Unexpected gifts lift our spirits.
A normal day with usual routine actions
suddenly becomes one filled with smiles and euphoric feelings.
Sometimes I enter my name into drawings for give-aways
from fellow bloggers, but never have any expectations of actually winning,
especially when there are 269 entries.
Casually, I go about my everyday activities and
just as casually continue to read the blog with the give-away.
T H E N...
without expecting it, out of the bleu ....
as I was checking my daily emails,
I saw an email from Mary @ Home Is Where the Boat Is
with a subject line winner ball jars!
Let me back up.
Rather, the email was FROM Mary _________,
a name I did not recognize,
with a subject line winner ball jars!
Now, I've never had an email from Mary @ Home Is Where the Boat Is before.
And, the FROM column did not say, "Mary @ Home Is Where the Boat Is."
Only after re-reading the subject line winner ball jars! did it dawn on me.
Excitedly, I opened the email and read,
Hi Judith! You won a set of Purple Heritage Ball Jars!
That's when the smiling and euphoric feelings began.
A set of six pint-size Purple Heritage Ball Jars were on their way to me.
Here is the first look of how the jars have made themselves at home here
instead of at Home Is Where the Boat Is.
The first Ball jar is a flower vase filled with daffodils
celebrating one of the few sunny, bleu-sky days we have had
this snow-plagued, frozen-temperature winter.
Yes, the reproduction Heritage Ball jars feel right at home with
purple glasses, purple flower clippers, and purple toile tablecloth.
purple glasses, purple flower clippers, and purple toile tablecloth.
A flower vase is just the beginning for these jars.
My sister-in-law in Alabama picks blackberries from
a bramble patch whose location is a family secret.
She cans the blackberries for cobblers and
makes home-made blackberry jelly.
Maybe, just maybe, if I send her a couple of jars
they will be returned this summer filled with blackberries.
Purple, the perfect color for blackberries.
My mother canned using Ball jars, and
my grandmother canned using Ball jars
as did her mother before her.
I'm sure someone, or several someones, in my family tree
used the original purple Ball jars in 1913-1915.
As for the other four Ball jars,
I have a few ideas planned for them this spring.
I will be out-and-about tomorrow excitedly looking
for what I have in mind for them.
 |
| detail of toile purple tablecloth |
I like that I can still get excited.
I have to admit that life sometimes weighs me down
and does not seem to have as much joy as it did for years.
Then, along comes a little email that reminds me that
one never knows what good things are still in store.
When you least expect it, something can bring euphoric feelings.
Thank you, Mary @ Home Is Where the Boat Is, for spreading
some joy and laughter, joie de vivre, where it was least expected.
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Congrates on winning the jars. I have the blue, green, and now the purple. They are so pretty and you are right there is nothing better than a pleasant unexpected gift arriving.
ReplyDeleteHow pretty! I did not know they came in purple ~ your photos are gorgeous and I'm sure you will find more pretty ways to display them.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely one!
xo,
Lin
Ah, perfect with the yellow daffodils! Hope you do get the blackberry jam in the purple ball jars back from your sister-in-law! You have to love sisters-in-law who make jellies and jams! Congratulations on winning the ball jars, but you are always a winner in my book! Have a grand day!
ReplyDeleteYay! I am off to Google hoping I can find some!
ReplyDeleteJudith, BONJOUR et félicitations! It is lovely to win, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteAnd these jars ares so special and look so great with your flowers! I have a pretty aqua one I need to bring out.
I hope you are well? Happy FRIDAY! Anita
I noticed the purple clippers right away :), then the glasses, then the tablecloth...the PERFECT gift for you! ~Zuni
ReplyDeleteJudith, The purple Ball Jars are perfectly paired with your toile tablecloth! I love them holding the cheery daffodils, such a sunny contrast of color and harbinger of spring! I hope they bring you joy and are returned with ripe juicy berries this summer. ♥
ReplyDeleteThose are great and the transferware too! Thanks for joining Home Sweet Home!
ReplyDeleteSherry
Your win and what it meant to you just touches my heart! Sometimes connecting with another blogger, even if it's just a note in the mail, lifts my spirits and makes me so happy to be part of the Blogging World! Love, love the jars. I have a few originals from my hunting in the country!
ReplyDeleteFound you at the Thursday link up party. Lovely blog, Judith! :)
Jane xxxx
Love those jars!! And will you make sure that your sister-in-law detours a jar of that blackberry jelly to me? Where in Alabama? We are from Birmingham originally! Used to love to pick blackberries as a kid. I would eat them all before I could get them home for mother to make a cobbler, though. Blackberry cobbler -- the most wonderful tasting thing warm from the oven!!
ReplyDelete