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Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Tuesday 21 April 2020

Keeping Busy

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. ~ William Arthur Ward

Hello dear friends! I have been trying to stay busy now that the flu bug has finally left me. 
I have been cleaning my teapots that are on display and my silverware. The silverware in particular, is a lot of work.

I have a few of these wee silver tea spoons. Don't you just love little spoons? Do you collect them?


Sorry, my camera isn't working at the moment so I had to use my phone. The pictures are a bit cloudy. 
The spoon on the left is part of a set of eight which is part of my mother's wedding silverware; Evening Star. The middle one I found at an antique shop, and the one on the right was one my cousin gave me from her collection. I seem to favour that one because I use it more.
Beautiful pink tulips brighten up the room.

Time for a break...
The teacup below is Royal Albert but I don't know the name of it.
This cup and saucer is made by Aynsley. It has a crocus shape and is said to be the pattern Princess Diana had chosen. I don't know whether or not that is true. But it is a lovely thought, isn't it?




Both teacups are so dainty with rose buds sprinkled all over them. 

A piece of strawberry swirl cheesecake with tea is a nice treat amidst all the polishing.

The covid-19 virus is keeping many of us home these last few weeks so it is nice to have something to focus on while being housebound. I know many of you have your gardens to tend to.

As you know, I lost my brother less than a month ago and now there is another tragedy so my heart is heavy!

Here in the Maritimes, particularly in Nova Scotia, and indeed all across Canada, we are saddened by the tragedy which took place over the weekend when a lone gunman went on a shooting rampage, taking the lives of so many innocent people. It is the deadliest shooting in Canadian history and we are all terribly shocked and saddened by the loss of life. 
My father's family is from Nova Scotia and most of them still reside over there. I spent many summers there as a child. Thankfully all of my Nova Scotia family is safe.

It is heartbreaking that such a senseless act could take place in this usually quiet seaside province. Families and friends are in mourning and we have lost yet another RCMP officer. It seems the world has gone mad in many ways, and we are shocked that this could happen in our little corner of the world where such things normally don't happen. God bless and comfort those who lost family members and friends!

It is a beautiful spring day and our little feathered friends are busy at the feeder in our back yard. They have no idea that the human race is isolating themselves and in mourning. Watching the birds fly to and from the trees to the feeder, brings me a little bit of contentment in the midst of all of this. I am looking forward to opening the windows soon so I can hear them singing. It is a bit too cold yet, but soon.

How are you keeping busy, my friends? 
I pray all is well with you and your loved ones. Please stay safe and enjoy the simple things around you; a lovely flower, the sound of a bird singing, the laugh of a child. There are so many beautiful things that can make us smile. Life is still a beautiful thing when we count our blessings.

For flowers that bloom about our feet;
For tender grass so fresh and sweet;
For song of bird and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear and see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee! ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

16 comments :

  1. Sandi, I was so saddened to read about that shooting. So much heartbreak.

    Your tea cups are so lovely and sweet. I wonder if you could do a computer search about Diana's tea china. It'd be special to have a cup in her pattern.

    Your tulips are so beautiful, and must give you great pleasure to have fresh flowers in the house!

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  2. I do like little spoons! I don't collect them, but have a few that I've picked up here and there. Of yours there, I would favor the one on the right too... it reminds me of my own pattern Oneida's Royal Rose.
    So sorry to hear about your brother... and of course about the recent shooting in Nova Scotia. For some reason I'm unusually shocked to hear about a shooting there... in my mind it's such a quiet out of the way place. Times are indeed strange.

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  3. Your teacups and your tulips are so pretty, Sandi. Yes, you deserve that yummy slice of cheesecake after cleaning and polishing. I’m glad that the flu bug is finally over for you.
    I did hear on the news about the senseless tragedy in Nova Scotia. How sad for all those lives that were lost and for their families.
    I am keeping busy with planting, baking cooking, seeing and today I made raspberry jam.
    Yes, we must still count our blessings. 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻

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  4. I am so sorry about the shooting in Nova Scotia. Sadly, we have not heard of it here, but maybe I just missed it. It seems all we ever hear about is the virus situation. Praying this will soon end. I love your little spoons. No, I do not have any little silver spoons, but I do have one lovely larger soup spoon or something special that belonged to my Grandmother, and it definitely needs polishing. I also have some little forks. So, thank you for the reminder...that is something I should be doing. Love the tea cups. Any tea cups with little roses on them I seem to gravitate to. Very pretty. Please take care and enjoy the spring time that is coming your way. Glad you are feeling better. God bless you.

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  5. It was wonderful to read your sweet comment on my blog. I am so sorry to read about that horrific shooting episode, and more importantly am so happy to know none of your family was harmed But for something like that to happen in such an idyllic place is tragic... I know ... our sleepy little college town where your daughter and son in law went to school, Virginia Tech, the tragedy on campus lingers in the minds and thoughts all these years later. (13).. Before that, the very notion of such a thing was unthinkable.
    These are such strange times and in our isolation it is best to train my mind and heart on things from above. The beauty of a His world, the sights and sounds, the glory of His majesty , mercy, and love. I pray that we all can soon be able to recapture our lives and that the unknown forces at work around this whole worldwide event will be brought before the Holy One, bow before Him in submission, and dissipate into the annals of history. God bless!

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  6. I'm a fan of Aynsley so I'm loving your teacup. I have a cup of Crocus teacups in my collection.

    A few years back, I was gifted a silver tea set. But I must must confess that I'm not very good at polishing it!

    It was devastating to hear about the Nova Scotia tragedy and the innocent victims. My boss is from Nova Scotia and she's currently in lockdown in Cape Breton.

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  7. We have been horrified by the terrible tragedy in Nova Scotia. So senseless. May God comfort all those in sorrow.
    Your teacups are so dainty with those pretty rosebuds.

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  8. It's awful, the news this past few day about Nova Scotia. Such a tragedy in this beautiful province.
    Love the pattern of china for Diana. I watched the movie on her life recently. So sad.
    That cheese cake looks delicious.
    I'm hoping to get back to Gaspé this summer. I spend winter months with my sister Annie in the Eastern Townships, south of Montreal. I usually go home around the first of May. I'll wait to see if this virus lessens.
    I'm happy to hear you got over your flu. So sorry about your loss of your brother.
    Take care and stay safe.

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  9. You have such pretty things! Love the cups and the teaspoons. Having spent much of my life in small town Nova Scotia, with most of my family still living there, and with a DIL who is an RCMP Officer, this recent tragedy really hit close to home. Breaks my heart to think of it all. As if we don't have enough to contend with at the moment. So evil and tragic. xoxo

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  10. I just started collecting little spoons a few months ago. I only have three but I delight in them. Yours are beautiful.
    I'm so sorry that you are all experiencing such a tragedy. It's hard sometimes to wrap our heads around the craziness in the world. I just keep reminding myself that there are so many more of us who treasure all life. Blessings to you and yours!

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  11. I am glad to learn you are over your influenza, feeling better. Your teacups, flowers, demitasse spoons and that amazing dessert - such feasts for the eyes. Thank you.

    I am terribly sorry to learn of your brother's passing - esp with the world as it is at this time. You cannot even grieve properly when in a quarantine.

    As for the shooting? What, pray tell, is wrong with this world????? I tell ya, much prayer needed to get this back on track. But we know God is in control, and we know the happy ending - regardless of the fear, worry, and isolation we may be feeling now.

    God bless, Sandi. Take care and peace of the Risen Lord be with you always.

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  12. I did not know about the shooting and that is very tragic and sad. I enjoy being at home so it has not been difficult for me at all. I think is has been very serious and do have concerns that I pray about each day. Stay safe and well Sandi!

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  13. Sandi- I was so sad about the tragedy with the gunmen. I will never understand why things like this happen and senselessly take the lives of innocent people. I am glad you are keeping busy. I am, too, as I have moved to condo living and trying to figure it all out. lol
    Stay Safe-Hugs- Diana

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  14. Sandi,
    I am so very sorry to hear of the passing of your dear brother....So sorry for your loss...I also heard of the gunman and was very saddened by the tragedy of it all. Unfortunately , here in America, it seems to have become a common thing which is so absurd to even say. Your tea cup is lovely and I am glad to hear that you are over the Flu. We are doing fine here...Joe continues to work in Wegman's even though a worker there did test positive but it is what it is and what will be, will be...That is how we feel about this whole thing. I have really not been affected at all but all of this because since I stopped working, I was seldom going out anyway...As far as Joe on that step stool, he likes going to any extreme to prove me wrong so he did it on spite because i told him not to!! LOL!!
    Thanks so much for stopping by!! Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  15. Glad your family is well. Covid 19 has made people with mental illness much more in the edge. There are lots of people who have mental issues but are walking around the normal people. Take care and thank you for the lovely photos.

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  16. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother passing Sandi. And that tragic shooting in Canada was horrific. My heart goes out to all who were affected by it. So lovely to see your beautiful teacups. I love those rosebuds! And how lovely to think Princess Di might have chosen that pattern. I hope that you are doing well, and thinking of you today with the snowstorm and praying that all this snow doesn't cause too much havoc with all the new spring growth. Much love and prayers!

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I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY!

Also, due to the amount of spam I've been getting, I have had to set Comment Moderation. ~ Sandi

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