Another Extended Birthday Surprise!...

A package arrived on Monday from my dear Vermont friend, Denise! I was so surprised to receive it, and even more surprised when I opened it.

Inside was another cookbook. This one is "Cooking from Quilt Country" by Marcia Adams. It's filled with lots of photographs of Amish and Mennonite kitchens and people. There are many basic, healthy recipes, too. Between the cookbook from Marrianne in New Zealand, and this cookbook from Denise, I'm going to have many new, tasty dishes created here in the farmhouse.

As if the book weren't enough, I also received this adorable Corgi candle, but there was an even more interesting thing about this particular candle...

As it burns down, it will reveal a solid .925 sterling silver treasure within the wax! I was tickled when I saw the candle, but this one contains an extra gift. How fun is that?

Thank you, dear Denise, from your grateful and spoiled friend in Wisconsin. I love both generous gifts, and can't wait to see what's hidden in the wax! 

Big hugs from my heart to yours,

Making Friends...

I met a new friend yesterday. She and I have someone in common...Denise in Vermont.

 

I've known Denise for nearly 13 years. We met online when we both were involved with Mary Kay cosmetics. I was a sales director before moving to Florida, and Denise was a consultant in Vermont. After I moved here, I decided to return my product and "retire" with Handsome. I needed product and found her thanks to the internet.

 

We converse regularly, surprise each other with packages in the mail and delight in seeing photographs of our families and lives in two different states, yet we've never met in person. That's something I hope to remedy sooner, rather than later. However, Denise's friend, Marybeth has family about thirty minutes away from where I live and called me about getting together while she's visiting them in Florida.

 

So we made arrangements to meet for breakfast yesterday in Englewood. Meeting a friend of Denise's was a way to connect with my friend who is still up in the Vermont cold, but I know that Marybeth will carry one of my hugs all the way back north to give to Denise.

The two of us, and Marybeth's friend, Ruth, sat and gabbed for more than two hours as our waitress patiently refilled coffee cups for us. We talked about common interests, travel adventures...and of course, how loving and generous Denise is. It almost made me want to hop in Marybeth's suitcase to travel back to Vermont...almost!

I hope we'll be able to get together at least one more time before she has to leave next week. I had to cut this visit short as Handsome and I had plans across the state for the evening and had to get on the road. I'll tell you a little more about that tomorrow.

Denise, if you read my post today, I want you to know that Marybeth and I have one huge thing in common...our love for you! Thanks for sending your friend my way this week. Perhaps one day soon, I'll be able to hug you in person, too. That would be really wonderful.

With Love From Vermont...

 My beautiful and generous friend, Denise sent a wonderful package to me! I opened the mailbox on Saturday to find a complete surprise from Vermont. I couldn't wait to get back to the house to open it. I love surprises!   Denise, I can't tell you how much fun I had opening all the little packages  inside. Wrapped around all those smaller packages was this lovely tea towel.  1985. You don't even know how special this was to me.

Handsome and I were married in 1984, and that first two weeks in January, 1985, we were on our honeymoon in Grand Cayman in the British West Indies.    There are so many fond memories for us. Our honeymoon, our first year of  marriage, and the beginning of our life together as husband and wife. I know Denise chose it because of the acorns and oak leaves, but  I love it for many more reasons!

Then, I opened another package to find these beautiful spoons and acorns. She packed actual real acorns along with all my other gifts. I felt like a giddy kid.

They really are spoons with acorns! Just look at the beautiful pattern on the handles! Complete acorns and oak leaves adorn the fronts of each one. They're so perfect.

Then, I turned them over to find more details on the back. There are  more oak leaves, but on the back, you'll only see acorn caps...no acorns.

  They really are wonderful and I'll treasure them forever.

Denise also tucked in another fabulous find. Goodness, this girl knows me so well! It's a Guide to American Needlework from the Winterthur Museum. It's stuffed with great reading and photographs of beautiful, historic needleworks.   I'm going to savor every, single page! I'll brew up a pot of tea and put up my  feet to spend an afternoon engrossed in the pages of these books. Heavenly!

 Denise always adds some tasty Vermont maple candies, which I then share with Handsome. (He said, "Thanks, Denise!") Her message was on the back of this restful, peaceful image. This is a picture she took of her and her husband's favorite place to get away. I can completely understand that. That's a stunning sunset. I can almost feel the warmth of the setting sun on my face. aaaahhhhh.
Thank you, my friend for thinking of me, yet again. Whenever I think of you and Neil, I thank God for the friendship we've forged over all these years. I'm so very grateful that we were brought together, and hope someday to be able to hug you in person. Until then, know that you're always in my daily prayers. xoxo