Sunshine, Fresh Air, & Being Still

Today I wanted to share something that's been on my heart...

I hope you find encouragement and inspiration in this post and leave refreshed and renewed as you go about your day ♥

We live in a day and age of constant go. From the moment you get up in the morning, you hit the ground running. And you don't stop until your head hits the pillow at night. Then it's time to do it over again before you can even imagine that another day has come. 

We all need moments of rest, of relaxation. Moments of stillness and times to be quiet and simply be. Laura Ingalls Wilder spoke some lovely words...
Some things like sunshine and fresh air are hard to beat.

Friends, sometimes we all need to just step away from the busy and from the day-to-day, and enjoy some of the simple things in life, such as sunshine and fresh air. One of my favorite things to do is to go driving through the countryside. There's absolutely nothing like the wide open spaces, being in nature, and admiring the vast beauty of the earth. And, every single time I do that, I come away with a clear perspective, an uncluttered mind, a fresh attitude, and a gratefulness for simplicity. 

 Busyness is praised and encouraged in our culture today. And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing things and getting things done, we also need time to be still. Time to stop and smell the roses, if you will.

The point of home is to be a refuge for the soul, a place where beauty can be encountered, truth told, goodness touched and known. It's why home needs hush as well as bustle, silence as well as song. We can choose to never be quiet or alone. But it is only in the hushed spaces that we can clearly hear all that echoes in quiet skies, in the eyes of children, in our own inner voices. Silence is where we dream, create, and pray, and we need it desperately.

~"The Lifegiving Home" by Sally and Sarah Clarkson

You see, when we are constantly going, never stopping, we end up missing out on beautiful blessings. And sometimes those blessings may be little, but if we are too busy to even notice something as simple as a flower blooming, a lovely candle lit on the dinner table, a favorite quilt or blanket over our lap whilst reading a book, or a gentle rain sprinkling down outside our window, then we would have missed out on something lovely. Even the small blessings are blessings, and we must be still to notice them.

I share this post today to challenge you to stop and smell the roses, to take moments in your day to be still and take in the beauty around you. To love the people you are surrounded by. To enjoy the little things. 

For then, we will be able to see, enjoy, and taste the fullness of life.

Bless you, dear ones!
♥

Sweetly Simple Lemon Cake

Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries 

of the earth are never alone or weary of life.

-Rachel Carson-

Cheery greetings to you on this Monday morning, friends!

Spring is certainly here in full swing, 

and perhaps this is most evident by the yellow pollen that lays atop 

every vehicle that's parked outside longer than an hour.

We did have a rainy weekend so hopefully, that helped wash away some of it

so that springtime allergies won't be quite so bad.

One of the things I love most about spring, however,

is the bright and happy flavor of lemon. 

I love lemons in both savoury and sweet dishes,

and today's recipe is a new favorite around here.

This cake is easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy

{{pun intended}}

to put together and even easier to eat. Hee!

The lemon flavor really shines through and it

pairs perfectly with a nice, tall glass of iced tea. 

(Hot tea is wonderful too for those cooler spring days.)

Here's how you make it...

Sweetly Simple Lemon Cake

2 1/4 cups self-rising flour

2 sticks softened butter

1 cup pure cane sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

2 lemons, zest only

4 spoonfuls milk

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350*F, and prepare a loaf pan by spraying with nonstick cooking spray. Then lay a piece of parchment paper going longways and spray it as well.

Combine all of the above ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer for about two minutes, making sure everything is thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth.

Pout the batter into the loaf pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Allow to cool in the pan for about ten minutes, then using the parchment paper, remove from the pan and let the cake sit on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Next, make the glaze:

Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar with 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice. Gently pour over the cooled cake and allow to set for about 30 minutes before serving.

Cut into slices and serve.

This recipe was featured in my post all about our St. Paddy's Day tea party, 

which you can find HERE.

What are some of your favorite lemon recipes? Do share below!

Have a lovely, sunshiny week!

♥

Come and Join Me For An Irish Tea...

Springtime greetings, dear reader!

Oh, how it delights my heart to know that today is finally a "hello" to springtime! Soon we will be surrounded by green grass and blooming flowers and shady trees. The birds will be singing their melodies once again and butterflies will be flitting around. The scent of freshly cut grass and honeysuckle will hang in the air, and the refreshing feel after a spring rain will grace our faces. Ah, yes, springtime, you are a welcome dear!

As I mentioned in my St. Patrick's Day post, we enjoyed a lovely and festive tea party in celebration of the Emerald Isle. I spent days perusing my huge pile of Irish cookbooks looking for recipes to make our tea special and fun. All of these recipes, with the exception of a couple, were taken from some of my most favorite Irish cookbooks, some of which I brought back from Ireland and others that I have collected here stateside.

I will be sharing most of these recipes here on my blog over the next wee while, but for today, I thought I would simply show you what we feasted on. I have also included some of the loveliest Irish songs...at least they are in my opinion.

Feel free to make yourself a hot cuppa tea, settle in for a bit, and join me for tea...

you're most welcome!

Irish Soda Bread

{recipe coming soon}

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.

When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

{When Irish Eyes are Smiling}

Brown Bread

{recipe found here}

Come over the hills, my bonnie Irish lass

Come over the hills to your darling

You choose the road, love, and I'll make the vow

And I'll be your true love forever.

Red is the rose that in yonder garden grows

Fair is the lily of the valley

Clear is the water that flows from the Boyne

But my love is fairer than any.

{Red is the Rose}

Sweetly Simple Lemon Cake

{recipe coming soon}

Springtime Pea Salad in Phyllo Cups

...not an Irish recipe, but it was green and sounded tasty...

{recipe coming soon}

Come by the hills to the land where fancy is free

And stand where the peaks meet the sky and the loughs meet the sea

Where the rivers run clear and the bracken is gold in the sun

And the cares of tomorrow can wait till this day is done

Come by the hills to the land where life is a song

And stand where the birds fill the air with their joy all day long

Where the trees sway in time and even the wind sings in tune

And the cares of tomorrow can wait till this day is done

Come by the hills to the land where legend remains 

The stories of old fill our hearts and may yet come again 

Where the past has been lost and the future is still to be won 

And the cares of tomorrow can wait till this day is done

{Come by the Hills} 

Irish Custard Tarts

{recipe coming soon}

If you ever go across the sea to Ireland

Then maybe at the closing of your day

You will sit and watch the moonrise over Claddagh

And see the sun go down on Galway Bay

Just to hear again the ripple of the trout stream 

The women in the meadows making hay 

And to sit beside a turf fire in the cabin 

And watch the barefoot gossoons at their play 

For the breezes blowing o'er the seas from Ireland 

Are perfumed by the heather as they blow 

And the women in the uplands digging praties 

Speak a language that the strangers do not know 

For the strangers came and tried to teach their way 

They scorned us just for being what we are 

But they might as well go chasing after moonbeams 

Or light a penny candle from a star 

And if there is going to be a life hereafter 

And somehow I am sure there's going to be 

I will ask my God to let me make my heaven 

In that dear land across the Irish sea

{Galway Bay}

Ham and Pepperoni Tea Sandwiches

{a non-Irish dish on our menu, but we needed a tea sandwich and this one sounded so good.}

Potato-Leek Quiches

{recipe coming soon}

Chicken, Grape, & Pecan Salad in Bibb Lettuce

garnished with fresh dill

Thank you for joining me for tea, lovely friends! 

Oh, how I hope spring is a beautiful season for you and that you savour every bit of goodness that it offers. 

Irish Beauty & Blessings

Ireland...

it's the one place on earth that heaven has kissed

with melody, mirth, and meadow and mist.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, my friends! 

Today in our home is a day of simple, but fun celebrations...

we're going to be enjoying a delightful tea party this evening, 

and oh, I can't wait to try some new teatime recipes.

{{I will most certainly be sharing all about it later this week!}}

For me, it's also a day to reminisce on my family's time in Ireland over the past three years.

We have had the pleasure of visiting the Emerald Isle twice...

with hopes, dreams and wishes to return...

Our hearts and minds are filled with fond memories,

and my camera is overflowing with thousands of photos which always 

transport me back to the lush green fields of Ireland each time I look at them.

I have gathered up a small handful of favorites to share with you today...

so, pour yourself a cuppa, make yourself at home...

I've got some toe-tapping, hand-clapping Irish tunes playing in the background...

and settle in to savour a bit of Irish beauty and blessings.

One of my most favorite places in all of Ireland is Howth Head in County Dublin...pictured above.

We walked down a long pathway and ended up at a cute lighthouse which had the most charming red door...pictured below.

It's a lovely, quaint spot on the Irish Sea, and it's away from Dublin city centre, which is right up my alley. When you go there, you can hear the water crashing against the large rocks, and birds fly overhead and may even follow you as you walk along the path.

It's a beautiful place. Full of life.

Everywhere I look, I see God.

There are songs that take me immediately back to the land of green,

certain scents or random things that bring me back to such a magical place and time...

and there are things that I don't want to forget.

I never want to forget the way the sky looked as the sun set on the way back from Tipperary that night....it looked as if the sky were on fire. I don't want to forget the scent of turf fires lingering in the air as we drove through Wicklow one misty, grey morning. The pure magic of seeing three rainbows is beyond words! I want to always remember the way the morning air felt and smelled so fresh and new. The way the clouds looked and how the sun shined so brightly. I don't want the image of a young boy and his grandfather playing their violins outside a Bed and Breakfast in Kerry to leave my memory. Nor do I want to allow the sound of that Irish melody to escape my mind. I don't want the feeling of seeing the Irish scenery for the first time to ever leave me. It's a feeling that there are no words for, and a moment that causes you to stop in your tracks for a minute and be still. You are actually here. The exciting surprise of hearing a familiar song as soon as we stepped on the plane both to and from Dublin that is only popular in Ireland. If we had been travelling anywhere else we wouldn't have heard it...that was a sure sign that we were going to the place we'd dreamt of for so long.

Don't miss all the beautiful colors of the rainbow

looking for that pot of gold.

-An Irish Saying

In Ireland, many of the narrow, winding, ribbon roads have these tree arches. It was one of my favorite things as it was such simple beauty. You felt as if you were driving into an enchanting fairy tale. It is also a country almost entirely covered in flowers it seems. The summers boast of colorful flowers nearly everywhere you look, and many of the homes have the most charming window boxes. So swoon-worthy! Even in the wintertime, Ireland has flowers, which I am quite jealous of...and it's still vibrantly green!

How green are your valleys, how blue your great skies,

Your mountains stand tall in their glory:

Your rivers run free- the bright stars are your eyes,

Your beauty is endless before me.

May your joys be as deep as the oceans,

Your troubles as light as its foam,

And may you find sweet peace of mind

Wherever you may roam.

This is Ireland-

it's rough, it's wild and it's holy.

Our second trip was in the wintertime, and unbeknownst to us, it was lambing season.

That meant that we were able to gush over all the cute baby lambs all over the country. 

There were even babies being born in the barn on the same land as the farmhouse we stayed at.

To say it was adorable is a complete understatement! 

They would scamper and frolick through the fields, 

and the babies would stay so very close to their mamas.

There is nothing you're searching for that can't be found in Ireland.

God, good music, beautiful landscapes, wonderful food,

maybe even yourself- you just have to be brave enough.

Castles, old abbeys and other ruins are scattered all throughout Ireland.

The above photo was taken at Kylemore Abbey, and it is located

in Connemara near mountains and water...

and it makes you wonder if you're still on earth whilst you're there.

It looks divinely designed and created...but, then, it is. 

God shows off a lot in Ireland; it's a spectacularly beautiful place!

How can a place like this really exist?

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life's passing seasons 

bring the best to you and yours.

-An Old Irish Blessing

May your day be filled with magical fun, beautiful music, 

good food and drink, and oodles of merriment!

Happy St. Paddy's Day, friends!

♥

Glimpses of Springtime...

If you ever find yourself empty from something you cannot know or name,

find a stretch of ocean, a field, or mountainside, or even clouds or trees.

Because there are a thousand simple ways to fill your tired soul,

 so you can remember how to be, how to see, and most importantly, how to breathe.

-Victoria Erickson-

Good morning, lovely friends!

Oh, I hope the earth is giving you a feast for the eyes where you live...

some of you are perhaps still in the midst of a winter wonderland,

and others are beginning to enjoy the newness of springtime beauty.

The latter is what is spread out before me in my part of the world.

Mother Earth is slowly waking up after her long winter's slumber,

and oh, the splendid delights that are unfolding before my very eyes.

This will be our first spring here at Shady Cottage, as we moved in last mid-summer. 

It is an almost daily surprise as to what is beginning to bud and blossom out in our yard and gardens.

The very tree outside my window is budding with lovely lilac colored flowers and I'm thinking it may be the same kind of tree that we had in the backyard at our other house. It was one of my favorites, though I don't know its name. The people that bought our old home cut down all the grand, tall, old trees that we had in our yard (as well as every other living thing on the property), and as pathetic and sad as that was, I'm hopeful that this tree is similar. Our new yard, however, does make up for the ignorance of the new homeowners at our old place...

the couple that owned Shady Cottage before us did a marvellous job at making the yard and gardens a magical, glorious place. They were an older couple and weren't able to keep up with things towards the end, so there are some overgrown areas, but other than that, it is a real treat. 

Truly, it feels like a secret fairy garden...

Ivy growing up trees that stand tall and proud in the sunshine 

(there are even rumors that some of the trees where we live may have been on an old wagon trail),

clusters of daffodils sprinkled throughout the yard here and there,

monkey grass along the sides of the driveway that burst with purple flowers come late summer,

trees that boast of autumnal color, holly bushes that are bright red at Christmas,

and a rose bush growing wild and free as it entangles itself in the charming picket fence.

Oh, to be people who cultivate beauty...

I'm so thankful for folks with that vision.

{little bits of life popping up here and there}

The sun has been shining more and more lately...

though it is the rainy season. I shall not complain, though,

because it is that blessed rain that brings the cheerful and colorful blooms of the coming months.

Temperatures are also slowly rising, and that means that it soon will be time to pull out all my favorite light and flowy dresses and sandals. I've had some fun doing a wee bit of shopping as the shops are all displaying such cute styles for the coming season.

We were made to explore this earth like little children do,

unhindered by fear, propelled by curiosity, and a sense of discovery.

Allow yourself to see the world through new eyes and know there are amazing adventures here for you.

-Laurel Bleadon Maffei-

The first blooms have been spotted in our yard...

daffodils are first, of course. 

They always are and always shall be.

Then just yesterday, we spotted the little pink flower photographed above. 

And plans of what plants, flowers and seeds to buy have been the topic of conversation these days...

we're thinking more azaleas are a must, then perhaps morning glories along the fence line, and then any shade-loving flowers we can find. Maybe a clematis to grow up the mailbox...we shall see.

Last week whilst we were doing our grocery shopping we walked past the garden center, 

and the scent that filled the air...ah, was it ever lifegiving.

To smell the scent of fresh plants and potting soil...it's most welcome after a long, dreary winter.

{springtime means color returns}

Glimpses of spring...

It's been said that the earth laughs in flowers. Well, I don't know about you, but I can't wait for the earth to be engaging in a full out giggle fest. To see sweet blossoms dancing in the gentle springtime breezes, the trees swaying to the rhythm of a summer thunderstorm, the sun shining in all its glory...

oh, yes, springtime is coming.

I can taste it.

{deep greens, yellows, violet, pinks of all shades...colors of the rainbow}

"Is the spring coming?" he said.

"What is it like?..."

"It is like the sun shining on the rain,

and the rain falling on the sunshine."

Dear spring, you are most welcome...

may the earth behold your wondrous beauty, 

and may we savour every delicious drop of your wonder.

May your day be an absolute delight, dear friends!

Bless you ♥

A Late-Winter's Ramble Through the Yard...and Some Beautiful Words

{{our "barn" that really serves no purpose other than being adorable to look at...oh, and a snake gathering place in the summertime}}

I find it incredibly amazing how at every sunset, the sky is a different shade.

No cloud is ever in the same place. Each day is a new masterpiece. 

A new wonder. A new memory.

-Sanober Khan-

{{one of several bird feeders in our gardens}}

We all have slow days, off days, days we feel tired or uninspired, but they are nothing to concern yourself with. Like an ocean, the stillness is just another of our natural states. Soon, the winds will pick up, the waves will rise, and your imagination will flow again.

-Beau Taplin-

{{after seven months of living at Shady Cottage, we finally found curtains that we liked...it's the little things that make a house a home}}

{{living in an older neighborhood means that we have tons and tons of huge, tall, old trees and that means...squirrels!, which of course we have to feed}}

Be a loner. That gives you time to wonder, to search for the truth. Have holy curiosity. 

Make your life worth living.

-Albert Einstein-

{{you can imagine the delight of our kitties as they look out the windows to watch the birdies and squirrels feast}}

Earth is so thick with divine possibility that it is a wonder we can walk anywhere without cracking our shins on altars.

-Barbara Brown Taylor- 

{{winter wreath hanging on the garden gate for a few more weeks...only 36 days until spring, and all the people said HALLELUJAH!}}

I don't know about you, but I'm more than a little ready for spring...bright sunshine, blue skies, blooming flowers of cheery colors, birds singing sweet songs, lush green grass, full leafy trees, warmer temperatures...the countdown is on!

Wishing you all a lovely late winter's day!

♥

Simplicity in Blogging

I have a case of writer's block. It's not the normal kind where you can't find anything to write about or are at a loss for ideas. That's not the kind of writer's block I'm experiencing. I guess you could say that I'm just plain discouraged with blogging at the moment.

Blogging used to be fun and enjoyable and something I found tremendous delight and pleasure in. However as I've watched social media become the new blogging format, and as so many "experts" pop us each and every day, I'm just tired of it all. If you are on social media, you know what I'm talking about. But there are literally countless bloggers who carry their phones around all day so they can chat with their faithful followers. Folks send in question after question to get these bloggers' "expert" opinion on any and every topic under the sun. I've even seen bloggers who have recorded these video stories while they are walking in a store doing their grocery shopping. Or even mothers shushing their little children while they bestow their advice to those on the other end of the video. The number of podcasters and YouTubers are soaring, and quite frankly, I'm of the belief that this world has way too many folks who just want to sit around all day sharing all their "wisdom" with just about whoever will listen.

There are so many ideas that I have for blog posts...individual posts and several series that I want to begin writing and sharing. Yet, I don't. I'm just in a rut of feeling completely disgusted with what I'm seeing in this community. It's no longer a community of heartfelt, kindred spirit type people. It's now a business place of self-proclaiming experts who have all the answers fighting to up their numbers and further their influence. 

I am also hesitant to share on various topics because my ideals and views are not what is popular at the moment within this blogging world. Most of the opinions from these insufferable know-it-alls (thanks for the handy phrase, Ms. Rowling!) are not opinions that I share, and in many cases are things that I strongly disagree with. I've never been one to care what others think, yet here I find myself uncomfortable with writing honestly and sharing things that I'm passionate about. I mean, if there are folks agreeing with these experts, then certainly there are some kindred spirits who share like-minded views with me, right? 

Simplicity in blogging is what I desire and aim for whenever I sit down to write. My goal is to cultivate a circle of kindred spirits who can gather together knowing that there is common ground on many topics, including deeper matters that I feel passionate about to simply enjoying the same books or music. Basically, I just want to create a kindred spirit community similar to if I had you over to my house each week for tea and scones and a chat. That's not too much to ask, eh?

I'm trying to do things to get out of this sort of writer's block and get back to "me" when it comes to writing and blogging. This is something that I find so much joy and delight in...and I so want to continue doing this. It's just that right now I need to focus on returning and staying put in the simplistic blogging that I so believe in.

Well, this post turned out to be more of a rant that I just needed to get out of my system, so I thank you for reading and for visiting so faithfully. I'm thankful for all you kind folks who share my desire for blogging the simple, old-fashioned, heartfelt, kindred spirit way.

May your day be a lovely one! ♥