a spirit of simplicity

We have had so much rain!  I despair it will never be sunny again.  Mushrooms are all over the place! I am not all that familiar with what kinds of wild mushrooms are what… But I think that they are so beautiful. Did you know that Beatrix Potter was an illustrator of mushrooms? Actually she drew scientific pictures of all kinds of spores and identified quite a few of them. Some of her illustrations are still being used in textbooks today! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Nature Notes Our world Tuesday Image-in-ing

  The first summer my mum and I moved into our apartments…mine on the second floor and hers on the first…we walked past a friend’s little shop and admired a blue and white striped chair in the window. Three or four times a week we would walk past and she would tell me how much she loved the chair. One day I came home from work and she told me that she had purchased it. She loved it. My sister, brother, and I would laugh because if one of us happened to be nibbling on a little something while we were sitting on it or if we happened to curl up a bit and put our feet on it, mum would give us the evil eye until we either sat up straight or stopped eating. Since she passed away last month I have inherited the chair and it sits in my living room just above the very spot where it sat in her house.  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The hearth and soul Grace at home

    t Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ My mum passed away unexpectedly on 27 June and this was the first verse that I read shortly after her passing. My sister is living with stage 5 colon cancer and my brother and I tend to go our own ways. This verse reminded me that we will need to take care of one another now that our mother is gone.  Sunday scripture blessings Scripture and a snapshot You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  My mother passed away unexpectedly on 27 June. It does seem rather strange to list this here…it is not one of my favourite things.  We had her services on Saturday and our goal was to follow her wishes… She wanted the loved ones who attended to remember her with joy and laughter. We chose uplifting songs at the church…not too uplifting though. The church was packed! I don’t think there was a seat left. And we hosted her friends and family to a party at the Boston Yacht Club here in Marblehead. It was a sunny and beautiful temperature day sandwiched between a whole bunch of rainy, stormy days. I could hear people laughing and reminiscing as I walked about greeting everyone.  Now we begin the process of healing and becoming accustomed to a life without her.  It’s the simple things…. Making “salad” in a pail full of rain water. There’s nothing like a group of toddlers to remind you that life goes on.  The gardens are sort of a mess in the back garden. It’s been either teaming rain for w

  I am thankful for all the rain and fog we’ve been having…for weeks and weeks now. Firstly, we need the rain! And secondly, the weather seems to be wrapping me in a cocoon of comfort  since the loss of my mum on 27 June. Bright and sunny July days would seem crass and almost obnoxious. These slow rainy, foggy days are giving me a chance to dance with my sorrow  And step back into the world a little at a time.  Thankful Thursday

  My mother passed away on 27 June.  We had her services on 10 July and the following morning I walked down to the harbour to see this beautiful, calm, and peaceful sunrise.  Waves of sadness pour upon me periodically as I go about my days. She gave me roots and she gave me wings. Nature Notes Our world Tuesday    Pictorial Tuesday     Imagine-in-ing  

  My mother passed away quite unexpectedly on 27 June. Sadness and sorrow overwhelm us  but at the same time there is abundant gratitude. I haven’t blogged in a few months and thought that perhaps I was done here at A spirit of simplicity. This morning I find myself needing to mark down the natural turns of life once again. So…here I am. Mum, When I count my blessings I will always count you twice Thank you for giving me both roots and wings Always in my heart

  t Write, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord henceforth: Yea, sayeth the spirit,  that they may rest from their labors; And their works do follow them. Revelation 14:13 ~ ~ ~ Sunday scripture blessings Scripture and a snapshot You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  t For lo, I am with you always. Matthew 28:20 My mum has fractured part of her lower spine. She will have surgery to repair and sort of strengthen what is left. She has osteoporosis.  My sister as some of you know is living with colon cancer that has spread to lower part of her spine, her sacrum.  One morning last week I went on a walk through the very oldest part of the town I live in and stumbled upon a little garden behind the Old North Church. Somehow in all the years I’ve lived here I had never seen it before. It was very small as it was tucked in behind the old stone church and a rock cliff but it was beautiful, peaceful and calm and a quiet restful spot.  I happened to glance at a plaque on the face of the rock which stated, “For lo, I am with you always.” What a comforting thought.  I love when Jesus does this...winds me through old and narrow and twisty ways until I almost give up on finding any kind of a point and then suddenly there I am in exactly the right spot at exactl

  t Honor thy father and thy mother Exodus 20:12 ~ ~ ~ Scripture and a snapshot Sunday scripture blessings You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  I’ve been in hospital with a kidney infection for the past three days but I’m home again enjoying a cup of coffee made exactly the way I like it, in my favourite mug, listening to Johnny Cash sing “You are my Sunshine my only sunshine,” and watching the morning sun lighting through my kitchen window just the way it always does.  It’s so nice to be home. ~ ~ ~

  t Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness; and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; They shout for joy, they also sing. Psalm 65:11-13 ~ ~ ~ Sunday scripture blessings Scripture and a snapshot You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  My grandchildren stayed over at my house last weekend! On Sunday morning we walked to Crocker park to watch the sailboat races. It was rainy so we wore our raincoats. On Saturday afternoon we walked around the corner to Screaming lady’s cove and threw rocks into the tide pools. Big rocks make big splashes! Saturday was bright and sunny so we walked around the corner to Screaming Lady’s cove And threw rocks in the water. The biggest rocks make the biggest splashes! My brother and sister-in-law came over and she always brings a bag of goodies for the children. She is a pre-school teacher and Verne and Abby love her! Abbie is painting with watercolour and having a wonderful time! We also went out to lunch with my mum (Reetsie) Verne ordered a hotdog which he said he didn’t really want and then proceeded to eat the entire thing And a bag of chips! My favourite part was when we walked to the harbour and Verne said, “I’m happy! I always have fun when I’m with you, Hopie!” Just about melted

Sunday morning sailboat races. It was rainy and cold when we woke but that didn’t stop us from donning our raincoats and walking to Crocker park for the best viewing of the sailboat races! We noticed that other folks were heading in that direction also. We saw big dogs and little dogs being walked up the hill and over the grass to the edge of the harbor to see which boat would come in first.  Three each of red, yellow, blue, and green sails. 3+3+3+3=12 boats dancing across the harbour in the rain And 2 children watching from the shore. When things got too wet we ducked past the daffodils and into the gazebo to stay dry. 

  The children in my class discovered a branch that the wind had blown down while in the playground this week. We explored all of the lichen that had grown on it and peeled off some of the bark to examine the tiny pathways that insects had made in the wood. ~ The yellow house across the street has chickens in the yard. Here in my little town there aren’t too many chickens and I love to hear them in the morning. The other day my mum was going for a short stroll and noticed the neighbor planting pansies in her window box. I should say that my mum is 86 years old and has always greeted people she sees and that we live (she in the first floor apartment and my husband and I in the second floor apartment) on a very narrow little lane in Marblehead, MA where many of the homes are pre-revolutionary and many of the roads are more narrow than most driveways. In New England, spring time means greeting your neighbors after a long hibernation. When my mum got home from her little stroll the neighbo

  Orecchiette pasta Rainbow Swiss chard Cannellini beans  Grape tomatoes Shaved Parmesan cheese While the pasta was boiling I cooked the Swiss chard in a sauté pan in olive oil and a bit of the pasta water. You could also use some white wine if you had any on hand. When it was about half-way done I added some tomatoes and when they had burst open I added the beans.  Everything was added to taste and according to what I had on hand.  Yum! ~ ~ ~ The hearth and soul

  Well I was going to spend Sunday at home since I’ve been taking an all day class every Saturday and could use a day at home. But, my daughter, Hannah said she was going to be visiting my daughter, Bonnie on Sunday so I jumped on the chance to be able to spend time with the both of them...and my grandchildren!  The weather has warmed up quite a bit this week which is lovely. I drive past Dane Street beach on my way to work and sometimes it’s just so pretty that I have to pull the car over and take a short walk.  I picked up some tulips at the market the other day. They look so pretty in the morning sunlight.  Tucker’s meow-box came in the mail the other day. He get’s pretty excited when the box filled with toys and catnip comes for him.  Last autumn the toddlers I teach planted teach planted some bulbs.  They are now beginning to come up! It’s rough going to wrastle all the toddlers out of the garden so the flowers may look a little worse for wear...but happy Spring! ~ ~ ~ Friday fave

  Dane Street beach on my way to work in the morning. Sometimes it’s just so pretty I have to pull over and take a little walk. I’ve been taking an all day class on Saturdays and haven’t had much chance for being out of doors. ~ ~ ~ Nature notes Our world Tuesday Pictorial Tuesday Image-in-ing You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  t But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant. And whoever would be the first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as ransom for many. Mark 10:43-45 ~ ~ ~ Sunday scripture blessings Scripture and a snapshot You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  Friday was a profession development day at school for me so there were no students but I attended an on-line AMS conference with some of my colleagues. I was at work on Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am through 8:00 pm. I did get to see a few workshops that were thought provoking though. And, I won a raffle! I took home some wonderful teas, and a tea mug with a cover and a strainer! I love it. I shared my raffle basket with a co-worker because there was also an adult colouring book, coloured pencils, and a t-shirt that she wanted.  My oldest daughter, Hannah, called to ask if I would come to her house and help her rearrange and decorate. Of course I said yes!  She had these beautiful white chairs down in her basement because she didn’t know what to do with them. I put them in her office and added a little Asian trunk/table. The art work was done back in the 1940s by her great-aunt. We rearranged things in her bedroom as well...and added a few things and took a few things away.  At th