Blogger Friends Meet!

Last week, I drove about 45 minutes to meet a blog friend.

Oh, I should introduce you, meet Sue...she's an awful nice lady!

We've "known each other" for about a year, but had never met until last Thursday morning.

We met and had a chatty breakfast on that sunny morning in a tiny little town not dissimilar to the one Sue or I live in, or the towns I like to visit when I go on vacations. We each drove halfway and met in a tiny restaurant.

We had fun, and we talked (and talked!) and had a couple hours to go to one garage sale and a couple antique stores and a thrift store. In addition to introducing you to Sue, I thought I'd share a few pictures of our adventures that day.

Their downtown had an actual working vintage theater. I snapped these photos so I could show you, I was so impressed. They were showing one movie: Diary of a Wimpy Kid. We watched in the window as the usher vacuumed the lobby. I wanted to buy a ticket and wait in line for popcorn and settle in for a matinee!

I'd love to see this all lit up at night...waiting in line, of course! I just love the colors and the old bulbs!

On our way out to a garage sale...we spied this beautiful old stone fence...

And a closed gate to a beautiful old estate named "Shagbark"...

This beautiful old home looked rather out of place, it reminded me more of plantation homes in the deep south and not the farmhouses usually seen in rural Michigan. What a gorgeous place in a wonderful setting. Sue did some detective work when she got home and she found that this estate was a second home for a former Michigan Supreme Court Justice, Howard Weist, born in the 1860's.

I was just itching to jump the gate and explore, but we didn't...instead we stared and I took pictures instead, I knew you'd want to see it, too.

Shagbark...you're beautiful!

Sue brought me a sweet bag of vintage gifts and inside was the most thoughtful find; this sweetest little patchy flannel baby quilt. She said she knew I liked little quilts for my front porch. So thoughtful it was; I took some pictures of it to show you...it's gorgeous and fits perfectly on my front porch rocking chair.

Sue, I love it and I thank you for thinking of me, what could be more perfect or more wanted?

And although I don't know how anyone could part with anything this dear...

And this sweet...

Made and tied with care by some sweet lady for a new little baby so long ago...

I am very glad to use it again, and love it and take care of it,

It's like a sweet spot of sunshine,

...yes, sunshine from a thoughtful friend I've made through this blog. It's an amazing thing, this world of blogging and the neighbors we discover and the friends we make!

Sue is a sweet lady from Michigan who found my blog and began to write about a year ago this time. She said that this old farmhouse reminded her of the one her parents bought and restored when she was still young. She has shared with me many pictures of their farmhouse and stories of the remodeling and the good times and sweet memories made there with her mom.

Her mom is gone now, and I can't imagine what that's like for Sue but I know this: her mom left on this earth those memories of home, a kind soul, and a daughter she can be proud of who is together with her husband, raising three good sons.

I am glad to call her a friend, and I'm so glad we got to finally meet each other. She even brought a gift for my new little grandson, wasn't that nice?

And...
I hope to get around to meeting more of you this year, that's my goal. I'd like to have a

Michigan meet-up for blogging friends

(you would not have to BE a blogger, you could be a blogger or a reader!).

Right now I'm thinking the big meet-up could be early fall. If you're interested, let me know in the comments section and email me at oldcentennialfarmhouse at gmail dot com so I can get you in a file to send the information when it's finally set. Let me know if you prefer a weekday morning or a Saturday morning and please say where you're from, so we can choose a central meeting spot. I know there's many of you that I can't wait to meet and we can all do it in a group, together!


Sue, thanks for everything and especially the coffee!
; - )