Wednesday: a Brisk Walk and Evening Presanctified Liturgy

Two things I want to continue.

More brisk walks, 3 miles in 1 hour.

Church services.  Such a blessing, a deep one.

I made a pasta dish,

I only regret adding the full small jar of sauce

 as it overpowered everything else.  

So I am still working on writing.

And I *finally* posted another book review on my 

Instagram page.  You can see it HERE.

I hope and pray that this finds you 

with some strength for the struggle of life

and peace because God is with you.

Lord have mercy on us!

Tuesday: the Perfect Spring Day

 It was sunny, cool and comfortable for walking!

Yesterday and today I walked a great deal more

and that's been really lovely.

***

I read THIS tonight and it really blessed 

and encouraged me.

I struggle with anxiety and it was 

just the reminder I needed!

***

I worked a bit on my new writing project today.

That felt good.

***

Yesterday was hard, it was like I was 

moving through a thick molasses,

just wanting to procrastinate on anything

and everything.

That I managed to get dishes done

AND take a really great walk were 2 very good things.

***

I want to remember the walk today,

how free I felt, 

the sunshine beautiful but not scorching.

The feeling of being able to accomplish new things,

that I am walking faster than before,

hopefully getting stronger,

which has been one of my goals.

***

Well.  Tomorrow is going to be cloudy,

which makes things feel differently.

And rainy.  But I have no problem walking in the rain...

***

One thing at a time.

***

I am glad for today.

It was a gift.

***

I pray that no matter where you are and what is going on,

that you can have the mercy of God

and comfort...

Monday: Full

 

Breakfast this morning!

It's been a busy day.

Research, cleaning, labeling pictures that I printed

to finally mail out, a long walk.

Sunshine and beauty.

I pray you are well! 

God bless, comfort and keep you!

A Beautiful Saturday with Sunshine

I could not remember if I showed you all the above picture before,

it's at my parent's house and is all the beautiful dishes I got from my

Great Aunt P's home when she moved.

My Mom kept the dishes for me!

The two plates on the back left side are on our wall above our door

to our library/chapel/guest room :)

***

I went to church this morning, it was just so wonderful to be there! 

I had been worried about some things / wondering how to keep

God's peace and, really, sunshine as it were, inside of me

in light of the things that were worrying.

And I found my answer really in the liturgy, the praise of God,

the prayers asking for help/deliverance/protection/peace/provision

and the words of the hope we have in Christ

and that the liturgy has been prayed for, really, for 2,000 years.

My local priest, who is also my father-confessor priest, 

understood that my Husband could not come to liturgy this morning

and so he wrote my first name on my prosphora and

that felt really special to me.

I felt seen, loved. 

It's a really nice feeling! :)

After I got home and had breakfast

(I went shopping and got a few things and took light rail home!)

I baked the fruit and nut bread! 

Tonight I made a round tart pan of scones! :)

I used the above recipe but did not work the dough at all,

I merely made sure it was well mixed and put it in the tart pan!

(It's one that I got at the VNA rummage sale and have always loved!)

The only changes to the above recipe is that I used coconut cream for the

heavy cream and a bit of almond milk to make it the full 1.4 cup. 

And I used only dried cherries, 3/4 cup full!

Here's my simple table for tea tomorrow, 

my friend Photini is coming over!

The scones are wrapped in the tea towel

(I have a box of tea towels that I only used for baking)

and the little bowl is for vegan chocolate that my friend is bringing! 

It's a simple tea and I am excited for it!

***

I am making a new-to-me pasta meal from Marion Cunningham's

lost recipe cookbook and hope it works out!

Oh, the cream scones recipe is from Cunningham's Breakfast Book.

She is by far one of my TOP favourite cookbook writers and 

who I feel like her recipes never fail me!

***

Granny Marigold, please know I was not upset about your asking about 

modeling my new hat/s.  It's really OK.  I just had to explain 

that I don't like having pictures of me on public internet.

It's not biggie and I really was not upset.

It's too bad I don't have my biggest doll 

(it's a handmade doll from my childhood) to show them to you.

But the doll (who I named Amy) is at my Mom's house. 

***

Today was a really nice day.

Nearly perfect which is quite good.

***

I am in the process of ordering some really special books and

am excited about that!

***

I am so behind on emails and such.

I hope to get to this next week.

I got to be in church Wed-(DV) Sunday this week

and that took up a lot of time.

***

God bless you all!

May you be kept safe in Christ's care and knowing that

being in God's hands is the safest, most loving, good, place to be!

A Restful Friday

 Hello dear friends! 

No picture today but a hello from me anyway!

We went to church this morning and DV I go again tomorrow AM 

and I am VERY grateful. 

***

I read THIS today and was so encouraged.

This is how to live today: through thanksgiving...

and prayers for thanksgiving...

***

I read THIS about a young altar boy nearly 100 years ago!

***

I listened to THIS recording of an earlier evening presanctified liturgy

from my Ottawa parish and it was so life-giving just to hear.

***

BTW, Henrietta's House is recently republished,

it's the lovely book by Elizabeth Goudge that I read,

the US title being The Blue Hills

***

I took a long walk today, it was very warm.  

***

I managed, by God's mercy, to get the dishes cleaned up and

the table is newly washed and I hope to bake

bread tomorrow and also vegan scones.

***

I am so so glad for the church I have been able to go to.

It's a real encouragement. 

***

I pray that you have had some comfort today!

And if you still need some, check out my links above,

they may just help!

***

I don't think I have the cranberry recipe online yet.

I will try to fix.

***

I won't be showing me with my new hats

(just floppy lovely beret style, cotton and VERY

soft and VERY floppy, just what I wanted). 

I just am not comfortable posting pictures of myself.

***

I am thankful that in real life I am, for the most part,

a brown-haired nondescript person. 

I like it that I don't turn heads or get noticed.

I like being hidden, in the background.

***

I looked nice on my wedding day.

That was so special.

***

But boy is it nice to, in general, not have

that much attention drawn to myself.

***

Well, I hope you are blessed 

and that God has continued mercy on all of us!

Wednesday: Rain, More Rain and Vespers at Night

Today was a good day.  Quiet.  I did not take a walk! I had fun doing some research.  I edited a book review (my goodness 3 paragraphs can need 10 edits at least, my writing and clarity need a lot of refinement to say what I wanted to say!).  

I baked my beloved vegan cranberry muffins! And the dishwasher is going.  And again I tamed the chaos that is the kitchen counter, island and table where we eat.  

My new hats come Saturday we hope! (Did I mention I bought some, 3 to be exact!?) 

So the virus numbers are slowly increasing in NJ.  I am not panicking.  I AM praying that our late Easter May 2nd can still have us all at church, even if outside.  

We shall see.  

I talked with my Mom.  That's always nice!  Heard about one of my older cousins needing to help elderly Aunt and Uncle.  There's always something that is worrisome.  We take it day by day.

Tomorrow I hope to go to liturgy and lunch outside afterwards.  

Vespers was beautiful.  It was raining a lot! My Husband took one look at the rain and headed back for an umbrella!  When vespers was over, and I was just in the car, but leaning over to grab my long black skirt that was still not in properly, and my phone was not properly put in my purse, fell out onto the ground in about 2 inches of running water (from the rain)! Thankfully I grabbed it quickly and dried it (on my skirt! which now needs washing!) and it's fine.  

I felt really happy to have my new writing project (and old ones two, my book reviews) as it gives me something meaningful to work on.  This is especially nice as we are still in moderate-lockdown though not so bad, given what it could be.   

May God help us, save us and have mercy on us!