A Day Book . . .

 

FOR TODAY, August 6th, 2024

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...

Its still quite dark, the nights are drawing in now.  I was awake at 5:30 and chafing at the bit, wanting to get to work. Its garbage day. The street is lined with bin bags from all of us. Its a fresh 16*C/60*F so it doesn't feel quite as oppressive this morning.  Grateful for that. Humidity is still at 98%, but its not going to be as hot today. Relief.

I AM THINKING ...

Thinking about how grateful I am this morning for my friend Alison, and a brother who worked tirelessly to get the food blog back up and funning, for all of the support given by so many people with their positivity and prayers, for my Heavenly Father who lifted me when I faltered and was ready to give up, for answered prayers.  I am so grateful for it all, and for each of you. I hope that you know that!

I AM ALSO THINKING ...

Lessons learned.  It is not a bad thing to diversify and put a few of my eggs in some other baskets. I am grateful for the impetus this situation gave me to finally try doing videos and although I am not that good at it yet, I am trying. It is good to stretch and to learn new things.  I have nowhere to go but up!

IN THE KITCHEN ...

Small Batch Funfetti Cake.    This cake is a small batch party in the mouth! Moist and delicious it cuts into two or four slices, depending on how large a piece of cake you want to enjoy! No time like the present to celebrate!

ON MY "TO COOK" LIST ...

I am book marking these Stollen Bites from Super Golden Bakes so that I can possibly try them out this Christmas. When I was in the U.K. the stollen bites in the grocery stores were one of my favorite things to enjoy, even more than the actual stollen.

REMEMBERING ...

This was something that I had posted on this date exactly a year ago today in a Small and Wonderful Things post. 

“May you see God’s light on the path ahead when the road you walk is dark. 

May you always hear, even in your hour of sorrow, the gentle singing of the lark. 

When times are hard may hardness never turn your heart to stone. 

May you always remember when the shadows fall, you do not walk alone.” 

It fit then, it fits now. Knowledge for life. Hardships CAN become sacred experiences when we allow them to shape us into something better than what we were.

I WOULD LOVE TO CREATE ...

Pretty little pouches.  Several of my great loves. Sewing. Embroidery. Lace. Borderopafeeto on Instagram.

Love these sweet little embroidered linen bags as well. No source, but so pretty.

NeedleNThread Beautiful linen sampler. I love this sort of thing. So pretty.

I couldn't find the source for this either. More of my loves. Dolls, sewing embroidery.

Prim Penny Designs.  So cute and again, right up my alley.

OH MY GOODNESS ...

Look at all of those sweet little pink beans. So adorable. 

SOMETHING I WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND ...

Bullying.  There is someone who is always dripping nastiness into my comments. I don't know what I have ever done to engender this.  I can accept constructive criticism.  But it is clear to me this person means only to cause me ill will.   Go away. If it were possible to block someone on Blogger, I would.  And always under the cloak of anonymity. How courageous.

I AM READING ...

The Rapture of Canaan, by Sheri Reynolds

Members of the Church of Fire and Brimstone and God's Almighty Baptizing Wind spend their days and nights serving the Lord and waiting for the Rapture--that moment just before the Second Coming of Christ when the saved will be lifted bodily to heaven and the damned will be left behind to face the thousand years of tribulation on earth. 

The tribulation, according to Grandpa Herman, founder of Fire and Brimstone, will be an ugly time: "He said that we'd run out of food. That big bugs would chase us around and sting us with their tails . . . He said we'd turn on the faucet in the bathroom and find only blood running out . . . He said evil multitudes would come unto us and cut off our limbs, and that we wouldn't die . . . And then he'd say, 'But you don't have to be left behind. You can go straight to Heaven with all of God's special children if you'll only open your hearts to Jesus . . .'" 

Such talk of damnation weighs heavy on the mind of Ninah Huff, the 15-year-old narrator of Sheri Reynolds's second novel, The Rapture of Canaan. To distract her from sinful thoughts about her prayer partner James, Ninah puts pecan shells in her shoes and nettles in her bed. But concentrating on the Passion of Jesus cannot, in the end, deter Ninah and James from their passion for each other, and the consequences prove both tragic and transforming for the entire community. 

 The Rapture of Canaan is a book about miracles, and in writing it, Reynolds has performed something of a miracle herself. Although the church's beliefs and practices may seem extreme (sleeping in an open grave, mortifying the flesh with barbed wire), its members are complex and profoundly sympathetic as they wrestle with the contradictions of Fire and Brimstone's theology, the temptations of the outside world, and the frailties of the human heart.

I am revisiting this book. I have read it a couple of times now. It is one of my longstanding favorite novels and I enjoy rereading it from time to time.

THINGS I LOVE ...

 

(source)

Hollyhocks  . . . 

 

(source)

French crullers  . . . 

 

(source)

Vintage Enamel . . . 

 

(source)

Pancakes with butter and syrup  . . . 

 

(source)

Bookshops . . . I could spend hours perusing  . . . 

MAKES ME SMILE ...

The glass birds in my front window.  I love seeing them.  There is another one there which really makes me smile, but it didn't show up in the photo for some reason. A gift from my sweet friend Elaine a year or so back.  Its right in the middle there at the top.  You can just see the bottom of it. Next time I will take a better photo.

SOMETHING TO WATCH ...

 

One Life, on Prime. I love films based on true stories. And I love Anthony Hopkins. Such a great actor.

A THOUGHT TO CARRY WITH YOU ...

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

 *.˛.°Those who bring sunshine

into the lives of others

cannot keep it from themselves.

~James M Barrie° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚ ˚ 

Once again, many thanks for all of your prayers and support! They were so appreciated and I am grateful for each and every one.

And that's my daybook for this week!



  ⋱ ⋮ ⋰
⋯ ◯ ⋯ Take time to enjoy the small *´¯`.¸¸.☆
  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆ 



✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.• ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥
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Have a beautiful day!  Don't forget!  

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And I do too!