Small, Ordinary Pleasures

When I was looking for something to share on my FB author page today where I share tidbits of Shaker history. This morning, I hunted up an excerpt from my Shaker story, The Innocent, about my character, Carlyn, working in the Shaker washroom.

The Shakers had much to launder. They believed in clean. The also believed work was a way to worship and a job was meant to be done well. That’s why they came up with ways to make the work easier with washing tubs that agitated without the Shaker sisters having to use scrub boards. I wanted to highlight the ingenuity and inventiveness of the Shakers. They are credited with making improvements on clothespins too. I mentioned those in the washroom scene I posted on Facebook this morning. But for this post I’m focusing in on something else as the title of this post reveals with more in this short excerpt from The Innocent.

Carlyn pulled a pillowcase out of the basket. It was good to be outside. The sun was warm on her face and the fresh smell of the laundry filled her nose. Small, ordinary pleasures. Maybe that would be where she would find her happiness from now on. A piece of apple pie. The feel of dirt in her hands. Warm water for a bath. The smile of a friend. Simple things. 

That was one of the Shaker songs she was learning in the practice sessions. ’Tis a gift to be simple. ’Tis a gift to be free. Was that the truth she was supposed to find?

Finding the bit of that scene started me thinking about those small, ordinary pleasures we can embrace. Carlyn had lost so much, but she was willing to listen to the Lord if He was showing her a way to be happy in the Shaker village. The Innocent is still on e-book sale on Amazon for less that one dollar.

But what are your simple, ordinary pleasures?

I have many.

A morning walk with my dog, Frankie.

A hot cup of tea.

Green beans and tomatoes from my garden.

Butterflies and hummingbirds tasting my flowers.

Hydrangeas. Black-eyed Susans.

The chirr of night bugs and the morning songs of birds.

A line of words that turn from letters in front of my eyes to a vision in my head.

A break in the traffic when merging on a highway.

At one time, towels drying in the wind. Now towels warm and fluffy out of my dryer.

I could go on forever, but I’m stopping to let it be your turn.

What are some of your simple, ordinary pleasures?

The Winners Are…

Wait, before I go, I promised to share my newsletter winners. Actually I was supposed to do that Sunday, but sometimes I’m a day late and a dollar short. But Karen of Indiana is neither of those. She is the lucky winner of the large print copy of A Chance for Kallie Mae. She plans to give it to her mother who needs that large print.

The Grand Prize winner of the No Spice Beach Reads was Diane of Missouri. The winner of my book, The Pursuit of Elena Bradford, was Laura from New Hampshire.

Thanks to all of you who joined in with the giveaway fun. Next week I hope to send out another newsletter to start the celebration as I look forward to a birthday next month So, watch for it in your inbox. We’ll have a giveaway chance soon here too.

As always, thanks for reading.