If you are reading this, you probably understand the importance of friends we make online. Sometimes people call them invisible friends or imaginary friends, but I believe that online friends are as vital to our well-being as those we meet in person. Some of my dearest friends are those whom I've met on web groups related to things I enjoy. Tea friends, home school friends, herbal friends, chatting friends. . .all are important to me. Julie is one such friend.
We met nearly ten years ago on a home school support list. A rapport developed, sparked by common interest. When the online home school group organized a quilt block exchange for the students, Julie participated by air mail from Australia with those of us residing in North America. Her son's shared quilt blocks proudly featured flowers and fauna of their homeland. At that time Julie lived in Tasmania and shared information about geography and culture. Her husband, a Finish gentleman, was a professional gatherer of wild herbs for a pharmaceutical company. How interesting that was to me! I'm afraid I peppered Julie with a million questions on a wide variety of subjects, and she was always willing to share answers and exchange points of interest with me.
Five years ago she sent me a beautiful gift she made; a beautiful china painted cup. I treasure it and keep it in a place of honor in my china closet. Whenever I see it or use it, I think of her. It's the featured 'teacup of the day' today. The flowers painted on this cup are all native to Australia and I had to ask for an explanation of some of them, as I did not recognize them. The little, fluffy balls of yellow are called wattle, while the red colored flowers are bottlebrush. Gumnuts and blossoms are the small, round objects on the painted cup. The blossom or flower part comes out of the gumnut and when the blossom has died, it leaves the shell of the nut behind. The blossom portion of this plant is red. And the daisy-like flower on the back of the cup that is white with greenish tips is called flannel flower. They are all beautiful.
That's our botany lesson for today, and the story of a friendship with a person whom I hold dear! Thank you, Julie, for your friendship.
What a treasured symbol of your friendship !
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