The last few days have brought a little of this, a bit of that, a smidgin of nostalgia, an earthy fragrance

redolent of the garden, and when I contemplated them all together

behold!  a lovely potpourri!

I was tidying the book shelves at the Bargain Centre when I ran across a book which

immediately leapt into my hands, and stirred up memories of days when I read avidly the author's

views of life, of marriage, of love and friendship.  Small notes in the margins, underlined paragraphs,

and where had these cherished books disappeared to?

Merle Shain, the Canadian journalist and author, died in 1989, about the time we left the farm and moved to town and life changed.  I can remember giving a copy of her book "Hearts that we Broke Long Ago" to someone I felt would benefit from it, but how did she disappear from my heart's radar screen with only a faint trace of lavender for remembrance until this book came once again into my hands?

"People who are loving toward each other set up their marriages so that it is possible for both partners to get what they need from life and so that no one is expected to give up his needs to meet those of his spouse. And when their partner meets one of their needs they accept it as a gift, instead of viewing each unmet one as if it were a betrayal".

When I read this particular quote the sweet smell of roses drifted up from the basket of potpourri.

Today we took the car to Penticton to have its oil changed and we seemed to be bathed in an aura of the still tender greens of the grassy hillsides and the springtime shades of new leaves.

May has been wet, but our reward is these lovely green hills

and gardens that are bursting with delight at the cool weather and draughts of water that feed their thirsty roots.

I think this special gift of green hills and burgeoning gardens must account for the lovely smell of bergamot....

A birthday visit with a granddaughter who 'lives away' and who we don't see too often any more was especially precious this afternoon, and it must have been the aroma of the lilies of the valley that enveloped me as we talked and embraced and as I enjoyed her happiness with life.

I came home and made my favourite stir fry, - chicken and onions and colourful strips of peppers, with a hint of lemon and pineapple on a bed of rice, - hoping that Charles will adopt it as one of his favourites too.  It adds that beautiful fruity fragrance to the potpourri.

My nose is twitching in anticipation of tomorrow's addition to this mix of lovely smells.