“Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold but so does a hard-boiled egg.” ~ Maya Angelou

 

Good morning, my friends.  I hope this finds you well and taking winter in stride.  Please don’t think I have gone completely ’round the bend’ and no, this post is not about hard-boiled eggs.  However, Maya Angelou can go directly to the point of an issue, as she does in the quote above.  

Lately, it seems as though everything I pick up to read, at some point, mentions how our actions are impacting others.  Even the tiniest of things.  When this happens, I always feel as though I should pay attention to these gentle nudges.  So I am, and I thought perhaps I should share my thoughts with you. 

Do you ever feel as though your actions may not be as thoughtful or considerate of others as they could or should be?  Or, how we are all connected and therefore, our actions often even impact strangers?   Many times, I think we fail to think outside of our own families.  This is quite normal and I am ever so guilty of this.  While our families always come first, there are others in our world. However, when I receive my ‘gentle nudges’ it reminds me that I have a responsibility to folks I do not know, as well as my family.  There lies my reason for this post.  It is my hope that you may be encouraged to pause and give the subject some thought as well.

“Never underestimate the valuable and important difference you make in every life you touch. For the impact you make today has a powerful rippling effect on every tomorrow.” ~ Unknown

Flowers bloom with your love and care.  They add beauty to the world.  Strangers who pass by enjoy our efforts and beauty lifts everyone.

Children grow and will learn to use equipment with real motors which will keep their homes and gardens tidy.

I like to think we are making a little progress toward the care of our beautiful land, marshes, rivers, streams, oceans, and all wildlife living in such places.  Perhaps finally,  we are learning to walk more softly upon the earth.  Yes,  all of the things mentioned above have a tremendous ripple effect. Not only for today but for tomorrow as well.

However, dreadful COVID has shown us we are not being as thoughtful or considerate of others as we should.  And, that also has and continues to have a tremendous ripple effect.    The rise in the number of cases and deaths is proof.  I feel so badly for our health care workers, who are worn to the point of no return.  In our small state, we had over  1,700 nurses who did not renew their licenses.  This is a crisis for everyone.  Why so?   Because who else will we seek assistance from should we become infected or need medical assistance?  At the end of the day, what we have is simple ~ each other.  So, let’s be more loving humans. Do all we can possibly do to stop the spread of this monster.   Humanity is counting on us.

 

Dear friends, know how much I appreciate your visit.  

And. . .

May your day and the week ahead be filled with love and joy.

Stay well!

 

 

“. . .The French word ‘sillage’ means the scent of perfume lingering behind in a room after the wearer has left.  Although we may be completely unaware of it, in numerous ways our presence in others’ lives sometimes leaves behind significant sillage long after we are gone.” ~ Jonathan Carroll

 

Amour,

Sandra

 

 

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Good Sunday morning, sweet friends.  I hope this finds you well and that January has been kind to you.  If you like snow, there seems to be quite a bit of it flying around the country.  We had about five inches last night (January 6) and we have bitterly cold temperatures.

As we are deep in winter, I thought you may enjoy the words of Mary Oliver.  According to Jean-Paul Sartre,  “To read a poem in January is as lovely as to go for a walk in June.”  So, please join me for a wee walk.

Amour,

Sandra

“The Christmas spirit whispers softly in my ear to be of good cheer.” ~ Richelle E. Goodrich

Good Sunday morning, dear friends.   As I write this, Christmas is one week away.  Where have the days gone?  We are ready for Christmas to arrive in all her magic and glory.  I hope you are too and that this finds you in “good cheer.”

This post will be short as I plan to see you again either Monday or Tuesday.  You may or may not remember, but I promised you a recipe before Christmas and I want to send it so you may have time to prepare it if you desire.  That said, I am sharing a favorite poem which later became a Christmas carol.  It was written on Christmas day, 1863, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  The ringing of church bells, off in a distance, was Longfellow’s inspiration for the poem.  The poem was set to music in 1872.

Christmas Bells ~ By, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
    And wild and sweet
    The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
    Had rolled along
    The unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
    A voice, a chime,
    A chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,
    And with the sound
    The carols drowned
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,
    And made forlorn
    The households born
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
“There is no peace on earth,” I said;
    “For hate is strong,
    And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

Dear friends, I hope you have enjoyed your visit.  Know how much I appreciate you and your kind comments.  I have many Christmas wishes for you, but mostly. . .

“I wish the wonderful feelings of Christmas will stay with you long after the gifts are unwrapped, the tree is taken down, and the ornaments are safely stored away.  May the once-a-year joy of Christmas return to you in memories throughout the year, each time tugging at your heart strings. . .each time bringing you joy.” ~ Stay Well!

 

Joyeux Noel,

Sandra

 

 

 

The ending quote is from a Christmas card I received too many years ago.

Images:  Tumblr

 

“How did it get so late so soon?  It’s night before it’s afternoon.  December is here before it’s June. My goodness, how the time has flewn.  How did it get so late so soon?”  ~ Dr. Seuss …

   Artist, Richard Savoie

Good morning, dear friends.  I do believe Dr. Seuss must have had a vision into the year 2021 as his words are indeed a little too familiar.  “How did it get so late so soon?”  Even though Christmas is near, I am enjoying these days.  The days leading up to Christmas are always the sweetest to me.  

Even though everyone is busy dashing about, there is love and magic in the air.  Why is it that this wonderful feeling can not remain in our world throughout the year?  However, the blessing is ~ there are many who do still believe in the magic and love of Christmas.  And I am one of them.

The beauty of wonder.  Christopher Moore tells us that “Children see magic because they look for it.”  I believe this is true.  It is the genuine love they possess for beauty, love, and kindness.   They see and feel all of these things with their eyes and their beautiful innocent little hearts.

“Snow-dusted villages lit with wick and was lit with wonder by tiny souls.” ~ Unknown

“If we experienced life through the eyes of a child, everything would be magical and extraordinary.  Let our curiosity, adventure and wonder of life never end.” ~ Akiane Kramarik 

 

Dear friends, know I wish you and yours the merriest day. 

And . . .

May you see glimpses of the magic and wonder of Christmas along your path.  Be well!

 

Joyeux Noel,

Sandra

 

“May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.” ~ unknown

 

 

 

 

Images: Tumblr

 

 

“When the first snow arrives, I really give myself up to winter.  The air comes cold and sharp and there is a quickening in the blood, a feeling that the seasons are rolling around quite the way they should, and all is well.” ~ Gladys Taber

Good morning, dear friends.  I hope this finds you well and that you are enjoying the beginning of this beautiful month.

Do you enjoy old books?  Of course, you know I do.  One of my favorite antique haunts had not only lovely antiques but also a grand assortment of various and unique gems, which included a room full of old books.  Such a fine place it was.  Often, I would spend an entire afternoon in this delightful shop.  One could easily spend such an amount of time just pouring over the collection of books, and I always came home with a jewel or two.   One of my treasured jewels is one I want to share with you, “The Book of Stillmeadow,” by Gladys Taber. 

The book, originally published in 1948, is about life in the country and living in a Connecticut farmhouse.  Taber wrote the book in months, and it included a delightful writing at the beginning of each month which she referred to as a song.  So, without further chatter, I will let you enjoy Ms. Taber’s thoughts about December.  As you read, keep in mind the year her book was written. This book is always by my chair.

The following words are an excerpt from “The Book of Stillmeadow”, by Gladys Taber.

“Christmas is almost upon us before we get over Thanksgiving.  Many simple folk like me are thinking long thoughts this Christmas as we wrap the packages.  We are still waiting for peace.  We are insecure, when we have won the war, Civil conflicts exist everywhere, people are still starving, Labor and Management are embroiled in half the world.  Nations still argue unsolved issues.  Race prejudice snakes along every hidden byway.  

This must not be.  The aggressive instincts have run the world into destruction, culminating in the desperate promise of the atomic bomb that man shall perish from the earth, and the earth from the cosmos.  

What is the answer for us?  The creative instincts, the love force must be nourished with every beat of our hearts until they overbalance the destructive instincts.  And this cannot be accomplished by any great legislation.  It will be the sum of the little people’s feelings.  Good will toward men, that is the answer. . .Somehow, by some divine light we have got to see ourselves as people, one and all.  Our children learn from us.  This is a solemn and terrible responsibility.  They learn from what we say and from what we do not say.  

But I believe on this Christmas, this very special and holy Christmas, that we must have a faith in all the human beings of tomorrow, that we must look at life somehow steadily and whole, and not destroy ourselves and our childrens’ children with hate.  I do not believe the men we have lost have died in vain;  I shall never believe it.  If humanity was destined to be pulverized by atomic energy, there would never have been a Jesus, born so long ago in that darkling stable.

As we celebrate this year, we must resolve to keep our lives free from racial intolerance, from bigotry and hate.  We must do everything we can to defeat cruelty in our own country. And surely Christmas is a time to rededicate ourselves to the good, the true, the beautiful.”

Dear friends, I hope you have enjoyed your visit and the words of Gladys Taber.  To me, it is amazing how relevant her words, published in 1948, remain today.  Perhaps, one day we will see peace.  Truly, it is the hope of the world.

Know, I wish you and yours a beautiful day.  

And. . .

May you hear the angels sing as you walk your path.

Be well!

 

“In a world of change and confusion we need Christmas more than ever.” ~ Gladys Taber

Amour,

Sandra

 

Images: Tumblr

 

 

“Snow was falling, so much like stars filling the dark trees that one could easily imagine its reason for being was nothing more than prettiness.” ~ Mary Oliver

Good Sunday morning, dear friends.  I do hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Mike and I enjoyed a peaceful day.  After dinner, I read and he watched football and then we enjoyed our sweet potato pie.  The pie is made from a recipe that was my grandmother’s.  Although, we both like pumpkin pie, it became second on our list after I first made the sweet potato pie (years ago). 

This morning I would like to share a few words about the upcoming magnificent winter season. While, of course, it brings us Christmas, there is more.  It is a time to peruse garden catalogs, look up information on a specific plant that is not behaving well (our clematis), and of course, read everything you can put your hands on that you find of interest.  Also, to cook and try new recipes.  Then, there are the dreadful closets.  Who knows what or who may be living there.  Find your coffee, and join me.  I hope you find a little inspiration for seeing the wondrous days ahead through new eyes.  

“The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?” ~ J. B. Priestly

 

 

“Winter was creeping in and, at barely three o’clock in the afternoon, the day was losing substance and dissolving into a dusty twilight.” ~ C. J. Tudor

 

“I do love the miracle of falling snow.  How gently and completely it covers every space, seemingly with so little effort.  I love the way the City looks just after a snowfall:  so pure, so clean, like a world of make-believe.  At night, the lamplight makes the soft, white blanket glitter, and the world becomes magic.” ~ Elyse Douglas

“She went to the window.  A fine sheen of sugary frost covered everything in sight, and white smoke rose from chimneys in the valley below the town.  The window opened to a rush of sharp early November air that would have the town in a flurry of activity.  She stuck her head out and took a deep breath.  If she could eat the cold air, she would.  She thought cold snaps were like cookies, like ginger snaps.  In her mind they were made with white chocolate chunks and had a cool, brittle vanilla frosting.  They melted like snow in her mouth, turning creamy and warm.” ~ Sarah Addison Allen

Dear friends, I do hope you have enjoyed your visit.  This post is about winter and the wondrous season that is upon us.  And, the precious gifts (not packages under the tree) that accompany this time.  “It’s Not About Christmas.”  That said, I want to close with the thought-provoking words of  Nikita Gill.  I hope you will find them as meaningful as I have.  Especially, as we go into this most special and significant time of the year.

 

It’s Not About Christmas

“It’s about the mothers who see their children after months.

It’s about the homeless man whose daughter finally finds him and takes him home.  It’s about the little girl who gives her only present to her baby brother just so he has something to open even if it’s small.  It’s about the little miracles that no one notices.  It’s about the grumpy old woman who isn’t grumpy, just tired, because she saves up all her energy for the shelter where she volunteers and looking after stray dogs.  It’s about the kindness that wraps itself in ‘strangers’ hands as they help each other for no reason at all.  It’s about the love that has found its way back between you and someone you haven’t spoken to in so long.  It’s about the people who surprise you when they are there for you when you fall.

We all want to be good, truly.  Christmas just makes our true nature stand out in a way where we can hold our heads high and stand tall.

It’s not about Christmas.  It’s about the unbreakable bond of warmth and kinship that runs between us all.”

As we end beautiful November, know I wish you and yours a most magical holiday season.

And. . .

May each and every day bring you Peace and Joy!

Stay well.

 

 

“The days are getting colder; have a warm heart.” ~ Unknown

 

Amour,

Sandra

 

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“Gratitude bestows reverence…..changing forever how we experience life and the world.” ~ John Milton

Good morning, dear friends.  Here we are ~ the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  I remember not so long ago I said, “We will blink and it will be Christmas.”  I am going to stop saying such things as they always come true and often, too quickly.

As we are approaching Thanksgiving, I wanted to share a few favorite thoughts about gratefulness and the enjoyment of the day.  The words sincerely express my feelings and I rather feel they do yours as well.

 

“An Old-Time Thanksgiving,”  by, Edward Payson Powell, 1904

“We belonged to each other. So you may be sure that we did not have our feast all by ourselves. “Why should we be selfish with the Lord’s goodness?” said my father. “It would spoil the taste of it all.” So there came together, not only the cousins and the aunts and uncles and the grandparents, but also some family friends and neighbors.  And the world invited us out of doors; we sat and ate at tables under the big arms of the butternut and the pear trees. And there came some birds of passage that sat on the mountain ash trees and ate a Thanksgiving dinner of the berries, and one of them sang to us in a soft monotone — I think it was a Thanksgiving hymn. The sun smiled warmth through the branches, and the soft wind played quiet pranks, dropping now and then a brown leaf on our plates. And then we settled our dinner by carrying full baskets of food to those who had less of God’s favors.” 

“When something does not insist on being noticed, when we aren’t grabbed by the collar or struck on the skull by a presence or an event, we take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” ~ Cynthia Ozick

Seeing one of God’s majestic and noble creatures is certainly a gift.  A gift never to be taken for granted.   Just look at the magnificent colors of this beautiful pheasant.

“When one has a grateful heart, life is so beautiful.” ~ Roy T. Bennett, 

“Gratitude is the music of the heart when its chords are swept by the breeze of kindness.” ~ Author unknown

 

Dear friends, know how grateful I am for you.  While our friendship is virtual, that does not make it any less important to me.  I wish you and those you love a glorious Thanksgiving. 

And. . .

 

May life bring you always an abundance of love, laughter, and grace.  But especially the blessing of good health.

Be well!

 

Amour,

Sandra

 

“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” ~ W. T. Purkiser

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Things men have made with wakened hands, and put soft life into are awake through years with transferred touch, and go on glowing for long years. And for this reason, some old things are lovely warm still with the life of forgotten men who made them.” ~ D. H. Lawrence

 

Good morning, dear friends.  As I write this (Saturday, November 13) we have cloudy skies, cold temperatures, and snow flurries. Where ever you are, I hope this finds you well and not under the severe weather moving across parts of the country.  

With the holidays fast approaching, I have begun to ponder many of our old things (or treasures) as I refer to them.  In my opinion,  treasures add extra warmth and a special glow to a home.  Especially, during the holidays.

Oh, I have so many fond memories of where I was and who I was with when special treasures landed in my hands.  For example, the day mom and I were in one of our favorite haunts and she spied a set of Haviland China (Apple Blossom) under an old table.  Such a wonderful memory of a fun day spent together.  Through the years, since the Haviland came home with me, I have given it much thought.  “Who loved it before me, where did they live, was the china used for holidays, what were some of the stories shared at the table, and how did it become unwanted and end up in a shop that held a conglomeration of hodgepodge?”   If only it could talk.

“One of the things that attracts me to vintage and antique things is they have stories, and even if I don’t know the stories. . .” ~ Mary Kay Andrews

Did these beauties once hold lovely paintings or pictures of loved ones? 

 “September Afternoon” 1913 ~ Artist Charles Courtney Curran

“As a kid growing up in the 1950s I became acutely aware of the changes taking place in American culture and I must say I didn’t much like it. I witnessed the debasement of architecture, and I could see a decline in the quality of things. . . Old things seemed to have more life, more substance, more humanity in them.” ~ Robert Crumb

Someone once loved these pretty oil lamps.  Perhaps, they were all from one home or maybe the homeowner enjoyed collecting them?  Wouldn’t you love to know their stories?

 

These Confit pots were most definitely loved and well used.  Confit is the French word that means to preserve. Usually, they were found in mustard yellow and this shade of green. They were used for storing cooked meats and then buried in the ground or stored in stone-lined cellars. This storage process preserved the cooked meat without refrigeration and could then be enjoyed throughout the winter months.

In America, we also used crockery to store meats, such as the crock below.  The meat was cooked and covered with a layer of lard and then stored in a smokehouse and used during the winter. The winters were much colder back then which helped to preserve the meat.

 

Additionally, these lovely vessels are wonderful for cut blooms.

Oh, how I would love to know the story behind these tureens.  Can you just imagine the marvelous concoctions they have held throughout the years and the beautiful tables they have graced?

Wouldn’t it be amazing to talk with the talented soul who created these breathtaking stitches?

 

I can tell you all about this lovely piece which was stitched in needlepoint by my lifelong friend, Janet.  It hangs above our front door.  Every morning when I come downstairs, I see this treasure and say, “Good morning, Janet.” Being the sentimental person I am,  there have been arrangements made (for after we are gone) for this piece and all the others she has lovingly created for us.  Before this went to the framers, I wrote a letter about who Janet was, who we were, the meaning of the piece, and my wishes for it should it have the misfortune to be found in a shop such as where I found our Haviland.  The letter was placed inside of the back covering of the needlepoint.  

 

I love history. Everything is inspired by history, so that’s why I love vintage and antiques. ~ Kelly Wearstler

 

 

Dear friends, as you go about readying your home for the holidays, perhaps you will wonder about a few of your treasures.  Often, when we take a second look, we realize how lovely and “still warm with life”  our precious gems are.

Wishing you a beautiful day and week ahead.

And. . .

May your path be full of happy moments and kind souls.

Stay well!

“Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them.” ~ David Hume

 

Amour,

Sandra

 

 

 

Imges:  Tumblr and M. S. Lambiotte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“November is the month to remind us to be Thankful for the many positive things happening in our life.”  ~ Unknown

 

Good Sunday morning, dear friends.  I hope this finds you well and enjoying these beginning November days.  It has been quite chilly in our lovely ‘Mountain State.’  Jack Frost has paid us several visits and I believe brought many of his friends along to the party.

When our nights fall below freezing and we bring out the winter jackets, the realization of the approaching holidays become clear.  My mind begins to whirl with many things to do.  However, especially in November, I seem to focus on all the good in my life and how very grateful I am for everyone and everything I hold dear.  How fortunate I am to have been so richly blessed.  

“An attitude of gratitude is a never-ending prayer.”  ~ William Arthur Ward

When we hear of so many people in our world who are in distress, day after day, and do not have food for their table, I count my blessings when we have a simple dinner of soup and fresh bread.

Each of us will be grateful for different things, however, I believe we are all grateful for our family and friends, our homes, and our basic needs.  

And a cookie or two for dessert.

“…all which we behold Is full of blessings…” ~ William Wordsworth, 1798

One of the things I treasure most in my life is I had a mother who taught me how to see.   She wanted me to understand that beauty comes in many things ~ great and small.  The magnificence of nature and the talent of human hands.  Hands that are moved by hearts. 

I thought I would share a few of the things which are precious to me.  Perhaps, they are to you as well. 

Stillness and peace rank high on my list.  Working in a middle school office for thirty-plus years certainly gave me an appreciation of peace and quiet.

There is beauty and peace in a cup of tea or coffee.  I am always grateful for the time to enjoy it.  Something to be savored.

 

A few tiny blooms can create a magical space, especially on a rainy and chilly day.

You most likely have read the bumper sticker that reads, “If you can read this thank a teacher.”  I would only add, “Be grateful to a teacher.”  Many times I have thought, “How fortunate I am that I can read.”  Truly, a gift that a dedicated teacher passed on to me many years ago.  The enjoyment it has given me is remarkable.  I wonder if she knew what her gift would mean to me?

 

“The ideal of beauty is simplicity and tranquility.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

To me, the following three photos hold simplicity and stunning beauty.

 

 

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” ~ Vincent van Gogh

The person who created this statue truly has a “heart that moved hands.”  She has the most lovely face and looks so happy.  Unfortunately, I was unable to locate any information on her.

“Cape Cottage Amongst Trees” ~ Artist, Tony DeFreitas

 

Dear friends, I hope you have enjoyed your visit. 

Enjoy these November days, take time to collect your thoughts,  focus on the things important to you and to those you love.  

And. . .

Most of all, look around and say, “Thank you.”

Know I wish you and yours a beautiful day.  May your blessings abound.

Be Well! 

 

“Look closely. The beautiful may be small.” ~ Immanuel Kant

 

Amour,

Sandra

 

 

 

Images:  Via Tumblr