Good Morning from Prince Edward Island,
Todays’ PEI Covid News
Spring is in the air and officially only a week away.
There is one thing sure about this world...
there are sure to be always more springs. ~ L.M. Montgomery
Gardeners are ready to get outside and into the garden. But March and April can be tough on gardeners living on Prince Edward Island. Our weather seems to go from winter to summer with a quick run through spring . We continue to stroll through gardening magazines a few extra months more than most other locales. Garden dreaming is part of our seasonal cycle.
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. ~ Cicero
I look forward to seeing the buds on the trees. I love the return of the birds and the choir they create singing their different songs bringing the daffodils & the tulips to a standing ovation.
Gardening simply does not allow one to be mentally old,
because too many hopes and dream are yet to be realized. ~ Allan Armitage
The Lily Pond is usually a sanctuary for a momma duck and her ducklings every spring.
There are many parts to our Gardens of Hope I look forward to, but when I see the naturalized blue irises along the banks of the river, it brings it all home.
The awesomeness of nature, the seasons, and the beauty that is a gift given.
The garden reconciles human art and wild nature, hard work and deep pleasure, spiritual practice and the material world. It is a magical place because it is not divided. The many divisions and polarizations that terrorize a disenchanted world find peaceful accord among mossy rock walls, rough stone paths, and trimmed bushes. Maybe a garden sometimes seems fragile, for all its earth and labour, because it achieves such an extraordinary delicate balance of nature and human life, naturalness and artificiality. It has its own liminality, its point of balance between great extremes.
~ Thomas Moore
Friends recently sent a book written by Rachel Haley Barton. The book, Invitation into Silence and Solitude is a reminder.
The human mind is perpetually busy trying to control things, trying to figure things out, clinging to the latest idea, grasping at the nearest straw. It works very hard trying to make sense of things by endlessly seeking to put everything into categories and boxes and systems of thought. Sometimes even God himself gets relegated to a category or a box in my mind rather than being free to be God in my life. It seems that my mind will go to great lengths to fix things, control things and defend against anything that would disrupt my carefully constructed equilibrium. Ruth Haley Barton, Invitation into Silence and Solitude
Sound familiar?
True silence is the rest of the mind and is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment. ~William Penn
I have always enjoyed Judy Dench as an actor, and after watching this, I love her even more.
At the heart of gardening, there is the belief in the miraculous.
~ Mirabel Osler
Musically today, I have been listening to the sound that comes from this wonderful YouTube video. Sometimes, while relaxing or doing chores, I enjoy these long YouTube videos via our television as background to the space & time.
Time to share some exciting news.
We are in the process of starting a new blog, called Tea & Toast. And we are asking help with it. Do you like to write? Or do you have friends or family that have a way with words?
Tea & Toast blog is devoted to sharing stories of special times with families and friends around the table, or the time spent alone with your favourite book and beverage. The experiences are to be fun, thoughtful, and bring joy or peace to the reader. We aim to bring this to our readers through penned stories and quality photographs that capture the moment(s).
At Tea & Toast, we believe that:
- Sharing is good.
- Kindness is good.
- An ordinary life can be an extraordinary life.
- There are beauty and magic to be found in simple things.
Tea & Toast is currently seeking submissions from writers and photographers who share these same beliefs.
More info about Tea & Toast here.
If you have any questions or suggestions, just hit reply on the email sent to you this morning or leave a comment on today’s blog.
“I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.”
― Rita Mae Brown
Have a great weekend, and may next week be filled with hope & happy anticipation of great things to come.
With love from Prince Edward Island,
Sincerely,
Bruce + Millie
Ps. Your Morning Smile
A couple had been married for 45 years and had raised a brood of 11 children and were blessed with 22 grandchildren.
When asked the secret for staying together all that time, she replies, "Many years ago we made a promise to each other... the first one to pack up and leave has to take all the kids!"
Comments
Janice Waggoner said:
Everything about todays blog was inspiring and nurturing, as well as educational, especially the trees for my spirit and harp music for my soul. Thank you so much for sharing. I like the idea of Tea and Toast which brings memories of times spent with my Irish grandmother and her teaching and preparation of afternoon tea time.
March 19, 2021
Judith Inman said:
March 15, 2021
Lynn said:
Thank you so much for sharing the Judi Dench piece! She’s fabulous and the discoveries about the trees are amazing. I’m quite enthralled with it all. Thank you!
As always, enjoyed your Saturday visit. 8-)
March 15, 2021
Susan Waterman said:
Hi, Bruce!
Hello from Rhode Island.
I enjoyed this weekend’s blog as I have all the others. The Tea and Toast concept sounds positive and we could all use more positivity these days. I don’t have enough of a story to make into a narrative for Tea and Toast, but I do have comments about the magic of teatime.
My two kids’ love for tea began when they were little. I would sit down each afternoon with them and we’d have a cup of tea. It was fun listening to their commentaries and I rarely had to say anything—it was that entertaining. The tradition continued when they entered kindergarten and beyond. Tea was poured when they got home from school and the conversation flowed freely. We sat and talked and I would mostly listen. I became aware when attending school events through the years that other parents tended to complain about how their kids would never tell them anything about school. My secret weapon was not asking questions, but sipping my tea and letting the kids say whatever they wanted or needed to. It was like a daily therapy session. My kids are now grown up and still enjoy drinking tea. I look forward to the day when we can all sit around the table together and enjoy a nice pot of tea without Covid worries getting in the way. Soon, I hope!
March 14, 2021
Mary Mosher said:
I so loved the Judy Dench video. Thanks so much for sharing it.
March 14, 2021
Bonnie Gordon said:
Loved the fascinating Judy Dench Video!
March 14, 2021
Barbara Doering said:
Bruce – I have written a few little items throughout my life – more about nature – if you are interested – I am not
great at working with computers but I can type them up for you – also I love trees – thank you for the Judi Dench
and the harp music – beautiful way to start my Sunday – Blessings = Barb from ST. Louis, MO
March 15, 2021
Kay Schuld said:
Enjoyed the harp music & the article on Judi Dench. I enjoy gardening & planting flowers, thanks so much for sharing.
March 13, 2021
althea said:
Bruce, your choices to show and share mindfully connect us….at/during this time of isolation, sadness, wondering about the future….with the fabulous and emotional lessons on Trees (and history). UBC Botanical Gardens in Vancouver has the Greenheart Tree Walk…a green walkway oasis through treetops. With luck one may find oneself the only visitor. (not often, but has happened.) Deep gratitude Bruce on a lovely start to my day.
March 13, 2021
Debbie Browne said:
Late spring is my favorite time of year, when the trees are dressed in their brightest shades of green and they gently wave to the colorful tulips, daffodil, snow drops and irises nestled below them. I am looking forward to the Tea & Toast blog.
March 13, 2021
Gale Haskell said:
Bruce, Thanks so much for sharing Judi Dench’s Passion for Trees. It was fascinating, and I learned so much, it was beautifully filmed
March 13, 2021
Cynthia said:
This is by far, the best documented story of my favourite friends. Trees. I have always loved them. My dream. To be surrounded by trees where I reside. They speak to us in silence, in a storm of nasty weather. They take deep breaths for us to sustain us and keep us from death. I am deeply grieved when one tree is knocked down or a community of trees is taken away to be replaced by cement, buildings brought on by greed. I embrace them, like Judi. Extraordinary. I admire her work and sense of humour. May we always be in awe of trees. Scars,stories and strength as we lean upon a tree, like leaning on the bosom of a dear friend.
Thank you Bruce. I will long remember. The sonnets,beauty and breath of trees.
March 13, 2021
Susan E-J said:
Your Morning Smile made us, literally, laugh out loud here this morning, Bruce! Thank you, as always. It’s -8 but sunny here and all kinds of signs of Spring…. so, yes, definitely looking forward to the weeks ahead filled with hope & happy anticipation of better things to come. Now, to toast and some of your delicious lime marmalade, just delivered. What a great way to start the weekend?! Enjoy your day, Everyone!
Susan.
March 13, 2021
Kim Elliott said:
Bruce,
What an extraordinary way to begin this Saturday morning….with Judi Dench and her trees. Thank you so much.
Kim Elliott
Michigan
March 13, 2021
Jean Weiss said:
Your morning smile reminded me of my husband and myself. Our second son, Matthew, was born disabled and the daily challenges were tough. Our deal was the first to go got full custody of Matt. It got us through those times. We celebrate 50 years in 2021.
March 13, 2021
Julie MacKenzie said:
Loved the harp music video. I play the harp myself…so I thought it was lovely. 👍 I love your blog & look forward to reading it every weekend. Thanks Bruce! 👍😊
March 13, 2021