All Things Nice . . .

 

(source)

It rained tonight, a warm fine summer rain

Making long streaks across my window pane,

And in the dark I heard the rustling leaves,

The water running in the wooden eaves.

I smelt the fragrant earth all dripping wet;

Saw the drops shine like glistening pools of sweat.

I almost thought that I could hear the sound

Of tiny thankful roots below the ground.

The eager drinking up of leaf and stem

As the warm moisture drifted down to them.

The drenched sweet flowers folded dim and tight,

Giving their sweet fragrance to the night.

And even in my sleep I seemed to feel

The quiet power of rain to bless and heal,

The peace of Nature working out her plan

Setting at naught the hurried ways of man.

For growth is slow, yet to my heart it brings

The mystery of all created things.

~Edna Jacques, Rain . . . At Night

Beside Still Waters, 1939

It did not rain last night as far as I know, but I loved this poem. I loved the way it spoke to my heart and how I feel myself about the rain. I never mind the rain much.  It is one of life's many necessities, proving once again that there must needs be opposition in all things.  It is supposed to rain a lot in the coming week, so just consider this poem a tiny taste of the future. Perhaps it will help you to appreciate it all the more.

 

(source)

 I can remember the children's step mom telling my youngest son prior to my moving over to the UK, that it was a nasty country where it rained all the time. I did not believe that to be true and I told him so. The time I had spent there was glorious and sunny, with the exception of one day.  So out of 21 days, it had only rained once. I told him I felt she was exaggerating.

Well, that was the year I discovered that you do not melt in the rain. It rained literally every single day.  It was the wettest year on record at that point.  When it wasn't pelting down, it was misting down. We did not have a car and relied on shanks pony or bus for everywhere we went.  I soon discovered that if I did not go out in the rain, I would never go out at all. 

I will confess, it kind of rankled me that she had been correct about the rain, at least that year at any rate. I think it evens out in the long run. That was a peculiar year and most years were not like that. It rained at times and it as gloriously sunny at times.  It is because of the rain that the country is so lush and green. I did not mind it at all in the end. The next summer when I brought my son over for three weeks, it was gorgeous and sunny the whole time, for which I was very grateful.

I was sitting on the sofa crocheting last night when these thick yarn hair ties came to mind.  Did you have these when you were a teenager?  They were the epitome of teenage style. I loved them.  They came in all sorts of funky colors.

I remember I had a shirt dress that was colored stripes in neon orange, lime green, yellow, etc.  I also had fish net tights in the same colors.  I can remember feeling very stylish when I wore that dress with my matching fish net stockings and colored wool hair ties. I felt very Carnaby Street.

Oh, I did want a pair of white GoGo boots so very much.  I did have a white fake leather jockey cap, so I could not really complain. I also had a brown fake leather vinyl mini skirt that was also very much in style.  Oh, how I loved it.

I can remember begging  my mom and dad to let me get my ears pierced. For some reason they were dead set against it.  Eventually they did cave in and let me get it done. When I was 16.  I had an earring tree that I kept all my earrings on. They were only cheap, but they were special to me.

I don't often wear earrings these days. I have a special pair that my mother gave to me about 15 years ago. Small white gold balls. She could not wear them anymore as they slipped through her earholes.  I wear them whenever I have something important to do, like give a talk in church. It makes me feel like she is with me, still cheering me on.

 

(source)

My sister and I went out together for a couple of hours yesterday.  I had a cheque to deposit into my bank account and I wanted to go to Dollarama. I wanted to get some Betty Crocker Parchment Paper.  I like it the best and it is a good price.

I don't know what it is about Dollarama. I can never come out of there with only one or two things. I always end up with a basketful. Mind they don't cost much.  Yesterday was no different. I bought several different sizes of storage baskets. I wanted one for on top of my desk to hold my pens, etc.  I got one for the cat's toys, and then a larger one to hold recipe print outs on my "to do" list.  

I also got a flour sifter. I have never had one of those. I normally just use a sieve.  I got some long handled small spatulas as well. They come in really handy for cleaning out jars and things. Now I am wishing I had gotten more plastic storage baskets. I somehow always manage to find a good use for them. They always come in handy.

Sounds like another trip to Dollarama to me!

 

(source)

I am slowly getting my bedroom to the way that I love it. I just need to organize a few more things.  I ot some storage bins earlier this month (zippable fabric cubes) to hold linens. I have a large walk in closet on one wall of the bedroom. It runs the full length pretty much and has shelves and cubby holes in it. That is where I store the majority of my cooking appliances such as my Instant Pot and Slow cooker, plus all my casserole dishes, etc. My large bags of coconut, raisins, etc. for baking with and some of my cookbooks. I wanted to put my linens into these cubes so that they stay clean, dust and insect free. I also wanted to free up some space for my art supplies.

I love this quilt set. It is a small blue floral on the one side and blue and white striped ticking on the other. Martha Stewart.  And the pillow shams have zips along the long side, which makes it much easier to stuff the pillow inside.  Leave it to Martha!

I finally got a set of curtains for in there, to replace the old sheet I had sewn to cover the window. They do not go to the floor as these ones do, but are of the same pattern. It has only taken me two years + to get actual curtains. I like them. They are lined and are room darkening. 

About the only thing I don't like about my home is that there is no cellar/basement and so my bedroom window is right on the ground floor and anybody could easily look in if they wanted to. That has always made me slightly nervous. I had heavy objects holding the sheet tight against the sides of the window at night so that there were no cracks where anyone could look in.

I need to get a length of dowelling so that I can open the window a bit at night to let in fresh air. I can put the dowel on top between the open window and the top of the window sash so that the window won't open any further. As a woman on her own I don't want anyone to be able to open the window up and climb in, which is entirely possible as it is. It can get stuffy in there in the summer months however, so fresh air would be nice.  I just don't feel safe as it is.

The Valley used to be a really safe place to live. Nothing happened here, but that is all different now. There is a real criminal element here. I belong to a FB page "ask a question" for this area and there are people reporting their cars getting broken into, etc. every day.

The window makes me feel somewhat vulnerable. I don't mind living alone. I enjoy my own company, but I am cognizant of the fact that I have no protection.

 

(source)

I need to tackle the sewing room. It is pretty organized, but I tend to throw stuff in there and it can get disorganized pretty quickly. I have my kitty litter box in there and my spare boxes of Kleenex.  I also have an upright freezer and a single bed for guests to sleep on. I have finally gotten the printer out of there and onto my desk which seems to be working better.  I want it all perfected before Eileen comes to stay with me in July.  I also want to move all of my art supplies into my bedroom closet, which is even more impetus for me to sort that out.  As it is now, when I need to sew, I remove my sewing machine to the dining room table because there is more space.  I have a perfect sewing table in the sewing room that I should be using. That's why its there. I would probably sew more often if I was better organized.

Its these little things which keep me busy and occupied!

 

(source)

Have you ever asked yourself . . .  who do I want my God to be?  Who is the God I believe in? Is it a God who magically answers all of our prayers immediately . . .  like a Genie that pops out of a lantern and grants our wishes abracadabra??? Or is it a God who allows us to stretch and grow through experience, who relishes the one to one communication of prayer???  Who delights in our asking and delights in the answers, even if they are not always immediate or the answers we were expecting???

I will tell you who I want my God to be, and who is the God I believe in.  My God is a God who leads and waits for me to follow. It is always in the right direction.  And if I sometimes go off course, He gently guides me back onto the right path so long as I am willing to follow.  My God is a God who is always listening.  I pray. He listens. He answers. Sometimes not immediately. Often not in the way I expect.  But always in the way that is the best for me. I believe in a God who loves me unconditionally and provides for me in sometimes very unexpected ways. Who is exactly who I need Him to be in any given moment. He is exactly what I need Him to be now and has the capacity for what I need tomorrow. Good. Trustworthy. Faithful. He is the God of miracles, even if the miracles don't always look the way I wanted them to.

Each and every day I can trace His Goodness, even in the bad times, especially in the bad times. He is the God who never lets go and is always there for those who seek Him. He is there in our waiting place.  Always. He is the God who enables us to turn our ashes into beauty.

Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. 

Romeo and Juliette

I was in Grade Eight, 13 years old, when the film Romeo and Juliette came to our little cinema here in town.  It was just a small cinema then, and no longer exists, but we used to pile in every Friday night to watch the latest films. This one had been long awaited for.  It brought Shakespeare's to life in a painless way.  You didn't even realize you were actually watching Shakespeare. I think I saw it twice. I cried both times. The first because of the sadness of the story, the second because the boy I had an impossible crush on had taken another girl to see it and my heart was broken as a result this unrequited love. 

It remains always my all time favorite version of this age old tale of the tragic love story of two young people from feuding families.  The actors chosen to play the young couple were beautiful and did such a wonderful job of portraying them.

Of course back then I believed in happily ever after's. I still do.  Its just not something that has ever happened for me. That's okay. I am content with my lot in life.  I truly am.

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

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

 *Believe you can

and you are halfway there.

~Theodore Roosevelt•。★★ 。* 。

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  7Up Sheet Cake,  the small batch. Delicious!

I hope you have a wonderful Saturday. it is very overcast here, but 17* already. I am not sure if the sun will come out or not. It remains to be seen!  Whatever you get up to, don't forget!

═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═══════════ 

⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════  

 

And I do too!