All Things Nice . . .

 

 

(source)

A little squatty chair with sturdy legs

A braided rug beside the kitchen door,

A wicker basket that an Indian made

A little sweater that she often wore

To hang out clothes . . . a workbox filled with spools

A shelf behind the stove for handy tools.

A little porch where a rocking chair

Rocks softly to itself with no one on,

She often sits there in the afternoon

To shell the peas for supper, while the lawn

Gathers quaint shadows like a checkered quilt,

And flowers blow out gayly as a kilt.

She wears a clean print dress of Amish blue

Her hair beneath the net is white as snow

And curled a bit . . . she's knitting a sock

Counting the stitches softly row on row,

The needles click like shuttles on a loom

Making a kind of noise in the room.

Aunt Hattie makes me think of mint and myrrh,

For all sweet scented things are kin of her.

~Edna Jacques, Aunt Hattie's Place

Aunt Hattie's Place, 1941

I saw this poem this morning and immediately thought of when we were children and went to visit our Aunts.  My mother's Aunt Orabelle, mainly, as she was quite old by the time we knew her. She was the sister of our Grandmother Nina.  I remember visiting her up in her old farmhouse in Inglisville up on the South Mountain, not too far where she and her sister's had grown up and not too far from where my mother was born. I remember bits and pieces of the old farmhouse kitchen, but mostly I remember an old horse that was blind in the fields next to the house.  We were allowed to feed it carrots and apples. To my recollection it was white. 

We visited other Aunts as well, but they were much younger, and so this poem doesn't remind me overly so of them. But I am grateful for the opportunity that I had to spend time with them when I was growing up and even after I was an adult. For an Airforce brat this is not a common occurrence! Most do not get to know their extended families at all!  This was a unique blessing for us all, and one I never took for granted.

 

(source)

I am so grateful for family full-stop. I do not know really what I would do without my sister and Dan. They came over yesterday afternoon and Dan helped sort out the fridge in my garage and cleaned up my garage and organized it. Cindy and I worked a bit in the back bedroom. Things tend to get on top of me and with my mobility problems I have a difficult time with certain things. I was so appreciative of their help. 

And I suppose it stressed me a bit as well.  I was a bit embarrassed because I had let things get to the point where I needed help. I don't really like to see myself as needing help, but the truth is I do. With my knees the way that they are and my right shoulder, I cannot bend down to reach down low and I also cannot reach up or out very far with my arm. I guess there is no shame in needing help, but it is a humbling experience to reach the age where you have to start accepting these things.  My brain is all there . . . well, most of the time anyways, but my body is beginning to let me down in some ways.

The help did not end there.  This past week I have been plagued with that same old problem, indigestion, I guess.  Waking me up at night, etc.  Last night about 8 P.M. or so I started exhibiting a few other things.  In the main a pain in the center of my chest which is not at all where the indigestion goes. I sat with it for a bit but then got kind of clammy and so I decided I better call my sister.  I've been getting out of breath lately as well. 

I got the cats put away in my bedroom and called the paramedics while my sister ran over to my place in her car.  I really hate putting people out in that way, but I felt like I needed to. 

Anyways, long story short, I ended up going to hospital again in the ambulance. Oh no, another ambulance bill. The medics thought it prudent that I be seen to, and I had to agree with them, better safe than sorry.  Several sets of blood tests later, an x-ray, a heart tracing, etc. and they could not come up with any reason for it, which was a bit of a relief.  I got back home here at 4 a.m.  My poor sister had to drive all the way up to Kentville and pick me up, which she was happy to do.  But neither one of us got much sleep last night to say the least!  She got three hours while she was waiting for my call, and then we both got about 4 hours after I got home, and she got back to her place.

I didn't want to sleep any longer than that, although I am still very tired.  I didn't want to mess up my sleep patterns for tonight. So, I will have a very sleepy day today and then probably go to bed earlyish tonight.

I do not know if this is anxiety or not. This problem I keep having.  They are setting me up with a stress test at some point so we will see. I suppose I have been feeling rather anxious lately. What with the taxes, and then the clearing out, etc. Then there is the situation with my youngest son and daughter, and he who shall not be named throwing me under the bus at his parole hearing. I suppose it all eats at me from time to time, as much as I try to not dwell on any of it.  It's still there niggling away in the background.

In any case, I am so grateful for the family I do have and for all that my sister and Dan do for me. How very blessed I am to have them.  Truly.  Grateful also for the kindness and care of the ambulance attendants, and the people in the hospital.

 

(source)

I had a visit from a giant Easter Bunny and his wife yesterday afternoon.  It is the same couple who go around here at Christmas dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus.  They always have a bag of treats for each household.  What a lovely act of service that is for them to do.  They are so kind, and I know everyone appreciates them.  The first year I did not know what to think of them, but I have gotten used to all the visits now and the goodies and I would quite miss them did they not visit.  I quite look forward to them.

It is nice to know that amidst the turmoil and upset of today's world, there are still some very kind people about.  That makes my heart smile.

So, a loving family and acts of kindness from strangers. Two beautiful blessings to add to my ever-growing list of sweet things to hang on to.

 

(source)

I won't be cooking the family dinner today.  I am going to do it tomorrow instead. Cindy and I talked about it in the car on the way home. We will both be too tired.  In any case, I checked the status of my chicken this morning and it is still pretty frozen, so it will be good until then.  None of us felt much like having ham as I had just cooked one last week.  So, we are having roast chicken.  Something we all enjoy.  I have a frozen scalloped potato casserole in the freezer which I will thaw out and then I will make some stuffing and have a vegetable.  I have some biscuits frozen for dinner that I will warm up and then I have some ice cream.  Grape Nuts, a rare treat.  It will be a simple supper, but it will be a nice dinner to enjoy with my family anyways.  And it is always nice to get together. Cindy thought maybe I should cancel, but I don't really want to do that.  It will not be too much work, and I should have caught up on my sleep by then!  Here's hoping!

 

(source)

This photograph reminds me very much of the walks I used to take with our Border Collie Jess on the public pathway that ran by our cottage down South in the U.K. when we were living on the Estate. In the U.K. there are a series of paths across the length and breadth of the country called Public Pathways.  The public is free to take walks on them.  They go through some of the most stunning parts of the rural U.K. and are good for the soul.  Beautiful landscapes, filled with wildflowers and fauna, and a beaten path for you to follow.  You can also pick up maps of local walks at post offices and the like.  I have done walks all over the country. Down South in Kent, and also in Wales, up in Cumbria, in the Lake District, along the Yorkshire Dales.  Wonderful walks they all were.

I also remember going on a similar kind of walk with our friends Audrey and Peter Lee in the South of France.  I think we went 13 kilometers on this particular one through the rural landscape of France.  I can remember the smell of wild garlic and seeing mistletoe in the trees. I had never seen it before. The call of the cuckoo.  (It sounds just like the clock.) 

We actually went on many walks and hikes through the years with Audrey and Peter.  They were great hikers and would often call us on a Saturday asking did we want to go on a walk with them.  We walked along canal paths and all sorts. It was always fun and great exercise. I really miss being able to go on long walks.  I am a nature lover, me.

There is nothing quite like a ramble on a sunny day with the intoxicating smell of the great outdoors and the sound of insects humming, leaves rustling, acorns cracking beneath your feet, and a good company to keep. I am grateful for those sweet memories.

(source)

I want one of these so that people can be tickled pink by the sight of a bunny face when I lift up my cup to drink.   I bet you could make one very easily with a simple white mug and the aid of a black indelible sharpie marker.  How sweet.

We need to create pockets of joy where and as we can. 

 

(source)

You have heard of pleasure seekers I am sure.  Well, I am not a pleasure seeker. I am a joy seeker. It is much, much better to be a seeker of joy than of pleasures. Pleasure is fleeting. Joy is of eternal worth and lasts forever.  It is also all around for those of us who have the hearts and eyes to seek it out. It is never very far away.

And finally. It would be very remiss of me not to speak of the Savior on this the most holy of weekends of the year.  Yesterday the grave, tomorrow the miracle of the resurrection. 

To be able to believe in a man who lived a perfect and humble life, who performed all the miracles that many were a witness to in his lifetime, who died an excruciating and unjustified death on the cross, and was buried, and who then rose again just a few days later, to a state where He can never die again, is to believe in miracles and to expand your idea of what is possible.  He did it, and He did it for us, taking all of the sins of the world upon himself as a pure sacrifice, so that all of our sins could be forgiven. So that we could be cleansed and ready to enter into the presence of our Heavenly Father again one day.  Without this gift, we could never do that.  Death has lost its sting. This is a gift and knowledge almost too precious to put into words. What a comfort it brings to my life to know that I can and will be reunited with all of my loved ones again one day and be able to return to my heavenly home, washed clean by the blood of my Savior.  And all because of this wonderful precious mind-blowing miracle.  I don't just believe that it happened. I know that it happened. I may not have witnessed it with my eyes, but the spirit has born witness to me of the truthfulness and wonder of it all. Once that happens, your life is never the same again. 

No matter how dark the night gets, no matter how real our fears seem to be, we need never face them alone. Thanks to Jesus and His great gift, He is always nearby. Even when we can't see Him, we can know His eyes are on us, whispering words of love to our weary souls. His arms surround us in an invisible hug, helping us to fight the battles we must fight.  Never alone.  We are never alone.  To know and believe these things are true IS truly a life changer. Thank you Jesus.

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

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

*You are not the voice in your head,

or the mistakes that you have made.

~Tamara W. Runia  ° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ 

In The English Kitchen today . . .  Cornmeal Biscuits.  Light, flaky and delicious with a sweet buttery crunch.  Very nice.

I hope you have a beautiful weekend filled with lots of nice things and the people that you love. Allow yourself to feel blessed. You deserve it. Don't forget!

═══════════ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ═══════════ 

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

And I do too!