Hair, some have it, some don’t. Apparently I was born with very light peach fuzz hair and didn’t really have much hair until I was about 18-24 months. I made up for lost time, as my hair grew in thick and was very long when I was growing up. Oh how I remember Mom braiding my hair or putting it up in ponytails. So often there would be those few strands that would be pulling and hurting, but I’d never say a word. Once out of sight I would pull and adjust those strands to make it less painful. It may not have looked as nice, but it felt better. Or when the bauble would slip and I’d get a jolt from it slamming into my head. Eeek.
Not sure how old I was here, maybe 18 months or so but not 2. I had hair but it was very light.
Sandy and me….blond and growing.
4 years old and pigtails. Looks like Mom had cut my bangs….a bit crooked.
Me and Buffy. More ponytails.
Braids….those red things are the baubles that would hurt like heck when they slipped out of Mom’s grasp when giving me ponytails.
My hair is about this long now. This is probably the longest it was, when I was a kid.
My Dad loved long hair and wasn’t keen on me having it cut. Finally, when I was about 11 years old or so, he agreed, but only if my piano teacher would do the honours. Yup, that’s right, my piano teacher. Not a hairdresser, but a piano teacher. He thought the world of her and trusted she would do a good job. I guess she did since he never said anything about it.
Grade 10 maybe. OMG…the part down the middle.
And there were the perm days. What was I thinking?
Still short at high school graduation.
Over the next few years my hair got shorter and shorter. It remained that way until 1988/89 when I let it grow slightly below my shoulders. It lasted a couple of years and then I cut it again and it kept it short until 2020 when Covid caused havoc. I had been debating letting it grow for a few years prior to Covid, but it would get to a point when it would drive me nuts and I’d have it cut again. But this time I got past that point and just let it keep growing. It’s been an interesting 5 years. It is quite long now, just about to the small of my back. Somedays I think I will have it cut but so far I haven’t. I have thought about donating it to make wigs for others and that remains a possibility when the time comes to have it cut.
Sept. 2008, Canton MA – Liam Clancy and me. Fluffy thick short hair. (photo by Linda Meekins Karako)
Oct. 2020 – 5 months into letting it grow.
Now, having long hair has it drawbacks or dangers. Some things that may or may not have happened to me are as follows:
one must be very careful when dropping things on the floor in the bathroom, especially when landing very close to the toilet. Long hair has a mind of its own and it will suddenly swing forward, landing in the toilet.
chewing gum and blowing bubbles, in the wind. Just when the bubble is at its fullest, a gust of wind comes and swings several strands of hair into the now collapsing bubble. Messy. Impossible to get the gum out of my hair and vice versa.
power windows on a vehicle can be hazardous. One must be mindful of raising the window. Ever so conspicuously the window will reach out and grab some hair without you noticing. Then as you reach for something or turn your head, ouch, you realize your hair is caught in the window.
brushing your teeth can be a challenge as well. Oh how there is nothing like the first big spit of foamy toothpaste. You just prep that spit and lean over and open up and voila, there’s your hair right in perfect line with that big spit. Like the hair in the toilet, this will likely happen when you are pressed for time and thus making you late for whatever you needed to be doing.
zippers are another hazard. Jackets, vests, sweaters, sweatshirts, etc. with zippers up to the neck are the worst. And the worst is not when you initially zip up, but a few minutes later when you move your head and OUCH….yup, a lock of hair has been caught in the zipper. Similar situation to the power windows. You don’t’ realize it until you turn your head. One or two strands aren’t bad as they usually just let go, but anymore and you’ve got a tangled mess.
Yup, you are right. They have all happened way too many times to count. Well, maybe not my hair falling in the toilet. Once was enough for that one.
October 2023.
I’m still getting used to having long hair. I mostly have it in a ponytail but on occasion I’ll wear down. There seems to be more curl in it than I remember when I was young. It is very thick too. The cold dry air of the winter seems to play havoc, as it is sometimes very staticky and sticks out. It can also be fun, as many people have not recognized me because they aren’t used to seeing me with long hair. One person said he thought my ‘red’ hair was the most gorgeous he has ever seen. Hmm….I might have red highlights, mixed in with the grey, but my hair is far from red. So many laughable moments.
December 2022 – Cousin It came to visit. Having fun with hair.
It’s been fun looking back through photos and seeing how my hair has come and gone and come again. Only 3 trims since March 2020. The last one was about 4″ though. The ends get split and icky and need to be cut off. I did feel kind of naked after that though. Overall I’m enjoying long hair. In the summer it does annoy me in the heat though. I might keep it long forever, or decide some morning when I get up that it’s time to get rid of it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this hairy blog. It’s been a hair raising experience bringing it to you. To those who are follicly challenge, I apologize, as you’re missing out. To those who can, I challenge you to cut loose and ponytail up and let yours grow. I’m hair for you if you have any questions.
Hair – the only thing that can prevent baldness.
Hair today, gone tomorrow.
In closing, hair’s to you. Leave a comment if you wish.
Recently I had a couple of people come up to me and say how much they love my Facebook posts. They love the positivity and the pictures I post. They both said they had had some difficult times in the past year, but always found my posts gave them something to think about and it helped them work through their issues. I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve had people comment on my posts and pictures many times, but to have people tell me this in person means a lot.
I haven’t posted on my blog since my Ireland trip, so I thought I’d post one before the New Year. I’ll try to share a picture or two, in case I can’t choose just one, from each month and perhaps include a few words about what they mean to me.
I hope you will find some enjoyment, or inspiration, from them, as I do. Going forward, I will try to post more blogs in the coming year. And I will try to remain positive in a world that has much too much negativity.
Here we go…..I thought choosing the pictures would be easy, but not so. I struggled and spent hours looking through the whole year. Some months will have two, while others will have three.
JANUARY
What is prettier than an Amaryllis? Love the rich red colour of this one. They are fun to watch, as they grow so high and quite quickly. And they come in a variety of reds, pinks, whites and combinations.
Amaryllis
My Happy Place – is a location in my yard that I can sit and look towards the upper end of Black River, the river that borders my property. It’s a gorgeous view no matter the weather or the season. It’s a place I can go and meditate, think, knit, read, sip coffee or just sit and admire the view, the wildlife, and nature.
My Happy Place
FEBRUARY
I am blessed to see so much wildlife in my own yard. There is an abundance of eagles, which thrill me, and I see them almost every day. I’m happy to say there is a nest being built very close to where I live. I’ve been watching the progress and I plan to do a blog on just eagles and their behaviour soon.
Eagle
This is MacRae’s Island just after a snowfall. It’s a short walk from my home and I think it is stunning with the trees covered in snow and the water so blue. There is actually an eagle in the tree second from the right. This island is shaped like a heart.
MacRae’s Island
MARCH
Look at this face. Is that not cute? Love the Highland cattle and my friend Robert Pringle has a few. They are adorable, but I’d not want to have one turn on me. We are blessed to have some local farms around that provide us with fresh meat and eggs. I’m not sure I could eat this cutie.
Highland Cattle
I love sheep. This picture is from Katherine Farms where I got to go in the pen and see all the baby lambs. So so so cute. Some of them were tame enough to pet. Such a cute face. (PS…I don’t eat lamb.)
Lamb
APRIL
Crocuses make me happy. They are so hardy, sometimes popping through a late snowfall. And their colour is so vibrant. They give hope of spring arriving and bringing sun and warmth. I know….I’m in Cape Breton and spring is rarely sunny or warm. But they still make one hopeful. One of the first colours in the spring.
Crocus
One thing I love is sitting around a table, with friends and family, sharing food and drink, and conversation. This was our Easter dinner table at my brother’s. Such a nice time. Sandy and Greg did the cooking and it was so delicious.
Easter Dinner Table
MAY
I travelled to Ireland in May and the next two pictures are from my trip. It was so so hard to pick only two pictures this month. The first is a stained glass window at St. Mary’s Church of Ireland in Killarney. I am not really religious, but perhaps more spiritual. I do love going into churches to see the stained glass windows, the architecture, the pipes if there is a pipe organ, and many other aspects of the church. I also enjoyed roaming about on my own, when time permitted on this trip.
Stained Glass – love the rich colours and the black background.
I think the Laburnum tree, sometimes called Golden Chain or Golden Rain, is gorgeous. How can something this gorgeous be so poisonous? As I understand it, every aspect of this tree is poisonous from blossom, leaf, bark, trunk and root. It contains cytisine which is toxic to both humans and pets. Mind you I had no desire to try a taste of any part of the tree.
Laburnum Tree (Golden Chain, Golden Rain)
JUNE
Dandelions are one of the first flowers that bees use in the spring. I don’t mind seeing them take over my yard when they are in bloom. They provide colour and I love watching the bees fly from blossom to blossom. However once they start to go by, and they lay down when the mower arrives and refuse to be cut, they do become annoying.
Dandelion
Dandelion Seeds – I do love the symmetry of the seed tufts though.
Bleeding hearts were never my favourite flower but they are growing on me. I bought two at an end of season sale several years ago, one of which has survived. I have since bought another one and had a white one given to me. They seem slow to grow, so I might have to look at moving them to give them more of whatever they need. I’m thinking they are too shaded. I’ll have to research what conditions are best for them. I think it is more of the name of the flower that I don’t like than the actual flower.
Bleeding Heart
JULY
I started growing Bearded Iris a few years ago. They are gorgeous. I love some of the names they have and their construction is interesting. The three main parts of the iris are the “standards” which are the three upright petals, the “falls” which are the three lower petals that either fall down or flare out and the “beard” which is the fuzzy catipillar from which the bearded iris gets its name. The following iris has peach standards, purple falls and orange beard.
Coup de Soleil (translation is Sunburn) Bearded Iris
I love what this picture doesn’t show. Simply this is just a platform for diving or jumping into the water. Beyond this is the Bras d’Or Lake, MacRae’s Island, and further across the lake is West Bay and Lime Hill. However the fog was heavy and I saw nothing but the platform and its reflection. Simplicity.
Platform for diving and jumping into the water.
AUGUST
I love planting my garden. I embrace weeding, finding it a time to just unwind and relax while pulling weeds and making the garden look nice. This picture shows a cucumber maturing and giving me hope for a successful garden. It was not to be. The deer finally found out that they can jump the rather low 3′ fence I had been using for years. Why it took them so long is beyond me, but this was the first year. They basically decimated the garden. We had very few peas and beans in our freezer for the winter and they are long gone. They tried most of the zucchini and realized they didn’t like them. I found many that had been bitten off and spit out. I did get a few cucumbers and tomatoes but very few. The deer were so bold that even yelling at them did nothing. I had to actually run after them to get them to leave the garden. I love wildlife and enjoy seeing the deer in my yard, but it did become very frustrating this year. I haven’t decided if I will bother with a garden next year.
Cucumber
I still miss my dear friend, Alayne Martell. Although her presence is no longer, it is comforting to know her memory lives on in Harbour Wars, Alayne’s Legacy. This is a fun competition, which was started by Alayne, between fisherman/fisherwoman, that raises funds for the Tom MacNeil Cancer Centre in Sydney. It is run by a passionate group of volunteers. This year they raised close to $50,000. Mind blowing from a small fishing community, but the local support is tremendous. She would be so proud.
Harbour Wars Alayne’s Legacy
We may find ourselves surrounded by larger than life people, or by intimidators, or we may feel inferior by others actions, or we may just be uncomfortable at times. But we are all beautiful in our own way. My Hibiscus thrived out on my back deck this summer. It is dwarfed by the Canna Lilies which grew to enormous heights. The foliage on the Canna Lilies is beautiful, but once again they didn’t bloom. But the wee Hibiscus brought me so much joy with its beauty. We can find beauty in most anything, but we just have to look. Like the foliage in the canna’s or the blossom in the tiny Hibiscus. Like the plants, we all have something to offer.
Hibiscus dwarfed by the Canna Lilies
SEPTEMBER
I love to go for walks with my camera. Sometimes I take no pictures and wonder why I brought it. Other times I see so much and take tons of pictures. This image is simply birds on a wire. All too often I find myself looking down or off to the sides when walking but rarely looking up. When I did look up, I saw this and thought it was cool. Nothing particularly special, but it appealed to me.
Birds on a wire
One of my Mom’s and my passions is doing jigsaw puzzles. We usually do only 1000 pieces or more. They are relaxing and fun. They can be frustrating too if they are hard but so satisfying when we complete the more difficult ones. We have a few friends that we trade with, or just pass them along too. It’s a great pastime, particularly during the winter. We started early this year, in September, and we are working on puzzle 22 now. Since writing this we have completed #22.
One of our favourite pastimes, jigsaw puzzles.
OCTOBER
I’m lucky to have my Mom living with me. We get along, most of the time. We share many of the same interests and enjoy doing things together. Mom loves to play cards and although I’m not as keen to play as she is, I do usually play 45’s with her before I go to work in the morning and one game of crib in the evening. She would play for hours on end if given the opportunity. She’s a competitor too. We played crib on the deck early in the month on a rather warm gorgeous weekend. It was a close game, but she won. Special times for sure.
Crib on the deck with Mom.
Another one of nature’s beauties is a rainbow. No words to express the beauty of this one and the picture really doesn’t do it justice. Spectacular to say the least. It was one of the most vibrant rainbows I had ever seen. This is looking down our driveway.
Rainbow
NOVEMBER
I couldn’t get through the year without sharing pictures of my foster kitties. They are owned by my next door neighbours and I look after them when their humans go away. I love them so much. I can be feeling down when I go to visit them and they just lift my spirits. Miella is very friendly. She has learned that as soon as I go inside and take off my Crocs she is supposed to roll on them, turn her belly upwards for belly rubs and she will be fed quickly. It took a few visits but she gets it now. Gus is a bit more standoffish. He likes belly and armpit rubs on his terms only. He also learned that if he lets Miella get the rubs first, they get fed much faster. He does like to play bird on a string sometimes and really goes berserk at times. He’s fun. They are both the best kitties. So cute.
Miella Angus
The moon. I tend to take lots of pictures of the moon. Why? Who knows. It’s just cool. Sliver moon, quarter moon, half moon, full moon, it doesn’t matter, I just like to photograph the moon.
The Moon
DECEMBER
I love to knit. Knitting relaxes me and takes me to a happy place. I love the clickety click rhythm of the needles, and the feel of the fibres moving through my fingers. I love the end product. While I knit, I usually know who the recipient is going to be. I think of that person and I like to think I’m putting love in each stitch, or a happy memory, or a hug, or a wish for well being, for that special person. Knitting is my passion. I have always loved knitting but more so in recent times, as it had become coping mechanism for me. When things are upsetting me, knitting lets me drift to a place of contentment. It might not fix the situation but it calms me allowing me to perhaps reassess and carry on. The following picture shows works socks I gifted for Christmas.
Work Socks made with Briggs and Little Wool
Family are our most precious gifts. I’m lucky to have a wonderful Mom who is my best friend, who has been my support, my confidant, my advisor, my teacher and my mentor. She puts up with my quirkiness, my messy cooking adventures, my attempt at making music, and my stubbornness. I’m also lucky to have an amazing brother, Sandy, who has many of the same attributes of my Mom. He is level headed and makes me see more than one side of any issue. He’s kind, caring and compassionate. He put up with my endless teasing and pestering when we were growing up. He must be a saint. I love him more than he will ever know. I’m also lucky to have Greg, Sandy’s partner, who is like a second brother to me. I know I can lean on him and I have, and ask for advice and he will offer, as he has in the past. I know I can trust him unconditionally. I’m so glad to know he is in the family. This picture was taken by Mary, Greg’s Mom, at Christmas. These are my most important people.
Greg, Sandy, Hughena, Enid (Mom)
You’ll see that I tend to enjoy flowers, wildlife, nature, knitting, jigsaw puzzles, spending time with those important to me, and the simple things life has to offer. No drama for me. This is just a bit of what I love to do and see.
Friends are also so important to me. I have many friends who have been and continue to be very supportive of me. I’m very lucky to have such wonderful people in my life. You know who you are and I thank you for being my friend.
I also love music and attend concerts when the opportunity arises. Music is also a relaxing environment that makes me slow down and appreciate the talent. I would have posted pictures of concerts, but I didn’t have permission from any of the musicians, and didn’t want to reach out and ask at this time of year, as everyone is so busy. I also play music and have many instruments. Am I any good? No, but I love to try and when something works it is rewarding. It’s just fun to experiment.
I enjoy writing, which you are reading a sample of right now. I tend to write poetry, more than prose. I’ve participated in an online writing group for a couple of years, and I enjoyed an incredible writing session with Newfoundland author Donna Morrissey this past November.
There is never enough time to do everything, but we must make time to do the things that bring us happiness, and that we are passionate about. We need to slow down and count our blessings. We need to be grateful for the people in our lives and let them know what they mean to us. And we need to appreciate the little things as well.
In closing I want to wish you the very best for 2024.
&
If you like what you read, leave a comment. If you didn’t like what you read, leave a comment as well.
All photos taken by myself unless otherwise noted.
March 8/22 – I am so blessed to live where I do. I get to see wildlife each and every day. There is no shortage to the goings on; eagles, deer, mink, otter, bobcat/lynx, beaver, songbirds, crows, etc. Today I watched an otter play on a clamper. It would dive in the water and then climb back onto the clamper, before diving back in again. It was fishing and came up with a small fish to munch on after a couple of dives. How lucky am I to witness so much?
Otter
Deer
March 9/22 – Laughing. Yes, simply laughing. There is really no better feeling than having a gut laugh, or laughing until tears roll down your face. I don’t laugh enough but I’m laughing more than I did for many years. (I need to start laughing more again.)
Mom and Cousin It – Christmas 2022
March 10/22 – The moon was beautiful tonight. And no matter where you are in the world, we all look at the same moon. The moon takes on many views. It can be huge and orangey, a crescent shape, a half moon, full moon and anything in between. There are many different names for the full moon. It can take on an eerie look or be vibrant and clear. But regardless there is only one moon and everyone sees the same one.
Crescent moon
Full moon
March 11/22 – I love Friday’s because this is when all three knitting blogs, that I have registered for, arrive in my inbox. The three that I receive are from Darn Yarn, Galt House of Yarn and Les Laines Biscotte. I love to see the new yarn, colours, patterns, notions and ideas each week.
I love yarn. It allows me to be creative.
Knitting relieves stress for me.
March 12/22 – Gaelic – I attended a Gaelic class today. What fun!! I took Gaelic many years ago for a few weeks and I loved it. I’ll never been a speaker but for 1-2 hours weekly, for the next few weeks, I’ll be attending. My teacher is Robert Pringle. I had his grandfather, Will Pringle, as my teacher in grades 4-6. I thought that was cool. (Unfortunately I can no longer attend as classes are during my work day, but I’m still very interested.)
100,000 welcomes – Scots Gaelic
Irish Language (Cross stitch I did in 1995).
March 13/22 – I love a warm shower. The feeling of water cascading over my body is amazing. I once read that it was one of the things Christopher Reeve really missed, after he became paralyzed, was the feeling of water flowing over his body in the shower. It’s such a heavenly feeling to me. (I will spare you a photo of me in the shower.)
An eagle drying its wings. I wonder if birds like showers?
March 14/22 – I love to read and I love getting lost in a good book that reels you in and makes you feel like you are in the story. I read every night before I go to sleep. I go to bed at 9 and I read until at least 9:20-9:30. It relaxes me before going to sleep.
Two books by friends and local authors that I recently read.
March 15/22 – Wordle, Canuckle (no longer available), Quordle, Wordle 2 and Crosswords. I love word puzzles. Wordle has taken social media by storm. It’s just a fun puzzle that I like to do each morning. Canuckle is the Canadian version and this one gives a fun fact after you solve the puzzle which is interesting. I always do the newspaper crossword puzzle while on the exercise bike after supper. (Thankfully I have dozens saved from last summer as the newspaper is no longer delivered.) I’ll post a picture of another kind of puzzle I love to do, jigsaw puzzles.
Wooden butterfly jigsaw puzzle
March 16/22 – Covid Rapid Test. Well, I’m not sure this is a pleasure really, but the fact one can test for Covid at home is kind of pleasurable. I did my first rapid test today. The throat swab was first, obviously. The directions said ‘you might gag’. I only have read the word ‘gag’ and my gag reflex is activated. Rubbing the swab back and forth at the back of the throat certainly had me gagging. Then the nose swab, both sides. Instructions said ‘your eye may water’. By the time I was finished and waiting the 15 minutes for results I was gagging, sneezing, my eyes were watery and my nose was overflowing with snots. Sorry to be so descriptive. I was a mess. I needed a shower. Oh, did I tell you how much I love a shower? Yup, made me feel all better. And by the way, the test was negative. Always a relief to get a negative test, but I think I’d sooner have someone else drive the swab up my nose.
I used a couple of these last weekend. I was negative. One of the few tests where a negative means a pass.
March 17/22 – On the drive home from work this evening, I met a car with a bright yellow vanity plate that said “BE HAPPY”. Yes, let’s all be happy and grateful. We have a choice to see the negative in things, or to find the positives in everything. So go forth and be happy, and see the glass half full, or maybe even full, or overflowing. This was a fun challenge.
A smiling eagle.
Be happy, be grateful always.
How is your list of simple pleasures coming along? If you enjoyed this three part blog, leave a comment. Let me know what simple pleasures you enjoy.
Thank you for reading. Once again all pictures were taken my me.
February 26/22 – I went to Port Hawkesbury early this morning. I had to pick up water softener salt. The bags are 18kgs; large and heavy. Once I load them in the cart, I navigate to the checkout and the cashier just waves the scanner over one and counts the bags I have. This morning the cashier said ‘you’ll have to put all those up on the counter’. OMG! At first I didn’t realize she was joking. Once I did, we had a good laugh. She was a riot. We kept up the banter until I left. On the way out the person working the customer service counter said ‘Have a great day’ and then the young man at the exit said ‘enjoy the rest of your day’. I’m not a fan of Walmart, as a rule, but I have to say I was very impressed with these three people and their friendliness. Of course no picture, so something that makes me laugh sometimes.
Squirrel
February 27/22 – A visit from friends. Covid has made everyone realize how important friends are. It was nice to gather with Sarah, her Mom (Martha) and her sister, Fiona, (who was on an extended stay in Cape Breton, from her home in New Zealand). Sarah was looking for Lopi sweater knitting patterns and I was happy to provide her with a large file folder of many patterns for her perusal. We sweets and coffee. We chatted and just enjoyed our time together. Martha gifted us with quince/rosemary jelly and Sarah brought us a dozen fresh eggs. Sarah’s eggs are awesome too. Sarah is a teacher and a farmer (sheep and hens) and her farm is called Rock Loaf Farm.
Lamb
February 28 – I wake up every morning and look at amazing artwork I have on the walls of my bedroom. They are just pieces I’ve picked up, or have been given to me, that I just like.
“One of these things is not like the other” – my own creation
Natasha Miller whose work I love. (https://nrmiller.com)
March 1 – Nova Scotia Health Authority Colon Cancer Prevention Program letter. Yup, when you turn 50 (and every 2 years after that) in NS you get the big yellow envelope from the NS Health Authority for testing your stool. Happy 50th. Ick. No one likes to talk about this, however it’s important to complete the test. Then the letter arrives some weeks later. Today, the letter arrived. Do I tear it open and read it immediately? Or do I pay not attention to it? Or do I slowly open it while surfing Facebook, pretending not to be overly interested? The latter. NORMAL! Yeah. Now for something not so crappy.
Yellow Swallowtail on a lilac.
March 2 – Music. Music has been a huge part of my life forever. I was first exposed to music while still in the womb. Live concerts began when I was only 3 years old. The turntable was constantly used for nap time as a toddler. Piano lessons began when I was very young and I have no recollection of actually learning to read music. Over the years I’ve dabbled in, and collected, many instruments; fiddle, mandolin, concertina, whistles, flute, and bodhran. Tonight Kevin Evans entertained us for 90 minutes or so, via live stream. Over the past two years, with Covid being present, live music is one thing I have missed so much. I have managed to get out to a few shows, when restrictions permitted, but not on a regular basis. The live streams are what kept me going. I’m so thankful for the efforts which some of my favourite musician friends have done. They have been so uplifting during these odd times we are experiencing.
Two instruments I like to play; concertina and fiddle.
Livestream by one of the best songwriters, singers, musicians, and entertainers, Kevin Evans.
March 3 – Today would have been Margaret MacIntosh’s birthday. Who was she you ask? She would have been my teacher in grades 1-3. She was an amazing person who I loved. She had more patience than anyone I knew and if there was ever a perfect teacher, it was Margaret. She was like family as my uncle was her step-father. She was a gem of a person and I always remember her on her special day. I don’t have a picture of Margaret, (I wish I did), but I will post the flower for March; a daffodil.
Daffodil
March 4 – I am thankful to have wonderful new neighbours living next door; Krista and Mike. Today was Krista’s birthday and she held an open house in the wee pub they built behind their house. Although I’ve been in some small pubs in Ireland, this one is likely the smallest. And to have it within walking distance is wonderful. It was a nice celebration with libations, snacks, and friends.
March 5 – Today we celebrated Christmas as we were not able to be together in December. Mom made her traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings; stuffing, potatoes, turnip, asparagus, gravy, cranberry sauce, pickles, olives, apple pie and chocolate cake. Today was all about the three F’s: food, fun and family .
Christmas dinner – March 2022
Christmas March 2022
March 6 – Nap time. Yes, I nap. No, I’m not embarrassed to say I do. It can be as short as 20 minutes or perhaps as long as 2 hours. I love to have a nap.
Wild Rose
March 7 – I had a skein of yarn that needed to be wound into a ball. Sometimes I use the arm of a chair but today Mom offered up her arms so I could wind. I love winding a ball of yarn with Mom helping. A few short minutes but a special time.
Using Mom’s arms to wind yarn. Special times.
How are you coming along with your daily simple pleasures? It’s not easy picking out just one, is it? Part three will follow in a few days. I hope you are enjoying these posts. Leave a comment.
Almost a year ago I too up a challenge that I saw on social media. Each day, for 30 days, I would record a simple pleasure. It really wasn’t hard. The hardest part was choosing which simple pleasure I would record each day. I will break this blog into 3 parts, of 10 days each.
As mentioned, this is almost a year old. It has been fun and interesting to reflect back on the simple pleasures. I will add pictures throughout that may or may not have anything to do with the daily pleasure, but just something that makes me smile.
February 16/22 – a surprise greeting card arrived in the mail for Mom and me. It was a Valentine’s Day card, from our dear friends who live year round in Florida. They used to live near us in Cape Breton, and we spent many an evening sharing food, and playing cards and dominoes. We enjoyed one another’s company and conversations very much. We miss them and love them dearly. Their card was beautiful in more ways than one.
Gorgeous card
Such a beautiful verse.
February 17/22 – I’m a creature of habit. I get up at 5:41 Monday to Friday. I put the coffee on, set the table, get my breakfast, walk to the road for the paper (unfortunately this no longer happens as the paper is no longer delivered) , spend 20 minutes or so online catching up on the latest sports and overnight goings on in the world. At 6:30 I turn on Sports Centre and see the highlights from the night before and knit. I spend the next 36 minutes knitting, as relaxation, before going to work. This is my morning ME time and I love it. A quiet time spent on one of my favourite pastimes. At 7:06, after the local news update, I put my knitting away and get ready for work.
A blanket I often work on in the morning. I’m using left over sock yarn.
February 18/22 – As I put on a lighter weight jacket, due to temperatures being warmer than usual, I put my hand in my pocket and found a toonie. I know. It’s just a toonie, but it was a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t worn the jacket since last fall.
A toonie.
February 19/22 – Farm fresh eggs. We have not purchased store bought eggs in years. The past couple of years we have purchased our eggs from The Lilac Farm which is a local family run farm. In the early days of Covid, the three little girls at the farm put happy messages in the egg cartons. Messages like “we are all in this together”, “you got this”, “be happy”, etc. often accompanied by cute drawings. There is nothing better than farm fresh eggs from a local farm. The three girls are growing up so fast.
Farm fresh eggs. So many shades and so yummy.
February 20/22 – Today is “RE” day for me. It is a special day that I have celebrated for the past two years. RE stands for refocus, rebuild, readjust, reset, reinvent, recover and most of all RELIEF. Today I made a chocolate macaroon cake and lemon brownies. And the best part is I shared them with special friends and neighbours who supported me through a rather difficult time.
Not chocolate macaroon cake but a chocolate marble cake that is also delicious.
February 21/22 – Coffee….yup, a cup of coffee. I used to be able to drink copious cups of coffee daily. About two years ago I lost my taste for coffee. I didn’t totally lose it but very rarely do I have more than one cup of coffee a day. But I love that one cup each morning. I enjoy each and every sip until it is gone. And I especially love it when it is in one of my many favourite mugs.
Ahhh….coffee in a favourite mug. It’s a pottery mug I bought on Martha’s Vineyard.
February 22/22 – A surprise parcel arrived in the mail today. Inside was an amazing jigsaw puzzle and a scarf/shawl. It was sent by a friend as a thank you for something I had done. It was certainly not expected, but it was fun to receive. Mom and I enjoyed the puzzle , as puzzles are one of our favourite pastimes. I enjoy wrapping the shawl over my shoulders while knitting. It’s always within reach. There isn’t a lot of mail anymore, so it is fun getting special mail.
Soft, pretty shawl and puzzle gifted to me.
February 23/22 – I had to take Mom to an eye appointment in Antigonish. I met up with an acquaintance I hadn’t seen in a few years. We spent a few minutes catching up and wishing one another well. I don’t have a picture of her, so I’ll post something that makes me happy.
The star on my ceramic Christmas tree as the evening sky was darkening outside.
February 24/22 – A friend called me at work to ask if she could drop off a couple of jars of jelly. She arrived with more than a couple of jars. There were several jars of jams, jellies, sauces and a side of cinnamon buns. I have a weakness for cinnamon buns. Absolutely one of my favourite treats. We give this friend our quince in the fall and she returns the quince as jelly other treats too.
Quince jelly, black currant jelly, elderberry jelly and cranberry sauce.
February 25/22 – There was a bit of weather that arrived during the afternoon. When it was time to go home, our vehicles were covered in a few inches of snow. One of my co-workers offered to clean off my car. Just a simple, nice gesture that was appreciated. No picture for this, so again, something that makes me happy.
Rain chain covered in ice.
I hope you enjoyed part 1. Part 2 will follow in a short time. Now, I challenge you to start your own 30 day challenge of recording one simple pleasure a day. Enjoy! I have continued this recording a pleasure a day as the last thing I do before falling asleep. Comments are always appreciated. Share your simple pleasure after reading if you wish.
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