a spirit of simplicity

  Sunday dinner I sliced onions and lemons and laid them on the bottom of a roasting pan.  I put some of the pieces into the cavity of the chicken along with some garlic and some fresh herbs from the garden. I sprinkled fresh thyme, sage, and sea salt on top and put it all into the oven along with some sweet potatoes.  When it was just about done I quickly steamed some green beans and sliced some cornbread I had baked earlier.  It will be nice to have this for fresh sandwiches and a soup later in the week.  You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  t But I am like a green Olive tree in the house of God.  I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever. Psalm 52:8 ~ ~ ~ Sunday scripture blessings Scripture and a snapshot You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  On Sunday my mum and I took a ride to visit my daughter, Hannah, at her new place.  It’s a grand old Victorian duplex built in 1880. It’s beautiful and so is she.  We had a huge rainstorm come in on Sunday evening. And then afterward an absolutely spectacular sunset.  I only got a picture between these two old houses standing on our back porch. Here is almost the same view just a few hours earlier. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world.  John 16:33 I had a nice easy day at work Thursday. We only had 4 children and on Friday we will only have 3! Many of our families have gone on vacation. Next week is prep week and our school is closed.  The sunflowers are looking so pretty!! ~ ~ ~ Friday fave fives

  I have been back at work for almost 2 months now with toddlers in a Montessori school.  It’s been beastly hot and humid this summer; this is not my kind of weather. I wish I could have gotten outside more often but I just can’t handle heat. So....I’ve taken my nature when and where it’s been offered. One beautiful evening offered a gorgeous sunset and a rainbow over the harbour. The sunflowers in the front garden beds have grown so tall that my mum can see them from her bedroom window. I went to visit my daughter, Hannah, at her new place and she has a stunning old leaded glass window which looks out onto the garden in her front yard. It’s almost like having the outside, inside. So far there have only been 2 little pumpkins and the rabbits have eaten every last crumb of both of them. Oh well...I’m happy to share. Our world Tuesday Imagine-in-ing Pictorial Tuesday Nature notes

  The good In the spring my mum and I planted in the front garden beds. There are three of them and she had ideas for the two on the ends so I took the middle one. I planted cosmos, Cleome, snapdragons and some holllyhocks. I also tossed a couple of sunflower seeds toward the back. I wasn’t sure they would grow.  Well, two of them took seed and have gotten so tall that they bounce about following the sun just outside of my mum’s bedroom window!  The random Back in the spring, I also planted one pumpkin seed. It grew into a fairly large plant with plenty of blossoms. I despaired of ever getting any pumpkins though until one morning I noticed two little yellow spheres. I was so happy I took a picture.  The next morning there was only one of them and I was happy to have the picture to confirm that I had actually seen it at all. A few days later the second one was gone as well.  I think we have some very well fed bunny rabbits in the neighborhood.  I am no Mr. McGreggor and I am happy to s

  Ginger-peach iced green tea. My favourite for sipping on a hot afternoon. Monday: summer corn and zucchini chowder, salad, fresh bread Tuesday: chicken tenders on the grill, corn on the cob, salad Wednesday: fresh fish, broccoli, rice Thursday: pulled pork in the crock-pot, salad Friday: leftovers Saturday: steak tips on the grill, salad,  Sunday: lake monadnock baked beans, ham, cornbread Meal plan Monday Menu plan Monday

t You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all the house. In the same way let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16 Scripture and a snapshot Sunday scripture blessings Anchored truth Tuesdays Tell his story You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

I went out to dinner last night with my mum and an old friend of the family. We had a lovely time and spent some time speaking of friends and family who have passed away. When we left to walk back to the car the skies gifted us with a beautiful sunset and a rainbow! Little things Thursday

Last week I took an intensive Montessori training course. I love where I work.  I found some skin care products which I love! They’re called called Mad Hippie.  They sell it at Whole Foods but they don’t have the make up there so I ordered mascara on line.  I have very sensitive eyes and have a hard time with mascara.  We had my grandchildren for the weekend!  So. Much. Fun! When my sister found out they were coming she and her fiancé drove the 3 hours from Connecticut to spend the weekend as well.  It was a wonderful treat to be able to have a fun weekend with her and not have to worry about any treatments that she needed to get it. We know they are coming up in a few weeks but we’re enjoying the time off.  My mum and I went out to dinner with a friend of the family the other night. We spoke of those who have passed away over the years and when we left to walk back to the car the skies treated us to a beautiful rainbow/sunset. Fr

Sixty or so years ago when my mum was a young woman she stumbled across this old table around the corner from her apartment in Beacon Hill, Boston. Someone was moving and sold it to her for $5.00. I have loved it ever since I can remember and when I became a young woman with my own home and family she gave it to me. Since then we have sort of passed it back and forth between us. We’ve both had a few moves and the table has found it’s spot in one or the other house. I think it will stay with me now until I pass it along to one of my daughters. My mum will not be taking anything with her when she moves next time.  I am not really sure how old the table is but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was sometime in the late 1700s or maybe early 1800s. That being said, I also wouldn’t be surprised to discover that someone had pieced it together with spare parts in the early 1950s. Whatever it’s birth date it’s truly one of my very favourite tables.  Last week my step-son helped me c

t The grass withers, the flower fades But the word of our God will stand forever. Isaiah 40:8 ~ ~ ~ Sunday scripture blessings Scripture and a snapshot You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  Friday I had an early morning errand to run before work.  I stopped at the coffee shop and grabbed a breakfast sandwich and a coffee They were not allowing people to dine indoors so I had to go someplace.... So I stopped at the beach on the way to work and had myself a little picnic.

The moon at the beginning of the week was so beautiful!! This is the view out of my kitchen window as I was making my coffee one morning before work. It took my breath away. We had a wind storm and some tornado watches in the area on Tuesday afternoon. Fortunately, we just had some high winds but Tucker was quite curious about all the goings on and the  boughs of the big pine tree being tossed about. I think he was rather happy about being an indoor cat. You know what they say about curiosity and cats. On Sunday afternoon I happened to glance out the back door onto the planter and noticed this cheeky little  fella just sitting there enjoying the view. He didn’t mind at all that I stood right at the door taking his  picture. I even brought Tucker over but neither one of them were very interested in the other. The squirrel  eventually just sauntered off down the back stairs and Tucker returned to napping on the back of the chair.

Very early yesterday morning as we drove to drop my husband off at the train station. And this morning from my kitchen window it still looked so beautiful. I see the moon and the moon sees me Shining through the branches of the old oak tree Oh let the moon that shines on me Shine on the one I love Over the ocean over the sea Back where my heart is longing to be Oh let the light that shines on me Shine on the one I love ~ ~ ~ Our world Tuesday Pictorial Tuesday Nature notes Image-in-ing

My very sweet sister-in-law loves to give presents and often they include ferns! My mum has some in her apartment and my sister has some as well. When I am visiting and see them, I think, Heather has been here. It makes me think of the old expression,  Leave something beautiful behind where ever you go. I love this old table. My mum bought it for $5.00 at a yard sale in Beacon Hill, Boston. She’s had it over 60 years but I’m not entirely sure of how old it really is. We’ve sort of passed it back and forth between us over the past few decades depending  Upon where we were living and if we had the perfect place for it. Make it pretty Monday All about home Love my cottage Charming homes and gardens You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

The good My daughter is expecting again! She’s due on 31 January! The random I made a rather plain spaghetti dinner the other night.  Only sauce from a jar over some pasta. But, just as we sat down to eat my mum dropped in with 4 delicious fresh lobster tails! She had made lobster rolls for her bridge group and there was leftovers. No photo but it turned our dinner into something very fancy and delicious. The fun Verne and Abigail! So much fun! The good, the random, the fun

t When the cares of my heart are many, Your consolations cheer my soul. Psalm 94:19 Scripture and a snapshot Sunday scripture blessings You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter