I received these lovelies in the mail TWO months ago now ... and I have been saving them, knowing in the back of my mind that a new blog would come along at some point this fall.

First was this beautiful note of encouragement from a dear friend during a week that I was really struggling. It was so thoughtful of her, and the woman in the painting (Bocca Baciata [Lips That Have Been Kissed] by 19th century British painter Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti) looks mysteriously like me!

And, on the same day, I also received this wonderful package from my best friend from college. I love the necklace, especially the way she did the hardware (could I love one thing about this necklace more than any other? It's all so beautiful: the colors -- it's a bit hard to tell in the picture, but it's three shades of green -- the braided strands ... sigh). It was wrapped in that sweet little envelope, and came with the beautiful handmade card. Also in the package was some new music (Sympathique and Hang on Little Tomato by Pink Martini, Tanto Tempo by Bebel Gilberto, Blacklisted and Fox Confessor Brings the Flood by Neko Case, and The Greatest by Cat Power). Such fun!

uncommon grace