Sunday Solace

I used to run a feature on my Blog called Sunday Snaps, where I featured a variety of photos that I had taken. 

I have been thinking of a new feature and come up with the idea of Sunday Solace. Each Sunday I will publish some words that might make you smile or just provide some easy reading, and I hope you like the idea. 

 

So then, onto the very first edition of Sunday Solace!  I have chosen the poem, "If I Had My Life To Live Over", which was written by the American writer and humourist, Erma Bombeck. 

I hope these words will resonate with many of you ....

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER....

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have sat on the lawn with my grass stains. 

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while watching life.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. 

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, 'Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.' There would have been more 'I love you's' More 'I'm sorry's.' 

I think what she was trying to say was.... stop sweating the small stuff, and concentrate on  what is truly important in our lives. 

The following quotes are courtesy of Pinterest.com

 

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed this new feature.  Have a lovely Sunday, and amidst the hurry and scurry, I hope you will find some time to relax. 

Bye for now ....

Time For Those Cosy Nights....

I love Summer.... Long, lazy days, eating outdoors, glasses of chilled Rosè, walking along the beach, feeling the sun on your face.... But those longer days are behind us once again and the days are getting shorter with each passing week.  

What do you like about the season of Autumn?  I confess that the child is still inside me, and I love kicking up the leaves when I'm out for a walk.

 

 

The evenings are starting to get a little chilly now, so I've been making up the wood burner and lighting the candles to make the house look nice and cosy 

 

For the past three years, I've been lucky enough to have been visiting friends in America at this time of year and let me tell you .... They're into pumpkins in a BIG way! Drive along any road, and the houses are all decorated with displays of pumpkins and brightly coloured 'mum's'.  They use pumpkin in all sorts of things....pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, marshmallows, soup, candles, cookies, ice cream, and, of course, latte. They even have pumpkin dog treats!

 

 

Did you know that Starbucks introduced their Pumpkin Spiced Latte in 2003?  It is Starbucks' most popular seasonal beverage, and they have sold over 200 million since it was first introduced. Gosh! 

Over here in the UK, the pumpkin is mainly used at Halloween, when the insides are carved out to make a face, and a candle put inside. 

This morning it was quite dreary here, so I decided to make a batch of home made soup. Tomorrow I will make another batch, using the last of the tomatoes from the garden. 

 

 

Well, it's getting late as I write this, so I will close for now, and I'm sure I'll see you again soon. 

(All photos are taken by me unless otherwise stated). 

Game of Conkers, Anyone?!

 

This is a photo I took the other morning of a beautiful sunrise across the fields. On a lovely day, everything seems so crisp and clear at this time of year. 

Autumn always brings back childhood memories of playing Conkers. Conkers are the fruits of the Horse Chestnut Tree.  They are so shiny, that you would think that the tree fairies had been polishing them!

 

I used to spend hours with friends, collecting these from the local woods, and looking for the biggest and best conkers. This was a very serious business and all sorts of methods would be used to make our conkers hard, ready for the games ahead.  We would soak them in vinegar or bake them in the oven, to name just a couple of tricks. A hole would then be made through the middle of each conker and a length of string attached. 

 

We would take our conkers into school and the game would be played during break times. Somehow I can't imagine that being allowed now, with the Health & Safety zealots around. The conker to break first would be the loser!  The traditional game of conkers is actually named from the word 'conquer' as the aim of the game is to conquer one another's conkers. Clever, eh?!  Apparently, there is even a World Conker Championship. Who knew?!

Can anyone else remember playing Jacks?!  I was an only child, so I suppose this game was ideal for me, and I can remember playing it for hours, although you could play it with others. 

I remember having such fun as a child. Certainly, there's no denying that life was so much simpler then and, of course, not many of our mums used to go out to work. Another favourite was to make Dens at the local park and take a picnic along. It really was just like something out of Enid Blyton's Famous Five or Secret Seven. Here is one of my Enid Blyton books that was given to me on my birthday in 1958!

 

Perhaps I'll talk about more childhood games in a future post. Hope you’re all having a good weekend. 

A Gentle Pace....

Dear Bloggy Friends

I like to think of this Blog being written 'at a gentle pace'  - in other words, it's not going to contain any political rants, or complaints about anything and everything. That sort of thing seems to be all over social media these days.  People who think it's right to bring others down from the comfort, and often anonymity, of their own homes. I'm hoping that you will read this and dwell on all the good and wonderful things that life has to offer.  Quite often, as we know, it's the simple things that can bring us the greatest happiness - our family, our friendships, walking, having a relaxed, leisurely lunch, to name but a few. 

So here we are in October.  Autumn, the Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness, as written by the English Romantic Poet, John Keats, in his poem "To Autumn".  Don't you just love those words?!  It captures Autumn perfectly for me.  Talking of Autumn, am I in the Autumn of my life? Being in my 70th year, (although I haven't actually had my 70th birthday yet!) I really think I might be. Eeeek! How on earth did that happen.  Perhaps that's why I'm enjoying my life so much at the moment and truly appreciating the beauty that is all around us.  Here are a couple of photos taken in my garden at Autumn.

Well, this is the first post I've written in almost a year, and I think I'm going to enjoy coming back to it again.  I'll finish by posting a photo with my new Mini Cooper S. I love it!  I've always enjoyed driving, but now it's a real joy.  

 

'Bye for now and I'll try not to leave it so long until my next Post 😊

Just For The Birds

I am very fortunate to have plenty of wildlife here in my garden in heavenly Devon, and I try to capture photos whenever I can. The woodpecker is the most difficult one to capture with the camera, because he is off at the slightest movement or noise. I shall have to sit myself on a chair and learn to be patient - and very quiet! I did manage to take this one shot, although the quality isn't really very good. 

There is a quotation that says "you are nearer to God in a garden, than anywhere else on earth".

I'm also over on Pinterest, where I have a Board entitled Bird Houses. I have picked out a few of the prettiest ones to show here, and I do hope you will enjoy looking at them. 

See you again next time round.

This next one would look delightful hanging beside my little caravan!

"We Will Remember Them"

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them."

In the United Kingdom today, the Queen will lead the Country in honouring the fallen, after a two minute silence at the Cenotaph in London. 

This is a day for the Nation to remember and honour all those men and women who have sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom. 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below. (Excerpt from In Flanders Fields by John McCrae). 

November? More Like Summer!

Well my friends, Halloween is over for another year. I know some people are against it, but surely it is only a bit of fun?  I realize that folks in the U.S. Now have Thanksgiving to look forward to, but I'm now really looking forward to Christmas already, and decorating the house!  Here are a couple of photos of my youngest grandchildren. The first one taken last night, and the second one in 2014. 

Well, it might be the 1st November, but here in heavenly Devon, it really is like a Summer's day. Really warm and sunny with clear blue skies. I'm actually up in my little caravan writing this. 

We have had some wonderful days this week, and one morning I was out in my jammies trying to capture the beautiful sunrise. Photos taken with the camera on my iPhone. I loved the sheep walking towards me as they emerged from the mist. 

Well, on that note, I will leave you once again. I hope you enjoyed the photos today. Take care little bloggies.