Remembrance Day 11.11.11
Butterflies
Reflections
Cake it till you make it
Birds on a Wire
Compassionate Friends
I am about to head off for a weekend at Mary McKillop House,
named after Australia’s first saint.
It is a Professional Development weekend for volunteers and support group leaders of Compassionate Friends. It is being run by Mal and Di McKissop, the best known grief counsellor s in Australia. I was lucky enough to help in organising the weekend, so hope all goes to plan.
It will be a reflective weekend, hopefully improve our counselling skills, and it is always good to be with people who have experienced the hardest loss, the loss of a child.
It is 15 years since my 22 year old child died suddenly, I still feel the loss, but it is good to be able to reach out to the newly bereaved and show them that although the pain never goes away, it becomes more gentle.
Today’s quotes are for those who grieve.
Honeyed Baby Carrots
2 bunches of baby carrots
1 tablespoon Honey
2 tablespoons Oil
1 teaspoon Freshly grated ginger
Herbs to garnish
Peel carrots and trim tops.
Sautéed in olive oil and ginger.
Drizzle with honey and garnish with herbs.
OR
Lightly steam carrots.
Combine remaining ingredients and toss with carrots over gentle heat.
Apple Cake
220 g sugar
180 butter
2eggs
280 g flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Process
1/2 cup sultanas soaked in dry cider to cover
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and sliced
Zest of a lemon
Fold into mix.
Bake in loaf tin at 180* for 1 hour.
The Story of the Plates
another day of contemplation…cute will be back!
Last night I spoke to my new Asian neighbours. We share a small garden.
They plant vegetables in their half. I have a weeping Japanese maple and a rose in my half .
They came from the home I lived in before my husband died six years ago.
I told them if they could arrange to plant them on common ground they could use my area to plant vegetables.
Tomorrow my big table and chairs walk out the door. With them goes the story of my life.
They survived nearly forty years of a sometimes rocky marriage, and about twenty four houses.
When the furniture arrived, our house became a home.
A month ago I sold twelve dinner plates. Blue and white Spode. Each different and a replica of an 1800s design. The Italian lady who bought them has invited me to a dinner to tell “the story of the
Plates”. I will tell the story of the plates, but it will be the story of the family and friends, decisions made, issues discussed……will share with you one day soon ….”the story of the plates”
.