A Monday mishmash of thoughts . . .

 

So I have been thinking . . .  these past few years things have gotten a bit boring around here.  I don't really go anywhere, I don't really do much of anything . . .  I stay in my house most of the time, except for church and I cook and I clean and I throw things away and I don't do much of anything else except for crochet blankets and watch television while I am doing that.  I feel like I am stuck in a rut.

I used to go places and do things  . . . 

maybe not exciting things, 

but things

 . . . 

 

I was thinking about this yesterday and I am actually surprised that some of you still come to visit me here on this dull, boring, predictable page.  And then I thought . . .  am I depressed?  I hope not!  Where is the excitement, the joi de vivre!  I need to shake it off. 

I have so many things I want to do.  Like paint, and craft and sew and make dolls  . . .  but I never seem to be able to find the time to do them.  I did when I was working full time.  Why can't I find the time now?  It seems to take me forever to get anything done at all. 

What's up with that?

It makes no

sense

. . . 

 

I don't even get many books read and finished these days.  I start lots, but I don't seem to be able to finish them.  Right now I am reading several books.  The Tattooist of Auschwitz.  Mothers and Daughters, A Legacy of Loss.  We Don't Die. Cradle on the Waves. Wild Signs and Star Paths. I Found You.  All good books, some on the kindle, some on real paper that I can hold in my hand.  I seem to get so far in and then  . . .  I lose interest.  

It is the same with our television viewing  . . .  We seem to watch the same things over and over again, and they bring us joy. Like the Gilmore Girls, and Friends . . . Outlander, Call the Midwife, The Crown . . . The Waltons.  I am really into Dirty John right now.  Its really good, but I don't want it to end.  And I know it will.  We just finished Episode 5 and I can't decide if I feel sorry for John or not . . . is he a good guy gone bad, or just a bad, bad guy?   Is he a bad guy who really wants to be good? Time will tell.  

 

I started a painting yesterday.  I got it lightly penciled in. and I fot the windows done, the roof, and the window boxes.   I had seen this house on Instagram  . . .  and I fell in love with it and I thought, why not try painting it  . . . 

  

Well, first I thought Monique should paint it and she thought I should paint it and then I thought why not give it a go and I am  . . .  I had to stop yesterday as I was losing the light and I don't like to paint in the dark  . . . 

 

I did some colour swatches to try out my colours, etc.  and I drank my painting water by mistake.  I think everyone has done that at one time or another.  You get so involved when you are painting that you tune out everything else, even your drink.  I bet even Susan Branch has sipped from her paint water from time to time  . . .   

Inside my head I have a bazillion things that I want to be doing.  I need to catch the motivation bug and get doing instead of just thinking about doing . . .   

 

I need to practice healthier eating instead of just talking about it and continuing with the Food Porn. I need to be more pro-active with my health and to say to hell with cooking things that I think other people will like looking at.  I need to cook healthier stuff that people will like looking at, or not . . . I just need to eat healthier.  I did order some mixed seeds to sprinkle on my oats, etc. I figured buying an already mix would be cheaper than buying everything individually and then putting it together.  I need to cut out the sugar entirely, completely, end of and decrease the carbs.  But then  . . .  

  

There are two of these sitting on the sideboard

staring at me right now. 

I need to purge more than the books and the clutter and the nicnacs . . .  and try not to pay attention to the nagging husband talking about waste and eating from the store cupboard and not buying in anything new . . .  but he is already 80 and I am thinking I might  not even make 70 if I don't become more pro-active about these things. 

I need to sit less and walk more.

A whole lot more.

I need to actually start cooking the healthy recipes I collect and hoard on secret boards.  I need to not give up before I even start. People will either look or they won't. It shouldn't matter to me either way.  I should be doing these things for me and not for them.  I need to drink more water. 

 

I'm getting lost and I need to 

find myself 

. . . 

I need a new direction.

  

Somebody turned 8 yesterday.  I think she likes Unicorns.  Why did I not know that until I saw this picture???  That thought makes me really sad. My life has moved far, far away from where I wanted it to be, from where I planned it to be.  I know that life does often turn out very differently than the life we had planned for ourselves. We do need to make the best with what we have been given.  Have I been doing that?  In some ways yes, but there is always, always room for improvement.  I need to make improvements in all areas. 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *Read the best books first, 

or you may not have time

to read them all.

~Henry David Thoreau  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Skillet Sausage, Peas & Rice.  Simple and delicious.

Have a wonderful day.  Don't forget!

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too! 

 

Something for Sunday . . .

 

(Holly Hobbie)

I hardly ever have enough time these days to do a proper post on Sunday mornings, so I am going to start something new.  I am just going to post a picture, and then you can tell me what it makes you feel or think in the comments.  I will too.

Friday Finds on a Saturday . . .

 

A few of the things  I find each week that pique my interest, bring me joy, inspire me to learn, create, do, become . . . maybe they will do the same for you!     

  

 Love these Velvet Acorns from The French Needle. They're tree ornaments.  So pretty.  

 

Sew Many Ways.  Fabric heart bookmark.  Nice!  

 

Garden Therapy.  Heavenly bath ideas.  

 

Tea Rose Home.  Magnetic Bottle Cap Pin Cushions.   

 

One Good Thing.  How to make lined envelopes.  

 

Poppytalk.  Easy tiny envelopes. 

 

Knit and Crochet Daily, Spring Flower hair clips.   

 

My Sew Called Crafty Life.  DIY Recipe Pot Holders.  

  

  

Bustle and Sew. Pin Cushion Mice.  

 

Bustle and Sew, Spring Bunny Wreath.  

 

Petals to Picots.  Mini Easter Eggs to crochet.  

 

All About Ami. I love this cardigan.   

 

Stitching Together.  Free pattern.  

 

Rae Backledge on Ravelry. Not free but not costly.   

 

Beyond the Screen Door.  Recovering a lampshade.  

 

Picture Box Blue, free printable Natural History posters by Adolphe Millot.  

  

A tutorial for this cute Christmas Cookie Cutter Ornament on The Little Blue House, tutorial by Vicki Crisman.  

 

Lettering Daily.  5 hand lettering effects.  

 

Stitch and Share.  Free pattern for some Forest Friends.  

And those are my finds for this week.  I hope there was something here that you can use!  

 

Spring is springing  . . .  taken two days ago outside my front door . . .   

 

I had the first dream post you know what of my mom last night, or should I say just before I woke up. I didn't want to wake up.  In my dream I had been accepted into the Military (at my age and in my shape) and I was expressing my doubts to my mom if I could do it.  She told me, "It will be hard, but you can do anything you put your mind to doing."  I then asked her if she would be there for my graduation and she told me that it would be very hard for her to be there.  I said maybe dad could drive, and she thought that might work . . .  and then I woke up . . .

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *Life with God is

not immunity from difficulties,

but peace within difficulties.

~C. S. Lewis  •。★★ 。* 。 

 

Baking in The English Kitchen today  . . .  Cinnamon Toast Cake. Nom nom! 

Have a wonderful Saturday.  I hope you spend it doing something you love.  Don't forget! 

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too! 

 

 

My Favourite Things . . .

A few of the things which catch my eye, inspire me, pluck at my heart strings, make me smile, or that I just enjoy.  Maybe they will do the same for you.   

 

Mexican Food, or should I say Tex Mex.  I have never been to Mexico, but I love this type of food.  Tacos, Enchiladas, Nachos, etc. Ohhh Chimichangas.  My friend Eliza taught me how to make authentic Tamales when she was over for a visit one time.  Sadly, they are very difficult to make here because you can't get most of the ingredients. My sister makes the best nachos.  I know this isn't real Mexican food, but North American-ized Mexican food, but I love it all the same.  Its not something I had ever tasted until I became an adult, but it was love at first bite!  

  

Pansies  . . .  its those pretty little faces! 

 

The Outlander Series.  We finished the latest one and have gone back and started watching them from the beginning again.  Love this timeless love story.  The costumes.  The Romance.  Its just so very well done. The intimate scenes are a bit embarassing in mixed company, but hey ho. At least they are not vulgar like some are.  

 

Petit Fours.  Little bite-sized cakes. The only bad thing about them is that its far too easy to over-indulge.

  

Herend China.  My ex boss had a whole beautiful set of this, the Rothschild Bird pattern.  I think it is all beautiful. 

 

Soup bowls with handles  . . .  they're so cute.  

  

French Onion Soup, but it has to be done properly.  I hate it when  they put too much cheese in it and you almost can't swallow it.  There is just a perfect amount to put, and this isn't the time to over do anything.  Less is more. 

 

Lindt Gold Bunnies.  The cadillac of Easter Bunnies. 

  

Tea Infusers . . .  any kind.  I love them all.  These heart ones are especially sweet.  

 

The Sermon on the Mount.  I was studying this yesterday. (Matthew 5:3-16 in particular) It is a beautiful passage of scripture.  The beautitudes.  As I was reading it, I was inserting (example) Blessed are the meek (who come unto me) for they shall inherit the earth.  It was an eye opener.  I don't think I have ever gotten so much understanding from it in the past.  I have always loved this passage, but today I love it even more.  

  

Talking with my sister.  I think she is one of the greatest gifts my mother ever gave me, even if at first I told my mom to take her back. I have always been very grateful to have her in my life.  I love her so much.  

 

Tree Houses.  Every since I saw the Swiss Family Robinson, I have been in love with them.  Not sure at this stage in life I could live in one, but for a very long time I wanted to.  

  

Tiny Houses  . . . now that there are only the two of us, I quite think I'd like one of these.  Talk about downsizing however.  You would need to be very organized! 

 

(source)  

Tiny sewing kits, in tins  . . .  love making them and love gifting them.  

 

Copic Markers.  Of all the markers out there, these are my favourites.  Unfortunately they are also the most expensive.  Sigh  . . . 

  

Noodles  . . .  I adore noodles.  Any kind . . . 

 

Swedish Crime Dramas.  Beck, Wallander, etc.  Love them all. 

  

I especially loved this series which was set in the 1950's.  

 

Little worlds  . . .  I think my love of these began with the shows The Friendly Giant and Chez Helene when I was a child.  

  

That is probably why I am especially in love with this Swedish Blog.  Froken Elsa.  It is adorable. It hasn't been updated in a few years, but I still love to visit it. 

 

I don't know who made it, but I am in love with this fox doll . . .  I love humanized animal dolls  . . . 

And those are my favourite things for this week.  What are some of yours?

I probably won't be on tomorrow. We are going to the Temple and will be up and out of here quite early!  

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *The devil flatters us that we are very righteous,

when we are feeding on the faults of others.

If you would have God have mercy on you,

have mercy on one another.

~Joseph Smith   •。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today, Beef Barbacoa Tacos with Sweet Pickled Onions.  Seriously tasty and it all started with a few leftovers.  Yum!! 

Hope you have a beautiful day.  Love and be loved! Don't forget! 

 
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
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And I do too!