My weekly exercise in gratitude – three things that are making me smile – feel free to steal this idea with wild abandon and fill your blog [or Twitter account or Facebook page or diary or life in general] with happiness.
First, garden jewels. After writing about the beauty of flowers yesterday, picking red currants later felt like collecting gems. They have to be one of the most beautiful fruits.
Bursting with beauty
Second, my grandmother’s basket. Many people have wooden trugs for their harvest, but I use a basket that belonged to my grandmother (my mum’s mum). She used it for shopping, but it is perfect for gathering all sorts of crops from the garden and I always think of her when I use it.
Perfect for picking
Third, house martins. This year, for the first time ever, we have a house martin nest under the eaves of our house. There’s lots of tweeting coming from inside, and we can watch the parents swooping around, catching insects before returning to the nest to feed the babies. Please excuse my poor photographs, but they are fast!
So, those are three things making me smile this week. What is making you happy?
-oOo-
Emily of Nerd in the Brain originally created Three Things Thursday, but it’s now being hosted by Natalie of There She Goes.
The Snail of Happiness 
katechiconi
/ July 6, 2017Those redcurrants are almost luminous! And it’s always wonderful when a wild creature trusts you enough to set up house right on your doorstep – it feels like such an honour!
Today, I’m grateful for a wonderful new book I’ll post about tomorrow, for time to be creative, and for seasonal winter vegetables I miss when the weather is too hot.
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craftycreeky
/ July 6, 2017I love your basket, it looks like it’s in perfect condition too!
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Wild Daffodil
/ July 6, 2017Oh such joyful things indeed!
I’ve had a wonderful week with so many things to be grateful for – this was a highlight:
I was at the Co-op check-out, couldn’t find my debit card, not enough cash to pay, so I asked the cashier, to put the things on hold whilst I went to my the car to look for the card or the cash. I had just found the card (Phew!) when the guy behind me in the queue comes along and offers to make up the difference for me, saying “I’ll pay it forward for you”.
How wonderful! I’ll enjoy looking out for opportunities to ‘pay it forward’ in future.
Celebrating random acts of kindness! Have a wonderful week! ❤
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nanacathy2
/ July 6, 2017Hurrah for the coop shopper!
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Wild Daffodil
/ July 8, 2017Hurrah indeed!
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Charli
/ July 6, 2017I always compare redcurrants to treasure as well!
And the house martins look fantastic, how amazing to get to watch them grow up and fledge.
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Laurie Graves
/ July 6, 2017Those red currants are beauties. How lovely to use your grandmother’s basket, and, of course, the birds are such a treat.
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nanacathy2
/ July 6, 2017I love your grandmothers basket, much nicer than a new trug. Hope your house martins fledge successfully, so cute, and wonderful for you!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 6, 2017It’s not a fancy basket, but she used it for many years and I’ve had it for nearly 25 more, so it has done good work in its life!
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Annie
/ July 6, 2017We picked our red currents about a week ago – similar sized harvest. They look like coral, don’t they? I love that we have fresh, home grown fruit every day now. 🙂
I love your basket too. I have one too, somewhat scruffier than that. I used to take my cookery things to school in it. I have no idea where it came from. Will dig it out and take a photo. X
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 7, 2017I love old baskets!
The red currants in the photo were the harvest from one bush. Our second bush is even more prolific, but the fruit aren’t ripe yet… it’s a very late variety, but it’s good that they produce at different times.
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Annie
/ July 7, 2017We have a white current too (not big enough to bear fruit). Can’t help thinking that once de-stalked, a pile of currents looks rather like frogspawn….
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 13, 2017I’ve never tried white currants – what do they taste like?
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Annie
/ July 13, 2017They are rather yummy. You’d think that being white they would be a little bland, but that’s not the case at all.
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willedare
/ July 8, 2017Your post and the comments are making my mouth water. Currants ARE very jewel-like — and tartly delicious!!! I appreciate your sentiments about your grandmother’s basket. My mom has been slowly emptying her home of 35 years, and I love that I now have (and often use) a cutting board and wooden spoon that HER mother used to use. Hurrah for gratitude! Hurrah for currants and co-ops and people who pay it forward! And successfully nesting birds!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 13, 2017My mother gave me a brass jam pan last year that belonged to my great grandmother… I’m quite overwhelmed by the history associated with it. I really hope that my nieces will treasure some of these things when I am gone.
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ July 10, 2017How great that you’re hosting a family of house martins! Hopefully they, or their offspring, will be back every year from now on! And your redcurrants look truly delicious in your grandmother’s basket… What are you going to make with them?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 13, 2017Most of them have gone in the freezer, but I predict muffins in the near future.
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crawcraftsbeasties
/ July 14, 2017NICE! I’d never thought of that, but great idea! 😋
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painterwrite
/ July 11, 2017That’s a fabulous basket to tote your haul around! And aren’t red currants just so photogenic? I managed to get about 6 pints this year from my plants…any tips on what to make with them (so far I’ve just been sticking them in my yogurt)?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 13, 2017I like them in muffins and they add a bit of sharpness in or served with chocolate cake. I always freeze some to use in cooking – they make a nice sauce (with a dollop of honey and a dash of red wine) to accompany meatballs (meaty or vegetarian) or sausages.
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painterwrite
/ July 14, 2017How about I just send them to you and you can make me all those yummy dishes 😂😂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 14, 2017I would be delighted!
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painterwrite
/ July 15, 2017Yay! Since you’re not busy or anything 😜😜
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 15, 2017Gosh, no… just sitting around painting my nails!
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painterwrite
/ July 15, 2017😋
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