Tuesday, 7 September 2021

The Simple Woman's Daybook . . .

 


FOR TODAY, September 7th, 2021

Outside my window ...
It perfectly light out. I am late getting started this morning. I didn't wake up until almost 7 a.m. which is really late for me. I must have needed the extra sleep! 

I am thinking ...
On this day 21 years ago I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I had just landed at Heathrow airport to meet a man who would hijack and manipulate my life for the next 20 odd years. He was 62. I was 45 and incredibly naïve when I think back on it. My mother had been worried about me flying over to the UK to meet a man I had never met in person before.  Turns out she was right. Moms know best. I should have listened to her. It was also his birthday. He is turning 83 in prison.  Its where he belongs, but I feel very sad about all of it.

I am looking forward to ...
Getting today over with. 

I am thankful for ...
Getting my life back on track. My family. My faith. My courage and my strength. The love and support of friends. 

In the kitchen ...
 

Sausage and Blackberry Tray Bake.  Pork Sausages are roasted along with parsnips, butternut squash and onions on a baking sheet with some seasoning and sage to caramelized perfection. A glaze of maple syrup and grainy mustard is tossed with them along with some blackberries for a final few minutes.  This was delicious to say the least. Very autumnal. 

On my "to Cook" list ... 


Chelsea's Messy Apron.  Strawberry Parfait Cups. Its been years since I have made these! My kids always loved them. Although I did not go to the trouble of tilting the cups. Too worries they would spill all over the refrigerator and I would have a mess to clean up! 

One of my favorite things ... 


Spending time with family. I love this sweet easy going daughter of mine.

I am wanting to create ... 


Pumpkin Stamps using apples.  Complete tutorial on Frugal Mom Eh. 



Make your own Halloween Treat Pails using stuff you find around the house.  From Remodelando La Casa.  A complete tutorial. 


I have fallen in love.  It's a crochet vintage camper van.   With wee furniture and everything.   All crochet.   From Greedy for Colour



Fabric covered hangers.  From Flickr.   I love the bright colours of these. 




Vintage Ticking Pillows.  From Zsa Zsa Bellagio

I am reading ... 

 

Gap Creek, by Robert Morgan 

There is a most unusual woman living in Gap Creek. Julie Harmon works hard, "hard as a man" they say, so hard that at times she's not sure she can stop. People depend on her. They need her to slaughter the hogs and nurse the dying. People are weak, and there is so much to do. 


She is just a teenager when her little brother dies in her arms. That same year she marries Hank and moves down into the valley where fire and visions visit themselves on her and where con men and drunks come calling. 

 Julie and Hank discover that the modern world is complex, grinding ever on without pause or concern for their hard work. To survive, they must find out whether love can keep chaos and madness at bay. With Julie, Robert Morgan has brought to life one of the most memorable women in modern American literature with the same skill that led the Boston Book Review to say that he writes "with an authority usually associated with the great novelists of the last century." 

 In this novel, Morgan returns to the vivid world of the Appalachian high country to follow Julie and Hank in their new life on Gap Creek and their efforts to make sense of the world in the last years of the nineteenth century. Scratching out a life for themselves, always at risk of losing it all, Julie and Hank don't know what to fear most--the floods or the flesh-and-blood grifters who insinuate themselves into their new lives. 

 Their struggles with nature, with work, with the changing century, and with the disappointments and triumphs of marriage make this a powerful follow-up to Morgan's acclaimed novel, The Truest Pleasure. 

Its really good! I am really enjoying this book.  First one I have enjoyed this much in a long while.   

Dreaming about ... 

A bedroom under the eaves  . . . 


Retro stoves  . . .  
 


Potting sheds with picket fences  . . .  


Beautiful writing spots  . . . 


Beautifully co-ordinated bed linens  . . .  
 
Something to watch ... 


Identity Theft.  I get the Roku channel free on my tv because I have a roku tv.  Its great! 

Makes me smile ... 


Corners of my kingdom ... 

 

Lunenburg is one of my favorite Nova Scotia towns.  So picturesque. 

A thought to carry with you ... 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★
*Wait with a heart that is patient
For the goodness of God to prevail,
For never do our prayers go unanswered,
And His mercy and love never fail.
~Helen Steiner Rice 
•。★★ 。* 。 


And that's my daybook for this week  . . .  
  

⋱ ⋮ ⋰
⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small *´¯`.¸¸.☆

  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆   
 

  




✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.• ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥
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 Have a beautiful day and don't forget!  


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⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too!     
   



8 comments:

  1. Love the little crochet camper van. I sent you an image in email, thought of you and the kitties as soon as I saw it. Have a busy and happy day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you send it again Linda? It must have gone into my Spam and I deleted all my spam early this morning! Sorry about that! Thanks so much. You have a great day also! xoxo

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  2. Think of the positives, Marie. You got to live in England, you became a personal chef in a grand house, you made life long friends, you published a fantastic cook book. Now concentrate on your blessing here in Canada - your family close by, your own home, your own kitties, your friends. Love that retro stove, too. Lovely picture of Eileen with Nutmeg. Love and hugs, Elaine

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    Replies
    1. I try most of the time to dwell on the positives and there are many. I am in a funny place really. A widow without being a widow really. I got your package (s) today! You naughty girl! You were far too generous! I am going to email you. Love and hugs, xoxo

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  3. Hi Marie~

    Bless your heart...moving on is hard. You have come so far, Marie. Looking back is very difficult, but the good thing is that it's behind you, not in front of you. Sending prayers your way.

    I can tell Ilene and the Kitten are already smitten with each other...so cute!

    I read, Gap Creek! It was so good, I'm going to have to check out the next book. I figured there must be another book, because of the ending.

    Your blog was a cozy one today, we all need cozy. And yes, we are creative because we ate glue, after all it did taste minty!! Kids these days don't know what they are missing ;0)!

    Try to relax today, enjoy your kittens, and remember it's almost tomorrow. XOXO

    Hugs and Love,
    Barb

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    Replies
    1. I had no idea there was another book Barb! I will be sure to look for it when I am finished this one. Its excellent! I have been enjoying my kittens loads today and my dad even came by to play with them! Love and hugs,xoxo

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  4. It has taken me some time, but some of the dates I could not forget seem to have faded now and often they go past long before I realize it...hopefully in time, the same will happen for you!! Haha...I had to laugh at that paste cartoon...so true!!
    Elizabeth xoxo

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    Replies
    1. I can but hope Elizabeth! I ate a lot of paste in grade school. I rather liked the taste, lol. xoxo

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