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Monday, July 26, 2010

THE FRUIT OF FRIENDSHIP...

I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.

-Emerson-
I spent Friday at the farm picking fruit with my best friend, Pam. This was my first time to take her there and introduce her to the farm since it came into my possession...and I was nervous. Why? I am not sure except I mostly did not want her to be disappointed. Like you, dear readers, she has seen pictures and heard stories and imagined what is in between the two and I did not want to disillusion any ideals she might have formed. What was I thinking, this could not have been further from the truth, we are friends after all. We have known each other for years and that first sweet blush of finding a kindred spirit has grown sweeter and ripened over time into a fully formed friendship. As we drove along the country back roads stories began to roll off my tongue, memories tumbling over themselves in my mind, spilling forth and gathering in our shared basket of friendship.Ripe memories of long ago days, of people who have passed, and those that still linger, some sad, some happy, some funny, and some telling, they piled up like plump juicy apples, one on top of another, adding to our basket of memories.Her stories began to intermingle with mine. There were our grannies and their gardens, our girlhoods, all good memories picked from the past, and, before I knew it we had arrived. My fanciful fears were flights of nothing that evaporated as she stepped from the car and said, "This is beautiful." After a small wander about we set to picking some fruit, side by side new memories blossomed, laughter rang out on the wind as the give and take of conversation flowed.One ant, as nimble as a spider plant... scurried up the ladder into the boughs of the waiting tree to begin picking fruit... while one grasshopper remained on the ground playing with the camera before she gave up her song of snapping photos to be of any real assistance. Different as night and day yet the same as two peas in a pod, we are apples and peaches... And still, we have managed to cultivate a fruitful friendship.

I woke up this morning feeling a very deep gratitude for the gift of friendship which is by choice, someone choosing to like you and accept you for who and what you are and encouraging you to grow and blossom and ripen into the best version of yourself. There is nothing so sweet on the taste of tongue as the word...friend.

I value your friendship here in the land of blog too. I have " met " so many wonderful, funny, creative, talented, caring, sharing, inspiring people here and my gratitude extends to each of you who takes a little time out of your day to visit with me here at Quill Cottage. Your presence never fails to brighten my day.

Below you will find some scans of images from a Victorian era instructional art book for children. These images are free for you to save to your computer and use in any manner in which you wish. They all bear a fruit theme, enjoy!(FREE IMAGE)

Love is flower-like;
Friendship is like a sheltering tree.

-S. T. Coleridge-(FREE IMAGE)(FREE IMAGE)

Friendship is a word, the sight of which in print makes the heart warm.

-Augustine Birrell-(FREE IMAGE)(FREE IMAGE)

Friendship is steady and peaceful; not much jealousy, and no heartburnings. It strengthens with time, and survives...It doubles our joys, divides our griefs, and warms our lives with a steady flame.

-Charles Reade-(FREE IMAGE)
(FREE IMAGE)

A true friend unbosoms freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangably...

-William Penn-(FREE IMAGE)

Blessings,
Miss Sandy

7 comments:

Vee said...

Days like that spent with a good and dear friend are so refreshing! Glad that you grabbed hold and went for it without allowing your reservations to hinder you. I'm inviting friends for ice cream floats in August. They've never been to my home. I have the very same reservations. You know how artfully I can portray nothing. Ha!

Lorrie said...

This is a beautiful post. Friendship is a wonderful blessing, and you've cultivated yours well.

Making new friends is, for me, not easy, and I'm ever so thankful for the blogging friends I've made while I get to know people in my new town.

Lorrie

Bonita said...

Lucky Pam to have spent time with you at such a treasured place! It sounds like so much fun!

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Sweet Friend, that was lovely. I'm smiling at your words.
Hugs and Blessings on this beautiful summer Tuesday....
Diane

Elizabeth said...

What a wonderful day you had at the farm with your friend. Fruit picking is so much less work when one can share it with a friend. Conversation makes the hours fly by.

So, is it a working farm? Who cares for it while you are away?

Fruit and veggies are just beginning to ripen here. It will be so yummy (and require LOTS of work) once everything is ready to harvest.

Have a blessed one!

Sonya Badgley said...

Miss Sandy,
It seems like I've been away so long...but am really glad to be back. It IS wonderful to be able to share happy times and memories with special friends.
Sometimes its not just happy times that we share...my sweet dear friend was with me on the 13th of this month while my mother took her last breath. And I am so thankful that she was there with me to support me, to comfort me... just being there.It meant a lot to me, I will never forget it. No, it wasn't a happy time for me, but it was for my mother as she is dancing in heaven in a new heavenly body, free of pain. And that DOES make me happy for her.
Yes, friends are a blessing and I feel blessed to have you as a friend in blogland too. I appreciate all that you share with us.Thank you dear friend.
Blessings, Sonya

Kim B said...

Thank you for coming to visit my blog. I think I will learn alot from your blog. Thank you for sharing. Smiles, Kim

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