Saturday, November 27, 2010

Absence makes the heart grow fonder!






Hello, Everyone!

My goodness, how I have missed you all! I had no idea that life was about to get so full for so long. I've had more to do than I've had time or energy for. If I had known that I would be traveling for so long away from Blogland, I would have prepared and told you. As it is, I've been home - in my own reality - dealing with an awful lot of the mundane. Although there have been some perplexing rough spots in life, these last couple of months, we're all doing fine. ("Thank you" to those who, wondering where I was, have checked up on me! That meant a lot!)

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In the meantime, the seasons have shifted and changed. The last time I did a proper post, it was late summer into autumn. Now, it is the very last of autumn and almost winter. I must confess, the starkness of November looked very bleak, my first two years, here, in Vermont. Now, for me, it brings subtly muted beauty, not to mention a much appreciated lull between the busyness of October and the Christmas season.







 I would like to tell you something else about November that is extremely pleasant.

It was a year ago that I first ventured on to the computer in any serious capacity. I got my first email account, discovered youtube and visited my first blog, Curlew Country. You see, a year ago, I found myself in a, somewhat, lonely place. Friendships had shifted because of the way life goes and, after 16 or so years, in what is really a different culture, I was desperate to find others who had the same particular interests and passions as I had. My sister suggested that I might find someone out in the wide world if I searched through the internet.

I did!

I found all of you!

(Not to mention, a way to stay close to those who are dear but not physically near and, new friends, who were right near me all along.)







I know that many of you have moved on to the Christmas season but, I just did not want to let this American holiday - Thanksgiving - pass fully by without telling you all how genuinely thankful I am for all of you!!!







Best wishes and just plain ol' love to you all,




Katy xxo






Oh, by the way, this is my 100th post! Gasp!



28 comments:

  1. Dearest Katy, How wonderful to read that you are well and to celebrate your centenary posting. It is amazing how some of the 'virtual' friendships that can develop in the Blogosphere can become more real than reality!!

    You have been greatly missed and I do so hope that we shall hear more news from the Sunny Spot in the near future.

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  2. Bonjour Katy Noelle,
    It is fine to see you again and with those gorgeous photos of frost on leaves and trees.

    I hope you have had a happy Thanksgiving and that you enjoyed this day with your familly and relatives.

    I hope everything is ok for you, husband and kids.
    Have a nice weekend.


    ♥ Hรฉlรจne Glehen - a French artist, fond of roses and romantic stuff ♥

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  3. Hi Katy and welcome back. Been gone quite a long time myself and have missed it too. Such beautiful photos. Happy Thanksgiving to you x

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  4. Hi Kathy.....glad to hear from you !! and i am also glad i found your blog !! the blogging world is amazing......i will not miss it anymore......such a nice people all over the world !!...have a happy weekend darling.........love you Ria.....

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  5. So wonderful to hear from you Katy. Your photos are so lovely and I find I am still very much keeping to Thanksgiving and autumn as well. We are happy to be warm inside on this blustery cold day enjoying our leftovers. Wishing you and yours a lovely Thanksgiving weekend and lots of joy as we enter the Christmas season. ~ Julie

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  6. Katy, you have been missed. I, too, am not out of Thanksgiving mode yet. I try to squeeze all the goodness out of it before moving on ... at least wait until the last cupcake is eaten from the big dinner on Thursday. :) Hopefully, I can shift gears next week.

    Welcome back and congrats on post #100.

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  7. Dearest Katy Noelle,

    Despite your name 'Noelle' you're clinging on to Thanksgiving; well Me too!!!
    So glad you're back and congratulations on your 100th blog, quite a milestone and yours have been great stories with lovely photographs. A joy to visit.
    Wish you a happy first Sunday of Advent and slowly we all will manage to move into the Christmas season...

    Mariette's Back to Basics

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  8. I did miss you, Katy; welcome back! My blog friends are high on my list of things to be thankful for.

    I've enjoyed autumn too, but I'm very ready to transition into the December holidays with green and red everywhere and new crafts to keep me busy.

    Congrats on one hundred thoughtful, sweet, artistic and lovely posts!

    Hugs, pogonip

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  9. Beautiful post, Katie! I'm so glad I found you in this world of blogs! Congratulations on your 100th post!

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  10. I add my congratulations on your 100th post! Really glad I found your blogs. I also find that blogland is wonderful for meeting dear folks interested in the same things I am. Friends outside of blogland are wonderful, but sometimes don't "get us" the way like-minded fellow bloggers do. Thankful your back! Bess

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  11. Dear Katy,

    So good to hear from you again! You know I have been waiting for some time now for one of your post, but almost missed it...pff!

    I am glad to hear you and your family are allright and getting ready for Christmas. I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving!

    Thank you for this beautiful post and your kind words. I would love to give them back to you: thank you too, for your friendship & your kindness. I am very grateful to have you as a friend.

    Your photo's are breathtakingly beautiful. What a simple branch and a bit of frost can do :-)!

    Take care dear Katy and enjoy your new week!

    Lieve groet, Madelief

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  12. Almost forgot....congratulations on you 100dred post!!

    xo Madelief

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  13. Congratulations, Katie, on your wonderful 100th posting - you have captured such beauty with your camera, even in late November! So happy to see you back in blogland - You have been missed. I, too, have been a "scarce" blogger this fall - many travels and responsibilities...
    Cassandra ♥

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  14. absence does make the heart grow fonder, and i agree... i too am so grateful for all my blogging friends and the circle of supoort i have from them, eventhough we remain physically far apart. i hope you have been well. i am back and will be visiting more often now. here to play catch up :)

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  15. Hi Katy, What a lovely post! Full of heart :-)) I too have found so much happiness in the blogging community :-))
    Your photos are amazing, always a delight!!
    I can't believe Vermont hasn't had snow yet! I would guessed you would be on top of the first snow list!! We never get snow this early so it was a treat to have a white Thanksgiving:-))
    Hugs to you...
    Bella

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  16. Hi Katy! Happy 100th! These photos are truly beautiful!!! Did you take all of them? I am so impressed...love the perspective! I'm glad you're back and I hope you had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!

    Hugs ~

    :) T

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  17. hi katy!

    it's amazing how quickly 100 posts sneaks up. i've lost count to be honest but i'll have to check next time. i'll probably be shocked!

    thanks so much for your warm comment. i adored it!

    happy weekend

    xo
    elyse

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  18. Dearest Katie,

    You asked Madelief about Sinterklaas... on December 5th. That's the tradition of my home country and it's Dutch for Saint Nicholas. He was the bishop from Mira, and his helper is black Pieter. Each year he arrives by boat from Spain; that is on TV for all the little ones to get them excited.
    They have to behave in order to receive treats.
    Well, I could tell a long story but it were the Dutch who founded New Netherlands and New Amsterdam (now New York City) and they were the first to colonize the USA so we inherited a lot of their customs and traditions.
    Later however Saint Nicholas changed into Santa Claus and it became a commercial thing for Christmas. I MISS that part here as Christmas in my home country is a family celebration centered around the religion. More like Thanksgiving here with great food. Sinterklaas is fun for writing poems and for wrapping a gift for the one name you drew earlier. It is a great evening together with food of course and lots of laughter.

    Hope this explains to you about our culture in The Kingdom of The Netherlands!

    Lots of love,

    Mariette's Back to Basics

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  19. Hi Katy,
    I love the beautiful photos you share on both of your blogs.
    I am glad to have met you also and always enjoy hearing from you!
    We just got back from the Christmas Prelude in Maine-it is so beautiful there but i was really hoping for some snow before we left but not too much for driving-however no snow arrived while we were there. I am thinking your part of the world would be beautiful in snow too.I will look forward to your photos.
    Take care,

    Carolyn

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  20. Dear Katy, its so nice to see you again. I wondered what had happened to you and I nearly missed this post ..!! Glad to hear all is well with you.

    Congratulations on your first blog anniversary - it goes by so quickly doesn't it!!

    Beautiful photos - the droplets of rain look like jewels.

    Love,
    Jeanne
    x

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  21. Beautiful post!
    & yes, why limit our friendships to our immediate surroundings when there's a world of wonderful people out there? :)

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  22. Dear Katy Noelle!!!!!

    Such a BEAUTIFUL post!!!!!!!! And 100 posts!!! Congratulations!!!!!!

    I too have been absent for a while and have been missing it....it is this time of year!!! And it is getting - for me - worst and worst...so much to do, so much to organize, to think of...that I am already looking forward to January...:)!!!!

    It has been ages that I have been her, will now go an check out all I have missed!!! And must quickly pop over to your other blog....:)!!!!

    SO lovely to hear from you the other day - sorry I am getting back so late...!!!!

    Will be back soon PROPERLY!!!


    Lots of Love


    Nicola X

    p.s. :) Not TOO sure about the swim :) - brrrrr - but YES -wouldn't it be FUN!!!! I had always wondered what it would be like to meet blog friends in the real world and was not all that sure about it - but meeting Jeanne was just lovely!!! And did not feel strange AT ALL. Now I am ready for MORE!!!!!

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  23. Dear Katy, always so VERY nice to read your posts! Glad to hear all is fine and you are now (hopefully) ready to get back to the wonderful and crazy world of Blogging. Please try and not stay away for too long...it's boring without you :0) Hugs and love you too! XO

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  24. Dear Katy Noelle,

    Such warm and beautiful words. It's so lovely of you to visit me and leave such kind thoughts. Blogging is not always easy but I'm determined not to be pressurised into feeling that I need to be posting at regular intervals. I want it to be joyful when I do post hence my irregular posts. Have a wonderful holiday season. Big hugs, Liz. :)

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  25. hi sweet katy,

    thank you again so very much for always having just the right thing to say.

    xo
    elyse

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  26. So much beautiful here. Just stunning. I love your photography. Outstanding.

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  27. Hi again Katy,

    I meant to comment on this post a week or so ago and got sidetracked with the kids. I have your blog listed on my sidebar so I can easily see when you've posted something new. I'm glad you're back and all is well with you as I'd wondered about how you were doing.
    I know I've said this before, and I see that everyone else does too, but I can't help but say again that your photography is absolutely beautiful. As I read through your posts and admire your pictures I have found myself wondering which I enjoy more...the words or the photos. I think it's a tie.

    Smiles and hugs,

    Nancy

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Short and witty, long and heartfelt, just a blip to say hello - I love all of your comments! Feel free ...

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