Happy Mail Squared

You may have read my post about Minnesota Hotdish and also a guest blog of blog follower dc who was inspired to cook a Hotdish in Florida after reading the post. Fellow blogger Audrey Helbling writes and posts excellent photos on Minnesota Prairie Roots blog. Audrey and dc always leave thoughtful comments on my blog.

My post today features some happy mail I received today from Audrey and dc.

Look what Audrey sent me! I love to read cookbooks. It came in the mail today

And if you have followed me for a. while you know how much I enjoy knitting. Imagine my excitement as I opened a sheet of personalized return address labels, custom made by dc, all with different yarny and knitting themed photos.

I don’t want to put my address out there but you get the idea from this cropped photo. Take a peek.

I can’t wait to use my Custom-made Knitting themed Return Address Labels. So thoughtful of you dc!

So what a great day for happy mail! thank you Audrey and dc. Two thoughtful friends, making life nice.

Ewe Mail

Today’s mail brought the delivery of a package. Always fun to receive an unexpected gift. If you squeeze the body, you can hear the sheep bleating. You know how I love puppets. He’ll be a great addition to video calls with the grandchildren. Thanks JB for the ewe mail.

Paper Engineering

I received another wonderful pop-up card in the mail from a good friend. The paper engineer creator is from Berlin. Her name is Maike Bierderstaedt .

The construction of the intricate and beautiful designs amazes me and I open and close it and open it again to watch the paper Bouquet blossom.

Designer Maike Bierderstaedt

My sister sent me a pop-up card recently you may have seen the Bunnykins and Daisies post

Daisie Bunnykins and Cheerful Mail

Received a cheerful yellow envelope from my sister from New York City. She’d  mailed me the Picket Fence Daisies pop-up card designed by artist and paper engineer Jann Johnson. It’s  from MOMA (Museum of Modern Art).

This week while at home, I’ve been photographing some figurines from the bookshelf in the living room. When I saw the daisy card, I got this little bunny and looked at the bottom where it was printed Daisie Bunnykins.  Put the card and bunny in the windowsill and here is the happy photo.

I’ve got mail

I’ve got mail.

The mail carrier brought it today.

Not just catalogs, flyers with pizza coupons and bulk rate circulars. Real mail, not just junk, addressed to me.

What a happy surprise.

Charlie (3) and his mom mailed his preschool photo AND the self-portrait he drew inside the card. ❤️ Thanks Charlie. (and Laura)

Romanian Red Garlic

Primarily Romanian Red Garlic this harvest! And a few other bulbs in the box.

My brother sent organic garlic from his garden in Okanogan, Washington.

It’s the time of year when I’m watching the mail for his shipment to me. He’s made it an annual event.

Thanks David. It’s here. Now to figure out what to cook!

Did you know there are many types of Red Garlics?

Estonian Red, Chesnok Red, Creole Red, Killarney Red, Russian Red, German Red, Vietnamese Red, Korean Red, and Turkish Red to name some.

But this year it’s primarily Romanian Red!

Roasted, rubbed,minced, smashed,chopped, sautéed- it’s all pungently delicious.

A Knitting Themed Tea Cozy and San Pasqual Patron Saint of Cooks

Returned to Pittsburgh this evening and a package of Christmas gifts from J in Omaha, awaited me.

She stitched a bright colored tea cozy to keep the tea warm as it steeps.

Love the colors and knitting theme as many of you know I’ve been knitting my way through the winter.

I need a patron saint in the kitchen and will put him in a prominent place in the morning.

Thanks J. What a fun surprise.

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Here is granddaughter Anna sporting one of the cowls I knit everyone
for Christmas

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Like a Squirrel Gathering Nuts for the Winter

yarn skeins

Wednesday’s mail was waiting when I got home late.   A box!

A box of yarn arrived from Web*sters in Ashland, Oregon.  Silk Blend.  70% Merino wool and 30% silk.  Manos del Uruguay.  I’ve plans to knit my way through the freezing season.  So soft and the colors like jewels.

Magenta, Aster, Dark Cherry.  I love the names of the colorways.

Spolier alert:  Knitty City Horizontal Cowls (link to their free pattern) for gifts.

I’ve made three already. Oh and an attempt for a circle scarf from a different yarn (the gray)

It can’t just post comfort food.

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I like this particular pattern cause the circular knitting goes around and around and around, getting me to a peaceful place, sucking out my anxiety, making me calm. Trying not to notice the sun setting earlier already.

The Importance of Friendship

Long time friends, childhood friends, best friends, far away friends, friends and neighbors of years past and passed-  there are many degrees and types of friendship. Friends can see you through all kinds of situations and experiences.

And we have virtual friends -you may not meet in person but with whom you have a connection, a blogging friend, or someone with a shared interest..

I ‘m fortunate to have received real mail in my mailbox-  birthday cards and also texts on devices and phone calls from other friends.

This Friday (the fourth) I’m celebrating my birthday so it’s good to feel their friendship in a variety of ways. You can eat together, laugh together, cry together, provide mutual support.  Be a friend to have one, it’s true.

One friend sent a tea bag in a fabric envelope with a little verse. (thanks Donna).

Yes, it is good to have friends.

 

 

birthday cards in the mail

Loss of a Blogging Friend

 

This morning I read a post by  Stuart, a blogging friend’s husband (of 45 years) who told of Christine’s sudden passing. A virtual friend from the blogging community.  The first comment Christine wrote on my blog was in 2011- when we “met”  so it has been a nice exchange of good words and photographs. She was an excellent photographer and lived near the beach in Australia so her photographs show another part of the world.

One doesn’t really know what to do when someone passes.  Takes time to digest the sad news.  And then the missing begins……….

Two members of the wordpress community , blogging friends, wrote tributes,  beautiful blog posts, to Christine in response to her passing-
click to see Jo’s A Walk for Christine or Madhu’s Farewell Dear Friend blog with photographs and words in memory of Christine.