I drove home from Elizabeth City on Sunday morning. The daylight was the kind that did not reveal the time. It could have been seven am, but it was really nine, when I left the Riverside village. If it weren’t for Kyle, Christian, my dog and cats, then it would have broken my heart to leave Lyla sitting in her high chair.
I had gotten used to lingering over coffee, with Jenny. We would loosely, plan our day, while Lyla chattered away. One morning, Lyla got up in an especially good mood. She said “Good Morning, Honey!” with such a smile-and then she said ‘cake and cookies!” several times. Jenny said, Lyla had said that in her sleep, too. What truly “sweet dreams”, she must have had.
Lyla has a “kitchen”, given to her by her aunt Mari “Bea”. There is a little telephone mounted on the set, and so of course, Jenny and I started “calling in orders’. You can order whatever you want . . but you are only getting cake. Jenny ordered corn, once and Lyla said “cake?” Jenny said “corn” again, and Lyla said “cake”. This went on til Lyla hung up on Jenny! After that, I ordered cake.
Thankfully, I had a nice drive home. When I turned in the rabbit patch drive way, I saw that the yard needed mowing again, but I also noted that the front porch really did look good, with its’ fresh paint. . .as did the awnings. the geraniums were blooming with blossoms as red as the front door. When I walked in the kitchen, there was my dog, Cash and he was in a state of delight at the sight of me. Moon Shine, the cat that used to be wild, turned his back on me and walked out. Christopher Robin, the cat that casts judgement “at the drop of a hat” was lying on top of the refrigerator. I have never seen him there before, as that is against the “house rules”, yet he barely flinched. I knew right that moment, he was holding a grudge against me, for leaving, in the first place.
I went to work, straight away on things I had to do for the “inspection” that is coming up, by the realtor. Oh, gone are the days of leisure strolls watching birds and rabbits. Farewell, to the hours sitting in a swing, watching the river turn a delightful shade of lavender, just hours after noon. It is back to cleaning out barns and climbing ladders, again. . . and picking peaches.
The peach tree is boasting just now-and it ought to. There are enough peaches to make cobblers whenever I feel like it. Of course, I plan to make ice cream with a few. Miss Claudia will agree with me on that. It does not surprise me a bit that the peaches are ready to pick and preserve, the same week as the appraiser is coming.
Mid summer is always busy at the rabbit patch. The “sprucing up of the rabbit patch” took the place of the gardening this year. Lord willing, next year I will tend a small garden. I do know, especially now, that I would rather be growing tomatoes than going through paint, “like it’s water”.
This coming week, will be a far cry from the last one. But, since arriving, I have cleaned out and organised the storage barn and eliminated a large upright cabinet in the house. While going through boxes in storage, I found letters, I had written my grandmother, over thirty years ago. There was a time when people wrote their thoughts and best wishes down on pretty paper, I remembered. I was a young mother at this time and wrote about my babies, mostly. One was written just before Christmas letting her know how much I looked forward to seeing her. I read them without hurry. Oh, it made me so sentimental that she had saved them, that I closed the door on the little barn without sweeping the floor.
The light never changed all day, but I know that the hours passed, anyway. A lot happened . . . and I was tired because of it.
Dear Diary, I am glad for midsummer when peach trees are laden with gold and lavender rivers drift peacefully by. I am glad to hear Lylas’ “sweet dreams” and I am glad for finding the old letters written to my own grandmother, long ago. No matter where I go . . across three rivers- in the kitchen at the rabbit patch or an old barn- love abides . . .and I am especially glad for that.
Those letters to your grandmother are a precious gift to treasure. Going thru my parents’ boxes last year I found letters & cards they saved from me- like a dairy, almost. I like Lyla’s kitchen ordering system – cake is good for us, right?🍰 🤗🍰 Especially with a little peach ice cream? Blessings (& blogging hugs) as your gear up for the appraiser.🤗 🙏😎🙏🤗
thank you Virginia- how sweet that your parents saved your things too. Lyla has had cake maybe 4 0r 5 times in her life-but she has not forgotten it! love Michele xx
It’s been a while since I visited The Rabbit Patch. How I enjoy reading your posts… still. It’s like going back in time to the days of simplicity. I love and miss those times even more today. Thank you for sharing as always and the best to you my friend in your new endeavors.
how kind! thank you It is good to hear from you-I love simple, more than ever and pray it stays like this! I do miss some of the old ways, we have lost some things we ought to have, I am determined to start writing letters again. It means so much to have you wishing good things for me! thank you!
I savored your post as long as possible, loving to watch Lyla, ordering cake, going home to tons of work, and being rewarded with old letters. A few years down the road, these writings are going to delight you.
I hope they will be a sort of historical diary of my family. I have kept personal journals for each of my children, while they were growing up-they are treasures now! thank you Sweet Anne
I loved reading about Lyla and her “cake”. It made me smile.
I am visualizing those peaches! Peach ice cream sounds amazing as does the cobbler.
I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, Michele, as the week goes by and the appraiser comes. Praying eyes are opened to the wonderful charm, beauty and peace of the rabbit patch.
thank you Faye-please do. I have peace about it-no matter how things go. I KNOW God will move things as they ought to go-I do wish I knew how it will end up. Moving is a big deal. I love you for remembering my plight and it makes me so happy to think you are lifting this up. love Michele
I’m sure it was hard to leave Lyla, but also nice to be back home. Moving is such a mixed blessing…hard to leave a beloved house behind, but the chance to go through your things and rediscover those letters is a gift. And I really hope you are settled somewhere new next year and can have your garden again!
Beautiful post Rabbit.
Until reading this post I kind of pushed the sale of the Rabbit Patch to the back of my mind. Even though I’d spoken to you about it, it wasn’t really happening because you and the Rabbit Patch were ‘as one’, so to speak.
But now …. now it’s become real. And because of that … I now have huge butterflies flapping inside my tummy. I’m having a mini panic feeling going on.
Your realtor (they’re called Estate Agents here in the UK) coming was the thing that put the butterflies in motion, for I remember the day that we booked for one to come to us in order to sell our old cottage. Everything that could be ‘tweaked’ and made perfect, had been tweaked. Everything which needed a lick of new paint had received it. Even the sheds at the bottom of the huge garden had been given a ‘smile’ of new paint and some cushions on the benches and chairs.
It looked like an incredible vision of what our cottage could have looked like if we worked on it allllll the time. I loved it. It all looked like it was a romantic, soft focus vision. And I should imagine that this is how your beautiful home is looking now.
But … a move to a home with a smaller garden will be wonderful for you. It may take a little while until you actually feel that the new home is ‘you’ – but it will happen in the end. It will slowly develop and your personality will creep into your new home and it will become as lovely as you are today.
Sending love and wishing you a blessed day my friend ~ Cobs. xxx
Why a beautiful, heart-warming “Dear Diary,” you blessed us with in this post. It is a treasure. I, too, often get lost in old letters while time flies and I don’t accomplish what I set out to do. But I never regret my choice of activity. I wonder what folks will do when all the letters have disappeared? Emails and texts are efficient, but don’t seem the same.
I have thought, as it is becoming a lost art-not even taught in schools-a tragic loss to me. I am determined to write letters and keep my journals! Thank you darling-love Michele
What a sweet time you had with Lyla and Jenny. Cake all around. Happy that you made it home safe and sound! Cash has the right attitude, that’s what I love so about dogs….cats on the other hand have a completely different take and attitude…so funny! How wonderful to come across those letter, it must have been quite the trip down memory lane. A much lovelier way to spend the time rather than sweeping. I love the visions of golden trees and lavender rivers…not to mention peach cobbler and ice cream, yum! Hope all went well with the appraisal! Did you give the appraiser some peach cobbler? 😉
Oh good, gives you time to make both!! I will keep you in my prayers Michele. I think they will pick up on your vibe and love for the home and add that in when considering the real value!! Love Deb ❤
Aww thank you Michele. I know the feeling, I get so excited when I stop by to read your stories because they always make me smile and truly appreciate what’s really important. So I truly thank you too. ❤ Much love, Deb.
Peach cobbler…yum! We don’t have the best peaches in Arizona. Don’t tell anyone here I said that as they think they taste good. I am from Georgia after all. 🙂
rabbitpatchdiarycom 
So enjoyed this. Best of luck later this week.
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thank you for best wishes, I am so behind!! Still, my heart is grateful. thank you sincerely, Michele
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Those letters to your grandmother are a precious gift to treasure. Going thru my parents’ boxes last year I found letters & cards they saved from me- like a dairy, almost. I like Lyla’s kitchen ordering system – cake is good for us, right?🍰 🤗🍰 Especially with a little peach ice cream? Blessings (& blogging hugs) as your gear up for the appraiser.🤗 🙏😎🙏🤗
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thank you Virginia- how sweet that your parents saved your things too. Lyla has had cake maybe 4 0r 5 times in her life-but she has not forgotten it! love Michele xx
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It’s been a while since I visited The Rabbit Patch. How I enjoy reading your posts… still. It’s like going back in time to the days of simplicity. I love and miss those times even more today. Thank you for sharing as always and the best to you my friend in your new endeavors.
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how kind! thank you It is good to hear from you-I love simple, more than ever and pray it stays like this! I do miss some of the old ways, we have lost some things we ought to have, I am determined to start writing letters again. It means so much to have you wishing good things for me! thank you!
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I savored your post as long as possible, loving to watch Lyla, ordering cake, going home to tons of work, and being rewarded with old letters. A few years down the road, these writings are going to delight you.
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I hope they will be a sort of historical diary of my family. I have kept personal journals for each of my children, while they were growing up-they are treasures now! thank you Sweet Anne
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This post was just so sweet!
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thank you Sparkyjen!
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I loved reading about Lyla and her “cake”. It made me smile.
I am visualizing those peaches! Peach ice cream sounds amazing as does the cobbler.
I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, Michele, as the week goes by and the appraiser comes. Praying eyes are opened to the wonderful charm, beauty and peace of the rabbit patch.
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thank you Faye-please do. I have peace about it-no matter how things go. I KNOW God will move things as they ought to go-I do wish I knew how it will end up. Moving is a big deal. I love you for remembering my plight and it makes me so happy to think you are lifting this up. love Michele
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I’m sure it was hard to leave Lyla, but also nice to be back home. Moving is such a mixed blessing…hard to leave a beloved house behind, but the chance to go through your things and rediscover those letters is a gift. And I really hope you are settled somewhere new next year and can have your garden again!
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you are right on all counts-and thank you so much for reading my diary and leaving me best wishes– your comment made my day! xx
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Beautiful post Rabbit.
Until reading this post I kind of pushed the sale of the Rabbit Patch to the back of my mind. Even though I’d spoken to you about it, it wasn’t really happening because you and the Rabbit Patch were ‘as one’, so to speak.
But now …. now it’s become real. And because of that … I now have huge butterflies flapping inside my tummy. I’m having a mini panic feeling going on.
Your realtor (they’re called Estate Agents here in the UK) coming was the thing that put the butterflies in motion, for I remember the day that we booked for one to come to us in order to sell our old cottage. Everything that could be ‘tweaked’ and made perfect, had been tweaked. Everything which needed a lick of new paint had received it. Even the sheds at the bottom of the huge garden had been given a ‘smile’ of new paint and some cushions on the benches and chairs.
It looked like an incredible vision of what our cottage could have looked like if we worked on it allllll the time. I loved it. It all looked like it was a romantic, soft focus vision. And I should imagine that this is how your beautiful home is looking now.
But … a move to a home with a smaller garden will be wonderful for you. It may take a little while until you actually feel that the new home is ‘you’ – but it will happen in the end. It will slowly develop and your personality will creep into your new home and it will become as lovely as you are today.
Sending love and wishing you a blessed day my friend ~ Cobs. xxx
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thank you sweet Mrs. Cobbs! Pray I find a new rabbit patch to love and allows me more time with my loved ones!
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Why a beautiful, heart-warming “Dear Diary,” you blessed us with in this post. It is a treasure. I, too, often get lost in old letters while time flies and I don’t accomplish what I set out to do. But I never regret my choice of activity. I wonder what folks will do when all the letters have disappeared? Emails and texts are efficient, but don’t seem the same.
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I have thought, as it is becoming a lost art-not even taught in schools-a tragic loss to me. I am determined to write letters and keep my journals! Thank you darling-love Michele
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What a sweet time you had with Lyla and Jenny. Cake all around. Happy that you made it home safe and sound! Cash has the right attitude, that’s what I love so about dogs….cats on the other hand have a completely different take and attitude…so funny! How wonderful to come across those letter, it must have been quite the trip down memory lane. A much lovelier way to spend the time rather than sweeping. I love the visions of golden trees and lavender rivers…not to mention peach cobbler and ice cream, yum! Hope all went well with the appraisal! Did you give the appraiser some peach cobbler? 😉
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ha! The apprasier comes this Tuesday. I plan to have coffee and peach cobbler! Thank you Deb-and please pray for me! love Michele
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Oh good, gives you time to make both!! I will keep you in my prayers Michele. I think they will pick up on your vibe and love for the home and add that in when considering the real value!! Love Deb ❤
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oh how you inspire me with your kind words. I truly thank you-know that you have a wonderful difference in my life, today.
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Aww thank you Michele. I know the feeling, I get so excited when I stop by to read your stories because they always make me smile and truly appreciate what’s really important. So I truly thank you too. ❤ Much love, Deb.
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Peach cobbler…yum! We don’t have the best peaches in Arizona. Don’t tell anyone here I said that as they think they taste good. I am from Georgia after all. 🙂
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wow-Georgia peaches are tops!
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Reblogged this on Sarah's Attic Of Treasures and commented:
A new to me blog that I am really enjoying.
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well yay!! and thank you so much! This makes my morning more beautiful!
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