Finding joy in the everyday

I love finding out why parents have chosen certain names for their children – this interest started when I was young  and  use to read the birth notices in the newspaper with my mum and comment (and chuckle) on the unusual names that parents call their children.  When I went to primary school my friends had ordinary names like: Catherine, Wendy, Leanne, Jeffrey, Gregory and Karen .  Then one day a child turned up at my little country school and his name was Nimrod and we all thought that was really weird.  However what was interesting was when I changed schools and went to a up-market private school the names changed to: Georgina, Elizabeth, Mary, Caroline, Kate, Louise – no Wendy’s or Leanne’s at this school.  Looking at the most popular names in Australia for 2009, we have gone back to the classic names of William, Jack, Lachlan, Cooper, Joshua, Thomas, Oliver, Noah, Isabella, Charlotte, Olivia, Mia, Emily, Sophie, Ella and Amelia .  However we a...

Helen Allingham: (1848 - 1926 ) watercolourist Helen was born in Derbyshire, the eldest of 7 children. She showed a talent for art from an early age, inspired by her grandmother and aunt, both accomplished artists of their day.  She studied 3 years at the Birmingham School of Design, then from 1867 attended the "Female School of Art", a section of which became the Royal Collage of Arts in London. Whilst a student, she worked as an illustrator, working on both children’s and adult books including the Thomas Hardy’s “ Far from the madding crowd ”. When she married William Allingham in 1874 she gave up illustration and turned to water-colour painting.  In 1881 the family moved to Whitley in Surrey where she painted many of her cottages, picturesque farmhouses.  She became the first woman to be admitted as a full member of the Royal Watercolour Society.  Irish cottage Cottage near Wells Cottage at Chiddingfold Her devotion to cottages, however, was not merely for th...

There is so much anger about these days, people die due to angry outbursts.  People get angry over the most trivial things, no longer wanting to listen or understand, but ready to lash out and hurt. It often starts at a young age, just walk through a school yard. When angry, the words coming from a persons mouth can be malicious, slanderous and abusive with only one purpose - to hurt without any thought of the other persons feelings.  There are many examples given in the Bible in regards to anger.  But equally, there are many verses on how to avoid anger.  My favourite verse would have to be " So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath " from James 1:19.  Sadly (and I fall into this trap too) we are often far too quick to open our mouths and far to slow to listen.  The results can be devastating. Thanks to " The Excellent Wife " by Martha Peace, below is two lists, biblical contrasts between the man (or wom...

 The Whirlpool Miracle kitchen Flicking through the book I bought on Friday (Home Management), I read with interest a  chapter called "The home of today and tomorrow".   It looks at the homes of the future (the 1980's) and says "t he next twenty years will bring even more astonishing changes to the home, today's moderns homes will in a very few years look like period pieces ".  Here are some of the concepts being considered: Handheld TV's and radio's (with remote controls) Colour TV looking like frosted glass panel on the wall Electric waste-disposal units in kitchens Thermostatically controlled water taps over the sinks which are foot operated Central heating in winter and air conditioning in summer - provided by atomic power.  The atomic power will replace coal, electricity and gas for all domestic heating, therefore reducing smog in the atmosphere. Furnishing fabric that is already proofed against shrinkage, stains, moths and damp Water sup...

Today I awoke to glorious spring weather so off I went to Floriade.  I went alone as DH does not like flowers, crowds and suffers from hay-fever.  Floriade is the biggest flower festival in the southern hemisphere with  over 1 million bulbs and annuals planted each year. (including 87 varieties of tulips, 45 varieties of pansies and 13 varieties of hyacinths).  You can just imagine the scent of all those hyacinths - it was beautiful.  The flower planting is staggered so there are flowers on display for the whole month.The garden beds cover 9,105 square metres. It started in 1988 to celebrate Canberra's 75th birthday. At the end of Floriade (in mid October) the gardens are all dug up, bulbs sold to the public and any flowers left are picked and given to hospitals and nursing homes in the region. It was difficult to take photos without any people in! However I tried very hard and managed a number of shots without humans - these ones below give the impress that ...

In the centre of the whirlpool, while the waters rush about. There's a space of perfect stillness, though with turmoil with it is bound. All is calm,  all is quiet, scarcely even a sense of sound. So with us - despite the conflict,  when in Christ,  His peace is found ~author unknown~ Peace be unto you - Fear not. Picture source * * *

I have had a beautiful day.  The weather has been perfect, I have even been able to take out one of my summer skirts to wear. What have I been up to. . . . I started the day by driving my dh to work. Stopped off at the supermarket for a few things. Drove my son to his friends. Then off I went to the Life Line Book Fair. . . this is a huge second hand book fair, selling 1000's of books at a tiny price. It occurs twice a year (March and September) and I love to go. I made sure I was wearing comfortable shoes and had the right equipment Off I went . . . filling my shopping trolley with great books . .  such as Volumes 1 and 2: Home Management 1950 .   These tell me everything I have ever wanted to know about my home - including how to design my modern 1950's kitchen, pack the pantry, choosing my cooker, cleaning and sewing etc..  I am bound to share snippets from these books over coming months. I also bought Good Housekeeping Encyclopaedia, 1951 - which s...

  What am I reading: Passionate Housewives Desperate for God Fresh Vision for the Hopeful Homemaker by Jennie McDonald and Stacy Chancey When I started to read this book I couldn’t put it down, it was so engaging and interesting, it has been an excellent read thus far (I read a little over half) and I am looking forward to finishing it.  The book focuses on such topics as: the truth of feminism, the role of the Christian wife and mother (homemaker) as described in the scriptures, raising godly children (even when feeling weary and tired!), debunking the myths of the Stepford wives (women who stay at home are robots without a brain) and learning to embrace this precious role.  I found that it was truthful  and it doesn’t gloss over the struggles and difficulties facing Christian mothers as they bring their children surrounded by worldly temptations.  Someone in Amazon described it as a “realistic picture of a mother's calling” and I think this is very true. V...

Emma Sandys: British painter born 1843 died at the aged of 34 in 1877.  Born in Norwich in 1843, Emma was taught to paint by her father and she began to exhibit from 1867 onwards (though her earliest known painting is dated 1863). Emma, during her career, exhibited portraits and female heads in oil supplemented by chalk drawings of the same subjects. Sandys attracted a considerable number of commissions for child portraits and was able to produce compelling character studies within this traditionally un-respected genre. Her last exhibition was in 1874. She died in Norwich in 1877.  Very limited information is available on Emma or her sibling Frederick. Her brother Anthony Frederick Sandys (1829-1904) was also a painter and I have included 3 of his works -  when you compare brother and sister you will see the influences of the Pre-Raphaelite movement (a movement neither joined).  Their style was very similar - in particular the eyes and hair.    I find...

RECIPE FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE 

 Start with one cup of: 
Agreement To Prioritize Fun, Over Everything Being "Perfect" 
Flexibility - Happiness 
 "I'm Sorry" - Thank You's 
Understanding Sense of Humor  L-O-V-E 
FLAVOURED WITH TWO CUPS OF 
Caring, Courtesy, Confidence 
Cooperation, Commitment 
Contentment, Consideration 
Communication 
More L-O-V-E 
SEASONED WITH THREE CUPS OF 
Trust, Patience, Peace Of Mind 
Realistic Budget, Happy Memories  
Willingness To Listen & Hear 
Even More  L-O-V-E 
ADD ONE QUART OF 
Hugs, Respect, Encouragement 
 Supportive Family Members  
Blindness To Each Other's Faults 
Acceptance Of Each Other's Interests & Hobbies 
Lots More L-O-V-E  
FINAL INSTRUCTIONS: 
Combine Several Mutual Activities  
Sweeteen With Occasional Tokens Of Love 
 Stir Well & Remove Any Specks Of Temper,  Jealousy, Criticism, Negativism, or Indifference 
Keep Warm With A Steady Flame Of Attention 
Serve With A Speci...