Sunday’s Seven –Plus 7 31 March 2024

Easter greetings to the Christian readers here… I hope you’ve had a lovely day and made good memories. The bloom in the picture was only a bud the afternoon of Easter Saturday…what a difference a day makes, right? 😉

That full bloom iris greeted me this morning and reminded me how much good can come in a truly short time. Always be on watch for it.

It’s been a busy few days here with grandchildren dyeing eggs (and that brought back memories of my children doing the same— as well as my mom doing the same with me so many decades ago. Memories hang with us.) Traditions. ❤️

Little Easter baskets and fillable eggs and cascarones and children’s happy voices …

…and those children coming in with pre-birthday gifts as we were able to celebrate together this weekend…

The mailbox has been a treasure trove of happy mail recently, and I will always marvel at the magic that seems to bring a card or parcel from place to place. Today, it held homemade baked goods, too…all the ways friends show up with love and light.

I sent some good mail of my own during the past few days: a stitched contour portrait is on its way to Australia thanks to India Flint and her ever busy way of connecting creatives through stitch or words or art.

Friendships…and the ways we witness one another through good times and bad 🌟

Full moon glow a few days ago that led me to stand in wonder…the beauty of this world…

Books and journals and coffee cups and flowers…all the usual suspects that bring joy 🦋

Recipes…and time to make them…

And as I enter a new year, I honor the tradition of staying up to meet the day—happy to see another year and hopeful for the good it will bring…

So many times I wanted to post because I knew I missed last week, but I decided a catch up today would do. The message really doesn’t change:

Find beautiful moments. Surround yourself with good people. Learn from a child. Laughter is life. Carry on.

Be good to yourself. ✌️

Happy Easter Bloom

Real Mail in the Mailbox

One of my favorite things in the world is to receive real mail in my mailbox. Not invitations, although those are nice. No, real honest to goodness mail: a postcard, a letter, a card written in the sender’s handwriting expressly for me.

My daughter is finishing up a study abroad summer, but she still managed to send mail home. She knows her messages mean so much. While Skype, text messages, Facebook and email are fine (and the good old-fashioned telephone call is, too!), there is something lasting and tangible and well, just special about holding a piece of mail in your hand that was written somewhere else and sent to you.

A good friend’s children and I have taken up an informal correspondence with each other as well. I received cards and letters from them while they were on vacation. I send congratulatory cards and letters to them because they are always getting awards or going to camp or just plain like to get mail, too. Like me.

Maybe the  best reason of all to send mail is when there is no good reason.

I send out quite a bit of real mail. The clerks at the post office know me well, and happily open their binders of stamps for me to look through. Real mail deserves really cool stamps.

It seems there is always a friend I want to thank or someone who might need encouragement. When my son and daughter return to college, they can count on there being mail in their mailbox from me. I also have a pen pal, and we have corresponded for 35+ years. Although we became Facebook friends a few years ago, we still make sure to write the longhand letter a couple of times a year. We realize there is just something dear about it.

As one thing seems to always lead to another, I have decided to send out more real mail to my friends and family this year. I have recently started making my own cards, little 4×6 watercolor postcards that seem perfect for short messages. I always feel happy putting them  in the mailbox, as if I am sending something positive out into the world. We need more of that.