Aren’t our fellow bloggers the most thoughtful people on earth? I was so excited to find a wonderful surprise in the mail this week from my sweet friend Sarah at Hyacinths for the Soul! It was wrapped in cute frenchy paper topped with a colorful tag in a checked pattern…Sarah’s signature!
I giggled out loud when I opened it because attached to the present was a lovely set of demitasse spoons... and…inside was one of my favorite French books! I had to leave it behind when I retired since the book belonged to my school. Does she know me or what? Isn't she a wonderfully sweet and thoughtful friend? 
The spoons are gorgeous, aren’t they? Sarah said that she found them at an estate sale and immediately thought of me. Can you see why? I love grapes! Look at the detail in the tiny bunches of grapes…beautiful!
The book is called Mots d’Heure: Gousses, Rames (sounds like Mother Goose Rhymes) and is a very clever play on words disguised as a manuscript of a 93 year old retired school teacher who died while grading papers! lol It is in French, but when read aloud sounds like English and is actually a collection of Mother Goose rhymes! I used to Xerox a few, have my students read them and wait for it to dawn on them! What fun! Can you recognize the ones shown above? Try reading them aloud...the answers are below.Thanks so much, Sarah, for your thoughtfulness and some fun memories! You are a sweetie!
Answers: #1. Humpty Dumpty, #2. Little Jack Horner, #3. Little Miss Muffett.
And in case you are wondering how I actually managed to get a few photos without the staff getting into the act, here’s why…lots of action on our patio this spring!
Not only do we have our new neighbor, the baby bunny…
…but also an assortment of lizards sunning themselves…
..and a very angry mama mockingbird who brazenly came to the door to fuss at the staff!
Even my grandson and my granddog Paco have been enjoying the view! lol I hope that you are finding your day to be equally fun and interesting! Thanks so much for stopping by! See you next time! A la prochaine!
Debbie, I love your book and the spoons. What a thoughtful gift and so cool. Your staff are just too funny. They crack me up watching all the action outside. Love it when your grandson enjoys all of it too. Hope you are having a super day. Hugs, Marty
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful gifts from such a thoughtful friend!! Love those spoons!
ReplyDeleteMy youngest cat Bella, caught her "first" chipmunk yesterday. Needless to say, I went screaming across the yard yelling "drop it Bella, Drop it!" I was running all over the front yard after her and finally caught her and was holding her and saying DROP IT!! She finally did and the chipmunk raced up a tree to live another day!! My husband was just laughing his head off at my efforts and antics to save the life of the chipmunk! It is going to be a loooooong summer!!
Tell the staff hello!
Lou Cinda :)
Debbie, what wonderful treasures she sent you. I clicked on the link and I think you have it linked to the wrong blog. I can't believe there are two Hyacinths for the soul blogs, but there is. Just wanted to let you know.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, Kim! Thanks! I fixed it now...just off by an s, but I wouldn't want anyone to miss Sarah's lovely blog!...hugs...Debbie
ReplyDeleteDebbie what sweet gifts! Friends are the best! Love the staff and my own Charlie has been glued to the screened porch watching his yard and the critters!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful surprise for you, Debbie! Love them all and love your critters too! Wishing you a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Sandi
Grapes on spoons it could not be more perfect for you. The book is amazing what a wonderful treasure you just received. That was an extrememly thoughtful gift for one very wonderful lady YOU!! Hugs Kathysue
ReplyDeleteWhat a great gift Debbie and your so right blogger love is the best going...Hugs and smiles Gl♥ria
ReplyDeleteI keep being amazed at the wonderful people we're meeting. What a lovely, thoughtful gift! And your staff cracks me up!
ReplyDeletexoxo Pattie
I love looking out and enjoying nature too at my house. I haven't seen a bunny though. So cute!
ReplyDeleteDebbie~~~
ReplyDeleteSuch sweet gifts from Sarah. As soon as I saw the grapes on the spoons, I knew why she sent them to you. The book is very cool. I was able to make out a bit of Little Miss Muffet! That was fun.
Big laughs over the antics of the staff and your outdoor critters. I have never seen a mockingbird before so that was great!
Enjoy your week!
xoxo
Jane
Very amusing...it took me a while to sound out the rhymes...my French is tres rusty!
ReplyDeleteDebbie, those are wonderful gifts. Isn't Sarah one of the sweetest people ever? I adore her and you, too, of course!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed seeing the pictures of the staff and your grandson and goddog looking at the bunny. And isn't he cute??? LOL! about the fussing bird. I hope she leaves SOON. We've got loads of lizards, too.
Hugs to you today and every day. Are you going to the bloggers party in June??? I'm not sure I can make it, but I really, really want to go and meet the GA group.
XO,
Sheila :-)
Debbie, how sweet of Sarah to send you those nice demitasse spoons and your favorite little French book.
ReplyDeleteIn case you are interested the spoons are Oneida Bordeaux made in 1945...
I just love seeing your beautiful kitties. I bet they go nuts with all that wildlife just beyond their reach!
Darling picture of your grandson and granddog.
Your sweet friend knew what you would love. :) The book and the spoons are beautiful. No, I couldn't understand a word in the book! Thanks for telling us it's Mother Goose.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the pictures of my new kitty? She's precious!
Lucky you to receive such a wonderful gift. Now your yard is turning into a real zoo with all of those critters running around to drive the cats nuts:-)
ReplyDeleteJoyce
Such a sweet friend to send those wonderful treasures to you!!!
ReplyDeleteI know all about bunnies in the yard...BEAR is an Aussie Shepherd and has the instincts of a working dog...we have an underground electric fence so she can't get out of our yard...I swear the bunnies know how far to run, to tease her just over the line...but each time she runs one out of bounds I praise her because she did her job...keeping bunny out of her yard!!!
Critters are so fun :D
~Victoria~
That book is a real treasure for you. Sadly, I can't read french but I did get "Little miss Muffett". So there is always a chance I could learn.
ReplyDeleteYour patio traffic is wonderful. I had a spuirrel come right into my apartment while I was talking on the phone to Claudie last week. Couldn't believe it.
Grabbed my camera too and took a couple of pictures or no one would believe it.
You're fun as always.
Julie
Wonderful and thoughtful gifts..the spoons are definitely YOU!! My French has been lost to me for about thirty years.. something I wish I had kept up on.
ReplyDeleteLove the kitty photos - amazing how they can just intently view without moving a muscle...
Debbie, it puts a smile on my face to know that these small gifts give you joy. You have certainly brought joy to me through your beautiful blog and thoughtful friendship.
ReplyDeleteThe staff is as adorable as ever. Makes me want to go down the street to the house that has the sign: Kittens to Adopt. :-)
Hope you have a fabulous weekend full of fun!
Hugs ~ Sarah
Those demitasse spooons are simply gorgeous, Debbie. How thoughtful Sarah is! Love all the action going on in your porch. SOunds like our backyard. We have an alert system that tells us what's going on in the yard and it continually says "Garden pool alert" cause it detects the movements of squirrels and chipmunks and cats, lol.....Christine
ReplyDeleteThose spoons are wonderful! I love grapes too and have a few demitasse silver plate, but a different grape pattern. Sarah is so thoughtful--what a great friend. The book is too cute. At first I didn't get it, until I read it out loud!
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of activity here too. Birds and squirrels!
Have a wonderful day! --Delores
What a wonderful book. I love the red and blue cover and the premise is so fun! It's a good thing no one is here to hear me trying to read it in my made up French accent!
ReplyDeleteWho needs tv or catnip when you have a wild life show on you patio! The bunny is just too cute!
Hugs,
Dawn
Debbie, What a lovely surprise. Love the spoons with grapes and the sweet books. The staff are adorable.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Sherry
What sweet gifts! I love your staff looking out the window. :)
ReplyDeleteDonna
Don't you just love blog friends! What a lovely and thoughtful gift.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely gift!!! I Do love a cuddle of spoons---they bespeak a wonderful occasion in the making, a setting for a simple or elaborate tea, or just the PRETTY of them, just because.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've been reading and reading your book!! I even Googled the first line to see if there were any more, and I've bookmarked it AND your site for future enjoyment.
I followed over from Mona's cheerful blog, and have had such a lovely time looking at your lively family of peepers, and reading that wonderful pastiche.
THANK YOU!!
Thank you so much for dropping in at Lawn Tea!!
ReplyDeletePS I DO love the name of your blog---I guess I'm sorta the low-rent version: My DH calls me a Dish Junkie!
Wow! You do have a good friend who knows you so well! "She" loves the french book - too clever!
ReplyDeleteBut oh my whiskers!!!! You have a baby bunny too!!!!! AND a lizard AND a mockingbird?!?!?! Geez, can I come over and visit the staff???? And I thought life was good here!
I hope you are having a good weekend! Purrs!
Romeo and "her"
Those spoons are so perfect for you! What a sweet thing for Sarah to do. And the book was fun, I was able to figure out the first and third, but Jack Horner had me stumped! Love the pictures of your staff enjoying their live action movies lol. Those mockingbirds can be wicked, we used to have one that terrorized the neighbor's cat. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Hugs, Kat (that's a great shot of your grandson and Paco!)
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful gifts from that sweet Sarah to that sweet Debbie. laurie
ReplyDelete