Wednesday 25 September 2013

Reasons to be cheerful

So much of our time this year has been spent in the garden and so much of our pleasure has derived from the produce. Dahlias and zinnias grown from seed.

Ditto sweet peas. Here are the seeds for next year.


They've been spectacular and so prolific this year. Even now, they keep coming.



This is a new little project. It's called a happy jar. When something nice happens, you write it on a piece of paper and stick it in the jar. Whenever you feel a bit down, you open the jar and look through some of the good things which have happened. Or you could start in January and then review the year in December. 



My first entry. Cutting a courgette from the garden and putting it straight into the pot. Yes, that made me happy.




A country walk resulted in a surprise haul of brambles. We added some apples from our tree to make the most delicious crumble. Growing things. Food. Basic stuff, but feels so good.

What are the simple things that make you happy?

13 comments:

Connie said...

Mmmm. Sweet peas. They smell so Pretty. I like it when there's a soft breeze on a warm afternoon and it blows the curtains all around. That makes me supremely happy. A crumble is nice, too....

Helga said...

You make me happy!
It IS the simplest things that mean the most, isn't it?!
The sweet peas are dazzling, I forget how prolific a bloomer they are, and then they rule the world like pretty triffids! The happy jar is a lovely idea...every household needs one.
MMMMMM, courgetttes! One of my favourite vegetables. Love them in a fritter, and generally in my belly!
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Optimistic Existentialist said...

Love these pics. What's that in the lower right pic? It looks amazing!!

two squirrels said...

Oh I love that little gingham topped jar filled with happiness!!!!! Yay that's such a sweet idea......
The flowers are just beautiful and even more pretty as they were grown by you.
Love V

Vix said...

What a lovely idea, I should make Jon do that, he's such an old grump in the Winter!
Isn't amazing that the flowers are still blooming, the strawberries and tomatoes keep flowering, too. It's been one heck of a fabulous summer! xxxx

mispapelicos said...

Beautiful pics, my dear friend.
I love how everything ends in a delicious pie, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
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Hannapat said...

Some wonderful pictures that really captures the fun and pleasure of spending a little time in the garden. I always find it is amazing what you can achieve with a little time and nurturing. Your dahlias look wonderful, I am not sure why, but I have given up on them. I use to plant them year after year, but I suppose being south african where they grow without any problem and come back year after year, I got a bit disgruntled with the fact that they didn't like our winter very much. You have inspired me to start again next year, so thanks! Right now the things that are making me happy is having a little time to do some sewing and just sitting with my kids reading the magic faraway tree. Happy week to you lovely lady xoxo

Ivy Black said...

That's a brilliant idea! My garden has made me that happy this summer I could sing....listen, that's me.
Planting bulbs for the spring has made me happy. I've just bought some wool for some fireside knitting and that's made me happy too. So does blogging and meeting lovely people like yerself.xxxx

Anonymous said...

Love the idea of your happy jar and the thought of you unrolling all the happy moments. Am going to start one too. A happy jar idea made me happy! xx

Krista said...

It not about what you have but about appreciating what you have. The happy jar is a great reminder of that. I think I must grown sweet pea flowers I adore them and only discovered them this year. Your food always makes me drool:)
Xxoo

Curtise said...

Oh Tania, you are such an adorable person, really you are. Please don't EVER admit you have a dark side, my faith in human nature would be shattered.
Simple pleasures are the best. Growing things, whether gorgeous flowers or delicious food. Displaying and eating the produce. Feeling satisfied with that. It's so so true, these are the happiest of things.
If I did a Happy Jar, I would feel compelled to even it up with a Shitty Jar, containing slights and annoyances and failures - and that would NOT make good reading. But you and your posts would definitely be in the happy jar, Princess T-T! xxxxx

Loo xx from Jumbles and Pompoms said...

What a fabulous idea, Tania. I'm also liking the idea of a shitty jar too! Sweet peas....mmmmm....NEVER EVER had any luck growing them! I know! I don't know what we're doing wrong. Our courgettes/marrows, though, have done extremely well this year. xx

bohemian vanity said...

Oh hey that happy jar is a fab idea Tania !!!
The simplest thing which makes me hapy is to wake up in the morning and the sun is shining bright outside. Just like today.
xx Tani