Keep joy

via Daily Prompt: Churn

I stumbled upon the KonMarie philosophy of declutter a couple of years ago.  Soon ‘declutter’ became the buzzword around my home.  The philosophy is simple.  Keep what brings you joy.  How can one not be attracted to this kind of thinking!  I had to put it into practice!  I’m still loving it.

I took it one step further.  I made a conscious effort to bring joy into my life each day, in one form or another.

When I’m in Esperance, now my second home, I wake early to catch sunrise at the Bay.  I’m yet to see a repeat light show, as the one I saw that day.

I then head to Woody Lake where the white faced heron is perfect in silhouette.

In my garden, I breathe deeply.  The roses are there to remind me.  Life is sweet.

I’m not big on garden ornaments, but I love this one.  My son used to sleep this way in infancy.  He says it was a reflection of inherited work ethic.  Head down, bum up!

This elegant statue I bought in Kalgoorlie.  It is placed under the jasmine shrub.  She waits for it to bloom.  Waiting is good, sometimes.

I bought these rocks to remind me each day how uncomplicated life can be.  Why make it anything else?

I remember a time when life was simple.  I wish I had a picture to share with you.  In my childhood my mother prided herself on her home made ice cream.  She made an egg custard first and cooled it in a basin of iced water.  The cook would fill the ‘moat’ of the wooden ice cream maker with sawdust and chipped ice.  The sawdust kept it from melting too quickly.  The custard would be poured into a stainless steel bowl, a beater would disappear into it.  There would be furious activity as we took turns to churn the mixture.  Vanilla, peppermint, mango, chocolate.  Who could choose, just one?

This memory is ironic.  I have just about every gadget you can think of in the kitchen and use them all.  The only one I didn’t used and gave away, is an ice cream maker.  I just can’t bring myself to make ice cream, taking short cuts.  So I follow what my mother did.  I make an egg custard.  Then I churn the ice cream mid-way with a fork.

Like all memorable moments, my dried apricot ice cream, is a favourite family treat at Christmas.

I still miss the array of vanilla, peppermint, mango and chocolate ice cream, and the time when we didn’t have to choose just one.  Yes, a special memory and one I’ll keep.  It brings me joy.

Until next time

As always

a dawn bird