recently read.

back from a break - not intentional, just not blogging. so i thought i'd ease in with what i've been up to recently: reading.

and seeing as yesterday was world book day, it's only a day late!

i've had a string of good books this year - and really these things deserve to be shared. 

flight behaviour - barbara kingsolver

set in small town appalachia, this is a wonderful story about engaging climate science and daily life from the perspective of a young mother. this novel deals with the challenges of intersecting faith, education, small town life and climate science. this novel reminded me of the life that happens outside of urban, educated, well-to-do london. it is beautifully written with stunning poetic language that engages you from the beginning. 

anything - jennie allen 

what happens when you say - 'anything' to god? and by 'anything' you mean, that you'll no longer try to control or restrict or keep areas of your life from god. you won't say, anything, but...that's this story. jennie allen and her husband prayed that god would do, take, have, give, move anything. and he did. it was a book that really challenged my thinking on what i was holding onto too tightly. 

the round house - louise erdrich 

a reflection on how a boy lives through the aftermath of a brutal attack on his mother and the way a community grapples with violence. a coming of age story that is haunting and painful but so readable you can't imagine putting it down.

help, thanks, wow. - ann lamott

ann suggests there are three prayers: help, thanks and wow. moments when we call on the divine for assistance, asking for a need to be filled, a gap to be bridged, a hurt to be mended; moments when we simply praise god because that's what we were created to do: worship; and moments when you just sit back and say 'wow, god. just wow!'

the shoemaker's wife, adriana trigiani

a sweeping historical novel set in italy and america at the turn of the 20th century. this book might not be the next pulitzer winner, but it definitely entertains, is decently well written and thoroughly enjoyable. it grips you early, doesn't let you go and allows you to fully enter the story with the characters. my only criticism is that maybe it tries to reach just a little too far, the decades from 1890-1940 were tumultuous to say the least, and  this novel tries to touch on all the big events...regardless, you can't help but want the characters to triumph!


happy reading!

december.

i've been quiet recently. but much to the chagrin of those who know me - that's never going to last long.

i missed reviewing october/november so here's a combo post.

::october/november recap::

spiritual: 

• we've started a new bible study in our homegroup and we're moving through it, will finish for christmas, it's been revelatory to grasp the concept of grace more fully 
• working my way personally through the beth moore proverbs study: wising up - and let me tell you, i am! 
• started a breakfast bible study with some ladies from church, so good to be drinking the word (and coffee) with sisters in christ! 
• memorised: ephesians 2:8, philippians 4:6, habbakuk 3:17&18, psalm 127:2

mental: 

• read: case histories by kate atkinson, readable but not my very favourite 
• read: start your family by candice and steve watters, a good biblical overview of the role of family in a believer's life, now the question is when to start? 
• winter of the world by ken follett, the second in a trilogy spanning the entire 20th century, readable, gripping, multiple storylines and LONG, but in a good way, worth the read, but absolutely necessary to read the first book! 
• the secret keeper by kate morten, this book has been much touted this autumn, and it's good and a compelling read, but it feels very similar to other kate morten books, in the way that all john grishams feel the same? it's a formula, it works, but it loses its magic once you've got this insight...sorry. 
• dear life by alice monroe, this book of short stories stole my heart, i ached for each snippet of life that was detailed. it probably helped that the stories mainly take place in places so familiar i could exactly picture the scenery the bleak and beautiful scenery of southwestern ontario farmland in winter, the beauty of lake huron in high summer. in honesty it made me a little home (and heart) sick, and isn't that what the best of books do to us? if you are familiar with the places of southwestern ontario, particularly those communities near the shores of lake huron, read this. 

physical: 

• i didn't start a 10 km training plan, but i have lost 40cm since july, so i'm feeling pretty great 
• i can leg press 100 kg, yup, you read that right. these quads are on fire!

creative: 

• well i quit photography class. that's ok. 
• i did photograph a friend's wedding and if i say so myself, the photos are at least passable for decent, mainly.
• i've knitted three jumpers and two hats. 
• knitted the cosiest throw blanket in the world

::december intentions::

spiritual: 

• finish off beth moore proverbs lecture series
• finish off bible in a year two years
• advent bible study, slow down, wait expectantly for the saviour of the world. 
• two more scriptures make 24 for the year! 

mental: 

• reading against a deadline: great expectations and life of pi (i know) both before i see the films, big hopes people. 

physical: 

• 'tis the season for cakes, and dinners and lunches, and deliciousness, so let's do this alongside the gym eh? 
• legpress 110 kg by 2013!

creative: 

• christmas cards
• christmas knitting 
• christmas decorating
• christmas baking 
• christmas day menu - so many decisions! 

reading recap::gilead.

i've read a few books this summer. and it's felt good to slip into a story when my own story has felt a little chaotic and disjointed. the summer is always so busy. FILLED with the goodness of good things and good friends and good moments, but all that goodness can be a little energy depleting. reading takes me outside of my commute and my away from the weariness of the world, if only for a few minutes.

this summer has seen so many good books fill my heart and head. but mainly, mostly, it was gilead that i keep returning to. keep thinking about.

to start, i should say that i generally don't love pulitzer prize winners. i know it's controversial. i know that's probably against the code of readers, but it's the truth. sometime pulitzers feel a little too much like english class and too little like downtime.

i loved this book. fell in love with this book. it felt like being written to by your grandfather, if you had a kind and strong and loving and faithful grandfather, and i did. it felt like all the best stories of his childhood and all the stories you remember about your own and all the things you hope for your own future children.

it is a very long letter, written by an old father to his very young son, the son he describes as one of his greatest gifts, a surprise in his twilight. it is to be the sum of his wisdom and hopes for his child. it is to be how he teaches him all there is to know of life and love and god and faith. i highlighted and highlighted. i felt my eyes welling up with tears again and again. it's the kind of book that is so startlingly beautiful you can barely contain the joy in your soul, hardly catch your breath.

it should be noted that gilead is also a place, it means rugged or mountain and in the old testament it refers to the area just north of the dead sea, it is a city of strife. this is notable because in the book, gilead, is also a town but it is a town that is mainly sleepy and peaceful in the way we (i) imagine mid-fifties, mid-western towns to be. slighly tumbleweedish, where people know each other, and where christianity is a cultural experience, if not also a spiritual one. but underneath it all, it is also a rugged place. mainly, it is a rugged place for the soul. the father, the old man who is dying, is so struggling with the resolve to live out a life of faith, despite desperately wanting to hold on for more.

it is a book of restoration:

And grace is the great gift. So to be forgiven is only have the gift. The other half is that we also can forgive and restore and liberate, and therefore we can feel the will of God enacted through us, which is the great restoration of ourselves to ourselves. 

of seeking faith:

So my advice is this - don't look for proofs. Don't bother with them at all. they are never sufficient to the question, and they're always a little impertinent, I think, because they claim for God a place within our conceptual grasp...I'm not saying never doubt or question. The Lord gave you a mind so that you make honest use of it. I'm saying you must be sure that the doubts and questions are your own, not, so to speak, the mustache and walking stick that happen to be the fashion of any particular moment. 

of humility:

And often enough, when we think we are protecting ourselves, we are struggling against our rescuer. 

whether or not you are a person of faith, this book will bless you. go read it. but might i suggest, reading it at a time when you have a moment to slow? i was on vacation when i read this. i needed to be. there was so much life in this book about dying that i needed moments to look up from what i was reading and ponder. it is not a read that should be hurried. it should be savoured. it should be ruminated upon.

there is a companion novel to gilead called home. i am desperate to read this, i am also sure i need to have a slow place in my life to do so, this one, i will keep for the next break.

vacation reading.

we're flying in days! this is a break we need. life has been filled with so many good things, friends and commitments and work and we are grateful for each single blessing. but sometimes, we need to break. i love vacation. hands down, one of my favourite things in. the. world. love that it provides time to reflect on where we've been and where we're going. love that it's a complete change from the day-to-day. i love the long plane rides and the exploring new places. i love being with our friends and family. and just being with each other. i love having someone to vacation with. i also love vacation reading.

i'm a constant reader, but on vacation i read a whole lot more. and this vacation, filled with 12 hour plane journeys and time in the woods and days by the pool - i have big plans for my vacation reading.

and so. here's the list.

gilead. marilynne robinson.

state of wonder. ann patchett

a circle of quiet. madeleine l'engle

ah yes, the promise of a new book...now only to be paired with a tall cold glass of something refreshing or a deep and delightful red wine. preferably sipped by water. summer vacation, i love you.

june.

i was distracted this past week (the beginning of june) with a four-day weekend, courtesy of the queen. liz, of course, has been on the throne for 60 years, and true to form, the brits celebrated their monarch, with what else? a bank holiday. the country was good enough to coincide the jubilee with what is normally the second may bank holiday - for a fabulous four days off! we took the cue, stayed in the country but headed north. way north. nearly all the way north, but not quite. a full recap will come. suffice it to say, the highlands are superb, and we're already talking about how to make this jaunt northward an annual event.

may recap: 

spiritual:

• worked on memorising jeremiah 31:3 
• god has been really teaching me some interesting stuff that i'll share as things progress, but it's been a great journey 
• started reading and using the power of a praying wife - what an excellent book - giving specific words to my prayers for le boy it  is such a fantastic resource. 

mental:

• the london train by tessa hadley - a nice read, although about an affair which i must confess, i have a hard time reading about, i'd prefer not to be necessarily exposed to those thoughts :) 
• the sweet life in paris by david lebovitz - another food memoir, it's wonderful and full of recipes, but i find with food memoirs that i can pick them up and put them down easily, each chapter is a stand alone story, i like for this reason and find them intolerable for the same.
• crazy love by francis chan - i'm stuck in the middle of this, it's a slightly uncomfortable read, and i want to take my time, but slowly we'll get there. 

physical: 

• i started and stopped a diet plan. and i'm counting this a success - the diet made me intolerable, and intolerant, i've decided that i need access to all food groups, everyday. so carbs are back in, just fewer of them, and i'm enjoying what i eat and trying to be conscious of my overall health and diet. 
• i'm seeing real gains in my strength and fitness - i can leg press more than 100 kgs! which is a huge step forward in the recovery land. and i went for a short run the other without a need to stop, which i feel means that my cardiovascular fitness is starting to return also. 

creative: 

• i didn't bake more or finish the cardigan, but it's almost finished and the baking, well, it can wait for this month. 

::june intentions::

spiritual:

• my memory work has really taken a hit this month, my goal is to make up for it over june and july and get back on track by memorising 6 scriptures over two months.

mental: 

• work is at its height in june, so i might just try to immerse myself in some good fiction reading that keeps me coming back for the sheer enjoyment of story 
• i'm also loving podcasts (as always) and i want to make sure i'm thinking while i'm listening to them. 

physical: 

• we have signed up for a 5 km run in mid-july, i'd really like to make it round the course without stopping, i don't care about my final time, but this means a little bit more running training 

creative: 

• consolidate my projects and finish ones that have been started and not finished. i'm terrible for this. i'd also like to start an ordered list of what project to do next - so that i'm not just caught by fancy, but regardless, this will be high up on the list. 

may.

april was fantastic, but fast. and i kind of feel that despite a trip to florida, it kicked my butt. we were exhausted before we arrived. and we spent the best part of our time there lounging in front of the pool, reading. it was bliss. and so so needed. but once we got back, i never felt like i got april back in control. so it is, i suppose. i tried to wrest control in a last ditch effort on monday night. i thought, i'll roast a chicken, on a weeknight, and my husband will called me blessed. he did. it was fantastic, and yes, you can roast a chicken (a small one) on a weeknight and still eat at a reasonable hour. on tuesday, i woke up with searing pain down my neck, don't know what caused the neck strain, but i got a sick day for it.

i'm not feeling that may is off to the greatest start. what with the neck, and the weather here in london is beyond terrible, we're talking 8 degrees terrible, and rainy and grey - i can see my breath outside, it's just sad. and i'm praying that my tomato plants make it, if not, eh, i'll buy some more i guess.

but there were some highlights for april:

spiritual:

• memorised deuteronomy 14:2 & zephaniah 3:17 - i've been using redstamp to create prayer cards that act as my background for my phone. i LOVE them! 
• attended the hillsong women's conference - colour - such a fantastic time of teaching and worship and prayer. 

mental: 

• read a lot - a lot of books, and for this single reason, april was redeemed
• one day - david nicholls, i know, old and probably the last person on the planet to read it, it was absorbing and a great holiday read
• the grief of others - leah cohen, poignant and well written from a variety of characters points of view, absorbing and arresting, it's well worth the read 
• escape - carolyn jessop, this was on the bookshelves of our condo, it is a fascinating look inside the cult of the FLDS, and while being a quick read, you do desperately want to know the story. 
• a homemade life - molly wizenberg, fabulous. a memoir, about food, with recipes. hands down fantastic. i felt like i was eating on each page, and there are so many things i want to make from this!
• the tiger's wife - tea obreht, in a list of great reads it's hard to pick one that was greatest, but this might just eek through, if it weren't for what follows...
• crossing to safety - wallace stegner, i'm placing this alongside one of my other favourite novels on marriage - two-part invention by madeline l'engle. it might have been the most beautiful read of this year so far. i couldn't put it down, couldn't stop underlining, couldn't wait to pick it back up. it gave words to sentiments i have about my marriage, and gave me hope for what our marriage could become. it's an honest and achingly beautiful look at the inner workings of a long marriage, and all that entails. go read it now. 

creative: 

baby items have been made, and upon delivery to waiting parents will be produced for the blog, i've picked back up my cardigan, i keep meaning to buy blackout lining for curtains, i keep forgetting. 

physical: 

• not the greatest month from a physical fitness standpoint buti had a great appointment with the lead physio for my knee op though and all is progressing well - so that's good. 
• i turned 28 - and i guess given that i've seen how our bodies are not indestructible, i'm just happy that it's working, that it keeps working and that god-willing it will be that way for a long, long time. 

::intentions for may::

spiritual: keep memorising scripture, i'm finding it such a blessing to my walk. keep digging into the word. 

mental: for my birthday i got a kindle, hence the huge amount of reading last month - i'd like to keep this up, i'm a far happier person when i have my nose in a book. 

physical: my trainer has set me some goals for this month and given me a diet plan. i'm putting my foot down and getting serious about getting my pre-op body back. i know it's possible, it's a matter of discipline and will-power. 

creative: finish my cardigan, bake more (yes i realise this contradicts the previous goal) 

lately.

i spent the better part of saturday afternoon and evening and sunday morning and afternoon reading the hunger games.  while it is a teen fiction, it's incredibly well written, and an extremely interesting exploration of good and evil, and of redemption. i heartily recommend it. 

on another note, i had this sicilian orange today. it is without a doubt or an exaggeration, the single best orange i've ever eaten. i'm glad i took a picture of it. 

i've been podcast crazy at the moment. radiolab has been overwhelmingly good recently.

and i did my first spin class in more than eight months - it felt good to move again, to have my heart pound so hard against my chest it felt it would explode, to pour sweat, to feel the energy again.

i must finish with the single best recipe i've found in a long time. le boy is in love with this dish. skinny enchiladas...oh. my. word.

february::intentions

it is cold here. bracingly. nothing like the winters of my childhood and youth, dressed and wrapped against the snow, the lake's wind, cheeks perpetually rosy-glow, and never without a hat. but it is cold nevertheless, below-zero cold, deep desires for warm food and warm beds and nights snuggled on the couch with blankets.

i am startled by it. refreshed, hopeful for the days and weeks ahead. in all honesty, i find february difficult - cold and usually grey, i am so desperately pleased to see the golden warmth of sunshine today. it is streaming through my window, warming my back, deceiving me of the truth. i will take its deception.

january was definitely a growing month for us. we're learning how to handle life with us both working and trying to fit in mundane (but important!) tasks of the gym and cooking and laundry. alongside some new opportunities that god's presented us with - namely, we're now leading a homegroup and serving on our church's prayer ministry team. both of these things are blessing us immensely and we are so grateful to be continually immersed in a community that is proclaiming christ. we are also learning that we will need to say no to very fun social things from time to time in order to have time for our marriage, which is also a very fun thing. 

january recap: 

spiritual: memorised acts 20:32 & joshua 1:9

mental: i read the meaning of marriage by tim keller (absolutely fantastic read for both married and single people, seeking to understand biblical, thoughtful, intentional marriage!), i'm still struggling with a room with a view, and if i hadn't said that i'd read it, i probably would have put it down by now. 

physical: i've been to the gym four times a week! i am TIRED. 

bites: one bite at a time has been helpful, but four bites was more than i could chew (pun intended!) and i'm happy to have settled at two - meal planning, which i'm fully in the swing of and cleaning while i cook.

::february intentions::

spiritual: memorise hebrews 4:12 & another scripture

mental: two books, as yet, not chosen, but le boy is currently reading another keller, so it's high on the list of probability

take a photo a day - i missed the first but took two today...i'll try to post all 28, i'm going to experiment with instagr.am i've not used this app very much, but it seems appropriately suited to such a task.  

physical: i'd like to lose a couple of kgs, two to be exact, so that will be the challenge this month! 

bites: establish a morning routine, establish an evening routine

poem for february

Winter Sun

By Molly Fisk

How valuable it is in these short days,

threading through empty maple branches,

the lacy-needled sugar pines.

Its glint off sheets of ice tells the story

of Death’s brightness, her bitter cold.

We can make do with so little, just the hint

of warmth, the slanted light.

The way we stand there, soaking in it,

mittened fingers reaching.

And how carefully we gather what we can

to offer later, in darkness, one body to another.

source: the poetry foundation 

it's a.b.'s half birthday today - you heard me right, we celebrate those sorts of things...so hope you have half a cupcake today kid. love you.

biting.

i mentioned in my new years resolution post that i was hoping to utilize the downloadable book - one bite at a time. with lots and lots of great tips for simplifying life. i decided to start with something i falter at, but had been endeavouring to get the hang of: meal planning. this has become even more important as we adjust to both of working and being out of the house often for more than 12 hours a day. there's no time for detours to the store, and because we commute by public transport, it's actually not all that easy to pick something up on the way, particularly when the local shop has closed!

i've found a great resource - plan to eat. what a genius idea! it allows you to plan your meals using an online meal planner, you can type up meals that you have in recipe books, or import recipes from online sources. it's really incredibly simple, and once you've added a recipe, it's stored in your online file! this is a paid for service, but the first month is a free trial, so there's no risk. i am LOVING it. particularly because we've simplified grocery shopping. we're now doing grocery delivery. delivery in london is very common, and not terribly expensive. plus i'm already seeing a reduction in our grocery bill simply because there are very few impulse purchases. it fits around our schedule and means that i can shop on my lunch hour and have groceries delivered the next morning before i leave for work! so online meal planning, coupled with online grocery shopping is a huge simplification of my life.

the second 'bite' i took on, i did so accidentally. i had meant to try and start a morning routine - but it wasn't going very well, a series of late nights and variable mornings has lead me to putting the morning routine idea to the side for this month. instead, as i read through the book and this just kind of 'happened' i most noticed it over the weekend.


clean as you cook:  as my mother and sister will attest, and my husband, while i'm a pretty decent cook, i'm not so great about the mess that is created during the 'creative process.' yesterday was a big cooking day. i made this delicious casserole (chicken and butternut squash and pasta and parmesan cheese? yes please!) but that meant roasting a squash and a chicken, which i did early the morning. a practice run at le boy's birthday cake and then the actual creation of the casserole meant for a huge mess. but actually, i cleaned as i went, putting away items as i used them, gathering scraps in a bowl, wiping up spills as they happened, soaking dishes for easy clean up later, wearing an apron. really none of it was hard, but it made the cooking and the clean up a breeze!

some of the tips from one bite include:


• Place a “garbage bowl” or container for food scraps and peelings on your main work surface.
• If you have a double sink, run one side half full of hot soapy water for hand washing and dish rinsing, leaving the other free for washing vegetables or draining pastas.
• Keep a broom and dustpan handy for flour or sugar spills on the floor.
• Have a few clean dry towels on hand for countertop spills and drying dishes.

i've taken the last one a bit further and adopted a 'side' towel, as explained here. such a great thing to do and so easy. what i've realised is that this will mean i have slightly more kitchen laundry each week, but it also means that i'm not stressed about the state of my kitchen.

be it resolved.

i love a new year. really, i love a new anything. but there's so much promise in a new year isn't there? 2011 will be difficult to top in terms of big life events. this time last year we weren't even engaged. but i'm hoping that 2012 might be quieter.

i'm hoping to settle into our house, to watch more movies and read more books, listen to more music and podcasts. i'm looking to invest more deeply in our marriage and in my relationship with jesus. i want to have time to spend with friends and to develop new friendships. i want to give my full attention to the areas of service the lord has placed before us - leading a home group and participating in prayer ministry. we hope to travel and i would like to be intentional in that - knowing what we are seeking from those experiences.

i want to rush less and be more present for life. i read ann voskamp's book, one thousand gifts, while convalescing, and it's true: nary an hour has ever been added by rushing. i want to live fully in each moment - seeking his will for my life in the mundane and the exciting.

i will continue to set intentions every month. but my overarching intentions are divided into three areas and each month i'll endeavour to update on where i'm at.

mental: read twenty-four books - twelve fiction, and twelve non- fiction.

physical: run a half marathon by the end of 2012 - i'm using this as a barometer of my recovery, plus the half is a very do-able distance.

spiritual: memorise 24 scriptures

and for this month i'm specifically working on simplifying - le boy starts a new job next week! this is a massive answer to prayer but it does mean big changes for us and a revamp of how we order our days and our mornings specifically. in addition, i need to get to the gym four or five times a week for rehab, i have regular dates with friends and i have a home to keep, and a husband to feed and pay attention to. i'm hoping to use this resource to assist with simplifying life. (and there's a discount until january 10!)

::intentions for january::

- read the meaning of marriage, by tim keller and a room with a view, by e.m. forester
- gym four/five times a week
- memorise acts 20:32 and choose another scripture and memorise.
- complete four bites from one bite at a time.

hilton head - two.

and maybe some savannah?

we basically just hung out for the first week of our honeymoon. ok, who am i kidding. we basically just hung out for all of our honeymoon! i finished three books while away. it was incredible. canadians will appreciate the series (is two a series?) by terry fallis. and really anyone who loves politics will be entertained. cutting for stone was so good i ignored my brand-new husband while travelling to finish! and the slap, was a compelling read.

so reading on the beach was a regular activity.

but we did decide to do a day trip. and savannah, ga is only an hour away. so we piled into the car and took ourselves on a mini roadtrip. savannah was gorgeous, but HOT. unfortunately hotter than we were able to handle. i imagine it to be a place that we'd have loved if it was less than 110 F, but sadly, it was not...and we were in the first stages of honeymoon tired - ie the wedding and it's joyful exuberance had finally become joyful tiredness.

however, we did manage a few key things. an ipod walking tour - really rather good and nice because we could go at our own pace.

hat shopping.

isn't he handsome?

ice cream eating.

and of course, paula deen. oh. so. delicious.

we'll go back some day, surely. in the meantime, we highly recommend this beautiful and historic city!

practice.

recently i've been thinking on the practice of faith. le boy and i have been practicing our faith daily by doing a devotion over breakfast and ending with a short time of prayer. it has already blessed us immensely to meet with jesus and spend time thinking and praying about our lives and our days and our faith. and so this practice of faith becomes something we practice. and with daily practice we get a little bit better over time at turning, moment by moment to the lord for his guidance and grace.

jesus calling : sarah young

when i was a teenager i was very involved in music and spent hours on vocal practice and training. it was my routine to spend time each day after school practicing my voice. i would lose myself for a time in scales and exercises, in repeating difficult parts of a song, sometimes singing the same five tricky notes of a piece over and over until each tone was lodged in my being, until i knew the feeling of the music, of each individual note, right from wrong, in my body as it reverberated through my bones and hollow spaces - leaping up out of mouth and throat and filling the enormous front room of our house. a room that was rarely used for anything but music practice and receiving company. i was blessed by that space. by taking myself away from the daily requirements and losing myself, sometimes for hours, to simply creating music.

i also remember a time when i wasn't being diligent in my practice, competition was approaching and my cavalier attitude was not impressing my parents, marvellous in particular. and so i was gently, but firmly told that the hours and money invested in my training were being wasted. my teachers had taught, my parents had driven to lessons and listened to singing and paid for tuition, god had given me the talent, it was my responsibility to take all that had been entrusted to me and DO something with it. namely, make sure i was holding up my end of the bargain and practice!

and as i reflect on this practice of music, i realise there is so much in the experience that resonates with my practice of faith.

• you have to practice. you actually have to do something during the week between sundays
• warm-up are an essential aspect. i try to open my quiet time with a simple prayer, asking god to 'think through me and show me more of him.' at other times i write pages of my heart cries, trying to untangle a mess or learn a new lesson. 
• there are tricky and difficult parts to this faith thing. there are lessons that i am taught yearly. there are aspects of my character being continually refined and slowly but surely these lessons begin to take root, begin to resonate with my soul, begin to feel right within my flesh. my countenance is changed as the spirit takes hold my weary bones and fills my hollow spaces and creates a new person bit by bit. 
• having a space to create in is an amazing gift, and also removes you from everything else. by practicing away from the rest of the household i made the 'living room' my music haven. i hope to eventually have a space for quiet time in the spare room. until then i am going to create a small space in the living room, a place set apart. a place to meet with jesus. 
• finally, it is my responsibility alone to practice my faith. my husband, my friends, my church or small group cannot do it for me. they can contribute to my faith, help me to grow and offer wise and godly counsel, but i along must reach daily for christ. and when i fall short, sometimes god is gently going to remind me that i am responsible for my faith.

if i'm honest my personal quiet time has been lacking this month. and i could excuse it with notions of busy-ness or travel or responsibilities at home and work. but really. really, what i'm saying is god is getting whatever time i can spare for him. not my best time, my 'spare time.' i am treating god like a hobby when i should be prioritizing him over everything else. but he is always gracious and he is reminding me that i alone, am responsible for practicing my faith. i'm praying that i learn this lesson again. i'm praying that you too learn day by day, how to practice your faith.

back.

it's been unbelievable, incredible, everything-we-ever-hoped for, completely awesome, so amazed-by-his-grace, good!

we do not yet have photos. if you attended the wedding, and have photos you'd like to share, i'll cook up a way of uploading high-res photos.

but we also honeymooned. this is the hipsta-version. hilton head island. south carolina.

beaches. bikes. devotions. savannah. walks. eating.

we get internet at home soon - better posts will follow. for now we're trying to sort out our masses of stuff. we're trying to cook and share a bed and budget and follow jesus and laugh.

it's so good. so so good.

 

 the first dinner i 'cooked' for my husband:

 

 savannah.

hello god, it's us, brie & jamie.

we'll see you around soon. i promise.

things i am liking.

diy wedding tutorials online.

stationery
water bottle wrappers
fan programmes
centrepiece ideas

international shipping from key retailers.

williams-sonoma (warms my kitchen-loving heart)
banana republic/gap etc (hello sale, how are you?)
shutterfly (you make gifts oh so easy!)

reading excellent books.

the glass palace : amitav ghosh (oh.my.word. three generations of incredibleness set in east asia in the first half of the 20th century)

any human heart : william boyd (the diaries of a man from childhood until death, so alive to me that i'm still wondering about him)

planning projects for my post-knee surgery recovery (note they are all possible to do sitting down).

pull through wrap
mirrored candle holders 

nai-nai dishcloths (these are by far my favourite, in fact, they may warrant their own post entirely!)


guessing where we are going for honeymoon (this is a complete surprise to me, le boy is taunting me with his knowledge).

martha's vineyard 
luxury carribean resort
savannah, ga 

rare-bit.

what's that you ask?

welsh rarebit to be exact. i know, you're still confused. so was i. welsh rarebit is the name of a UK dish, specific to, obviously, wales. essentially it's a fancy name for a cheese toastie, or an open-faced grilled cheese. and i know you're thinking, so who cares? except, i'm here to tell you that you should!

on saturday we had an impromptu lunch with a good friend. the weather was, if anything, variable and going out to eat seemed to be much too much of a bother. so i dispatched le boy to the store and set to creating a cheese toastie that was raised above all earthly expectations. the combination of sour dough bread and good-quality cheddar (white, 'aged' cheddar for those of you outside the UK), with chutney and worcestershire sauce was really something delightful to eat and exploded with flavour.

this is adapted from jamie oliver's cookbook, jamie at home - a truly excellent book, from which i've not yet had a bad meal! i heartily recommend it.

welsh rarebit (adapted from jamie at home) 

this recipe calls for use of another recipe in his book - chili pepper jam, i substituted the green tomato chutney i made last september and it worked brilliantly. i also used regular dijon mustard instead of mustard powder...

• 4 slices sourdough bread, 1-inch thick
• 3/4 cup creme fraiche or sour cream by weight
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 4 teaspoons chili pepper jam
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

1. preheat grill/broiler on high to warm oven
2. toast bread on each side, at the same time, mix creme fraiche, egg yolks, cheese, salt and pepper and mustard
3. place toasted bread on baking sheet, spread jam or chutney on toast, making sure to go right to the edge, top with cheese mixture, again, going right to the edge to ensure the bread does not burn 
4. place under broiler/grill for 5 min or until cheese is bubbling and starting to brown slightly 
5. remove and allow to cool for about 1 minute, cheese gently with a sharp (non-serrated) knife in a large cross-hatch pattern, sprinkle liberally with worcestershire sauce (the cross hatch pattern ensure the worcestershire sauce does not slid right off!)
6. enjoy with a green salad

this was enjoyed by two very hungry guys and myself. we didn't talk for the first five minutes, and the guys raved afterward - such an easy and tasty lunch or light dinner!

dessert was courtesy of mr. d. hines:

windowboxes.

home decorating. le boy is wondering what he's gotten himself into i believe! and yet, while i'm sure the rooms will take priority once we're inside and able to think about paint and wall decor, mirrors and bookcases, at the moment, my attention has been diverted to the 'curb appeal.' we're fortunate to have a ground floor flat, with a very traditional london edwardian construction. basically, we have a front bay window with deep windowsills - perfect for windowboxes. i'm imagining lavender. and fuchsia cyclamen. maybe white cyclamen for winter? a bonus of the slightly more temperate british climate is the hope for flowers year-long. when i first moved here and saw flowers being planted in november, i thought it ridiculous, but those flowers lasted all winter! i cannot wait.

i'm also dreaming of this:

portable garden from: not on the high street

 i'm really curious about square foot gardening. and while this is a little pricey (gasp) perhaps a great birthday gift??? (hint, hint) it does take all the guess work out of building/creating.

and while i checked this out of the library years ago, i cannot wait to get a copy for myself...

home decor is about so much more than just the inside right?