a spirit of simplicity

  Under the big old Beech tree in the playground at work. I was snapping women pictures of the children and my phone happened to switch to selfie-mode. So…I took a quick shot of myself. My grandson’s first day of pre-school this year.  His birthday is in October so he won’t start kindergarten till next year. This year he will go 3 half-days a week. He is very excited about it! Joe and I walked to old Fort Sewell after dinner one evening this week. There was a stiff breeze coming off of the ocean and we had our sweatshirts zipped up for the first time in months and months. The pre-revolutionary era fort had been closed for renovations for the past year and just reopened at the beginning of the summer. I had walked it earlier in the year but this was the first time Joe had seen it. They really did a spectacular job. There was some concern that they would “fix” things so much that it would be unrecognizable. The fort was established in 1644. It turned out that the restoration was perfectl

  This is a luna moth caterpillar for those that don’t know. I found it on the playground under the big old Beech tree.  They are harmless though they don’t look it. The moths live only for about one day and they don’t eat at all. They just recreate and then die. ~ ~ ~ Nature Notes Image-in-ing Our world Tuesday

  This was the scene at the boatyard as I walked around the corner to have breakfast at the Driftwood.  The crane is used for getting boats in and out of the Atlantic. but on 11 September there was an American flag hanging from it.  Waving high over our little harbour. Boston is just about an hour away from us and we all remember where were on that day. I found a Luna moth caterpillar the other day. It was quite the strangest looking creature.  I had to post on facebook to figure out what it was. They are harmless even though they look a bit disconcerting.  I didn’t plant sunflowers this year.  Last year my mum and I planted a few of them in the front garden beds along the street. We watched them grow tall and turn toward the sun. We heard the neighborhood children admiring them as they walked by with their parents. “Look at how tall they are, mummy.” In all the sadness and worry of my mum’s passing this summer I never got to planting the sunflower seeds.  This is a picture of one from

t Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another. Romans 14:19 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Sunday scripture blessings Scripture and a snapshot You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  Marblehead Boat Yard’s flag which hangs from the crane they use to lift boats into and out of the harbour is one of my very favourite sights.  They hang the flag on Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labour Day. I’m very grateful to live in such a beautiful place. I hope y’all had a very relaxing and enjoyable Labour day weekend. I had all sorts of plans laid out for deep cleaning and organizing at home but in the end decided to spend one day with my grandchildren, one day with my brother and sister-in-law, and the rest of the time relaxing. I’m pretty sure I stayed in my pajamas most of Monday. I found a wonderful old cook book at the second hand store. Inside were all kinds of all natural, earthy crunchy recipes. My favourite! This is stewed prunes with cinnamon and orange.  I’ve served it over steel cut oatmeal with walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup. Yum! I did have a chance to pull out some of my Autumn decorations over the long weekend.  I don’t really consider summer over u

  t Thus said the Lord, Stand by the roads, and look And ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is; and walk in it, And find rest for your souls. But they have said, “We will not walk in it.” Jerimiah 6:16 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Scripture and a snapshot Sunday scripture blessings You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

 Over the weekend I went up to Maine with my grandchildren. We went to an old fashioned fireman’s muster. My son-in-law pumps for the town he lives in. We had a great time! I am a lead teacher this year! I will be co-leading with another teacher who I really like and admire. I really think we are going to make a great team and I’m excited for the new school year to start next week September has brought cooler temperatures with it! It was so nice to be able to open the windows again. This is the view off of my guest bedroom window.  For some reason our cat, Tucker has been extra friendly. He has been following me around and curling up on the sofa with me when I watch TV. It’s nice as he usually naps on the top of the sofa while I’m sitting there  but doesn’t normally want to snuggle.  ~ It’s prep week at work so the school is closed to students. I’ve been getting out a bit early and on the way home one day I stopped at a favourite shop in Salem.  I bought a beautiful handmade metal and

  Monarch caterpillar in the milkweed. They are nowhere near as abundant as they were when I was a girl. It’s always a treat when I get to see one now.  ~ ~ ~ Nature notes

  The good We drove a few hours up the Maine coast to an old fashioned fireman’s muster. The temperature was cooler than it has been and it was a great day! The fun This is the old hand tub out of Marblehead, MA.  They were what was used back in the olden days before there were automobiles. Firemen would pump the water out by hand. The goal these days is to pump hard enough that your water spurts out of the hose the furthest. They are have officials who do the measuring.  The random One of me and Natalie…and of course Abigail and Verne. I don’t post very many pictures of myself so it’s sort of random. Abby c Abby calls them mustard days instead of muster days which we all think is so cute! The good, the fun, the random Our world Tuesday Wordless Wednesday

  I live in a rather tiny second floor apartment. My husband and I moved here a few years ago to be near my mum who sold her townhouse and moved into the first floor apartment. She was getting older and it was nice that we could all be so close together just in case someone needed something. At first I thought it would be her that would need us but as it turned out I got much more from her… She passed away a few months ago and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to be so close to her.  We were so blessed. One of the things my mum passed along to me in regard to home was to notice what people would see first when they walked into your house. The first thing that people see should set the mood. It should be pretty. This afternoon I opened the door and stood in the doorway looking in.  ~ ~ ~ Grace at home The hearth and soul All about home

  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

  Verne and Abby had a sleepover at my house! It’s the first time since April and we had so much fun! We walked to the beach around the corner! We went school shopping for Verne. He will be in pre-school 3 mornings starting in September. He asked for a belt to hold his pants up.  He told me he’s never had a belt before. He was pretty darn excited about it. Abby got a new hoodie. We built a fort….well Verne and my husband (they call him Hey-Joe) built the fort but Verne was the host with the most when he invited me and Abby in to color, eat apples, and read a book. I was actually trying to sneak a little nap in.. We walked out to Fort Sewall  And on Sunday morning…even though Henri turned out to be not a hurricane We used umbrellas to walk to the Muffin Man and get some pancakes for breakfast.  We did a lot of fun things so some of us got a nap in when they could… Abby while Verne was watching a TV show about model trains. He was captivated…She. Was. Not. Verne fell asleep for a short t

 Morning glory One day last spring I planted morning glories for my mum in the street side garden beds.  Then, one day at the end of June she passed away unexpectedly. She was 86 . For the past two years she lived in the first floor apartment  and my husband and I lived on the second floor.  Did you know that morning glories got their name because they bloom for one morning… by early evening they are gone.  I’m so thankful for the chance to spend so much time with my mum these past two years. I’m so thankful for the morning glories. I’m so thankful for my mum.  Thankful Thursday

  Blue moon Sturgeon moon So pretty on Friday night. We were forecasted for Henri to hit us hard but….nothin’! Hardly even any rain. ~ ~ ~ Nature Notes Our world Tuesday Image-in-ing