Five on Friday: This and That

"Gradually there gathered the feeling of

expectation, Christmas was coming."

from The Rainbow by D.H. Lawrence

I'm still very much involved with Mom at this time - she's still in hospital - so I feel a little outside of normal life these days. Thankfully the Christmas spirit whispers between the moments... giving my heart a giggle of joy.

One. Oh, the weather outside

We've had fog and snow and sleet and rain. Sometimes all on the same day. The sun set today at 4:30 in the afternoon, and the nights are now as dark as the inside of a boot. But the full moon last evening peeped past the clouds...and glimmered in its shiny glory from that far away place. Straight into my heart which needed a bit of a lift after a busy day.

Two. Update on Mom

It's now over three weeks since Mom fell and ended up in the hospital. There were a few days last week when it felt like I was watching my mom disappear... word by fading word. For several days she couldn't find her words and it was horrid to watch her trying to grasp for phrases not quite within her reach. The speech therapist came by, and she so encouraging. She gave us a helpful layman's description of what happened when she fell and hit her head. A little like having a full filing cabinet knocked over. Nothing was lost, but everything's in a jumble and needs sorting, organizing, and putting back where it belongs. How precious is our ability to speak and communicate. It's what makes us human, I guess.

I'm happy to report she is doing much better this week. She's been slowly finding her words and stringing sentences together in her more 'usual' manner. We are relieved. She has now been transferred to a rehab hospital where she will be going back to 'school', as her doctor teased her, to get her speech back as much as possible. And make her ready for the next step - going home. Which they told us today might not be until after Christmas. She is getting such good care, we're grateful for her medical team.

  

Three. Hemming dresses and sleeves

The other day I was sitting by our Christmas tree with the lights on—bent over doing some hand stitching to shorten sleeves on a couple of tee-shirts Mom needed for her stay in the hospital. It made me think of long ago memories when Mom would be busy hand sewing lace or buttons or finishing hems on our new Christmas dresses. In that moment, I felt a connection in that memory to my beloved mother. She was sewing for me then, and I'm sewing for her now.

Today over on InScribe, I have shared a few of those old memories... it's a piece I wrote years ago and have since revised. You can find Whispers of Tissue and Chiffon HERE.

Four. 2025 reading goal wrap up

Last January I decided to tackle some of the roughly 130 to 150 books that are currently sitting on my 'to be read' shelves. They include new acquisitions, gifts, library sale books, and thrift store finds. As I see it, it never hurts to have a grand 'pantry' pile waiting in the wings—I always enjoy browsing the titles when looking for something new to read (and there's nothing new coming from Amazon).

From those shelves, I selected 33 titles to read during the coming year. To date, I have finished 25 books from that list. I won't finish any more as I'm now into my Christmas reading. If you want to see the list, check it out HERE. 

 

Five. Books for the holiday season

It's the season when we want to sing 'old familiar carols' and read our favourite seasonal books. There is something comforting about traditions - the same tree, the same decorations, the same recipes for special cookies and holiday meals, the same books that we remember with fondness from previous Christmases. It's tradition, we say.

 

There is one book I'm relying on at this time that, although not a seasonal one, fits as though it were. It's Reclaiming Quiet by Sarah Clarkson. In this Advent season we like to find those quiet moments where our hearts can listen and be in wonder and awe. Sarah's writing helps me do that. And even though it may be just a couple of pages at a sitting, her writing helps my heart settle and be at peace.

Here are a few of the Christmas stories and books I enjoy having around this time of year. I enjoy browsing here and there, picking a handful of favourites to get lost in on a cozy afternoon or evening (the four stars indicate my forever favourites). It's always fun to have choices from which to choose. And I'm always tickled when I discover a new book to add to the collection.

Nonfiction

Gospel of Luke, Chapter Two, KJV****

The Christmas Story

haphazard by starlight

A poem a day from Advent to Epiphany

by Janet Morley

Christmas Poems

by Wendy Cope

Winter Solstice, An Essay

by Nina MacLaughlin

The Christmas Chronicles****

by Nigel Slater (musings, recipes, traditions) 

Christmas (Recipes and Holiday Tips)

by Susan Branch

Home for Christmas (short memoir)

by Susan Branch

Fiction

Winter and Rough Weather

by D.E. Stevenson (gentle English novel)

The Country Child

by Alison Uttley (Children's Fiction)

Rumpole at Christmas

by John Mortimer (seasonal short stories)

A Child's Christmas in Wales

by Dylan Thomas (Children's Classic)

Christmas at Thrush Green

by Miss Read (gentle novel)

"The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle"

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Christmas mystery)

Once Upon A Wardrobe****

by Patti Callahan (Christmas Narnia-related novel)

An Irish Country Yuletide

by Patrick Taylor (Christmas novella)

An Irish Country Christmas**** 

by Patrick Taylor (novel)

A Christmas Carol (classic)

by Charles Dickens

The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding

by Agatha Christie (Poirot mystery)

Winter Solstice****

by Rosamunde Pilcher (novel set mostly in Scotland)

Small Things Like These

by Claire Keegan (novella set in Ireland at Christmas)

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe****

by C.S. Lewis (Narnia series)

Little Women****

by Louisa May Alcott

Shepherds Abiding****

by Jan Karon

 A Christmas Memory

by Truman Capote

Christmas at Thompson Hall and Other Trollopian Stories (unread)

by Anthony Trollope (short stories)

Christmas Bells (unread)

by Jennifer Chiavernini

Christmas with Anne and Other Short Stories

by L.M. Montgomery

Midwinter Murder, Fireside Tales

by Agatha Christie

The Mitford Snowmen (gift booklet)

by Jan Karon

Esther's Gift (gift booklet)

by Jan Karon

Simeon's Gift (children's)

by Julie Andrews

The Winter Mystery (novel)

by Faith Martin

Anthologies 

A Classic Christmas

A Collection of Timeless Stories and Poems

Thomas Nelson

Nature Tales for Winter Nights

Editor, Nancy Campbell

Christmas Classics

from the Modern Library

(excerpts, classic stories, poems, songs and carols)

Christmas in My Heart

A Timeless Treasury of Heartwarming Stories

by Joe Wheeler

Christmas Penhaligon's Scented Treasury

(poetry and prose excerpts)

Editor, Sheila Pickles

Christmas with Hot Apple Cider

Stories from the Season of Giving and Receiving

Editor, N.J. Lindquist

Christmas Miracles

Chicken Soup for the Soul Anthology

Christmas: Stories & More

InScribe Christian Writers' Fellowship

(I have a piece in this anthology)

Winter Anthology (nature essays and poems)

by Melissa Harrison

An Oxfordshire Christmas

compiled by David Green (unread)

Magazines

Bella Grace Magazines

Christmas/Winter Editions

Victoria Magazines

Christmas/Winter Editions

Country Living Collection

Christmas British Edition

Christmas!

A Collection of Favourite Seasonal Blog Posts

by Brenda Leyland

This is still available on Blurb.com

❦

"Some Christmas tree ornaments do more than glitter and glow,

they represent a gift of love given a long time ago."

TOM BAKER

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

Photo credits:

(Top) Image by Anastasia538 from Pixabay

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

A Short Catch Up

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth,

for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside

the fire: it is the time for home."

EDITH SITWELL

With the mix of grey hazy days alongside sparkly blue-skied ones that darken so early in the afternoons, a person needn't look at the calendar to determine that we're deep into November. The holidays are fast approaching. Already there are houses in the neighbourhood with roof tops and trees all aglimmer with lights, while others, like ours, are easing into the Christmas mood at a slower pace.

I won't say I'm not in the mood because I do get the twinkle in my soul as the sun sets so early now. But life is a little discombobulated around here so I'm holding off before going full tilt into Christmas. Thankfully, twinkle lights are a simple addition to creating a certain coziness to our dark evenings.

I want to say, before anything else, a big heart-felt thank you to everyone who reached out to me, both here on the blog and elsewhere, with your good wishes and prayers for my mom after her recent fall. She is still in hospital. Regaining her strength and now awaiting re-tests to ensure her head injury is indeed on the mend and her medical team can confidently send her home. And where I will stay with her until she's back on her feet.

As you can imagine, with that on our minds, I haven't done much of anything else except the absolute basics these past couple of weeks.

Let me quickly share what I've been reading. Thank goodness for books at times like these. First, I've been quietly dipping into Sarah Clarkson's soul nourishing volume entitled Reclaiming Quiet, Cultivating a Life of Holy Attention. Her words are brushed with grace and beauty—and gentleness—that feels heaven-sent to me right now. Let me share a couple of lines from two prayers she wrote:

"Help us to recall the grace in which we already stand, the love that need never be asked for because it is already given." p. 29

"When the darkness looms large, help us to look up, and find the constellations of your love. Be gentle with us as we learn again to listen, as we enter once more the world-making joy of your voice." p. 41 

There is one poem she refers to that really touched my heart one morning in the wee hours. Called Psalm Fragments by Denise Levertov, one line especially melted into my heart: "Yet You hold me minute by minute from falling". I felt a deep sigh of release as I cradled into those words (click HERE for the whole piece).

Then, for entertainment and distraction, I have been re-reading the series Her Majesty the Queen Investigates by S.J. Bennett. There are now five books in the series. The latest was delivered the other day and I am now in the middle of The Queen Who Came in from the Cold, a story set in 1961 when a murder is witnessed from the Royal Train.

And for some relaxed nature writing as we head into the winter season, I'm dipping into an old favourite, Winter, An anthology for the changing seasons, edited by Melissa Harrison. I find when I can't get out into nature directly, reading other people's descriptions about the changing seasons helps me imagine what I might see and hear and smell—and it's amazing how restorative that is.   

So far, my other seasonal and Christmas books sit in small piles on the floor waiting until I can set them front and centre in our living room, for easy access by our comfy chairs as the nights draw closer. I do look forward to rereading some of my old holiday favourites again.   

Otherwise, life is simple and focused on my mom. I will try to post next week - I won't promise. Please take care, and best wishes for a beautiful, grace-filled day.

❦

Heart hugs,

Brenda

Photo credits:

Image by Frauke Riether from Pixabay

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

Postponed...

"May your days be crammed full of the

small joys that tip the balance towards hope."

SARAH CLARKSON, as seen on Facebook, 2022

I am called away from my everyday life for a little while to

tend to my dear 90-year-old mom, who took a tumble—every

elder person's nightmare. Thankfully no broken bones,

but it will take a while to gather fresh wind for her sails.

I won't be posting this week. Fingers crossed and

prayers whispered. I hope to be back next week,

but we're taking it one day at a time.

❦ 

Until next time, I'm wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

Photo credits:

Photo by Kim van Vuuren on pexels.com

Five on Friday: This Week Small...

"What is small?

Children are small.

Seeds are small.

Moments are small.

Yet of these the whole world is composed."

Reclaiming Quiet, Cultivating a Life of Holy Attention

Sarah Clarkson

Sometimes a person pulls a book from a shelf looking for something. In this case, I was looking for a line of inspiration that I could open with. I flipped through Sarah's much underlined book, hoping something would pop out. That's when I found those lovely lines above. 

It's been another full, busy week and my offerings today are small. A few thoughts, scraps, really. But in the spirit of Sarah's words, I hope you will find a measure of cheer... the lilt that lifts the soul a little.   

One. Small Lights 

As soon as I saw it, I knew this photo was joining today's post.

The candle drew me in with its comforting wick of light. I could

almost feel its warmth. I'm grateful to live in an age when

candles and twinkle lights are so readily available to fill dark

corners with cheer as winter approaches.

Oh, and I love how the pink rose peers from the dark background.

Another lift for a soul longing for a thing of beauty.

Two. Little Pockets

"Joy doesn't cancel out heavy things but it

gives you little pockets of strength to carry on."

from Sharecare on Facebook

Three. Weather Changes

The weather has switched gears—I could feel the chill of winter

in the air yesterday. Which means, in my corner of the world,

this will wrap up my last autumn-y post for the year. And signals

the season of creating cozy nooks inside our homes and souls.

Four. Reading Pile

Looking forward to dipping into these books new to me:

 

Book of Lives, A Memoir of Sorts (2025)

by Margaret Atwood

Dearly (new poems, 2020)

by Margaret Atwood

The Queen Who Came in from the Cold:

Her Majesty The Queen Investigates

by S.J. Bennett

(releases on November 11th)

*

I'm now planning to re-read

Reclaiming Quiet, Cultivating a Life of Holy Attention

by Sarah Clarkson (2024)

I've started to gather my cozy reads for the

coming season—will share soon.

Five. Remembering

Remembering those who gave their lives for others.

May their sacrifice never been in vain.

November 11th

And I want to add that there have been a

couple of people recently, who I only knew through their

social media presence and who poured so much goodness here,

who unexpectedly passed away.

Two Canadians who cared and made a difference,

whose posts filled my life with light and hope,

especially on those days when the world felt dark and grim.

To Stan and Darren. RIP

❦

As I wrap up, I glance out the window to discover that winter has arrived on the wings of snowflakes. Already rooftops are covered and evergreen branches are sugar dusted. And with that, the air shifts. I begin to feel that 'certain' something swirling around me... I must go find my twinkle lights.

❦

Hoping your days are pleasant whatever you're up to,

Brenda

Photo credits:

(top) by Thomas Wolter from Pixabay

(one) by Myriams-Fotos from Pixabay

(two) by Валерий Григоренко from Pixabay

(three) by iPicture from Pixabay

(four) by by Alana Jordan from Pixabay

(five) by Kevin Graham from Pixabay

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

Daybook: October Edition

"We must become friends before this coffee cools."

TOSHIKAZU KAWAGUCHI

Today's post was meant to go up yesterday - the last day of October. But my week ran out of time before my 'to-do' list was finished. I had a couple of writing projects with deadlines. And there were the usual tasks and commitments that needed attending to. Not to mention that I couldn't very well drop my usual couple of hours of scrolling everyday for 'important' news and entertaining feeds to keep me sane (wink).

I have been wondering if someone out there, instead of turning up the heat as the days get cooler, has accidentally jacked up the speed of the universe—for the weeks keep flying by like shooting stars.

Here is my October Daybook. I hope you enjoy.

TODAY

Outside my window...

Watching dull grey morning skies

turn into pale autumn sunshine.

I am thankful for...

- Moments of peace in the middle of chaos.

- Inside jokes that I can giggle about with

someone without explanation.

- Deep breaths that do help me relax.

I am currently reading...

Louise Penny's latest Gamache mystery

The Black Wolf - sequel to The Grey Wolf.

If you are looking for something cozy

to curl up with, this is not the book

(it's a nail-biter).

I recently read and loved...

A Flute in Mayferry Street

by Eileen Dunlop (1976)

It's a delightful children's story that, for me, has a

feeling of Once Upon A Wardrobe by Patti Callahan,

as well as a hint of Elizabeth Goudge.

It's a new forever favourite.

I am wearing...

Black jeans with an olive green cable knit shell,

tiny pearl-like earrings, and a spritz of rose scent.

I am writing...

a memoir that I started more than 10 years ago.

It's working title is Waiting for Love, the journey

between a prayer and a proposal.

At this point in time, I am writing it to my dear

girlhood friend, Linda, in installments like letters.

Her time here on earth is short and she so wanted to

read my story. We were girlhood friends.

I feel the weight of it. I also feel the rightness of

writing it to Linda. One day I hope to publish it.

First things first.

I am smiling...

My sister shared a bit of conversation she had

with our 90-year-old mom, who had been looking

online for a new cardigan, because her old black

one made her feel like 'a little old lady'.

(There is not a woman on this planet, however old

she may be, who wants to feel like a little old lady.)

A favourite link...

Today the link happens to be for a post I wrote last October.

Observing Trifles... or the Spectacle of the Ordinary

In it, I share about a lovely book I read on walking.

And observing the world around you. The author

mentions her joyful insights when she walked with a dog,

when she walked with her toddler. She saw the world differently.

 Rick and I walk most days, so I thought it would be fun

to revisit that inspiring book. If you've never read it, it might

just be what you need to inspire your own legs to get out there.

A favourite quote this week...

"You must do something to make

the world more beautiful."

BARBARA COONEY, Miss Rumphius

A glimpse from my walk...

I love the white bark of birch trees. They have been

a favourite since I was a little girl.

Closing note...

"Anyone who thinks fallen leaves are dead

has never watched them dance on a windy day."

SHIRA TAMIR

❦

Wishing you a beautiful week ahead,

Brenda

Photo credits:

(Pumpkin cups) Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

(Typewriter) Image by Joanna from Pixabay

(birch tree) Image by Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

Nothing Today - Will Post Tomorrow

 

I'm sorry I don't have anything prepared so far this week. It's been a busy one—I had two projects on the go, and both had deadlines. BUT, I am now working on a post for tomorrow.      

Hope you'll come back.

Enjoy this last day of October!

Brenda xo

 

Photo: Image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay

A Little Small Talk

"No matter what's going on in the world, have your tea,

make your list, plan your meals, fold the laundry, bake

something for the family, and be a light for your home."

The Sprouting Homestead on Facebook

Today I feel a little like Jane Austen when she once wrote, "I do not know what is the matter with me today, but I cannot write . . . fortunately I have nothing very particular to say."

As I sat and 'proverbially' chewed the end of my pencil, I thought of one thing I could mention. I bought an autumn-themed grocery store bouquet for our dining room table last week. When the flowers started fading, I placed the above sprig of bronze-golden chrysanthemums into a smaller vase. And set it on the coffee table in our living room. This morning while we were enjoying our coffees the sun suddenly brightened and beams fell on the flower petals 'just so'. Making an ordinary spray look most glorious as if it were posing for an artist's paint and palette. I love how my photo turned out.

I could also tell you about the tasty Butternut Squash Soup I made for supper last night. Served it with hot buttered toast. Yum! The ingredients were simple: a package of already-cubed squash (approx. 4-6 cups), a chopped onion, a chopped MacIntosh apple, 2 cloves of garlic diced, a fresh sage leaf chopped into teeny pieces, a sprig of fresh thyme, and a teaspoon of diced ginger. I sautéed everything first for about 10 minutes, then added enough broth (I used chicken) to cover the ingredients, simmering until everything was soft. A quick whirl in the food processor. A sprinkle of salt & pepper to taste. That's it. A simple, easy meal.

When you don't know what else to chat about, there is always the weather. So, how has it been in your corner of the world? We've had a lovely few days. Sunny, blue skies with lots of clouds drifting in and out. Windy. It's definitely late autumn now. Many trees stand like skeletons against the sky. Surely they exude something more romantic than skeletons but it's the image that popped up first. Probably because Hallowe'en decorations are everywhere now.

Speaking of Hallowe'en, do you get many kids for treats at your door? We get maybe 30 or 40. I was thinking about what to hand out this year. I handed out cookie packs last year, potato chips the year before, and chocolate bars the one before that. What about packages of hot chocolate or hot apple cider along with cookies? If you were a trick or treater, would that interest you? What was/is your favourite treat at Hallowe'en? I used to love molasses kisses and old-fashioned popcorn balls. It's been decades since I have eaten either - they were so yummy. 

Do you remember a favourite costume you wore? We'd have our party at school and go all dressed up for the day. It was so exciting to dream about what costume we'd wear. I wasn't very old, maybe Grade 2 or 3, when Mom sewed me a nurses uniform from white crepe paper along with a cute nurses cap to match. I think my favourite was the princess outfit she put together from her old pretty dresses, maybe from the soft chiffon bridesmaid dress, that were in the dress up box.

I think I will find myself in the mood for Agatha Christie's Poirot mystery, Halloween Party. And if I can find it on YouTube, I wouldn't mind watching that old Cary Grant movie Arsenic and Old Lace. That was such a great old movie - just plain silly and fun.

Two delightful books I am enjoying right now are The Country Commonplace Book by Miranda Mills and A Year Unfolding, A printmaker's view by Angela Harding. Both include seasonal sections that help create the right ambiance for this time of year.  

I do wonder if Miss Austen found on that day she had nothing particular to say, once she got started, there were all kinds of bits and pieces that became entertaining fodder in her letters. Speaking of Jane, I recently finished Lucy Worsley's autobiography Jane Austen at Home. It was a really good read. Lucy had some wonderful insights and ideas about this famous lady, her life, and the times she lived in.

Look at that, a few paragraphs done, and I have a blog post nearly finished. On that note, I shall bid you a pleasant goodbye.

❦

Wishing you grace for the week ahead, and may

there be beauty in its many details,

Brenda

 Photo credit:

Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

Some Favourites (In No Particular Order)

“Isn't that the only way to curate a life?

To live among things that make you gasp with delight?”

MAIRA KALMAN, My Favorite Things

Surrounding ourselves with our favourite things can turn ordinary moments into special ones. Favourite things add sparkle to our lives. They come in many categories—favourite authors, beverages, things to eat, songs or poems, colours, holidays, and seasons. Not to mention bookshops, cafés, family traditions, certain garments or jewelry, and times of day. As you see, I could go on and on, the categories themselves are endless.

Our favourites usually tickle our fancy; they suit our tastebuds or satisfy something on the inside of us. Sometimes we can say why a certain thing is our favourite; other times we find it hard to peg our feelings to the right words. All we know is that when we happen upon them (or deliberately plan for them on occasion) something shifts and suddenly we know we can face our day—even with a certain joie de vivre. 

I think it must have been Julie Andrews singing her famous song in Sound of Music who started the trend all those years ago. Many of us loved her lists... 'whiskers on kittens and warm woolen mittens'. Our faces lighted with smiles when we recognized our own few favourites in those lyrics.

I recently came across this list that I wrote on a blog post a long time ago. Reading it over, I find it's still current; I've added a few new things. Here it is, in no particular order. Hope you enjoy.

Foggy mornings

Children laughing

Getting into one's jammies and reading in bed

Condensation on a glass of ice water

Raindrops on rose petals

Dark chocolate

Kitty cats

Bees humming in the Sedum

Lovely old bookshops

Vintage stores

Notebooks dressed in pretty covers

Tiny sandwiches with tea in China cups

People watching

Sunshine glinting off snowy rooftops

The smell of coffee brewing on a cold morning

Colour combo of indigo blue and white

Walks in a park in autumn's quiet

Giving a friend a gift 'out of the blue'

Laughing with someone until you can hardly breathe

Wrapping paper and ribbons

The words “I love you” and "you're my favourite person"

Walking into an freshly cleaned and uncluttered room

Blustery autumn days

Re-reading favourite books

Browsing beautiful magazines

Snuggling under the covers at day's end

Holding hands

Visiting the library

Pencils, pens, paper

English country anything

Hot buttered toast

A good mystery novel

Happy dogs out for their walks

The scent of earthy autumn in the air

Honey lavender lattes with pretty designs on the top

Pictures of my favourite people around me

Bridal bouquets

Walking through crunchy leaf piles

The word 'cozy'

Persuasion by Jane Austen (book or 1995 movie)

Days getting shorter

Watching for the Harvest Moon

Getting snail mail from a friend

When the Soprano scales the High "C"

The cacophony of an orchestra tuning up before a concert

Writing blog posts with my beautiful readers in mind

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

Photo credits:

(Tea)Image by Penelope883 from Pixabay

(Leaf)Image by ZAIDoo Pro from Pixabay

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

Hear Blessings Dropping

"God has two dwellings — one in heaven,

and the other in a meek and thankful heart."

IZAAK WALTON, Wikiquote.com

Autumn is that time of year that fills my soul with a sense of well-being, and on this Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, there is much for which I am grateful. The sky is blue and cloudless and sunny. And the grand brilliance of Autumn's palette has now truly muted into what Sarah Addison Allen describes as 'a world covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon'. Fields and gardens are mostly harvested. And the ponds around our place are now silent.

I'll assume many of us practice the art of gratitude and thankfulness all year long, but there is something extra-special about a day aside for counting our blessings. One Thanksgiving years ago, I started a list of what I was grateful for, and upon reading it to Rick, he said he'd add Brussels sprouts. Well, each to their own. Sure, I can be grateful for this cute cabbage-like ball of a vegetable—they are lovely roasted with pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup—but let's just say, I'd have to be running low on favourites before I'd ever think to add them to a list.

Today I'm thankful for turkey dinner with stuffing and French apple tart. I am grateful for reasonable health and vitality. I am so thankful for my dear mom who truly has been the best mom in the world. I am over the top thankful for my sweetheart of a husband who is one of the kindest men I know. I am thankful for my dear siblings and their partners, my wonderful nephews and nieces, and my lovely set of friends who help make the journey through life bearable, enjoyable, and so worth it. 

Let's see... I'm also grateful for perfectly made latte coffees, cups of tea, my piles of books, and dark chocolate. And for roses, sweet peas, and marigolds and for eyes to appreciate their beauty and colour. I'm so glad for a nose that can breath in the scent of freshly baked bread, cinnamon buns, and apple crisp. And for plenty to eat, shelter in a cozy home, and peace in my heart and our friendly neighbourhood. I'm glad to be Canadian. There's no end to what I could add to this list.

And I must not forget all the wonderful blogging and social media friends I've met here who visit and leave comments, who share their own life glimpses, funnies, and thoughtful words. Thank you! Let me reiterate that it's my desire to keep this blog as free as possible from the woes of the world. It's not that I don't care, for I care deeply about the many sad and hard things going on out there. And I know many of you do too.

But it's nice to have a spot somewhere where we, for a few moments, can focus on something other than the horrid, cruel stuff. Besides, we cannot keep mourning. Our hearts are not made to mourn all the time. Joy is what gives us strength. I remain committed to keeping this small place in cyberspace a safe haven. Where we can come to rest a moment, think about everyday pleasures, as we carry on loving those around us and living our lives with grace and finesse. We keep searching for the hope, kindness, and beauty that is everywhere, sometimes hidden except to the most earnest of searchers. And we pass it along so others can enjoy and be cheered.

I say a wee prayer of blessing for good gifts to come to every person in this big old world. I sure hope you have a share of them. And I hope your heart can hum with gratitude - even a little bit, no matter what you are facing...

" For one moment quit being sad.

Hear blessings dropping

their blossoms all around you."

RUMI

 

❦

Wishing you glimpses of heaven in unexpected places,

With love,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

A New Reading List From An Old Book Meme

"Autumn is for reading good books

in cozy little nooks."

PIPPI POST, as seen on Instagram 

And a Happy October to you! Lots of trees in the neighbourhood now stand leafless while others hold fast their greenery until that first hard frost (which we haven't had yet). With days growing cooler and shorter, 'tis the season for drawing closer to home (at least in our imaginations), for lighting candles or turning on twinkle lights, and for thinking about the books we might want to read as dusk settles in the corners.

Going through my blog archives, I came across an old book meme I once participated in (2009). Remembering it was a fun way to create a reading list, I started thinking up all sorts of titles - some are already on my own shelves, some I could borrow from the library, and others are on 'to be read' lists.

Here is my list. I hope it stirs up ideas for your own list of books to read this autumn. 

📚

A book with a 'profession' in its title

The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron

The Farmer's Wife by Helen Rebanks

A book with a 'time of day' in its title

4:50 from Paddington by Agatha Christie

The Clock Strikes Twelve by Patricia Wentworth

A book with a 'familial name' in its title

The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith

Feeding My Mother by Jann Arden

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky

 

A book with a 'body part' in its title

The Seven Longings of the Human Heart by Mike Bickle

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

A book using 'one of the five senses' in its title

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

The Scent of Water by Elizabeth Goudge

Simple Acts of Faith: Heartwarming Stories of

One Life Touching Another by Margaret Feinberg

A book with a 'building' in its title

Jamaica Inn by Daphne Du Maurier

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

House Lessons, Renovating a Life by Erica Bauermeister

A book with an 'animal' in its title

The Comfort of Crows, A Backyard Year by Margaret Renkl

Mr. Poppers' Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

A book with a 'month' in its title

September by Rosamunde Pilcher

A book with a 'holiday' in its title

Halloween Party by Agatha Christie

A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas

A book with a 'character's name' in its title

The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh by Kathryn Aalto

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

A book with a 'famous person' in its title

The Story of Beatrix Potter by Sarah Gristwood

The Last Van Gogh by Alyson Richman

A book with a 'fruit' in its title

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

Save Me the Plums, My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl

A book with a 'vegetable' in its title

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney

A book with the word 'garden' in its title

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

War Gardens, A Journey Through Conflict in

Search of Calm by Lalage Snow 

A book with a 'girl's name' in its title

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Emma by Jane Austen

Finding Flora by Elinor Florence

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

A book with a 'boy's name' in its title 

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Stuart White by E.B. White

A book with a 'royal title' in its title

All the Queen's Men by SJ Bennett

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

❦

And four books coming out this autumn

to add to the list

Black Wolf by Louise Penny

My Beloved by Jan Karon

Death of a Diplomat by former first lady of Iceland Eliza Reid

The Queen Who Came in from the Cold: Her

Majesty The Queen Investigates by SJ Bennett

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day with hopes you've time to

curl up with a good book and your favourite beverage.

Heart Hugs,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays

Autumn in Full Throttle With Treats

“It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust

of brown sugar and cinnamon.”

SARAH ADDISON, First Frost

as seen on GoodReads

Well, I feel a little put out at Mr. Sun this early morning. It's grey and overcast, and on the day of my dear Mom's 90th birthday too! I wanted it bright and beautiful on her special day. No matter, thankfully there's a yummy Lemon Meringue Cake to look forward to this afternoon—the celebration will carry on, sunshine or no sunshine.

And a Happy Autumn to everyone here in the Northern Hemisphere! It’s been another lovely week, although when we went for our early morning walk the other day, there was a decided sharpness to the wind—let's just say we didn’t dawdle. But it made me feel like hauling out my autumn-themed ribbons and dishes, not to mention the pumpkin tablecloth on the dining table with a still life posing as a table centre.

What do you think about when autumn comes? Some people say autumn is a time of change. That it's a season of decline, transition. (Yes, there is that.) Other people say it's a time for letting go and releasing things that have been a burden. (What a good idea - I'm all for that.) When I think what autumn means to me, I think of this season as a time of new beginnings, like the beginning of a new school year and getting into new projects after the summer. Mostly, having grown up on a farm, autumn for me is harvest time—the gathering in of what was started in the spring of the year—potatoes and carrots, apples and pears and plums, and combining the fields of wheat, barley, flax, and oats.

Here are treats that have come my way this week... I so looked forward to sharing them with you today.

One

"Lace is one of the most beautiful fabrics, you know. All those

holes and gaps, but it's still complete somehow - still lovely."

Anonymous, Goodreads

I have been wanting a lace tablecloth for a while now for my dining room table. I wanted something so the dark wood table could still peek through. I giggled with joy at this gift that came into my life.

It came up on Facebook Marketplace this week, and I was astounded to see it listed for a mere $25. I know the value of something hand crafted, and this crocheted piece is exquisite. It fits a table that seats six. Pristine white, I could see that it had been beautifully cared for. The woman who was selling it said she now has a bigger table and so it was too small. I asked if someone in her family had made it—yes, a friend of her mother's had made it (I think that's how the story went—I was too busy admiring to really listen to her story, for which I now regret).

One day I will show it to you in its full glory...I didn't want to dismantle my autumn setting right now.

Two

"It's hard to find anyone who doesn't like letters.

We feel a thrill when we receive them. One of their

charms is that we can't see what's inside right away;

there's an anticipation in unsealing the mysteries held within."

JUHEE MUN 

This book The Healing Power of Korean Letter Writing was recommended a few weeks ago by my dear friend Barbara on her Small Moments blog. She had taken a break from her blog to read it. It sounded so beguiling, I had to order a copy for myself. At the time, I was told to expect delivery anytime after October 23rd. You can appreciate then why I was so surprised to have it arrive this past Tuesday. It had travelled all the way from a bookshop in Galway, Ireland.

The book itself is a slender volume that fits like poetry into one's hand. The author Juhee Mun is from South Korea and she owns a letter shop called 'geulwoll'. Which is a "native Korean word, a respectful term meaning 'letter'". The book, originally published in Korean, was translated into English by Clare Richards who lives in the UK. The author mentions how she rarely wrote letters, but in her shop she had 'encountered so many letter-devotees' that she searched out books about letter writing. She found two: Eight or Nine Wise Words about Letter-Writing by Lewis Carroll and Simon Garfield's To the Letter. I have read neither so you can guess that I'll be searching those out.

To that list I'd like to add another timeless book about writing letters. I received it as a Christmas gift in the early 1990s titled Gift of a Letter by Alexandra Stoddard. Packed with all manner of quotes and lovely ideas about the whys and wherefores of letter writing, it's a keeper.

Three

This book also arrived on Tuesday, and I was so excited. Anyone who follows Miranda Mills on YouTube knows this is her first book which came out this month. The Country Commonplace Book "is a seasonal touchstone packed full of quotes, book lists, artwork, recipes, and observations on the natural world to keep close at hand and to accompany you throughout the year." excerpt from Description on Amazon

As Miranda has explained, "[C]ommonplace books have been types of journals used to record favorite passages from books or poetry, anecdotes, extracts from letters, proverbs, lists, shared recipes, quotes, prayers, and lyrics, and they have been kept for centuries." Like many of us, she has collected her favourite quotes and passages for years, and it was a dream of hers to take some of her favourites and curate them into a kind of anthology, in this case using material that was about nature and the seasons in the English countryside.

If you click on the title in the first paragraph, the link will take you to a 2-minute video trailer about it. By the time you finish watching, you'll be wanting to add it to your shopping cart (if you haven't done so already).

Four

I took this photo eleven years ago this week—it appeared on my Facebook Memories. It was a delight to see it again after all these years. I still remember that September day when I had met long time friends for lunch. It was so warm we sat out on the patio, and what a lovely time we had.

At some point 'just because' presents were exchanged—none of us have birthdays in September. The little notepad with my name on it is long used up as is the pen. The fabric on the right side is actually a long narrow silky scarf in an 'old letters' motif. I've loved wearing it; it always makes me feel chic. The book Learn by Heart Poetry sits handily nearby on my poetry shelf. As I reach for it right now, it flips opens to page 71 where I find a few lines by Emily Dickinson. They happen to match the season, as if I had planned it. Let me share:

"The Morns Are Meeker Than They Were"

The morns are meeker than they were —

The nuts are getting brown —

The berry's cheek is plumper —

The Rose is out of town.

The Maple wears a gayer scarf —

The field a scarlet gown —

Lest I should seem old fashioned

I'll put a trinket on.

Five

Happy Birthday, to my Best Beloved Mom!

We love, love, love you.

BTW, as I wrap up, the sun has come out.

It must have heard me whining.

Here's to sunshine...and cake...and beautiful Moms.

Life is good.

 ❦

Wishing you all a beautiful week ahead,

Brenda

Photo credits:

Brenda Leyland @ It's A Beautiful Life

(Bottom two) Autumn Bouquet by Kathy Hillacre

My Blogging Schedule:

I post on Fridays