And Then We All Had Tea: A Day Book . . .

Tuesday, 31 March 2026

A Day Book . . .

FOR TODAY, March 31st, 2026

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OUTSIDE MY WINDOW ...

It's dull. It's raining. It's garbage day.

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I AM THINKING ...

Yesterday when I dropped Cindy off after my appointment, her lawn was covered with a flock of robins. They were such a welcome sight after the long cold winter, and some of them were even finding worms. The Canadian harbinger of Spring.

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I AM ALSO THINKING ...

If the Robins are here, then the rest of Spring can't be too far behind. Yay!

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I AM GRATEFUL FOR ...

The gift of Easter. It is not all chocolate bunnies and eggs. I am forever grateful for a Savior and His sacrifice.

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I AM ALSO GRATEFUL FOR ...

I read a wonderful talk at the weekend. Sunday Will Come, by Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin. In his address, Elder Wirthlin emphasized that life includes difficult and sorrowful times, which he likened to “Fridays” in our personal experiences. These are moments when the world seems broken, and despair feels overwhelming. He drew a parallel to the Friday of Christ’s crucifixion, describing it as the darkest day in history, filled with suffering and grief. Yet, just as Sunday followed that Friday with the Resurrection, hope and renewal will come to all who endure trials faithfully.

I can testify to the truth of that.

IN THE KITCHEN ...

Cheesy Beans on Toast Bake. This was quite simply delicious with a buttery toasty bottom, topped with baked beans, bacon, cheese and crispy fried onions. We both enjoyed this very much! A simple supper with anything but simple flavors!

Alison's Wonderland Recipes

ON MY "TO COOK" LIST ...

Victorian Stewed Potatoes. I have never met a potato that I didn't love.

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THIS I BELIEVE ...

My home is Holy Ground to me. It is a place of peace and sanctuary.

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SOMETHING THAT IS NICE ...

Fresh almond croissants . . .

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SOMETHING ELSE THAT IS NICE ...

I give thanks each morning for the gift of another day.

I AM WANTING TO CREATE ...

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Pretty pillows . . .

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Pretty edges . . .

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Sweet embroidery . . . .

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Jam jar caps . . .

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Buttons and edgings . . .

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SOMETHING I ENJOY ...

A well made bed. I hate wrinkles of any kind. I am like the Princess and the Pea.

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SOMETHING ELSE I ENJOY ...

Stones and rocks . . .

I AM READING ...

IN THE GREAT QUIET, by Laura Vogt

A pioneer unwaveringly endures the Oklahoma frontier in an epic adventure about a woman haunted by secrets and searching for home.

A cannon booms at high noon, and the race begins in the Oklahoma land rush of 1893.

Amid the crowd is Minnie Hoopes. Tenacious and fiercely independent, she is determined to endure the brutal frontier and create a life of her own. Guarding her solitude, she distances herself from bordering homesteaders and finds peace under the starry nights of the vast frontier. But this is outlaw country, and Minnie soon has the blood of two gunfighters on her hands. After a renegade outlaw named Stot discovers her secrets, she forms an unlikely friendship with him. With each passing season, Minnie’s past grows more haunting and threatens the future she has risked everything to build. Minnie raced into the Wild West alone, but her grandest journey in the frontier wilderness is one she never saw coming.

Based on the true story of the author’s great-great-grandparents, this sweeping and transportive survival story explores a woman’s connection with the land, her reconciliation with the past, and her elemental search for home against all odds.

Settle in, I’ve stories to tell.

I love stories based on true stories. This is really good!

THINGS THAT CATCH MY FANCY ...