Friday 28 August 2015

Daily Pleasures ...


 
This week I have been ~
  
Enjoying the last of the summer flowers
 
 

Waking early and watching the sun rise
 

 
Taking pleasure seeing the berries on the Rowan Tree ripening
 
 
Trying to capture the Thistle Down as it floats  across the field
 
 
 
Finding different seed heads
 
 
 
Looking for a break in the clouds
 
 
Watching the breeze blow the curtains
 

Luxuriating in eating warm ripe tomatoes fresh from the vine
 

 

Picking apples before they fall
 
 
 
 In spare moments reading  one of my favourite authors - Rosamunde Pilcher.  Her books are old-fashioned and charming - good, plain storytelling that draws you into the lives of her characters, and very un-put-downable.  Nothing fancy or highbrow - just a darn good read.
 
 
Delighting in evening skies
 
 
Each day brings its own pleasures, however small - some make me smile.  Like the return of the Robin whose song can be heard again in the garden.  Or watching a mother Pigeon and her almost grown chick, with a face only a mother could love, canoodling on the garden table, their heads bobbing and necks intertwining with an obvious affection. 
Lastly, the big living room make-over has begun.  The table and chairs taken away to be stripped and waxed.  Everything from cupboards boxed up, including lots of old LP's - I spent the day playing some old favourites from the 60's - Beach Boys, Bee Gee's, Beatles - bringing back memories of living at home, when my Dad would surprise us with these gifts.  We really should get rid of them as most are now duplicated in CD form - but I haven't the heart.  They are battered and scratched and jump when played - but are filled with sentiment for my teenage years. The sofa has been booked in for re-upholstering and fabric chosen.  This weekend we start stripping the walls. It's going to be a long job and the room will be upside-down for a few weeks yet - but, needs must.

As my husband retires today there is plenty to keep him occupied over the next few weeks.  It will be strange having him at home all day.  It seems that life really is all about change at the moment.
 
And that's just about it for this week - I'll leave you with this lovely poem about September.

Now thin mists temper the slow ripening beams
Of the September sun; his golden gleams
On gaudy flowers shine, that prank the rows
Of high-grown hollyhocks, and all tall shows.
That Autumn flaunted in his bushy bowers
Where tomtits, hanging from the drooping heads
Of giant sunflowers, peck the nutty seeds;
And in the feather aster
bees on wing
Seize and set free the honied flowers,
Til thousand stars leap with their visiting:
While ever across the path
Unpiloted by the sun,
The dreamy butterflies
With dazzling colours powdered and soft glooms,
White, black and crimson stripes, and peacock eyes
Or on chance flowers sit,
With idle effort
plundering
one by one
The nectaries of deepest-throated blooms.
The Garden in September
~ Robert Bridges

 
'Til next time - take care. I can't believe it will soon be September!
 
Elaine


61 comments:

  1. Sounds like you have been very busy and enjoying all life has to offer. Good luck with the living room make-over; hope it turns out well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good luck with the living room make-over; I hope there not too many fraught moments.
    Keep those records as long as you can; scratched and battered though they may be they are a connection with the past that will never be made with a CD. Also the CD will not always have all the tracks you might have on your records.

    Ms Soup

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ms. Soup. I know what you mean about CD's. Each LP holds a memory and takes me right back to when it was bought. We didn't have much in those days and they were played over and over.

      Delete
  3. It sounds as though you are on great form Elaine! And how useful to have your husband to help with the makeover. Good timing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Freda. Yes, the timing is perfect - the more we work together the sooner we can get it finished.

      Delete
  4. I hope your Bloke enjoys retirement. You'll find plenty for him to do, I'm sure!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Mark. You can be sure of that. He came home this afternoon quite emotional over his send off. Keeping him busy will help get him over this transitional period.

      Delete
  5. The year seems to be flying by doesn't it.

    You have created such a lush sense of summer's last fling here Elaine, and of autumn knocking at the door.

    Good luck with the living room makeover, I hope it's glitch free. And happy retirement wishes to your husband.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It surely does Annie. I can't believe we are thinking about Autumn already - summer seems to have been brief this year. There is bound to be some sort of glitch with the makeover, nothing ever goes as smoothly as we wish does it. I will pass your kind wishes on to the retiree.

      Delete
  6. Dear Elaine, beautiful as ever, thank you! I (almost, because I don't love the feeling) envy you the ripe tomatoes from your own garden. I wondered what a 'tomtit' is - of course I know the bird "tit", but which special sort of? And you made me want to spend more hours in Berlins parks and woods - after my narrowboat trip in England.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Britta - you're welcome. I looked up the ~Tomtit - it seems to be a native of New Zealand. But in my mind I always pictured a blue tit. I hope you enjoy your narrow boat trip.

      Delete
  7. Oh dear Elaine ….. it is all looking a little too Autumnal for my liking as I don't really want Summer to end but I know it has to but, that aside, it's beautiful.
    Have fun decorating !!! haha …… hope that we get to see some ' before's ' and ' after's ' !!!! XXXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh I know Jackie. Summer seems to have gone whooshing by - I can't bear to think about it and even though the weather was lovely today there was just a hint of chill in the air - I think the season is turning whether we like it or not. I would enjoy the decorating if it was just painting but we have to scrape all the old wallpaper off and it is proving to be stubborn. We shall have to employ strong arm tactics I think and hire a steamer or something. I will try to remember to take photos as we go along.

      Delete
  8. Always the simple things in life that bring satisfaction and joy. Here the migratory birds hopefully will stop for a bit to eat on their way to the tropics. Already this morning we have heard a nut hatch, hoping that he will stay the winter. There is a coolness in the early morning air now, signally fall is on the way. The sun light has been tainted by the drifting smoke from the far northwest. It is Friday with nice weather for the week end. Loved the poem. And I enjoy your Pinterest pins. Yes the HG worked hard to get the path done. He will be off now to go to the mountains to hunt elk with his bow. A much deserved break. He will appreciate your kind comments.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I noticed this morning how the Swallows are gathering on the telephone wires - a good sign that they are thinking of flying back to Africa. I always miss them when they are gone and eagerly await their return. I think we are going to have a rainy weekend, which is no bad thing as it means I won't be lured outside when there is so much to do inside. Glad you enjoyed the poem - I love it too. I seem to go on Pinterest in fits and starts but once I am on there I can't seem to get off, there are just so many lovely and interesting things to Pin. I hope the HG enjoys his break he does work hard around your place and I know you appreciate what he does for you and your garden.

      Delete
  9. A lovely post with wonderful pictures. Such daily pleasures are often simple and the best ones.
    Enjoy your weekend. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Flighty. I find it most pleasurable to capture on camera things that have attracted my eye during the week and yes, they are usually the simple things. Enjoy your weekend too.

      Delete
  10. Small pleasures daily is what life is about, at least for me, and it seems for you too. The last of summer's pleasures are to be savored for as long as possible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely. I don't mind Autumn if it is clear and bright - it is the grey days that get me down. But I won't think about that just yet - like you say I just want to savour the last of summer's pleasures while they last.

      Delete
  11. Don't know what to comment on there is so much. It sounds like heaven, and, it will take some getting used to having hubby around all the time, but it will come.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry Donna - it did turn out to be rather long post (you should have seen it before it was edited)!. Yes it will take some adjusting to having him around all day but I aim to keep him busy - I am sure we will both get used to it before long.

      Delete
  12. Oh what a big change in your life, difficult to imagine being together all day everyday. I hope you have lots of lovely times together. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know Rachel - compromises will have to be made I am sure. I have been home alone for a long time so having company all day may prove to be a strain - we will just have to see how it pans out. I am sure it will be fine after a period of adjustment.

      Delete
  13. Best wishes to you and your husband as you start this new phase of your life. It takes a while to give yourself permission to enjoy the freedom but once you get the hang of it there will be no stopping you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Alice - it is most definitely a new phase - but for him slowing down will be difficult - he's not quite as laid back as I am - but it will give us a chance to do more things together - so that is something to look forward to.

      Delete
  14. Sounds like a really great week! I hope that all goes well with the redecoration, we are about to embark on a little of that ourselves! I hope you will love the results and will perhaps share them with us when it is all done! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Amy. I am looking forward to the end result of the redecoration but the actually doing of it is not my idea of fun. I will share the results but they may be a long time coming - still Rome wasn't built in a day!

      Delete
  15. Best wishes to your husband on his retirement, and lots of happy times together. Hope that your redecoration all goes to plan, it will be lovely when you can sit down in the room and enjoy your labours. A love selection of images to go with your thoughts for this week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Rosemary. I spent all afternoon yesterday scraping the walls. Boy do my arms ache this morning.

      Delete
  16. Such very lovely photographs! And the poem is wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Sarah - this time of year the light is wonderful for taking photos. I love the poem too, especially the lines "The dreamy butterflies, With dazzling colours powdered and soft glooms" . Enjoy your weekend.

      Delete
  17. Wonderful photos - I can just smell those lovely ripe tomatoes. Just checked on Rosamunde Pilcher in our library and will get one of her books out on my next visit.

    All the best with the redecoration.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Susan. The tomatoes are coming thick and fast - I love eating them warm and ripe - yum. If you do get a Rosamunde Pilcher book I would start with her best one 'The Shellseekers' one I have read over and over. Enjoy.

      Delete
  18. I've enjoyed this post so much Elaine. We have a very similar roofline view but ours are at sunrise and then the sunset view is like your sunrise! Your living room makeover sounds commendably thorough. My husband retired in May and has wrought miracles in the garden. It has kept him busy and got him fit. I'm less sure how we will muddle along together in the winter. Maybe a bit of wall paper stripping is in order? I treated myself to a secondhand set of Cazalet chronicles which had somehow passed my by. Good late summer reading for when I can find a break in the clouds to sit in the swing seat. If I try to read at night the book just falls out of my hand.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Lucille - kind of you to say so. I take far too many pictures of the sunrise and sunset but how can I resist when they are often so spectacular. Like you I do wonder how my husband and I will get along shut up during the long winter months when you can't get out and about. I have heard of the Cazalet chronicles will have to check them out and hope they are as good as the reviews say. Enjoy the rest of the weekend - it is a lovely Saturday here. - hope you are experiencing the same.

      Delete
  19. Happy peace and pottering to your husband. Make sure you are never seen without an apron so that he will realise how much housework you have done all these years. Even if you haven't.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi Mise
    Thanks for your sage advice - of course him being at home all day will create even more work I will now be spending my time finding him jobs to keep him occupied and then clearing up after him. Hey ho. Such is life!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Such beautiful daily pleasures. Your record collection sounds a lot like mine used to be. A couple of years ago I sold most of them to a vinyl record shop in the city and kept just a few that had special memories for me:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Rosie. I think I will be ditching all the old K-Tel records (remember them) and a few obscure ones - our local Oxfam are the only charity shop in town that take old LP's so most will end up there.

      Delete
  22. Oh Elaine ... I am so pleased I 'hopped' over to your blog this evening.

    What a lovely post, with such beautiful photo's. I can so relate to your LP collection, it was a few years ago I sorted through mine!

    Happy retirement wishes to your husband ... and as you both settle into new routines.
    Happy decorating by the way !

    Enjoy the last few days of August.

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for popping over Jan - always nice to see you here. It will all take a bit of getting used too - I just hope we survive being cooped up indoors together over winter - if you notice I have stopped blogging in the future it is probably because we have strangled each other - only joking!

      Delete
  23. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sounds like a wonderful way to spend the week. :o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I doubt this week will be the same Tammy - the weather has turned- it has been atrocious all day today - hey ho!

      Delete
  25. Gorgeous...

    Wish our tomatoes would ripen!

    Also wish I could see sun rise and sun set. Here, the land and trees, prevent it. -sigh-

    Good luck with retirement. If he has hobbies, he will be fine. My husband is/was a pharmacist, but a life long wood worker. There aren't enough hours in the day, for him now. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tessa. Yes, the tomatoes are coming thick and fast now - I have been stewing some this morning to put in the freezer. My husband is very handy about the place always finding some job to do and of course he loves bird watching. He used to be a sculptor, maybe he will take that up again.

      Delete
  26. The cosmos, lavatera and thistle down pics are gorgeous, as are all the others! Awwwwh....just look at baby woody, I just LOVE those birds, especially as chicks!
    How exciting to be sorting the living room, the disruption will be worth it and it shall be beautiful for Christmas and winter, now I do hope you are taking pics!
    You remind me here how much I miss LP's, I love the Bee Gee's too, must dig out a cd...
    Here's wishing your hubs a happy retirement, you'll soon adapt and now you shall have an extra pair of hands, you'll be pointing way in the garden and he'll be run off his feet. A sculpter you say? How marvelous, now he can create beautiful pieces for your home and garden, and maybe I'll be commissioning pieces too.
    Loved that poem, such a lovely one to end on.xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Dina for your lovely comment. We are well into the throes of the living room makeover now - but it will be a while before it is completed - the walls have to be skimmed with plaster as they are very lumpy (old house old plaster). I reckon end of October before we near completion of everything that needs to be done. But I will be sharing pics as and when and breathing a sigh of relief I expect. I have plenty to keep him occupied I can assure you! I am sure we will get used to this new situation but it will be strange for us both for a while.

      Delete
  27. I love the pictures of the flowers and that sun rise is epic! It's such a wonderful start to the day to watch the sun rise that beautifully :)
    It's amazing that it's already September! Where has the year gone so fast?
    Have a wonderful rest of the week and enjoy all the changes as much as you can. They always bring so many wonderful new things into our lives :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Beate for your comment - life is all about change at the moment - for both us and you and Keith of course - - it stops life getting boring doesn't it. The season is changing fast here but September is one of my favourite months - I hope it doesn't disappoint! Enjoy the rest of your week too.

      Delete
  28. Oh it sounds as if you're enjoying life Elaine! I not read any Rosamund Pilcher for years so thanks for mentioning her. It's sometimes most comforting to revisit old favourites. My husband retired at the end of May so we're still getting accustomed to this new phase in our lives. No complaints so far and I hope that the two of you enjoy it as much as we are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment Anna - oh I do try to enjoy life as far as possible even with the little hiccups thrown in! I read The Shell Seekers many years ago and have re-read it a couple of times - the book is so much better than any dramatization I have seen of it - funny how some authors just hit the right note isn't it. Glad to hear you and your husband are enjoying his retirement - it's early days for us yet - but I am sure once we get used to the idea it will work out ok.

      Delete
  29. Ah Elaine I so love your daily pleasures. Your flowers look much fresher than mine. Every thing looks wonderful especially those gorgeous tomatoes. When I read the poem at the end wondered If the tomtits are what we call chickadees here. Ours definitely hang upside down gathering sunflower seeds. Quite fun to watch. Good luck with your renovations. Does sound like your hubby may be retired from his job but not from the home. Wishing you both a great retirement. Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Debbie
      Lovely to hear from you. I Googled tomtits and apparently they are native to New Zealand. We are getting on well with the renovations but are having a day off from it for today - you can get too much of a good thing! Enjoy your weekend my friend.

      Delete
  30. There are so many good things about this post, I don't know where to start.
    Your late Summer flowers, and those skies! Old records are wonderful - I do hope you always keep them. What a wonderful dad.
    And books of course - Katherine Mansfield is an old fave, and Pilcher always delights.
    And it's such a lovely exciting thing to re-do a room. A fresh start - one for you and your husband as well. I hope you enjoy many small pleasures, they are such nourishing soul food. x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Antionette
      Thank you for you lovely comment - there are so many things happening right now it is hard to keep track of everything - thank goodness for my journal to remind me just how good things are at this time of year. Have a lovely weekend.

      Delete
  31. I love the way you capture the simple things such as the breeze from the window and break in the clouds. Good luck with the lounge and hope your husband is enjoying his retirement. Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
  32. Thanks Sarah. At the moment I think it just seems like a week off for my husband - I think the shock will probably hit him later but I think it has come at the right time as the job he held was quite stressful and it was taking it out of him.

    ReplyDelete
  33. How lovely, yes definitely the simple pleasures that are the best. A new era for you both, hope your husband enjoys his retirement. I'm sure you will have lots of things to do together and he can discove new hobbies of his own. I can't believe its September, this year has rushed by in a flash but I also enjoy the slowing down that you get in the autumn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Annie. I am sure he will settle down to the new routine of not going out to work every morning - it will be strange for him at first, me too, come to think of it. I guess you get to a stage in the year you are a bit relieved that you can slow down in the garden - I have started the big autumn tidy up already - the garden does get a bit disorderly by the end of summer. Take care.

      Delete