little things♥lately

"What day is it?" asked Pooh.
"It's today," squeaked Piglet.
"My favourite day," said Pooh.

~ A.A. Milne

Hello lovely readers...

The chilly Autumn sun is casting her golden morning light upon our little corner of the world.
There is a stillness in the air, broken only by the occasional rumble of an engine, and the cheerful twittering of the birds as they joyfully welcome the arrival of a brand new day.

Today should have been the second last day of our 21 day lockdown, but instead we face an additional two weeks of being confined to our homes...
As I am nursing an ear and throat infection, these quiet days at home are just what I need to regain my strength.

I thought I would stop in with a few pictures of the little things I have been enjoying lately. ♥
Our world may be all topsy turvey, but our home is a haven; a place of peace and calm in the midst of a turbulent sea...

I decided it was high time I pick up my knitting needles and begin working on a new project...
At the moment I am busy on a ribbed cowl in gorgeous grey yarn...
And when I need a little break from knitting, I have a rather gripping new book to read...
I came across A Light to My Path by historical and Biblical fiction author, Lynn Austin, in a second hand bookstore quite some time ago, and am currently 200 pages in to this beautifully written novel...
I would love to find the other books in this series.

My lovely baby spinach is growing quite prolifically, and we harvest leaves almost every evening for our salad...
I spent some time in the garden on Saturday just before I started feeling under the weather, so my plants are quite happy for the time being.
Dad and I need to find a moment to stake up the rambling pea plants, though...

A few weeks ago the sweet potatoes we had in our veggie basket started sending out little runners, so I cut them off, along with a small slice of the sweet potato, and popped them in some soil...
And here they are growing quite happily in my little garden.
We used to grow sweet potato on the farm and were always amazed at how easy they were maintain.

Our little ones have been spending hours playing out of doors...
The other day they were playing Zorro (they have been watching the 1957 Zorro series with Guy Williams), and have now moved on to some sort of camping game...sheets and blankets are daily hauled out to the front yard, and snacks are carried off in a basket to be munched in their tents.

We try to spend as much time outside as possible, and even had a family picnic in the front yard over the weekend.
Cooler weather is coming, so we are making the most of these moderate days.

How pretty these buds look amidst the greenery in this vase...

It has been wonderful spending time blessing our home lately, although, with nine people living here 24/7, things don't stay tidy for very long!  {{Smiles}}

 "I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but those that bring simple pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string."
~ L.M. Montgomery

The girls found a little chameleon today...isn't he sweet?
I love chameleons and remember having so many in our garden when I was a child...at one stage there were even baby chameleons.

I just had to share a little peek of the birdy tea towels Mom and I have been sewing.
We have plenty more to sew (a friend gave us a big piece of waffle-weave fabric), but that will have to wait....this week we are planning a small high tea for Gabrielle who is celebrating her thirteenth birthday this coming Friday.

♥
 Well, sweet friends, may your day be lovely as you strive to choose joy and spend time cultivating a thankful heart.

I would love to hear what you have been up to lately...it always brightens my day to hear from my dear readers!

With love,
~ Kelly-Anne 

Gabrielle in the forest

 Happy Tuesday, dear readers...

I do hope that your week is off to a fabulous start.

Mine has been quite full with au pairing (the children and I are busy with a sewing project at the moment), a lovely long phone call with a sweet friend, and preparing for the lockdown our government has issued for the next three weeks.

If you read my post from Friday (read it here), you'll remember I mentioned Nancy was busy sewing a French-inspired dress for Gabrielle, which she finished Saturday evening...

We thought Gabrielle looked so lovely in her new dress, that we decided to do a little photoshoot in the forest the following day...

Any excuse to bring out my camera and get a bit of practice in!  {{Smiles}}

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart."

 ~ Helen Keller

"Pleasure is spread through the earth

in stray gifts to be claimed by

whoever shall find."  

~ William Wordsworth

 "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me."  

~ C.S. Lewis

"Books are good company, in sad times and happy times, for books are people – people who have managed to stay alive by hiding between the covers of a book."  

~ E.B. White

"The earth laughs in flowers."  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Beauty is so quietly woven through our ordinary days that we hardly notice it."

~ John O'Donohue-

"We must admire the goodness of God in placing us in a world so exceedingly full of beauty." 

~ Charlotte Mason

"It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, 

as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation 

of from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit."  

~ Robert Louis Stevenson

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."  

~ Aristotle 

The photographs are a true reflection of Gabrielle's sweet personality...  

She is a real girly girl who loves books, tea and all things old fashioned.  

And she looks perfectly darling in her new grey polka dot dress!

Blessings to you, dear friends.  

May the rest of your week be beautiful!

With love,

Kelly-Anne

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Little Women 2019 ~ Review

Hello dear readers...

How is it that the last day of February is already upon us?

I had high hopes of posting regularly throughout this month but alas!  My wonderful new au pair job has kept me pretty busy!

I look forward to stopping in again soon with a little update, but in the meantime, I thought I would share my thoughts on what is now my absolute favourite movie...♥

If you have been following me on Instagram, you will know that I recently went to see the new film adaption of Little Women in theatre with my mom and younger sisters...

I had been excitedly anticipating the release of this new film adaption of one of my favourite stories for months, and I am delighted to say that it did not disappoint.

Let's begin with the characters, shall we...?

The incredibly talented Saoirse Ronan played Jo with real heart.

Saoirse's portrayal of Jo was true perfection.

Emma Watson played Meg.  I am still deciding whether or not I like her in this role.

 

 Eliza Scanlen was Beth, and I think she did a wonderful job of portraying Beth's sweet innocence and love for her family and home life.

 And she and Saoirse played the sweetest of sisters!

Amy was played by Florence Pugh, and I thought she was wonderful, despite her being a bit too old for the role of the younger Amy.

While I may still be a big fan of Christian Bale's portrayal of Laurie in the 1994 adaption of Little Women, I thought Timothy Chalamet did a really superb job of playing Laurie...

 

He and Saoirse were such a believable Laurie and Jo...

And this scene was so well acted!

Meryl Streep was an absolutely brilliant Aunt March!

While our German professor was in fact played by French actor, Louis Garrel, I have to say that I loved him!  

I loved that he was not quite so ancient and had way more spunk than the Professor Bhaers I have seen in previous adaptions.

James Norton (Belle) was John Brooke, and I think he is quite my favourite John to date.  

What a delightfully exuberant Marmee Laura Dern played!  

Different perhaps to every other on-screen Marmee we have seen, but personally I loved the new dimension she brought to the movie.

I loved that this story was told in a unique way, with the opening scene being from the sequel to Little Women, Good Wives.   

The characters revisit moments from their childhood throughout the movie, but instead of the flashbacks being somewhat awkward, they flow and intertwine beautifully.  

What a wonderfully imaginative way of combining and adapting both Louisa May Alcott's books for screen!

 I was thoroughly impressed by the exceptional quality of this film - every scene was exquisite.

The costumes were gorgeous and the music heavenly.

And there was enough humour to lighten the mood and bring cheer to a story which is really quite sad.

This adaption of Little Women felt so real; it was as if the actors and actresses really were truly living in their roles.

I would give this movie 5 stars and highly recommend it for ages 9 and up. ♥

I will bring this little review to a close with one of my favourite quotes from Louisa May Alcott's book...

 "Have regular hours for both work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success." 

~ Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

~
Have you seen Little Women 2019 yet?  If so, what are your thoughts?

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Slowing Down & Savouring || Come, Stay for Tea {A Guest Post by Elizabeth}

 Hello dear friends,

I hope your weekend was a truly delightful one!

Today my sweet friend, Elizabeth, from Ponderings from the Inglenook, is sharing a lovely guest post on taking time to slow down and enjoy something as simple as a cup of tea...

 

I am sure you'll be blessed by what she has to share...

~

 

 

Teatime is a chance to slow down, pull back 

and appreciate our surroundings.

-Leticia Baldridge-

Dear friends,

I invite you to savour a few moments of quiet and calm...

brew a pot of your most delicious tea,

choose the most beautiful teacup in your cupboard,

perhaps set a cookie or two, or maybe even a scone, on a pretty plate,

turn your phone to "silent" and turn off all the noises around you.

Curl up in a cozy, squishy chair or sofa, 

if it's cool enough grab a warm blanket or well-loved quilt.

 Sink down into your seat, cozy up,

and take a deep breath.

Soak that up...

that quiet and calm.

Drink it in, let it fill you up. 

May the words of this post bring peace to your spirit,

renewal to your heart,

and refreshment to your bones...

 

 

Emilie Barnes said that "the ritual and nature of tea invites us to pause during our day and to indulge in a soothing ritual." Take a few moments today and indulge in a relaxing, peaceful teatime.

The simplicity and comfort of tea gives us this same sense of connection with God. When we slow down, we have time to express our gratitude, lift up our needs and seek God's heart. And when we share tea with others, we can extend our understanding of faith to them, heart to heart. When we take the time for simple pleasures, like the ritual of tea, we also calm our thoughts and worries, and we make room for the ritual of spending time with God.*

 

 

 It's not the tea, in other words, that makes teatime special, it's the spirit of the tea party.

It's what happens when women or men or children make a place in their life for the rituals of sharing. It's what happens when we bother with the little extras that feed the soul and nurture the senses and make space for unhurried conversation. And when that happens, it doesn't really matter what fills the cups or holds the liquids.

It really isn't the tea.

It's the spirit of the tea party.*

 

 

Lord, grant me a giving heart that wishes to share the treasures of tea and hospitality and kindness. Remind me to bother with those extras that make the difference in the lives of family members, friends and strangers. Amen.*

 

 

Tea takes time-- and that's part of the magic.

You can't hurry it without losing something vital.

The act of making and drinking tea forces us to slow down--

and I truly believe our bodies and spirits are desperate to slow down

from the frantic pace our culture sets for us today.

People in our society don't like to wait, 

but you simply cannot hurry a good pot of tea.

You put on the kettle, then you must wait for the water to boil.

And while you're waiting, there are little things to attend to.

You rinse out the teapot.

You fill the cream pitcher and the sugar bowl 

and set out the teacup-- the prettiest one you have.

You might pick a flower or set a candle in its holder 

or rummage through the cabinet for a pretty plate.

Even if you haven't had time to bake,

you open a package of cookies and arrange them on the plate.

You see, boiling the water in a kettle is part of the ritual.

Arranging the tea party is part of the ritual.

Preparing and enjoying tea is a ritual in itself.*

 

 

Tea is a "Ceremony of Loveliness".

It takes so little to make us glad,

Just a cheering clasp of a friendly hand,

Just a word from one who can understand;

And we finish the task we long had planned,

And we lose the doubt and the fear we had---

So little it takes to make us glad.

-Ida Goldsmith Morris-

 

 

Enjoying a cup of tea is not like taking a summer off or going away on a retreat.

It's an island of calm you can reasonably visit in the course of your busiest day.

Once you make the decision to adjust your pace, 

you can relax and enjoy the journey.

Tea is like that too. 

You may need to change your mental gears to enjoy it fully.

You may need to practice waiting and learning to enjoy the repetitive freedom of the ritual.

But once you do, the change of pace will renew your mind and refresh your spirit.*

 

 

God, let me savour the sweetness and beauty of serving others and being with friends. 

I'm so thankful for such joys in my life. Amen.*

Nowhere is the English genius of domesticity more notably

evident than in the festival of afternoon tea.

The chink of cups and the saucers tunes the mind to happy repose.

-George Gissing-

 

 

The spirit of the tea party is, at least in part,

the spirit of beauty. And I'm fully convinced that we humans 

need beauty in order to live rich and fulfilling lives.

People grow and flourish when they are able to respond

to the beauty around them and create their own forms of beauty.

And the ritual of teatime allows room for both receiving and giving loveliness.*

 

 

The very act of preparing and serving tea encourages conversation.

The little spaces of time created by teatime rituals call out to be filled with conversation.

Even the tea itself-- warm and sweet and comforting-- inspires a feeling of

 relaxation and trust that fosters shared confidence.

It's not the tea, remember---

it's the spirit of the tea party.

And the spirit of the tea party is,

above all,

the spirit of true friendship.*

 

 

May the beauty and peacefulness of the ritual of teatime

fill you to overflowing with a renewed mind, refreshed spirit,

and a heart to share that beauty and peacefulness with those around you.

Bless you, dear friends!

Thank you for joining me for tea today.

♥ 

 

Note: All sections marked with a star (*) are taken from Emilie Barnes' book, "The Tea Lover's Devotional".

~

Dear Elizabeth, thank you for being willing to share this beautiful post with my sweet readers today...

~

Do stop by Elizabeth's lovely blog, Ponderings from the Inglenook, for some sweet inspiration - she writes about the joy of home, everyday beauty and bookish ramblings.

♥ 

 

With love in Christ,

Kelly-Anne