Our search for more of the doll/figurine produced exactly nothing. I keep reminding Don that early spring is a great time to find things. There’s not a lot of vegetation yet and bits and bobs come to the surface as the ground thaws.
We invited Rick and Doug over for an impromptu socially distanced get-together yesterday afternoon. Don knew just the spot; Maple Grove (a clearing he created) up in our woods. He carried our four vintage white chairs up there and then I helped him arrange them at a healthy social distance.
You can see them off in the distance.
To orient you – you can see the path on the left that ends in our neighbor’s meadow. The stump on the right was cut from our fallen maple.
We wore masks, we talked for two hours – it was heaven. I really miss those talks with our dear friends. And oh, how I wanted to hug them! I miss hugging, though Don and I hug a lot, thank goodness. But my natural instinct is to embrace my friends and family and that’s a no-no right now.
Rick and Doug. They brought their own beverages.
It was just what we needed, time with our friends up in the woods. The great thing about having it there is that the noise from the road is much less intrusive, though our neighbors were using their chainsaw to cut up all the trees that the utility company dumped on their lawn. Still, it wasn’t bad at all.
As Doug said, it would be a great place to read. There was a lovely breeze and it was quiet.
Why didn’t I think of that?
Anyway, after wondering what to do with that area, we now see that we need more of the vintage white chairs and we’re going to place them in Maple Grove. Next year. Or maybe this year if we come across some!
Seeing that splash of white in the woods is really neat.
I’m reading All the Devils are Gone by Louise Penny. I’m deliberately reading slowly so I can savor it, knowing I’ll have to wait another year for her next book.
A photo from the day I met her at a book signing in NYC.
I was thinner then. Sigh.
I’d say my hair had less gray but truthfully, there’s still a fair amount of brown in my hair. It just looks different according to the light. Overhead lights and sunlight makes it look very gray – almost white. It’s ‘evolving.’
Louise’s longtime editor, Hope Dellon, was sitting right in front of me at that event and we became Twitter pals. Hope passed away several months ago. I knew she had been ill; nonetheless, I was shocked when I realized she had died. Louise speaks movingly about Hope in her Acknowledgements. Make sure you read about her. She was something else.
Last, but not least, Kathy sent us a little package which Don picked up at the post office the other day.
Whoo hoo! We LOVE them!
Thank you so much, Kathy!
Stay safe.
Happy Sunday.
What a beautiful place to take a book, read, and enjoy nature. Oh, I love it so much. Beautiful picture of you and Louise Penny. Gorgeous…the masks are cute…Glad you are enjoying the book. Have a wonderful day…reading and relaxing. I want those woods…prayers prayers brendab
Prayers here, as well!
Stay safe, Brenda.
Beautiful photo of the two of you! I.too,read it slowly.Finished it last evening and think it might be my all-time favorite of the series. I plan to reread many of them in the coming months.Love the masks.xo
I just may do the same, Annette!
Thanks so much and stay safe!
what wonderful pictures! throughout the post. they make me smile. xo
So glad to put a smile on your face today, Tammy!
Stay safe!
Yes, thank you so much for such lovely photos; Maple Grove is enchanting! The vintage white chairs are just the right touch, so inviting.
Best to you and Don,
Alice
Thank you so much, Alice!
Stay safe.
Aw, Maple Grove. Looks like a great place for a picnic! Love it.
It’s awfully nice up there, Shanna.
Stay safe!
What a great day, Claudia. There is nothing better than connecting with dear friends at any time but right now, after being denied such privileges without precautions, just to sit feet apart and wear your masks seems like a special gift. I’ve been very edgy of late and I know it is in anticipation of Michigan winter and the time when those visits will stop. Even now, they are rare. Rick and I aren’t even supposed to hug although we broke that rule up north before he left on his bike hike. I thought if he’s going to possibly tangle with a bear or a Trumpist who doesn’t like his mask, I at least want a big hug before he goes. He’s visiting the grands today and that means really keeping distance (vs. distance but not worrying too much if we’re in the kitchen together or opposite ends of the sofa.
I love your Maple Grove. It’s beautiful and a lovely place to be. I hope you keep the chairs there and take up that suggestion to read out there. I have to admit I’m a bit envious of your fabulous photo with the Divine Ms. Penny! Every now and then I write my Imaginary Dinner Party list — a future post. Some of the guests change. Louise Penny is always there!
It must be so hard for you and Rick not to hug, Jeanie! Sending you a virtual hug from the Hudson Valley.
Well, the chairs are on the Funky Patio and in the Secret Garden. But I’m thinking of moving one or two of them up to Maple Grove – at least until we can afford two or three more.
Louise Penny is wonderfully warm and as nice as you would expect her to be. She took the time to chat with everyone. I told her I had written about her on my blog – this was well before she became so popular in the States – and she went on and on about how important bloggers were to her success. She mentioned that in her autograph. She is someone that I know I would be fast friends with if I lived near her in Quebec.
Stay safe!
so nice that you could have that visit with friends in person and in such a beautiful place!
and that you could save a stump from your beloved maple tree.
hope you can find more vintage white chairs … they look great out there. might be a good time to search for them, what with cooler weather on the way.
is maple grove a new name for that spot?
nice photo of you and don (except for the need to wear masks). :) a while back you mentioned wanting to not think about pino and instead do what you could to elect biden. that’s when i thought about masks for you and don. glad they arrived alright.
almost done with my closet switcharoo project and they (four closets) look and function so much better. and more importantly, it feels better! same with four cupboard shelves and my refrigerator, too. now it’s time for a break. :)
hope you have a good night.
and stay safe!
kathy in iowa
almost forgot … glad that you and louise penny could meet each other! another nice photo of you.
kathy in iowa
xoxo
No, Don named it Maple Grove in the spring when he first cleared it. It’s surrounded by maples. We also have Catalpa Lane – the path where there are four catalpas and the new area that he cleared for me is the Park.
Thanks so much for the masks. Yes, they are pro instead of anti and that’s just what we need. You are so thoughtful, my friend.
Stay safe – I’m glad your organizing venture has paid off!
i am happy that you and don have enough land for several special areas and i love that you’ve named them!
being “for” something rather than “against” something else may seem inconsequential to some people, but i try to choose the more positive way in part because it helps my mood. not always easy for me, but i try.
the masks look great.
what is it … 48 days until election day? i am sometimes excited about that, sometimes very anxious. come what may, i want the election over and the results known!
anyway, not going to think about that tonight. sorry i brought it up. :)
hope you have a good night and stay safe!
kathy in iowa
xoxo
you’re welcome. :)
xo
Your remarks on hair colour made me smile. I regard each of my feet hairs as a badge of honour: I worked hard to earn every damn one of them!
Edit:each of my GREY hairs! Predictive text that doesn’t recognise the Aussie spelling!!
xo
I agree! I’ve never tried to cover them up.
Stay safe, Denise.
You can spend the winter thinking how you want to set up your cozy woodsy nook. I would have never thought to fix a place to read in there. It is great to be able to sit down with someone, even if it’s 6 feet apart. For us it’s been our son and his girlfriend. And it does feel funny not being able to hug them. I’ll have lots of hugs saved up for when this is over. The ones I hold dear better watch out.
Oh, me too! I come from a family of huggers, so I really have to work hard NOT to hug.
Stay safe, Kay.
Love the new area!! The white chairs look so pretty. It is so wonderful to connect with friends in-person, and not only over phone/ zoom/ face time calls. Even with masks, it is so much better.
After many days of rain, we had some sun today and temps into the upper 60’s. My hubs and our daughter, along with my friend’s hubs and their daughter did a 3 hour kayak down the Wisconsin River early this aft. Afterwards she came into town and the kayakers came back here and we did take outs. They sat at the picnic table outside and we were inside behind the garage door screen. It was so nice. We talked about what we will do in about 6 weeks or so when weather won’t allow this. I don’t even want to think about that. And all I keep thinking is that it didn’t have to be this way……..
I can’t go there yet. The thought of winter and having to stay indoors makes me stressed.
You’re right. It didn’t have to be this way.
Stay safe, Chris!
Love the masks! How great to have your friends over to share your lovely piece of god’s green acres. What a boost to the soul. We have a long, steep, narrow driveway here and when I’ve been out (very rarely), I stop at the bottom to see if I can hear the creek, or the birds, or soak in the green shades and the occasional wild flower. The other day I was there looking at the little worse for the wear bright yellow daisy. I looked up to see my husband’s car in my face. We surprised each other. Even tho I am not good going in reverse, I was able to back out so he could leave. And then the next day, he left for the grocery store and I had to go to the bank, so I waited for about 10 minutes and headed down the driveway only to find HIM parked at the end of it. He didn’t even know that I was there. Some day, we might have to have the bushes cut back. :-)
That makes me laugh. Unexpectedly encountering each other at the end of the driveway!
Stay safe, Nora.