a spirit of simplicity

  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

  Monday: Marinated chickpea salad with tahini and lemon sauce - brown basmati rice - green salad Tuesday: Salmon burgers w/lettuce and tomato - roasted sweet potato chips Wednesday:  Penne with zucchini sauce - green salad Thursday: Roasted whole chicken,potatoes, and veggies with lemon and dill  Friday: Shrimp and veggies over brown basmati rice Saturday: Sunday: Lemon/dill chicken and orzo soup - fresh bread - green salad Menu plan Monday

  ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The good I had my grandchildren over the weekend.  The first thing we did was walk to the beach! The fun Sunday morning we woke up and took our umbrellas for a walk to the local breakfast joint for pancakes. They were delicious! The random Just after sunset we went for a “dark walk.” We walked to the town landing where we noticed a big beautiful blue moon. Actually, it was orange and the August moon is referred to as a sturgeon moon. However…it was the second full moon this month and that’s where the saying, “once in a blue moon” comes from.  Abby told her mum we saw a green moon…. ~ ~ ~ The good, the fun, the random

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, And the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 john 1:6-7 ~ ~ ~ Scripture and a snapshot Sunday scripture blessings You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

                                                                                                                                              For Today 21 August, 2021 Looking out my window Though it is quite foggy and overcast the sunrise has just enough colour to pop a bright yellow through my window this morning. We are expecting hurricane Henri tomorrow and it is supposed to be a doozy. I am thinking Of my mother quite a bit this morning. I miss her.  I am thankful For the memories that we have. When my mother passed away a few months ago an old friend said, “not everyone is so lucky to go out as easily and quickly as your mum did.” It did bring me some comfort. She was 86 years old and didn’t suffer for long. One of my favorite things The smell of my hometown of Marblehead, MA. We live just on the harbour and it smells so good.  I am creating A calm and peaceful, purposeful and meaningful life. Both of my parents are gone now and that causes me to think of myself in a new way. To

  “The cosmos is within us. We are made of star stuff.” Carl Sagan I live in old town Marblehead, MA where the antique houses don’t have front yards and sit on narrow winding lanes. Most folks grow tiny gardens or place containers filled with plants in the front of their houses. My house has three wooden garden beds; the cosmos has sort of taken over this year and is spilling out onto the street and into the walkway.  I love it! My mother loved to plant morning glories. I planted these for her in the spring. Yesterday when I was leaving for work I noticed them blooming. The school campus where I work was once a tree farm. We have beautiful trees. Once in a while a storm knocks an old one down and Pete, our groundskeeper/doer of all things, comes along and cuts it up into logs that we use for various purposes in the playgrounds. One of the things we use them for is a step that the children can stand on to reach the big chimes that hang from a low branch on the giant Beech tree. This par

I am thankful for the sunflowers.  This is a photo from last year.  My mum passed away at the end of June this year  so I’m happy to have this picture of her with the sunflowers. Two years ago she sold her house and moved into a first floor apartment  And my husband and I moved into the second floor. We made some wonderful memories in this little three family home in Marblehead, MA. My cat would walk up and down the stairs between our house and my mum’s.  We had upstairs/downstairs holidays and we always included the sweet girl who lived on the third floor.  My mum would make us her famous spaghetti casserole or my husband’s favourite chicken a la king. I would stop on the way home from work to pick up some ice cream for her. During the pandemic she and I planted the entire perennial garden!  It was such a rare and wonderful opportunity to be able to work this way with my mother. I mentioned that I loved pink roses so she ordered a very fancy pink rose bush  and every morning we would

  A mirror in the living room is always a nice touch.  Be aware of where you hang it, however. You always want it to reflect the best view. I have recently hung this old mirror in place of a different one that I gave to my daughter, Hannah. We have one window and one windowed door in our small living room and the mirror reflects the light  And view from the window in the door. The door faces a westerly direction so we see the sunset colours Not only through that window but also reflected in the mirror. It bathes the room in beautiful light.  This mirror is quite old and the glass has begun to silver just a little bit.  I’m quite fond of that look.  I also like that the mirror reflects the little conversation area in our living room.  It makes the area seem larger and brighter. The frame is interesting and substantial so that the mirror is a piece of artwork. Do you decorate with mirrors? ~ ~ ~ Grace at home The hearth and soul All about home You are invited to the Inlinkz link part

  The fun The fun  Spending time with my grandchildren!  So. Much. Fun! The good I bought myself a new car. I’m loving it! The random When my mother passed away at the end of June we discovered a gift certificate to one of her favourite restaurants. My sister, brother and I used it to go out to dinner together with my brother-in-law and my sister-in-law. My husband had to work. We ate out on the deck and had a beautiful view of the sunset over the harbour.It was a bittersweet occasion but it was nice for us all to be together.  ~ ~ ~ The good, the random, the fun

  t He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalm 147:3 ~ ~ ~ Sunday scripture blessings Scripture and a snapshot You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter

  Here are a few of the things that I am grateful for this week.  Tucker Huckleberry Finn I love this cat. I got a nespresso maker and I love it. I was visiting my sister and she had one. The coffee was great so I decided to get one as well.  I purchased a few small cups from a vintage shop as well.  I bought a new car. Actually, it’s the first brand new car I’ve ever owned. It’s a Honda HR V and so far I love it.  I went to see my grandchildren at the beginning of the week. I hadn’t seen them in too long. As usual they are cuteness personified.  On Wednesday night I went to see my daughter, Hannah. She lives in Haverhill which is a very ethnically diverse little city. We went downtown for a burger and all of the old buildings were so beautiful. I couldn’t help but to take some pictures as we walked from the car to the restaurant.  ~ ~ ~ Thankful Thursday Friday fave fives