Words on a Simple Life

Late on Sunday afternoon, when the rain briefly stopped raining and the sun peeked out, we pulled coats on and strolled ten minutes up the road to visit our town's local castle. You know how it is, you live somewhere a while and quite often don't really think to do the touristy things sitting on ones own doorstep. Don't really think to pop along the street and have a mooch around a 900 year old medieval castle (one of the most complete and best preserved medieval castles in England, apparently) which stands very conveniently at the top of the High Street.
But on Sunday the castle was open for free to residents of the area and so along we toddled, and mighty fine it was too.
As with all fine Tourist Attractions, as well as the ancient attraction itself, there is also a lovely looking tearoom and a souvenir shop. It was the latter which we decided to call in to, even though visiting these sort of shops with eager Little People can be something of a strain. The Pester Power is enormous, the sudden desperate need for Castle Pens, fridge magnets, badges is urgent. I got away with limiting the purchases to two very small soft cuddly toys @ £1.50 each and a bag of chocolate raisins, but boy, it was hard work getting Little Fingers to leave the other merchandise alone.

Anyhow, I am babbling, I am sorry....get to the point Lucy, chop-chop!  Yes the point of this is to tell you about a little book I spotted in the castle souvenir shop and purchased for myself. Its called "Words on a Simple Life", by Helen Exley and can be found here along with other delightful sounding titles in the same series.

If you click on the top picture there, you'll be able to read the description written on the back of this dinky little book :: it's basically a collection of images and quotes, celebrating the "quiet joys of life".
Now this is not normally something I would go for, I have never owned any books of this nature before. But something about this little golden book really touched me.
I keep coming back to it's pages, keep reading and re-reading the words :: words on a simple life. These words are so appealing, so meaningful, so wise, they touch my heart. Yes, they do!

Take these daffodils for example. So very simple.
A bunch of 20 stems cost less than a pound.
They can be purchased without guilt, brought home and enjoyed wholeheartedly.
To me, they capture the essence of living a Simple Life.
The joy they bring me is immeasurable. Priceless.

I have split them up and distributed them around the house....

....simply displayed in an empty milk bottle on the hall shelf to make me smile as I pass through one of the most stressy times of my day (getting Little People out the door at 8.30am with polished shoes and all relevant school paraphernalia).

I've also put little bottles holding a few blooms on the kitchen and bathroom window sills, for providing joy when ones hands are in the kitchen sink and brushing teeth.

And beside my bed too, for providing joy when I drift into my dreams at night and greet the day each morning.

It seems somehow so luxurious to have flowers beside ones bed, don't you think? Yet so simple at the same time. I would urge you to go out today and buy yourself a small bunch of flowers to put beside your bed, Arrange them in a little jar, a pretty mug,or a small vase and enjoy the pleasure they bring.

I thought over the coming days and weeks I might share some of the quotes with you from this little book. Some are very short, just one sentence, some are longer. This is one of my favourites, it was written by a man called Thomas Dekker (c 1570 - c. 1641), so he was around dispensing wisdom a pretty long, ancient time ago...

"To awaken each morning with a smile brightening my face;
to greet the day with reverence for the opportunities it contains;
to approach my work with a clean mind;
to hold ever before me, even in the doing of little things, the ultimate purpose toward which I am working;
to meet men and women with laughter on my lips and love in my heart;
to be gentle, kind, and courteous through all the hours;
to approach the night with weariness that ever woos sleep and the joy that comes from work well done -
this is how I desire to waste wisely my days."

Have a great day everyone, waste it wisely.....
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

Comments

[Ackman Brownell]

What a good example mom you are! Homebody mother who is very responsible and productive.

[Zajicek Lindner]

This is the cutest post I've ever open this day.The eye catching daffodil makes my head turn into it and its bright color that makes me alive for its my favorite flower and color.Thank you for making my day as lovely as daffodil.

[Bibby Rohde]

I love those simple words from the book. It is very inspiring. My sister loves to read it also. Thank you for sharing it.

[Delany Usher]

Wow such a nice placements. I truly appreciate how you put simple arts in your home. These flowers are indeed beautiful! These would surely lightens our moods everyday.

[Tara]

Daffodils (here called "Buttercups") are my absolute favoritest flower ever. They grow wild in my area (west Tennessee, USA)and when I was small, they completely covered my great-grandmother's front yard. People also transplant them to use in flowerbeds and line sidewalks and such. They are the first flower that greets us in the spring (winter, really) and I would pay good money if someone could figure out how to make them bloom longer.

[Sharon Goe]

Just wanted to let you know how gorgeous your flowers are as well as this site is. This is my first time coming across it. If you would like to do a little experiemnt with your daffodils, just put a little food coloring in the bottom of your flower vase (such as a bud vase to try it) and you will notice that the flower as it drinks the waer will turn the color of the food coloring. It is really neat expecially if you have children.

[sarah]

Sorry I haven't read through all of your post yet, I just noticed I have the same book. - Now back to your post, and blog. I hope you get as much out of writing as I already have looking at it and reading the things you have generously shared. (Am a new reader as of today.)

[Jenny]

LOVE the quote! I love all quotes. Fun stuff.

[Ann]

I just love the idea of popping into your local castle for a visit! I'm glad you can soak up such history and share it with your family. We are surrounded by snow and pine trees here in Maine...and nothing nearly as old and fine as your castle to explore! Your blog cheers me so!

[Alice C]

Oh yes! I have just discovered the joys of flowers in my bedroom and have vowed never to do without again. The pleasure of walking into a room scented with freesias is amazing.

[Linda]

Lovely post Lucy. Thomas Dekker knew a thing or two about what constitutes a happy life. Lived quite a long one himself too, for those days.

[sumea]

Love When you babble Lucy :o) and I love the loving things you do around your house. Thomas Dekker's words sum you up very well.
xx
Sumea

[Lesley]

Hi, I've recently discovered your blog and think it's absolutely lovely. I've got a question, if you don't mind, about your ripple blanket. You say you used 29 balls of yarn - was that one ball per ripple or did you double up on some colours? Probably a daft question, I know, but you've inspired me to start my own blanket. ;-) Many thanks.

[Chars]

I love daffodils - Here in Australia we get them in late September - Early October.

Thankyou once again for a beautiful blog post. I wish I would duck up the road and explore a castle. Makes me realise that we should be appreciating the things that we take for granted on a daily basis. We live in the tropics and are the gateway to a marine sanctuary - The Ningaloo reef. We have lived here almost 12 months and never ventured into the national park - shame on us - I think a family outing is needed this weekend.

[Lucy Ward]

Oh Lucy I do love your blog. You really make my morning - I sit down with my cup of coffee and wait to find out if you have posted. You have a true gift, thank you for sharing your colourful outlook on life. Inspired by your daffs, I have, this morning placed on my windowsill a pot of weeny narcissi. They are just beginning to poke their tiny faces out towards the sunshine. Oooooh I am full of the joys of spring today. Lucy x

[The Coffee Lady]

I was just thinking about buying daffodils when my mother turned up with some for me... then a friend... they make so much difference. If only the umpteen bulbs I planted in the garden felt like putting in an appearance...

[wonderwoman]

what a lovely post - so heartwarming! its true that the simple things are more often than not the best things.

x

[Rebecca]

Ooh, I love daffs too - one of the perks of living in Wales as they're everywhere at the moment! I like to pop them in jam jars (of which I have a ginormous stash as I do a lot of preserving) but they look very cheery in the milk bottle and cup too. Lovely post Lucy (as usual) - I love the idea of wasting your days wisely - must try to do that more often!
xxx

[Judith]

Lovely pictures and lovely words

[Anna]

Lovely cheery daffs Lucy, I also have a 99p bunch spread around the rooms, and in jam jars on tables at work-everyone comments on their cheeriness. Speaking of pleasures, I have the same book as you on my bedside table which always send me off to sleep thinking lovely thoughts. I think it's going to become a book I keep dipping back into again and again..happy days.
lots of love
xxx

[Cynthia]

Lucy,

Wonderful post. There are great joys to be had from living a simple life. It seems so easy to want a simple life and so hard to get it. Love your flowers that you post frequently. They make my day.

Cynthia

[Liz Lee]

Hi Lucy. Thank you for the verse and the daffs. It was lovely to sit and read your blog after spending the day at work doing what seemed like moaning all day. I'm off to get some daff and brighten my bedroom.

[Miriam]

To follow your blog every day, makes me feel good and ralaxed!!! As you feel with your daffodils and reading your little, new book. Why don't you make a book with your blog and coloured pictures???
Sorry for my English, if I don't explain well what I mean, but as I wrote in another comment, I am Italian.
Miriam

[simone]

That looks like my kind of book! Good old Thomas Dekker, what a lovely quote. I would love to meet these people from the past and learn from their wisdom.

[Marie]

Your daffodils remind me of a poem by William Wordsworth...

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Beautiful enjoy!