Things I am Thankful for no.6

I have really enjoyed taking part in Ginny's 'Things to be Thankful for in November.' It has made me focus on the 'things' that are important to me. The things that really matter.

Apart from my family, friends and health the thing that I am thankful for most of all is my freedom. Freedom to read, write and express myself as I want to without restrictions. Freedom to sing and dance and paint and laugh. Freedom to walk where I want, when I want. Freedom to light a candle or bake a cake, put on make up, have a bath, keep a pet, wear what I want, plant a tree, eat how I choose to and be at one with nature in a beautiful part of the world.


Freedom. Freedom. Such a lovely word. Never to be taken for granted.



Edited: The photo above was taken locally in the late spring. The view outside at the moment is far from the serene seen above. Roll on Spring!!!

Hope and Gifts from a Friend

I have been feeling a bit jaded and beaten down recently. The sky has been relentlessly grey and overcast and there has been little light. I went to bed last night and the wind was howling and I was scared that any minute the tree outside would coming crashing down onto the house.

This morning was a different story. The sky was blue with a few fluffy clouds and the air was calm and fresh.

I noticed that the berries were plentiful on my Pyracantha. A good source of food for the birds in the coming months. I started to feel more positive and hopeful. I thought I would share this quote about hope with you. 'Hope is like a bird that senses the dawn and carefully starts to sing while it is still dark' - Anonymous.

On to lighter things now! The lovely Lyn from Everydaylife sent me my Pay it Forward package (PIF) last week and what a treat it was to receive! Lots of beautifully wrapped packages full of handmade goods. Thank you so much Lyn. It must have taken you a lot of time and effort to put together. I don't want to give too much away as to what I got in case the other PIF recipients haven't received theirs yet. I will probably send my PIF packages out sometime in January.

Gizmo was eager to see what was in the packages too!

He sniffed out a Christmas catnip mouse just for him!

Here he is guarding his new toy.

And here the poor mouse is under attack! It makes a change from him attacking me!!!

Shocking!

This is another pictureless post but 'normal' blogging will resume as soon as I get this off my chest! We often hear on the news about the downfall of modern society, about the recklessness of youths today and the fact that we are not empowered to do anything about increasing anti-social behaviour.

I was listening to a news bulletin the other day on the radio. The newsreader reported that a woman had been found lying in the street with head injuries and her hand cut off. He then went on to report other news. 'Hand cut off, hand cut off' I kept repeating to myself over and over again in disbelief. I was SHOCKED!!! I was also shocked that it was reported in a manner that was equivalent to saying its a bit windy outside or the M25 is busy southbound.

I personally think that a lot of trouble that happens today is because we are not SHOCKED enough! We have become immune to atrocities and seem to lack humanity. I think this news story should have been shouted from the rooftops with condemnation for this horrific act of violence, from those in power. Politicians are often asked their opinion on who they think should win the X-Factor or their opinion on Susan Boyle etc and not asked their opinion on things that really count.

I apologise that this post is not a happy post but I sincerely hope that you too were SHOCKED by the story above. We need to be SHOCKED by stories such as these and not become as thick skinned as not to care. It was reported that she had been on her way home from work to pick up her two boys aged 8 and 9. She died as a result of her injuries.

Things I am Thankful for no.5

There is no picture today. Just words. Today I am thankful for having my basic human needs fulfilled. I have a roof over my head, warm clothes, food, heating, lighting and I know that I am loved. I never take these things for granted and I never want to forget how lucky I am.

Country Living?

I thought it was timely to think about 'Country Living' as the Country Living Fair is currently taking place in Islington, North London.

I was born and brought up in an inner London borough. In the window of our kitchen over the roof tops and chimney pots, St Paul's Cathedral could be seen quite clearly in the distance. Looking out over foggy old London I often yearned to escape to the country. I got my chance occasionally when the family went off for a country jaunt. I would dress in 'country clothes' and take my child sized willow basket for collecting wild berries. We would catch a train to Kent and pick up my Nan and Grandad on route. I always had a box of fruit gums to eat on a journey like this and would suck them until they were paper thin.

My countryside memories are of family members enjoying each others company, getting stung by nettles and brambles and picking the juiciest, biggest blackberries EVER!!! We would sit down by a stream or visit a traditional pub where I would have a cooling glass of lemonade after all that busy foraging. I would return home, tired with aching joints and rosy cheeks and sleep very soundly.

Throughout my life I have always tried to get away from London and live my country dream. I now live in an outer London borough and I guess this is the closest to the country I will ever get. When I think of the Country Living magazine it doesn't reflect what I believe country living to be about. It is more about Londoners upping sticks and moving out to the country to live in a 'designer' home. It seems that many of the people featured in the magazine are displaying a 'country living' home style rather than a lifestyle. We rarely see pictures of muddy floors, or old country people, poverty and dilapidated homes, or people that live near motorways and run down villages.

Now and then a property may come on the market in a beautiful rural location. 'Needs complete modernisation. Original features. Investment opportunity.' A house that was once a home to a person that really lived a country life now becomes a show home and photo opportunity to people who want to emulate a country way of life.

I feel sad because I am a fraud. I will probably attend the Country Living fair. I will still buy the magazine each month and drool over a 'lifestyle' that doesn't exist. I will cover my laminate floor with raggy rugs and pretend that flagstones lay beneath. My stainless steel sink can pretend to be a butlers sink if I narrow my eyes ever so slightly. It has the depth of a butlers sink if not the colour. My 'Aga' is a fitted oven but I can drape my carefully folded tea towel over the handle and imagine otherwise.

Real country living? I don't think it is for me after all. I think I will return to my town bubble and play at a country life from the confines of my home.

Things I am Thankful for no.4

When I am feeling low and need a kick start in positivity, I am thankful for inspiring quotes such as this one by Louisa May Alcott:

'Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.'

Things I am Thankful for no.2 and 3

No. 2. I am thankful for my Tiffany style lamp and for the warm glow it creates.

The skill in the craftsmanship of the tiny pieces of glass soldered together.

The ripples in the glass.

The accent of the rounded glass beads that allow the light to shine through so beautifully.

No 3. Receiving the morsbag from Ginny in her giveaway and being reminded of the plight of wildlife who end up dying from swallowing plastic bags in the water. I am thankful that I can reduce my negative environmental impact by using reusable fabric bags.

Things I am Thankful for - no.1

Ginny over at Sweet Myrtle thought it would be a good idea to look at the things in life we are grateful for during this dark month of November. Today I am grateful for a bowl of steaming hot porridge topped with local pears and berries.

What are you grateful for? Click on the button on the top right of the sidebar if you would like to join Ginny in her month of thankfulness.