How beautiful I thought….browsing some blogs recently I Stumbled upon an old world style drawing or painting of a Rose which made my heart sing.
Can you imagine its scent…I can!

A visiting reader to the above made this comment…

“this wild roses image is the Alberta Rose. It was adopted by the province of Alberta as their flower emblem in 1930 and is still today. They start blooming in May and will bloom till August and have a wonderful soft scent ..

This particular native Rose is quite interesting as the Rose hips were used by the natives in their natural remedies

Can’t you just imagine this rambling old style Rose growing freely, tangled in the hedge rows and undergrowth.
In meadows, fields, mountains and forests.

A Google search for information about the Alberta Rose funnily enough led me to comments and photos left on Tripadvisor by travellers to the Canadian Provinces

~*~

Then I thought a bit deeper and remembered.

The Rose if left untended produce seed pods called Rose Hips.

From there my thoughts went wild in many tangents…and this was going to be a brief post just about a beautiful drawing!

Rose hips are full of Vitamin C being prized by Herbalists and Naturalists.

A quote from Chemist warehouse catalogue online

“RoseHip is known to be one of nature’s richest sources of
vitamin C and has been used for countless generations in
European herbal medicine for the relief of joint pain arthritis and rheumatism…”

Rose hip is infused in oil too as a very expensive under eye ointment which I recall from many years ago.

I would not be surprised if doTERRA oils uses it too in its specialized pure blends.

Thereby hangs the tale of the Alberta Rose
found at The Graphics Fairy Clip Art

Joining I Blog on Tuesdays

Courtesy pippalou @morgueFile free photos

Fleeting sight through the dappled shade of stately trees

A man walking
Red setter dogs on long leash in one hand
Long Whipper snipper brush cutter in the other hand

I could have imagined it were a laird on his croft
Or a master of his estate
Tramping his lands

Minutes later I heard and saw this same man about his gardening and handyman duties at an Assisted Living residence.

It is so still here beyond these old stones. Just a narrow entrance which is so easily driven past and missed. Yet looking through the wire fence of the tennis court parking lot and beyond the bushes, Sydney city traffic flows.

Safety glasses on and a big shady sun hat.
His brush cutter roaring, seemingly at odds in this setting.
Dogs safely tethered out of sight near the gates at a distance, no doubt enjoying their moment of bliss. Snapping at and devouring the shifting gusts of wind.

Courtesy pippalou@morgueFile free photos

Courtesy terryballard@morgueFile free photos

One brief moment in time.
The “pause button”
A brief escape to another time and another place

Refreshment for the soul on a Tuesday

Now what do I need to do in this my home.
Well there is a cake I could bake
There is another shrub to plant to complete the hedging
There are weeds to pull
Fertilizer of the Cow Manure variety to be sprinkled and watered in
Cane mulch to be spread around the shrubs
Tis a very messy and itchy job even with a face mask on
Some carpets and stairs to be vacuumed …

All the above done except for the cake. I can always eat a muesli bar!
Muscles creaking from an overload of bending….you know how it is when you start with one thing and it just snowballs.

But such a great feeling on a Wednesday night walking into a clean house. It makes the creaky-ness worth it.

Even more so for next time with cake

Care Alert for peace of mind

Courtesy chelle@morgueFile free photos

Whilst having a quiet day home today I came upon an interesting article.
It made me think.
About life, people and things.

But let’s take a few steps back some years to when my son and his wife came visiting from Texas.

Texas shares it’s border with Mexico, so naturally there is quite a connection with its food and culture.

There is beautiful pottery. Colourful designs and patterns. So many differing styles. Rich earthy or clashing hues.

Courtesy hotblack@morgueFile free photos

Courtesy hotblack@morgueFile free photos

Courtesy rosevita@morgueFile free photos

Our loved ones brought over two bowls ever so carefully wrapped. One smallish bowl in earthy hues survived intact and still now sits facing me as I type today.

The other larger bowl sadly was in a few big pieces plus slivers!

Yet I still held onto it wrapped in plastic, for an age.

One day I decided that there would be no harm in trying to glue it back together.
Needless to say it took me a long time needing much patience.

Because many of the pieces were slivers it was impossible to make a perfect join. There were sections where I could see through. Gaps. Dots of glue holding this fragile beauty in place.

But I had my thing of beauty.
Imperfect.
Fragile
A labour of love twice
A tenuous connection with family far away

I looked at this dish often when I walked past, even more so as it had a real emotional hands on tug at my heart .

It was not to be a perfect gift, instead there was a better gift.
Lasting through many years of fragility it finally died, but it made an impression which when reading this article brought it all back to mind.

Thank you Mike and Denise

Perfectness does not make us.

Now go and follow the link and read the article by Tim Willard
“Beauty in brokenness”

IBOT Linking with Essentially Jess

Words for this day in Australia. Resilience. Support.

Life can be fragile ….like the poppy.

My version of resilience in a tough environment.

Planted nearly fifty years ago on a farm. An apple tree.

Love and care.

Wordless Wednesday

Courtesy Pennywise@morgueFile free photos

Last night just thinking of myself and craving a snack I found a recipe for Chocolate Chia pudding.

I pottered about in a hum drum sort of way and put the prepared healthy pudding in the fridge to soak ready for the next morning.

Morning arrives and with much anticipation I prepare to be delighted by a delicious sustaining meal…..

Oh dear. I discovered that I had used Quinoa instead of Chia. Ahhhhh!
Not to be deterred I strained out the Quinoa and added chia seed and returned it to the fridge to do its soak.
The Quinoa will be experimented with another day.
And yes my pudding did turn out. Cold, thick and refreshing on a hot day.

In between it seemed we lived in a different world, a parallel universe.

By pippalou @morgueFile free photos. With thanks

As the stars in our vast wide country heavens so brilliantly pulsated last night, and most of Australia slept, a scene of unimagined horror climaxed and exploded in the madness of the Martin Place siege.

In a Lindt Cafe.

A happy place, a refuge and a meeting point on an ordinary Sydney day.

For ordinary people starting their day.

Instead, horror and the resultant aftermath.

A day to be forever remembered.

Lives forever changed.

In my life, thankful for our safe families sleeping in their own beds free from danger. By God’s grace.

For support network of friends when in times of need after the event.

Courtesy kamuelaboy@morgueFile free photos

Courtesy wallyir@morgueFile free photos

For those who give their lives
For those who save lives
For those who protect
For those who mourn
For those traumatised

Forever thankful for memories of quiet peaceful times at the Thomas family Moorlands farm.

For the silence of growing grain in our vast land.

For the old apple tree with battered lichen encrusted branches still quietly sending out delicate blossoms and the resultant apples.

Peace

Joining #IBOT

Courtesy veggiegretz@morgueFile free photos

The story goes like this….As hoped the day started with good intentions. The week end just started. Blue skies, lovely sunshine, energy and plans.

A plan to tidy up an eyesore in the back garden. The removal of some dead ivy under the huge Diosma.

Out I went so correctly garbed, with a mask over my mouth and nose against the dust. I commenced clearing some long dead and brittle undergrowth from a waist-high retaining wall. I was dropping it down by my feet, which I know now was not very OH&S….well that eyesore had to linger a while longer because the unexpected happened.

I stepped on one of the discarded brittle branches. It was a very sharp but small branch that speared up, only a little way, and into one of my small surface ugly varicose veins near the shin….instant blood into my shoe in light of the fact that gravity does go downwards.

I resembled a hump backed dwarf attempting to stroll into the house when in fact I was holding my leg with gloved hands to stem the blood. I discovered blood does flow pretty fast. But it didn’t last long, just enough to flush out any impurities so roughly shoved in.

So with a bundle of stained tissues discarded, Dettol, a disinfectant, administered and poured liberally over leg a little drama is all over now. The only visible sign is a small bloodied puncture mark and some redness covered by a bandaid.

Well there goes my tidy the garden plan for today. Instead I’m a queen resplendent in gardening attire, no not a gardening show where you must wear your best hat if the Queen is visiting. Rather I’m sitting on the leather couch with protective towel under my leg, cold flannel surrounding the redness to take the pain and ache away….being served a freshly toasted and heavenly egg and bacon sandwich for lunch by my darling hubby. It was devoured in a speedy fashion followed by a piping hot mug of tea which I savoured, sipping slowly.

Should I try this trick again to get out of making lunch? No, I think not. Next time I’ll wear loose cotton trousers to protect my legs instead of my gardening knee-length shorts. Hmmm!

At any rate though one gardening chore was accomplished early this morning by Dear Husband. He sprayed the front lawn to rid it of Bindii, a horrible weed with a tiny prickle that looks and feels like a bee sting when you step on one. They make the lawn look deceptively green but a curse for those barefoot summers day a coming. So in October, being in the Southern Hemisphere and no later it’s time to T.R.Y. and eradicate the stinging pains. Pun intended.

So we will have to see in about three weeks time whether the poison actually worked on the weeds and not on any bushes. Husband did say he was very careful with spray drift. BUT, there is no way that we are doing the back lawn. I love my Lavender Hedge too much . Instead I’ll have to search out the few weeds by hand. This lawn doesn’t have many Bindii luckily.

This reminds me of some friends of our children when everyone was in High School long ago. They had to do a fifteen minute ‘dig out the Bindi’ from the lawn after school each afternoon and in so doing eradicated it. Clever parents and good on the children for persevering.

So now I’m thinking as the day draws to a close with dusk beckoning that maybe I’ll creep out and carefully try and finish that gardening job seeing as it’s cool. Before I head out though I had better carefully remove and lay aside my rather heavy tiara. I was only a queen for a moment:)

Have a lovely weekend and enjoy some reading if you have some time. I found these as I sat as a Queen for a moment.

Courtesy Sgarton@morgueFile free photos

Courtesy anitapeppers@morgueFile free photos

Browsing Thursday Blogs to connect and link with I came upon this gem. It ties in well with my last post on having gratitude on an ordinary day….the writer commences

” Let’s start this post by complaining, shall we? Life is hard. Life is a challenge. Life is not always sunny days, happy kids, and a clean kitchen. Aches and pains. Sadness and disappointment. A strained relationship. Illness and an unsure future. And hampers full of dirty laundry. Those things are never empty.

The writer continues…

” On any given day, at any given moment, I can be found stressing about something. Even if I seem peaceful or happy, there could be something nagging at my subconscious. This is my life, but I am not alone. I think everyone lives with their own particular burden, concern, hardship. That is life.

Finding that one thing to be thankful for, even when my insides want to rant and complain, brings me to a place of peace and even a deep abiding joy. It is a humble moment and that is a good place to be. Gratitude has saved me from being buried by anxiety and stress, from spiraling down into a place of darkness and despair. For if we can’t find something to be thankful for, how would we be able to keep going?

So sometimes, I have to dig deep into my heart and say “Thank you” but when I do, I don’t just find one thing, I find a hundred things. And then I am astounded by the blessing and gift of this life I live.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder

Courtesy cherylholt@morgueFile free photos

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?”
~William A. Ward

Thank you God for this day and for those (seemingly hundreds of) people in my house who wear those clothes that end up in those hampers. ”

Now it is back to me as I take up the pen so to speak.

Do the above thoughts resonate. Do they sound familiar?

Are you a new mum , a mother to many, a mother again, a young mother, an older mother. Are you alone through circumstances, or by choice. Are you busy with work and family, struggling or coping. Or are you older like myself, retired, a grandmother to toddlers, baby and Tweens and Teens.

It doesn’t matter what stage in life we are at, the principle still applies. So let’s all try to remember the thanks and the blessings by searching for them in our simple everyday lives.

Thanks for the inspiration and Re-blogged in part with permission from
Thankful Thursday: Even When I Want to Rant

Photo by Paula Presswell and edited by Alexa a Simple Life

Reflection…
Now this story started after our birthday cum Father’s Day family get together this last weekend. I was thinking back to our lovely time spent together. Then I thought “O bother” now why didn’t I take a photo of the lovingly laid out table. So a hasty email was sent

“Hi Paula, any chance you’ve got one of your choc chip cookies left …I’d love photos of it sitting lone some on that gorgeous glass platter and dome. I wanted to add it to my blog with its recipe as well….:) ”

Here was the reply

Basic Biscuit Mixture:

1 cup sugar
500g marg (I used butter)
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
5 cups SR flour

Turn oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease a large baking tray. Put your butter and sugar in a large bowl and cream (electric mixer) until pale. Add condensed milk and flour and mix together well using a spoon.

You can add any of your own ingredients at this point. I added peanut butter and choc chips. Stir until well combined.

Roll mixture into teaspoon sized balls and place on greased tray. Press lightly on the biscuits with a fork to flatten slightly. Bake in the oven for 10-15 mins until golden brown.

Others flavour options for the basic mix:

Smarties
Coconut
Milo and choc chips
A squeeze of OJ and some finely grated zest
Golden syrup
Honey and rolled oats
Rocky road – peanuts, marshmallows and choc chips
Muesli
Choc mint – cocoa and peppermint essence

Variations are as limitless as your imagination.

I usually split the basic mix into 4-5 bowls then add different flavours to each bowl.

The raw mix can be frozen in balls. Alternatively I roll the raw mix into a log and wrap well then freeze. Then I just take out what I need, let it thaw slightly and slice into rounds of desired thickness and bake.

I’m pretty sure the raw mix keeps for a few days chilled in the fridge also. Xx

This recipe was from a cook book we both have from Simple Savings. I had originally made these biscuit or cookies as the Americans call them and passed it onto my daughter and then forgot about them over time.

If you google Basic Biscuit Recipe you will also come up with lots of recipes. In my version I actually make my own sweetened condensed milk quickly which is very cheap and you have no worries about having forgotten to buy when you suddenly have the urge to bake! All you need is sugar, powdered milk, water and a dab of butter in a blender. Will post recipe another time if anyone is interested.

Photo by Paula Presswell, edited by Alexa-asimplelife

So now as we sit awhile in a comfy place let us take a moment to pause, to reflect and look back into that window of our life and be thankful. Thankful for much and for those many things we take for granted…..like the most vivid blue sky today here in Sydney over us this whole long day whenever we care to look up.

By Alexa
Photography by Alexa

Sent from my iPad

Fathers, Family, Friends

Father’s Day was celebrated on Sunday gone here in Australia. It always happens on the first Sunday of September, the beginning of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere.

It is a time when I truly would prefer not to visit the shops as there are such a number of people about, with car parks overflowing and spilling onto the road….people, people everywhere. This is the commercialised side that I do not enjoy.

Photo by Paula Presswell, edited by Alexa-asimplelife

Rather we delighted in a beautiful time of family catch up spread over two days. Why two? Well, because on Saturday was one little grandson’s birthday having turned “three old”. Family fun beginning with a laid back afternoon tea with nibbles of cheese platter, crackers, fruit plate, homemade dip, home made choc chip cookies looking extremely posh being displayed beautifully on glass stand with its domed glass lid, and drinks of choice. Then present time of course because that’s the exciting bit for little ones and for grandpa who is like a little boy himself again going into the Toys Are Us choosing the gift, but under instruction from the mummy of what is really required.

The afternoon was spent in chatter and playing. Older and younger cousins interacting and making up games outside and inside….little boys instructing…then the bigger ones…follow the leader…take your turn pushing the little toy lawn mower round the lawn regardless of whether you are three years old or twelve or fourteen…short or tall. Very grown up sixteen year old grandaughter running out and joining in whatever game was happening. Hand ball with numerous and ever changing rules…cricket with a Ping pong ball as all other balls had disappeared.

Later observing two little squatting figures nearly invisible in the growing dark playing with their jazzy cars which glowed red. That’s basically all you could see, the red glow. It was precious.

So the day wound down to tea and bath and story time. Delightful. Beautiful memories.

Today another round of catch up. Lunch together at the other daughter’s home for the young ones with us two joining them after our own quiet lunch out….but always having a little space for some dessert!

Nothing really grand happening, just being able to sit, chat, laugh, hold the baby, pass round the baby to various laps, snuggle and kiss that fresh baby scent, join in a game, watch and absorb all the little happenings unfolding around us, running, scooter riding, teen grandsonson whipping the cream for late dessert, kiss for that cheeky face and jump out of the way of that moving toy car.

Fathers, family, friends.

Life.

A journey following an unfinished map….

Remembering with love those far away.
Those who could not join in.
Those in pain.
May you travel well.

Joining Essentially Jess IBOT
Also joining http://amamasstory.com

Today I have just a few little lines on “to remember”

From Webster Dictionary
re·mem·ber verb
: to cause (something) to come back into your mind
: to keep (information) in your mind : to not forget (something)

Today I remember
Those who would love to feel the dew on the grass again
To walk on their own into the fresh air
To go outside and feel the air brush the face
…whenever they want
To look at the sky but not through a window
To sit by the ocean but not just dream the murmur of the waves
…whenever they want

Remember them, whoever they may be.
You may know them or of them.
Remember them and be thankful that you maybe can
Whenever you want
Feel the dew on the grass
Walk in the fresh air
Look up at the sky
Sit by the ocean

May they be surrounded by love, find inner strength and peace.

Photographs untouched and all taken by my trusty iPad
Joining in with a Essentially Jess for IBOT