Thursday, December 22, 2011

all on a winter's day...

Yesterday was a picture perfect day here in the valley.

I wish I could have been outside...
but had to be content with the view from my office window for the most part.

I had a friend call...
just wondering if we might possibly sneak in a game of tennis before the day was over.

It was a good idea...
but my 'to do list' was too long!

 
In the afternoon...
I took a drive out in the countryside to deliver necessary paperwork to our accountant.
 
While most accountants have an office in the city...
ours has an office on his farm.

 
I always enjoy the drive back to the neighbourhood where we once lived!


And while I waited on a passing train...
I played with the camera.
It was hard to take a bad shot yesterday!

It may be known as the shortest and darkest day of the year...
but December 21st  was bright and beautiful in my corner of the world in 2011!


I picked up the mail on the way home...
and was delighted to find a parcel.

The name on the return address was unfamiliar to me...
but I opened the package and read the note.
And I smiled!

It was from someone who grew up nearby...
and even babysat my children on occasion.
She made beautiful music...
and always had a smile on her face.
She married and moved away many years ago...
and took on a new name that I never recognized.

She had read the post about halvah  on 'My Front Porch' last year....
...and when she saw a small brick of the Christmas confection in a store recently... 
she decided to gift me with it.
How sweet is that?

And here's the thing.
As we drove home from the Christmas concert the previous evening...
we talked of her and wondered how she was doing.
We haven't seen her in years!
The next day...
the package arrived in the mailbox.
How can that be?

Thank-you, Janice...
for the halvah!

I sampled it for 'night lunch'.
It was good...
a taste of Christmas past!


15 comments:

  1. God winks! Love them. Find them all the time if I am looking for them. Just a beautiful day filled with nice memories and then the tangible arrived confirming it all. Gosh, I do wish my drives looked like your drives. Gorgeous country!

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  2. Oh Judy...these shots are fantastic and make me miss the mainland. What fantastic sunny weather we have had this December. Glad to see you got out a bit, even if it was to run a few errands. What a delightful gift from a thoughtful friend...

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  3. So glad you had your camera with you on your visit to the accountant's "office". It's easy to see why you enjoy that drive. So scenic and beautiful.

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  4. Lovely post! Lovely photos! You live in a beautiful 'neighborhood!'

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  5. My parents enjoy halvah. What a sweet touch and memory. Gorgeous day and photos!

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  6. You live in such a beautiful part of the world. I would love to take a drive through those mountains.

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  7. Beautiful mountain scenery! Have a wonderful Christmas, Judy!

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  8. We were talking about halvah recently too! Someone at the table was very curious how it would taste. Our kids would probably remmeber as soon as they see it and smell it.. it was something their great-grandmother used to bring to family Christmas gathering.
    Love your Dec 21st story!

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  9. It was a beautiful day here in the valley...you and I were enjoying the same snow capped mountains....from very close locations.
    Isn't it funny how you can be thinking of a person and then your paths cross.....what a sweet package. My mom was the only one in the family who ate hulva.

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  10. OH how precious is that? I love the way blogging brings out the best in everyone...writers, readers, and sometimes even though we don't realize have noted our memories from so long ago.

    OH I hope you can put the office work behind you now.

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  11. I love your mountain views, Judy.

    Our weather here in NYC has been so unseasonably warm ..it is almost 60 degrees here today! I hope it doesn't mean that when winter finally arrives it will be a hard, cold one.

    If you send me you address you might receive a Halvah package from me next year :) I find it here all the time ... along with other Ukrainian, Russian, and Middle Eastern treats.

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  12. Such wonderful scenery and great photos! Looks like you won't have a white Christmas either! Blessings for a great week-end!

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  13. What a lovely thing for your old friend to do!
    We always had Halvah for Christmas, but didn't know that anyone else had this tradition.

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  14. The pictures are stunning. What fun to get a surprise like that from and old friend in the mail.

    I am loving the red sled! My childhood memories <3

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  15. Hasn't it been amazing weather lately?! What a gorgeous way to wind down to Christmas...and with halvah no less! Mmmmmmmmm.

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson