Kitty Stuff

Cats' hearing apparatus is built to allow

the human voice to easily go in one ear and out the other.

~ Stephen Baker

This quote reminds me of a little story from years ago. It was shortly after I met Rick and it was the first time at his house. It was a warm autumn day, and we were sitting in his sunny living room, when he decided to call his tabby, Roxy, back into the house; she'd been out exploring in the front yard, and Rick was concerned that she'd been after some songbirds earlier.

At the sound of Rick's voice, she turned and meandered up the sidewalk toward the front door. Wow, I thought! She's pretty obedient (for a cat). So we stood at the front entrance waiting for her to come. Just as she reaches the front door, without missing a beat, she waltzes past, tail in the air, and quite deliberately flops in the flower bed and rolls in the warm dirt. Aha ... so much for that ... cats do have a mind of their own and they certainly use it!

Here's wishing you a purr-fectly fine day,

Brenda

The Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY...

Linking to The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window... no sunshine, foggy and overcast with hoar frost on the trees.

I am thinking... how good it feels to have cleaned out some of the messy corners happening in my basement. The Christmas stuff is back in place, and now a newly-filled box waits in the car to go to Goodwill, along with a bagful of no-longer-watched videos to the library for their annual fundraiser.

I am thankful for... the fun I've had reading the latest edition of Artful Blogging; there's been inspiring and encouraging words from some amazing bloggers. The most fun part is going to visit their sites after and actually 'meeting' them.

I am wearing... black jeans, a patterned aqua blue and green beaded top, and dangling glass blown earbobs.

I am going... to exercise class tomorrow morning and to my mom's on Saturday. I think I heard my friend's voice on the answering machine (it's in the other room) which means I may be going for coffee with her this evening.

I am currently reading... a wonderful new find from the library. Yes, a new book by L.M. Montgomery (for you Anne of Green Gables fans). Apparently, the author had the manuscript ready to go for publication before she died in 1942, and for various reasons it was never published in its entirety. The book The Blythes Are Quoted (edited by Benjamin Lefebvre, 2009) is a sequel to Rilla of Ingleside.

A quote I just found... "Worry gives a small thing a big shadow." (author unknown)

From the kitchen... Just finished a snack version of lunch (I was so busy in the basement, I forgot to eat)..... stonewheat crackers, aged cheddar cheese, and a juicy navel orange cut into wedges.

Around the house... Hubby and Miss Kitty are having a nap. Late afternoon shadows are shrouding the corners and I need to turn on the lights. When I took the Christmas tree down in the living room, I set the fig tree festooned with tiny white lights in its place, so it still feels cozy on these dark days.

The photo in my banner... Someone recently asked me where I get my pictures. The johnny-jump-ups are from my own garden. Many photos in this blog are my own, however, I will use free-to-use photos from places like Glitter Graphics, Penniwigs,or morguefile.com.

Something that made me smile... I went to the library this afternoon and discovered hardcover copies of two books that I enjoy by Debbie Macomber -- Back on Blossom Street and Susannah's Garden. The part that really made me smile? They were only $1.00 each -- how's that for being blessed!

One of my favorite things... the happy chatter of flocks of birds feeding or jostling in the shrubs in the backyard.

From my picture journal...

Wishing you a happy day!

Brenda

xox

Perfectly Delightful!

The other day I found a quote on a sticker inside an old notebook: "Live one day at a time, and make it a masterpiece." Ever since I've been pondering what a masterpiece day might look like. I think I got close to one today. It started last night when dear friends phoned to invite us to join them for a visit to the Farmers' Market in a nearby city this morning. Yes, an adventure to look forward to....how splendid. Although I haven't been in ages, I remembered the place is always a-buzz with excitement and tantalizing food smells and wonderful craft displays.

I had fun stopping at various booths, exchanging a few words with the artisans and produce sellers. Although I didn't really have any idea of what would capture my attention when I got there, it wasn't long before my bag was filling up with....beautiful Pink Lady apples that just begged you to bite into them, tender homemade perogies that later filled our tummies at supper, a bag of baby carrots that promised -- and delivered -- a sweet experience, and lastly, the treat of finding freshly made, fluffy Mediterranean pita bread made locally by a family who, at one time, lived in Israel.

When I got home with my purchases, I dropped them off and headed out into our mild and sunny day towards two other favourites spots: the library and Cafe Haven. Stopping at the library first, I found DVD's for movie-watching this weekend and a couple of Writer's magazines (looking for writing prompt ideas, particularly), and a book by Bill Gates' dad, Bill Gates Sr. (his thoughts about life -- looked interesting). Oh yes, the book I came for, Write It Down, Make It Happen, by Henriette Klauser.... it's a book I check out every couple of years or so, as it reminds me to write things down if I want to make things happen.

Then laden with reading possibilities, I stopped at my favourite coffee place where people were enjoying their visits with friends. I found a cozy corner with my own steaming latte and, as I say, my reading pile. What a treat!

I hear a sound indicating I must sign off quickly -- my buzzer for the apple crisp in the oven just rang.

So, yes it's been a delightful day. I'm happy and sated. Now for a wee bit of apple crisp and a movie from the series, The Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency, snuggled alongside hubby and kitty. What more could a person ask for.

Here's wishing you a peaceful evening!

Brenda

💑

Christmas Carols and Other Ponderings...

The day started out... looking like a Christmas card. Everything was covered in soft fluffy snow. Perfect for snowman building.

At Christmas, I like to... attend at least one concert where I can hear some of the beautiful carols and music of the season. Sometimes it's Handel's Messiah or Bach's Christmas Oratorio, and sometimes it's a community concert.

My favourite character in the Nativity story is... Mary. I have often marveled at her great courage to say to the angel, Gabriel, after he'd told her she would become the mother of Jesus, "Be it unto me according to your word." Such trust and, as I say, courage.

An interesting Christmas present I remember getting was a... doll that walked. The only thing was, she had one leg shorter and so she didn't 'walk' very well. As a child, I imagined she had polio, as one of my older cousins walked with a limp from having contracted polio. I named my new doll, Joanne.

One Christmas carol I love listening to is... Once in Royal David's City. I love how the one lone voice begins as if far away and then the one voice is joined with others, building the momentum into a magnificent expression. This one tends to give me shivers down my spine.

For me, Christmas begins when... I've been to a concert where I can join in the carol singing. And if I don't get to one, it begins when I start humming my favourites around the house or in my car. Years ago, I used to sing in a choir and every year we'd do a big event for Christmas called The Singing Christmas Tree. A gigantic stand was erected and festooned with tree boughs and thousands of lights. The choir members would stand on this and sing from it. It was quite the experience.

And so, we come to the last few days before the big event. Here's wishing you peaceful 'sugar-plum' dreamin'!

Musing About Christmas Traditions

photo: pixabay.com

Hubby and I were chatting one day about our favourite and not so favourite traditions -- what we enjoy the most about the holiday season and what we enjoy the least.

When I grew up and had my own place, I loved starting Christmas early in the season. Usually the first flakes of snow got  me in the Christmas spirit. I would start my shopping early, listening to the old familiar carols, watching the movies, getting in the mood, or crafting new decorations and handmade gifts. I didn't have a problem dreaming about it when autumn days drew us nearer the fireside, and I certainly loved the idea of decorating my house at the very beginning of December.

When I met Rick and we married, he didn't have many 'traditions'. He'd put lights up on the house outside, but didn't decorate a tree. And, he didn't often go home to visit his family, who lived in another province. He often spent Christmas Day with special friends closer to home, so his celebrating was simple.

Then I came along and turned everything up-side-down for him. I'd start playing carols weeks before and want to put the tree up early, etc. And he was usually not as enthusiastic as I. Not that he ever stopped me from sallying forth, but he would just tease me about it being way too early and he'd have to call the "Christmas police".

I just figured it was because he wasn't used to it. But then we had our chat and that's when he shared that he didn't really enjoy spreading out Christmas so far and wide across the weeks. To him, if we celebrate days and days of holidaying, what will then make December 25th special and set apart? He had a point! So I said, well, let's make this Christmas more like what he would relish and not spread out the festivities too far in advance. I was happy enough to share the new experience, because in truth it was an old one for me. For, as a child, we didn't decorate our home until just 2 or 3 days before Christmas. (You didn't want the real tree to dry out before the actual day.) And most of our festivities were just those few days right around Christmas, just before and between Christmas and New Year's.

I refrained from shopping (yes, even shopping), planning menus in advance, holiday baking, playing the carols, and decorating until just a couple of days ago. I did read my December Victoria magazines and dream, but there was no actual activity happening.

Anticipation grew as we waited. So now that we're only 13 days away, this new experiment has revealed something very interesting. It's like the essence of the holiday has distilled into something more potent, and has created something where we're not jaded by all the hubbub, but there's a building up of something eagerly looked forward to. It feels more akin to that feeling of anticipation I had as a child.

Then one day I was reading Jan Karon's delightful Shepherds Abiding and if key character Father Tim didn't describe something similar after he'd just heard the choir singing the beautiful old carols in the beautiful old stone church. Here, listen...

"Call him a stick-in-the-mud, a dinosaur, a fusty throwback, but indeed, jumping into the fray the day after Halloween was akin to hitting, and holding, high C for a couple of months, while a bit of patience saved Christmas for Christmas morning and kept the holy days fresh and new."

That's it, starting things later this year has given me that sense of that fresh and new. Interesting, I thought. Now whether I do this every year, well, time will tell. But I'm enjoying this year.

I bid you your own sweet musings on this wintry evening,

Brenda

xox