Daybook

A June Lilac Daybook

Posted on by Joy / 5 Comments

Close your eyes and let the lilac’s scent transport you to a world of serenity.

Unknown

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Hello Friend,

I’m happy to see you today, especially as I’m two provinces away from home, looking after our seven-year-old grandsons, Bright and Sunny. Thanks for finding me!

The Cowboy brought ‘home’ Rhubarb Strawberry Pie, so we’ll have a slice of that with our tea. Whipped topping for you? Let’s take it out on the deck, it’s such a beautiful day.

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Making tea is a ritual that stops the world from falling in on you.

Jonathan Stroud

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I hope you won’t be too confused if I include a few Daybook entries, mixed in with my other thoughts. It’s the way my brain is working today.

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Observing from the deck …

I sit under a huge umbrella, on grey and white striped cushions which cover freshly varnished wooden couches. Sunny and Bright play in the neighbour’s pool; the water is a little cold, but the sun is warm. Poplar fluff floats around like lost snowflakes.

I am wearing …

Ankle length pants in hot pink, white V-neck T-shirt, and toenail polish called Strawberry Margarita

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Sweetie and I went to the lake the other day. As we walked along the path, we passed a lilac bush that towered over our heads, erupting with white blossoms. We thought it looked like they were getting to the end of their life, but when we got closer we realized that many tiny flowers were still in bud. It’s a bit unusual to find a lilac bush still budding at the end of June, and I received it as a gift, in what has been a traumatic and tumultuous month.

According to Better Homes and Gardens, “White lilacs represent purity and innocence …” How symbolic, as I thought of Little Man, the twins’ 10-year-old brother, innocently trusting doctors to cure what had been analyzed as migraines, but instead ending up in the Children’s Hospital for emergency brain surgery, then another one, and finally, a third surgery.

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The lilac branches are bowed under the weight of the flowers: blooming is hard, and the most important thing is—to bloom.

Yevgeny Zamyatin

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“… Purple lilacs symbolize spirituality, and if the blooms edge more on the blue side of the colour wheel, they symbolize happiness and tranquility.” Happiness and tranquility. Hmmm. I can’t say we’ve been happy through this whole ordeal, but joy is different from happiness, isn’t it?

Happiness says, “Look at me, basking in this pleasure.” Joy says, “Though life is hard, I trust in the One who knows all.”

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The very nature of Joy makes nonsense of our common distinction between having and wanting.”

C.S. Lewis

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I am thankful …

for the God-given instincts of a mother, who would not give up on advocating for her son, taking him to ER after ER after ER until someone listened to her. Without her courage, the outcome would have been devastatingly different. This is not an exaggeration.

I am learning … again …

Storms are best faced head on. Like the bison, who turns to run into an oncoming storm, I can get through it quicker head on, as opposed to a cow, whose instinct is to run away from it, thus being overtaken and spending a longer time in it.

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In my garden …

I had barely finished planting my flowers and vegetables before we left to care for the boys, but Mom & Dad, who are looking after pets and gardens while we’re away, say that everything is coming along nicely. And remember the little lilac bush we planted last year, a day before that destructive hail storm that I thought destroyed it?

It’s blooming.

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Thanks so much for taking the time for a visit today, it was lovely to have you here.

In case you were wondering … after a month in hospital, Little Man came home this week, and is planning his welcome home party. It’s been quite a remarkable, and sometimes miraculous, journey. He still has a whole summer of outpatient treatment to go through, but it’s wonderful that they can finally be together as a family again.

I should be back home next time you visit and you won’t have to travel so far to find me.

Stay safe out there, and see you next time.

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In the presence of lilacs, life’s simple moments become extraordinary.

Unknown

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Feature Image by Nicky ❤️🌿🐞🌿❤️ from Pixabay All other photos from Pixabay.

© Joylene Bailey 2024

Living the Moment

The Light Upstream

Posted on by Joy / 4 Comments

No one who lives in the sunlight makes a failure of his life.

Albert Camus (Nobel Prize Laureate 1957)

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Hello Friend,

Please come in! So glad you stopped in today.

Will you have tea? I’ve boiled the kettle and there are a few choices: Camomile, Honey & Vanilla; Egyptian Licorice (my favourite); and regular English Breakfast Tea. Please help yourself to your choice. Cream, sugar, and honey are right there, and a slice of warm coffee cake is waiting for you too.

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Photo from Pixabay

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It would be lovely to sit out on the veranda, except smoke from the wildfires has wafted down from farther north and settled over us like a blanket. It’ll be easier on our lungs if we stay in today. Would you like the wing back chair with a footstool for your feet, or the comfy leather one that’s big enough to curl up in?

We are on the edge of new beginnings. Lady Spring has arrived here in western Canada, but she has only just begun to adorn herself in her full glory. I see tiny buds on the young lilac bushes and the first vapours of baby leaves on the trees. Neighbours have reported sightings of crocuses and tulips in their yards, but nothing of the kind is peeking through here at The Cleft. I’m impatient. Waiting is hard work, isn’t it?

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Image by 2018年4月4日 from Pixabay

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Never yet was a springtime, when the buds forgot to bloom.

Margaret Elizabeth Sangster

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As I drive the roads near our country home, I see new lambs trying their first nibbles of grass, and little calves playfully prancing farther and farther away from their mothers. And just this week we spotted bison babies newly arrived. The Canada Geese are back from their winter retreat somewhere in the south, and I see goose couples staking their claims and making their homes ready for new arrivals.

The robins are back. I only know this because I hear them in the early mornings. I have yet to see my first robin of the year, but the red-winged blackbirds are in abundance. And the black-capped chickadees, of course, have been here all winter. I used to believe that the chickadee’s song changed in the spring, but I’ve learned that the males sing more often in the spring. Less of the chick-a-dee-dee-dee and more of the hey-sweetie. I suppose, like the rest of us, he’s feeling spring upon him.

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Photo by Patrice Bouchard on Unsplash

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May my heart always be open to little birds who are the secrets of living.

ee cummings

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I’m anxious to get the garden in; to plant flowers. But I’m also hesitant. Last year, just after I’d planted the bedding plants and was thrilling to their beauty, we had an angry hailstorm. We’d planted two new lilac bushes the day before. Everything was stripped or destroyed, and all of the plants struggled for the rest of the growing year.

Life often feels like we’re pushing upstream. One day the blue sky seems to go on forever and the next it’s wearing a heavy coat of smoke. Still, the calves frolic. The lilac bushes bud.

And I plant seeds.

There’s always something to hope for, some loveliness to search out. It becomes a matter of shifting our focus and giving our attention to the small beauties that are right there, if we will only see.

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Teach the children … Stand them in the stream, head them upstream, rejoice as they learn to love this green space they live in, its sticks and leaves and then the silent, beautiful blossoms.

Mary Oliver

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Photo by Couleur from Pixabay

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To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.

Audrey Hepburn

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Thank you for dropping by today, it was such a pleasure to visit with you.

Stay safe out there, and see you next time.

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Feature photo by Olga1205 on Pixabay

© Joylene Bailey 2024

Daybook/Tea Time

March Daybook and Golden Moments

Posted on by Joy / 12 Comments

The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us, and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone.

George Eliot

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Hello Friend,

Welcome! And thanks for stopping in. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a visit.

Will you have a cup of tea? There’s cream, sugar, and honey for your perfect cup, here on the kitchen island. And, there are a few slices of The Cowboy’s lemon birthday cake left. Very delicious, if I do say so myself. Come, let’s sit by the fire.

I’d hoped to fit in a short visit with you before we left on our family vacation in February, but it just didn’t work out. So, please settle in for a good long visit today.

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Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

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Tea is an invitation to turn our attention inward and find peace in the present moment.

Thich Nhat Hanh

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Out in the blogging world, Peggy at The Simple Woman began The Simple Woman’s Daybook years ago, and many of the following prompts are hers.

Today

Looking out my window …

After so many snowless weeks, our world has transformed into powdery white stuff … swept into drifts beside buildings, decorating the evergreens with marshmallow-like dollops, and sitting in tufts on the railings.

The sun is shining with all her might in a clear blue sky, but it’s definitely winter. The thermometer shows frigid temperatures, made even colder with the wind. But, the forecast predicts warmer temps later this week. Maybe even above zero!

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I am wearing …

Black pants, butter-yellow sweater, old dangly earrings, and my favourite perfume. On the subject of earrings …

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Downsizing …

Most people the age of The Cowboy and me are downsizing. We are not … yet. As mentioned before on this blog (click HERE to find it), we built this house for us, with others in mind. So, though it might seem like we have a lot of extra stuff, it’s all put to good use, especially when guests arrive, which is often.

Nevertheless, I am downsizing in one teeny tiny area: my earrings. I decided last week that I’m going to wear each pair of earrings for a day and then decide whether or not I can part with them. I own a lot of earrings. For awhile, Sweetie and Peaches were in the business of selling jewelry, and I got many of them then. However, in the last couple of years I’ve been wearing the same favourites over and over. Some of my nicest pieces, gifts from The Cowboy, I will never part with. But, it’s time to say goodbye to some of the rest.

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I am thankful …

My three brothers all live far enough away that it requires several hours’ travel to visit together. However, over the last six months we’ve had occasion to see each other more often, and I have to say I really like them. 🙂

Like The Cowboy, they are Good Men. Yes, in a world that seems to be falling apart in so many ways, it is refreshing to come across Good Men, and I’m very thankful for my brothers.

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In my kitchen …

The routine has changed a little since Mom & Dad moved into the suite in the walkout basement. The Cowboy and I are more mindful of what and when we plan for supper. Mom cooks once a week, and every day Dad comes upstairs about five o’clock to empty the dishwasher and set the table. He has taken it on himself to do so, and though I feel like I should be the one serving them, it is helpful.

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Please, let me warm up your tea. Would you like another slice of cake?

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Image from Unsplash

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Now, where were we …

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I am creating …

My first full-sized quilt. I’ve made many baby quilts, but this is my first adult-sized one. And, I’ve discovered that I made a beginner’s mistake. I took on a quilt with very small pieces, and I think I’ll be working on this one for a long time. At quilt club, whenever I’m working on it and a more senior member walks by, they’ll look at what I’m working on, smile and shake their heads. I know, I know. Rookie mistake. I didn’t know what I was doing.

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I’ve been working on it for half a year already and I still love it, so that’s a good sign I’ll continue to completion. You just never can tell about these things.

After cutting out pieces that are 2 inches square, and fitting them together to make 3-1/2 inch blocks, I piece those blocks to other 3-1/2 inch blocks to make bigger blocks. Eventually, all of the tiny pieces will have been pieced into 9-1/2 inch blocks, which will finally be pieced together to make the quilt top. Phew!

Before the cutting and sewing even began, I chose the fabrics and the colours I wanted for the quilt, hoping that when it was all put together, it would be a pleasing creation. Some blocks worked out beautifully, but others seem dull and boring. Yet, when put all together, the beautiful and boring will balance each other to make the creation unique and lovely.

It’s a little like life, I guess. Every little piece of our lives, whether beautiful, difficult, or boring will eventually add up to a whole life-quilt to look at. The finished product will be what we’ve made of it.

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How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

Annie Dillard

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I am listening to …

I always have music playing in the background when I’m busy with housework, reading, sewing, or even writing. And often I’ll be stopped in my tracks by a certain piece of music. At those times, I stop what I’m doing, close my eyes and really listen. This is one of those pieces.

There’s a difference between playing music in the background, and purposefully listening to a piece of music. Very very different. Actually listening, eyes closed, taking it in, is healing. I’m convinced it’s one of the best things for our mental and physical health.

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A moment from our holiday …

Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.

Michael J. fox

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Our girls and their families don’t live near us. In fact, two of them live in two separate provinces, so we work really hard to spend time together a few times a year. The Cowboy and I decided this was the year for a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation.

It’s been a long time since we’ve done a true family vacation. It took so much forethought, calculation, preparation, and planning. I spent more than a few stressful days actually booking the cruise vacation, including flights, for thirteen people – eight adults and five children. But in the end, it was worth it. Our 9-day cruise to the Caribbean was a memory-making adventure; a respite for each family member from personally busy and draining lives.

We had so many good family times. And we got to the end of the holiday still really liking each other and wishing we could do it again. What a blessing to be together!

These people.
These loves.
These precious, precious, precious days.
Thanks be to God.

- From The Lives We Actually Have
by Kate Bowler & Jessica Richie -

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Closing Notes …

It’s been lovely to have you stop in today. Thank you for taking the time for this visit, and I hope I didn’t talk your ears off.

Stay safe out there, and see you next time.

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Featured Image by Jill Wellington

Grandparenting/Living the Moment

Daisies in December

Posted on by Joy / 2 Comments

The daisy teaches us that even in the midst of chaos and uncertainty, there is beauty to be found.

Flower Chimp**

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Hello Friend,

Please come in! How wonderful to see you during this special season. Let me hang your coat here by the door, then let’s sit by the fireplace. Would you like the wing chair or the deep leather one?

It’s so strange not to have snow at this time of year, but it is a welcome change not to have to worry about icy roads and slippery paths. The Cowboy has been busy these last several weeks, hanging Christmas lights on railings and trees, so the place does look festive even though there’s no snow to brighten the nights or to glitter like diamonds during the day.

Now, I’ve made some Almond Rocha–such a simple recipe, but everyone raves about it. Would you care for some? There’s a plate of it on the table there, and the tea is about done steeping. It’s a white tea with vanilla and almond flavours called White Christmas. Just smell that aroma. You’d almost think there was chocolate hidden somewhere in it. We’ll have it in my new red-sweater mugs. Don’t you love these?

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Our Christmas has been a quiet one this year. The hustle and bustle will begin when family arrives for New Year’s weekend. I’ve been up early in the mornings to curl up by the fire in the deep leather chair by the lighted Christmas tree. I read, I meditate on scripture, I pray. And I cry. Truth be told, I’ve shed more tears this season than I have in the last two years of seasons combined. I wonder if a grandmother’s tears carry a special kind of weight – every tear a wordless prayer for a struggling grandchild.

It is surprising then, in the midst of heartache, to find moments of joy and beauty, harmony and good will. They are like daisies in December, unexpected and refreshing. A visit with good friends, the purr of a comfortable kitten, beautifully written words, pretty lights on the lawn, the fun of making gifts for Christmas. All of these daisies seem sweeter this year, and I lovingly press them into the pages of my memory like I would tuck in a contented child.

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Daisies are nature’s way of smiling, a burst of joy in the meadow of life.

Emily Dickinson

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This is the essence of life, isn’t it? Pain and sorrow tempered by beauty and joy. It doesn’t always make the current trouble less painful, but the shadows prove the light, showing us that hope is not lost.

I’m so grateful for these daisies in my December, and I’ve begun making room for them, pausing in my day to find them and count them. I realize I have quite a bouquet, and I bet you do too.

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I”m so glad you stopped in for a little visit today. As you step into this next year, whatever it may hold, I wish you daisies. Look for them, savour them, and press them, so that when you need them you can take them out and remember how you were given daisies in December.

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I will rejoice and be glad in Your faithfulness, because you have seen my misery; You have known the troubles of my soul.

Psalm 31:7

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Stay safe out there, and see you next time.

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ALMOND ROCHA

Spread graham wafers on a 10 X 15 cookie sheet
Cover with sliced almonds

On stove, boil together for 3 minutes on medium heat:
- 1/2 pound butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup

Spoon over base and bake 8 minutes at 350 F
When cooled, cut into fingers

Keep in cool place, do not refrigerate

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Feature Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay Two daisies image by Petra from Pixabay

**Flower Chimp is a Malaysian flower delivery service founded in 2016 by Maximilian Lotz and Niklas Frassa.