Lined Paper Will Do Just Fine

Yesterday, before I devoured, yes, devoured the last piece of chocolate that a friend brought me as a gift when I hosted the Christmas Coffee (see Coffee Tea and Ikea) I decided to take a picture and use the pic as a Thank You note.  After doing just that, I began to think about cursive writing and how it is becoming a lost art.  Do you know they are not even teaching cursive writing in our schools anymore?  That astounds me, knocks my socks off that our future generations will not enjoy hand-written letters.  I don't know about you, but some of my most cherished mementos are those hand-written letters from my husband while he was serving in the Army shortly after we were married.  And when I receive a hand-written thank you in the mail, or even just a "thinking of you" note, it is a true pleasure.  I can't even remember the last time I received an actual hand-written letter.  You remember those, letters written on lined paper, folded in various ways to fit into whatever envelope was handy, or those beautiful hand-written letters on lovely stationery from your Aunt or Grandmother.  Memories, savored (remember, savor is my word for the year). So I encourage you to pick up pen and paper and surprise someone with a handwritten note.  It will bring such joy as they open their mailbox and see something handwritten, not an advertisement, or a bill, but something specially handwritten just for them.  If you don't have any "pretty" stationery, lined paper will do just fine.

The picture.....

The note.....

"All we have to do to be successful is follow the advice we give to others."  ~  Dear Abby

Linking up to Deb's.....

Until next time.......

Anything But Brown

It's not pretty here, we have absolutely no snow which always pretties things up a bit for a while until it turns into slush.  Brown is the predominant color outside and since I am such a COLOR person, winter tends to cause me to go in search of color and signs of life.  I grabbed my camera for a quick trip to the back-yard in search of that color that I so yearn for.  The sun was shining which in itself means life and because it has been so unusually  warm this winter I found leaves clinging to a bush that were still slightly green.  Oh does that mean Spring is not far?....HA who am I kidding, this is January 4th, the only way I would feel the warmth of Spring is to move or take an extended vacation like many do at this time of year (scratch that idea, no money in the til for extended vacations).  I do remember days in January that were warm enough for a quick swim when I lived in Dallas, TX  and by March the trees had blossomed and flowers were in bloom.  Hmmmm does sound tempting.  But for right now, I will have to be satisfied with walks around the yard, catching glimpses of greens, or reds, or yellows, or blues....anything but brown.

I know I said no brown, but I find these seed heads of the Monarda just down right fascinating.  So I cheated and added some brown, actually several shades of brown.

I am hoping your days are filled with color....anything but brown unless it is fascinating.

"My whole life is an adventure.  But you don't have to do something racy and wild to have an adventure.  You can have one in your own backyard."  ~  Gary Paulsen

Linking up with Alicia at Wordless Wednesday.

Until next time......

Hang My Head in Solecism Shame

I have this little icon on my computer's home page entitled "the word of the day"....I have really never paid any attention to it, but today for some reason I clicked on it and the word for today is "solecism".  Ever heard of it? me neither, but the meaning is "a breach of good manners or etiquette".  How coincidental, because I committed a solecism today without even knowing it.  Today was book-club #1 (I call it that because I belong to 3 bookclubs and this one is the first to meet each month) and prior to the start of the presentation today, the chairman politely asks us to turn our cell-phones off during the speaker's presentation.  I did not turn mine off because I so rarely get a call on my cell phone and, you guessed it, it rang.  I quickly scrambled to reach into my purse to turn it off, but not before the woman in the row ahead of me gave me "the" look.  I had committed a solecism, I had not turned off my cell-phone.  Hang my head in solecism shame.

"If you obey all the rules you miss all the fun.:  ~  Katherine Hepburn

Until next time.....