All Things Nice . . .

 

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I'll sing for you -- songs of our native land

The little brook you waded as a child;

A morning in September, crisp and chill

Mid summer storms with lightening flashing wild.

I'll sing for you -- dreams remembered still

Ss frail and beautiful as autumn mist;

Cool scented heliotrope . . .  the pearly sheen

Of golden pools shot through with amethyst.

I'll sing for you -- of mothers gay and young,

With laughter on their lips and love-filled eyes,

Of little homes new as an army pin,

Filling the needs of your small paradise.

I'll sing for you -- of peace at middle age,

Green lawns to cut, hedges to trim and shape,

A clump of holly hocks by the garage,

An old back fence smothered with purple grapes.

I'll sing for you -- of little humble homes

Gilded with gold as with a Midas touch;

And my heart's eternal wonder spilt

That little common lives can hold so much.

~Edna Jacques, I'll Sing For You

Roses in December, 1944

More and more as time goes by, my thoughts go back to things, people, times, places held only by heart strings in the corners of my mind. I know it is this way with many people as they get older.  Somehow the things which we once saw as just common and every day . . .  like magic . . .  become jewels of remembrance to us, treasures that we take out and hold in the hands of memory every now and then, and then tuck back in for safe keeping.

I look at my father's back, now bent with age, his steps mincing and arduous . . . and I think of when he was a much younger man. Tall and strong, he was our protector then, as we are his now.  I don't do much. My sister bears the weight of most of it. And some days it is a heavy weight I know  . . .  but that is love.  Sometimes love can be a very heavy weight. I try to share it, but  . . . I can only do what I can only do  . . .  I would do more if I could . . . 

 

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There are days I really miss my cooking companion.  Oh, I miss her all the time for sure, but seeing this photo this morning made the loss even more poignant.  There was never much that I did that was not done under Mitzie's watchful, loving eyes. She loved to be a part of it all.  Hoping, yes  . . .  for any scraps that might accidentally come her way, but I like to think it was more than that.  I like to think that it was just her wanting to be close to me, loving me as I loved her.  Always at my side, day and night.  I never minded.  Not for a second. How I hated having to leave her behind. That broke  my heart more than I thought anything every could have broken it.  Of all the losses of that time, that is the one I feel the keenest.  If dogs go to heaven, I truly hope that she will be there waiting for me. But then  . . .  it is more complicated than that.  For other's loved her too and every bit as much as I did. I am forever grateful for all the care that they gave . . . 

 

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We spent almost a full day together yesterday, Cindy and myself.  The hours flew but we got a lot done. I so enjoy the time we spend together.  We need to have a paint/sketch day together again soon.  I know that once dad moves in our time together will be less. Its only natural. That is life. Life is very fluid, it ebbs and flows.  It can be very changeable.  We need to be fluid also and able to adapt to the changes.  It is easier if we can do so.  In any case we had a nice time together yesterday.  

We stopped at Jonny's and Cindy treated me to lunch.  I did have fish and chips . . . I wanted to compare them to the ones we usually get on Wednesday night.  There was no comparison really. The ones on Wednesday night, the fish is a traditional batter. The fish yesterday was more like a tempura batter.  Very crisp.

I do like the fries better at Jonny's however.  These are dipped in batter. They are called Beer Fries. I don't know why they call them that.  They were lovely and crisp. A very naughty meal. I could not finish all the fries, but I did eat all my fish.

I picked up my new eye glasses. They will take some getting used to.  I have not worn them for very long just yet.  The left lens is quite a bit stronger than what I have been used to.  I always find that new glasses with that  much of a change make me feel a bit ill until I get used to them.  Tell me I am not alone in that? My eyes seem to be directly connected to my stomach.  This is a good thing and a bad thing, lol.

Have you ever seen anyone so content?  I think not.  Pure and utter bliss.  Safe.  Relaxed.

He looks somehow familiar and then I remember  . . .  I have seen him before  . . . 

Remember that children's book I illustrated back in 2013?  I manifested this ginger cat way back then . . . 

I was dreaming of this cat long before he became mine  . . . 

With the same white boots, cheeks and belly . . . the same fluffy fur  . . .  funny how that goes. How our imaginations can often manifest themselves in real life.  We need to be more careful about the things we think perhaps  . . .  maybe just think about good and sweet things  . . . 

 

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I think  a lot about kindness.  I hope that when I am gone from this plane of existence, people will say, she was a kind person. If I am remembered for nothing else, may it be for that alone.  That will mean my life was not lived in vain. May I be remembered as  . . .  kind. 

Kindness begins with yourself. We often think about, or try to be, kind to others, but are we kind to ourselves?  Do we allow ourselves the same Grace that we reserve for others?  The same leeway  . . . often I think not.  We are most times our own worst critics.

I think we need to see ourselves in a more positive light, and I don't mean that in a narcissistic  way. Perhaps with practice we can start doing that.  Maybe at the end of each day try to think of three things that you have done that day that you are proud of.  Maybe small victories, such as not eating those potato chips when you really wanted to, or cleaning out that cupboard that has been bugging you for a while,  walking those extra steps  . . .  small victories.  

Maybe when we look in the mirror we should focus on that warm glint in our eyes, rather than  the crow's feet in their corners, or look at the crows feet and tell ourselves, "How blessed am I to have smiled so much in my life that I have twinkles in the corners."

Maybe we need to pat ourselves on the back a little bit more and wonder more at our accomplishments rather than focus on our shortcomings and failures.  Recognize that we are special human beings with lots to offer, and worthy of love.  Especially of loving ourself.

If WE can't love us, who can? Today, be kind to yourself a little bit more . . .  in doing so, I think we will naturally end up being kinder to everyone. What a lovely thought.

I thought I would tell you about my favorite candle scent this morning.  A joy shared is a joy doubled. It is a scent called Hemmingway which I buy from a company called Wicked.    I absolutely adore this fragrance.

HEMMINGWAY 

The fierce and partisan overtones of leather and tobacco meddle with the paneling’s waxen silence. In the cool dimness, fawn grimaces shimmer along with the smoke of cigars and the barrels of guns. 

 OLFACTIVE NOTES 

 T - Bergamot, Grapefruit, Rhum 

 M -Oak Wood, Clove, Labdanum, Patchouli 

 B -Tobacco, Amber, Leather, Moss

To me, I catch also the merest hint of Noxema skin cream.  I love the smell of this candle, so much so that I have stock piled it, lest they ever stop making it. 

Hummingbirds have not positively been seen back in Nova Scotia, so it is time to put up the feeder. I have my homemade nectar cooling now ready to go into my freshly cleaned feeder.  I love to watch the hummingbirds.  The cats do too.  I thought I saw one the other day but wasn't sure.  This map secures it though.  I am certain now and I don't want them to go without.  So, even if the neighbors think I am crazy, I am putting my feeder up. I may not be able to attract other birds, but I do have success with the hummers.

You can read more here.

 

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Oh how I have always wanted a Breakfast Nook.  If I ever win the lottery, I am building a house with a breakfast nook. (An impossibility as I don't buy lottery tickets.)  I don't know what it is about breakfast nooks that I like. Perhaps the friendly feel of them?  Coziness?  Their informality?  

One thing I like about this one is that light bright open window.   It reminds me of the dining area in this old farm house we used to live in in Meaford, Ontario. It had a beautiful large picture window and I used to sit at it and write and study, sew and plan, etc. and watch the birds at the feeder just outside that area of the house. I spent many happy hours there basking in the light from that window and watching the birds.

 

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Have you ever thought about what kind of house you would have if money was no object?  When I was younger, I used to dream of big houses, with plenty of room and light. Now I am older I am a bit more practical and I recognize that a big house is a lot of work, upkeep and cleaning, etc.  I would opt for a much small one now, all on one floor.  But still with plenty of light.  And of course if money was no object I could afford to hire a gardener to care for the gardens and yard.  I love this one. It has a lovely open porch.  Space to put out some rocking chairs, and little area at the side to sit and munch if one was so inclined. It just looks perfect to me.

But I am also very happy with my wee house that I have now.  I am very comfortable here. If I could change anything it would be that there is more light in the kitchen, but that is all.

I am quite content here.

And with that I best leave you with a thought for the day. The guy will be here this morning with my income tax papers. (Dread.)  I have a few things to do before he gets here.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

 *.˛.Time has a wonderful way

of showing us what really matters.

~anon  •。★★ 。* 。

•。★★ 。* 。

That anon is really smart.

In the English Kitchen today  . . .  Golden Tea Cakes.  Small cakes meant to be enjoyed with a nice cup of tea. Golden in color, slightly favorited with ginger. Moist and delicious and iced with a simple glace icing and garnished with a cherry on top.  What's not to love!

I hope that you have a beautiful weekend. I wish for you a weekend filled with joy and peace and love and a few other nice things.  Be safe and don't forget!

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And I do too!