Dick Clegg's Owl Talk - Mar 2 @ 1pm at Yarrow Hall

Photo - Dick Clegg

Valentine's Eve is big around here

I can't believe how excited I am!

The kids are in bed and I'm just waiting for Paul to get home so we can put the final touches on our Valentine's surprise.  This year is going to be amazing!  What do you do for Valentine's day?  Wait until you see what happens here.

Millie on our Valentine's walk through Yarrow
Photos are all taken by Vivian

Okay.  So I can't know for sure that it will happen again, but let me tell you what happened last year.  Last year Valentine's day got out to the normal "shout the kids out the door to the bus" routine until we opened the front door.  We stopped flat.

There was the beginning of what turned out to be a magical day.  A simple box of chocolates with a poem written out on yellow paper.  There was one at every door in the village.  That simple box of chocolates was like a portal to a magic place.  I suppose everyone opened their door that morning and found the same thing I did.  I suppose it did the same thing to every heart what it did to mine.  I cracked right open.

It must have had that same effect on us all.  Had to.  By the end of the day I had a whole table of choclates and cookies.  Poems and pictures.  A red lamay door knocker still hangs on our bedroom door from that day.

Yarrow Post Office

It wasn't just our village.  The whole of Yarrow had been decorated.  Each store had a special display gifted to it by some unknown folks that cleaned it up as fast as they put it out.  I remember walking Millie down the street.  Looking at each magical installation. Noting different styles for sure.

My front door half way through the day

The village sort of fell in love all over again last Valentine's Day.  Winter can be a tough time in community.  We see each other less.  The work part stays and the fun part dwindles.  We do our best, and those that have been here longer know it is part of the ebb and flow of this place.  Valentine's Day last year felt like a renewal for me.  People walked around with the biggest smiles.  Our hearts were full.

I need that full heart again.  Lord knows this winter has felt long and cloudy for me.  I have barely held on until now- but here I am!  Valentine's Eve!  Falling in love with the village all over again!

Yarrow IS special.

- Paul's home.... Gotta run.  See you tomorrow! ;)

Ann's addendum

Addendum---

 

Since finishing my book page report blog, I printed out page 220 and left it lying on my dining table to allow for further digestion.

I’d like to add more to my Book Page Report comment that

“ we too, are not expecting all these qualities all at once, in all our villagers or village-wannabes.”

 

Diana has this daunting list of suitable qualities for successful villagers…

1.    Someone who doesn’t ‘need’ it.

2.    Someone with a healthy sense of self

Etc

It’s a useful list for us to aim for,  but an impossible list for any of us to truly achieve.