Sharing Doubles the Joy

[caption id="attachment_2613" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Home Sweet Home[/caption]

Here I sit, in my kitchen at my laptop, wondering what we should talk about today.

I have a smoothie at my side.  It's a delicious and nutritious Summer drink.  My smoothie today consists of  yogurt, bananas, grape juice, strawberries and blueberries.  A quick spin in the blender and I have an easy and healthful breakfast.  Do you enjoy smoothies too?  They say berries are so very good for us as is all fruit.  I hope you're enjoying a nice drink too as we spend time together today.

[caption id="attachment_2621" align="aligncenter" width="225"] A room with a view[/caption]

It's another beautiful day in Hudson.  I've opened my kitchen doors so I can enjoy the fresh air and the beauty of nature as we visit.  I make a point of using all the different rooms of my house.  Do you?

[caption id="attachment_2623" align="aligncenter" width="225"] A room with "another" view[/caption]

 If I look straight ahead I have the pleasure of viewing a wall of green trees.  They stand beyond our grounds past the dining room and porch.  Nature is so tranquil and refreshing.

[caption id="attachment_2626" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My heroe[/caption]

 The music I'm listening to is also tranquil and refreshing.  It's a cd of Glen Gould playing Bach's Goldberg Variations.   In this, my  romantic old world setting, it's easy to get lost in all sorts of  lovely romantic ideas and artful activities and as you might guess The Art of Letter Writing is  my favorite artful activity.

So speaking of The Art of Letter Writing let me share something that popped up in a recent letter I received from a new correspondent who lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She started her letter to me with these words, "Where shall I begin?  Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?"

 With a beginning like that I wondered how interesting the letter would be, (Important nothings?) but her letter really was quite interesting, and one of the interesting things I learned from her was that those opening words were first written by Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra.  My pen friend read and liked Jane's words so she now uses them in her own letters.  I bet Jane is flattered up there in heaven that people aren't only reading and enjoying her books, but they're also reading, enjoying and sharing her letters.  My pen friend's idea to borrow Jane's words really charmed me.

[caption id="attachment_2618" align="aligncenter" width="300"] A letter from Gwen[/caption]

Here's another thing that charmed me.  It was a beautiful letter from my pen friend Gwen.  Gwen lives in Ohio not too far from me, but we've never met in person ... not yet anyway.  How would you like to receive such a pretty letter in your mail box?  I bet you would.

[caption id="attachment_2617" align="aligncenter" width="225"] So sweet[/caption]

I could just imagine Gwen's creative mind working overtime when she discovered this pretty paper napkin with all its lovely cut work.  Gwen likes fairies too.  She told me she has created a fairy garden in her yard.  (Gardeners know fairy gardens are quite the thing these days.)  So Gwen took one look at the shape of this pretty napkin and decided she had to use it for a letter.  She  fit letter paper within its square center using a fairy sticker to create a cute little letter package.  So sweet!

[caption id="attachment_2616" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Such a pretty letter[/caption]More fairies adorn each page of Gwen's letter, and her neat handwriting and cheerful, positive thoughts combined to create a most beautiful and uplifting  present (the gift of a letter)  which added immeasurably to the delight of my day.

[caption id="attachment_2615" align="aligncenter" width="300"] My letter to Gwen[/caption]

Today I finally had the pleasure of responding to Gwen's letter.  I do wish I could answer all the letters I receive more promptly, but I keep thinking of what Robert Louis Stevenson said long ago, the  words that I recently shared with you.  Remember?  Robert said. "If I wrote all the letters I ought to write, and at the proper time, I should be very good and very happy; but I doubt if I should do anything else."  I guess through all of time men have never had enough time for those things they love the most."

And so speaking of the crunch time places on us, I must run along and attend to some music planning for the children's choir I direct.  But I'll be back with you for another visit before you know it because sharing doubles my joy and I hope my sharing adds to your joy too.