Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Wednesday Gratitude #8 at Heart and Home

                        

“Let's be grateful for those who give us happiness; they are the charming gardeners who make our soul bloom.” - Marcel Proust 


Hi everyone!Wednesday is Gratitude Day at Heart and Home. MckLinky will be open by 6:00PM on Tuesday. Please link to your actual gratitude post, not your home page. And remember to link back to Heart and Home in your post. Thank you!




Today I'm feeling thankful for all my friends, those in my "real life", and the new friends I've made since I started blogging in July last year. When I started writing Heart and Home I didn't realize that I would develop warm friendships with people who live all around the country, and all around the world.




I was surprised to find myself welcomed into cyberspace by you: a lively, friendly group of people (mostly women!) who have treated me with kindness, and inspired me with your talent and ingenuity. Kimm, Kim, Kimba, Kelee, Kathryn, Denise Marie, Glenda, Beverly, Cindy, Riet, Chari, Sherry, Sarah, Delores, Pat, Nerina, Rhoda, Susan, Tam, Mary, Gina, Leigh, Melissa, Marty, Julia, Donna, Yoli, and all the rest of you...You are a special community of women who open yourselves daily, always help each other out, and offer support and encouragement. You constantly inspire me with your cleverness and creativity, and you share your secret recipes and teach me how to do things I might not try on my own. You make me laugh. You share your thoughts about your lives, homes, kids and husbands, and you don't sugar coat anything. You're not afraid to laugh at your mistakes. You're always ready to try something new, and you can stretch a dollar like nobody's business! You have spirit, grace and true compassion for one another. You encourage me to be the best person I can be.



I wish I could invite each one of you, my friends, to join me on the deck for quiet afternoon "thank you" tea! We would sit outside on a warm afternoon, at the table on the deck. We would share stories about our days, our lives, and our dreams for the future.





I know we would laugh together, a lot!


I think you would like the blue, white and yellow table setting,
and the spring Daffodils.


I would want everything to be especially pretty for you this afternoon, and for us to enjoy an hour or two of warm and comfortable companionship.


The birds chirping, the view of the trees in the orchard,  and the soft ocean breezes would create a relaxing atmosphere.


I'd make something delicious for us to eat, perhaps a light quiche, a fresh green salad, and some warm, crusty bread. I'd like to serve you just-from-the-fields strawberries and cream, for dessert. We would drink cups and cups of jasmine green tea with honey. ( Or, if you prefer, I can brew you some dark and fragrant coffee!)



Sometime during our afternoon, I'd want to share the story about Colette. I heard about her from my friend Kelee, at the Katillak Shack. Colette is alone, and fighting cancer. Kelee and some of her friends, through "Design Gives Back", have been recreating her broken down home into a warm, healing space for Colette, where she can feel safe, nurtured and comfortable while she recovers from chemotherapy sessions.


Sherry, from Country Wings in Phoenix, had a wonderful idea! It's her plan to help cheer Colette up with cards and letters from all of us. I know you would want to send a card or two with a kind and encouraging word for Colette. Won't she be surprised when the cards start filling her mailbox? To get Colette's address, you can e-mail me or Sherry. We'll get right back to you so you can start writing and sending those love notes her way.

In the meantime, I'll get you another cup of tea and some more strawberries. Because that's what friends are for!  Each one of you is unique and special to me, I appreciate you and am so thankful for you! I'm looking forward to our next visit here at Heart and Home, on the Redwood coast.

Until next time,
XO
Heidi

I'm happy to be linking to Between Naps on the Porch, for Tablescape Thursday. Thanks for all the great parties, Susan!

Wednesday Gratitude, where you can post about anything that "makes you happy and makes your heart sing."

14 comments:

cjvierow said...

Heidi

Love the blue! I have old depression glass in cobalt blue which I also love. It would so much fun to have tea with you and use the blue stuff and chat like we'd known each other for ages. We'd maybe get to walk on the beach and collect sea glass???? It's so much fun to put into beadwork. BTW, you did a great job on the lamp shade--looks really good.

I'll be emailing you for Colette's address.

Take care,

CJ

vignette design said...

Hi Heidi, I'm linking up to your gratitude party. Hope it's ok. It's mostly about springtime, but hey-I'm appreciative of Spring!
Love your post. I would love to have tea with you sometime on your blue and white dishes!

Debbiedoos said...

Hi Heidi, I really enjoyed your post and your lovely sentiments to all! Your setting and table are just beautiful! I linked up, and you inspired me to do so, I thank you for that, it was something I needed to be grateful for and put it out there:)

Unknown said...

Heidi, this is such a beautiful post. I am so grateful for your friendship. I can always count on being inspired by stopping by your blog. I also love your table setting. I can't wait until it's warm enough to do that on my front porch (Michigan)...
Blessings on your week.
Mary :o)

Jemsmom said...

Hello Heidi!!! What a beautiful post and I am glad you are my new friend! I am going to pretend I am the Kathryn in your post whether I am or not and brag to my husband that I am not crazy to be so involved in blogging! There are wonderful people out there and you are one of them! Thanks for giving us this opportunity every week to reflect on those things we are grateful for. I hope you have a great week!

Kelee Katillac said...

Hi Heidi!

Just a splendid post! I am a little teary--which could be just the hormones. Yes, we would laugh. Your whole idea of the tea and time together is so well expressed that I could actually hear those birds chirping!!

The table and colors are gorgeous. The sentiments equally so. Thank-you for your support of Colette. She really needs belief and friendship right now. We all need someone to hold the candle of faith for us on occasion. Thank-you for being a friend!

love, kelee

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Oh Heidi Sweetie...
What an exquisite post sweetie. Colette will be so very happy. God has blessed her and all of us, as well, he has pulled us together to remind us what friendship and love is truly all about. To have FAITH in one another, and to lean on each other. I am so thrilled to have met so many wonderful friends as well on my blog. In June it will be 1 year since I started blogging, and the love, the laughter, the tears, the prayers and the beautiful friendships are enough to last me a lifetime. I am truly blessed each day by you wonderful ladies.

I loved my tea and the strawberries were so scrumptous. Oh how I laughed. I needed that laughter today, and I believe the birds were just the best. They didn't seem to mind our disturbance.

Thank you sweetie, so much for sharing your love today. Colette will feel the love from each of us. Watch for my Pink Saturday post, as we are also going to be building her a tree of love. I know you will want to send something in the making of it. Country hugs and so much love, Sherry

Jemsmom said...

I also wanted to tell you how YOU inspire me. With your words, your pictures, your humor, and your creativity. Thank you!

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

Truly an inspiration....GREAT post.
Love your blog.....I am doing some fun blog hopping tonight.
Hope you will stop by for a visit. I have a giveway that I am drawing for this Friday...

Teresa
http://teresa-grammygirlfriend.blogspot.com/

Apron Senorita said...

I too am grateful for new friends. It has been fun blogging with you Heidi. You pictures are so pretty!!

Yoli :)

Denise Marie said...

Heidi, Ditto!!

Blogging is such a joy to me. I truly feel it is God's gift to us!! Real life or Kingdom life..I'll take either 1.

I'd like to sit there with ya for a few hours and just look at your view!!

Blessings

Angie Holden said...

Love your post and your table! I had no idea you were doing this on Wednesday -- great idea!!

Pinky said...

HI Heidi, your table is just beautiful and the setting sounds wonderful!!! I sure wish I could join you but it would be a long trip from PA.!!! I love your dishes, what brand etc. are they??? I e-mailed you to get the address. Thanks, XO, Pinky

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