Coffee, Flowers, Cats and Books ...

Happy Wednesday, my friends!

The sun's been such a tease today - as it can be at this time of year - slipping in and out of the clouds. We had a few sprinkles, then bright sun and now dark gloomy skies ... there's a chill in the air, but not so much you'd need a warm jacket ...

This feels decidedly March.

And this is my last "Teatime" in March - for next week we'll be in the first week of April! (I'm feeling a butterfly theme for next week.) But instead of tea today, I snuck some leftover coffee from the carafe and added a new creamer I bought. Now, I'm not usually one for non-dairy creamers, nor do I generally like flavored coffee, but considering that delicious "Caramel Almond" iced coffee I had at Dunkin Donuts recently, I thought I'd give this stuff a try. I happened to have a coupon last week and it was on sale and it promised all-natural ingredients ... all this to say ~ I'm a sucker for a good marketing campaign, lol!

Anyhoo, the resulting concoction actually wasn't too bad - though it will probably taste better cold - and with my crisp, little almond-flavored cookie I dunked in it, it did have that yummy flavor I was looking for. (Not to mention a little kick of caffeine!)

*❤*

A few more notes from my day ... I thought this made a fine little posy:

It's a plain glass votive (for candles) with a small bunch of snipped forsythia tucked inside. Wouldn't this be pretty at the Easter table? I'm thinking a thin ribbon could be tied around the middle of the "votive vase" to dress it up a little. But how simple a project, and so inexpensive? You could make up a whole bunch of them to scatter along a dining table, in between candles, or perhaps on a buffet. The votive can be found at the craft store for about a dollar, and of course, forysthia (in most parts of the country) is readily available right now ... but the thing is this ... will there be forsythia still in bloom come Easter?!

So I enjoyed my coffee and my cookie and a quiet half-hour while my kids were occupied in one way or another. I'll admit, I considered a catnap, but in the end, I left that to Archie ...

(Is he not the cutest?)

I was also tempted to work on my Easter plans, but I knew that would get me revved up instead of relaxed, so I decided to just to sit and drink and nibble and think ... :)

And when Bookworm returned, he brought home my library "holds," two wonderful Easter story books:

Petook we've enjoyed for many years now, but The Colt and The King was a new find for us. And I will tell you, that as I read, I wept a little, because it is honestly such a touching story. The tale is told by an old donkey, who, when just a young colt, carried a very kind man - a great king, he soon realized - into the city of Jerusalem. But amid the cheers and shouts and waving palm branches, the little colt grew terribly afraid ...

"Jesus saw me tremble.

He came and stood beside me,

his hand upon my back.

In his voice was a river of quiet;

in his touch, a shelter of peace.

And my fear flew away

like a bird set free."

{How absolutely beautiful is that quote? I think I might have to frame it.}

 And as the colt carried Jesus further, he quickly realized he didn't want to leave him with this "worrisome crowd," but instead, to take him to his own hillside home where he could enjoy peace and quiet. The story ends with the colt - now a grown donkey - acknowledging that though he's not seen Jesus since that day, he knows that he will again someday ... and when he does, he'll share all that he has with his friend ...

 "My hillside will be a throne for him, and at night the stars will weave him a crown."

(And now I know what I'll read to EB on Sunday.)

I have a real fondness for books like this, that weave the natural world we know so well, into the Faith we hold so dear. I think they are wonderful for young children who so readily love animals and the great big outdoors ... but are just getting to know the ins and outs of their Faith. I know my own Earlybird really responds to these kinds of stories. All my boys have ... nature nuts we are and always have been. :)

 ❤†❤

Well, my friends, I've taken up enough of your time, so I'll wrap up ... but I do thank you for stopping by and sharing "tea" with me - and more than just a little conversation. I hope your day was a good one, and I wish you all a pleasant good night ...

See you here again very soon!

❤