A friend stopped by to visit yesterday afternoon & we spent the time out in the garden where I was working on fence panels. We originally planned to have lunch, but that didn’t work out. We sat around the fire pit, but no fire - fairly breezy & I didn’t want to risk smoke/flying embers.
It’s been a weird 2 years ... we used to have dinner once a month, maybe every other month when we were busy. When WuFlu hit, we didn’t see each other at all. So I have been holding last year’s birthday present (November) & Christmas present and she’s done the same. Yesterday, we finally exchanged gifts!
She gave me a bunch of things (I did the same) ... as subjects come up in (phone) conversations, we make notes of each other’s interests & tend to gift along those lines. So I had mentioned wanting to have an herb garden again (had one some years ago) & being interested in medicinal herbs. My favorite present was the book ‘Alchemy of Herbs’ by Rosalee de la Foret. Rosalee also has a podcast on herbs that my friend listens to “Herbs with Rosalee” (I subscribed last night for future listening). Other herb-related gifts (all local companies): Elderberry Loose Leaf Tea & a small 4 oz. bottle of ‘Fire Cider’ Additionally, there was a 200 ml bottle of Harissa infused olive oil & a bottle of white wine (Pinot Grigio) from a local winery. Also, there were gardening gloves: a 3-pack of nitrile gloves (top is fabric) & a 2-pack of Comfort Hyde goatskin leather gloves - leather on bottom, fabric on top. I feel like I hit the lotto!
We were talking about her grandkids & my great nieces & nephews .... showed her the books I’ve gotten them for Christmas: ‘Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots’ and ‘Sunflower House’. She loved them & will be ordering for her grandkids. One thing I gave her for Christmas was a book of Williamsburg decorations, both outside & inside - the pictures are fantastic, there are a few instructions for making some of the decorations & it also includes a few Colonial Williamsburg type recipes for the holidays. She went to Williamsburg last year when the Colonial village was decorated, but the interiors were closed, so she’d not seen how they decorate inside. She’s going to take copies of some of the decorations to make with her grandkids when they all meet up for Christmas at their great-grandparents house.
It was a fun time seeing each other again .... now it’s back to fencing & today should be leaf pick up/into the compost bin day. Rain Monday/Tuesday so the leaves need to come up today ... they’re pretty thick. We’ll have to pick up at least one more time - two of the trees are still pretty leafy while most are just about bare. It looks like another gorgeous Fall day here - yesterday was fabulous.
You got some great stuff! I really missed my BFFs during the lock downs. We did a lot of Friday night Happy Hour Zoom meetings, but it’s just not the same. We’re making up for lost time these days - we’ve had something scheduled every month for the past three.
I’m glad those books are a hit! :)
Speaking of Christmas Decor, we are planning a trip to Villa Louis in Prairie du Chien when they’re all done up for Christmas. Can’t wait!