I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Little Things

...mean a lot.



Hi! Small pleasures become so important when one has, like me, been so incapacitated and homebound for months on end. Just getting out for errands is suddenly a thrill instead of a tiresome chore. Monday my friend Elle [L] drove me to the physical therapy clinic to sign up and do insurance paperwork. [I'm rather dreading this plan, when any small mis-move can still cause intense pain. We shall see!?] The clinic people seemed pretty nice, always a surprise here.
Afterward we treated ourselves to a quick trip to Trader Joe's for their annual August flower special, 9 Roses/// 3.99. From the Fearless Flyer their ad paper: ''Why Nine? Because 9 is the most roses we can get for you and still sell for less than four dollars! Sounds good to me!


I chose classic ''tea roses'' which is what we called creamy with pink ruffled edges roses when I was a little girl. I think that is incorrect nomenclature, but to me they are still oldfashioned and special. No, Mel, they have no scent, sorry.


I dug out my little ironstone jug with the pink buds.








TJ's had other fascinating things! Riced cauliflower! I love cauliflower. This version is chopped rather fine, like rice. I think I will do a fast stirfry w/ garlic, onions, herbs, a little broth---like a risotto? Many options on Pinterest I haven't been cooking much, so even that is a fun challenge.I also got fresh corn, but forgot tomatoes, too bad.


And look at these perfect jewel-like red raspberries. Had to have a box, plus a small bag of TJ's shortbread biscuits. I added a little sweetener and a dash of Grand Marnier, spooned the berries over the biscuits, with a dollop of Greek yogurt. ! Guilty pleasure.


I got Mo some of their brown rice and chicken chews and  fancy bullysticks too. Then we stopped in the village at the little drugstore. I needed Rxs and also notecards and letter paper to write to friends who keep in touch via snail mail. Hard to imagine people who are not online, but a letter in the mailbox is still so fun,I think. I've kind of lost my handwriting knack, but I still enjoy this funny old custom. Any of you still write letters?
Oh and I got Mo a little baby pool! The pharmacy is a little neighborhood shop, with beach toys, sunscreen, and sand chairs, not just a Rx filler. Locally owned, I like to shop there, give them my business, so they stay. The little pool is for the next heatwave on the deck, though so far this week it has been dry,breezy and cool-ish. [75*]. Probably Mo will hate it.




Speaking of mail, I also received this pretty envelope from Mel, you know her from her comments here on my blog.





She sent me more of the  very interesting text print because I wanted more to use on P2's lollipop flower blocks' backgrounds. Now I better get busy! 15 leaves and four stars this month, hmmmm...



Sneak peek of P2's large basket block. The roses on the sky blue just seemed perfect for my day of summer and roses. [yes, it's crooked.]


Of course all this excitement exhausted me. I enjoyed sitting down in the afternoon with a cold ice tea and some time poring through this gorgeous and inspiring book, a Christmas gift that has never gotten put away.


And last, more morning glories. The hot sun and salt air and wind mean their leaves are ugly and shrivelled but each morning at dawn the brave little flowers open for their brief and special moment of beauty.





















love

lizzy 

gone to the beach....

















11 comments:

  1. Oh, it is the little things, isn't it? I just wrote notecards today, by hand and popped them in the mail!
    Love your basket!! And the roses.

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  2. What a beautiful day. I love the roses. I so wish we had a TJ. My son sends us a care package sometimes. What a fun surprise.

    Mo's pool is so cute. I can hardly wait to see him in it.

    So nice to talk to you.

    Hunter

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    1. My mother didn t have a Tj's in Cape Cod. I wish I d thought to send her a care package from TJs like your son does. Fun idea.

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  4. If it's hot, I think Mo will like his pool just because it'll enable him to stay outdoors with you! (He looks like he's trying to hide on the sofa, lol.)

    The roses are so pretty - too bad there's no scent! We don't have a TJ here, either - I'm so deprived!

    Your basket looks nice. 15 leaves and 4 stars in one month sounds like a lot of sewing! Better you than me! I get hand cramps!

    Love the dark purple morning glories with the glowing bright pink centers!

    I hope your physical therapy goes well and actually HELPS. I know not being able to do things is driving you nuts, and it's great that you got out for a while. I hope you get to do it more often soon!

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  5. That shell photographs so well. So does that little stinker Mo :)

    I would so miss Traderer Joe's if we didn't have one nearby. We're lucky enough to have one within walking distance. Have you tried the dark chocolate peanut butter cups?

    I enjoyed the image of you resting, with your glass of iced tea and your Red and White Quilts book.

    Hmmm, last real letter I wrote was to a woman named Gladys (how cute is that). She was from England. I met her when our family took a trip to Ireland in 2005. She and her daughter were on the same tour. I just took to her, and I wrote her when we were back home.

    Always good to see a new post from you. Oh, duh, I finally wised up and subscribed. Now I don't have to wonder if you've posted something new!

    Kel

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    1. Oh I m glad you ''followed'', tho I know notifications esp via email, can take a day or two. I usually post twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday or lately Friday.

      I didn t find TJ peanut butter cups so I bought a dark choc bar to chop up and put in gelato.

      That s along time since you wrote a letter! Did she write back?

      love,

      lizzy

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    2. Yes, I will still 'drop in' often. I like to look through the pics more than once.

      Peanut Butter cups are usually hanging near all check-out lanes. Eight or nine in a little bag. They are sold in larger pint? size containers too, but that's just asking for trouble!

      I do write lengthy thank you notes...if that counts ;) She wrote back once, and then I think her health started to fail and that was that :(

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  6. Little things do mean a lot to me too! I love your roses ♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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  7. I love the roses and the wading pool! I agree about giving business to small, local businesses. It is so much more personal ... then again, I love having a connection beyond just the transaction!

    Glad things are perking up!

    smooches,

    Lisa

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Hi! I'm allowing comments from everyone, even anonymous for awhile, to see what happens. With comments moderation. Hopefully the awful porn spammer has gone elsewhere. Or you can always email me! I love to hear from everyone.