My readers are the best! 10-11-23

Sheryl, Norma’s daughter, sent me this note today:

when i got to the nursing home today, the business manager told me mom got 15 more cards today. when i got to mom’s room, she had the cards on her dinner tray and was reading a card. she smiled when i walked in and picked up a pile of cards and told me “look at this!” she was telling me some of the states they came from. she was so happy!

i started reading the cards. mary, you have the sweetest, kindest readers! my brother, sister-in-law and their 2 dogs also visited so i didn’t read any more cards but we looked at all the cards and where they came from. i’ll read the cards when i visit next time. 

mom said she didn’t think she could thank everyone and i said she didn’t need to. i will bring a card she can sign and i’ll send it to you. thank you and your readers for being so thoughtful!

here are pictures of mom and bailey and her cards.

You all did a good thing for a lady you don’t even know – now this is what I think thoughtfulness is all about! Thank you!!

And harvest continues full swing with field work thrown in as fast as possible because we have rain in the forecast.

Finn and Ivy were here again today (their mom got home tonight – boy, I’ll bet she got a greeting!) so we rode the wilderness trail several times. It’s just so pretty out there in the woods – I hate to see it end. Remember those snow drifts from last year?

Brrrr

From readers:

My volunteer tomato plant by the barn got hit with frost last night – soon I’ll be pulling up dead vines and plants. So glad I’ve got all my house plants inside.

Thank you all again for sending a card to Norma – it’s such a small thing to do but I’ve explained in an earlier post why I think cards are a special gift. You’re all rock stars in my book!

31 thoughts on “My readers are the best! 10-11-23”

  1. Bea knight

    Hi Mary
    Those dogs are GORGEOUS!!! Wow! I wonder what kind of dogs they are? Rescue?

    Anyway Thankyou for Norma’s address you are so kind!
    God bless you!
    Bea knight 90 degrees here in Florida please send a cold front😂

  2. Launa

    Mary,
    Waiting on snow! News forecast has it coming soon!
    What a wonderful smile Norma has holding Bailey n some of our birthday cards! Love the Scottie’s on her top. At 95 Norma must have so much past history to share.
    Off to my power recliner a while!
    Was a chilly 38o this morning.
    Launa

  3. Anne in Southern IA

    Harvest is in full swing here, too, going way into the night. It’s so dusty you can see it for quite a ways.

  4. Mareen

    Mary that was so nice of you and everyone that sent cards!! And what a beautiful lady she is !!
    Happy Birthday again!!

  5. Cheryl from Niagara Falls

    This brought such a smile to my face. I missed the address for the cards ( I am really bad checking my mail everyday), but would love to send a straggler card also. When my mom was turning 98 I asked on fb to please send her a card. Well, she got SO many, over 100, and the smile on her face was priceless. She was a bit confused as I read them as she couldn’t remember the names. Of course, most were strangers to her, but those cards stayed taped to her kitchen door for over a year. Such a small kindness brought an old lady so much joy.

  6. Kathy Hanson

    It was so nice to see the picture of Norma enjoying her cards, yes, what an easy thing it is to do and when it makes someone so happy it is so wonderful! All of us that follow your blog will do almost anything for you! You make us happy every time we read your blog and see what others are doing . You have no idea what a
    wonderful thing you do for all of us! You are one very special woman and I know that I LOVE YOU and I am sure so does everyone that follows your blog! You make a big difference in the world! !!!!!

  7. Sheryl K Harrison

    Since mom (Norma) entered the nursing home in March, I look at the birthday list in the nursing home newsletter to see if I know anyone. After Mary’s invitation to send mom cards, I decided instead of seeing if I know these people, I would bring a birthday card when I visit mom.

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Sheryl – oh, what a good idea! I need to get back on the newsletter list at Concord. Then I’ll be able to see upcoming birthdays and meet some others who live there.

  8. Kathy - SW PA

    Thank you , Mary, for your idea to send cards to Norma. YOU DID GOOD!!! Just seeing the picture of Norma’s smiling face with the cards, made my day!

  9. Alice in SW Ohio

    Love the picture of the 3 pups! Beautiful quilts, too! Many years ago a friend asked me to put together a quilt from blocks that her mother & grandmother had made. It was a Grandmother’s Flower Garden. I appliqued each one onto a pretty mint green. She cried when I took the quilt to her! She had played with these quilt blocks when she was a little girl. Since I was out of town & just returned, I’ll be sending my card to Norma today! I would like to offer a suggestion to Norma’s daughter. So that Norma can keep all of her cards & enjoy later this is what I did after my husband passed. I wanted to keep all the cards in a neat place. I bought a loose leaf notebook & plastic sleeve protectors. I opened up each card so I could see what was written & slid it in. It’s been 3 yrs this month, but I still enjoy going through & reading what people wrote. I’ll send a picture, Mary so you have an idea what I’m talking about. Yesterday I got rid of most of my outside flowers, but I still have 2 huge pots of geraniums & a fern that are doing great. I may cut the geraniums back & see if I can save them for next year! They’re just beautiful! Tomatoes & peppers on the patio are about done, too!

    1. Sheryl K Harrison

      Good idea, Alice! I’ll take a notebook to the nursing home when I go next time. (i just made a note) Right now, she put the cards in a magazine holder. I thought about bringing a basket but she doesn’t have extra surfaces to put a basket. Thanks for the suggestion!

  10. Joy in NW Iowa

    Well, it started lightening about 3:30ish a.m. and it is raining! I got up at 7 a.m. and it is dark! Wow!
    Yes, Norma will get more cards. I had to make a special one for her! What a happy smile!
    Jay finished digging the potatoes, and picked the rest of the cantaloupe and watermelon. He sure did have a good crop of cantaloupe and several watermelon.
    What did everyone do on a rain, rain, rainy day?
    Loved all the quilts and the animals!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Joy – I am doing nothing today – I am exhausted after hauling plants for days – my recliner will be calling me later.

  12. Charlotte S in northern California

    What a beautiful smile on Norma!! She has more cards coming. Love the quilts today and the dogs. My tomatoes are almost done. I’m waiting for a few cherry tomatoes to turn redder. Some critter keeps eating my bell peppers. I hope it gets gas and burps all day and night!!

  13. Kris in WI

    Give those three good dogs a treat! I’m sure they are all angels…all the time! Right?
    Nice quilts today, as usual. There is always at least one that speaks to me.
    Oh, Brrrr. I remember your winter pictures, Mary, and the ribbon you put around a tree where the snow came up on the trunk. The pictures from California where snow covered the windows were something else. Rain in the forecast for the rest of the week, but at least we won’t have to shovel it! Kris

  14. Sharon G.

    Norma looks so happy with a pooch on her lap and cards in her hand.
    The 3 little dogs look like they could be mischief makers. Cute!
    Love the quilts.
    It’s been cool, rainy, and some wind where I live in the Pacific Northwest. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and 63. Just looking at the snow in that photo made me feel cold. Brrr is right!
    Have a nice Thursday everyone.

  15. Sandy

    Hi Mary, love the 3 little dogs, looks like they have just been to the groomers. I hope you like the photo of my brother,s dog having fun at the park. Made the first pair of tracksuits today on the new overlocker, trying to use up some of my fabrics. Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy

  16. patti

    lovely reader quilts today. was really nice to see such a beautiful smile on norma’s face with her handful of cards. a homerun there. your tomato plant looks really sad. it seems like the weather changed so quickly. tonite we are dealing with bad weather. have had two tornado warnings already, so far not in my neighborhood. thanks again for a good read. hugs, patti in FL

  17. Marsha from Kansas

    The picture of Norma’s smile is priceless! My daughter will bring me some cards next time she gets to the store. I hope Norma might like a straggler card. Wonderful quilts as usual. I love the idea of the Grandmother Flower Garden block appliqued to a background. I worked on making Grandmother Flower Garden blocks while we listened to the Royals on the radio in 1985 and then went on to win the World Series. The blocks have been marinating ever since. I probably have enough to make a couple of quilts like that. Thanks for the idea, Karla. I’ve wondered what to do with so few blocks. The pups are adorable!

  18. Arrowhead Gramma

    Oh Mary, I agree with you about the snow. After last winter, I am just not ready to see another snowflake. Great blog post as always. 💙🌞❄️☃️❄️🌞💙

  19. Martha W in WY

    The readers’ quilts are so gorgeous. I love seeing all the readers’ quilts. The photo of the three dogs is so cute. They look so attentive. I’m feeling the cooler weather.

  20. Amy Falise

    I love the photo of Norma, she looks so happy! It just warms my heart.
    Lots of harvesting going on here in NW Ohio too. I love this time of year.
    I love seeing the photos readers send in. That Bow Tie quilt seems familiar to me, maybe I’ve seen the pattern in on of my books.

  21. Jeanie S, Central Illinois

    The picture of the three dogs is adorable. I am sure there is never a dull moment at their house.
    We were out running errands between towns today and also saw lots of harvesting being done. The fields look so bare, but the intersections on the blacktop roads have much better visibility with the corn gone.
    Thanks, Mary 🥰

  22. Nicole Hanson

    Was so fun to send Norma a card from Arizona! Will do it again for Thanksgiving and Christmas and hopefully send along a postcard with local pictures on it!
    I’m never sure if you get my posts but I send them anyway! Love your blog about nothing!

    1. Mary Etherington Post author

      Nicole – I got this one – I get sooo many and just can’t a knowledge every one but thank you for thinking of Norma.

    2. Sheryl K Harrison

      When mom (Norma) and daddy started traveling, they sent postcards to their grandkids. My sons still have some of the postcards. When they travel, they send grandma a postcard. Nicole, mom will love getting postcards from Arizona!

      1. Nicole Hanson

        I will be most happy to! I hope others will also send her postcards of their state and/or city. It would be fun!

        1. Sheryl K Harrison

          Wouldn’t that be fun to do for the next person we shower….send postcards from our state!!!

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