Small and Wonderful Things . . .

 

"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny? It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. What you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard 

 A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.

I have not been resting on my laurels during this imposed hiatus.  I have been sorting out an area for me to do some videos.  I took all of my jar cannisters off of the Island and moved them into a small rolling cart.  (Its slimline.)  I did the same with my spices which were cluttering up that counter top.   Now all I have to do each time I choose to do a video is to (depending on what kind of video it is) move the kitchen aid and cake stand and set out my ingredients. I should be able to clamp the light and my phone (for filming) on the edge of the Island.  My kitchen is very dark and so I will need the extra light and of course counterspace is limited.  I cannot really afford to buy one of those small extra burner cooking things that some people use in their videos.  I will have to make do with what I have really.  

I am trying to do positive things towards diversifying my future.  Look to the future, not behind, lest I turn into a pillar of salt.

Church was very uplifting yesterday and filled with tender mercies. I know that I always enjoy church, so no surprise there.  I love to partake of the sacrament each week and renew my covenants with the Savior.

The talks given during the sacrament meeting were just what I was needing to hear and the lesson in Relief Society was the same.   Just what I needed to hear. I am still anxious (I am only human after all), but my anxiety is undergirded with hope and positivity about the future. 

I am still very much playing the waiting game here, but I am not sitting still while I wait.  I am trying to be pro-active and still finding joy in my days.

    

I have been watching videos on YouTube on how to make videos.  Cinnamon was keeping me company on the back of the sofa right behind me yesterday afternoon.  I could not resist taking her photograph, she looked so comfy.

At one point her paw was outstretched towards me and I just had to take a photo of all those sweet little tufts of fur between her toes.   They made my heart smile.

I am ever so grateful for all of the positive thoughts and prayers that you are sharing with me and saying on my behalf. I do not take them for granted.  They do mean everything to me.

I went to my sister's for supper last night. As usual she cooked a lovely meal for us all.  My sister is a really wonderful person. I do not think I know anyone more caring on this earth.   She is a saint.  Truly.  She has always been a very caring individual.  When we were children she was the one trying to fix the bird with the broken wing or the sick field mouse.  All animals love her.  Animals know when someone has a pure heart and her heart is pure.

She has always been my voice of reason in most things. I can always rely on her advice. She never steers me wrong. I am a much more impulsive person. She is a person that reasons before she acts.  I trust her implicitly.

My life is filled with treasures of the heart.  I am truly blessed.  All will be well, in one way or another.   We have been having some really lovely warm days. A bit too humid for my liking, but nevertheless the sun has been shining. The birds are singing.  The grass is growing.  I think we are about to hear the cicadas sing their glorious song of summer.  Someone posted on FB yesterday this picture of what they thought was a monster in their yard, but it was only a Cicada shedding its exo-skeleton.  Their song is about to get really loud.   I always equate the sound of cicadas with August heat.  I remember hearing it as a child and it was always in the August heat.

Speaking of summer fun, my three Island boys have been having a great summer.  Here are the three J's waiting for a local summer parade to start along with their dog Charles. 

 

And Jake later on in the week at their Church picnic. I know I am biased, but he is such a handsome boy. I think all of my grandsons are handsome.   They are having a great summer.  Doing lots of things and having fun.  My other two, the angels Luke and Gabriel, were camping this weekend with my older son and daughter in law.  

I love that my children do fun things with my grandchildren.  It makes my heart happy.

 

Chippy's daily visits.  I know that many people see them as vermin, but I see them as cheerful little visitors and the cats do so enjoy watching their antics on the front porch.

 

Not my favorite flower in the world, lilies, but these have beautiful color this year. I don't remember them being quite this red before.

 

If "I" can't see you, then am I really here?  He thinks he is invisible.   The other day I looked over and all I could see beneath the flounce of the chair covering was his  milk moustache.  I wanted to take a photograph, but, but by the time I picked up my phone to shoot, he had moved. It made my heart smile anyways, even if I could not show it to you.  So cute.

My life, despite the drama, is full of lots of small and wonderful joys. Being able to pick out the small and wonderful joys in our days is how we build a happy life.  As I am fond of saying, every day may not be a good day, but there is good to be found in every day.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

 *It is no bad thing to

celebrate a simple life.

~J. R. Tolkien° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

No food to share today, but hopefully soon. 

In the meantime, I hope you have a beautiful day filled to overflowing with small, simple and wonderful things, light and love!  Don't forget!

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And I do too!