Saturday Six: A Medley of Sorts

I started working on this post one Saturday morning a couple of weeks ago. With nothing on the must-do list until much later in the afternoon, I felt completely free to sit at my desk and write. I love mornings like this, where there's naught on the agenda except time to muse and dawdle, or as the British might say, to potter about. 

Aside: when you read your favourite books, do you ever find yourself picking up the lingo from it? I do, especially when it's one written in an earlier era where the writing might be more formal, or from another country or region where word choices are different to our usual ones. For instance, I do like using the word 'naught' instead of 'nothing'.

If you've been following this blog awhile, you'll probably recognize I like to create lists. So here is my Saturday Six ... a little medley of thoughts I hope you will enjoy reading today. 

ONE

Movies I Watch Over and Over

Someone on social media asked if people have any movies they watch five times or more and still enjoy them. Without thinking, my own list started forming: 

           ~  Chariots of Fire
           ~  Enchanted April
           ~  You've Got Mail
           ~  84 Charing Cross Road
           ~  Pride and Prejudice, the Colin Firth version
           ~  Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson
           ~  Agatha Christie Miss Marple films with Joan Hickson
           ~  Poirot with David Suchet
           ~  A Year in Provence
            ~ Planes, Trains and Automobiles

Oh, and The Empire Strikes Back. When that movie first came out in the 1980's, my best friend and I stood in the long line one summer evening, only to get to the front and find out the first show was full. It wasn't a problem to wait for the second show; it was summertime, the evenings were long, and there was a decided excitement in the air. We went back to see it several times that summer, and now, after all these years, I only have to hear those first few notes of John William's theme music to feel the thrill all over again.

With these old classics, I never seem to tire of the music, scenery, costumes, or story lines, not to mention the characters who have interesting things to say. In many cases, I know lines off by heart. There's a great satisfaction to watch something that feels as familiar as one's own skin; it's comforting too -- like cozy slippers.

TWO

Don't Do Much Needlework Anymore and

Why I Might Take My Needle Out of Retirement

Conversation on Facebook Messenger:

My Friend: Just a thought, do you do cross stitch? I have one that I will not use.

Me: I haven’t done any cross-stitch projects for a long time. I keep thinking I might take it up again; yet, the truth of it, I never do. Perhaps because I prefer to play with ribbons of words than spend time trying to thread cotton strands through the eye of a needle. (Pause) Is your writing the reason why you have something you know you won’t do anymore? BTW, what is the pattern/picture of your cross stitch?

My Friend: It was something I thought I might like, bought the kit years ago. Then found writing and we all know how that turned out! Totally obsessed.

A picture of the kit (above) was sent to me; it's called Quaint Country Retreat. I'm smitten. My friend and I are meeting later so she can give it to me. So, I guess that means I'm taking my needle out of retirement. I'm actually looking forward to it.

THREE

Airing An Old Post

"Where Does The Time Go?"

Photo by Adriano de Gironimo on Unsplash

Sometimes I go snooping around in my blog archives to update information or delete a seriously outdated post. There are times when I get caught up in an old forgotten piece and quite enjoy what I'm reading (even if it is my own stuff). I think to myself, Girl, that's not half bad!

I recently found a short post written in 2009 that made me smile. I must have been feeling a little silly that day. In case you're now intrigued, you are welcome to find the post HERE.

FOUR

A Bit of Autumn Poetry

I penned a poem the other day and it debuted on my Facebook page. I don't consider myself a poet; it's not often I think about writing something poetic, but once in a while I get an itch inside and the words start to sort themselves into lines that may or may not rhyme, and before I know it they've created a rhythm and lilt that makes it sound quite fine.

Autumn Leaf

The world a-swirl with fallen leaves

That dance and prance on autumn breeze

In patterned piles of pigmentation

Colours adrift in mild flirtation

A single pinnate leaf I find

(each leaflet forms its whole)

Home I take it for a prize

This feathery leaf to rhapsodize

FIVE

A Quote To Remember

"Getting things accomplished isn't nearly
as important as taking time for love."

 ~ Janette Oke, Author

When your kitty cat climbs on your lap for a pet, when your 5-year-old granddaughter asks for a tea party, when your grandma needs a chatty visit on the phone ... sometimes that is more important in the moment than checking off the to-do list.

Perhaps Janette Oke's sage advice should head our task lists to gently remind us that life is more than just lists to get done.

SIX

It Depends On When and Where You Look

"Sometimes the parts of it

are more lovely than the whole of it." 

Recently, a friend commented on my FB page saying that my garden must be fabulous because the pictures I post of my flowers are always wonderful. Not that I meant to deceive in any way, but I had to tell her I've been very selective in showcasing my garden this past summer. Most of it was/is under construction -- old trees had been removed leaving unsightly empty spots until vigorous new specimens arrived. Dug up perennials sat around in pots waiting to be replanted. And, large scrappy old lawns were taken out, fresh soil added, and then reseeded in smaller staked out plots.

Not every corner in our garden looks like paradise at this stage, I told my friend, "Sometimes the parts of it are more lovely than the whole of it." I admit, it took much cropping and zooming in with my camera to capture just the heart of a splendid rose or to catch the astilbe and liatris in full bloom without having bits of construction zone lurking off to one side.

There's a lesson in there, I'm sure, trying to wiggle out from under the dirt piles; at the very least, it may be an interesting thought. I can look at the yard overall and say it's a big mess. A sweeping view around and you would agree. But when we bend closer -- nearer and more intimately -- there is something quite lovely budding out in a corner over here. Or there. In the few as-yet untouched areas, in and amongst the construction zones, we notice the charm of individual plantings. No, the overall view is not gorgeous, but there are patches that feel sublime.

And, that's what my camera and I focus on... 

Our lives can certainly look that way at times. Things can be out of order. Maybe health issues, job losses, or the never ending news of global devastation. So often our lives aren't perfect in every realm and corner of it. The big picture might look gloomy, but zoom in and we can appreciate something quite different. Over here, the roses keep blushing out with new buds sending out their sweet fragrance. I've shown you photos of the Peace Rose pouring her heart out this past summer, right in the middle of the rubble piles. Surely something is budding out in our own lives right now, whatever state it's in.

We can be selective in what we focus on, what we choose to identify with. For me, it's about watching for those glimpses of heaven ... so often found in unexpected places.

With love and all good wishes, dear friends, 

for a beautiful day...

Hugs,

Brenda

xox