The Simple Woman's Daybook: January Edition

Gabriele Münter, Breakfast of the Birds, 1934, National Museum of Women in the Arts
(permission granted for personal and non-commercial use)

"As long as I have a window,

life is exciting."

GLADYS TABER

Hello Beautiful Friends! I hope your New Year is off to a good start. The past few days have been quiet and restful for us. On this first Monday of the new year, I'm pleased to join up with Peggy for The Simple Woman's Daybook. I hope today's post will be worth your visit.   

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For Today

Looking out my window...

I see skies of grey, red berries too,

magpies at the peanuts and jays so blue.

And I think to myself, my, those berries are bright today.

Temperatures are mild, the wind is not wild.

It's calm in these parts, but don't take it in stride.

For soon it will shift and you will feel that cold d-r-i-f-t.

(Quickly hum Louis Armstrong's What A Wonderful World
and you'll have the rhythm for the lines above )

I am thinking...

About how I enjoy that painting by Gabriele Münter and how well it goes with Gladys's lovely quote. I first came across it (the painting) in the January 1995 issue of Victoria magazine. I remember editor Nancy Lindemeyer musing how she was never more content than when she was safely tucked inside on a winter afternoon, gazing out on snowy branches from her windowed perch.

Oh yes, I completely relate! Every morning I love to sit down at my desk which overlooks our backyard and watch the birds, the sky, maybe the squirrel. It's the same view from day to day, season to season, year to year. And yet, for all its sameness, there's something new and beautiful every single day if my eyes are open to see. For instance, when I noticed not that long ago (a couple of years maybe) how the immature spruce trees I encountered on the street over when we first moved here had somehow matured into towering specimens fit for a forest. And, how delightful they have become to watch on these dark mornings when street lamps shimmer like stars amidst their tree tops as winds toss their green boughs back and forth. Twinkle, twinkle! For a moment I imagine that I'm looking out over the countryside, and even when the neighbours' chimneys come back into focus, the magical feeling remains.  

I am so thankful...

For those fellow travelers and bloggers who come alongside us, offering fine words of encouragement and hopefulness. Today I want to share one such writer: Joy Clarkson, a young woman who hails from the USA but lives in Scotland now. At the start of this new year Joy (@joynessthebrave) wrote some thoughts on her Twitter page. I wrote them into my journal because she put into words what I often feel myself. Such a courage-stirring reminder that we're not alone, every generation will have its terrible times, this is our turn to carry the torch, and we can choose to face our futures, whatever they are, with a stoutness of heart and mind. Because we're all in this together. And together we can make a difference. Make it beautiful for ourselves and for others.

I'm taking the liberty of sharing Joy's words here with the hope it buoys your heart as it did mine:

"The world has always been on the cusp of disaster, the globe shall eventually be consumed by the sun, and all men do die in their time. Don't let this knowledge paralyse you. Live a valiant life, love deeply, create beauty, seek the things that outlast death. Don't be afraid.

This is what I remind myself of when the news makes me anxious. We're all going to die eventually. You weren't promised an easy life. You can't control the times you live in, but you can live well in your complicated times. And I have a sneaking suspicion love outlasts death.

And then I eat fish and chips because life is short and little pleasures must not be eschewed."

I am creating...

Order out of chaos, again. I love the process of taming jumbles and unruly messes. I actually get a little lurch of pleasure in my stomach as I think of digging in and sorting things out.

Several Januaries ago I undertook a major cleaning of every square inch of my house. It took me weeks to go through everything, but when I was done, there wasn't anything in my house that I didn't love or need, and more importantly (for smooth household running), like items were stored with like and everything had a home. It stayed tidy and in order for a long time, because for the most part I'm good at putting things back. But time does eventually unravel things: a person gets lazy, buys new things and old items aren't discarded or recycled, papers and odd bits you don't know what to do start to pile up. So it all needs taking in hand and sorting out again.

It's gonna feel so good. And, if I do a thorough job, if all goes well, and if I work at putting things back when I'm finishing using them, I shouldn't need to do this major deep cleaning again until, say, January 2023. Wish me luck?

I am wearing...

Black leggings, red cotton tee shirt, flat soft-soled shoes, silver bracelets, lipstick, fragrance.

I watched... 

And loved, loved the new Little Women movie (2019 drama film directed by Greta Gerwig) over the Christmas holidays. Miss Alcott's story has lived in my heart for decades, the 1994 version with Winona Ryder as Jo March was a favourite for years. Now I have another top favourite. I sat mesmerised from the first scene to the last, it was just so engaging, with so many wonderful lines and scenes. A friend asked which character was my favourite in this movie ... I couldn't pick one, truly, I thought each one was incredible. I loved how the creators made the old story fresh and alive and so beautiful.  

I read...

What Comes Next and How to Like It by Abigail Thomas. As noted in my previous post, I was just starting it and I was asked for feedback when I finished. In spite of the great reviews by well-known authors, I have to say it was not a favourite for me. I liked the read well enough about friendship and aging and getting on with it. But all the anecdotes between about the author's beloved dogs kept interrupting that narrative. It's not the dog stories themselves, I like dogs, but I couldn't stop imagining and feeling the mess and dishevelment of her home after reading how often her dogs shredded her quilts, peed in the house, chewed the last good pair of shoes, ripped up cherished books, keepsakes, and expensive first editions, not to mention hauling the phone off into some pile in the yard. I came away kind of grossed out, to be honest, and it's basically what I'll remember from reading this book. Sorry, Abigail.

In my kitchen...

Santa gave Hubby a copy of the cookbook Yum & Yummer by Canadian author Greta Podleski. He likes exploring new recipes and trying them out in the kitchen. More than I do these days. The truth, for me, is that I'm basically done with cooking. Haha, don't tell anyone that. I could quite happily live on scrambled eggs, sandwiches, Skip the Dishes (local restaurant take-out and delivery business). I used to enjoy cooking and trying new recipes but not so much anymore. I'd sooner hang out in my study, writing and working on my various projects. So, I am grateful for my live-in chef who never minds playing around with the pots and pans and scaring up beautiful suppers for us to try out. He's very modest when I praise him, he says he's just following the recipe. But that he's willing to follow one with such happy results, I just love him to pieces for that!

Shared quote...

"Every morning just before dawn, I rise, making myself a cup

of coffee, and sit quietly in a wing chair in the living room for

about an hour. Waking early without effort is one of the genuine

pleasures of getting older. Life has fewer days in it, but nature

compensates by allowing you to to greet them sooner."

PHYLLIS THEROUX

* * *

"He wakens me morning by morning,

He wakens my ear to hear as one who is taught."

ISAIAH 50:4 

One of my favourite things...

For me, is waking early without effort, without any pressure to have to be somewhere long before I'm ready to stir from my quiet reverie. It's one of the very best and good gifts of this season of my life. I like my day to start slowly and quietly with no need for speed or urgent. I never know if I should call myself retired, I mean, yes I am retired from any outside full-time or part-time work, but I'm not retired from life or from working on my own projects, which includes writing. I'm just no longer trying to squeeze my own work around working for someone else, whether professionally or voluntarily. My time is quite my own right now, and no, I never grow tired of my quieter, simpler life. Where I can do things in my own time, my own way, and without pressure from anyone. It was the lifestyle my soul longed for since I was a young woman. Yes, it's one of my favourite things and I'm most grateful for it. 

I am hoping...

January will continue in a quiet and peaceful way for this household. I'm hoping the rains will come to Australia and that many lives and homes will be preserved. I'm hoping that the new books I ordered from Indigo with my gift cards will turn out to be my next favourite reads. And I sure hope there's a little treat to go with tea this afternoon. 

I am learning...

A bit of French from Duolingo.com and a bit of history from Bill Bryson's interesting biography about William Shakespeare, Shakespeare, The World as Stage.

A moment from my day...

I made Dutch Apple Skillet Pancake for brunch yesterday. It's such a simple recipe with just a few ingredients, yet it tastes like you fussed. It's a perfect dish for company brunch or for just the two of you on a quiet weekend morning. Add a rasher or two of bacon or a couple of breakfast sausages and the meal rounds off perfectly. You'll find the recipe HERE.

Closing notes...

If you are looking for some other interesting reads, may I recommend the following:

Winter Lessons by Shawna Lemay

12 Truths I Learned From Life and Writing by Anne Lamott

The Joy of Being A Woman in her Seventies by Mary Pipher

(good even if you're nowhere near that age, unless maybe if you're only 20)

* * *

Before I close, I want to stop to remember and say a wee pray for the dear folks, wildlife, and land of Australia. Let the gentle but thorough rains come and bring with it renewed hope for better days ahead.

Happy New Year to you!

With love and hugs,

Brenda 

xox