LOVE DAY

Valentine's Day..... how do I love thee, let me count the ways.  I have always loved Valentine's Day.  I mean, how can you not enjoy a day devoted to such a wonderful and powerful emotion?
I fell in love with this guy on Valentine's Day 1974.... I was 16 and he was 21.

He gave me a valentine with the beautiful poem "How do I Love Thee" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.  I was smitten. 

I had lost my father the previous year and I felt like a rudderless ship.  Lost and lonely.  And there he was.  Quiet, strong and gentle. (and it didn't hurt that he was incredibly handsome as well)  I knew the minute I saw him that he was special.

Yup, he is my valentine.  And his little dog too....

I wish you, dear reader, a love-filled and happy Valentine's Day. 
Now take it away Liz.....

How Do I Love Thee
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee, let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need by sun and candlelight
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right
I love thee purely as they turn from Praise
I love with a passion put to use
In my old griefs and my childhood's faith
I love thee with a love I seem to lose
With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! and if God choose
I shall love thee better after death.

SPRING!

Our sweet girl Miss K made this outstanding piece of art....

Yes, we are ready for spring!!!  I cannot wait for the sun's rays to grow stronger and all this snow to melt away revealing the ground beneath. 
Yesterday, I went thrifting.  I had to get out of the house for a bit despite the attack of gout I am enduring at the moment.  YAOOOOWZA... does it hurt!  Anyways, I didn't get much at the thrift store, but I did run into some very interesting people.  We discussed depression and it never ceases to amaze me that there are so many people who suffer from it.  One in five Canadians have it and I suspect the number could be higher.  It is not talked about enough.  We must remove the stigma attached to the words "mental illness".  Anyways, the discussion I had with one lovely lady regarding her struggle and that of her family members, was a memorable one.  And it meant so much to me that she felt comfortable enough to share.  She too had one thing in the forefront of her mind and that was SPRING!  It seems everyone I met yesterday is thinking about the same thing.... they are ready for the snow to go!
But I will say this, and that is I love the seasons we have here.  The anticipation of the coming season is a big part of that love.  I have to say that spring is my favorite with fall running a close second.  Extreme temps are not my cup of tea. 
Anyways, there you have it... a mixed bag for today's post.  I hope your day is a beautiful one dear readers.

"If we had no winter, the spring wouldn't be so pleasant:  if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity wouldn't be so welcome."  ~ Anne Bradstreet

"Winter is on my head but eternal spring is in my heart."  ~ Victor Hugo

CUPBOARD MAKEOVER PART ONE

Remember the wardrobe we purchased from the "horse lady" in the post "My First Love"?  Well, it is time to get started on the makeover on it.

It is in need of some shelving if it is to become a craft cupboard.

And a lick of paint..... some new curtains.... and hey presto!  A serviceable and functional addition to my craft room/office.  And when I look at it, I shall always remember our wonderful day with those haflinger horses and their lovely owner.

Stay tuned for part two....

"What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL

What is shiny, black and sleeps on my legs every night?

Why it's Molly of course.  Our sweet black lab is more like our baby than a "pet".  She means the world to my hubby and I.  When we chose her 7 years ago in a barn out in the country, we didn't realize how important she was to become in our lives.
She makes us laugh at least once a day if not more.  And she is like an ambassador in our neighborhood.  Everyone seems to love her.
Like most labs, she adores children.  Molly is a "balanced" dog meaning that she is calm and happy most of the time.  However she tends to get a little cuckoo when she sees certain people.  She does have favorites.  One is a man named Barry that my husband walks Molly with.  Barry gets a kiss hello and a kiss goodbye from Molly.  Barry walks his next door neighbor's dog "Duquette" every day and she and Molly are best friends.
Now, this kissing thing does have a down side in that Molly tries to kiss everyone on the lips like she does to Barry.   And of course, this means she jumps up to do it.  Sigh.  I don't think we will ever be able to break this jumping up habit of hers.
Our little bungalow on Bank wouldn't be the same without our girl.  Molly makes it a home where there is love and laughter even on the dark days like I had yesterday.

"She is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.  You are her life, her love, her leader.  She will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of her heart.  You owe it to her to be worthy of such devotion."
~Author Unknown

THE LAKE

I am thinking about the lake today.  Beautiful Trout Lake.  Spring-fed, cold, clean.  I have always loved the lake.  Even in winter.

I have many great memories of being in the lake, on the lake, beside the lake.  In fact, I have even been swimming in the lake with my horse!  He and I used to go down to the lake across the street from the stable where he was boarded, and in we'd go.  Ahhhhh yes.  Lovely.
There is a really cool gift store/ice cream shop/ boat rental/bait store/etc...etc... on the lake.  I love to go there and enjoy an ice cream and just stare out at the sparkling water or ice depending on the season.  I was born under the "water sign" in hot July, so I guess it is natural that I would love the lake so.
Hollywood even came calling in the 1940's when "Captain of the Clouds" was shot here.  The lake is prominently featured in the movie and you can see it in it's blue perfection.
Yes, our lake is the jewel of our community here.  We must do all we can to protect it and keep it clean.  After all, it is the giver of life and if it dies, we do too.

"In wonderous nature do I see, the handiwork of God."
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NANNA LOVED ROCK AND ROLL

Now that I have told you a bit about my darling Nanny, I will be happy to share with you a little background about my delightful Nanna.
My Nanna was a tiny little gal.  Short legs, short arms with the face of an angel.  And I cannot mention Nanna without also mentioning her husband Jim...that is.... "Daddy Jim".  That is what we grandchildren called him.  Theirs was a love story.  And I will save that for a future post.
Now Nanna was an extrodinary home keeper.  She could cook like Julia Child, she could clean like the dickens and she had a heart of gold.  There were often people sitting in her bright kitchen for a delicious meal because "they were down on their luck dear". 
I remember very little about Nanna really.  I was quite young when she passed away.  But, I do remember her love for all things Elvis.  She would be ironing Daddy Jim's shirts while Elvis crooned.  It was unusual for a lady of her age and in those times, to love Elvis so openly.  We all thought Nanna was waaaayyyy cool for her taste in music. 
I think Nanna really demonstrated her love for her family by taking such good care of everyone and the home they lived in.  The skill she put forth in her cooking and  keeping things clean and organized spoke volumes about this.  It seemed everything she put her hand to was done meticulously and with great care.  And above all, she delighted in her grandchildren, taking each of us in her short little arms for warm hugs. 
She was a sweetheart was Nanna.  And everyone loved her.  I am sure she is with Daddy Jim now and my father and all of those who have gone on before us.  And who knows, maybe she is still listening to Elvis and swooning.  Or perhaps she is dancing in the arms of the man she loved all her life... Daddy Jim.
Until we meet again sweet Nanna.

MY NANNY HENRIETTA

Yesterday's post about my grand-daughter got me to thinking about my own grandmothers.  I had two and they were nearly polar opposites in some ways.  They were both lovely.  One was called "Nanny" and the other was "Nanna".  My darling little Nanny was poor.  Dirt poor.  But whenever I think of her, I remember her million dollar smile.  She lit up the room when she smiled.  And she smiled often.
Despite eeking out a living on her hands and knees scrubbing the floors in the homes of the wealthy, she was a cheerful woman.  Strong, capable, get things done person.
When we visited her apartment, you could smell the homemade soup that seemed to always be on the stove.  A warm, delicious and inviting smell wafting down the dingy halls of her building.  The door would open and there she would be...all gummy smiles and giggles and "Come in, come in!"  And soft kisses.  She had lost her teeth and refused to wear dentures.  ("they hurt my gums!")
As a young person, when I would be shopping downtown with my friends, I would on occasion, see my Nanny walking and when she spotted me, there was the smile and a hearty wave.  So, over I would go to get my soft kisses.  She would open her purse and give me all of her change.  And she had so little money, I didn't want to take it, but she would insist.   "Here Cheryl, go buy yourself a treat". 
I can feel a lump in my throat now.  And it is because I miss those soft kisses.  My beautiful Grandmother,  has long since passed into the next world.   She was a deeply religious woman who relied on her God every day of her life.  The beautiful poetry she wrote was a testament to this faith.  And that sweet, sweet smile...despite some real hardships.
I love you Nanny.  Until we are together again....and I can feel those soft kisses.

"It is as grandmothers that our mothers come into the fullness of their grace."
~Christopher Morley

Tell me dear reader, do you have a grandmother story or comment you would like to share?