Month: June 2011 (page 1 of 2)

Count the Happies

I just love this cake! I saw it online and it made me smile. I mean who doesn’t love a bit of rainbow happiness? It made me think of my birthday which in turn made me think of my parents, who sent me an e-card on my Birthday as one of my little surprises. The card is hysterical and the birthday tune is sung partly in French, which I just love.

One of the lines of the song states, “So count the happies and not the candles”. Well, I wasn’t that old this year, but I still like this sentiment! That is what we should do everyday, just count the “happies” because I think at times, life can get us all down.

I have so much going on at the moment as so many of us do and I am finding that my long hours at work are beginning to take their toll. I seem to be spending more time there than I am spending in my house. And, by the time we get home, make dinner, do the dishes, it is pratically time to go to bed and start all over again. It is, at the moment, making me feel old before my time as they say.

There doesn’t seem to be any time to do the things that I would like to do for me. I say that with a grain of salt because I am not a “me” kind of person. I like to do for others, but I am ready to just be able to look at a magazine with a nice cup of tea in peace, without a million-bajillion thoughts running through my head; about my day and the next day to come.

Tonight, however, I made some time, I carved it out and took time for myself. I made a raspberry buttermilk cake and just took pleasure in doing something simple. That was my “happies” today, and I shall count that, instead of the candles, because that is all that really matters.

(Image found here)

Goose Girl

Meet Goose Girl:

Goose girl was born on a farm in the Cotswolds. She comes from a long line of Goose women, but she wanted something more. She loved Art and growing up she could often be found sketching the scenery and the geese she should be tending to in an Impressionistic style (she has a true love of Monet and visits his home in France whenever she can).

An opportunity arose for her to take Art History classes in London and while on the train down she met Foxy.  The two unlikely friends hit it off immediately and decided to stick together.  She loves museums (primarily the Victoria & Albert Museum), rainbows, gardening and riding her bike through London as often as she can. She travels around the world with Foxy any time her schedule allows it.

(The Adventures of Goose Girl & Foxy Coming Soon…)

Is there any S’More?

I love S’Mores. They hold within those cookie walls the best of Sumertime nights. The freedom of being little, running through the grass barefoot, eating grilled hot dogs, chasing lighting bugs and roasting s’mores over the open grill.

For those of you who are not familiar with a s’more, it is a toasted marshmallow that is laid upon a piece of chocolate and they are both sandwiched between two graham cracker cookies.  We didn’t always use graham crackers in my house though, my Mom would buy the Keebler chocolate covered cookies and we would mush our roasty toasty marshmallows in between those! HEAVEN!

Unfortunately, our little cottage does not have a space that allows us to grill, but that doesn’t stop Mr. Michie and myself. We simply spread our ingredients out on the coffee table and light a candle, which acts as our “grill”. So, you too can even make delicious s’mores indoors as well as out!

Here are a few S’more recipes or variations on the theme that I came across as I was blog reading this week, so they must be a hot topic! Click on the name to be taken to the recipe:

 

(all images copyright their respective blogs)

Writing on the Wall #17

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Image by Seonna Hong)

On the Front Porch

All I want to do
When the day is through
Is linger here on the front porch
With you
From the wicker swing
While the night birds sing
We’ll watch the fireflies sparkin’
Do some sparkin’ too
How the hours fly
As the moon drifts by —
How sweet the air
As we stare
At the sight
Oh! How I love to linger here like this
Hold your hand, and steal a kiss
Or two
On the front porch with you

-“On The Front Porch” from Summer Magic, one of my very favourite movies!

Foxy

Meet Foxy:

A country boy at heart, Foxy grew up in the hills of the countryside, living a very simple life. But, the call of the “Bright City Lights” became too much.

He’s now a central London kinda chap and loves nothing more than to stroll down to Camden Market on a Saturday and take in the view of the lock while munching away on delicious food from one of the many vendors (noodles are his genuine preference). He loves to go antiquing; collecting fox figurines is a particular hobby of his, especially if they are in riding attire.

He adores nothing more than visiting a good museum, reading a book, going on an outing to the zoo, having dinner with Goose Girl, or GiGi as he fondly calls her and travelling around as often as his busy schedule allows him.

(The Adventures of Goose Girl & Foxy Coming Soon…)

Happy Father’s Day

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.  

~Clarence Budington Kelland

And he continues to do it everyday and I see a man, that has more Strength, Wisdom, Patience, Kindness, Faith and a bigger heart than any man I know. 

If I have gained just a smidgen of that from him, I know that it is a start. Happy Father’s Day, Dad! 

(Image Found: Here)

Its My Birthday!

WOO-HOO!!! Today is my Birthday and I am having a wonderful time! Mr. Michie brought me breakfast this morning, a chocolate muffin and a chocolate smoothie with lots of whipped cream and a chocolate stick and lots of surprises waiting for me on the kitchen table. He said I should be eating nothing but sugar today, so breakfast was a good start!

After we got in from work tonight, we started watching the lunar eclipse, it is amazing to watch. The commentary is so interesting, they said that the Algonquin Indians would call the June full moon a “strawberry moon”, I like the sound of that.

We are about to grab some dinner and watch a movie!  Then on to Birthday cake, I can’t wait….