All Things Nice . . .

 

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If I can hang crisp curtains

And paint a handy shelf,

Put up a picture here and there

To sort of suit myself,

Put cushions on a rocking-chair,

Have a few flowers growin',

I wouldn't trade  my happy lot

With all the kings that's goin'.

If I can cook a pot of stew

Or  make a batch of bread

A pan of shiny home-made buns,

Air out a feather bed;

If I can plant a row of beans,

Take pleasure in the sowin',

I wouldn't trade my happy lot

With all the kings that's goin'.

If I can live in happy peace,

With none to work me ill;

A crimson rosebush by the door,

Sun on a distant hill,

A little home where love is lord

And all the world be knowin',

I wouldn't trade my happy lot

With all the kings that's goin'.

~Edna Jaques, Crisp White Curtains

Back Door Neighbors, 1946

Another Saturday  . . .  another something nice to share. I hope you can tell by now what I love so much about the Poetry of Edna Jaques. She just has a way of touching my heart and my head with her words in a way that no other poet has. Love of heart and home . . . faith and family . . . friends . . . pride of place and country . . . the natural beauty of the earth . . . the most important things to me. Her words always sing the song of my heart. I should pick out a few words from one of her poems to put on my headstone . . .  food for thought there.

I love the early morning.  The way that the light plays upon the walls of my little home . . .  shadows and light. It sings the song of Home Sweet Home. My Sweet Home.  I love my little home. With every day that passes I love it even more. 

My friend Jacqueline wonders that I don't get or feel lonely here. She does in her little place . . .  but I don't.  I think it is because I have always enjoyed my own company. I have always kept busy with one thing or another. I had many years, bringing up a family of five children, and mostly on my own due to my husband's employment, where I had very little solitude.  I was not alone really, the house was filled with noise and activity . . .  but I was still on my own much of the time, without a partner to share it with. So I got used to being on my own. 

 

I learned to love my own company and to be able to find peace in the solitude. I have my cats, my family close by, friends if I want or need them.  My writing. My painting. My hobbies . . .  a bit of cooking, reading, etc.  Some study now and then. No I may be alone, but I am not lonely. Its all about perspective I guess.

He is laying here next to my computer at the moment, his little paws stretched over my left arm. I can hear him purring.  He is singing an "I love you" song to me. He likes to be near me. I am not sure where his sister is.  She is probably in my bedroom laying on my unmade bed. (I like to air it before I make it.)  A little while ago he was on the floor playing with his dangly thing. The little bell was ringing as he batted it up and down and back and forth.   And then he had a few treats.  He jumped up and watched the chipmunk racing back and forth along my front railing with rapt attention.  It is a good thing my two can't get out or little Chippie would be toast. They do find him to be quite entertaining  . . . 

My sister has had a pair of barn owls hunting in her yard. She can hear them calling back and forth to each other.  They keep a close watch on her bird feeder.  Quite sinister  . . .  and a bit creepy.

I know it is nature  . . .  and there are parts of nature that we do not like. Opposition in all things.  We must accept the bad with the good and know that it is all a part of a rhythm of the earth . . . 

 

We did not do closets yesterday  . . .  instead my sister and I had a paint afternoon. I went to her place and took my very neglected garden flowers journal with me. I started this journal back in 2019.  I had not touched it in a while. I have about six pages of sketches already done  . . .  waiting for my paint brush to bring them to life.

There has been a lot of water under the bridge since then. My life had done a complete flip flop and been turned inside out and upside down. Mom passed away . . .  Covid touched us all with its dirty fingers  . . . things in my own life changed completely . . . I have not really felt like revisiting my flowers  . . . 

I do want to finish it though. It was meant as a legacy. Along with these . . . 

I have five of them.  One in blue the other four in red.  It has been my intention to do one for each of my children, filled with recipes for their favorite things to eat, and maybe some food memories.  I  have good intentions  . . . 

Remember when I made this teacup pin cushion?  That was a long time ago now.  I ended up giving it to Tatiana.  My sister and I were talking yesterday about doing things for the craft sales in the autumn. I used to love making these teacup pin cushions. They were a lot of fun for me. I think I need to go to the Sally Ann and see if I can find some old teacups and saucers that I could use. I love making pin cushions. 

 

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Look at this tiny one. It must be very small  . . .  to fit in a thimble, so cute.  I did buy a bunch of thimbles for another purpose . . . 

 

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I also like  making needlebooks  . . .  much food for thought here. Can I get myself motivated?  Find the time?  I think I need to  . . . 

Being able to create things with my hands was always such an important part of my life and where I found a lot of my joy. 

 

 

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I got myself a new cookbook this week.  (I can hear my sister groaning from here, lol)  I have followed Kayla on Instagram for quite a while now.  The book does not disappoint. I only just got it the other day and have already been inspired to adapt at least one recipe from it (see today's recipe in the EK). It is beautifully photographed and well written, and if this first recipe that I adapted is anything to go by, its a winner of a recipe book.

I have always found cookbooks to be inspiring. I always put my own spin on things, but there is a lot of cooking inspiration to be found in them.

Lately I have been watching reruns of Nigel Slater on my Roku tv channel. Nigel Slaters Simple Suppers.  His cooking is something I have always admired.  He cooks the way I want to eat.  I read his biography Toast a number of years back.  He's just the best cook I know. I would never have known who he was really, had I not lived in the UK.

I am going out shopping with my sister this morning so I had better get my skates on.  Time's a wasting.  It is so good to sit and talk with you though.  I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do   . . . 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

 *A beautiful day begins

with a beautiful mindset . . . 

•。★★ 。* 。•。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today, a little something for Father's Day.  Treat your dad to a dish of Cast Ion Roasted Butterflied Chicken with Potatoes.  Delicious!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!  Be happy, be blessed. Fill it with nice things!  Don't forget!

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And I do too!