Monday, August 26, 2013

face to face with friends...

We are home...after three weeks on the road. How fun to arrive home just in time for a picnic at Anneliese's cabin on the lake......and visit face to face with a great group of friends! 


We had such a good time catching up. Oh...it's not like we never talk. It's just that most of our visits happen in our 'google group' chat room. And we hadn't met face-to-face in several months. It's the best way to meet!  (The guys were there too...just not climbing trees yesterday! But if you would like a proper account of our evening together, check it out here.)

Now let me tell you about two other face-to-face meetings that took place 'along the trail'...meeting up with two different blogging friends in two separate states.  

Come with me to Maine...where we met my long-time friend, Vee.  We connected many years ago...when we both started blogging about the same time. Her blog A Haven For Vee is a popular one...where she freely shares her life with all who come by to visit. 

 
We followed the winding road to the designated meeting place...a country cafe that serves up hearty breakfasts. Would the Vee in flesh-and-blood be the Vee I had come to know from blogdom?   At the appointed time...Vee and John pulled into the parking lot. Right from the start...it was as though we were old friends. There were many things to discuss...from politics to the economy to the grands and double yolked eggs. Vee invited us to her haven after breakfast...thinking we would enjoy some coffee cake together (fresh out of the oven and featuring local blueberries). But after downing all those double-yolkers...we had no room for cake. Instead...John took Elmer on a tour of the shop he had built and I asked Vee if I could snoop...inside her haven. It's funny...reconciling all the images I have seen over the years with the reality of what I was seeing. It all made sense now! And yes...it is a cozy, warm and welcoming place!  And her back yard?  It is rather like a park!


  We took a 'parting shot' there....a memento of our face-to-face meeting on August 14, 2013.
   
 
And when it was time to go...Vee insisted they would lead us through the backroads...a short cut that our GPS Jane would never know about. And so...we had a pilot car through an interesting area...where tourists rarely go. And when they had us at the entrance to the highway...they raced on ahead and parked on the overpass and waved. And that was our introduction to Maine...a very warm and friendly one. 

Oh...and I must mention the goodies that Vee sent along with us. For our snacking pleasure...the blueberry coffee cake that we had turned down at her place....was our treat for the next three days. And I have a bag of goodies that I will un-pack properly one of these days to remind me of our face-to-face meeting. In it is my favorite beverage, some treats for the road, something for the grands, and an apron made by Vee. Thank-you, Vee and John...for being such gracious hosts and such friendly ambassadors for Maine. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in your state...our time in Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park...and the friends that made our visit special.


We carried on with our travels down the east coast, and by the time we arrived in Pennsylvania we had an invitation waiting for us in our 'in-box'. Would we like to come for dinner that very evening? We would...and we did! The invitation came from Judy who blogs at 'Just a Little Something For You'...and has been my blogging friend almost from the start. Judy's blog is where to go if you need a reason to smile...a word of encouragement...a place that emphasizes those things that matter most in life. What a delightful evening we had!



We ate on Judy's back porch (the one I know well from her blog)...enjoyed a fabulous dinner...and talked about our families, cars from by-gone days, and our faith. The hours flew by...and before we knew it...the candles had burned to the bottom of their wicks...and the porch was dark.


It was time to go...and so much remained unsaid. I'm hoping we meet again...and can carry on where we left off. Judy sent along a pan of homemade blueberry baked oatmeal...which we enjoyed for breakfast the rest of the week. So good!

I'm so thankful for all those friends with whom I can visit 'virtually' on a regular basis. But how much more special to visit face-to-face.


It is a wealthy person, indeed, who calculates riches not in gold but in friends. 
Jim Stovall

19 comments:

  1. Good morning! How wonderful to meet these two special women. Two of my very favorite bloggers as well! I can't think of much else I would rather do than meet up with these gals. How fun that must have been. Glad you got to do that. I am just noticing your profile here beside me as I type this and I didn't realize you lived on a dairy farm. My daughter and her husband do as well. I wonder how different your dairy might be to theirs as your surroundings are no doubt soo different. Loved Vee's backyard btw, it WAS like a park...soo pretty. Oh, and loved the pic of the girls in the tree. Enjoy your day!

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  2. This post makes me nearly a bit teary to see you with our blogging friends! What a gift from God these women are in our lives as they share their hearts and their homes with us so often. I've looked forward to this post and it makes me smile to see that of all the things you could begin to share with us of your travels...you began with what matters most...friendships.

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  3. Judy, I have come to know you are rich in friendship blessings because you are genuine and naturally such a lovely person to spend time with. What a special blessing to come home to such a wonderful evening with 'our girls and their guys". We were so sorry to miss out! Your special visits along the way warmed my heart. I can well imagine how rich in friendship blessings you feel after so many face to face visits. I had one yesterday as well.....have you heard who? You will:)

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  4. Who would have thought that it would be possible for me to write a comment to you, after having the distinct privilege of meeting you in person. Wow! What a gift it was for me and my husband, to sit at our table with you two and talk the night away. We feel so honored to have been given that gift, and so blessed by our time together.

    I can only imagine how much fun it was to sit and talk with your dear friends again, after being away for so long. Friendships are the best!

    Thank you for your kind words in regards to our visit, on today's post.

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  5. How neat to meet in person two special friends! I wonder, if there was a way to count, how many friendship have been made through the blogging world - now dear friends that would otherwise never have met ! A blessing of technology!

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  6. How fun to meet friends face to face. Vee is a favorite stopping point of mine in the blogging world, and now I'm going over to meet the other Judy.

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  7. Love that you were able to meet up with bloggy friends on your trip and connect face to face. So good to see you last night at the lake!

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  8. It's so nice to hear about your visit with Vee and Judy too. What great photos and memories on your long trip. I haven't been to Judy's blog but will do so now. Meeting other bloggers is just great isn't it? We are blessed. Hugs, Pam

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  9. Phew! Enough comments so I can now safely do so. LOL!

    Judy, it was our distinct pleasure meeting you and Elmer. I did feel as if I knew you, of course, but the entire blogging experience becomes richer with a real life meeting. Can't wait to get these Smarties (all four packs, too) over to the grands. They've been burning a hole in my willpower for quite some time now.

    Thank you for the many gifts and the kind words here.

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  10. How wonderful that you had the opportunity to sit face to face with blogging friends...I can only imagine! The photos are really beautiful too!!

    A happy blessed life you live :-)

    Hugs!

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  11. I am thinking there needs to be a button designed to display on a blog where you have popped up. Something like "Judy's came and sat on my porch!"

    (Bernie would argue it should be "Got Elmer Time"!

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  12. The best parts of hearing about your trip are the stories of meeting with friends! We travel there vicariously with you. I know the feeling of meeting a blog friend after years of online visits and I too was not disappointed one bit. It's so great to see the friends on the blog are what they are in real.

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  13. It has been such a pleasure to read about your meetings with Vee and Judy. I enjoy all three of your blogs, so this opportunity to hear about you meeting in person has been such a lot of fun. So glad you included the important things like what was discussed and eaten. :). The photos are wonderful.

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  14. Two of my very favorite bloggers!! YOU and VEE!!! And we feel like we know John. I loved the time Vee posted a video where we could hear his voice.
    I ran over to the other Judy and 'met' her through her post today. I just LOVE the World of BLOG!!! You get to meet such NICE people!!!

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  15. That is awesome that you got to visit face to face! I am enjoying following Vee's blog, and now I will have to go and check out Judy as well. What a great trip you must have had!

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  16. It sounds like you had a wonderful time!

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  17. Nice!!! Someday I hope to meet you all in person too. (Iowa isn't that far away...)

    stay cool (It's way too warm here in the Midwest!)
    your indexer

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  18. What a wonderful trip and even more special getting a chance to meet friends along the way! Vee is my special blog buddy and I hope I get to meet her someday, too! I'll go visit Judy's blog, too! Wouldn't you like to drive down to Florida...it's nice and warm down here! heehee! It sure is fun to travel! Sweet hugs!

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  19. Judy, I enjoyed reading about your meeting Vee and Judy through their posts and. Now yours! it is so wonderful to meet blog friends in person.

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