Pages

Thursday, 31 October 2024

My Favorite Things . . .

 



These are some of the things in life that I enjoy, and which make me happy, inspire me, or put a smile on my face. Maybe some of them are yours too.  Let's share! 


 


Pumpkin Spice.  I love the warmth of its taste and its scent. Some of my favorite candles are my pumpkin spice ones.


 

Toadstools and mushrooms.  But you know that.


 


Peekaboo  . . . 


 


Baking  . . .  anything.  Pies, cakes, cookies, bread. You name it. I find it to be quite cathartic.


 

Dip pens  . . . 


 

Succulents  . . . 


 

The sound of the geese as they fly overhead . . .


 

 

Vintage forget-me-nots  . . . 


 


Waffles  . . . 



 

A little bit of this goes a long, long way  . . . 


 

A light in the dark . . .  be the light . . . 


 

Vintage sideboards . . . 


 

Holiday decor . . . 


 

Pretty cups  . . . 


 

The smell of coffee brewing  . . . 



The warmth of a cream-colored AGA . . . 


 

Fairy lights in autumn . . . winter too.


 

White crockery  . . . 


 

It's all about the ears . . . 




 


Tiny white pumpkins  . . . 



 

Warm, pretty throws  . . . 


 

I used to love to dance  . . . 


And those are my favorite things for this week. Hoping some of them are yours also.


A thought to carry with you . . . 


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

 *.˛.°The farther we've gotten from the
magic and mystery of our past,
the more 
we've come to need Halloween.
~Paula Guran
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •


Turkey, Apple & Cheddar Sandwich


In the kitchen today, a delicious sandwich. Turkey, Apple & Cheddar Sandwich. Very tasty.


I hope that you have a very Happy Halloween.  Stay safe, stay warm, be blessed.  Don't forget!


═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═══════════ 

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


And I do too!    

   




Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Wednesday Witterings . . .



 Wasn't it just yesterday that we were saying hello to October?  That is the way it seems anyways and here we are with tomorrow being Halloween. It has just whizzed by.  I have all of my Halloween treats in and my little bucket to hold them.  I will put the cats in the back bedroom for safety.  That's the best place for them. I don't have to worry about them getting out of the house that way and can just enjoy the kiddos in their costumes.

Most of the trick-or-treaters are quite polite.  Some of the parents also dress up. It's also supposed to be a dry night and somewhat warmer so that is good.

I can remember when my own children were trick-or-treating.  They were always far too excited to eat much of a supper on Halloween, so we always had something simple. They would have had Halloween parties at school in the afternoon with lots of goodies there, so it was next to impossible to get them to eat a normal supper. Usually something like grilled cheese, hot dogs, or pizza was about the best thing.

Once they got older, they took themselves.  I kind of missed going out with them.  Now, I am happy that all I have to do is sit by the door and hand out the treats. 😸 I will get more than a hundred children where I live.  It is a safe neighborhood for trick-or-treating without any traffic much to speak of, so lots of kiddies come here.


 


I have often heard it said that the key to happiness was in wanting what you already have not in having what you want.  I suppose there is a great deal of truth to that. I have known some very wealthy people who were not very happy at all. 

There is a special wisdom that comes from age and experience.  It can take almost a lifetime to get your priorities in order and to recognize the things that really matter most in life.  Nobody ever said on their deathbed, I wish I had worked longer hours, but I have read that many express their wish that they had spent more time just being with the ones they love and enjoying the simple things in life.

On the one hand I wish I had more time to play, and yet on the other hand, I am grateful that I have something to do each day that keeps me busy and from being bored.  The key is to find a happy balance between the two. Work and play. Too much of either one is not really a good thing.




I went to a local store the other day to get some black yarn. It is called Cinnamon Creek and is filled with all sorts of lovely things. I could spend hours in there perusing their goods. It always smells really nice in there as well.   I picked up this little book from Wrendale designs. I love Wrendale designs.  It is a password book.




Inside it on every page are spaces to write down all the details of your online sites, etc.  This could be invaluable to anyone having to deal with things after a person passes on. I think it would be very helpful for them to have this information to help them cope with closing things down.


It is also a valuable tool for me to have. With needing access to many sites, etc. and having different passwords for each one, having them written down and all in one spot is a good thing for me. 


I know they say not to do this, but this will only be in my own home and in a special place that only myself and my loved ones will know about and it seems to be a much more organized way than I have things set up now.  


Also, it's pretty cute.


 


I was really pleased to catch up with an old online friend yesterday. We had been friends since the days when I first started blogging. We used to chat quite a bit and even spent some time together in person. We were both expats who had left our home countries to marry foreigners and had a mutual love of the home arts.  We had always stayed well connected until a few years ago.

When my life in the U.K. fell apart, I found that I distanced myself from a lot of people, not on purpose. It just happened.  People I had been really close to for some reason I found myself just drawing away from them.  I don't know why.  I think it was just easier for me to distance myself and to not have to remember all of the distress, or to keep rehashing it, etc.

Anyways, yesterday we caught up again with each other and it was lovely. I suppose it was just the right time to do so.  It felt good anyways.

I wish I knew why I felt the need to pull away from some people and not others.  It was not something I did consciously.  There is really no reasonable explanation for it, not that I can think of at any rate.


 

I felt kind of funky all day yesterday.  I laid back in my easy boy chair not long after I finished my morning emails, etc. and rested for a bit.  I listened to the morning rosary with my eyes closed.  The funky feeling continued for most of the day.  I had a really difficult time getting my mind to concentrate on any one thing.  I felt like I was getting a cold at one point, but it went off. I just felt very restless and not myself. 

The cats were also very demanding yesterday for some reason. They wanted to play off and on all day.  Especially Cinnamon.  I found myself putting one of the bodies of those old, wired dolls I used to make on the end of their fishing pole and whipping back and forth through the house with it. They LOVED that! Something different I suppose.  I guess they can get bored also.  Change is as good as a holiday they say, so this was something very exciting to them. Don't worry it is not something which I would leave out for them to play with unsupervised.



This is how I try to live my life every day.  Sometimes I do very well at it and other times not. The things I probably struggle with the most are the past. Some hurts and experiences are difficult to lay to rest.  I will think I am doing really well with being able to cast them aside and then something will happen to trigger all of the old feelings, and I am back to square one. It happens less and less as time passes however and I am more able to just brush them off now than I used to be.  But there are still some issues/people which have the power to wound, and I have a hard time forgetting them.  I suppose had I not two children who have cut me out of their lives, putting these issues behind me would be a lot easier.  But as a mother, these things still matter a great deal. I do not know what the answer is. It is hard to stop caring about people you love.


 

This brought a smile to my face.  I don't drink coffee, but I know how important that morning cup of java is to a lot of people and this just made me chuckle. It was so fitting. Some people are so clever.


 


Today is the day I usually go out for supper with my dad and his friend Hazel.  Last week she said, because the clocks are going back this next weekend, this would be the last Wednesday night she would be coming down to the Big Scoop.  She is in her 80's now and doesn't like driving at night that much.  I cannot say that I blame her. I don't like driving at night.  So, I think dad is going to meet her at the Chinese restaurant in Greenwood from now on.  I won't be going I don't think.  I do not really like the food there and it would mean that I would be having to drive home in the dark as well. So, this will probably be the last Wednesday night we get together for a while. I think Cindy is also going to go today, which will be nice. I am looking forward to that.  

And with that I best leave you with a thought for today. It's getting really late for me to still be on here.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 


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

 *.˛.Take nothing for granted.
Even a rock will eventually
surrender to the sea,
and love can slip away
like sand through the fingers.
~Michael Faudet  ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚



Brown Butter Winter Squash Casserole 




In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Brown Butter Winter Squash Casserole. A delicious mix of squash, caramelized onions, herbs, browned butter and toasty cracker crumbs. 


Whatever you get up to today, I hope it brings you joy and peace. Don't forget along the way!


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


And I do too!    

   




Tuesday, 29 October 2024

A Day Book . . .

 



FOR TODAY, October 29th, 2024


OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...



It's dark. It's garbage day.  It's not raining, and you can see that there is frost on the ground. It is below zero this morning so it's cold! The trees across the way are looking pretty bare now.


 

I AM THINKING ...

Should I or shouldn't I pick up a pumpkin to carve. It's almost too late. I was at the grocery store with my sister briefly yesterday and there were hardly any left and they all looked pretty dismal.


 

I AM ALSO THINKING ...

About the power of words. You can make or break someone's day just by the things that you say, the words you choose to utter.  How much better it is to be kind than to be horrible to people.  I am not perfect, but, I have always tried to be kind to others. It's very easy to be judgmental towards others, but you only see what is on the outside.  Inside, there are many battles raging that we are not privy to.  I think we would be better served if we were just kind to others. No matter what. Take the high road. Cleave to the positive. Ignore the negative and just be kind.


French Onion Rice


IN THE KITCHEN ...

French Onion Rice.  Admittedly it doesn't look like much, but I have to tell you that this is the most delicious rice dish ever. Four simple ingredients combine to make one incredibly tasty side dish. I noted the recipe last week and shared it with my sister.  She cooked it on Sunday. It was fabulous. So delicious I had to cook it for myself, here at home, yesterday.  It is pretty amazing. Simple to make as well.



ON MY "TO COOK" LIST ...

These onion cheddar crisps from Recipes Taskup look really good! I like cheese. I like onions. The two together are a really delicious combo.





LOOKING FORWARD TO ...

Still looking forward to getting some sewing done. I didn't get any done at all last week after I got the patterns cut out.  It has just sat there collecting dust while I have other things to do. I hope to have some time soon for sewing!







SOMETHING NICE ...

Look what I found yesterday!  I was in the closet in the spare bedroom looking for something and I came across these in the bottom of a small box.  I had no idea that I still had them. I was so pleased to find them. I thought I had lost these forever. I would so love to make more of these. I used to really love making them.


 

SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS NICE ...

My brother has a date for his CT scan and its next week. I am pleased that things are moving quickly with this. The sooner the scan the sooner they will know what treatments are needed. Please continue to pray for him and his wife and family. Thank you so much.




He got to fly an antique glider yesterday. He was really happy about that. He loves flying. It makes me happy when he is happy.


    


THIS I KNOW TO BE TRUE

There is nothing so uplifting as letting go of the things in life that don't really matter in the eternal scheme of things.


I AM WANTING TO CREATE ...





Cute. No source . . . 





Again, no source  . . . I love the expression on her face.




Raggedy dolls. Pattern on Etsy. 


 



Love this, but again, could not find the source.






Again, no source. Why don't people pin the sources?  I love these types of toadstools.






Enchanted Mushrooms. Garns Studio


OH MY GOODNESS ...


 


Patterns in nature, so beautiful.





I WISH ...

I wish there were more hours in the day to get all the things I want to do done.




I AM READING ...

A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs


Christmas Eve 1894 

 All Margaret Campbell wants for Christmas is a safe journey home. When her plans for a festive holiday with her family in Stirling crumble beneath the weight of her brother’s bitterness, the young schoolteacher wants nothing more than to return to the students she loves and the town house she calls home. 

 Then an unexpected detour places her in the path of Gordon Shaw, a handsome newspaperman from Glasgow, who struggles under a burden of remorse and shame. 


 When the secret of their shared history is revealed, will it leave them tangled in a knot of regret? Or might their past hold the threads that will bind their future together? 


 As warm as a woolen scarf on a cold winter’s eve, A Wreath of Snow is a tender story of love and forgiveness, wrapped in a celebration of all things Scottish, all things Victorian, and, especially, all things Christmas.


Just something light.


THINGS I LOVE ...


 


Cozy cottage rooms  . . . 


 


Cake, especially cakes that are like pound cake.  I am not overly fond of icing on cakes.  



 


Stationary  . . .  pens, envelopes, paper  . . . 


 


Pooh  . . . 


 

Blue Tits, any kind of tit really. They are such pretty little birds  . . . 





SOMETHING TO WATCH ...

Special Ops: Lioness   On Prime. Those are some pretty tough ladies.


A THOUGHT TO CARRY WITH YOU ...

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

 *.˛.Whatever you are
be a good one.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
~Abraham Lincoln° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ 



And that is my daybook for this week!  Thanks always for being here!


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

  ⋰ ⋮ ⋱ blessings in life.*´¯`.¸¸.☆ 




✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿✿¸.•*¨`*•..✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•*¨`*•..¸✿ ✿¸.•
*¨`*•. ╬♥═╬╬═♥=╬╬═♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥═╬♥╬╬═♥╬╬═♥=╬╬♥╬
░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░ ░░░░░░░░░░░░ 


Have a beautiful day!  Don't forget!  

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


And I do too!