Quotes that Resonate this January

"A commonplace book is a highly personal anthology,

and part of the joy in creating one is that it gives a

deeper sense of self: by selecting fragments of language

that speak to you, you become more aware of your

own taste, beliefs and judgement."

MIRANDA MILLS, YouTube vlogger

Posted here are a few lines that I have gathered into my journal these beginning days of January. Each quote for me has meaning and brings a little something to the table while I dreamily mull what 2024 might look like—what I wishfully hope for in real life as the days unfold.

Perhaps you will find words that resonate with your own soul as you start a new week. I hope so.

🎔

December 29th

(As a writer I want to bring these words with me into the New Year)

"Because right now, there is someone

out there with a wound in the exact

shape of your words."

SEAN THOMAS DOUGHERTY, The Second O of Sorrow

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January 1st

"What a wonderful thought it is

that some of the best days of our

lives haven't even happened yet."

ANNE FRANK

"Make something you

can give away."

SUSAN BRANCH

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January 2nd

"I'm getting better, happier, and

nicer as I grow older. So I would

be terrific in a couple hundred years."

MAEVE BINCHY

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January 3rd

"Because even with the dark parts and

the light parts and the good parts and the

bad parts, dinner must still be served."

PATTI CALLAHAN, Once Upon A Wardrobe, p. 102

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January 4th

The word 'restoration' has been singing in my heart of late.

As I ponder what I yearn for in my life words begin to flow;

I write them down:

Restored health for my body,

Restored joy in my writing,

Renewed hope in God's goodness,

Hope and healing for our world,

My dreams and purpose restored,

A restoration of true hospitality with ease and grace,

Order, simplicity, and beauty in my home.

My own thoughts

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January 5th

"(The) world remains 'bent' and smudged by generations

of the sins of humanity, but it is, deep down, still fresh

and radiant with the unquenchable glory of God, made

manifest to those with the eyes to see."

JANET MORLEY, Haphazard by Starlight, p. 142

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January 7th

"But there always have been and always

will be people who are . . . starved for

nourishment. I am one of those readers and I am

also one who can occasionally provide this food.

That is all that really matters to me this morning."

MAY SARTON, Journal of a Solitude, p. 68

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January 10th

"Always be on the lookout

for the presence of wonder."

E.B. WHITE

"It is no bad thing to

celebrate a simple life."

J.R.R. TOLKIEN

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January 12th

"Let go of old and tired things."

As seen on Instagram

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January 15th

"Because you see so much

to make you sad, that doesn't mean

it is your duty to be unhappy."

HELEN MACINNES, While Still We Live, p. 228

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January 19th

"I'm beginning to suspect that the second half

of life is about learning to let go of everything

I feverishly collected over the first half that

wasn't loving or human."

MICHAEL XAVIER

"If a book is well written,

I always find it too short."

JANE AUSTEN

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January 20th

"Snow had fallen, snow on snow."

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

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January 22nd

"I scribble my list of promises.

The ways I hope to be kind.

To be gentle. To forgive.

To try and try again."

BARBARA MAHANY, The Stillness of Winter

"It was her habit to build laughter

out of inadequate materials."

JOHN STEINBECK, Grapes of Wrath

❦

Wishing you dear friends a beautiful week,

Brenda

Photo Credit:

Image by Nennieinszweidrei from Pixabay

A Literary Hero (Part 1): Lucy Maud Montgomery

"I'd like to add some beauty to life," said Anne dreamily.

"I don't exactly want to make people KNOW more... though I

know that IS the noblest ambition... but I'd love to make them

have a pleasanter time because of me... to have some little joy or

happy thought that would never have existed if I hadn't been born."

L.M. Montgomery, Anne's House of Dreams

Recently I attended an online Afternoon Tea event with Hayley Solano at The Enchanted Book Club and author-artist Susan Branch. Their discussion was about literary heroes, in which Susan shared the book people who were her inspiration over her lifetime, people like Mark Twain, Beatrix Potter, Gladys Taber, and characters like Pollyanna who gave the world her glad game idea.

At the top of my list would be Lucy Maud Montgomery. For so many girls in my generation, it was almost a right of passage to be introduced to Ms Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables. I remember the thrill of learning that both Anne and her creator were Canadian. Just like me. And I grabbed hold of that beloved phrase 'kindred spirits'. Even at an early age, I longed for that special kinship, and I recognized that it could happen even with someone found in a book. They were, after all, real people. In my formative years, it was the storybook heroines like Anne and Emily who captured my imagination. Later it was Lucy Maud herself who became my inspiration as I began to make my way in life, trying to figure out how to live a beautiful life. I loved learning that Lucy Maud and I shared interests in things domestic, gardens, kitty cats, beauty in nature, and books. I think she gave me permission to allow myself to take pleasure in the beauty of the world around me, that it was okay to enjoy what I loved doing, to know myself better and like who I was. I appreciated knowing that Lucy Maud loved solitude but also truly enjoyed the society of others. I felt a kinship in that. Both her novels and later her published journals drew me into her world, a world that even helped me understand a little of my grandma's era who was born in the mid-1890s. I could picture things in my mind by her descriptions.

Eventually I found myself wanting to emulate Lucy Maud: I developed my letter writing skills; I took a more active interest in reading poetry and trying my hand at writing it; and I undertook what would become a life-long joy in journaling. All because of her. My hitherto hidden interest to write surfaced - I yearned to write, just like LMM (my nickname for her). Looking back I can trace how LMM influenced my life:

- She gave me heroines in my girlhood who were so real and alive to me. From Anne Shirley and Diana Barry to Emily of New Moon, I learned about friendship and getting along with people, dealing with life's disappointments, and taking joy in the little things around me.

- She gave me words and lines on which I could pin some of my own thoughts and desires, like the familiar, hopeful words, "Tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it...yet." Written directly into a notebook for future reference, I cannot recall how often those words comforted me at the end of a day or week fraught with mistakes and missed opportunities. I was ever grateful for Anne's Shirley's optimism.

- She gave me a glimpse into a writer’s life - her struggles as well as her triumphs. This ignited something within me. I wanted to sit on the back step on a summer's evening and muse over lines of a would-be poem that described what I saw and how it captured my soul's imagination.

- Through her words, LMM let me delight in her discovery of beauty around her. Anne continued to be a shining example of someone ever seeking for what was good and lovely in the world. As Anne, via Lucy Maud's pen, described the joy of apple blossoms in spring, the full moon in a winter sky, or the softness of a kitty purring on a lap, I knew that's what I wanted for myself.

- LMM showed me how she felt about her own life and place in the world. She was clear in her own mind and heart. Which I believe helped me to come to some understanding of my own place in it. "The work for which we are fitted — which we are sent into this world to do — what a blessing it is and what fulness of joy it holds!" From The Selected Journals of Lucy Maud Montgomery, Volume II, 5/23/1910

- She showed me how to journal. I was so excited to find her first journal, published in 1985, at the library. I chomped at the bit until the next one was edited and released. As a writer, LMM knew her journals eventually would be available to the public. My own first attempt at journaling started out chunky and choppy but as I matured, thankfully, so did my writing. Even when it was for my eyes only. It became good practice for when I'd write for a wider audience. And what fun to reread something I'd described in an old journal of mine and discover that it wasn't half bad. In her journals, LMM strove to write out her feelings both glad ones and sad ones as well as her thoughts and beliefs, her friendships, struggles, and experiences of the late 1800s and into the early 20th century. She wrote in such a way that sparkled with truth and creativity. I was inspired to describe my own life and the era I lived in, discovering how I felt about it all.

- Then I found out LMM was a keen letter writer. Of course, that was the way people stayed connected back in the day. Writing letters in my youth was still important, and it was through Lucy Maud's published collections of correspondence that I began to see how I could be more creative and interesting in my own letter writing efforts. I enjoyed reading about her literary friendships over several decades with her Scottish pen friend, George Boyd MacMillan, and with Ephraim Weber, who was a struggling young writer living in Alberta, Canada, when he began corresponding with LMM.

"... nothing gives me such a sense of life still being worth while

as to receive a letter from one of the  'kindred spirits' of the

leisurely old days. For a moment or two I find myself back there

in the unhurried years and emerge from my brief communion

with the past refreshed as if I had drunk a rejuvenating

draught from some magic spring."

L.M. Montgomery, Letter to MacMillan, August 26, 1924 

All these years later, Lucy Maud Montgomery remains my favourite literary hero and mentor from afar. I hope to meet her one day in the wild blue yonder so I can say thank you for her gentle guidance and influence over my life. She holds a special place in my heart.

There are others whose photos hang in my literary hero gallery, and I hope to write about two in the near future: Emily Dickinson and Mother Teresa. Now, who would you consider a literary hero—that special person you met through a book?

❦

Wishing you a pleasant bookish day,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Image by Pat_Photographies from Pixabay

My One Weakness... Or Two or Three

"I should warn you, I am far from perfect.

I have many, many weaknesses."

Miss Dorcas Lane, Lark Rise to Candleford

The other morning Lorrie on her Fabric, Paper, Thread blog pondered what she feels she cannot resist. I enjoyed her list and was immediately reminded of Postmistress Miss Dorcas Lane on the well-loved PBS television series Lark Rise to Candleford. She was often known to mention something she considered her 'one weakness'. A person didn't have to watch long to realize that Miss Lane had a number of these little harmless weaknesses she couldn't resist.

It turns out, I have more than a few myself. And in making my little list, I realized several are food-related. Here are some things I cannot resist - the list is by no means exhaustive (wink):

1. Tea sandwiches. A plate of tiny sandwiches and I'm in seventh heaven.

2. Cake. A slice of delicious layer cake.

 

3. Chocolate. Jacek's bar of dark chocolate with sea salt. A single square smoothly satisfies. These are made from a local award-winning chocolatier.    

4. Cheetos Crunchy Cheesies. These are my favourite salty treat with Miss Vickie's potato chips a close second.

5. Stationery. I am beguiled by pretty book covers, well-designed notebooks, and artsy greeting cards.

6. Books. Mysteries, memoirs and biographies, historical novels, art books, to name a few. I never tire of books or reading. Seeing a used book store and my feet go there automatically.

 

What do you find hard to resist?

❦

Wishing you a beautiful day,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Top Image by Erika14666 from Pixabay

'A Quilt Made of Days'

"Each day is like a panel in a quilt. Some days are

ugly and some days are raw and some days are chaotic

and some days are colorful and some days are orderly

but if you keep adding them up they turn into something."

AUSTIN KLEON, "A Quilt Made of Days" online article

'A quilt made of days.' That phrase—borrowed from Austin Kleon who wrote about his idea HERE—captivates my imagination. Although I am not a quilter, I am an ardent admirer of talented seamstresses, including my mom, who skillfully piece swatches of fabric into gorgeous patterns that become something beautiful and useful in one's home. Their creativity inspires me.

Perhaps that's why I gravitate towards creator/author Austin Kleon's words. His comment above seems particularly fitting as we stand on the cusp of a brand new year. The days yet to come in 2024 are unknown to us but we guess that some will arrive bright and colourful; others will show up muted and dull, some will be raw with pain and filled with chaos. And still other days will arrive, thankfully, with calm and peace as the order of the day. To create an actual physical quilt, crafters start with a plan. They know the pattern they want to create; they have chosen their colour scheme. They carefully pick out the fabrics, cut them into the appropriate shapes, and sew them together into the design they dream about. When it comes to creating the more ethereal quilts made of days, in life we aren't given the materials ahead of time; we can't plan the pattern, we must make use of what appears. Still, if we pay attention we can make use of what shows up and gather the pieces—memories, experiences, events—that are our life story. We can watch as patterns emerge. We can learn to recognize the value each block brings to the developing design.

When I took a water colour painting course years ago, I came to see how paintings need contrasts: they need dark to show light, shadows to give depth and perception, darker backgrounds to set off brighter foregrounds. For me, I found the most important contrast was the juxtaposition of using something plain or dull, maybe even ugly, in order to set off a thing of beauty. It was a life lesson to learn that maybe we need ugly and pain to truly realize the immense value of beauty, order, peacefulness, and joy. I'd rather not experience the pain, but would I know the great joy without it to compare?

It's the same in the world of quilting with fabric... or the days of our lives.

I have always been drawn to Victorian crazy quilts (see the photo above for an example). Rather than blocks that march squarely into place, there's a kind of creative higgledy-piggledy that makes use of the tiniest bits of fabric alongside the larger pieces, all in various shapes, colours, textures, and patterns. Victorians would use scraps of fabric, often from worn out clothing and linens. They'd include swatches that had been handed down from one generation to the next—maybe from a great grandmother's wedding dress or a baby's christening gown—creating these lasting works of art that burst with texture and colour, embroidery and ribbonry. Fashioned from the days given to them.

As I said earlier, I'm not a quilter, but I'm mulling what a quilt made of days would look like for me. I'd probably fashion a 'quilt' from the bits and pieces of how my life unfolds in 2024, and rather than sew or craft with fabric or paint, I'd probably create a 'quilt' using words, watching for the patterns, hoping for more red letter days than chaotic ones. And when something ugly turns up, dear Lord, I'd want His help as I waited for the beauty when it isn't yet fully evident. Taking days as they come, all the while learning to walk with confidence and hopefulness, being comforted during trying moments embroidered with prayers, when laughter and cheer have flown off. There is something comforting about recognizing there's a bigger picture, one I cannot yet fathom, of One who is making all things work together for good, One who is creating something bigger than our individual lives. For in God's created world, we believe there is a greater plan and purpose, trusting that He is taking all things and fashioning them into something truly exquisite and out of this world.

I wonder what kind of a quilt it will become. With the craziness of life in our upside down world, I'm pretty certain my quilt of days will have its own slant on crazy quilt. While things happen to me and around me, it's also up to me to do something with what's given, whether I think a piece will fit or not. It's my job to creatively work my attitudes, gratitudes, prayers, and dreams, staying hopeful through the storm darkened days, enjoying the small joys 'that tip the balance towards hope' (a phrase borrowed from Sarah Clarkson). All the while imagining something beautiful... my own quilt made of days.

❦

Happy New Year to you, dear beautiful friends!

With love and heart hugs,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Top Image by chenspec from Pixabay

Almost Christmas

"Christmas always rustled. It rustled every time, mysteriously,

with silver and gold paper, tissue paper and a rich abundance

of shiny paper, decorating and hiding everything and giving

a feeling of reckless extravagance."

TOVE JANSSON

It's almost Christmas. The presents are all wrapped and most have been handed out already. We celebrated our family Christmas last weekend. The big rush is over, and now we gently feel the growing anticipation for the awe of Christmas Eve, which for me is still my favourite day of the year.

In our house, we have one cozy spot that feels Christmas-y with the pencil tree, glittering lights, and a big white poinsettia in the corner. Otherwise our house has been topsy-turvy as we had new flooring installed earlier this week. The timing for it wasn't perfect, but since we weren't having guests here this year, it was fine. And now, while we wait for Christmas, we're slowly putting our possessions back in place, culling as we go. I am truly enjoying the spaciousness of my study without all my 'stuff'. I feel the expanse of this empty room which seems to echo an expansiveness in my soul. I usually like lots of my things near to hand, but this feeling of openness with little around me is quite lovely. I think it requires some pondering and further mulling, especially as we see the new year peering 'round the corner.

For Five on Friday, I'm sharing a tiny 'Something' list.

One. Something lovely outside my window. Watching the moon these past few nights has been a joy. In its waxing (getting fuller) phase, it's been so bright against the deep midnight blue skies.

Two. Something yummy. We stopped at our French-style Duchess Bakery to pick up their to-be-baked Quebecois Tourtière (meat pie dish) for Christmas Eve. Standing in the line that snaked along the display case, I caught sight of a delectable looking croissant sandwich—a large crisp buttery poppy seed croissant filled with slices of chicken salami, cheese, and mayonnaise. For the life of me, there was something else tucked in, but I cannot recall it now. All I know, it was satisfyingly yummy.

Three. Something new to drink. Found a new-to-me tea called Winter Spiced Pear that was specially blended by the Duchess Bakery for the holiday season. The name alone draws me in. It's a special blend of Assam tea that features dried pear, clove, anise, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla. It's delicious and it pairs perfectly with a Christmas treat or two. 

Four. Something Christmassy and cozy to read. Chronicles of Christmas (memoir, recipes, nature) by Nigel Slater; Winter Solstice (novel) by Rosamunde Pilcher; Home for Christmas (childhood memories) by Susan Branch; A Mind of Winter, Poems for a Snowy Season selected by Robert Atwan; the newly published novel Hercule Poirot's Silent Night by Sophie Hannah—I'm looking forward to reading this over the holidays.

Five. Something that delights my heart. I love when I'm inspired with gift ideas I think will delight someone's heart. This season I felt that inspiration a few times, and it came with a certain glee as I imaged someone's face when the wrapping fell away and all was revealed. This is one of my favourite things about Christmas—the joy of giving gifts to loved ones.

With every fiber of my being, I'm wishing you a Happy Christmas. May you find gifts under the tree that delight your heart. And, among them, I hope you also find good health, heart contentment, and sweet peace of mind. All wrapped with ribbons of sparkling joy for good measure. As I close, I think of that dear old Christmas song Away in a Manger I loved as a little girl. Especially the lines that I sometimes still whisper, "Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay close by me forever and love me, I pray. Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, and fit us for heaven to live with Thee there."

Wishing you moments that delight in the days ahead.

With love,

Brenda

Photo credit:

Top Image by StoryTaler from Pixabay