All Things Nice . . .

 

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I'll build a stately mansion for my soul

In some vast world beyond the rainbow's end,

Pray God there will be peace and quiet there,

And the dear presence of an earthly friend.

I'll grow tea roses by a cottage door,

And hollyhocks red as a gypsy's coat,

I hope there will be joy and laughter there,

And lilting music from a robin's throat.

I'll walk the golden streets (if such they be)

Stop at a corner where the Saints go by,

And listen to the wondrous tales they'll tell,

In that fair world beyond the farthest sky.

I'll hear the harps of heaven softly play

The tunes that David knew when Earth was young,

And hear the Scriptures read and talked about,

By some old Prophet with a silver tongue.

I'll rest me from the ills of common earth,

When from all care and poverty set free,

And as the quiet eons tick away,

Put on the garb of immortality.

~Edna Jacques, I'll Build a Stately Mansion

The Golden Road, 1953

I ofttimes don't know what to think of this world we are living in. It seems that in these modern times each day brings more grief and tumult. It makes me long for my Heavenly Home.  There are days when I feel that it cannot happen soon enough. My heart literally aches for all of the disrespect, sorrow and angst in the present world. 

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

This was late afternoon yesterday after a beautiful mild day. I loved the blue sky showing above the rooftops across the way and how the light was glowing through the glass birds hanging in my window.  they serve a dual purpose. One, they prevent birds from flying into my window and two, they bring me joy at their very sight. I love them.  I have three others just to the right of these. I could not get them all in the picture.

 

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This next Tuesday is Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day as it is also known here in Canada (and in the U.K. as well.)  Growing up we really looked forward to Pancake Day. It was the only time of the year our mother made us pancakes to eat, and we could have our fill.  I am ashamed to say we kept her at the stove "pancaking" for quite a while, lol We could not get enough of this once-a-year treat!

Do you make pancakes for Shrove Tuesday? I have tried many different kinds of pancakes through the years, but I always come back to the pancakes that my mother always made.  They were the best. Light and fluffy and so good with butter and lashings of syrup dripping down the sides. 

I wish my grandsons were here to help me eat them! Now wouldn't that be grand! Grandsons and pancakes. A brilliant combination.

 

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I love this. It looks so peaceful. I think it is all of the white and neutral colors. I do love color, but I am also very fond of neutrals.  They bring peace and calm into your living space.  And yet for a person who loves this type of thing so much, I have a home that explodes with patterns and color. I suppose that makes me a bit of an enigma.   But that's okay.  I love my wee home, with all of its color. It is my peaceful sanctuary from the world at large. I pray that it will always be such.

I am truly blessed to be able to call this place my own.  May I never take it for granted.

 

Cinnamon at rest behind me on the sofa back

late yesterday afternoon.

We took Mac to the Vets yesterday morning and it seems he has a condition called Feline Stomatitis, which is a severe inflammation of the gums and cheeks. Poor wee thing. It is one thing after another with him.  This was his second vet trip in a month.  Cindy has some medication now to treat it and hopefully it will be okay and he will be feeling better soon. 

We brought him home and then we picked up Dad and took him to pick up his friend MaryAnn and we took them both to the mall so they could have a visit together. They were both quite happy about that.  Cindy and I went off and did a few errands while they enjoyed their time together.

I got my car washed, which badly needed doing. It could use a good hoover out as well.  I probably need to book it into a car detailer for that.  It has been a couple of years since I have had that done.  I guess it is long overdue.  It will soon be time to have the summer tires put on as well.  I think perhaps mid-April. I should phone and make an appointment now.

 

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I worked a bit on some embroidery last evening and have finished that.  I was going to do another square for my newest blanket, but did not get around to that. My friend Jacquie called, and I stopped to talk to her for a bit and before I knew it, it was time to go to bed.  There are just not enough hours in the day, I don't think, to get all the things done that I want to get done. I know this is a common complaint. 

I saw the little animals that my sister is crocheting yesterday, and I have to say they are beyond cute.  She has one dog done and a fox.  Totally adorable. Mom was always knitting or embroidering. She loved both of those things. She tried her hand at crochet, but it did not come natural to her.  She was much more of a knitter.

It was Cindy who taught us both, mom and me, to crochet. She had learned from a girl at school.  It is a skill that I have always enjoyed through the years. 

 

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I was thinking the other day about all the wonderful women who have touched my life for good and mentored me through the years, and there have been many. I have been greatly blessed in that way. I have been uplifted and taught by their many examples.  I have been taught skills that I would never have learned otherwise.  Each has brought a basket of goodness to my table. When I think of all of the friendships made, my heart is filled with gratitude for all that they have gifted me with.  How empty my life would be without their having touched it for good. Cooking, needlecrafts, homemaking, friendship.  My life has been richly embroidered by their positive examples and skills.

When I was a very young bride, I lived quite far away from home. I did not have the benefit of my mother and Aunt's knowledge to help to teach me the things I needed to know at that time.  I did have good women in my life however, and I learned something valuable from each one of them. Things I have been able to carry forward with me throughout my life. 

I am so grateful for the examples of others and for their generosity of spirit, for the way they have shared their knowledge and skills so abundantly with me.  And the women in my life are still sharing. I am ever thankful for that.  For women who lift each other up and who inspire us to become better versions of ourselves. Where would we be without them??

 

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When I was much younger than what I am now I might have craved excitement and grand things, gestures, etc. Now I am older I appreciate so much more the simple things. Yesterday in the car, Cindy and I were talking about how your viewpoint on life changes as you get older. We both find ourselves now with more of our lives stretching behind us than there is in front of us and we are tired of the drama. We seek now only to have the remainder of our lives filled with the simplicity of peace and peaceable things.  Simple things that bring simple joys.  We have both had more than enough drama in our lives and are quite comfortable to leave all of the drama behind us.  There is so much joy to be found in simple everyday pleasures and in the simple life. 

I had wished, once upon a time, to have a special someone in my life to share these simple moments with, but to me that has always come at a price which destroyed my peace and so I am content now not to have any special someone in my life.  It might be selfish of me to feel this way, but I have spent most of my life taking care of others, husbands, children, etc. now I long only to care for myself. Oh, that does not mean that I cannot still do for others, but I am at a time in my life now where I need to put myself first.  My own peace and comfort must be a priority.  I think we have both earned the right to feel this way and to take care of ourselves as never before. 

It starts with being able to say no. That is something I have always struggled with.  I am getting better at it as time goes on.  I have done far too many things in my life that I did not want to do simply because I was unable to say the word NO.

 

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I had a lovely message yesterday from an old friend on Facebook thanking me for the recipes that I share and telling me how much they are enjoyed.  It was from a man that I knew back when we were both in Junior High. We were also in band together. He was always such a nice guy and had a big crush on me back in the day. He had wanted me to be his girlfriend once upon a time, but you know how those childhood crushes go. We both grew up and got married and went our separate ways.  We found each other again on FB in recent months. (He is still quite happily married and has a lovely family so don't go thinking anything more of that.)   

I often go back in my mind to Grade 8 and I can see him with his bicycle, riding it slowly back and forth in front of me, chatting and talking me up in front of the old laundromat in town as my siblings and I waited for our father to pick us up after work to take us home. This was before we had moved into our house here in town.   He was a really nice lad, but I always went for the bad boys. I don't know why. They never served me well. 

It is nice to have these memories however, and it is nice to be appreciated for what I do and share with others.

I think that is an important thing for us to do, especially in these tumultuous times. If there is someone in your life that you appreciate now, or have appreciated in the past, tell them. It just might make their day.

And with that I best bid you adieu for the day.  Time is marching on and I have miles to go before I sleep!

A thought to carry with you . . . 

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

 *.˛.May you never forget what is worth remembering,

nor ever remember what is worth forgetting.

~An old Irish Blessing ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •  

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

In the kitchen today some delicious Fruit and Nut Cinnamon Cookies. Soft and delicious.  Grandma cookies.

I do hope that you have a beautiful weekend, filled with light and with love.   Be happy. Be blessed. Fill it with nice things.  Don't forget!

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And I do too!