All Things Nice . . .

 

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I like a house wide-windowed to the sun --

You know the kind that seem to have a glow --

Flowers along the edges of the yard,

Old trees with spreading branches wide and low,

A bordered walk with pinks and Queen Anne lace,

Daisies and pansies about the place.

I'd like a house to have a homey look,

Kind of old-fashioned (not too stiff and new),

A house where birth and death have often been,

Old walls that whisper in the dusk to you,

Stairs worn with feet, and door-sills sagged a bit,

Rooms that look cozy when the lamp is lit.

For there is more to home than walls and floors;

There is the spirit of the people there,

Intangible, unseen, but always felt,

Brooding upon the hallways and the stair;

The hidden thoughts, breathed out and given wings

To hover over all these household things.

And so I want my home to breathe of peace,

Of quiet, sunny hours all gladly spent;

Life at its precious best, with naught of ill,

Bird-song and eventide and sweet content,

Where tired folk can lay their burdens down

Under its kindly shadow still and brown.

Edna Jacques, A Dream House

My Kitchen Window, 1935

 

Ahhhh . . . a dream house. When I was a much younger woman I used to manifest my dream house. I had a binder which I kept filled with clippings of houses I liked, rooms I liked, etc.  On the cover was the photo and a floor plan of the house I wanted to have one day.  I spent a lot of time day-dreaming about this place of my imaginations.  

I still do dream of such a place from time to time, but with age I have come to realize that a dream home is more about the people and the feelings of love, warmth, welcome,  and family that reside within its walls, rather than a particular decor or style.

I have been to and visited castles and grand mansions, places filled with antiquities and surrounded by beautiful gardens, and I have felt the lack of heart and warmth within the walls.  Pretty to look at, but there is no soul . . .  no heartbeat within . . . nothing cozy to invite you in and bathe you with a welcome home and a spirit of peace and tranquility. 

I love my little home, humble as it is . . . and I hope that it beckons those outside to come in with a feeling of  warmth and welcome.  I hope that they feel my heart beat and soul within it's walls. And that a spirit of love pervades . . .  that it is as much a sanctuary of peace to those who visit as it is for me who lives within its walls.

I had a really lovely visit with Eileen.  I picked her up and we decided to go out for a delicious late lunch/early supper before we did anything else. She had  not eaten yet, nor had I.  Usually I go out on Wednesday nights with my dad, but I had not done so this week and so we went out to lunch to the place we normally go.  I snapped a photo of her burger. There was plenty of fixings on it this time. I wonder if they are running out of things when we end up there at supper time and if it is not better to go at lunch?

I had a turkey dinner and it was lovely.  I also took note of the fish and chips that went past and it looked great as well.

We both enjoyed our lunches very much and had a good old gab and a catch up.  It was nice. I treated her to a dish of ice cream at the end. She doesn't get to eat out very much and I wanted her to feel like it was a real treat to be there together.

Afterwards we took a trip down country and up the mountain to visit my mom's grave. The flowers are no longer blooming in front of the stone, but Eileen loved seeing it and we paid our respects to some of our other relatives that are there in their final resting spots.

We then came back to the house and she settled in. We had a really lovely time together.  We chatted and shared and played with the cats.  It was just plain nice.

Of course I was not hungry for any supper, but I made up a little picky plate for her to enjoy in the early evening.  Just some veggies and dip, some grapes, crackers, a good cheese.  Something else she never gets to enjoy at home. She and Tim have a very limited budget as they basically live on disability pensions and I wanted her to have something she never normally gets, but also something which was somewhat healthy.

We talked, we laughed, we cried. We just enjoyed being together.

I made her a fun breakfast in the morning.  A cup of the green tea that she loves and three cheeky little donuts, decorated to look like a face.  She had a good laugh at that.  Also some fruit juice which isn't shown and some mandarin orange slices.   She thought it was quite fun and that is how it should be.

I woke up with vertigo yesterday morning so I really couldn't do much else.  It slowly went off as the day progressed, but when it was breakfast time it was still bothering me quite a bit, so simple was the order of the day. She did not mind in the least. The best part was getting to spend the time together.

I love my daughter very much. Getting to spend this one on one time with her was really special and something we both enjoyed a lot.  I hope that we will get to enjoy many more such opportunities.  We are both blessed by them.

  

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It is hard to believe that here we are at the end of August already. It seems to have crept up on us all of a suddenly.  This is the last weekend before the children all go back to school.  My daughter was telling me that my youngest grandson is starting school this year.  It is such an exciting time for him.  It is a bit heart breaking that I have yet to see him or spend any time with him in person, but I have just had to accept that will probably never be. One just has to learn to accept things in life that are out of our control and hope for better times to come. At night, in bed,  I pray for each of my grandchildren by name, and this week's prayers have been filled with a Grandmother's prayer that they will each have a good school year ahead.  Filled with hope and with promise. That they will be safe and healthy and happy.  That they will learn and grow in positive ways.

It will be something completely new for Jonathan and Gabriel as they start at college and uni. New milestones in their lives. Exciting. The first steps in what I hope and pray will be very promising futures.

 

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Sing 

sing a song

sing out loud

sing out strong

Sing of good things

not bad

sing out happy

not sad . . . 

Eileen and I were singing this song together when she was here.  It is a song from her childhood and one which we both remembered being sung on the Muppets show.  Singing is such a beautiful way to express yourself.  I have always loved to sing.  When the children were growing up I would have singing mornings where I sang everything to them, beginning with "Its time to get up." (They probably hated that, but I didn't. Hopefully now they remember them with fondness of a mother who clearly loved them enough to sing to them.)

I was saddened this week to read that Women in Iran are banned from singing. Apparently it has been so for a very long time.

The Islamic Republic prohibits women from singing or dancing in public, reflecting a broader repression against women's rights. These moves, enforced since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, are rooted in conservative interpretations of Islamic law that deem the female singing voice provocative and sexually suggestive.

Admittedly in these modern times there are some women who sing in a very provocative manner and with very provocative lyrics.  But it made me feel sad to think that We live in a world where in some places women are denied such a beautiful method of expression.  When I think of music and the hymns I love so much to  listen to,  and love to sing, praises to my God . . . songs of joy and songs of love.  

It seems criminal that some women in this world are denied even this most basic form of expression. Singing  and love of music are natural to each of us, and whether we are good at it or bad at it, matters not.  We should all have the right to express and enjoy this gift from God. The gift of music.  I cannot get my mind around a religion which forbids such a thing.  

This is not the intent of God.  "Men (women) are that they might have joy." 2 Nephi 2:25

Fundamentalism in any way shape or form, especially within the confounds of religion, is not something I can get my head around anyways.  And Religion and Government should always be separate in my opinion. It makes me very grateful that I live and have always lived where I did and I do.

Are we not very blessed?  I think so.

 

 

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I find the beauty of the earth and all that has been created magical and astonishing. This simple flower for instance, with its bordering petals and then that beautiful stamen in the center.  A wonder of creation.  And it does not stop there.  When you think of all of the flowers ever created on this beautiful earth and their uniqueness and beauty  . . .  so amazing . . . 

And how everything on our planet is interdependent on each other.  All of the flora and fauna, the insects, the animals, etc. From the smallest grain of sand to the snow covered mountain tops.

We are surrounded by miracles. I am grateful for eyes and a heart that seeks them out and finds them.  That recognizes them and appreciates them.

 

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I found this and I thought how very wonderful.  I think the happiest of people know how to have a lovely day.  And it doesn't really matter what circumstances you find yourself in or that you are required to live in. We can all have a lovely day.  It is a matter of making choices within the confines of our reality.  Even in the most humble of circumstances it is possible to have a lovely day. 

I am grateful that I have never truly been homeless, or had to live in a country torn apart by war. Or never really have had to truly be in want.  How grateful I am that this is so. Perhaps it would be harder in those circumstances to be able to make lovely choices. And I hope that I never find myself having to endure such things.  There but for the Grace of God go I.    I am, however, very grateful for the life that I have been given, and I pray I always will be able to find gratitude in my days and to make them lovely days.

I am running out of time now and must be on and about my day so I will leave you with a thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

 *.˛.°The time you enjoy wasting

is not wasted time.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

In The English Kitchen  . . .  today, a delicious dish of Chicken Sauteed with Cheese & Milk.  Such a simple thing but incredibly tasty.  I fried some sage leaves to garnish the top of the chicken.  This is a delicious protein stretcher that turns something simple into something fabulous. Simple ingredients done well. 

I hope that you have a beautiful weekend. It is a long weekend here and in most Western nations.  Labor Day Weekend.  Summer's last long weekend holiday.  The last celebration before school begins.  Whatever you get up to be happy and safe and enjoy!  Don't forget!

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And I do too!