All Things Nice . . .

 

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I love the little special days that dot

The year's long length, like nosegays set to catch

The highlights of a common round of days,

Like marigolds set in a garden patch,

Making a little zone to stand apart,

Warming the lonely cockles of a heart.

Birthdays and Easters . . .Hallowe'ns and such

Christmas and all of its hallowed joy and cheer,

The bells of New Year's Eve . . . Thanksgiving Day

St. Patrick's Day. . . Palm Sunday . . . how the year

Grows lovely with its garland of bright days,

We celebrate in oh so many ways.

St. Valentine when lovers send their love,

In quaint old-fashioned couplets and quatrains;

The festival of harvest when we bring,

The wealth of field in fruit and golden grain,

Barley and wheat tied up in heavy sheaves,

The scarlet glory of the autumn leaves.

These special days dotting the year's long length,

Giving life new beauty and new strength.

~Edna Jacques, Special Days

Fireside Poems, 1950

I love Saturdays when I get to pick another poem to share with you. I always choose one of Edna's because she is one of my favorite poets. Not only being Canadian, but also because she seems to "get" my heart. We think alike, which to me is in no way a bad thing.

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The lawns are covered with clover at the moment.  I love to watch the bees buzzing from flower to flower. So much abundance for them here.  When I was a child we used to pick the blooms and suck the sweetness out of them.  We would also spend hours lying in the grass looking for a four-leafed one. I have never found a four-leaf clover, have you?

Clovers, or Trifolium, typically have three leaves. Finding one with four leaves is incredibly rare—statistically, about 1 in 5,000 clovers have this extra leaf. This rarity is part of what makes it so special. But there’s more to it than just scarcity. The four-leaf clover has been revered across cultures and centuries for its symbolic and spiritual significance.

It has a rich history that dates back thousands of years. Ancient civilizations, including the Druids of Ireland, believed that the four-leaf clover had magical properties. They thought it could ward off evil spirits and bring protection to those who carried it. In Christian traditions, the four leaves were said to represent faith, hope, love, and luck. Over time, the four-leaf clover became a universal symbol of good fortune and positivity.

Each leaf of the four-leaf clover carries its own unique meaning. Together, they create a powerful symbol of balance and harmony.

First leaf - FAITH -Represents trust in the divine and the universe. It reminds you to believe in something greater than yourself.  

Second leaf - HOPE - Symbolizes optimism and the expectation of positive outcomes. It encourages you to stay hopeful, even in difficult times. 

Third leaf - LOVE - Stands for unconditional love, both for others and for yourself. It reminds you to nurture your relationships. 

Fourth leaf - LUCK - The rarest leaf, symbolizing good fortune and serendipity. It’s a reminder that blessings can come when you least expect them. 

 

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I am in love with this book. It speaks to me, just seeing this one page. I love painting flowers and plants myself. I started a wild flower journal when I was in the U.K. 

It is sadly ignored, although I do have many sketches done in it, just waiting to be painted. I wish that I was a much better printer/writer of script.  I fear I spoil the pages with my handwriting.

This is something that I have worked very hard at over the past few years. I do believe I am getting better at it. I have had a lot of weight in my basket with one thing or another.  A part of what I have been doing is writing letters to people who have been heavy stones in my life. Not letters that I would ever send to them because that is not me. Just letters where I can get my feelings out and onto the page. It is a great exercise. I don't keep the letters. I burn them. It has been quite cathartic to be able to vent in this way and to be able to express my feelings. My feelings matter too and all too often I have kept them bundled up all inside where they just stew and fester. It is much better to get them out, even if you are the only person who ever sees them.

Amazingly enough, I do feel a tiny bit lighter each time.

 

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I saw on the Instagram this morning that Stephanie Neilson's oldest daughter, Claire, has gotten married.  There was a photo of her in her wedding gown. She is a beautiful bride. I have followed Stephanie Neilson since she was in that terrible plane crash all of those years ago. Her blog is called NieNieDialogues. She has always been a wonderful example to me of being able to overcome much of life throws at you with faith, even the most horrific of things. 

Anyways, the children are all pretty much grown up now, except for the baby they had after the plane crash, and she is a teenager. The three older children have all gone on Missions and returned. Their youngest son is about to go on his in August.

Life is difficult even for what might seem to be the most charmed lives. We never know what life is going to throw at us at any given moment. How we handle these hurdles is the making or breaking of us, and if they break us, there is the Great Physician who can and will help heal us.

I am always so inspired by those who have been able to overcome their challenges with faith.  Their faith helps to strengthen my own.

 

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Tomorrow we will be celebrating Cindy's Birthday. I won't tell you which one because she doesn't like people knowing how old she is. Dad is taking us out for Fish and Chips, which will be nice. I am going to get a cake baked today, and then we will go over to Cindy's place after supper to enjoy that and give her our presents and cards. Well, I will anyway. I expect everyone else will have already given theirs to her earlier in the day.  But it is nice to be able to spread the celebrations out over the whole day, I think.

Personally, I think that we should celebrate our loved ones every day.

 

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I am looking forward to seeing Douglas and his family this next week. The house will be full and there will be lots of activity, on the day they arrive at any rate. The rest of the week, they will be at the camp. Doug says he will try to come and see me every day, but I do not expect him to.  I expect him to enjoy the camp with his family which is as it should be. But, it will be nice to see them all even if only for a short.

I am so grateful to be in a place where I can spend time with my family more often. It is much better than being thousands of miles apart.

Eileen and Tim are doing speeches in the town park today for their People's First Group. I may try to get in and see them. A lot depends on how far away from the park I will have to park and of course there is nowhere to sit when I get there.  But it would be nice to hear them speak.

I don't really have much else to say this morning. I need to get out to the store to pick up something before it gets too late and they get too busy, so I will leave you now with a thought to carry with you!

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •

•。★★ 。* 。

° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚

˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛

˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★

*We tend to forget that happiness

doesn't come as a result of 

getting something we don't have, 

but rather of recognizing and 

appreciating what we do have.

~Frederick Koenig  •。★★ 。* 。 

In The English Kitchen today . . . Quick Cherry Croissant Pies. Quick to make, easy and delicious. The perfect dessert to throw together at the last minute!

I hope you have a perfectly beautiful weekend filled with nice and sweet things. Whatever you get up to, stay safe and don't forget!

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And I do too!