All Things Nice . . .

 

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I slept on a balsam pillow

And dreamed of woods and streams\

And heard the meadow lark's clear call

Piping through my dreams.

And the muted sound of water leaping

Ran like gay music through my sleeping.

I slept on a balsam pillow

And the northern woods were mine

And I felt the wind in my tired heart,

Blowing o'er fir and pine,

And the smell of the wild was sweet to the taste

of brown clean waters and marshy waste.

I slept on a balsam pillow

Far from the haunts of men

And the smoke from a camp fire drifted by

Sweet in my face again,

And I heard the hoot-owl's mournful cry

And the wings of wild geese going by.

I slept on a balsam pillow

And the smell of the earth was sweet,

Needles of pine like a Persian rug

Spongy beneath my feet,

The taste of resin and sage and brier,

Ashes blown from a woodland fire.

~Edna Jaques, I slept on a Balsam Pillow

Roses in December, 1944

I have always been tuned into nature.  A lover of trees, and forest floors . . . the majesty of the canopy over head. The quiet tread of my feet upon a carpet of pine needles, the smell of fir . . . the sounds of small creatures moving through the brush.

The call of the blue jay amidst the tree tops  . . . or the cry of the lune which echoes across the misty surface of a lake.  The haunting sound of wild geese as they fly south for the winter . . . 

These, to me, are the sounds of Canada. No matter how far away I was from home, if I heard these sounds, my mind immediately went back to my homeland, and my heart was filled with longing. 

 

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As a child I peeled  bark from the trunks of the birch, and picked resin from the trunks of majestic towering pines to chew. (I thought it would be like gum, but it wasn't.)

I did projects in school which required the collecting of specimens . . .  a variety of leaves and needles, moss and lichens. It was fun to me. All in the aid of learning and science. I've pressed leaves between sheets of wax paper. It seems like just yesteryear, but it was so long ago.

This year is the 50th anniversary of my high school graduating class. How did that happen? Can I actually be that old? It appears that I am!  At once a blessing as many do not make it this far and a curse as I try to make my arthritic limbs and knees co-operate with each other.

But I am grateful to still be here. 😄 Well, most days I am anyways!

I had the wonderful surprise of a letter from my friend Tatiana in Greece this week. Tatiana and I have been friends since my days of working at the Manor.  It was so nice to get a letter from her. Her handwriting is so neat and tidy. Quite unlike my scrawl.  Its not a surprise really as she does beautiful work with her hands, bookmaking, journal making, etc.  

Twice she was able to come over to the UK and stay with me in my home. One time she showed me how to make a little book for myself, and she showed me how to make Pastitsio and little Greek cheese pies. It was fun spending time together. 

I have made some really lovely friends through the medium of blogging.

I got two new catalogues this week. The spring issues of April Cornell and Gudrun Sjoden.  I love catalogues.  This is a love that goes way back to when we used to get the old Sears and Eaton's catalogues when I was a child. We used to spend hours perusing them. They were as important a thing in our home as the phone book and held with just as much reverence.  There was so much excitement involved. Pages and pages of wishes and dreams. By the time the next season's one would drop through the mail box, the last season's issue would be all dog-eared and worn. And then,  my mother would let us cut things out of them to use for our various little projects.

How did I not know that Sarah Ferguson was an Historical Romance Novelist?  I have only just discovered this. I am not sure how good she is, but this novel has over 1300 positive reviews.

When I was a much younger woman I loved Historical Romance. I think the very first one I ever read was Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor.  I can't tell you how many times I read that novel. I fell in love with Amber St Clair.   

I read so many historical romance novels through the years.  I especially liked ones with Scottish Lairds and Viking Warriors. Of course those were the days that I believed in romance and happily-ever-after's.

I used to also read tons of Harlequin Romances and I had my favorite romance novelists, although I could not tell you the name of one now, except for maybe Diana Gabaldon, and that is only because of the Outlander series.

 

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I've gone through many phases in my life as a reader. There was the childhood books of adventure and fairies, etc. and then the romance novels. At one time I loved books by Taylor Caldwell, somewhat political. Then I fell in love with Stephen King.  I think I read almost all of his earlier books. After a time as his books became thicker and thicker, I lost interest.  I have loved autobiographies.  Books of poetry. Books of craft instruction. The classics. Contemporary fiction. Books of learning.  Books of spiritual awakening.  And of course, books about food and cooking.

I guess I just love books. There is something about feeling the texture of a page beneath your fingertips. I lack only a comfy chair that I can curl up in and lose myself within the pages of a novel. Maybe one day I will be able to afford one. Hope springs eternal. 

 

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The clocks spring forward tonight. Something which has happened at this time of year, every year of my life and every year I dread it. I spend a week feeling as if I am in the throes of Jet Lag.  And I don't know why it is so hard. It is only one hour. Sixty minutes and yet it is so hard to cope with, well, for me anyways.

There is a huge part of me that wishes the powers that be would leave time alone.  That our clocks would neither more forward nor backward. Just stay the same. I think this is what happens in Saskatchewan.  If Saskatchewan can do it why can't we?  There has been talk for years and years about its abolishment. I say enough talking, lets just get on with it and abolish it!

Laura C Moyer

Doesn't this painting make you smile? I think it is done digitally, but I sure love it. All the shapes and colors, especially the colors. I have never been a camper, but I could be a camper in this painting.

Do paintings every make you wish you could enter into them. There was one painting that my ex and I bought at the one and only auction I ever went to in Medicine Hat Alberta back in the late 1970's.  It was of an English Cottage, next to a lake amidst loads of greenery and flowers. I used to wish I could step inside that painting.  Escape into a land filled with cottages, and lakes, loads of greenery and flowers.  

Wait!  I did! 😉

I am enamored with tiny homes. I love to watch the videos of them on YouTube. I wish I had the flair and know how to create such warm and cozy spaces. I think it takes a real talent. My house is much larger than most of these tiny homes. You would think they would appear cluttered, but they don't. They invite me in. I watched one video yesterday where this younger woman was living in a 200 sq foot apartment in  New York City.  Totally charming, and yet its basically just one room. The way she has broken it up into different little spaces is really special. I wish I had that talent!

And with that I best leave you with a thought for the day!

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

  ˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

 ˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*Kind words can be short and easy to speak,

but their echoes are truly endless.

~Mother Teresa •。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Garlic Butter Sausages & Broccoli Skillet. I used tender stem Cauliflower instead of broccoli with most delicious results. Quick, easy and incredibly tasty!

I hope you have a lovely weekend!  The sun is shining here and there is not a cloud in the sky. Life is good.  Be likewise blessed. Whatever you get up to, don't forget! 

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And I do too!