Tip 'o the Hat to Little Touches

I finished reading the book Little Women yesterday. Here is another bit from the book that brought a smile in my 'little while' with the Marches. Jo is learning the art of Beth's housekeeping duties after Beth's death;

‘Wholesome, humble duty…little touches here and there to keep everything fresh and cozy which was the first step in making home happy'…Louisa M. Alcott in Little Women

It inspired me to see where I could create a bit of 'happy' for our home...

 peonies from the garden

pictures for the wall

 

pillow for the chair (Birthday gift from my sister)

poetry for the table,

flowers from the fence-line

Kind little touches do so much

 To make a house a home

 A little flower on a shelf,

A book of prose or poem

To make the reader take more care

Of his or her wee life; aware

That nothing ever stays too long

And so we splash the air with song

Or set a kettle on to boil

To pour some tea between our toil

Where all those must-be tasks soft-smile

And add the worth to our while

…and so we put a pillow here

A sprig of willow on the mirror

Or walk along the fence to find

Wild blooms that wind-song left behind,

Or sweep the porch before we set

A pot of pansies on its step

Or hang a picture on the wall

Or bake a cake knowing the small

Touches of love cheer those who come

To little things that make a home

And oft we should season the air

With words of kind comfort and prayer

And treat this gift from God with awe

That He in tender mercy saw

It fit to bless a bit of loam

With happiness that we call home

© Janet Martin

I hope you are inspired to create your own 'bit of happy'.
God bless our homes!

(This poem was written with the assumption that faith, hope and love abide,

For then what good is all the rest but painted bits of pride

Then pray the Lord our homes to be reflections of His kind mercy)