Friday, June 3, 2011

Grateful #11 – What are you thankful for today?

And look! We’re in June already! This week has been a blur of things and stuff and to-do’s being ticked off, but in amidst of all the chaos, this week I was grateful for:


The loveliness of cooking something brand new. I often get into a little rut regarding cooking, and tend to make the same easy things over and over again when I’m short on time. But lately, I’ve been making an effort to try a new recipe a week, and it’s been quite nice making simple, hearty dishes into new family favourites.
This week we tried a delish roasted pumpkin, green bean and feta salad with lovely marinated lamb steaks, and a chicken and spinach potato bake, with a creamy bacon and mushroom sauce. And while it’s nothing fancy, it’s a tasty change from the usual suspects.

Pigtails and Plaits. One sunny, summer afternoon a long, long time ago, my very patient Grandmother taught me how to braid my dolls hair, as we sat together on her bed, silent but enjoying being together. It’s been such a long time since I thought about that memory; but it was the first thing that came to mind as I plaited my little daughter’s hair for the first time this week. It made me grateful for the simple skills that are passed down from generation to generation, and the sweetness of the memories associated with their learning.

What are you grateful for this week?

Nat

Ps. Join in! Link your Grateful post back to the lovely Maxabella Loves, or write your grateful list in the comment section below x

Image from here.



10 comments:

Jodie Ansted said...

Aw...writing about the plaits and pigtails took me back to my Mum doing my hair as a child. I wore plaits almost every day! One time, for a fancy dress at school, my Mum thread wire through them to make them stick up at the ends. I was the envy of many girls that day. ;)

♥Beryllium Lithium Class of 2011 said...

Yummy... creamy bacon and mushroom sauce sounds divine :)
[Basically, I'm grateful for practically any food with the words cream, bacon, chocolate, cheese, and strawberries in them.]
Cute story about your grandmother :) It's always the little things that bring back fairly important memories, isn't it?

Alice Becomes said...

i really like the sound of that chicken and spinach potato bake...yum

and how cute are the pigtails and plaits! I only have boys so we don't get to play around with hair much. I remember braiding my friends hair when I was little and them doing mine - we used to love it. Gorgeous image too, Nat!

Gill xo

Megan said...

What a lovely memory, no doubt it'll feel just like tomorrow when you're teaching your daughter how to plait.

New recipes are fun to try out, but I agree you need to motivate yourself, so easy to just fall back on the easy old favourites!

Felicity said...

Yummm - loving the sound of your recipes - I'm inspired!

xx Felicity

LionessLady said...

I have been aching for my daughters hair to be long enough for braids - we are getting very close!

Renee said...

Memories of grandmothers - some of the sweetest in my life. Yummy those recipes sound delicious - I may even be inspired to try something new over the weekend - my husband will be thanking you (that is if it turns out - otherwise I won't mention I was here!!!)

Visiting via Maxabella :-)

posie blogs Jennie McClelland said...

Totally cute, love plaits!! Just picked up my girls from a sleep over & their hair is in French plaits, looks amazing!! Love Posie

Maxabella said...

That's a lovely memory to have. I fight my girls to get their hair done each day, so I hope they don't have poor memories of hair time! x

Sannah said...

I get so stuck in a rut with cooking too! I also find it frustrating when I do try something new and it either doesn't work well, or the children complain because it is something 'different'. Good on you for getting out of your rut and trying some new things.
What a beautiful image of your memory of learning to plait hair.