Next Batch of Postcards

Dear Mom,

It’s so much fun receiving postcards in the mail. Folks I’d least expect a postcard surprise me, and it makes my day. Postcards that I receive through postcrossing surprises me too as I never know where the postcard will be coming from.

My friend Michelle traveled with her family and one of their stops was Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. This is Cliff Palace, an ancestral Pueblo culture site.

My niece’s partner Kate sent me this postcard from Les Deux Magots (on the right) in Paris. Apparently a hang out of Hemingway. You gotta love it. Oh and Kate was writing the postcard while at Les Deux Magots.

Grace, who introduced me to postcrossing took a trip to Malaysia and sent these to me.

Grace also sent this cute postcard.

A lot of times when I receive postcards with a message, I like to think of it as a waking dream.

This postcard came from Taiwan. Shei-Pa Leisure Farm is the only place in Taiwan that grows blueberries.

Munich is the most recent postcard I have received. I love the back because of the way she wrote all over it. It’s the most writing I have seen on a postcard yet!

Here are the stamps:
US (Colorado)

France

Malaysia

Singapore

Taiwan

Germany

Flower of the Week – Black Eyed Susan

Dear Mom,

Now for my favorite flower! Black Eyed Susan’s. I suppose they are similar to the Daisy which are your favorite.

I can’t remember if I told you the story about my attempt at growing these. Before I moved in with Norm, I had Black Eyed Susan’s in my yard growing like crazy. I figured I’d be able to plant them in Norm’s yard as there were plenty of sunny areas in the front. I tried year after year and they never came back. I gave up. I decided I’d enjoy all the other flowers.

One day as I went into the back yard, which was all shady at the time, I saw a patch of something unrecognizable. I wondered what it was. I remembered Ruthie telling me if I liked it to let it grow, but if I didn’t to pull it. A weed was only a weed if you wanted it to be. I liked how the clump of green filled up the bare area, so I left it. Some weeks later I noticed buds on it and I got really excited. I couldn’t imagine what it could be that was wild and was going to bloom.

The next thing I know, the Black Eyed Susan popped out. I did my little happy dance and I thanked God for the gift. We lost many trees in the back and my shady area turned sunny—perfect for the Black Eyed Susan’s. They’ve multiplied as you can see.

Norm keeps telling me to quit planting them because we have enough. I keep trying to tell him I’m not doing a thing. He doesn’t believe me. But it’s true. I’ve never planted one Black Eyed Susan in the back yard.

Each year I’m given more gifts. I had been pulling them out of some areas, but I think I’m just going to let them take over. Why not? How beautiful would that be?

And More Postcards

Dear Mom,

Even though I can send postcards on my own time frame through postcrossing, it seems like I’m always behind. What? Doesn’t make sense.

As soon as I receive a postcard, I need to log it on the postcrossing website, which I do. I just have a hard time sharing them with you. You can see the first, second, third, and fourth one I previously posted, if you want.

Maya, who I met through postcrossing sent this one (not through postcrossing – we are sharing postcards outside of the postcrossing site). This is a traditional funeral ceremony of Hindu people in Bali, called Ngaben.

Next Victoria (your granddaughter) sent this from St. Paul, MN where she and her partner recently moved.

This card is a beaut (I’m partial to clouds) and comes all the way from Finland. I recently seen a cloud just like this and was in awe.

A card from Holland and the person wrote I should try a typical Dutch snack: treacle wafer. Anyone know where I can pick up one of those?

A card from Germany, showing Schlüchtern.

The next card that was sent to me is from China and on the back of the card it says: Wuyuan Scenery.

I have found that since I’ve started this, I get random postcards from people that have no idea I do this, like this card from a youth that my husband and I sponsored to go to Camp Wyman, although I think it’s now called Wyman’s Teen Leadership Program.

This exceptional card I received from Victoria. She thought it was beautiful and I have to agree, it is. Love Who You Are. Isn’t that something we should all do?

Now here are the stamps on the back:

Bali

St. Paul, MN (I was kind of excited because I thought this stamp was a watermelon, but it's not, but it sort of looks like one!)

Finland (that top stamp reminds me of any one of my friends and me.)

Holland

Germany

China

Part of the back of Love Who You Are

Yes, don’t forget, Love Who You Are.

Birthday Wishes Bro!

Dear Mom,

Yesterday was Ruthie’s birthday and today it is Warren’s. When I was little I could never figure out how Warren was older when Ruthie’s birthday came before Warren’s. My little child’s brain… sometimes it’s still a little child’s brain!

In a nutshell, Warren has multiple families. There's quite a gap between his oldest and youngest. Three times the gap you experienced between Warren and myself.

I told you about Warren’s first born Amy in another letter to you.

And here’s a picture of Zack (from Warren’s second wife).

And now his latest family with his current wife.

Warren says the little ones keep him young. They’d make me old. They are cute little stinkers though.

Birthday wishes to Warren and yes, I know he's older than Ruthie!

Flower of the Week – Wildflowers and Birthday Wishes Ruthie!

Dear Mom,

Flowers for you and Ruthie! The timing is perfect in that it is Ruthie’s birthday, but I also think that she’d like wildflowers. Honestly, I’m not sure what her favorite flower is, so hopefully she’ll enjoy these.

And of course, the Smeagol and Kitty have to get in there and tear them up faster than I can enjoy them. I’m surprised I was able to shoot a picture.

I didn’t take any outside pictures of the wild flowers because for one, the pink phlox were all chewed off and the other areas didn’t look so hot. And I wonder why.

I can't remember any tales of when you gave birth to Ruthie. I'm sure she was a more welcomed surprise than I was. If you're going to have one accident, you might as well have two to entertain the first one. And I'm sure glad it happened that way. Even though Ruthie and I fought a lot when we were younger, life would not have been the same without her. We are the best of buds now and she's my sweet 'lil di-di. You'd be so proud of her.

Wishing Ruthie happy days, hopefully on the cooler side. Love you.

Jennifer

Dear Mom,

I suppose you don’t know that my children have an older half sister, Jennifer. Although now that she’s older, I think she prefers Jenn. I met Jennifer when she was nine years old. Here’s a picture of her back then. What I love most about Jenn is her infectious laugh and smile—apparent as she is jumping on her pogo stick! And I said what I love most, but there's everything to love about Jenn.

She was a sweet girl and I’ve kept some things she has made for me. I wasn’t married to her dad all that long (5 years), but Jenn and I have kept in touch through the years. Now she’s a sweet woman!

Jenn’s married and has children of her own. This past Christmas she was able to get together with all her siblings—my children and her other half siblings.

Here’s a picture of all of them, including Jenn’s daughter, Alex. Erik and Ethan (the blonde headed boys) are children from their dad’s last marriage. Jennifer is on the far left. To Jenn's right is my Jessica. Below Jessica is my Rita (the one with the glasses). Ethan is in the front middle with Erik behind him. To the far right in the back is my Casey. In front of Casey is Alex.

The Happy Mother’s Day card Jenn made is nearly 28 years old! Time sure flies.

And here are some other things she made me.

I treasure the friendship I have with Jenn.