Sunday Afternoon Tea - Little Joys

One truth about autumnal weather is that it can be unexpected.  We are complaining about unseasonable heat one day and suddenly snow flurries are in the forecast as we make a quick assessment to see if anything that should not be frozen is still outside.

It happens every year just like that and every year it comes as a surprise.  I'm thinking we may have the kind of amnesia one experiences after childbirth.  The kind when you forget just what it is like so you will consider having other children.  Only this is my beloved Autumn misbehaving by my point of view... while completely normal in nature.

I feel the pain more so than usual this year after one of the most dismal "color" seasons in a very long time.  Just as we were gaining some reds and oranges and lovely bright colors... the winds came and began to blow them to the ground.  This will be known in my memory and the year of browns and golds.  Thank God for the gold, though.

Piper throws a bye bye kiss to Grammie and Granddad

This week God has been teaching me to look for and appreciate the little glimpses of things which bring joy.  For instance, Piper and her mommy were in town for a well baby checkup so we set up a play date with Grammie and Granddad at a favorite park before they met friends for lunch and then the doctor's appointment.

This is the same park that I took my own children to play in the playground.  It is also where the trails are located that my son and I used to hike for nature studies.  There are picnic areas throughout where we would meet family members or friends. I sometimes would pack up the vintage picnic basket at the last minute with items from home or purchased on the way for a picnic in the park.

What memories it brought back as we enjoyed time with Piper and her mommy. Yes, thirty minutes can bring fun and memories to store away for when the weather is too snowy for them to visit.  (The jury is out if Piper stays blond because her Daddy also went through a blond stage as a toddler.)

My eye is much better but not completely healed.  Larger fonts are fine but anything with a smaller font is impossible to read.  So last week I perused through a few Kindle books since I can increase the font.  While I have many novels and larger nonfiction books on the Kindle, mostly purchased for a couple dollars or they were free, my favorite to download and keep ready to read are smaller nonfiction books.

This week's small reads were The Little Book of Hygge, which has been on sale for only $1.99 and Simple Secrets to a Happy Life by Luci Swindoll, a favorite author for many years.  Luci is Chuck Swindoll's sister and was a speaker with Women of Faith.  Her books are easy to read and full of fun wrapped wisdom. 

I've also taken advantage of technology by downloading the Christmas episodes of The Great British Baking Show Masterclass.  (I love how you can download individual episodes of so many series.)  I think I like the Masterclass episodes even more than the contest shows and if you have never seen one, Masterclass is when Paul and Mary show you how to make the items the contestants are being asked to make each week.

The one exception is the Christmas episode each season where Paul and Mary demonstrate how to make their favorite Holiday baking recipes.  Once again, it was easy to download only those episodes (although someday I may use credit to purchase an entire season).  With Christmas around the corner, I have had a few enjoyable hours... off and on... a little at a time... watching these episodes on the iPad while resting on the sofa.

I learned long ago that work accomplished a little at a time brings great results.  Now I'm learning that rest and recreation done a little at a time can also be enjoyable.  I may not be able to read a huge novel until my eyesight is fully restored but the smaller books with the font increased are just fine.

Items Mentioned in this Post
Kindle Books
The Little Book of Hygge on Kindle... here.
Simple Secrets to a Happy Life on the Kindle... here.

The Great British Baking Show
Masterclass Season 1... here.
Masterclass Season 2... here.
Masterclass Season 3... here.
(The Christmas episodes are at the bottom.)

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate Links.  I thank you.

NOTE:  Once again, please excuse typos as my eyesight is still rather wonky.


Top Image:  I didn't do a lot of Fall decorating but the breakfront looks pretty.