Diggin in the dirt....

When the going gets tough, as they say, I get going into the garden.  

When life begins to overwhelm, some women find getting their nails done or shopping for shoes as a form of relaxation. Not me.  Give me a bucket and some hand clippers and I am one happy camper.

I literally got down on my hands and knees in the dirt this afternoon and was totally content.  While the Englishman and the two basset hounds turned over soil in the back garden, I was pulling weeds and raking piles of dirt in the front.  And loving every minute of it.

Growing up in the suburbs, my family and I were truly blessed to have several acres of woods behind our house.  My siblings, friends and I could spend entire days there - playing make believe games, pushing our hands deep into the moist soil, wading in the brook and climbing trees. Those escapes are some of the sweetest memories I hold.

With the pace of life picking up speed around here, a few hours crawling on top of the flower beds was exactly what I needed to bring calm to my soul.  Perhaps my love of gardening is proof that I'm actually a bit of an English girl at heart.  Anyone seen my shovel?

Thursday's thought for the day....

"We are still young. . . .  But not so much."

                                            Vincent. the Frenchman

Ah yes, I thought.  That is exactly it!

(You need to imagine this statement being made with a very thick French accent, which gives it more impact.)

Vincent, one of our fellow guests at the wedding in Germany last weekend, made this comment as several of us were walking back into our hotel.  It had been a very long day. The celebrations immediately following the wedding ceremony had us all standing for about four hours straight.  That included the tour of the Kloster.  The evening festivities found us sitting at tables during the nearly four hours it took for the meal to be served. I believe we were among the first of the celebrants to leave.  Which was a little embarrassing, given that some of the guests were well into their 70's!  It must have been the "not so much" of our youth that found us seeking our beds.

It'll be fine...???

So there we were, last weekend, in the Rhineland among the grapevines in Germany.  Our hosts, the couple whose wedding we had come to celebrate, wanted very much to show us the area.  This was my first trip to Germany and they were anxious that I enjoy it enough to return someday.

So on Sunday afternoon, we set off in two cars, following one another to an area called Rudesheim.  After we exited the cars in the car park I looked up to see what I used to call as a child "or buckets" or a kind of cable car.  From where we stood it didn't look very high at all.  (Ah, but looks can be deceiving, I later found out.)

I commented to daughter #1, who was with us on this trip, that when I was little my parents had taken us to an amusement place called "Freedomland".  We rode in similar style buckets.  I recalled being confused when my mother urged us to look around at the view, while grasping the sides of the car tightly and staring at the floor.  "If it's so great, " I wondered, "why aren't you looking?"  I discovered the reason as a I grew older and found my mother and I had a real kinship where fear of heights were concerned.

To my surprise, as we walked down the street with our hosts, they let it be known that the plan was for us to ride in these suspended cars to the top of the mountain.  Seriously?  Was there an email about this? It was not on the agenda I had received.

Well, I decided, it would be plain rude to refuse to go up the mountain.  I also had a sneaking suspicion that the view would be spectacular and I would regret it always if I didn't search the depths of my soul for some courage and join in.

So daughter #1, a fellow heights sufferer, graciously offered to ride with me and hold my hand and do whatever she could to make it easier. I should point out that the Englishman also offered to ride with me but I thought I would feel freer to scream with my daughter! ( If you look closely at the picture above I think my hair had already started to turn white before we even set off!)

There we are, setting off, in car 46.  Now, in fairness, you can see that the car wasn't very big.  I was most grateful for the grab bars on either side of me which I made full use of. Wearing sunglasses hid the fact that my eyes were closed more than open during the journey.  My daughter's commentary as we rose higher and higher helped tremendously. Where she found all the courage I don't know, though she said trying to help me was in fact a help and distraction for her.  (On our return, we ended up again in car 46.  I took this as a direct sign from Heaven that I would survive the descent!)

As you can see the views were spectacular and well worth all the efforts of rising to the top.  There was a restaurant down a steep stairway, (why was I not surprised) where we ate a lovely meal, sampling the local offerings of meat and cheeses.

Our hosts then wanted us to see a magnificent monument sitting atop the peak of the mountain, in honor of Kaiser Wilhelm.  They were very disappointed as we climbed higher and higher to discover it was under construction. Completely.  Just a photo on the outside of the tarp gave an indication of what was hiding underneath.  I commented that it was nice to see that scaffolding on major sites was not unique to the US.  Seems every construction crew in the world works at the same pace.  That of a snail.

To be honest, these few photographs do not do justice to the truly breath-taking views I took in that day.  And the sense I pride I had in having ridden up and down in the cable car cannot be measured.  I am very grateful not to have given in to my fears and missed the experience.  It was worth every ounce of courage I could muster!

Tip for a Tuesday....

We have returned from our long weekend in Germany,  where we attended the wedding of friends.  More about the trip itself in the days to come.  For now, here are a few tips acquired while traveling over the years.

My Top Ten Travel Tips

1. Write up a rough plan of outfits before packing, making sure to take note of accessories.  This can save you from thoughts of "Did I pack enough?" as you head out the door.
2. Always pack an extra sweater or a wrap for warmth.  Evenings can get very chilly and weather forecasters are not infallible.
3. Pack your underwear, socks, and a change of clothes in your carry-on in case your luggage is lost.
4. Pack "liquid" items in a see-thru plastic bag, separate from your make-up.  These include moisturizers, liquid foundation, etc.  Be sure they are 3oz or less.  Yes, they do check! Hence, the large plastic bin filled with discarded tubes and bottles in the security section.
5. Pack your make-up in your carry-on, not checked luggage, especially if you have sensitive skin issues.  Not all brands are sold in Europe and other parts of the world.
6. Jars of jam are in fact considered "liquid" items and will be confiscated by airport security.  No, they don't make exceptions, even if it is a gift for your aging mother.  (This happened to me in London a few years ago.)
7. Pack a chocolate bar and some pretzels in your purse for the plane ride.  Even if the airplane food is good, you'll need a treat.  A bottle of water is a help with the dehydration common on flights.
8. Dress in loose fitting layers for the plane ride.  Elastic waist pants can be a blessing!
9. Leave early for your flight.  Better to be sitting a long time in the airport, than sitting in a panic stuck in traffic on the highway.  We haven't missed a flight yet thanks to this.
10. Pack some patience and a sense of humor in your bags. Trust me - you'll need them.

FOR RENT

FOR RENT:  3 separate apartments;  lovely landscaped location.  Available immediately for occupation.  

This lovely barn is a two-family abode.  Conveniently located next to a water source.

This rugged structure, with "enhanced" door opening can be occupied by one family.

Both properties offer easy access to a variety of eateries.

Optional security can be arranged to keep out pests. (Squirrels in particular)

The Englishman cleaned out the birdhouses last weekend.  We've already had a few sets of birds checking them both out.  Looking forward to seeing new families in the yard soon!

Thursday's thought for the day....

"Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit.  Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset."


                                                            St. Francis De Sales


Flipping through my "quotes" notebooks this afternoon, this particular one jumped out at me and said "Oh, you so need this today!"   Yes.  I do.  I have found myself picking up speed lately as I go through my days.  It's an uncomfortable feeling, that rushing and constantly looking to see what needs to be done next.

A friend advised me this morning, gently, to calm down and relax.  Take it easy.   Wise woman.  I needed to hear those words.

I had so much to do this morning that I feared none of it would get done.  But it did.  One thing at a time and all has been accomplished.  Good reminder that I don't need to hurry. If it's important, I will get to it.  If not, I let it go.

I plan to take a deep breath now and ready myself for the rest of the day.  The Englishman, daughter #1 and I are leaving for the airport later for a long weekend in Germany.  Flying is not my most favorite thing to do, so some inner peace and a calm spirit is what's called for.  A good magazine to read would be nice too!

This weekend will be a good test of my computer skills.  I have a few blog posts in waiting and hope to be able to post them from long distance.  If I can't, I will be posting again on Monday.

Wish me luck!

Mmmmmmmmm........

This afternoon was spent running some errands. Upon my return home, I crossed the threshold and my senses took in the most wonderful aroma.  Ah, the Englishman is getting an early start on dinner I thought. Sure enough, as I walked into the kitchen, there he was putting the finishing touches on a Shepherd's pie.

Not familiar with Shepherd's pie, also known as Cottage pie?  It is a tummy satisfying, comfy type of meal generally made with the leftovers from Sunday dinner.  It is traditionally a combination of roasted meat, vegetables such as carrots and peas, and then topped with mashed potatoes.  I'm sure there are as many variations of this pie as there are English cooks.  In our house, the Englishman uses ground beef, frozen vegetables, large chunks of onion, and the requisite mashed potatoes.

The first time my mother-in-law cooked for us while visiting, many years ago, she made Shepherd's pie.  We didn't let Mum cook often during her visits, wanting to wait on her and let her have a vacation. But she was in her element that day. "Do you have any spuds?" she inquired.  I think by then I had caught on to some of the British lingo and deduced she wanted some potatoes.  Mum busied herself peeling, chopping, and mashing.  This was the first time I had Shepherd's pie and found it tasted quite delicious.  Actually, what I remember most from that meal was the look of pride and joy on her face as she puttered around the kitchen cooking and tidying up.  It's one of those fond memories of her that I keep tucked away in my heart.

Despite being busy making supper, the Englishman had a nice mug of tea waiting for me, as he does nearly every day around 3pm. Perfect way to relax after being out and about.

Kate Middleton isn't the only one married to a Prince!

Tip for a Tuesday....

My tip for today is to head on over to my middle daughter's blog, "Mommy Musings",  and check out my guest post!

To find it, scroll down the right hand side of my blog until you see: My Blog List.  Mandy is the first one on the list.

Also, I would love to have more "members".  You can join by clicking on the link, also on the right hand side.  If you would like to be notified when I put up a new post, please add your name to the "follow by email" section.  I would love to see my membership grow!  Thank you for your support.

What a difference a day can make......

This morning I was reminded of the value of simply waiting.  Waiting to see if things change, waiting to see if I feel differently after a good (or not so good) night's sleep, waiting for the winds to shift.

Finally got my hair cut and colored last Thursday.  When the stylist had finished, I smiled my usual smile and said, "That looks great - thank you!".  But when I got home, and for the next couple of days, I was fairly unhappy with the results.  Whenever I looked in the mirror I wondered who the stranger was staring back at me.

But this morning, I don't know if I held the brush and hairdryer in a new way or it's Monday or what, but I looked like me again.  And I have to say I really like the cut she gave me.  I asked for more layers so it would have more lift and that's exactly what S gave me.

Good reminder.  If you don't like what's happening - wait.  Things may just look differently tomorrow.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

What better way to wish you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day than to share a photo of my darling granddaughters!  That is "M" on the left and "Baby C" on the right.  Aren't they adorable?

Their shirts share the fact that they are "a wee bit Irish". Their great, great grandmother on their Mother's side was from Dundalk, in County Louth, Ireland.  

Their great grandmother used to take their Mother for Irish step dancing lessons on Friday nights - so they had time together and so their grandmother could spend some alone time with their grandfather.  I hope to do the same for my little sweethearts someday.

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,

may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

traditional gaelic blessing

Setting a trap......

When I returned to teaching several years ago, there was a section in the Third Grade Science book about "Simple Machines". It must have been Divine inspiration that I came up with the idea of combining that chapter with a special project for the students to work on.  Using the tools of a pulley, incline plane, or a lever, they were to build a trap to catch a Leprechaun.  And what an adventure it turned out to be!


The kids really got into the idea and had a lot of fun with it.  Once I had assigned the project, they hounded me with countless questions about Leprechauns - their size, likes and dislikes, and eating habits.  On March the 17th, they brought in their traps and set them up on their desks just before lunch.  Bursting with excitement, they would rush back into the classroom from lunch eager to see if any of them had been successful in catching at least one Leprechaun.  Though disappointed that their traps did not hold one of the "little people", they were however thrilled to find they had left a little treasure behind for each of them. Most years there was a chocolate coin on their desk and one class received coins from Great Britain.  Sometimes there was a sprinkling of Leprechaun "dust" (glitter) to add to the mystery.


I received such pleasure from watching the children's faces as they rushed around the room checking to see what tricks had been had in the classroom.  Chairs might have been overturned, books strewn on the floor.  Theories abounded for the rest of the day as to how the Leprechauns got in and I was questioned extensively about my whereabouts during lunchtime.  


I'd like to think that each year on St. Patrick's Day those students look back and remember some of the fun and magic that was had back in Third Grade.  I know I certainly do!

Thursday's thought for the day....

"We should regret our mistakes and learn from them, but never carry them forward into the future with us."
                                                                                              ~ Lucy Maud Montgomery


I've learned that nothing in life is wasted if I can learn from it.  But taking the feeling of failure or regret, and reliving it over and over, can cause me the greatest harm and serves no useful purpose whatsoever.


These days, not only am I clearing out closets, cupboards and drawers, I am also letting go of the negative debris I have accumulated in my head.  It takes up too much of the space I would rather fill with joy!


Not familiar with Lucy Maud Montgomery?  She was a Canadian author best known for  a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables.  If you've never read them or seen the series I urge you to seek them both out.  The stories are delightful and an insight into life on Prince Edward Island in the late 1800's. I have spent many happy hours both as a mother and a teacher in sharing these timeless tales. Treat yourself to a wonderful escape through the works of Lucy Maud Montgomery.

When a man loves a woman....

My parents got their very first television set sixty years ago.  How can I be so sure of the year?  My mother often told us the story as we were growing up. Apparently my father thought this new invention, television, was merely a passing fad and didn't want to purchase one.  My mother's response was a firm one. "Passing fad or not, the Coronation of the Queen of England is being shown and I want to see it."  Because he loved my mother, and to keep the peace, my Dad went out and bought something like this:

(I won't try and solicit sympathy by mentioning that we didn't get a "color" set until I went to high school.  That would be childish.......)

Fast forward about thirty years, and the Englishman and I are planning our wedding.  I discovered, just a few weeks before the date, that Gone With the Wind, one of my absolute favorite books and movie was going to be shown on television for the first time the night of our wedding.  I admitted to the Englishman that I was feeling a bit conflicted -

get married .......watch Gone With the Wind........hmmmmm

Without hesitation, the Englishman went out and purchased one of the first VCR's (a type of cd recorder for you young folks) so that he could record the movie for me and we could still go ahead with the ceremony.  My hero.  

In the coming weeks, thanks to my tech savvy Englishman, we will be watching all the coverage of Queen Elizabeth and her Diamond Jubilee celebrations live, via the BBC. " Sixty years on..." as Elton John used to sing.

Tip for a Tuesday....

Decorating with Dishtowels

My love of dishtowels goes way back, probably to when I shared my first apartment with a friend from college.  It is one of the easiest, low cost ways to brighten up a kitchen or bathroom.  

You can purchase simple ones from K-Mart or splash out at Williams- Sonoma.

They can be linen or cotton, solid color or with a holiday design.

I keep a stash of everyday ones for use in my kitchen.  Special holiday ones are stored in my linen closet and only make an appearance for holidays or change of season.

Once you grow tired of them or they are too worn to display, the added bonus is that you can recycle them as cleaning rags.

With today's dramatic change in the weather, I think it may be time to search out some towels with Spring flowers and singing birds!

Spring forward....

When I hear the expression "Spring forward" I get a mental image that I should be feeling something like this:

But in reality, I fear I will wake up tomorrow feeling more like this:

It's all fun and games late in the day, when the sun is still shining.  But "comes the dawn" and it is still dark as night as I venture out I will be asking:  Who came up with this idea anyway?

(I've always been grateful I didn't teach my kids to equate bedtime with darkness and light.  Boy can that backfire on you starting now.)

Before and after.....

While the Englishman was circling the globe a week ago, I was busy organizing, downsizing and clearing out the kitchen cabinets and pantry.  Unfortunately, I didn't take any "before" pictures but do have some scenes depicting the results of my efforts.

It's difficult to see from the pictures, but I put many items in labeled plastic containers, used stacking and expanding little shelves, and turntables to maximize space.

After cooking dinner tonight the Englishman commented that it was so nice to have everything "right there where I need it while I'm cooking." Which was exactly what I was hoping to achieve - "mission accomplished!"

Happy Friday, everyone!

Thursday's thought for the day....

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.  

                              ~Jennifer Yane

That pretty much sums up the kind of days I've been having for the past several weeks.  From bassets with ear infections, to stitches on my head, and varying minor illnesses attacking the Englishman, daughter #1 and granddaughter M, things have not been going as smoothly as I like.  I actually smiled and thought to myself, just a couple of weeks ago, that things were starting to go really well.  Silly me.  I should remember that that is exactly when life seems to "zap" me and all goes awry.

But family are on the mend, stitches have been removed, and doggies seem to be shaking their heads less frequently.  Things are good.  That's all I'm going to say.  Good. 

(I fear that if I say anything more hopeful, it may all run amuck once again.)

They're back......

Very excited to announce that the Englishman and daughter #1 have safely returned from their trip which took them to Europe and halfway around the world for the past fourteen days. They slipped into the house just before 1am, exhausted but quite happy to be home again.

I, and the four basset hounds in my care, are also very glad indeed to have them back!

Cake decorator?

Ummmm, no.

As you can clearly see from the photos below, cake decorating is most definitely not my forte.

According to the picture provided by the cake pan people, this is what the finished little cakes from the characters in the movie Cars should look like.

This is how mine turned out, as I rushed to finish them this morning.

I'm sure there are numerous people who possess the time, talent, and patience to replicate the cakes in the photo.  But I can't quite seem to do it.  I'm afraid I used my heart, rather than my head when I bought this cake pan.  I know I am not talented when it comes to such things, but my oldest granddaughter just loves Cars, especially Mater, the tow truck.  So I purchased it with her in mind, ignoring my lack of ability.

Now there was a very good reason why I attempted to make these today.   M usually spends a few hours with the Englishman and I every Sunday, but she was not able to come the past two weeks due to the four basset hounds currently occupying the house.  Each time I've seen her at her house during this time, she asks hopefully "I go Grandmom's house now?" I tried to explain about all the dogs and how they would probably knock her down.  M assured me, "But Grandmom, Duwey and Bentwey, (she's having a little trouble with her L's at the moment) LOVE me.  It will be alright.  I will tell them 'Down, boys' ".  Despite her confidence about handling the situation, I was not convinced I could cope with a toddler and four active dogs on my own.

Her parents stopped outside my house at dinner time last night to surprise me with some ice cream from Dairy Queen.  My daughter told me that when M had awakened from her nap that afternoon she had said she was sad.  When my daughter asked her why, she responded "I miss Grandmom".

So naturally, having heard that and being complete putty in this child's hands, I immediately promised to come and see her today and bring her a special treat.  Hence, the baking.  Though she is only three, I felt even M would be very disappointed with the results of my efforts, so instead I brought her an activity book I had been saving for her.  M and I played with it together, which actually worked out much better than the cakes would have.

As for continuing to develop my creative side - I think I'll stick with the unfinished wood pieces and paint for now. I seemed to have much better luck with that!

Getting crafty....

When I was growing up, it seemed as though each child in our family was found to have a talent.  One talent per child, and consciously or unconsciously, those talents were not to be shared. I don't know if this was true in other families.  My talent?  Ballet dancing.  Well, dancing of any kind really.  My brother was the scientist and my sister, the artist.  Science and I are about as compatible as Math and I, so no problem there for my brother.  And I didn't think I had a creative bone in my body, so I was never a threat to my sister's talent. Clearly the stick figure drawings I came up with were not artist material.

Now that I'm much too old to pursue my dream of being a Prima ballerina, I thought I would try and see if I could be a little more creative in my spare time.  I'm starting small. No sense damaging my ego too badly at the moment.  So last night I finally tackled painting a step stool I purchased at Michael's for my granddaughter.  It's for me too, actually, since some days she seems awfully heavy when I try to lift her up to wash her hands at our bathroom sink.

You know how you can have an idea in your head about how you want something to look, but it rarely turns out that way?  The angels must have been smiling down on me last night because I have to say that the step stool turned out exactly as I hoped it would.

Not bad, right?  Now for my next project....

Before and after.....

I've been working on de-cluttering and clearing out the kitchen while the Englishman has been circling the globe, literally, for the past ten days.  Lately, every time I glanced at the hutch in my kitchen I found myself feeling somewhat unsettled.  Then it hit me - the hutch was becoming chaotic, cluttered with bits and bobs, the exact opposite of what was happening in the rest of the room.  And I didn't like the feeling it was giving me. 

Just removing only a few objects feels much better.

And now, as they say:

Thursday's thought for the day....

"The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our disposition and not on our circumstances."

                                                               ~  Martha Washington

Now there was a wise woman.  What little I've read of Martha says that she was assertive, of independent means, and loved her husband madly.  At George Washington's request, she would pack up and travel thousands of miles to join him at military encampments in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York during the American Revolution. Clearly a woman who loved and supported not only her husband, but the cause of freedom.

Martha is right.  Simply put, it's all how you look at it.  Today, I choose to look about me, noting that all is well in my world.

Oh, and the stitches are healing nicely too!