Teach me Father. Reflections on Every Day Life in Photos

Teach me, Father, to value each day, to live, to love, to laugh, to play.   

-Kathi Mills

God looks at the world through the eyes of love.  If we, therefore, as human beings made in the image of God also want to see reality rationally, that is, as it truly is, then we, too, must learn to look at what we see with love.

-Roberta Bondi

Goat-Goat and Clifford...Clifford cares for our little goat friend.  As many of you know this is behind the drive-thru in smalltown after a grocery trip.  Clifford and Goat-Goat saw me walk up to the fence and meandered up to see me.  I sometimes think animals take better care of each other and are more nurturing then humans.   I do.  

Clifford likes the camera, he was doing quite the photo shoot for me.

 Goat-Goat was too, he had the cutest expressions.

I felt horrible because I did not give Goat-Goat enough attention, I intended on it but he didn't know that.  He turned around and was walking off.  It made me really sad...  

  

Look at the poor little fella walking back to the barn...

Clifford says, I'm here.

Bye-Bye Clifford, love that windblown look dear one, great shoot.  Please tell Goat-Goat I didn't mean to ignore him, I guess I just waited too long to reach down to the little guy...Do you think he'll come to see me next time?

One of the perks of my sweet married daughter marrying a local sweetheart is that  they live close to us!  Mar and I ran into her at the store and after she drove on to the the drive-thru and just parked right next to us.  It was a nice little visit we five had. Me, Mar, Delle, Clifford and Goat-Goat. : )

I am a TCM fan as many of you know and it was sad upon hearing that Robert Osborne had passed away.   I just watched an interview with Robert Osborne with he and Kim Novak.  I wasn't planning to watch that particular interview, I didn't know that much about Kim Novak.  I mainly remember Kim Novak from the movie with Jimmy Stewart, Vertigo.  I didn't know her well at all.   Oh my, upon listening to her I felt like I had found one of those long lost sister-cousins, just the way she thought and felt about things...   She also lives in a forest.

I do hope they will re-run the interview on TCM, the TCM site or youtube.  If you subscribe to TCM you may be able to catch a re-run of the interview. 

One thing I noticed about her was that she didn't like to force things ever.  She did not like things to be forced.   Me neither.  

She was saying she delicately touched doors and if they opened they opened.  No pushing.

She lives in the forest with her vet husband, she wanted to be an artist as a little girl and then an equine vet.  I suppose since she became an actress as a young lady, not becoming that vet, she married a vet instead! *big smile*

She loves all of her many animals and just did not get into the city Hollywood scene and she had sense enough to leave it.  




A little randomness...Please oblige.

Along with my vintage Avon puppy and kitty perfume decanters, I have this little card in front of my bathroom sink.  Our oldest daughter, Lea made it for me more than a couple of years ago.  She wrote on the little notecard...   

It is such a comfort to drop the entanglements and perplexities of life into God's hands and leave them there.   (Streams in the Dessert/July 1)

I thought it was so sweet the way she decorated it with little stickers too.

I look at the card and read it usually at least once a day. : )


I love these little animal figures, they all make me smile.  The black and white vintage dog was given to me by Marianna one Christmas and the little Dachsund pin cushion was mine from when I was a little girl.  My parents owned a popular old-family-owned resort on the bay and the animal pin cushions were in the souvenir shop. 

Recent Evenings...

Charlie gazing into our pond, reflecting on the beautiful reflection of the sky.

 An evening walk.

I look behind me and you're there, then up ahead and you're there, too---your reassuring presence, coming and going.  This is too much, too wonderful---I can't take it all in!   Psalm 139:5-6   

 Have a great afternoon, loves, until the next time...      Amelia in the Forest.

One of my favorites...Here's to you, Mrs. Blount, a true friend who taught our girls piano...Mrs. Blount left us a while back, she is with God now...I miss her.

What Constitutes Success?

What constitutes success?  She has achieved success who has lived well; laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent people and the love of little children; who has filled her niche and accomplished her task; who has left the world better than she found it;...who has never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty, or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given the best she had. 
-Bessie Stanley


The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.           
 -Albert Schweitzer

 My mom turned 87 last month!  We did a little homie lunch just me and our four girls.  Homie things are best I think. : )

 Mar helping out a bit...

 Lea looking on...Let's see, what is this?

Mother, Mar and our married daughter, Michelle, sometimes we call her Delle because that is what Baby Becca used to call her. ; )  For over a year it has been a trial for Michelle healthwise but she is doing so much better now thank God.  Oh wow, talk about why mother's get grey!  Becca had to leave for work this day so we won't see her in the pics. 

 Someone said something really funny and Mother cracked up!  (really cute I think)  I love it when people are cracking up so hard they get that look!

Okay, time to calm down and look pretty. ; )  Yes, Mother is 87.  A friend of mine attending Michelle's wedding asked Mother if she had had a face lift.  No! With a big smile, she answered, feeling quite flattered!

Oh that quote up at the top?  Yes, that describes my mom quite a bit.  Quite a bit.

I found the material for the table up in the closet and as I sat and looked at it?  I decided it would make an awfully pretty skirt...

We served a nice meal of  my grandma from Naples' Eggplant Pasta.  The cake is gluten-free sweetened with stevia!   Marianna made the cake and helped me with the eggplant.  She also made a whip of coconut milk flavored with stevia and cocoa powder.   It's much like a cool luscious mousse.

I think everything was plumb luverly.

Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest;
Home-keeping hearts are happiest,
For those that wander they know not where
Are full of trouble and full of care;
To stay at home is best.   -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I hope everyone is doing well, I'll start the close with music my mom and our entire family likes!   Things are plodding along, many Mitford-like stories I observe and hear that I will be sharing...


 

  My mom and dad when first married in the early fifties.  My dad is also 87 but has made some heartbreaking choices that none of us understand.  I can't quite articulate much at this time, life is complicated and sometimes it's not our fault which makes it even more complicated and tangled in the theatre of our minds.  My normally hand-wringing Italian mom told me not to be worried about my dad because she is not!   ...And that was a God-moment. 

Showing today:   Babes in Arms (1939) 

This is always a cute movie, very, very neat and cheerful.  My mom says Mickie Rooney is so much like my dad was when he was very young.  Quite a character indeed.  You can find the movie on youtube to enjoy if you like.

My mom is so sweet and so generous we all feel quite blessed!   She just loved her little birthday and still talks about it.   It's really cute.  She is one of those rarities who keeps life simple and practical but is generous to others.  Quality.

I hope everyone is having a great start to the week!  I should be back blogging more smalltown-forest goodness soon!

Good evening, loves,   -amelia



God delights to meet the faith of one who looks up to Him and says, "Lord, You know that I cannot do this--but I believe that You can!"   -Amy Carmichael