All Things Nice . . .

 

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She has the gift of growing things,

The magic touch with plant and flower,

The frailest slips will grow for her,

Touched by her finger's tender power.

We asked her how she made them grow,

She laughed and said she loved them so.

Her window sills are always gay

With blooms of every shade and hue,

She's always setting out new bulbs,

You know the way some women do.

She digs around the soil and sands,

Patting it down with loving hands.

And sometimes just when twilight creeps,

Across the gardens of the town,

I see her walking lovingly

Amongst her flowers up and down,

Her garments glowing in the night,

As if she walked in paths of light.

I do not think life could bestow,

A finger gift than loving toil;

The joy of helping things to grow,

Of working with the sun and soil.

That every soul you met and knew,

Was lovelier - - because of you.

~Edna Jaques, Garden Magic

Beside Still Waters, 1952

There is a lady like that down the end of the street. Her name is Jane. She was the first to introduce herself to us the night my sister and I came down to have a look at this place. Very friendly and her garden is the loveliest on the street. She is always working in it.  I quite admire all the effort she puts into it. It is a real labor of love, but any garden is.  

I was so blessed earlier this week to have two people from the church come and weed my front garden for me. It looks much neater and tidier now.  I think I will go and get a bird bath for in it and perhaps some bedding plants for the window boxes soon.  I can cope with the window boxes because they are up high.  Its getting down on the ground that I can't cope with because of my knees. 

 

 Yesterday I was so blessed to receive this lovely arrangement of flowers at the door.  My son Doug, his wife Kayla and the boys sent it to me for Mother's Day.  I was very surprised when the florist called to say they had some flowers to deliver.  I never get flowers.  It is such a beautiful arrangement.  Filled with Gerber daisies. roses, tiny little mums, narcissi, tulips, etc. all in wonderful shades of yellow, peach and orange.

I am so so blessed.  I don't know what I ever did to be so blessed, but I am grateful for it.  And tomorrow Eileen and Tim are taking myself and Tim's mother out for supper as well.  Eileen has calmed down now from all of her agitation about Covid, etc. Me too, I guess.  Things are much better now and I am grateful for that.  

She will be staying with me for 10 days the end of July when Tim goes up to Ontario to visit his brother with his mum.  I am making plans for things to do while she is here.  It will be like a mini vacation for both she and I.

 

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I watched a lovely film last night. Singing with Angels.  I had seen it before a few years ago. Its about a woman who sings for the Tabernacle Choir.  A very touching story and of course the music is beautiful. How can you not love the Tabernacle Choir. I was reminded of that trip I took to American in 2009 to see Eileen compete in the International Winter Olympics.  On the Sunday morning while I was there Lura, myself and her family went to see the Choir in the Tabernacle for the Sunday morning Music and the Spoken Word broadcast. 

What a blessing to me that whole trip was.  I should not have been able to go really. We didn't have the money and it was during work time. I had been praying for a way to be able to go and see Eileen compete and my prayers were answered in the most wonderful way.  My boss even gave me the time off to go. What a great blessing that was.  I was so grateful then and I am grateful now, for the blessing that all was for me.

And we got to meet Smokey the Bear too!  The MacDonalds, Dick and Lenis, who so graciously drove Lura and I up to Idaho and then stayed with us the whole time. It was just a wonderful trip and I could not have done it without all of these angels God placed around me. I have always been blessed to be surrounded by wonderful people. My life has been full of miracles and angels. 

 

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My friend Tina from the UK facetimed me last night.  It was so lovely to talk together.  She had facetimed me earlier in the week but I was out to dinner with Dad, Hazel and Cindy and so couldn't talk then, so she called me back yesterday.  I always enjoy our conversations so much.  Tina has always been such a good friend, and yes, one of the angels my Heavenly Father placed around me at a time when I needed angels most of all.  

God has always taken care of me.  He has not taken the trials, sorrows or the burdens away, but He has helped to carry me through the fires in  my life, always  . . .  and safely deposited me on the other side. 

I know there are many who do not believe in the existence of God, but He is real to me, and has shown His presence to me in multiple ways. I cannot deny He is real. He is as real to me as my hands or my feet.

 

This was the sun setting from my front window the other night. The sun was a glowing orange ball in the sky.  I am sure a better camera would have captured it more beautifully.  I was mesmerized by it.  I had not seen the sun look so stunning in a very long time.

This was Nutmeg a few minutes ago. He is such a fine companion. Never very far away.  He can be quite possessive as well.   He can get a bit jealous of Cinnamon if he thinks I am paying too much attention to her, but then at the same time, he loves her so much. They are so close to each other, and can often be found sleeping together. 

Not surprising as they have been companions since even before birth.

My cousin Sheri (the cat mother) was here one evening earlier this week with her son Sawyer.  Sawyer is doing a project on England at school and he wanted to pick my brain since I had spent so many years over there.  We had a lovely visit and I hope that Sawyer is able to do a good project/presentation at school.

I started my pillow cover yesterday. I think it is going to be a very quick project!!  I am still working on my blanket as well.  Idle hands and all that  . . .  I like to keep my hands busy.

Have you ever seen anything so cute?  I got it from The Bee's Knees which is a British Import Store. Dana Kubik mini house tins.  They are so adorable. There are nine different ones.  This one is the Georgian House.  Such attention to detail, both inside and out.

There is even a little spider web up in the corner of the attic.  So cute. You know me and miniature worlds. I love them.

Life. It is simple and quiet and quite comfortable at the moment.  I am grateful for that. I think excitement is highly overrated!  Gift me instead with a quiet life and simple things, ordinary pleasures.  Family, shelter over my head, love given and returned, food in my belly, my God and faith . . . I need not much more than that.  

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

 *Life itself is a privilege,

but to live life to the fullest,

well, that is a choice.

~Andy Andrews•。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Crunchy Topped Banana Cake.  This is one very delicious banana cake and it gives you two options.  This version, filled with chocolate chips and toasted nuts, topped with a crunchy sugar topping, or another version with the chocolate and nuts skipped, along with the crunchy sugar topping, instead topped with a creamy peanut butter icing and chopped roasted peanuts. I did the crunchy topping and its an incredibly tasty cake.

My father is coming for supper tonight. Cindy and Dan have to be somewhere else today so Dad is coming here.  I think he will enjoy this cake, and a simple supper.  He doesn't like anything out of the ordinary.

I hope you have a lovely day filled with abundance and good,  nice things, love, help and hope.  Whatever you get up to, don't forget! 

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And I do too!