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

 

That beautiful spirit which weaves itself through the month of December, touching old and young alike. Cam is 7 now. I think a he wants for Christmas are his two front teeth. He looks like someone else in my family but I haven't been able to put my finger just on it yet  . . . perhaps his mum. He looks like such a delightful little boy.  I can see the excitement of Christmas to come building up here  . . .  

 

We awoke to a world yesterday that was coated in  deep frost and it stayed all the day through. Today is it double frosted.  What a fitting beginning to the month of December   . . .  when I was a child I thought there really was a little sprite named Jack Frost who went around painting everything with crystals using his little brush during the night. Back then, in the olden days  . . .  our windows used to frost up on the inside of the house and you could put your fingers against the frost and melt it . . .  I used to wish I had a magic paint brush that would/could turn things to crystal too.

 

Looking out at the frosted hedge in the back garden yesterday morning, I could see all of these little heads popping out . . . sparrows patiently waiting for their breakfast. They must have been so cold.  In the winter the birds fluff up and look all puffy.  Nature's way of insulating them so that they are not as cold  . . .  

 

For the carols that are sung at church throughout the month of December.  I ponder the words of them and take them into my heart.  Our church has a new Nativity video out this year.  Its really nice. No English is spoken in it, I can only think that the actors are speaking Hebrew when they speak. If you want to feel some of the spirit of Christmas I highly recommend watching it. Its beautiful.  There is nothing about this beautiful story that I do not love and that does not touch my heart in a special way.  

 

I am not one much for hot drinks, but when it gets cold and frosty that is the perfect time to enjoy one.  Sitting on the sofa with a blanket across my lap and my hands and fingers cupped around a hot mug, the steam rising and tickling my nose.  I'm safe, I'm warm . . . .  life is cosy. One of the  small pleasures of Winter . . .  

 

 Quietly sitting and working on needlework that I am trying to get finished pronto.  I don't know why it is . . . .  but sitting with needle and thread in hand, quietly working brings a certain sense of comfort to my soul.  I feel like I am connecting with all of my past generations of women who probably also sat in the same way with needle and thread in hand . . .   

 

Tears that come out of nowhere and without reason . . . they are just always there.  Sometimes the dam breaks and they leak out rolling down my cheeks.  I miss my mother so very much. Out of all the people I have known and loved, and who loved me back . . . . she loved me first.  While I was in that secret place her heart beat  was the song that sang me to sleep . . . her quiet murmurs kept me company, her love followed me all the days of my life.  It has not gotten easier . . .   

 

Making Christmas  . . .  the Christmas Cake, the Christmas pudding  . . . meat pies . . . planning, decorating, writing cards, reading the scriptures, watching the films, remembering Christmas.s gone past, thinking of family  . . . this is such a tender time of year.  Filled with abundance on the one hand and yet oftimes filled with missing and longing  . . .  cracks.  Cracks, however . . . are how the light gets in, or at least will do  if you allow it to  . . .

   

A thought to carry with you  . . .

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *Most of the shadows of this life
are caused by our standing in our own sunshine.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  City Chicken, not really chicken but pork.  A recipe from my sister given to me many moons ago  . . . 

Have a wonderful day.  I hope you week is filled to overflowing with love and joy. Don't forget  . . . 

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And I do too!