The Simple Woman's Daybook . . .

FOR TODAY, October 4th, 2016

Outside my window ...
Its pitch dark and no sign of light yet.   I think the clocks will be going back soon.  Then it will be darker a lot earlier at night.  Oh the days are getting shorter and shorter and the temperature is dropping.  There is a definitive autumnal feeling in the air.

I am thinking ...
How lovely it was for the zone leaders to drop by last night just to say hi.  We had just watched several talks again from Conference (David A Bednar, WOW and Brian K Ashton, WOW again!) and then the phone rang and it was the Elders wanting to know if it was okay for them to pop in for a few.  We have a new one from Hawaii, Elder Allen.  Such nice young men.  I love them.

In the kitchen ... 
 

Vegetable and Borlotti Bean Soup.  It's delicious!  Perfect for a chilly autumn day!

On my "To Cook" List ...

 

Slow Cooker Chunky Beef and Potato Stew.  This looks fabulous.  Found on  Skinny Ms.

Good to know ...



 From Martha Stewart, Tips for Perfect Laundry.
This is great!!

I am creating ...

 

I love these Putz houses.  I can envision a mantle covered with them.  This is a  printable from Mini Glitter Houses.   And there are others.

 

Crochet ornaments from Bella Crochet.  Country Cottage and Tree.



Pine Cone Christmas Trees.  From Crafter's Delights.

 

Button Trees.  These are so cute and colourful.  From Blog Her.

 

A wreath made from cut paper tubes. This is so pretty.  From Totally Green Crafts.

I am reading ...

 

Far From the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy

Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area.

Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. The first of his works set in Wessex, Hardy’s novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships.

It is good to dig into the classics every now and then.

I am looking forward to ...
It is our annual women's supper tonight.  I didn't go last year, but am really looking forward to this years get-together.  The food is always great and its just nice to get together with the other sisters.

 

It is a stunning location.  The last time I was there it started to snow.   I doubt that will happen tonight, but you never know.    its up in the Welsh Hills.

Dreaming about ...
 

Birdcage mirrors  . . .



A blue and white bedroom . . .

 

Envelope Pillows  . . . from Everything Alice.

  

Comfortable mugs  . . .



Pretty little pottery honey pots  . . .

A favourite quote for the day ...


(¯`v´¯)
 `*.¸.*´Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ¸. •´¸.•~♥♥♥~•. ~ ღϠ₡ღ¸.
           ✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ. ( ¸. ❀⁀ ⋱‿✿“`
                       * .¸.* ✻ღϠ₡ ღ¸.✻´´¯`✻.¸¸.Ƹ̴Ӂ̴Ʒ..

Hope will open your eyes to the glories Heavenly Father has in store for you.
~President Dieter F Uchtdorf

Makes me smile ...

 

Impossibly cute pinecone hedgehog ornaments . . .


One of my favourite things  ...
 

Autumn . . .

Corners of my kingdom ...


Summer's last hurrah?  I think so, at least one of them  . . .


And that's my daybook for this week!


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


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


Wherever you go and whatever you do, I hope there's a great day ahead of you! Don't forget!

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 And I do too!


 

Small and Wonderful Things . . .

"The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But who gets excited by a mere penny?...It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days. It is that simple. what you see is what you get." ~Anne Dillard

A few of the small and wonderful things which bring untold joy into my life. It's the small things in life which truly mean the most. Simple abundance . . . it's the best.

 

People think that animals/fish/birds are incabable of feeling such things as compassion.  I have been witness this weekend to an amazing show of compassion from one of our fish to another.  We put two Gourami's in the tank a couple of weeks ago.  About two days ago one started looking like it was struggling . . .  just kind of laying listless on the bottom of the tank.  Just when I would go to try to help it, it would start swimming and acting like nothing was wrong.  But, clearly something was.   It would take itself into the little house we have in the tank and just lay there.  Yesterday I noticed the other Gourami nosing it every so often as if to say . . .  "Come on Buddy!  You can do it." and it would get all active again and swim about with renewed vigor.   It was very clear to me that this fish was trying to help its little friend.  I watched it doing it again and again throughout the day.   I am not sure how things are this morning as I am not downstairs, but upstairs on an older computer.   The Internet wasn't working for me on the new laptop at all.  I don't know what's up with that, but it's darned annoying.  This isn't about annoying stuff however, this is about small and wonderful things.  The compassion of one of God's creatures towards another . . .  inspiring stuff.



Snaps and snails and puppy dog tails.  Beautiful blue eyes.  Pine needles.  Cheesy little grins.  Love this cheeky little boy.  Cameron.  My youngest grandson. He is three years old last June.   I haven't met him yet, but I hope to some day  . . .

 

Sugar and spice and everything nice . . . little girls feeding ducks.   Maryn.  She started school this year.  I would so love to know how it is going, but for now will content myself with this small peek into her life.



Country hikes together.  Oh how I wish I could go on a country hike with them.  Oh, I know . . .  in reality they probably wouldn't want to go with me because they don't really know me.  I am a stranger to them.  I wish I could get to know them better.  My heart longs to know them better.  I will never give up praying for that to happen.  For healing bridges.

 


Being able to listen to and watch the talks this past weekend from our church's 186th bi-annual Conference.  Oh my but we were well fed spiritually.

President Monson spoke of how every man and woman can find happiness and how keeping the commandments of God yields great promises in this life and the next.

Here are five of the things President Monson invited each of us to do to be better and to come closer to God:

-Do more than just believe in Jesus Christ and His mission. Work to learn of Him in the scriptures, come to know Him through prayer, and continually use His power to repent and improve.
-Know God’s laws and live them. It’s the only way to obtain true happiness.
-Live the truth.
-Share the truth.
-Care for our bodies and our minds by observing principles set forth in the Word of Wisdom.

But that is only the tip of the iceberg of Spiritual nourishment we all received.  I cannot wait to be able to read the talks and to go over them again and ponder them at length.  I always get so much out of Conference and am always inspired to be better, to do better.   I keep that momentum up by listening to a conference talk every morning as I putter in my room, putting on my makeup and doing my hair.  It helps to set me up for the day.  It brings untold joy and blessings into my life.

Several things that I came away with over this past weekend are that I really need to develop my prayer life more, and be  more consistent and fervant in my prayers.   My Heavenly Father really wants to listen to me on a more regular basis.  I need to dig back into the Book of Mormon but this time read it like I am reading it for the first time, and to ask myself more frequently, what is this telling me.   I need to be better at keeping the Sabbath Day holy and sacred.   I have been slipping there.    I need to be willing to open my mouth and share more this joy that I feel from being and walking closer to my Saviour.  We live in perilous times.  I can foresee a time when it will be seen as dangerous to be a person of faith in God our Father  and the Saviour.  It is becoming increasingly secular in the world.  There are many people who are not able to worship as they want in the world.  We have been blessed in the West to be able to do so, but it will not be this way forever.  I need to make sure my lamp is full before that happens so that it can sustain me when it does.

I feel so blessed to be a part of a church which nourishes and sustains its members like this.  I know we are not alone in feeling nourished and that many other churches also nourish and sustain its members.  When I say that I am not trying to talk down anyone else.  I am just remarking on how very blessed I feel to be a part of this one.

 

Oh how I love my Saviour.  I was moved to tears at the depth of His love for me many times throughout the weekend.  Many times.



Sunday talks with my mom.  The hour always passes far too quickly.  I wish I could talk to her every day.  I love her so very much.  I miss her.  It does my heart good to know that she is happy and safe and loved and well cared for.   I had never thought about her being lonely, but those six  months before her cancer operation when I was calling her every day, I realised that she probably had been quite lonely and alone.  I am so very grateful that she will never be any of those things ever again.  I can hear the joy in her voice.  It makes me happy to hear that.

And that is my small and wonderfuls for this week, although there were many, many more.  My days are filled with them.

A thought to carry with you as you go along your day  . . .


⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰
Beautiful faces are
those that wear
Whole-souled honesty
printed there.
~Ellen Palmer Allerton
⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰

Spiritual Enlightenment





In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Sage & Onion Stuffing.  Seriously tasty!

I hope the week ahead of you is filled with many small and wonderful things. May you be truly blessed. Along the way don't forget . . .

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and I do too!

Who do you think you are . . .

  This is my Great, Great Grandmother.  Ida McNayr Smith.  Some people have loads of photos of their ancestors.  We have only a few and this is one of them . . . I cherish it.



This is another photograph of her. Her husband's name was John (I know . . . how many John Smiths have there ever been.  TONS!)  She was the daughter of Arod McNayr and Diadamy Whitman.  When I look at her, I can see family traits which have been passed down from generation to generation and still appear on the faces of many people in my family today . . .




This is another old photo we have.  I know I have a better one tucked away somewhere, but this is all I could find this morning.   That is my grandfather Elmer Woodworth seated on the right, with his sister Melva sitting on the ground in front of him, another sister to his left with his brother Arnold on her lap and two more of the sisters in the back.  The names are all escaping me at the moment, but it isn't really important at this point,  because that isn't really what I want to talk about this morning.

Who are we?   Really.

Most of us have a pretty solid idea of who we think we are based on stories passed down, family trees, photographs, etc.  I recently had the opportunity to find out who I really was by having a DNA test done, a most generous Birthday present from a friend . . .  and the results came in last week.  I have to say I was very surprised.  There were a few results that I had expected, but there were also quite a few things which quite literally blew me away.

 

I am 5% Native North American.   I wasn't surprised to find this out, although I was surprised to find out that it was such a small amount.  I had expected it to be more.  One of my earliest ancestors in Canada arrived from France in the 1600's with his wife. His sons as well . . .  I am pretty sure that they married Native girls, especially considering the location in which they lived and the sparse population.  One was a Jesuit Priest to the Natives.  To all those in the family who have said there was no Native blood, I can say unequivocally now that there definitely is, however small.

Next my DNA is 48 % Western European, which primarily includes Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, England, Denmark Slovenia, Italy and the Czech Republic.  This was not surprising either.  My father's ancestors came over from France in the 1600's and my mother has family stretching back to Scotland, England and Germany that we know of . . . I can boast of having Alfred the Great, William the Conqueror, The Plantagenet's, etc. in my family tree with a certainty.  John Howard, the first Duke of Norfolk and grandfather to Anne Boleyn, great Grandfather to Elizabeth the first.   I could go on and on.  Once you hit royalty in your family tree, the information falls like dominos.  I have traced one line back to the 800's AD.

This next bit was interesting.

23% Ireland.  That is probably where my gift of the gab comes from.  

Actually, Ireland takes in Ireland, Scotland and Wales, with a bit of an overlap of England and France.   The Scottish  was not so much of a surprise with an ancestor named McNayr.  Now if I could only find out who Boyd McNayr's father was.   He keeps eluding me at every turn.   Boyd was the first McNayr to come to North America . . . to Halifax, Nova Scotia to be exact.  He was only 8 years old when his father, a soldier in the Kings Navy, left him with friends, as he went off to do Soldiering stuff.  The father was never seen again.  Boyd was only 8 at the time.  At the age of 14 he made his way out  from Halifax to the Annapolis Valley and set up a Blacksmith shop in a small town called Lawrencetown.  He married a girl from Wilmot named Rachel Beals, and then a few years later they walked out to Springfield to start the first settlement there.  They had quite a few children.  Ida is their granddaughter.

 

This is Boyd's headstone which is situated in the Springfield Cemetary.  He died in 1854 at the age of  76.  There are a great many people in North America who can trace their family line back to him and Rachel.

This was another surprise . . .  7% Italy/Greece

 

I probably get my love of Pizza, Pasta and Parmesan, Feta and tomatoes from these people, not to mention my philosophical and artistic nature.



7%  Iberian Peninsula - ie primarily Spain and Portugal.   Interesting.  



4 % Great Britain -England, Scotland and Wales.  So we see a bit of an overlap here with Ireland.  I know I have quite a few Brits in my family tree, and Scots too.  No surprise but I had thought it would be in a larger percentage.

 

1 % each of Eastern European (Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Russia, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania, Latvia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia), Finland/NorthWest Russian ( also found in Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, Lithuania) and European Jewish (Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, Israel).

Each of these was a bit of a surprise . . . 

Next came the largest surprise of all . . .

1% Melanesia . . .



Wot the heck?   Melanesian?  Woah!  I did not expect that at all!



Obviously one of my ancestors was quite the adventurer.  You couldn't get much farther from Europe than that!   Only a small amount, but it is there.

And finally . . .  2% Caucasus

 

Armenia, Azergaijana, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey  . . .

 So what did this tell me about who I thought I was?  

It taught me that my DNA was a lot more diversified than I thought it was.   That I share something in common with a great deal of the world.  That as "North American" or as "European" as I might have thought that I was, I am really much more than that, re-enforcing my knowledge and belief that we are all God's children, equal in His eyes and on an equal footing with each other.  That no lives matter more than others.   There, but for the grace of God go I.  That the more different we think we might be . . .  the more alike we really are.

We have a commonality which transcends all borders.  We are first and foremost and will always be quite simply . . .  children of God.

 Its an odd feeling in a way . . . and it makes me a bit sad in some ways . . .  especially when I think about what happened to the Jews of Europe, about the subjugation of the aboriginal peoples in the world throughout the centuries,  and about what has and is going on in Turkey, Iran, Iraq and . . .  Syria . . .  right now.

These are all my people . . .  and I am pretty sure that if you had the opportunity to have your DNA done, you would discover that they are your people also.

A thought to carry with you through today  . . .

 ⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰
I, alone, cannot change the world,
but I can cast a stone across the waters
to create many ripples.
~Saint Mother Teresa
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Spiritual Enlightenment 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Maraschino Cherry Cake.


 Have a wonderful and happy Sunday.  Don't forget . . .

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And I do too!

October thoughts . . .

 


O hushed October morning mild,
 Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;
Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,
Should waste them all.
The crows above the forest call;
Tomorrow they may form and go.




O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled,
Beguile us in the way you know.
Release one leaf at break of day;
At noon release another leaf;
One from our trees, one far away.




Retard the sun with gentle mist;
Enchant the land with amethyst.
Slow, slow!
For the grapes' sake, if the were all,
Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,
Whose clustered fruit must else be lost . . .
For the grapes' sake along the all.
~Robert Frost


















October, October . . .  there is so much to love about this month.

First of all it is the month of our October General Conference.  Twice a year our church leaders and all of the membership of the church gather together to listen to and be inspired by talks from our leaders and others, and  to be spiritually fed by their words and the music which is brought to us by church choirs.  It is an opportunity for us to sustain their leadership and to feel like we are a part of something very special and very large.  Oftimes we can feel like we are a small number of people as many of us live in countries and areas where the church membership is quite limited.  It is nice to feel a part of a much larger group.  It is nice to be uplifted, inspired and upheld in this way.  Our General Conference is this weekend with talks beginning today and then continuing tomorrow.  If you would like to more you can go here.



 In Canada it is the month of Thanksgiving . . .  I love Thanksgiving.  I have so very many fond, fond memories of Thanksgiving pasts . . . time spent with much beloved family and friends.  Good food and good company.  A family time.  Ohhh . . .  my mother's stuffing.  How I miss it.  My mother's turkey too.  For some reason the memory of her turkey always tastes much better than any turkey has ever or ever will taste.  Funny how that goes . . . Canadian Thanksgiving is next weekend.  I may try to do one here . . .  but it will not be the same.  It never is.   I miss my family.



For me it is the month of pumpkin.  Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin bread.  Pumpkin cake.  Pumpkin soup  . . . carving pumpkins . . .


 The month of Halloween and ghosts and goblins . . .  the smell of burning leaves and burnt pumpkins.   A special crispness in the air.  Harvest moons . . .

Like Anne . . .  I am so glad that I live in a world where there are Octobers.

A thought to carry with you through today  . . .

⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰
In my Autumn garden I was fain 
To mourn among my scattered roses; 
Alas for that last rosebud which uncloses 
To Autumn's languid sun and rain 
When all the world is on the wane! 
Which has not felt the sweet constraint of June, 
Nor heard the nightingale in tune. 
~Christina Georgina Rossetti, An October Garden
 ⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰⊰✿⊰

Spiritual Enlightenment

 

In the English Kitchen today  . . .  Gingerbread Blondies.  Be still my heart . . .

Have a beautiful Saturday.  May it be truly blessed.  Don't forget! 


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 And I do too!!