Well able

God is able to use ANY one, to do ANY thing, in ANY place, and at ANY time in order to overcome ANY barrier. It would benefit us all to pause more to consider His eternal strength.

~ Christine Caine

 

Barley and Vegetable Soup

We have all had the sniffles, so armed with lots of water and Vitamin C, I thought that soup would be an added comfort.
A five minute chop of a handful of celery, mushrooms, carrots, red pepper, broccoli and barley and a  litre of chicken stock and then generously cover with water, simmered for 30-45 minutes and I am done. I'm adding some lovely toasted buns and supper is ready.

Speaking kindly

Was paging through Rebecca's old scripture file.  I was reminded that I always need reminding of the tongue.

Tia Helene's Jam

This tasty Orange Jam always reminds me of our holiday and my aunt who is generous and amazing in the kitchen.

A good future is to love and teach

"We do not need to plan or devise a "world of the future"; if we take care of the world of the present, the future will have received full justice from us. A good future is implicit in the soils, forests, grasslands, marshes, deserts, mountains, rivers, lakes, and oceans that we have now, and in the good things of human culture that we have now; the only valid "futurology" available to us is to take care of those things.

We have no need to contrive and dabble at "the future of the human race"; we have the same pressing need that we have always had - to love, care for, and teach our children."

~ Wendell Berry, The Art of the Commonplace

A night out

Wayne surprised me with a night out... tapas at Fork and a show.  Such a fun night!

Love is

Wisdom in unlikely places...

Winnie the Pooh:

“How do you spell 'love'?"    - Piglet
"You don't spell it...you feel it."    - Pooh 

 

Dr Seuss:

 

  

Happy Valentines Day!

 

Shrove Tuesday

The Tuesday before the start of Lent on the Wednesday...

Shrove Tuesday is traditionally the last day of rich food before the reflective, prayerful season of Lent - the remembrance of the death and resurrection of our Saviour and the celebration on Easter Sunday.

While most Christians celebrate this important time with prayer and devotional time, I think only the more orthodox do the abstinence from rich foods and the daily church services, and stations of the cross etc.  I think there is merit in having a season of withdrawal from the excess and where purposeful reflection and thanksgiving occurs... it just makes sense that this time would be spiritually and physically rewarding.  I remember going with my grandmother as a little girl, scrubbing my face while it was still dark and arriving to join a small devout group in the quiet, large, beautifully stain-glassed, almost cavernous church for an early morning Lent service.     

My mother always remembers when Ash Wednesday is and therefore when Shrove Tuesday is, when pancakes and the like are made.  She always makes Malasadas which are the Portuguese tradition on this day.  I always need to Google when the season begins but she (without the aid of a computer) always reminds me anyway.  So we, as usual, ate too many of these beauties last night...

In the summer garden

Plums:  we lost loads but there remained plenty still

Apples: the best year yet

Turnips: my fathers abundant harvest

Feet and pedals

Foot Power:  Rebecca had her School Athletics Day earlier this week, something she always looks forward to (so opposite to how her mother was at school)...

Red-faced after the 800m.



The relay race.

Pedal power:  Today we helped at a waterpoint for her school fund-raiser.  They hold an annual cycling race.


Our neat tables... before the rush.


Heading up a steep hill.




Rebecca helped for the first time.

How gracious

It has been a long, long week... but this morning I read this and it was just a refreshing.

"Hope (the thing with wings that lifts you up) in the Lord; For with Him
(it always takes looking away from your mess to looking to Him - always)

is mercy (yes!) and with Him is abundant redemption (there are times when you need
to know its an abundant rescue)."

Psalm 130.7

Tea

I am beginning to feel like Miss Read is an old friend... sad I am.  And at Fairacre they are religious about teatime.  Today my sister and I met up with a real friend, Anthea and did too have a lovely tea. Scones, fruitcake and lovely cheese with biscuits and much happy banter.  Miss Read would be proud.

'Miss Clare had drawn her round table close by the crackling fire.  There were hot buttered crumpets under a covered dish and a very fine dark fruit cake covered with nuts.'