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