Having an attitude of gratitude.  This makes life infinitely better.  I am so happy that I am able to live my life with gratitude.  I hope that I always will. 

 

 

 

Each one of you bless my life in numerous ways.  You are all special to me.  I always tell my mum, I have only ever met lovely people through blogging and on the internet. Perhaps I am just lucky.

What a nice thought.  Yes, I am lucky. 

 

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 in life lies"

~Laura Ingalls Wilder •。★★ 。* 。 

 

 

 

 

In The English Kitchen today, Rustic Italian Baked Sandwiches.  Yummo!

I hope your week ahead will be filled with lots of small and wonderful things! Don't forget! 

 

 

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And I do too!