Simple Joys

This is my favorite time of year. The temps are cooling down, colors start to get vibrant . . . I just had to share with you this image above from one of my shrubs. I am not sure what the proper botanical name is - I dug it up out of the woods in the back forty - we always call it a Strawberry Plant. At this time of year, this shrub gets FULL of fuzzy looking - almost chenille looking red buttons. Overnight, they POP open to reveal the deep red berries that all the birds find irresistible! I don't know how I missed seeing this until today. Taking a break to stretch my legs, I wandered around the yard and first found a neat birdnest in the hedging in my front yard. I snapped a pic here:




I wondered how many baby birds hatched there this past season? How many nests will they come back and create?

I also wanted to share with you something that I have neglected for a few days. You know how crazed I have been with the auction for Ava Grace? I will post more about that later this week as I am still knee deep in emails. I just needed to take a break for myself for a few minutes to appreciate the beauty of this day. Okay, here's what else I have to share.

I participated in two wonderful swaps recently. Two that have made my days so much sweeter!

The first one came from Christine Rohloff! Hi Christine!!!! Christine and I were swap bud in a dolly quilt. I sent mine off and I received hers. Here it is!



I know you cannot read her LOVELY writing on it, so I will let you know here that it says:

Dear Friend,
accept this quilt
for friendships sake
for happy times
of old and late
Remember Me

The colors are perfect for me - Chris and I share a lot of the same interests, one of them obviously being quilting. Thanks Christine for making me a most memorable swap. I could never forget you!

Now, for the second swap. Well, this was entirely different and even as much fun!
I joined in a blog swap for vintage story books.




We were supposed to find one or more neat old books with our swap partner in mind and then create a bookmark for them to slip in the book. My partner was Cathy Nash - an extremely talented gal - you can go here to see what I mean!

Cathy sent me THREE delicious books; one that was HANDWRITTEN and illustrated by the young author! I don't know how she could bear to part with that find. She also made two bookmarks that she deftly used her artistic skills on (I have one pictured because the other is in a book I am reading at work). She captured the persona of my beloved bassett hound, Duke, on one of the bookmarks. As if that wasn't enough, Cathy also enclosed a lovely paper angel ornament that she made.




Ahh, it is the simplest things that bring me joy! Thank you for sharing them with me!