February Heart Stuff: Five On Friday

Photo: Brigitte Tohm | unsplash.com

Happy Valentine's Day to you! ♥♥♥ I know the actual date has come and gone, but perhaps there are more of us who like to celebrate it all month long. Valentine's Day has often focused on it being an occasion just for sweethearts, but surely love is shared by a much larger pocket of people than just couples or lovers. So, today I'm celebrating love in all its aspects... as sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, cousins, aunties and uncles, best friends, college friends, casual friends, colleagues, not to mention our furry family friends, our kitties and doggies, who add so much love to our world.

Even though Amy from Love Made My Home no longer hosts Five on Fridays, I still like to use this format as a way to gather my moments and share some of them with you. Here, then, are my Friday five for today:

ONE

Around the house... Things have been piling up in the corners again. Such a slow process one hardly notices it until it's a bit of a mess. More than a couple of years ago now, I did a complete detailing of our house. Top to bottom. It took several weeks of persistent working away at cleaning out every drawer, cupboard, dresser, shelf, and closet in every room, including the basement and storage area. Sorting, putting things back where they belonged, discarding junk, and giving away stuff that was still good. When I was finished, every single thing had a home, and with that came such a freeing and satisfying feeling. I knew where everything belonged, and if it wasn't there, I now knew there was no chance it might be lurking anywhere else.

I'm proud to say, it stayed that way for a long time. I kept on top of myself to put things away and to keep the clutter down to zero. As I say, it stayed that way for months, but then I began to notice a gradual, almost imperceptible, slipping back into not staying on top of things on a daily basis. The top of my dresser, which I carefully cleared each evening of dropped earrings, buttons, receipts heading for the file or garbage, was displaying a small assorted pile of stuff on the side. Looking around, I realized my spare bedroom had a similar thing going on atop the bed and dresser, a sure sign that things were starting to unravel elsewhere in my house.

I must admit, I have a continual tug-o-war between my two selves: one side of me loves holding onto memorabilia and trinkets and lots of paper ... and the other side is a minimalist who yearns to be free from the claptrap and clutter and my 'need' for so many material possessions. Maybe ancestry experts would find my DNA roots are lodged in the Victorian era (they certainly were masters at clutter) as well as the Japanese culture (true masters at clean, clear spaces). For me, the challenge is finding a balance that makes both selves reasonably happy (one in her trinket-y clutter and one in her cleared away space).

Some time ago, Susan Branch wrote a post I found enjoyable and inspiring. After her very busy life of writing several books, creating new projects, travelling to see family and going on a several-week book tour, she tells of how her studio ended up as a complete disaster area and of how she was slowly putting it all to rights again. Her story inspired me to begin my own slow but steady process of dealing with the extraneous and making every room in my own house all nice again. Here is Susan's delightfully honest post, just in case you need her inspiration. 
  

TWO

In the kitchen... I have a lovely recipe for Sour Cream Lemon Pie. I found it years ago on a recipe card tucked inside a magazine long tossed out. I don't make it often, although I don't know why not, as it continues to be a hit whenever I do. The lemon filling and the almond flavouring in the whipping cream creates an amazing combination ... causing your mouth to 'zing and sing' as you take that first bite and s-a-v-o-u-r it.

In case you're looking for something wonderful to set before your loved ones this weekend, you might want to give this a try.

SOUR CREAM LEMON PIE 

1 baked 9-inch pie shell

3/4 cup white sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tbsp grated lemon peel

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1 cup light cream

1/4 cup butter

1 cup sour cream

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cornstarch, flour, lemon peel, lemon juice, and light cream. Bring to boil slowly, whisking constantly. Add butter and cook until thickened and smooth. Remove from heat and cool. Gently stir in sour cream and pour filling into baked pie shell. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

SOUR CREAM TOPPING

1 cup whipping cream

2 tbsp icing sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp almond extract

Grated lemon peel

Lemon slices, to garnish, if desired

Whip cream and fold in sugar, sour cream, and almond extract. Spoon over the lemon filling. Sprinkle with grated lemon peel and garnish with lemon slices. Makes 6 to 8 servings

*Alternate 'lighter' version: The topping makes quite a bit, so if you really don't want all that whipped cream, cut the recipe in half and add a dollop on top of a slice or on the side.

THREE

A favourite quote for today... This quote is from a letter written by E.B. White to the children in Troy, Michigan, in which he explains the benefits of visiting a library.

“A library is a good place to go when you feel unhappy, for there, in a book, you may find encouragement and comfort. A library is a good place to go when you feel bewildered or undecided, for there, in a book, you may have your question answered. Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people—people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book.”

Another E.B. White saying: “Hang on to your hat. Hang on to your hope. And wind the clock, for tomorrow is another day.” And at the end of some days, that's just about all you can do, isn't it?

FOUR

Photo: Josh Felise | Unsplash.com

How we first met. Because it's Valentine's Day week, and because many of us love to hear about each other's love stories, I thought you might like to know how my sweetheart and I first met. It's a long time ago now and those sweet, shimmering memories are a little like unwrapping cherished family heirlooms ... which, in truth, is what they are.

Where did you first meet? In a garden. It was late afternoon on a warm, sunny September day. I had gone off to work as usual in the morning, but Jean, my housemate and best friend, really, more my sister, was on her way to begin the Master Gardener's program with the University of Alberta. A friend offered to drive her out to the Devonian Botanic Gardens where the course was being held. The plan was that I would pick her up after work; she would give me a phone call to arrange a ride when her class was done. I waited all afternoon but never heard from her (this was long before texting and cell phones), so I came home from work, all the while wondering about Jean. As I got out of the car, I heard voices in the backyard, and so I opened the garden gate and walked around the corner into our pretty little garden. Jean was showing someone around--a man I'd never met before. It turns out it was a fellow also taking the course, and somewhere in the day, he offered Jean a ride home since he happened to drive past our house to his place.

What did you first notice about him? He was someone I felt comfortable with immediately. His manner was amiable and thoughtful. He had a ready laugh. Because it was such a nice day, maybe he had his shirt sleeves rolled up, something I always loved to see on a man. Now, this might not have been the very first time we met, but I did notice at some point that he was not so tall that I would have to stand on my tiptoes to kiss or hug him (but surely we weren't thinking about that right off the bat... I don't think... no no).

Was it love at first sight? No. As romantic as I used to be, a young woman thinking that falling madly, crazily in love at first sight would be, sigh, oh so romantic, I was by then a woman deep into her 30's and not as prone to thinking 'possible partner' as soon as I met a man. I had grown some sense and realized that falling in love at first sight can make for a lousy way to know if one has met the right person or not (at least for me); it can cloud one's ability to see straight or honestly. You know what they say, love is blind, and all that... 

When did you go on your first date? It was almost a year later. And on our second date, he proposed. There was a whole lot that needed to happen first in between that has a story all of its own. I'm writing it in a memoir that I hope to finish one day not too far down the road, and share with you all.

Perhaps the sweet quote from Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery will give you a clue as to how it unfolded:

"Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one's life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one's side like an old friend through quiet ways; ... perhaps love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship..."

FIVE

I first came across this beautiful video on Lorrie's blog Fabric, Paper, Thread. As Lorrie said in her post, the videos by this young woman, Li Ziqi, are like poetry in motion. I couldn't agree more. I feel in a different space when I watch them: a young lady doing lovely work, in a lovely setting, all set to lovely music ... what could be more enchanting.

Sending you my best wishes for a beautiful weekend,

With love and hugs,

Brenda

x ♥ x