A Rest on Sunday

Yippeeee!!!! My wonderful, clever, techie DH has sorted out my upoading problems, so I'm back in business!

Yesterday I went yarn shopping in Solihull.  Between John Lewis and House of Fraser I managed to find just what I was looking for, some soft, washable cotton yarn in beautiful colours for some technicolour crochet.  Yes, no more black hats and gloves, but this is going to be one big, beautiful granny blanket.  Here's some gorgeous, woolly eye candy.....

I wish you could feel it and give it a good 'squidge' like I can!

I bought yarn from a variety of different brands in order to get exactly the colours I had in mind.  But it will all be fine, as they are all 100% machine washable pure cotton double-knit yarns.  That's one thing I like about crochet, you don't have to match yarns up exactly as you would if you were knitting up a garment.

I really want to get started on this new project, but I have some knitting projects on my needles that I should really finish first!

On Friday, I spent some time at home, so here are some pics from my day, I did some laundry and made some delicious rice pudding.  Here are some of my aprons, fluttering in the breeze...

My Rice Pudding recipe is an old American one.  It is cooked on the stove-top, rather than baked in the oven, and it contains eggs, so it tastes like rice pudding and egg custard mixed together, very nice.

This time I can give you imperial and metric quantities.

Rice Pudding.

1.5 litres / 2 1/2 pints semi-skimmed milk

185 g / 6 ozs pudding rice

125 g / 4 ozs sugar

pinch of salt

250 ml / 8 fl ozs semi-skimmed milk

3 eggs

5 ml / 1 tsp vanilla extract

1.  Combine first four ingredients in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-low heat.

2.  Let the mixture come to a slow boil (it may foam up, that's ok).  Continue the slow boil (too fast a boil will scorch the milk) for approximately 1 hour, or until almost all the liquid has been absorbed.  The boiling will start making a 'pop' or 'slapping' sound.  When it does, the rice is finished. 

3.  Remove from heat and add the last three ingredients.  Combine well and let it stand for 20 minutes.  Serve warm or chilled.

By a warm fire, on a cold winter's evening, this is very homely and satisfying!  We've had some bacon and eggs for lunch, there is a casserole simmering in the slow cooker for later, and now it's time to put the kettle on, put our feet up, and have some hooky fun.

I do hope you are also able to have a relaxing day, life can often be tiring and stressful, and sometimes we really do need to switch off and remind ourselves that God is in control, not us, so we can safely let Him get on with what He does best, hand everything over to Him and simply enjoy the day He has given to us.

A sunny day

It's lovely and sunny here today, even if it is freezing cold!  I've got laundry blowing in the breeze, I wanted to show you a pic of my aprons on the washing line, but I'm having technical problems uploading pics!  Never mind.

I've done an online shop today, so no need to go out shopping, it will all come to me tomorrow morning.  Lovely thought.

Now that the chores are done, and I've eaten lunch, time for some knitting.

I really like the picture of the old fashioned wool shop on The Quiet Home today.  It reminded me of the wool shop that used to be just a few yards away from the house where I grew up.  There seemed to be one on every street corner in the sixties and seventies. How sad that many of them have disappeared.

It's been a busy old time at work this week, so I appreciate being able to pause today and take stock.

There have been certain things on my prayer list this week, especially a family member who was feeling a little under the weather, and I came across this phrase somewhere:  "God is magnetically drawn to my need".  How wonderful that He not only knows and cares about every little detail of my life, but that God actually has the power to change a situation when I bring it to Him in prayer. This thought has been such a consolation and a blessing to me.  He neither slumbers nor sleeps, and when He says "My peace I give to you", I fin that this is a real, solid peace that nothing and no-one can destroy.  The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, PEACE...etc.  He is altogether lovely.

Enjoy your day my friend.

A rest on Sunday

"What a splendid day!" said Anne, drawing a long breath.  "Isn't it good just to be alive on a day like this?  I pity the people who aren't born yet for missing it.  They may have good days, of course, but they can never have this one!"

Anne of Green Gables,  Lucy Maud Montgomery.

I am really enjoying reading this book, and I am very happy that I am in contact with L M Montgomery's cousin, who still lives where this book was set.  Thank you Kathie for getting in touch with me. 

Today we have enjoyed a lovely lunch, that I popped into the slow cooker early this morning.  Onions, bacon and mushrooms browned, pork steaks grilled, carrots and parsnips chopped, then everything added to the crock-pot with 500ml of cider and a can of lovely, velvety mushroom soup for good measure. No recipe required, simple!

I also copied my daughter's idea and scrubbed and halved some new potatoes and put these at the bottom of the cooker, so no need to cook any potatoes seperately, very easy, just the way I like it!

Then I simply put some yorkshire puddings in the oven and boiled some broccoli.

Then lit some candles and made everything cosy and homely for a lovely, relaxing Sunday lunch.

Then eldest son very kindly agreed to model the beanie hat and gloves I have been knitting.

The patterns were given to me by my sister, who has won awards for her knitting. In fact, if knitting was a martial art, my sister would be a blackbelt!

There's not much colour here, because he wanted them in black, so I am looking forward to buying some yarn next weekend, and indulging in some technicolour crochet.  Watch this space! 

"Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens.  I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light."  Jesus.  Matthew 11:28-30.

The caring lovingkindness of God towards me and towards others is a continual source of amazement to me.  That He, the Creator of all life and the Universe could be so personal, so tender, so thoughtful, so kind and so caring that my heart runs to Him for refuge, shelter, security, and He never fails me, because He is all Love, from first to last.  He knows how many hairs are on my head, and I find in Him a sweet haven of companionship, of understanding, of comfort and of rest.

Enjoy a restful Sunday my friend.

Time at home.

Yesterday, I didn't need to go into work until the afternoon, so I enjoyed a little pottering time, cleaning things and polishing, and rearranging, all very satisfying.

I started in the kitchen, wiping down to the strains of Classic FM.

Then I gave my latest purchase a quick rub to make it shine!

Do you like my Wedgewood bud vases?!  The one on the left was a Christmas present from a friend about 30 years ago.  The one on the right was recently bought from a charity shop for 99p.  I thought they would look good together, and the price was a bargain for Wedgewood.  If I pull out a little, you will spot yet another bookcase in my rather bookish home!

Then I plumped up my cushions.  I crocheted this cover just before Christmas, with some help from the Attic 24 blog.

This is the back of it.

The buttons are very old ones from my mother-in-law's button box that was passed on to me when she died.

I was also given all her knitting needles and crochet hooks, as well as a lovely knitting bag.  I use them all regularly and think of her when I do.  She would have liked to know they were being well used.

When I got to work, we had a meeting, which meant a rare opportunity to meet up with some of my colleagues, as we all work in different places.  It was lovely to catch up with everybody and have a chat/moan/laugh about work!

After a spot of shopping I came home to a lovely sunset.  This was the view from my attic.  A colourful end to a happy day.

 

Determination

If you are lacking in determination in any area of your life today, this video may give you the motivation to do something.  I have never really done much quilting before, but after watching this video I feel determined to have a go!

Isn't she amazing?!  Today I went out with one of my old students, who is also blind, who managed to follow up getting a good degree with holding down a good job.  She is an inspiration to me, not only because is she full of determination, but also because she also manages to be cheerful, and to have a sense of humour, whatever else is going on around her, and whatever challenges she faces.  It was really good to catch up with her.  I know she will follow her dreams.

I am currently reading Anne of Green Gables (as well as trekking through Middlemarch!) which is by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I read about her books at Lanier's Books.  This is a marvellous blog if you are at all interested in old books.  Lanier writes a good review of L M Mongomery here.  While researching Montgomery, I came across this lovely poem, ideal for a restful Sunday.

Come, Rest Awhile

Come, rest awhile, and let us idly stray,

In glimmering valleys, cool and far away.

Come from the greedy mart, the troubled street,

And listen to the music, faint and sweet.

That echoes ever to a listening ear,

Unheard by those who will not pause to hear

The wayward chimes of memory's pensive bells,

Wind blown o'er misty hills and curtained dells.

One step aside and dewy buds unclose

The sweetness of the violet and the rose;

Song and romance still linger in the green,

Enblossomed ways by you so seldom seen.

And near at hand, would you but see them, lie

All lovely things beloved in days gone by.

You have forgotten what it is to smile

In your too busy life, come, rest awhile.

Lucy Maud Montgomery.

May you have a restful day, whatever you do, wherever you go and whoever you are with, may you rest well, inside and out, on this peacefull January Sunday, my friend.

In hot water!

This morning, I was very happy to see our plumber walking up the drive.  Our hot water supply has been intermittent for a few weeks.  He came and diagnosed the problem last week, and at last the offending part has been replaced.  I'm looking forward to a nice deep, hot bath tonight.

(Google images)

This is not actually my bath, although mine is the same size and shape.  In fact, I now feel inspired to dig out all the candles leftover from Christmas, and the Sanctuary toiletries given to me by my lovely sister-in-love, and hang some fluffy towels on the radiator to get nice and warm, and put my dab radio onto Classic fm.  Oh yes, I'm looking forward to bath-time tonight.

I will lie in the bath and think about those wonderful 'cleansing' Bible verses, such as "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9),  and "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin" (verse 7).

"The Word of God is the water that washes us. Ephesians 5:26 says, “Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

The word ‘washing’ in this Scripture is the Greek word, loutron (the verb is louo) and it means, “to take a bath, to wash the whole body and not just a part of it.” It speaks metaphorically of washing every part of the inward man—our heart, soul, spirit, mind and emotions. It’s a whole bath, not just a face wash.

I find that if I do not personally read God’s Word each day that sin can build up in my life and I am not even aware of it. But when I read the Word, the Holy Spirit reveals the things that grieve Him and which pollute my soul. I am convicted to repent and cast them from my life so I can keep my inward man clean. 2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (From Above Rubies.  http://www.aboverubies.com/)

Above Rubies is a lovely website that I heartily recommend.

Today, I have stayed indoors, as the rain pattered on the window pane, and I had a knitting day.  I've knitted my second beanie hat of the winter, this time for eldest son.  Now I am knitting youngest son some fingerless gloves, to pop into a little parcel for him, and to let him know we haven't forgetten him entirely!  I had better do some crochet too, or my crochet hook may start to feel neglected and overlooked!

I'll get my camera out later and take some pics of my work-in-progress for you to see.

Have a lovely weekend my friend, and take some time out to pamper yourself.

A Lovely Day

Today I finished work a little early and had time to walk to the wool shop and buy eight balls of the softest, scrummiest merino wool to knit a little coat as a present for someone.  I made a start on it as soon as I arrived home.  It's so soft and lovely, it practically knits itself. I felt cosy, sitting by the fire with my needles.

I've been reading "Candles in the Dark" by Amy Carmichael this week.  She was a missionary in India for 55 years, and in all those years she never returned home to the UK for a break.  She opened an orphanage and a mission there, where many children were loved and cared for over the years.  They were rescued from either death or a life of prostitution.  Children were always close to her heart.  I read this lovely piece of prose, to be taken to heart by every mother, grandmother, auntie and by every mother to be.

"To a young mother.  This morning, I was reading in Luke, and as I read of the angels' joy over the birth of our Saviour and thought of their joy over everyone born again into the Kingdom, I felt sure they rejoice over every precious little life born into a family of true lovers of our Lord.  And I thought how to each little one an angel is given.  How little we know of these heavenly things, but I do like to think of the angel prepared for your little treasure and, above all, to think of what has been prepared for that little one 'before the foundation of the world'.  How much more there is in a baby than just sweetness and the appealing innocence of baby days.  All the great thoughts of God lie behind that little life, all the great purposes.  Ephesians chapters 1 and 2 tell of these.  The more one ponders, the more one wonders."

May you have opportunities to phone, visit, or even give a hug to those who are precious to you.

It made me think also about youngest son, back at university now for another term.  On Monday morning, when I was praying for him, God gave me these wonderful words, as if they were printed in gold, just for me.

"Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall."

Instead of 'burdens', I inserted the names of my children here, as I prayed for them, and had a real sense of God protecting each one of them - and their parents!

God bless you my friend.