You've got mail!

The phrase, 'You've got mail' takes on a new meaning in this modern age.  Today it tends to mean an email has dropped into the inbox, and often that mail is only glanced at before being 'pinged' off into space.  Why?  Because invariably it is trivia.

 

Last week I received 'real mail'.  A little girl in my extended family sent a pink envelope with her 'writing' in blue, on the front.  Her Mum had carefully put my name and address in the spaces left by my junior correspondent.  The glitzy pinkish-purplish butterfly held pride of place near the stamp.  Inside the envelope I discovered more writing, once again deciphered by the mother, and some family photos that I will treasure.

 

Today I posted a reply to this little three-year old, and fervently hope her efforts at letter writing carry over into adulthood.  What a little treasure she is!

 

Today I received more 'real mail'; this time an impressive missive from my senior cousin with whom I keep in regular 'snail mail' contact.  [She has no computer, nor indeed no computer skills.]  We write several pages [confession ... I type and print them out.  My excuse reason is that my handwriting skills are disgusting, probably due to lack of exercise, but as I learned to type when a tender 13 year old my keyboard skills are more commendable] to each other fortnightly, catching up with family news, things that have happened or things that may, or may not, happen, the weather, the garden and all those seemingly small items that make up the tapestry of our daily lives. 

 

Real letters I keep [for a long time, maybe not forever]; real letters I read more than once, real letters I would never dream of tossing into the fire before reading the last line several times, which is completely opposite to 'pinging off' an email.

 

I recall setting aside letter writing time; usually an afternoon when I replied to all my mail, and there were often several requiring my attention each week; elderly aunts and uncles with whom I religiously kept in touch relating small items of my daily existence and the tales of a growing family, but in doing so those older family members, often single, or widowed, felt they belonged.

 

I look with sadness the numbers of folk who prefer to txt text, or send a joke via email.  Slowly but surely the bonds of family life weaken; it is my fervent wish they do not disappear into the shroud of time.

mid winter sunrise

Almost mid-winter; only a few hours later, and the most magnificent red sunrise greeted the new day.  The old saying, 'Red sky at night, shepherds delight, red sky in morning, shepherds warning' armed us mere mortals for a not so lovely day.

The wood box is full, the day has offered a few showers, but rain is warmer than some other weather conditions, and the fire remains unlit, though as darkness falls over the land the fire will warm our room.

 

I noticed the red sky and knowing that those red skies do not last, it was a matter of grabbing the camera, rushing outdoors in my dressing gown, and taking a photo.  Wow!  What a red sky!

Sadly the huge full moon will not be visible ... due to heavy cloud cover.  To have been able to see that, and such a red morning sky would have been unusual.  Oh well, there will be another time to see the moon in all its full moon glory close as it gets to Earth!

Throwing hat in

The old saying, 'throw your hat in the door' has relevance today.  I haven't posted here for over a month!

 

Last year I purchased a new washing machine and early in May found out that the particular brand, and model, had a problem.  Some were going on fire!  Needless to say I hurriedly emailed the makers, and am now awaiting a repairman to visit to fix the problem.  In the meantime instead of just putting the washing in and flicking a few buttons I need to check for the smell of heat or the presence of smoke!  Certainly puts a new complexion on washday.  Next week the problem will be solved and I will no longer need to keep a careful watch on the machine.

 

Instead of dry wizened wide outdoors we now look out on verdant green, and oh, how easy it is on the eyes.  Other Half is sawing wood for the fire, and we no longer swelter in sticky heat.  Winter is a much preferable season in this part of Western Australia.

 

 

With the cooler weather my crafting enthusiasm increases ... perhaps I am less frazzled!  Over the past few days I have made some glove puppets for my littlest grandson.  There is a picture on my other blog here .

 

Now to cast my mind around for another project; I have a plant in a pot that needs breaking up and planting out.  You may have guessed that gardening is not something that I have a talent for, but I do like a little colour in the garden during winter.  The nasturtium seeds I planted have 'taken' though there are some misses ... one wonders what creature lives in the ground the fancies nasturtium seeds to supplement its diet?