Ten things on Thursday

 

1

Zinnias blooming in the garden

colourful and riotous

2

The wildfires in Canada have created quite a bit of smoke here in the Boston area. The sky is a strange brownish colour and the smell of smoke is in the air. 

I am keeping everyone who has been affected in my prayers.

3

The heat has been oppressive here. Between the high temperatures and the smoke I have been spending most of my time indoors. 

4

I met my eldest daughter, Hannah, for an early dinner last night. We went to a Chinese restaurant that my mother used to love. 

5

We also went to a second hand shop that is in the same parking lot where I picked up this beautiful sailboat trinket shelf! I put some shells I've collected on it. Eventually, I will find other little ocean/beachy themed trinkets for it. 

6

I had to go to the doctor on Monday as my eye was really bothering me. It turns out I have a scratch on my cornea and have been using an ointment 4 times a day. It hasn't been very effective and I can't see well for an hour or so after I apply it. I may have to go back to the doctor. 

7

I keep thinking of poor Saul's (Paul's) eyes in Acts. 

I can still see, thank God, but I can't help but hear Jesus telling me to go to church. I haven't been much this summer as I've been busy.

8

I purchased this sweet little napkin/salt and pepper holder at a vintage shop last week. The salt and pepper shakers were not sold with it but I think they match perfectly. I generally use cloth napkins so I had to add paper napkins to my grocery list. 

9

I am a little nervous about eating a salad due to the issues with lettuce and cyclospora. This is all the more reason for shopping at farmer's markets or growing your own produce. 

10

My granddaughters have been relaxing in the summer heat. 

A new day

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t

A cheerful heart is good medicine

but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Proverbs 17:22 

I stumbled upon these vintage cups and saucers at a second hand shop not too long ago. They are really quite cheerful and I love drinking my morning coffee out of them.  They are like a little bit of sunshine even on a cloudy morning. 

Speaking of sunshine, I read that the U.S. government has once again decided to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. We'll see how that goes. If it passes, it is scheduled to take effect on December 1.

t

From the rising of the sun to its setting

the name of the Lord is to be praised.

Psalm 113:3

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The apple of your eye

 

I love thrifting on Saturday mornings and puttering about at home on Saturday afternoons.

This is what I found today:

a box of 10 paper lanterns

a mid-century modern candlestick

a pair of denim capri's

a pretty little shirt for spring

a mid-century mug from Korea

a very pretty Lilly Pulitzer scarf

an old Peter Frampton record

All proceeds went into my town's school system and Lord knows they need all the help 

they can get these days. 

autumn color

 "Mum! Go outside!!" My daughter called me lastnight. I was already in my pajamas but I had been hearing about the aurora borealis making a showing so I jumped up and ran out the door. I could hear my granddaughters in the back round saying, "It looks like a rainbow!"

My husband and I quickly threw some jackets on and walked down to the old fort which is right on the ocean. Wow! 

I had parent teacher conferences yesterday. I love this first conference of the school year because it gives me a chance to get to know the families in my class. When I know how the families operate and what their hopes and dreams for their little toddlers are it helps me to understand and guide the children. I am 61 years old and the parents I work with are often the same age or even younger than my own daughters. The children I work with are younger than my grandchildren. 

I cannot (nor would I) post pictures of my class families here but if I could post a picture of a giant heart I would. 

I have been doing quite a bit of cooking the past few weekends. I have plenty of food in the fridge to eat for dinners and lunches without having to cook when I get home. It's been very nice!

In my classroom we have a wall of windows and a glass door that look out onto the back deck and the fields beyond. The campus used to be a tree orchard. At this time of year, when the leaves are changing colours it looks so beautiful. The light in the classroom changes. It becomes all soft and colourful. It's just so pretty.

Friday fave fives

Where do the children play

 

A stick and a beechnut seed

and hours of time for imaginative play.

Little things Thursday 

Nature notes

 

chrysanthemums

 

A trip to the nursery for chrysanthemums to put in my window box. I am never quite sure what colour to get so this year I just bought my four favourite colours and I will mix it all up. I just love looking out of my living room window and seeing all the pretty autumn flowers! 

I did quite a bit of cooking on Saturday as well: vegetarian chili, two loaves of pumpkin bread (with raisins), blue corn bread, roasted squash with apples and carrots, and a batch of farro. I love being able to just grab and go. I still have a butternut squash that I will roast and make a soup with later in the week. 

We have our first parent/teacher conferences this week at the Montessori school where I work. I really enjoy these first conferences as it gives me the chance to get to know the families a little bit. I find it helpful to teach the child when I have some understanding of their families. 

We have had some absolutely beautiful weather this weekend! Oh my goodness! Bright blue sunny skies, warm temps, and cool nights. Perfect for autumn!

Normally I blog at a spirit of simplicity but I switched that blog over to wordpress and I'm not convinced it was my best idea. So, I'm going to try this old blogger blog that I never really use and see if I like it better. Sometimes I feel like no one ever blogs anymore. I think more people use instagram or some other site like that but I like blogging so I'm going to keep doing it. I hope you do too. 

The good, the random, the fun 

Market Tulips

 

Tulips are popping up all everywhere in the parking lot at the market. 

Bunches and bunches and bunches of bulbs that bloom in riotous colour every spring.

I park the car and look around in joy at all the beauty.

I toss my plans for dinner right away opting instead for a simple spring dinner of

asparagus, fresh pea shoots, and farro.

But, I can't resist grabbing a bouquet of tulips for the kitchen table.

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The way to start a day

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There is fresh and dried fruit on the porch

in the early morning sunshine.

cherries, blueberries,

grapes and apricots,

crunchy almonds

and coffee.

The rest of the house is sleeping still

but I am settin on the porch a spell

with my feet up on the balusters...

watching the morning come down. 

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Thankful Thursday

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I am so thankful for my sweet, smart, super-duper grandson, Verne. 

I cannot believe how quickly the past two years have flown by!

Please feel free to share something you are thankful for.

An InLinkz Link-up

thankful Thursday

Thankful for my family today. 

I think they are pretty great!

Please share a post sharing what you are thankful for.

An InLinkz Link-up