Love, food, knitting with the Cottonopolis WI and India

Happiness depends upon ourselves 

Aristotle 384 – 322 BC

It’s been very interesting  thinking everyday about what has made me happy –  it’s often centred around friends and the people I love, travel, food, places and history – our life in and around Manchester – the first industrial city.  Today, it’s a diverse, fascinating and tolerant city.  I’m proud to be an adopted Northerner.

I could, of course, take a picture of something in my garden every day for this challenge – as my garden does truly lift my soul.   Or a picture of my Chap – he has been my rock since the day we met – and particularly this year.

#100happydays is helping me get back to where I want to be. 

35/100 lavender, 36/100 India, 37/100 flowers, 38/100 arm knitting with WI

35/100 lavender #lovewins #jesuisParis

The terrible impact of murder of 130 people in Paris on 13 November is still reverberating around the world.  I am so sad for all the people who lost their lives or were injured.  My thoughts and condolences go to all their family and friends. These murders are NOT done in the name of the Islam I know of – extremists and terrorists WILL NOT win.

‪#‎lovewins #lovenotfear #freedomwins

I chose a photo of lavender from my garden as the #100happydays picture that day – it’s the symbol of everlasting love.

36/100 India

Good friends of mine are travelling in the Far East at the moment and, via technology, I had a lovely chat with my pal C – she was wide awake in the middle of the night in a noisy hotel in Delhi.  Their lego people have had a lot of adventures too (Thanks to C for the photo).
India is a fascinating county, ancient and modern, vast wealth and abject poverty.  We talked about their experiences in India, her impressions of the country and people – and a lot about the sexism and the place of women in India.  I visited India nearly 10 years ago and it seemed from our conversation that very little had changed – which was profoundly depressing.  It reminded me to donate some money to a charity which supports girls’ education in India – Malala is right – it is education that gives girls’ opportunities and improves the world for everyone.

37/100 flowers for my friend

I went to see my friend and her lovely baby girl (who turned up nearly 2 weeks late!) and slept the whole time.    We had a lovely time. My pal wants to plant an oak tree for her baby which is a lovely idea.  We talked about gardening too.   My pal J is a new (and keen) gardener, she and her husband moved into new build a couple of years ago.  Our wedding present to them was to turf their lawn, plant shurbs, and bulbs.  I nipped out to do a spot of pruning and bulb planting as she was very tired as baby B isn’t sleeping though yet.

38/100 arm knitting with Cottonopolis WI

My mum taught me to knit when I was a teenager in the 1970s/80s but I have to confess I haven’t picked up needles since.  However, when I joined the WI I decided to have a go at new things.
Our president Katie taught a group of us to ‘arm knit’ to make a cowl – it only took about 20 minutes to do.  I’d had a go at our summer garden party but couldn’t get the hang of it at all. Your arms are the needles – Katie says there are videos on the internet if you want to have a go yourself.

• Cottonopolis WI

#100happydays 39/100 chicken and leek pie 40/100 The Passionate Shepherd to his love, 41/100 50th birthday party

39/100 chicken and leek pie

My Chap is a really, really good cook – he’s always pottering around in the kitchen inventing new recipes.   He watches a lot of cookery programmes, including Masterchef  and Great British Bake Off.  He finds cooking relaxing, especially making bread.  He made the recipe up for this chicken and leek pie (bought the filo pasty though as some things are too much hassle when you work full time).

He expresses his love for people (especially for me) with making wonderful food.  My Dad was a great cook too and did exactly the same.  They would have got on well; would have been off inventing new recipes  and messing around with kitchen gadgets.   I can cook too but my Chap is much better than me and certainly, enjoys it more than I do.

40/100 The Passionate Shepherd to His Love (1599)
by Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593)

Come live with me and be my love,
And we will all the pleasures prove,
That Valleys, groves, hills, and fields,
Woods, or steepy mountain yields.

This plaque was the first gift my Chap gave me not long after we met – we have such a shared love of the hills and mountains.  This paragraph is part of one of the most famous love poems in the English Language – it’s beautiful and I remembered it well from studying it at school. Christopher Marlowe was a contemporary of Shakespeare – a dramatist and poet (and a suspicious early death).

I had a really rough day as there have been a lot of changes at work too this year.  I had a long talk with my Chap about things and how to handle these changes.  Hopefully, 2016 will be better but a lot more change coming then too.

41/100 – a wonderful 50th birthday party (not mine!)

My Chap and I went to my pal D’s 50th birthday party. There was an excellent live band, a lot of dancing and a scrumptious cake.  We all had a really great evening.

• The Mindnight Hour – Rochdale

Seize the day – as you don’t know what’s around the corner

An update on my #100happydays challenge from November 2015

#100happydays challenge 

• #100happydays Photos 1-5 – dahlia, vinegar, acorns, mindfulness and Dunham Massey
• #100happydays Photos 6-13 Lovely Lisbon
• #100happydays – Photos 14-20 food, music, Victoria Baths
• #100happydays – Photos 21-28 friends, food, drink, flowers and yoda
• #100happydays – Photos 29-34 deeds not words inspiring women love
• This post*
• #100happydays Photos 35 – 41 love, food, poetry, learning and travel
• #100happydays Photos 42 – 49 family, food, friends and adventures
• #100happydays Photos 50-54 Cottonopolis WI and Christmas films

*This isn’t a sponsored post – I paid for everything myself

You can follow my photos for #100happydays challenge on twitter feed everyday (@becinmonton)

*****

#100happydays challenge is very simple:

• Can you be happy for 100 days in a row?  
• Every day submit a picture of what made you happy!
• It can be about anything or anyone.  
• It’s a way of getting in touch with the moment you’re in
• People can submit photos privately too.

Anyone around the world can get involved in #100happyday or just have a look for the hashtag or on facebook too.                                                              

What has made you happy today?

Carpe Diem

love Bec xx