Hi friends,

Good morning! Or good afternoon, by the time you read this. I’m running a little behind, but this post WILL get finished for your Friday perusal! I’m hoping to make this “Good Things Gathered” a ‘thing’ here on the blog, and I’m trying to work more diligently on making this a space you can depend on for interaction and updates. I’ve been blogging in some capacity for over a decade. And in those early day it was such a fun way to meet people and see what they created. Social media apps like Facebook and Instagram sort of killed traditional blogging, but I think it’s that traditional form of blogging that is best.Because of that, I’m wanting to invest more time here on my own website and blog, and I invite you to visit me here whenever you can, or sign up to have posts emailed to you— you can do that in the side menu of this blog on a desktop computer.

Ah, so here we are! I’ve gathered you some good things! Again, these things are pretty simple. And I’m still working on those Irish wool mittens I showed you last week, so no new knitting to talk about, but here are some things that have captured my attention this week!

1. Jane Austen’s novel Emma! It is one of my favorites, as you know. And I just finished my portrait of “Emma and Harriet”, which is listed in my etsy shop. I wrote more extensively about it in my last post. But it’s made “Emma” very front and center in my mind! On instagram I did a little poll in my stories to see what Emma and Harriet and “Emma” film adaptation people loved best. And while the newest “Emma” staring Anya Taylor-Joy put in a strong effort, it’s the version with Romola Garai that still remains everyone’s firm favorite! Do you feel the same, or is there another adaptation you prefer?

2. Little brushes! This might sound a bit silly, but I was so excited to see these wooden handled cleaning supplies in the bargain bins of Target. Last year they had very nice metal dust pans and buckets that are now integral parts of my cleaning supplies. I bought several of these brushes to add and I thought I’d pass this news on to you in case you too are a little nutty about cleaning items that are also pretty and also affordable.

3. Anna’s Swedish Ginger Thins– I recently found these little cookies at my local grocery store, but they seem to be widely available. If you’re a fan of gingersnaps, you’ll enjoy these very thin and crispy little cookies. They are perfect to have with your tea (of coffee, Swedish style!) for just a little something sweet (my downfall is I always need ‘a little something sweet.’) But the nice thing about them is that they really are very thin, so you feel like you’ve had a treat without eating a huge cookie. If this interests you…..well, enjoy! 😀 They are so simple and timeless and you know I love anything Swedish!

4. The new issue of Country Home Magazine is out for Spring, and it’s full of great decor ideas for the coming season. There’s even a feature on a garden green house created by an Oklahoma couple and I found it very inspiring to see. I love seeing flourishing gardens in my area, because our weather (especially summers) can be so intense. It inspires me to see gardens thriving here and gives me ideas for what plants are hardy enough survive July in OKlahoma. (If this is also something that interests you, you can see my posts about creating an English Cottage Garden in the American Prairie HERE)

BONUS-

This is a little bonus “Good Thing Gathered” as it’s not really something I’ve gathered but something that completely intrigues me! Elizabeth Goudge’s home in the UK is currently up for SALE! All we need is 1 million pounds, guys! I love looking at listings of old houses and if this is something you also enjoy, you can see the home HERE. It has been modernized, but you can still see a lot of the 400 year old elements that made Elizabeth fall in love with the place. Many of Goudge’s most beloved books were written here, and the cottage itself inspired to cottage that Froniga lived in in the novel “The White Witch.” Goudge said she was inspired to create the character of Froniga when she saw the ghost of an English Civil War era woman pass through the garden. Doesn’t that just send a delicious shiver down your spine? I hope whoever buys this home appreciates its history and loves Goudge’s writing. She is so underappreciated, but I feel like she’s slowly getting rediscovered. And I want to help people fall in love with her any way I can!

So settle in with some tea and a ginger thin and have a look! It’s a beautiful home.

Well, gotta get this day started! I hope you have a great one.
Take Joy!
H