Life is so Daily

February Edition of Simple Woman’s Daybook

Posted on by Joy / 2 Comments

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For Today

http://thesimplewoman.blogspot.com/

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Looking out my window …

the snow is in marshmallow-ey mounds over grass and shrubs, chair and fencepost. I love the way the string of lights we have looped around our little cedar trees glows through.

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I am thinking …

about seasons. How life is a series of seasons. Some are fresh and new, like Spring, while others cut through our layered clothing like an icy wind, trying to freeze our very bones. And we long for the warmth of Summer. 

The north wind doth blow,

And we shall have snow,

And what will poor Robin do then?

Poor thing.

He’ll sit in the barn,

And keep himself warm,

And hide his head under his wing,

Poor thing.

(Anonymous)

Sometimes, all we can do when that north wind blows is hide our head under our heavenly Father’s wings and trust that it will pass. Spring will come.

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I am thankful …

that I’m done with potty-training little ones. Both Sweetie and Peaches have been potty-training their boys this month, and I well remember the dedication and frustration it took.

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One of my favourite FAVOURITE things …

is a tiny pewter chair, no bigger than my thumb, given to me many years ago by my kindred spirit. In the days before she gave it to me, I had been telling her how there’s a little man who lives in my brain, and all the thoughts I have go into file folders which he dutifully files in the miles and miles of shelves in my head. And, whenever I try to remember something, he always knows which row, which shelf and which file to get. The times when it takes me longer to remember something is because the poor little man had to dig so far in the shelves to retrieve the file that it took him longer than usual. He never rests. He’s a very very busy little man. When she gave me the chair she said, “This is for your little man to sit down.” My heart swells whenever I see that tiny chair because it reminds me that there is someone out there who “gets me” (and even if she doesn’t, she loves me just the way I am).   

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I am creating …

a new story about the children who live on Gabriel Lane.

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I am wearing …

black workout pants, and a mint green T-shirt with the words I Know I Can, Today I Will printed in yellow.

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I am reading …

Agatha Christie’s autobiography. Recommended by a dear writing friend for quite some time, I’ve finally taken it up. Agatha Christie opens the book with these words … One of the luckiest things that can happen to you in life is to have a happy childhood. I had a very happy childhood. So far in my reading, she is eleven years old, and what a delightful read. I highly recommend it.

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I am watching …

old seasons of The Great British Sewing Bee as I wait for the new season to come out. Will there ever be a new one? I’ve watched them so many times that I feel like I know the competitors. Such nice people! But I’ve found that sewers are generally kind, happy, helpful people. Maybe because creating is such a fulfilling thing that it pushes away all the nastiness that could otherwise arise in one’s life.

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I am listening to …

Scarlatti Piano Sonatas

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In my kitchen …

The child-size picnic table and benches still linger … last traces of a Christmas abounding with small grandchildren. 

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A moment from my day … 

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Post Script …

The best thing I saw all week was the twinkle in my mother-in-law’s eyes when her great-grandchildren came to visit.

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Closing Notes …

Happy February, dear friends.

May your month be blessed with joy even in the hard times.

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Christmas/Grandparenting

Christmas Joy

Posted on by Joy / 3 Comments

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I’ve turned on all the twinkle lights in the house – the ones I managed to put up before the grandbeans arrived – and I now sit in front of our colourfully-lit tree. 

Hard to believe that in the middle of the looking-after-little-grandchildren-craziness, I would have time to write.  But they are napping now and here I sit in the quiet house taking joy in the Christmas tree. Breathing and reflecting.

Our tree bears many of the ornaments I’ve gathered over the years, along with almost two-dozen white snowflakes that Mom crocheted for me, tiny stuffed gingerbread men made out of felt – with jingle bell buttons – left over from a craft fair the girls and I entered many years ago, pewter bells, and every kind of snowman you can imagine. I love snowmen. They are so jolly.  

Also on the tree are six sets of booties, one set added for each grandchild that arrived, including one for little Selah Rae who never breathed on this earth, but who waits for us in heaven. 

Looking at the ornaments we’ve collected over the years brings me joy.

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I’m thinking about joy. Joy on the face of almost-two-year-old Little Munch when he mastered the toddler slide at the indoor playground today. He clapped for himself with a loud “YAY!” every single time he came down that two-foot slide.

I’m thinking about one elderly woman from a private seniors’ home, whose name I do not know, and whose face lit up with joy when Santa handed her a gift just for her. The gift turned out to be cozy socks, and she was thrilled.

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Image by Terri Cnudde from Pixabay 

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I’m thinking about the shepherds, who must have cowered in the presence of an angel proclaiming, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy…

Did they feel joy in that moment, or only shock and terror? What was that like, to go searching for this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us? How long did it take them to find Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger?

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pixabay.com

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I think it must have been after. After the angel, after the searching, after laying eyes on the Baby. That’s when the joy kicked in. Because they knew.

They knew for certain that what the angel had proclaimed was true: That this day in the city of David, a Saviour had been born. And He was Christ the Lord.

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This is the joy of the season, and every season. That even though sadness and suffering seem to go on forever, there is a Saviour. Born to earth long ago, still living in heaven and in the hearts of those who believe He came to save, who will one day rule heaven and earth.

It’s not an old-fashioned story. It’s relevant for every kind of story present in the world today. He came to save. I believe it with all my heart, and that’s where my joy comes from. That’s why, with the shepherds, I look to the future with hope.

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scrapsofjoy.com

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And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel of the Lord said unto them, Fear not: for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen as it was told unto them.

Luke 2: 8-20

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Life is so Daily

The Simple Woman’s Daybook – December Edition

Posted on by Joy / 3 Comments

Today I am joining The Simple Woman’s Daybook community. Created by Peggy in 2008, it’s a once-a-month post that blends a slow and simple, yet thoughtful set of prompts. Peggy can be found here.

Since this is my first time participating, I’ve actually completed this over a couple of days. Hope that doesn’t break the rules.

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For Today

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Looking out my window …

A few flakes of snow float down from the expansive grey sky to the white-carpeted lawn below, where a magpie repeatedly pokes his shiny beak into the frozen ground. What he could possibly find under that blanket of snow is beyond me.

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I am thinking …

that it’s a lovely day to stay cozy inside, reading a good book. Like this one …

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I am thankful …

that I get to work from home. I love home.

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One of my favourite things …

My library!

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I am creating …

another baby quilt. This one doesn’t have a specific recipient, I only wanted to make one that was pretty and girly. I’ve got a way to go with this one, and with Christmas coming I won’t have time to finish it before the new year.

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Still pleased with the one I finished in October. I had so much fun with these sweet teddy bears, and I have yet to meet the little one who received it.

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I am wearing …

black leggings and tank top, overtopped with a cozy grey sweater-dress. Silver dangly earrings, and a necklace with the word Believe.

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I am listening to …

A Quiet Christmas.

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I am hoping …

to take some time to play the piano today.

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I am learning …

too many things at once – from completely changing the way I cook, to publishing a book, to heading up an event planning team, to designing a house. Just to name a few. However, I am also learning that I can handle it.

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In my kitchen …

Homemade butternut squash soup is warming, and smelling delicious. It’s a new recipe I’ve used over and over these past two months. One of the most comforting of comfort foods. Check it out here.

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Shared Quote …

The hardest thing is to live richly in the present without letting it be tainted out of fear for the future or regret for the past.

Sylvia Plath

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A moment from my day …

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Closing Notes …

The best thing I saw all week was this photo I will treasure for always. My mom and my granddaughter, fully occupied in making cookies. Generations …

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Post Script …

Dear reader, welcome to December. I wish you joy this season – looking for God at work, even in the tough times. Thank you for the visit.

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Life is so Daily/Stories

Happy birthday, dear piano

Posted on by Joy / 4 Comments

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My grand piano turned 100 this year. 

Like my books and my writing, my piano is not something I would want to live without for long. I sit down to play several times a week. Life is just better after I’ve set my fingers to those keys.

The day it was delivered to our house I cried. I told The Cowboy that I had always thought I’d be an old, old white-haired lady before I’d ever be blessed with a grand piano. I sat down to play, and I cried some more. It was one of the most wonderful days of my life. 

From that day on, it has made beautiful and not so beautiful music under the hands of piano students, children, grandchildren, and many others.

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When you play, never mind who listens to you.
— Robert Schumann —

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I love it when it’s time for a piano tuning, especially when the tuner takes time afterwards to play. Such wonderful music comes from the fingers of those gifted people.

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We were able to purchase the piano because of an unexpected gift from The Cowboy’s Great Uncle Nick, who lived in Whitehorse, Yukon. The Cowboy met him once, when he was about 10 years old. I only ever heard stories of this eccentric character.

We bought the piano from an elderly woman who had to move out of her home. She had inherited the piano from her parents, but had never learned to play it. Her father had been the first American player for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 1930’s or 40’s.

As I understand it, the piano had been acquired by her parents as a piece of furniture. Shockingly, making music was not its main required function. The woman of the house wanted it to match her French Provincial furniture, so she had the wood painted creamy white with gold trim.

When the piano came to me it was badly yellowed and smelled of cigarette smoke that took several years to waft away. But it had a great story, looked so unique, and it was all mine.

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Life is like a piano.
What you get out of it depends on how you play it.
— Tom Lehrer —

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I had no idea how old it was until last Fall when I had it tuned by a new piano tuner who became interested in its age. I was blown away when he called a few days later to say the piano was built in 1919.

In 1919, the pop-up toaster, short wave radio, and arc welder were invented. The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28 that year, bringing The Great War to its official end, and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, had her nineteenth birthday on August 4.

Theodore Roosevelt, Andrew Carnegie, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Wilfred Laurier, Sam Steele, and L. Frank Baum all died that year.

Jackie Robinson, Nat King Cole, Eva Peron, Sir Edmund Hillary, Liberace, and Pierre Trudeau were born in 1919. 

These famous people, the first American Saskatchewan Roughrider, the elderly daughter who sold a piano she couldn’t play, and Great Uncle Nick, have passed on. But my piano is still here, linking me to bygone eras. The unknown hands that crafted this beautiful instrument have long since passed on too, but their handiwork remains, a legacy to an unknown craftsman.

A gift to me every single day.

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The piano keys are black and white, but they sound like
a million colours in your mind.
— Maria Cristina Mena —

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