Think about this for a while.....

If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet (1807-1882)

*****

I don't have any enemies; or maybe I just think I don't. I do like that quote, though, and if we thought more about each persons sorrow and suffering - we surely would be less hostile and more compassionate toward them. 

Several surprises happened here last night. My cat came in from the garage carrying a tiny mouse (dead, thankfully) and deposited it in the kitchen floor. I scooped it up quickly (thanks to the all-seeing eyes of our house guest) and put it in the trash. 

Said house guest has been between houses since he sold his in early January. I offered him to stay here until he could buy and close on another home. What was supposed to take 4-6 weeks turned into 3 months, but we didn't mind at all. If you ever want a nice, nice person to share your home - I have one to recommend! 

The other surprises consisted of his parting gifts:  a Cruz book reader/web-surfer/email receiver/Facebook gizmo that is truly terrific in every way! I just have to figure out how to work it and then I can start downloading books to my heart's content. Mr. kenju received his very own DVD player and a basketball DVD of great teams; nothing could please him more than that. I also got a DVD of one of my favorite movies. He, of course, was not required to give us parting gifts - but wasn't it nice that he did!!? Truth be told, I will miss him more than he knows.

Two in One

EDIT BELOW!! Two of my favorites in one thing:   frogs and computers!! My daughter found this frog and brought it home to me today, while I was at work. It will go on my Christmas tree next year, but until then it will hang over the kitchen sink...where I display my latest treasures.

EDIT!    I am having a great deal of trouble commenting on some blogs. The word "comments" appears, but nothing is "clickable" and I can't open a comment box. So, Celia, Sage and several others..... know that I am trying, but I can't comment.

The Rest from Fearrington

                       The trash can had a nice motto:  "If we all hold hands we can't fight."This ceiling medallion, made many years ago by Jenny Fitch, consists of preserved magnolia leaves.

Cake anyone? Or maybe some small trays to serve it on. I love the one that says..."Masquerading as a normal person day after day is exhausting." I'll just bet that it is!! 

How about some candles "from the deep sea?"These felted animals and ornaments remind me of my blog friend Vicki, who makes her own felted objects. Small pine cone candles....

A nice quote....

A driftwood horse....

and the doves who give the Dovecote its name!  We enjoyed our visit to Fearrington and I hope all of you did too.

The Dovecote at Fearrington

As usual, the photos went on the blog in reverse order. I know, I know -  it's user error. All the things you see here are available at the charming shop I told you about yesterday. You can see their web-site if you go back one post and follow the links. I call the one above "A bucket of Love."

They have amusing signs, soft and cuddly stuffed animals, a whole wall of spa products, each one more luxurious than the next.

Cute moss dogs with bandannas and purses galore. Do you prefer green or orange? If that's not your bag, they have black, white, coral, yellow ocher and everything inbetween!

Small trays with pithy sayings....brain coral from the sea,

T-shirts to advertise your whereabouts or where-I've been's...in every color imaginable. The banded cows are called belted Galloways. They are the symbol for Fearrington Village, chosen by the people who started the village many years ago. And one last photo from the luncheon...see the "gathering" on the wall? It's an ingenious use of farm and garden implements, all painted the same color. I want to make a similar one for my pool pump house, and paint it the same color as the pool water!

Wold you believe I still have photos to show you? Tomorrow, or in a few days, I'll show you the rest of them.

I'm working this weekend; helping to do and deliver floral arrangements and decor for the Jim Valvano Cancer Research Gala Events. Posting, visiting and commenting will have to take a back seat to work, but I'll return!

Who among us doesn't count himself lucky to have even one very good friend?

The many virtual friends I am blessed to have are a source of derision to my family (mostly my children), and I have learned to nod and smile (in my infinite wisdom) ~ because I have found over the past five years that is the wiser track to take. They will never understand, unless they become bloggers, at how deep the good feelings run between bloggers and other on-line friends.

Reading a post recently, about dear departed Bobbie (written by her daughter Kitty) I was struck by the words she used to describe her mother's feelings for and about her fellow bloggers, the value of blogging to Bobbie and how it changed her for the better, as far as communication was concerned. We could all take a lesson there, and this is not the first posthumous post I've read that said virtually the same things.

I've written before about how, when I tried to join Facebook, I could not sign on with the name I use everyday because there was already someone with that name on there. I had to use my more formal given name - but that is fine - as it allows more of my older friends from school to find me. I sent a message to the other Judy and we became friends on Facebook. Recently, she posted about having blueberry coffee, and I said I thought that must be very good. Before I knew it, she was asking for my address, and soon after came a pound of the most heavenly coffee I've had in a long time. The only thing to top it is Gloria Jean's butter toffee coffee - surely it is manna from the Gods!! The blueberry coffee is second, I'm sure.

The other Judy has a sister who lives about 20 miles from me. We haven't met yet, but that might be possible come the early fall. I imagine that drawing above to be our visit; two Judy's who share a first and last name, and a sister. (One of those girlies up there should have gray hair!)

I don't blog for the gifts......LOL...but every time something comes in the mail, I am astounded that people are as giving as they are - to complete strangers. I've gotten CD's, Origami trees, books, a singing bear, blue cornmeal, photo calendars - and I'm certain to be forgetting something important - so forgive me if I left out something YOU sent!